Travel to the Dark Castle took quite a while however Alice eventually made it to the slightly ominous looking fortress. She could sense magic around the gates and great oak doors but they let her in when she pushed on them. Stepping inside she found an empty foyer wary she progressed forward with pipe in hand.

The next room was a great dining hall that also contained a spinning wheel and at it sat a man he wasn't looking at her at first.

"What do you want dear..." he began to ask as he looked up only to freeze his strange glistening skin paling his amber eyes going wide. Swiftly stood up.

"Row?" he whispered. Rowena yes that had been her ancestor's name.

"Not quite Dark One. But you aren't as far off as you might think," Alice held out the ring engraved with an R. He reached for it still looking a bit like he'd seen a ghost.

OUAT

Rumplestiltskin was shocked and that wasn't an easy thing to do. But seeing the near copy of his childhood friend standing in front of him did it. Yet as he drew closer it became more obvious she wasn't the same. There was a hardness behind this woman's eyes that Row hadn't had. Besides, Rowena had flatly refused to ever use the title of Dark One.

"Where did you get this?" he asked examining the ring to ensure it was not a forgery.

"I think you know. It's been passed down through my family for years. The story goes I had an ancestor who was friends with the Dark One and that this ring was given to our family to be used as proof if we ever wanted to make a deal."

That was the truth. He'd said much the same to Morraine centuries ago. He'd kept tabs on the family for a while but after one disappeared off to Wonderland he lost track of them.

"I see, and who might you be then?" he had a suspicion going off the pipe in her belt but wasn't taking guesses yet.

"People call me the Piper." Rumple giggled.

"Ah the famed "Pied Piper." Nasty bit of business in Hamlin."

"Nobody breaks deals with me," said the Piper shortly.

"Nor with me dearie," agreed Rumple with a smirk. "What is it you are wanting?"

"A business arrangement," the woman replied concisely. "My powers could be quite useful to you. However, in return I'd want significant compensation."

"And why this rather than your regular work?" asked Rumple.

"My regular line of work can be unreliable. I still plan to make my deals but it would be nice to have a more stable source of income to tide me over. The man that can spin straw into gold seems a good person to provide that. Furthermore I want our partnership to include protection from anyone who wishes to harm me. And I'm not talking about your average highway rogue."

Rumple listened as the woman spoke her requests made sense. Especially the protection one. She hadn't said it outright but he could imagine more than a few people that might like to get their hands on her to control her power. People she might not be entirely successful fighting off, though he might. And if he made this deal with her it would allow him to utilize the powers she was at least rumored to have. Magic that could completely bewitch the mind.

There were spells here and there that could work such tricks they were normally temporary and cost a great deal. An ongoing partnership with one who could use such magic was certainly advantageous. And unlike some that would use her to their advantage Rumple didn't have any intention of trapping her. He could never hurt any kin of Rowena's.

"Very well dearie, though I do wonder if your powers are all they're cracked up. Legends spring up around even the tiniest of miracles." Piper raised an eyebrow.

"You want proof we'll do one before we make a finalized deal for an extended partnership, though I still get paid," she said firmly.

"Done!" grinned Rumple and in an instant they were taken to the castle of a nobleman who was currently refusing to pay back the debt he owed Rumple. Now originally Rumple planned to simply take away what he had given the man and turn said fellow into a snail but he wanted to test something else.

"I want you to CONVINCE this fellow to repay his debt," he said. The Piper tilted her head.

"How subtle do you want the convincing to be?"

"It's all up to you," he replied. The woman shrugged and they entered the room where the nobleman sat. He jumped up.

"YOU!" however he was cut off as the Piper started playing a tune there was shock and some horror in the man's eyes as he was forced to march out of the room, up the stairs and too the edge of the roof of his estate.

"PLEASE NO STOP!" he exclaimed as the Piper held him on the edge of the roof.

"You really thought you could get out of repaying the Dark One dearie?" asked Rumple gleefully.

"No! I mean yes! I'm sorry! Please Please! I promise I'll make good on my end of the bargain!"

"You said that before dearie," sneered Rumple.

"I promise we can do it now!" Rumple glanced at the Piper who quirked an eyebrow.

"Very well. You're lucky I'm feeling in a lenient mood today." The nobleman let out a breath as he was released from the Piper's spell.

OUAT

They returned from the castle when the deal was completed and Rumplestiltskin turned to her.

"Impressive. How else could you have made him agree?" She tilted her head then smirked.

"Well, I could have tortured him a bit more physically, or if we were going for subtle I could have simply played a tune to make him compliant. But I thought you might want to send a message and I wasn't in the mood to get too messy today."

Rumple admittedly found himself surprised by her answer. This was clearly a woman with very few scruples.

"I've one thing I won't do," she said.

"What's that?" he asked.

"Kill or torture children," she replied.

"Didn't you kidnap an entire town of them dearie?" asked Rumple and she shrugged.

"And I returned them in one piece. Unharmed. Children are off limits." Rumple inclined his head. Considering that was one of his own lines he saw no difficulty agreeing.

"I have a condition of my own," he said.

"Oh?" she asked.

"I don't want you using your powers against me dearie. EVER." he took on a threatening tone.

"As long as the curtesy extends both ways I don't see why not," agreed the Piper. "Now where do I sign?" he flourished his hand and produced a contract and a quill. To his shock she sat down and began reading it over. Almost NOBODY read his contracts. He must have given her an odd look for she snorted.

"I'm not getting caught by any fine print Dark One." Once she seemed satisfied she signed the contract and he took it back vanishing it to go with all the other ones in his work room. Then he summoned a bag of gold and handed it to her along with a bracelet.

"Pleasure doing business. When I wish for your assistance the bracelet will grow warm. Simply tap it thrice and you'll appear here."

"Understood, fairfarren Dark One," the Piper smirked slipping the bracelet on and then with an exaggerated curtsy departed leaving Rumple to his thoughts and memories.

Author's Note: And so the deal is STRUCK! And the partnership between the Dark One and the Pied Piper begins! If you like the story PLEASE leave your thoughts below it really helps me keep going! Until next time thanks for reading!