Once upon a time fic: "Origins" part 1/2
Story Title: Origins.
Summary: The origin of Rumplestiltskin, the Curse, the vendetta, and Granny.
Chapter One's Title: A Cost of Jubilee
Author: Keenir.
Summary: Emma meets the author of Henry's book | A fairy makes an agreement with a river demon.
Characters: Emma Swan, Sinuhe|Dr. He, Nixie|May Noapte, Fairy Godmother, Blue Fairy, River Demon, Midas, Rumplestiltskin|Mr. Gold, Granny|Granny, Red Riding Hood|Ruby, Romulus|Thomas Kaiser, Prince Charming|David Nolan,
Author's Note:
Rating: PG-13
Disclaimer: I own none of the canon characters. Jewish folklore owns the River Demon. Ancient Egypt owns Sinuhe.
later References to: Odin (Norse), the Hero Twins (Mayan),
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
In our realm...
"Our condolences on the loss of Sheriff Graham, Deputy - Swann?" Dr. He said.
"Swan," Emma said. "And I was wondering if I could tell Miss May Noapte."
"I'm afraid I don't see a convincing reason why you should. Yes, her mental state isn't as fragile as those of some residing here, but that's not saying much."
To be honest, I'm surprised I hadn't passed by Storybrooke's sanitarium earlier, Emma thought. "She checked herself in, didn't she?"
"After heading our town's largest gang. Some say she's still calling the shots, from in here."
"Is she?"
"Not to my knowledge."
Okay. "Miss Noapte is also listed as Graham's emergency contact," Emma said. "Her and a construction foreman I'm seeing next."
Dr. He shook his head. "Very well, Deputy - or Sheriff, as the case may well be. Follow me. My office is this way."
To get the keys, Emma reasoned.
~~
In the enchanted realm...
"This is a mistake," the Fairy Godmother said to the Blue Fairy as they made their way through the safer trail in this wooded expanse.
"This is an obligation," the Blue Fairy replied. "A favor is owed, and my debt has been called in. If I run away, I will be stripped of all magic."
Fairy Godmother shuddered at the thought.
"But why must it be you?"
"Because I took upon me the debts of those who are beholden to me."
"But you're beholden to others," Fairy Godmother said. "Couldn't they do this instead?"
"I will not trouble them with this. I am doing this," as they came round the bend: the trail inclined down until it passed through a river and then deeper into the woods. "A river?"
"I am not fond of it either," the Blue Fairy said. But still she approached it, with the Fairy Godmother trailing behind her.
The two fairies stood side-by-side, just out of arm's-reach of the river.
"Come forth," the Blue Fairy said. "You asked for the one who carries this debt," and dropped a tooth from her palm into the water.
A demon hand grabbed the tooth before it could touch the water surface, and the body followed its hand out of the water...mostly out. You could say the River Demon was wading; and looking at the fairies.
"Oh joy," the demon said. "Still, a deed's a deed. Speak."
"What do you ask of me?" Blue Fairy asked.
The River Demon looked at them, watching them. "Which of you will step forward?" he asked.
Fairy Godmother stepped in front of her friend and superior the Blue Fairy. "I am."
"Okay."
"Okay, what?" Fairy Godmother asked.
"Then it is with you I invoke jubilee,” the River Demon said.
"I don't understand."
"Cancel all debts owed to you."
"You asked for us - we came all the way out here to your river...and this is what you want?" she asked.
"I could ask you to fight Asmodeus, but the King of Demons would destroy you...and then would kill me for asking that of you."
The Fairy Godmother considered the proposal. "If I forgive all debts, cancelling favors owed to me...that's all? You would have no further hold on my friend here?"
"Or anywhere she goes," the River Demon replied. "At least, not until she returns to ask something of me."
"Then I say y-"
"Wait," the Blue Fairy said. "Pardon us, we won't be a minute," and pulled her friend and subordinate a bit away from the river. "What are you doing? You can't."
"It's okay, I know what I'm doing."
"This is about Rumplestiltskin, isn't it?"
"So what if it is? I know what he's doing." Taking advantage of how he's owing me more, by asking even more - all while learning a spell that will take my powers using his debt as a vehicle. He's not as subtle as he thinks.
"As do I. But consider the ramifications of this deal you're making."
"I'll be wiping the slate clean - with his debt and yours. The River Demon is a tool to that end."
"Demons are many things, but never tools."
"In this instance, it functions as one."
"Then I cannot persuade you to back away and let me handle the River Demon?"
"That's right."
The Blue Fairy sighed. "Very well. Go jubilee. But know I consider this a mistake."
Fairy Godmother lowered her head. "I accept that."
"And you're going to go through with thsi?"
"I am."
"I could order you to submit, to stay back here."
"My loyalty to you would have me obey. But my friendship to you would be ended."
"Very well," the Blue Fairy said. "As I have no wish to make an enemy of you, go," and remained in place.
The Fairy Godmother walked back to the River Demon, careful to keep out of grabbing range because that was what the Blue Fairy had done. "How do we do this?"
The River Demon rolled its eyes. "Do what? You weren't doing it just now?"
She looked at it.
"Forgiveness is a concept, an attitude. An action. I wasn't asking for a spell," and muttered something darkly under its breath - to no effect.
"Then our business is concluded?" the Fairy Godmother asked.
It tipped an imaginary hat to her. "Good day.
~~
In our world:
Nixie? Really? "You expect me to believe you?" Emma asked her, Emma leaning against the wall by the door. Same claim Henry has, that nobody in town is anything but a fairytale figure who doesn't know the truth about themselves. The difference here is Miss Noapte doesn't see me as a savior.
"I do care if you believe me or not," Noapte said. "Either I am honest, or I am insane,” May Noapte said from her spot on the sanitarium bed.
Well, at least she's honest - with me and with herself. “And you wrote Henry’s book,” Emma said.
“I gave to a schoolteacher. But yes, I wrote it.”
“And you’re still remembering more all the time?”
“Bit by bit, further and further into the past.”
“But the past as depicted in that book.”
May Noapte nodded.
“And all since your nervous breakdown a couple of years ago,” Emma said.
“When has revelation ever been easy?” May asked her. “My walls broke, and I have been excavating ever since.”
“Gave up a good job, as I understand it.”
“A distraction.”
“Because this isn’t real?” Emma asked.
“On the contrary. Because it is,” May said.
"If you're the Nix-"
"I am not fully the Nixie of the Millpond or of elsewhere," Noapte interupted Emma. "I am as much of the Nixie as can exist in this world. I am still fully May Noapte as well."
"Fine. Don't you want everyone else in town to remember who they are?" Emma asked.
"And have the old rivalries return?"
"Like how you said you'd have to kill Dr. He if he remembered?"
Noapte nodded.
"Who is he?"
"The clues proved insufficient?"
Emma considered... The joke about 'de Nile', Dr. He's comment about living in the best possible place, ... "Moses? Ramses II?"
"Sinuhe the Sailor. I would have expected you to know that."
"Why, because I'm the daughter of Snow White?"
"And of King David. I thought you said you read my book."
"You haven't explained why you want everything to stay...hidden, for want of a better word. "What sort of rivalries?"
"In every story, there is a winner and at least one who loses. And if their loss means they die, realize that they have allies, relatives, and patrons. And they can all speak to higher powers."
"Like you."
"Me. Rumplestiltskin. Fairy Godmothers. Things worse than any lawyer joke.
"Now ask yourself, Little Emma - how many people of this world would give blood or children to achieve their aims."
~~
to
be
continued
Summary: The origin of Rumplestiltskin, the Curse, the vendetta, and Granny.
Chapter One's Title: A Cost of Jubilee
Author: Keenir.
Summary: Emma meets the author of Henry's book | A fairy makes an agreement with a river demon.
Characters: Emma Swan, Sinuhe|Dr. He, Nixie|May Noapte, Fairy Godmother, Blue Fairy, River Demon, Midas, Rumplestiltskin|Mr. Gold, Granny|Granny, Red Riding Hood|Ruby, Romulus|Thomas Kaiser, Prince Charming|David Nolan,
Author's Note:
Rating: PG-13
Disclaimer: I own none of the canon characters. Jewish folklore owns the River Demon. Ancient Egypt owns Sinuhe.
later References to: Odin (Norse), the Hero Twins (Mayan),
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
In our realm...
"Our condolences on the loss of Sheriff Graham, Deputy - Swann?" Dr. He said.
"Swan," Emma said. "And I was wondering if I could tell Miss May Noapte."
"I'm afraid I don't see a convincing reason why you should. Yes, her mental state isn't as fragile as those of some residing here, but that's not saying much."
To be honest, I'm surprised I hadn't passed by Storybrooke's sanitarium earlier, Emma thought. "She checked herself in, didn't she?"
"After heading our town's largest gang. Some say she's still calling the shots, from in here."
"Is she?"
"Not to my knowledge."
Okay. "Miss Noapte is also listed as Graham's emergency contact," Emma said. "Her and a construction foreman I'm seeing next."
Dr. He shook his head. "Very well, Deputy - or Sheriff, as the case may well be. Follow me. My office is this way."
To get the keys, Emma reasoned.
~~
In the enchanted realm...
"This is a mistake," the Fairy Godmother said to the Blue Fairy as they made their way through the safer trail in this wooded expanse.
"This is an obligation," the Blue Fairy replied. "A favor is owed, and my debt has been called in. If I run away, I will be stripped of all magic."
Fairy Godmother shuddered at the thought.
"But why must it be you?"
"Because I took upon me the debts of those who are beholden to me."
"But you're beholden to others," Fairy Godmother said. "Couldn't they do this instead?"
"I will not trouble them with this. I am doing this," as they came round the bend: the trail inclined down until it passed through a river and then deeper into the woods. "A river?"
"I am not fond of it either," the Blue Fairy said. But still she approached it, with the Fairy Godmother trailing behind her.
The two fairies stood side-by-side, just out of arm's-reach of the river.
"Come forth," the Blue Fairy said. "You asked for the one who carries this debt," and dropped a tooth from her palm into the water.
A demon hand grabbed the tooth before it could touch the water surface, and the body followed its hand out of the water...mostly out. You could say the River Demon was wading; and looking at the fairies.
"Oh joy," the demon said. "Still, a deed's a deed. Speak."
"What do you ask of me?" Blue Fairy asked.
The River Demon looked at them, watching them. "Which of you will step forward?" he asked.
Fairy Godmother stepped in front of her friend and superior the Blue Fairy. "I am."
"Okay."
"Okay, what?" Fairy Godmother asked.
"Then it is with you I invoke jubilee,” the River Demon said.
"I don't understand."
"Cancel all debts owed to you."
"You asked for us - we came all the way out here to your river...and this is what you want?" she asked.
"I could ask you to fight Asmodeus, but the King of Demons would destroy you...and then would kill me for asking that of you."
The Fairy Godmother considered the proposal. "If I forgive all debts, cancelling favors owed to me...that's all? You would have no further hold on my friend here?"
"Or anywhere she goes," the River Demon replied. "At least, not until she returns to ask something of me."
"Then I say y-"
"Wait," the Blue Fairy said. "Pardon us, we won't be a minute," and pulled her friend and subordinate a bit away from the river. "What are you doing? You can't."
"It's okay, I know what I'm doing."
"This is about Rumplestiltskin, isn't it?"
"So what if it is? I know what he's doing." Taking advantage of how he's owing me more, by asking even more - all while learning a spell that will take my powers using his debt as a vehicle. He's not as subtle as he thinks.
"As do I. But consider the ramifications of this deal you're making."
"I'll be wiping the slate clean - with his debt and yours. The River Demon is a tool to that end."
"Demons are many things, but never tools."
"In this instance, it functions as one."
"Then I cannot persuade you to back away and let me handle the River Demon?"
"That's right."
The Blue Fairy sighed. "Very well. Go jubilee. But know I consider this a mistake."
Fairy Godmother lowered her head. "I accept that."
"And you're going to go through with thsi?"
"I am."
"I could order you to submit, to stay back here."
"My loyalty to you would have me obey. But my friendship to you would be ended."
"Very well," the Blue Fairy said. "As I have no wish to make an enemy of you, go," and remained in place.
The Fairy Godmother walked back to the River Demon, careful to keep out of grabbing range because that was what the Blue Fairy had done. "How do we do this?"
The River Demon rolled its eyes. "Do what? You weren't doing it just now?"
She looked at it.
"Forgiveness is a concept, an attitude. An action. I wasn't asking for a spell," and muttered something darkly under its breath - to no effect.
"Then our business is concluded?" the Fairy Godmother asked.
It tipped an imaginary hat to her. "Good day.
~~
In our world:
Nixie? Really? "You expect me to believe you?" Emma asked her, Emma leaning against the wall by the door. Same claim Henry has, that nobody in town is anything but a fairytale figure who doesn't know the truth about themselves. The difference here is Miss Noapte doesn't see me as a savior.
"I do care if you believe me or not," Noapte said. "Either I am honest, or I am insane,” May Noapte said from her spot on the sanitarium bed.
Well, at least she's honest - with me and with herself. “And you wrote Henry’s book,” Emma said.
“I gave to a schoolteacher. But yes, I wrote it.”
“And you’re still remembering more all the time?”
“Bit by bit, further and further into the past.”
“But the past as depicted in that book.”
May Noapte nodded.
“And all since your nervous breakdown a couple of years ago,” Emma said.
“When has revelation ever been easy?” May asked her. “My walls broke, and I have been excavating ever since.”
“Gave up a good job, as I understand it.”
“A distraction.”
“Because this isn’t real?” Emma asked.
“On the contrary. Because it is,” May said.
"If you're the Nix-"
"I am not fully the Nixie of the Millpond or of elsewhere," Noapte interupted Emma. "I am as much of the Nixie as can exist in this world. I am still fully May Noapte as well."
"Fine. Don't you want everyone else in town to remember who they are?" Emma asked.
"And have the old rivalries return?"
"Like how you said you'd have to kill Dr. He if he remembered?"
Noapte nodded.
"Who is he?"
"The clues proved insufficient?"
Emma considered... The joke about 'de Nile', Dr. He's comment about living in the best possible place, ... "Moses? Ramses II?"
"Sinuhe the Sailor. I would have expected you to know that."
"Why, because I'm the daughter of Snow White?"
"And of King David. I thought you said you read my book."
"You haven't explained why you want everything to stay...hidden, for want of a better word. "What sort of rivalries?"
"In every story, there is a winner and at least one who loses. And if their loss means they die, realize that they have allies, relatives, and patrons. And they can all speak to higher powers."
"Like you."
"Me. Rumplestiltskin. Fairy Godmothers. Things worse than any lawyer joke.
"Now ask yourself, Little Emma - how many people of this world would give blood or children to achieve their aims."
~~
to
be
continued