All Magic Comes With a Price

Mr. Gold unlocked the brown, oak, door to his shop and switched the sign from “closed” to “open”. He had to admit, he was growing tired of the same old routine.  Opening the shop, caring to the customers. However, he could never grow tired of making deals. No, those he seemed to enjoy more than anything. Even more than breathing, if that was even possible. There was just something…thrilling about making deals, and, of course, people couldn’t get out of the deals, which made the whole ordeal even better. Sure, some people tried to get out of them, but he didn’t work like that that. A deal is a deal, there was no backing out.

            Maybe the new girl, Emma, would fulfill this wish of his. Maybe she wouldn’t, who really knew? All he needed to know was that the mayor felt threatened by her, which counted in his book. All he really needed to do was sit back and just watch, everything would fall in to place sooner or later. Already, the walls of Regina’s ‘perfect’ town, as well as her plan, were beginning to crumble around her. It wouldn’t be long now.

            Mr. Gold heard the door open as he finished dusting off the countertop. He smiled to himself; already knowing who it was that had entered his humble shop. He ran a hand through his brown, messy, hair and turned around, ready to get the day started, hopefully with a nice deal, even if it was with someone he despised.

            “Ah, Mayor Mills.” He greeted, his Scottish accent flowing nicely. “How odd to see you here, how may I be of service?” He watched, on his guard, as Regina paced about the store.

            “As you may already know, there is a new girl in town. Emma,” she rolled her eyes when she said the newcomer’s name. “I want her out of this town, but I can’t force her out. She’s stubborn and my son, Henry, seems to think she is some sort of angel.”

            “How do you think I would be able to help with that? What’s in it for me?” he asked, his eyes narrowed, still following Regina as she brushed her hand over various trinkets.

            “Do anything you can to get her out of town, scare her if you must!” she yelled, spinning on her heel to face Mr. Gold, who was staring back at her, eagerness in his eyes to know what she was really proposing. “I really don’t care, I just want her out. As for what you will get, I’ll just owe you a favor, how about that?”

            “For such a big task, that’s an awful small thing to be offering me.” He said, his tone flat. “Now, that doesn’t seem fair at all, now does it?”

            “No, I supposed not, but you will get nothing more. I know how you can’t resist making deals; it’s like your drug. Now, take it or leave it.” She said, crossing her arms when she came to a stop before Mr. Gold. Mr. Gold thought about it. There was no way that he was going to take it, not with what she was offering. However, he did see the opportunity of bringing down Regina once and for all. However, there was still the matter of the price, he wasn’t going to accept so gracefully.

            “No deal, not with what you’re offering.” He shook his head. “You’re asking me to do a pretty big task, something that is going to cost you something big in return.”

            “I already told you, you would get nothing more from me.” She yelled, her voice full of fury.

            “Then I guess you will just have to find some other way, now won’t you?” he said with a smug look on his face. With that she stormed out of his shop, leaving Mr. Gold dusting off more counters. He started to whistle a tune as he went about cleaning his shop.

The thought, All magic comes with a price, dearie, ran through his head.