OUAT_BB-part 7
*
“It’s strange you never realized it,” Gold said to Henry and Mary Margaret. “You must have read that book how many times while it was in your possession? Did you never notice that Prince Charming’s mother says ‘True love follows the ring - I had it with your father, and then with you.’ And you were right, that true love can break the curse affecting this town. Yet you never went that last little bit, adding it all up."
“What was the last part?” Mary Margaret asked him.
“A child’s love. The reason Henry knows so much about what most of this town thinks a joke.”
“So she *does* know she’s the Evil Queen!” Henry said.
“Nope, it’s all you. She’s still Regina, not the Queen,” Gold said.
“I don’t believe you,” Henry said stubbornly.
“You are a child, Henry Mills,” Rumplestiltskin said. “And like so many children, you fail to do what is important, opting for what you want to do, instead.
“The Queen was never in danger of becoming her old self.”
“Then…?” Mary Margaret asked.
“Contrary to common opinion, we do not in fact have to wait for the stars to be right. Only for the Greats to walk the Earth,” Mr. Gold said.
“Why are you here?” Henry asked. “Are you a great?”
“What are the physical laws?” Gold asked.
“An object in motion must remain -” Mary Margaret started to say.
“Not that set. More fundamental.”
“That was one of the Newtonian Laws. Nothing’s more fundamental than that.”
“That’s where you’d be wrong,” Mr. Gold said with a smile. “Hmm, can’t even blame the school system.”
“So who are you?” Henry asked.
“You really want to know?” Rumplestiltskin asked.
.~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~.
IN ENCHANTED:
Belle stayed on the path as she made her way tavernwards, avoiding the wild animals all she could - particularly the mousy ones which ran about on noses longer than all the rest of their bodies.
The path led her to a hitching post whose horses were all gone, at least for now. Instead, a few young women Belle’s age were standing around one post…and talking to swans.
“Hello?” Belle asked.
“Hi,” said the nearest woman.
Asking on a hunch, “Are you the swan sisters?”
“Always have been, for as long as there’s been more than one of us,” said the second swan sister.
“I met your father,” Belle said.
“Is he still scrounging to get by?” one sister asked.
A second sister said, “Shush. Things may have turned around for Papa.”
Said one of the swan girls to Belle, “Some of our sisters wanted to return to our old home. But with how much Father gave up to bring us here… it feels like disloyalty to spit on what he’s done.”
“If I can ask,” Belle asked, “why did your family emigrate?”
“Dad was looking for work,” said the second sister. “And there was the hope one of his girls might catch a prince’s eye.”
“As Papa put it, ‘if a demon can be royalty in a human kingdom, my swans most certainly can,’” the first sister said.
“A demon?” Belle asked.
“Snow White. Granddaughter of King Asmodeus.”
“What, you believed the propaganda about king White’s first wife being dead” asked the fourth sister.
“Actually, I never gave it much thought,” Belle said.
“Really?” asked the first swan sister.
“I’m afraid so.”
“That’s lucky and sad,” said the third sister. “The disconnect nouvelle-royalty can afford to do.”
“You want to hang out?” the second swan asked. “Run with us a while?”
“I’d like to, but I promised I would deliver this letter,” Belle said.
“I’ll deliver it for you,” said the first swan.
“Or we could all fly you in and out,” the fourth swan suggested.
“Thank you, and I appreciate your thoughtful offers, but…” Belle said.
“Stickler for the rules,” said the first swan. “Not a good thing in the age of heroes.” So they walked to the tavern together.
At last they arrived at the tavern, and Belle hesitated before laying a finger on the door. Nothing they can do is a farthing’s shadow of Rumplesiltskin’s capability, Belle reminded herself. She opened the door and said, "I’m looking for a ship to take me home." Rumplestiltskin’s home as well. "Is Captain Odysseus of the Whale here?" as the swans either left or waited outside.
"I am he," a lone voice said in the room which was the entirety of the tavern. "Also I am known as Nemo; please address me by that name."
I'm sure there's a story explaining why. Belle came in, noticing that there was no one else here. "May I ask, where is your crew, Captain?"
"Present and correct," Nemo said. "I am captain and crew entire of the Whale. I had a First Mate, but Ishmael left me."
"I’m sorry to hear that," Belle said, inspecting one chair before sitting at his table. From all I read as a young girl, the most likely place to find Miss Adler would be… "Can you sail me to the dockyards?"
"Now? Can’t do. Tide’s wrong. It’ll be good to go by the time the mission returns, though. Care to make a deal?"
"I only make deals with one man, Captain, and you are not he," Belle said.
Ah, idealism. Or love. "Is that why you have what looks to be a curse slithering across your hands and throat?" Nemo replied.
Belle didn‘t draw her hands back or cover her neck. "And what is your name?"
"Nemo."
"Nemo means No One," Belle said, having learned it from a tutor sent by her uncle, King Midas. Some part of Belle still didn’t believe what the snark had told her…at least not about all of it.
"And that I am. Unless I am preaching; the only time I may set foot on land, would be to find a woman who would love me. Not you."
"Good,” Belle said.
“And your curse?”
“Is that what that is?” Belle asked, looking herself over. One of her hands was mottled four colors of mud.
"Yes."
"But I did nothing to earn one." Unless one of father’s clerics saddled me with it. God knows their kind are capable of powerful magic.
"Nothing?"
"Not a thing!"
"No defiling of or trespassing on sacred spaces, promise-breaking to a close one, cursing A Powerful One, or eating forbidden food?"
"None of those," Belle said.
“Have you stolen magic?” Nemo asked. Though it takes deft fingers indeed to steal magic without being burned.
"Or…" Nemo said.
"Or?"
"Have you agreed to share a curse?" Or stopped halfway through lifting another’s blight?
"I think I would know if I did that," she said confidently.
"Nobody ever does," Nemo said.
Belle was silent after that.
Other captains might have lingered on the subject of how the girl had incurred that sort of punishment. But he was captain of the Whale, and never did what was expected. That was why he asked her, “So where do you need to go?”
She looked at the map. "Here?" Belle asked.
The Whale‘s captain nodded. "Here, we are."
The same principle applies here, Belle mused. I need to get behind the front lines. So I can’t go overland, because all their border is a war zone - or uncrossable. By water is the only way. "Will you take me to here?" Belle asked, her finger stabbing a southerly coastal town.
"That won’t be cheap. Will be stupid," he said.
"My uncle is King Midas. You will be compensated upon my return (to) home."
"What guarantee can you provide?"
"My word," Belle said.
"Okay," he said cheerfully. "Ready to go?"
“I’m ready,” Belle said.
“No luggage?”
“I travel light.”
“This way.”
*
IN STORYBROOKE:
Belle was crossing one of Storybrooke’s many small parks where she bumped into Ella, who was walking with James and the baby.
“I’m sorry,” Ella apologized right away.
“Accidents happen,” Belle said. Noticing the infant, “Such a charming child,” Belle said.
“Would you like to hold him?” Ella asked.
“I’m sure there are reasons why I shouldn’t.”
“I can’t think of any.”
“Okay,” Belle relented, and let Ella hand the infant to her. “They’ll tell tales about you, won’t they?” Belle asked the child. “Yes they will.”
“I’ve never seen you before,” Ella said to Belle. “Do you live around here?”
“I do. But I’ll be moving soon,” Belle replied. To the infant, she said, “And I would have taken you with me. Yes.”
James tensed. “You? You’re the woman Gold found?”
“Yes,” Belle said.
“You aren’t going to take my baby!” Ella said firmly.
“Yours?” Belle asked, amused, and seeing another reason why Rumplestiltskin had always been so quick with a laugh.
“Ours,” Ella corrected herself.
“Everything has a price,” Belle said. “This is yours,” and handed the child back.
Ella gladly accepted it.
James said, “I don’t understand.” A price? Are you talking about the cost of schools?
“Enjoy your lives in Storybrooke,” Belle wished for the three of them. Belle walked off.
“Who was that?” James asked Ella.
“I don’t know,” Ella said.
*
IN ENCHANTED:
The first day on the water passed uneventfully. Until late afternoon…
“Is that a star?“ Belle asked, standing on the deck, talking to a young woman leaning against the railing, the both of them looking up at the sky.
"It is. It gets more obviously there the closer you get. Also, it stands watch over an island the Empress declared a protectorate." An isle where men are butterflies half the time.
Belle knew of the places she named, save for that island. The Empress. Who restored the Imperial Family by overthrowing The Hero who had permitted the Empire’s holdings to fall into anarchy. Once the ruler of at least half the globe, Queen Alice - who became Empress Alice of the Sheherazad Family - had been the last to sit upon the Imperial Throne. Then the High Palace had gone silent, never to be heard from again. And none of the Powerful Ones who knew why it happened - be they demons or magicians or something else - would speak of the reason.
In many corners of the world, with the Empire’s loss of control, new royal families arose, coming from merchants, soldiers, and wizards. Midas’ kingdom was an exception - its rulers were snarks, the men and women who had been the judges and secret police of the Imperial era.
“You look familiar - have we met?” Belle asked.
I was in the mud, breathing life into change. So yes. "You’re Belle," she said.
"I am."
"I am Madenhad. Madenhad Rumswaif. Where are you going?" Do you fully know yet?
"I’m bringing a message to Irene Adler. Who, I’m told, lives in a town on ogre territory."
"You’ll get there."
"I do hope so. I gave my word that I’d deliver it."
I know. You’re good like that.
"The captain told me we should be making landfall in the morning," Belle said.
Sooner than that, Madenhad thought with a smile, right before the Whale ran aground.
Belle picked herself up from where she had fallen, and began looking for Madenhad who was nowhere to be seen. Belle wasn’t sure how long it was before a cold shadow fell upon the Whale‘s decks, bringing everyone to a stop. This sensation was one Belle had known only from stories - the same ones which spoke of bravery. There’s an ogre behind me, Belle knew. Turning around and summoning what courage she could find within herself, Belle asked, "Yes?" and hoped her voice didn’t shake too much with fear.
"You’re trespassing," said the ogre.
"I’m sorry; we didn’t mean to," Belle said, wondering how a master sailor could have steered so poorly. "Did we hurt anyone?" Under her clothes, her skin was now three shades of gold; but that would not help.
In more of a thunderous rumble than loudly spoken words, the ogre’s reply was, "You gouged my soul."
Oh, great, thought Belle, an aspiring poet like Gaston.
"Which of you might I impress?" the ogre asked.
The captain said, "Great ogre, I am Odysseus, friend of Polyphemus, and -"
"Impress with what?" Belle asked, accustomed to the word’s use in court language.
The ogre’s answer was to pick her up and push the Whale off the grounding. "For ol’ Polyphemus, I’ll let the rest of you go." To Belle, "One more question - do you go best with red wine or white?"
THE END OF PART ONE -
“It’s strange you never realized it,” Gold said to Henry and Mary Margaret. “You must have read that book how many times while it was in your possession? Did you never notice that Prince Charming’s mother says ‘True love follows the ring - I had it with your father, and then with you.’ And you were right, that true love can break the curse affecting this town. Yet you never went that last little bit, adding it all up."
“What was the last part?” Mary Margaret asked him.
“A child’s love. The reason Henry knows so much about what most of this town thinks a joke.”
“So she *does* know she’s the Evil Queen!” Henry said.
“Nope, it’s all you. She’s still Regina, not the Queen,” Gold said.
“I don’t believe you,” Henry said stubbornly.
“You are a child, Henry Mills,” Rumplestiltskin said. “And like so many children, you fail to do what is important, opting for what you want to do, instead.
“The Queen was never in danger of becoming her old self.”
“Then…?” Mary Margaret asked.
“Contrary to common opinion, we do not in fact have to wait for the stars to be right. Only for the Greats to walk the Earth,” Mr. Gold said.
“Why are you here?” Henry asked. “Are you a great?”
“What are the physical laws?” Gold asked.
“An object in motion must remain -” Mary Margaret started to say.
“Not that set. More fundamental.”
“That was one of the Newtonian Laws. Nothing’s more fundamental than that.”
“That’s where you’d be wrong,” Mr. Gold said with a smile. “Hmm, can’t even blame the school system.”
“So who are you?” Henry asked.
“You really want to know?” Rumplestiltskin asked.
.~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~.
IN ENCHANTED:
Belle stayed on the path as she made her way tavernwards, avoiding the wild animals all she could - particularly the mousy ones which ran about on noses longer than all the rest of their bodies.
The path led her to a hitching post whose horses were all gone, at least for now. Instead, a few young women Belle’s age were standing around one post…and talking to swans.
“Hello?” Belle asked.
“Hi,” said the nearest woman.
Asking on a hunch, “Are you the swan sisters?”
“Always have been, for as long as there’s been more than one of us,” said the second swan sister.
“I met your father,” Belle said.
“Is he still scrounging to get by?” one sister asked.
A second sister said, “Shush. Things may have turned around for Papa.”
Said one of the swan girls to Belle, “Some of our sisters wanted to return to our old home. But with how much Father gave up to bring us here… it feels like disloyalty to spit on what he’s done.”
“If I can ask,” Belle asked, “why did your family emigrate?”
“Dad was looking for work,” said the second sister. “And there was the hope one of his girls might catch a prince’s eye.”
“As Papa put it, ‘if a demon can be royalty in a human kingdom, my swans most certainly can,’” the first sister said.
“A demon?” Belle asked.
“Snow White. Granddaughter of King Asmodeus.”
“What, you believed the propaganda about king White’s first wife being dead” asked the fourth sister.
“Actually, I never gave it much thought,” Belle said.
“Really?” asked the first swan sister.
“I’m afraid so.”
“That’s lucky and sad,” said the third sister. “The disconnect nouvelle-royalty can afford to do.”
“You want to hang out?” the second swan asked. “Run with us a while?”
“I’d like to, but I promised I would deliver this letter,” Belle said.
“I’ll deliver it for you,” said the first swan.
“Or we could all fly you in and out,” the fourth swan suggested.
“Thank you, and I appreciate your thoughtful offers, but…” Belle said.
“Stickler for the rules,” said the first swan. “Not a good thing in the age of heroes.” So they walked to the tavern together.
At last they arrived at the tavern, and Belle hesitated before laying a finger on the door. Nothing they can do is a farthing’s shadow of Rumplesiltskin’s capability, Belle reminded herself. She opened the door and said, "I’m looking for a ship to take me home." Rumplestiltskin’s home as well. "Is Captain Odysseus of the Whale here?" as the swans either left or waited outside.
"I am he," a lone voice said in the room which was the entirety of the tavern. "Also I am known as Nemo; please address me by that name."
I'm sure there's a story explaining why. Belle came in, noticing that there was no one else here. "May I ask, where is your crew, Captain?"
"Present and correct," Nemo said. "I am captain and crew entire of the Whale. I had a First Mate, but Ishmael left me."
"I’m sorry to hear that," Belle said, inspecting one chair before sitting at his table. From all I read as a young girl, the most likely place to find Miss Adler would be… "Can you sail me to the dockyards?"
"Now? Can’t do. Tide’s wrong. It’ll be good to go by the time the mission returns, though. Care to make a deal?"
"I only make deals with one man, Captain, and you are not he," Belle said.
Ah, idealism. Or love. "Is that why you have what looks to be a curse slithering across your hands and throat?" Nemo replied.
Belle didn‘t draw her hands back or cover her neck. "And what is your name?"
"Nemo."
"Nemo means No One," Belle said, having learned it from a tutor sent by her uncle, King Midas. Some part of Belle still didn’t believe what the snark had told her…at least not about all of it.
"And that I am. Unless I am preaching; the only time I may set foot on land, would be to find a woman who would love me. Not you."
"Good,” Belle said.
“And your curse?”
“Is that what that is?” Belle asked, looking herself over. One of her hands was mottled four colors of mud.
"Yes."
"But I did nothing to earn one." Unless one of father’s clerics saddled me with it. God knows their kind are capable of powerful magic.
"Nothing?"
"Not a thing!"
"No defiling of or trespassing on sacred spaces, promise-breaking to a close one, cursing A Powerful One, or eating forbidden food?"
"None of those," Belle said.
“Have you stolen magic?” Nemo asked. Though it takes deft fingers indeed to steal magic without being burned.
"Or…" Nemo said.
"Or?"
"Have you agreed to share a curse?" Or stopped halfway through lifting another’s blight?
"I think I would know if I did that," she said confidently.
"Nobody ever does," Nemo said.
Belle was silent after that.
Other captains might have lingered on the subject of how the girl had incurred that sort of punishment. But he was captain of the Whale, and never did what was expected. That was why he asked her, “So where do you need to go?”
She looked at the map. "Here?" Belle asked.
The Whale‘s captain nodded. "Here, we are."
The same principle applies here, Belle mused. I need to get behind the front lines. So I can’t go overland, because all their border is a war zone - or uncrossable. By water is the only way. "Will you take me to here?" Belle asked, her finger stabbing a southerly coastal town.
"That won’t be cheap. Will be stupid," he said.
"My uncle is King Midas. You will be compensated upon my return (to) home."
"What guarantee can you provide?"
"My word," Belle said.
"Okay," he said cheerfully. "Ready to go?"
“I’m ready,” Belle said.
“No luggage?”
“I travel light.”
“This way.”
*
IN STORYBROOKE:
Belle was crossing one of Storybrooke’s many small parks where she bumped into Ella, who was walking with James and the baby.
“I’m sorry,” Ella apologized right away.
“Accidents happen,” Belle said. Noticing the infant, “Such a charming child,” Belle said.
“Would you like to hold him?” Ella asked.
“I’m sure there are reasons why I shouldn’t.”
“I can’t think of any.”
“Okay,” Belle relented, and let Ella hand the infant to her. “They’ll tell tales about you, won’t they?” Belle asked the child. “Yes they will.”
“I’ve never seen you before,” Ella said to Belle. “Do you live around here?”
“I do. But I’ll be moving soon,” Belle replied. To the infant, she said, “And I would have taken you with me. Yes.”
James tensed. “You? You’re the woman Gold found?”
“Yes,” Belle said.
“You aren’t going to take my baby!” Ella said firmly.
“Yours?” Belle asked, amused, and seeing another reason why Rumplestiltskin had always been so quick with a laugh.
“Ours,” Ella corrected herself.
“Everything has a price,” Belle said. “This is yours,” and handed the child back.
Ella gladly accepted it.
James said, “I don’t understand.” A price? Are you talking about the cost of schools?
“Enjoy your lives in Storybrooke,” Belle wished for the three of them. Belle walked off.
“Who was that?” James asked Ella.
“I don’t know,” Ella said.
*
IN ENCHANTED:
The first day on the water passed uneventfully. Until late afternoon…
“Is that a star?“ Belle asked, standing on the deck, talking to a young woman leaning against the railing, the both of them looking up at the sky.
"It is. It gets more obviously there the closer you get. Also, it stands watch over an island the Empress declared a protectorate." An isle where men are butterflies half the time.
Belle knew of the places she named, save for that island. The Empress. Who restored the Imperial Family by overthrowing The Hero who had permitted the Empire’s holdings to fall into anarchy. Once the ruler of at least half the globe, Queen Alice - who became Empress Alice of the Sheherazad Family - had been the last to sit upon the Imperial Throne. Then the High Palace had gone silent, never to be heard from again. And none of the Powerful Ones who knew why it happened - be they demons or magicians or something else - would speak of the reason.
In many corners of the world, with the Empire’s loss of control, new royal families arose, coming from merchants, soldiers, and wizards. Midas’ kingdom was an exception - its rulers were snarks, the men and women who had been the judges and secret police of the Imperial era.
“You look familiar - have we met?” Belle asked.
I was in the mud, breathing life into change. So yes. "You’re Belle," she said.
"I am."
"I am Madenhad. Madenhad Rumswaif. Where are you going?" Do you fully know yet?
"I’m bringing a message to Irene Adler. Who, I’m told, lives in a town on ogre territory."
"You’ll get there."
"I do hope so. I gave my word that I’d deliver it."
I know. You’re good like that.
"The captain told me we should be making landfall in the morning," Belle said.
Sooner than that, Madenhad thought with a smile, right before the Whale ran aground.
Belle picked herself up from where she had fallen, and began looking for Madenhad who was nowhere to be seen. Belle wasn’t sure how long it was before a cold shadow fell upon the Whale‘s decks, bringing everyone to a stop. This sensation was one Belle had known only from stories - the same ones which spoke of bravery. There’s an ogre behind me, Belle knew. Turning around and summoning what courage she could find within herself, Belle asked, "Yes?" and hoped her voice didn’t shake too much with fear.
"You’re trespassing," said the ogre.
"I’m sorry; we didn’t mean to," Belle said, wondering how a master sailor could have steered so poorly. "Did we hurt anyone?" Under her clothes, her skin was now three shades of gold; but that would not help.
In more of a thunderous rumble than loudly spoken words, the ogre’s reply was, "You gouged my soul."
Oh, great, thought Belle, an aspiring poet like Gaston.
"Which of you might I impress?" the ogre asked.
The captain said, "Great ogre, I am Odysseus, friend of Polyphemus, and -"
"Impress with what?" Belle asked, accustomed to the word’s use in court language.
The ogre’s answer was to pick her up and push the Whale off the grounding. "For ol’ Polyphemus, I’ll let the rest of you go." To Belle, "One more question - do you go best with red wine or white?"
THE END OF PART ONE -