Enchanted forest
Arista/Hallie Pov
"Why are we here?"
I perch on a moss covered rock Trying in vain to keep my dress from being spoiled by the moss and dirt, I can already Feel the rapidly damping fabric clinging to my skin.
Why rumple decided to drag me to the infinite forest I have no idea.
Rumplstiltskin is seated next to me unbothered by the smell or damp.
"You will have your answer in 3...2...1"
Suddenly sound of rapid footsteps moving at an accelerated pace towards us.
Then like a streak of lighting, charming rushes past us in a panic.
He skids to a halt.
My eyebrows shoot up.
I turn to a gleeful rumple.
How did he..?
"Lost, are we?"
Charming turns to us surprise on his face
"What are you doing here?" Charming asks.
"I'm just here to help."
This doesn't seem lease charming.
"Well, no need. I'll be fine."
Really?
You look like a frightened deer.
Rumpelstiltskin hold up his finger.
"No, I don't think so. This is the Infinite Forest. There's no way out. Well, except... My way."
Charming as arrogant as ever proclaimed.
"I want nothing from you."
"Not even this?"
Rumpelstiltskin holds up a ring.
A very beautiful ring.
From the look in his face, this ring must of held some value to charming.
"My mother's ring. It was just... How did you get it?"
He searches is pack.
"The same way I get everything I want magic. The same magic that allows me to do... This."
Rumpelstiltskin flips the ring and catches it in his hand. The jewel on the ring now glows.
"This ring is now enchanted. The closer you get to Snow White, the brighter it will glow. Interested?"
"Give it to me."
Tsk Tsk Honestly, where are your manners.
"Ah! It's not something for nothing, dearie. Time to make a deal."
"No! No more deals!" Charming refuses.
Prince Charming draws his sword and attacks Rumpelstiltskin. However, Rumpelstiltskin simply catches the blade with his hand. Prince Charming draws back again, but finds that Rumpelstiltskin has disappeared.
I retreat from the rock I was sat on and move towards the tree's.
I'm not indestructible like rumple, a swipe from that blade would hurt.
Besides this is not my fight.
"Over here."
Rumpelstiltskin appears behind him, now armed with a sword.
Prince Charming lunges at him. The two duel briefly, until Rumpelstiltskin disappears and reappears again.
Clever trick.
Rumpelstiltskin mocks charming.
"Persistent."
The two continue to duel. Rumpelstiltskin eventually gains the upper hand and holds the sword against Prince Charming's neck.
"Had enough?"
Charming despite on the loosing end refuses to back down.
"Never."
Charming strikes back and ends up Cutting Rumpelstiltskin's face, ouch! however he magically heals instantly.
Rumpelstiltskin again gains the upper hand and gets Prince Charming disarmed on the ground.
Rumplstiltskin holds charmings sword.
"Looking for this? So brave. So gallant. So pointless. Bravery won't get you out this forest, dearie. Magic will. Trust me. This is a deal you want to make, because we both want the same thing."
Charming spits out
"What's that?"
"Why, you and your true love to be together, of course." Rumplstiltskin state obviously.
Rumpelstiltskin holds up a vial of the bottled 'true love'
"Behold. The most powerful magic of all... True love."
Charming reached out to touch it.
"Ah! Careful. This is all I have left of it."
"What do you know of true love?" Charming accuses rumplstiltskin.
"Well, not so much as you, perhaps, but not so little as you might think."
That takes charming by surprise.
"You? You loved someone?"
"It was a brief flicker of light amidst an ocean of darkness."
He was talking about belle.
A few days after my unfortunate audience with king Maurice, rumple explained his past with belle.
He explained that she used to work for him as a servant, with a solum vioce the far away look in his eyes, it didn't take long to it the pieces together.
"What happened?"
"She died. That's the thing about true love, dearie. It can slip through your fingers. It's the most powerful magic in the world. The only magic powerful enough to break any curse. It must be protected at all costs."
"I don't understand. What exactly is it you want me to do?" Charming asked confused.
Rumpelstiltskin clarified
"I want you to help me protect it by putting it in a safe place for me."
Rumpelstiltskin produces an egg shaped container, which he puts the vial in.
"And where is that?"
"Inside the belly of a beast, of course."
Rumpelstiltskin shuts the egg container and tosses it to Prince Charming.
"Why hide it?"
"Let's just say, I'm saving it for a rainy day."
With a wave of his hand the three of us disappear only to reappear of the bank of a river.
On the other side.
Maleficent castle.
Charming takes in the surroundings.
"I still don't understand."
Rumplstiltskin tuts.
"Why I thought it was simple, I want you to place that egg inside of the dragon."
Charming stumbles back.
"You want me to what? NO!"
Charming refuses.
Rumple crackles.
"Well then I suppose you won't be wanting the ring then, such a shame."
Charming relents.
"Fine."
Rumplstiltskin crackles.
"Off you go, Arista will deliver you."
Charming turns toward the lake and begins the journey.
I follow after him.
Once we reach the edge of the water I place a gentle hand on his shoulder, I can see charming trying not to recoil.
"Let me go first."
I walk into the cold lake and keep going until the water is by my waist.
Taking a breath I gently remove the bracelet from my wrist and place it in my pouch.
The change happens instantaneously, my legs meld together, glistening scales appear.
Charming observes in wonder.
Turning my myself around I hold out a hand to the awe stricken charming.
Cautiously charming joins me in the water.
"Place both of your hand on my shoulders and take a deep breath."
Charming for one follows instructions.
I dive down and move my tail.
The deeper we go to tighter charming holds on.
I have to be fast, humans can't hold their breath of very long.
It is harder because of the added weight though I still manage.
We are halfway across the lake when charming squeezed my shoulders.
I swim toward the surface.
Charming lets out a gasp of breath.
I place a comforting hand on his shoulder.
"Are you okay?"
Charming nods while trying to catch his breath.
"We're halfway across, you only need to take one more deep breath, can you do that?"
Charming nods is head in determination and takes another deep breath.
We dive down once more and just as I promised we reach the other side.
Charming stands up and stumbles out the lake.
I decide to throw him a bone.
"As soon as you complete you task get to the water and I'll be waiting."
Charming nods and smiles.
"Thank you for helping me."
I can tell he means it.
A small smile appears on my face.
"Good luck."
Charming ventures towards the dragons den.
The seconds turn into Minutes and Minutes turn into an hour.
A dragons roar startles me for my idle floating.
Well.....looks like charming found maleficent.
I swim back and forth and maleficent's roars continue on.
By now I'm slowly starting to give up hope.
Then all of a sudden their is a crash and a giant splash mere inches from me.
Frightened I swim back, until a familiar mop of blond hair appears.
It's charming!
Quickly I grab him and swim away, I don't even attempt to stop until we are in the middle of the lake, by now I'm exhausted, I have to slow down.
"I'm sorry charming, we're going to have to take a slow swim back."
I pant out.
Charming who is equally worn out nods his head.
"I take you up on that." He gasps out.
I slowley move my tail In a gentle movement and we ever so slowly make our way back to shore.
Charming not one for silence opens his mouth.
"So why would a mermaid be working for the dark one?"
I shrug my shoulders.
"Same as everyone who makes a deal with rumplstiltskin, there's always a price, mine just happened to be servitude."
That stops charming.
"I'm sorry."
"Why are you sorry?"
Charming bits his lip.
"I don't know? I guess I can't can't imagine being forced to work for someone like rumplstiltskin."
"It's not all bad." I come to rumple's defence.
It was true, working for rumple wasn't terrible.
I spot rumplestiltskin on the shore, waiting for us.
David too spots him.
David let's go of me and continues the rest of the swim on foot, I put my bracelet back in and once again retain human legs.
The pair of us stagger to rumple.
Rumpelstiltskin is waiting with a fire.
"Impressive, dearie. Very impressive, indeed. Come warm yourself."
He gestured toward the fire, I happily take him up on his offer and sit as close as I can to warm myself up.
"I have done what you've asked. Return my ring to me."
"Of course you're in a bit of a rush. How rude of me."
He takes out the ring.
"With this... Prince Charming... You will find her."
Rumpelstiltskin hands Prince Charming the ring.
"Thank you."
Finally he said thank you.
"Something's missing." Rumplestiltskin states Before he magically transforms Prince Charming's outfit into something more 'princely'.
A ruffled white shirt with a red cape.
Very nice.
Rumpelstiltskin approves of his work
"Now, you're ready for your big moment."
Charming questions rumple.
"Why do you want us together? What do you get out of it?"
"I'm a fan of true love, dearie. And, more importantly, what it creates."
With those parting words, rumplestiltskin and I vanish into smoke and reaper back home.
Rumple retreats to his study and I travel back to my rooms.
With one thought on my mind.
Maybe charming wasn't so bad.