The Rose and the Dagger

Chapter 4: It's a deal

"Long live the Queen! Long live the queen!" The shouts of the villagers echoed throughout the kingdom. A young woman had married the widowed King Leopold. The wedding had been grandiose, they said. They were proud of their new queen. Queen Regina.
Baelfire heard all the news that seemed to rejoice all the villagers. But he did not care about the new Queen. No, him, he cared for his father. Since he had stolen the dagger, he was not the same. He certainly had killed all the ogres lurking around the village. But the villagers, instead of acclaiming him, were afraid of his power, and preferred to avoid him. Nothing changes, Baelfire thought. Before, he was avoided because he had nothing, now he was avoided because he was too powerful. His dagger allowed him to do whatever he wanted. And as days passed, he became darker. He wanted revenge on everybody who had humiliated him when he was still a simple weaver. Baelfire had seen him kill people. As soon as someone was attacking his son, even if they would just inadvertently hustle him, he killed them at once. Despite all this, he was kind to his son. He was still the only one able to dissuade him to use magic. But Baelfire would have wanted that he had never found the dagger, he had never become the Dark One, this being with great powers who terrorized everybody, this being with a crocodile skin.
One day, when Rumple and his son were having lunch, Baelfire finally ventured to say to his father:
- "You are no longer the same. You realize that don’t you? You keep hurting everybody "
Rumple then stopped eating and looked at his son, surprised by this remark.
-I have established a truce while the Ogres War was in full swing. He replied. I crossed the battlefield and I made them all drop their weapons. I brought back all the children to their parents. So a man who saved hundreds of lives ...
-It can stop there! Bealfire cut. "A man who saved hundreds of lives has done enough! You may very well stop now!
-No! I want more powers to protect you!
-I would not need to be protected if you had no power!
-I cannot get rid of them! The Dark One retorted.
-You can try!
-Try? Rumple said taking the dagger out of his pocket. He held it in front of Baelfire and said: "If someone kills me with this, the person inherits my power. Now that you know this, think about it. Is that what you want?
-No, but there must be other ways to remove your powers! Baelfire replied.
-You can look for another way if you want to, but do not have too much hope.
-Papa, if I can find a way to remove your powers, and it is not too dangerous for both of us, will you do it? He asked his father.
-It's impossible, he replied, serving soup.
-Weren’t we happier before?
-Are you unhappy to that extent my son? Rumple said, slightly annoyed by this conversation. "I can create whatever you desire," he said with his usual gestures. "Tell me, what do you want? He asked his son when he saw his preoccupation.
-I want my father, he replied straight in the eye.
Rumple looked at him, moved by what he had just said.
-And it is your happiness that matters most to me. He said gently. "If you find how to do it, I will do it."
Baelfire’s face lit up when he heard these words coming out of the mouth of his father.
-Very good. Baelfire replied, holding out his hand.
Rumple looked at the hand that held out his son. He returned his handshake, and this was the first contract established between them.

***

-A cup of coffee ?
Belle, caught up in her book, looked up. She saw a young brunette. She wore red clothes, somewhat provoking, which did not go unnoticed, even behind her white apron. Belle deduced that she was a waitress here at Granny’s.
-Yes, thank you, Belle replied politely, seeing that the young woman was handing her the cup. The latter one ended up sitting in front of her.
-I am Scarlett, you are Belle, right? She said.
-Yes that's right. Belle said.
-I'm Granny’s granddaughter. She told me that it was Mr. Gold who brought you here.
-Uh ... he did not tell me his name, but your grandmother apparently knows him.
-But everyone knows him in Storybrooke! He’s the owner!
-He owns the restaurant? asked Belle.
- Yes, but not just that. He is the owner of the city!
Belle realized then that he was a very powerful man.
Scarlett continued: "Everyone fears him here."
-Fear him? But why? Belle asked. "He did not look mean!
-Knowing that everything here is his, he can sack whoever he wants to in no time! He has already done with a poor man who could not pay his rent anymore! Everyone hates him here! And he deserves it!
-But how do you explain that he practically saved me from a situation that was about to turn into a nightmare, and he brought me here and paid my room as well! said Belle annoyed by all Scarlett’s remarks.
-I precisely do not explain it. And it surprises me a lot. You should be careful.
-Scarlett, I did not hire you to chitchat! Granny shouted from the other side of the counter.
Scarlett stood up abruptly and went to keep on with her service.
Belle considered everything the young woman had just told her. Was this the reason why Gaston ran away like a thief when he caught sight of Mr. Gold? Certainly, Belle thought. But this Mr. Gold still drove her in a very welcoming place, and even gave her his jacket to comfort her. The jacket! Belle suddenly thought about it. She had to return it to him. That would be the best opportunity for her to go there and thank him. And learn a bit more about this man everybody was so afraid of.

***

Baelfire burst into the house. His father at his wheel was startled by his son’s excitement.
-Come on, Bae what's going on? he asked, worried.
-Papa, you absolutely have to come with me! He pulled his father's sleeve and led him into the forest.
-Baelfire, are you finally going to tell me what is happening! His father started to grumble.
-I found it! The boy exclaimed.
-Found what?
Baelfire then showed him something that strongly resembled a bean.
-What is this? Rumple asked.
-It's a bean, a magic bean, a rejoiced Baelfire said.
-So? What are you going to do with a magic bean? Rumple said, worried.
-This bean will lead us to a world without magic, the child explained.
-A world without magic? But I do not want a world without magic!
-But in this world, you'll no longer be the Dark One! You will be normal!
-But if I do not have my powers, I will not be able to protect you!
-But you won’t have to protect me since there will be no more magic.
-Anyway, where did you get this? Rumple asked, annoyed.
-Do you know the legend of the Blue Fairy? Baelfire began.
-Don't tell me you called that cursed fairy! Rumple growled.
-She gave me the last bean, just for us! You must keep your promise dad!
Baelfire then threw the bean on the ground. The ground began to shake.
-Get away, Rumple screamed.
-No papa, it’s working!
The ground suddenly opened up. A spiral formed.
-It's a trap ! Rumple screamed.
-No papa! We must jump!
-No Bae this is going to suck us in and kill us both get away!
The vortex was growing bigger and bigger. Rumple pulled his son by the arm to take him away from the sucking hole. Refusing to follow his father, he then slipped into the spiral. His father caught him, trying to get him out of here.
-Dad, you must jump with me! shouted Baelfire.
-I can’t Bae! he said, trying with all his strength to hold his son.
-You promised me! We had a deal! You broke our deal! yelled Baelfire.
-Bae no! Rumple shouted when he felt the hand of his son slip away.
The vortex sucked the child in, leaving Rumple alone in the print of the spiral, shouting his son’s name.
-Bae! I want to come with you! Wait for me! I beg you Bae! he sobbed, digging the dirt with his bare hands. But the vortex was in fact closed. Rumple was all alone; his son was gone.