Rosemary Book: 2

Ch 8

Rumpelstiltskin was lying on his daughter's bedroom door. It had been a week since the events of the Black Cauldron. After...... the death of the boy who Rose had considered a new friend.

Rose had locked herself in her room and kept on crying. This was why Rumple was stuck outside, thinking and thinking of what had happened.

He recalled finding an older man in the woods named Dallwen and his magical pig. The man claimed that he was out searching for his apprentice. When he mentioned that he had seen his daughter, Rumple had grabbed the man by the neck and demanded to know where his daughter was. Last time he checked, Rosemary was in the castle. He was getting afraid that his daughter was leaving him, just like what happened to Milah and Bae.

Before anything else could be done, they were both poofed away to a large gate entry, surrounded by an army of men and odd creatures. He quickly recognized his daughter and noticed she was with a boy around her age. For a moment, he was relieved to see her. Without a second thought, Rumple had used his power to blow everyone away from them. He, once again, demanded to know what was going on. The Horn King finally made his entrance.

The Horn King had explained his desire to The Dark One, and Rumple was interested in this legend of the Black Cauldron. But then the king was unsatisfied with the answer he was given. Rumplestiltskin had no information about the cauldron. So the Horn King used his magic to cause the boy and girl to gasp for air, slowly killing them. Desperate to save Rose and Taran, Dallwen spoke. Declaring that he had the magical item.

The old man had made the cauldron appear in smoke and agreed to make a trade for the children to be spared. The king let them go. But while the two made their way to the two men, Taran made a run for the Black Cauldron, raised his sword and smashed it with its great power.

The ground shook, the people screamed and ran away in fear. An explosion of light and force blasted out of the cauldron. Everything around it was breaking and getting destroyed by its strong force. The Horn King was growing desperate and tried to save it with its magic. But he ended up falling towards his death from the cracks and holes beneath him.

Nothing could be done. Rumple showed up at his daughter's side to get her to safety. He was losing balance and felt his own magic being drained by the Cauldron. Rose refused to move, she was focused on trying to get Taran's attention to leave with them. The boy was forcing himself to hold onto the cauldron to stop it from collapsing everything and then remembered the tale of the power that came from it.

It will grant your desires.

Taran, with all his strength, pulled himself up to stand on the edges of the object and looked down on the inside. There, he saw its power source. He heard Rose shouting to come back or he would die. That was actually what he was planning to do.

He did not forget that to grant the desire, a sacrifice must be made as payment. A life, his life.

He thanked Dallwen for everything he had done for him. Taking him in, raising him, teaching him. He had done so much.

He took a moment and looked back at the girl he had met. A girl he thought was pretty and nice even though she had an odd way of thinking. He reminded Rose that time passes by too fast and before you know it, it'll be too late to do anything. And she will regret it. It's not wrong to take risks and to play around. He also hoped that she will be happier and will try to open up more in the future.

With a sad smile, he looked at her eyes. His last words to her are still haunting her to this day.

"Run you clever girl. And remember me."

He jumped in the cauldron.

It started to rumble and strike more lighting out of it. In an instant the item disappeared. Leaving their land alone.

Dallwen was filled with guilt and left the father with his daughter. To his surprise, Rumple had offered to assist him in his work. Nothing could make up for Tarans death, but it could help. The old man respectively declined the offer, stating he couldn't accept it. Rumple mentioned that the offer will forever stand if he ever changes his mind.

But for Rose, this was a different story. The girl was blaming herself for Taran's death. Believing that she should have done the brave thing and save them instead. Then she thought it would have been better if they had never met. That way Taran would still be alive and Dellwen wouldn't be alone. Perhaps she shouldn't have left the castle out of anger.

In the end, she was blaming herself.

Rumple had enough. He wasn't going to allow his daughter to cry herself to death. If anyone was to blame, it was him. Fearing for the worse to happen, he was hurting his daughter without even knowing. Causing her to take such actions.

Had he learned nothing with Baelfire?

He would do all he can to help make Rose feel more free than she had before. With precautions of course. And to remind her that Taran's life was a brave sacrifice he had made for her.

To the Dark One, Taran was a brave knight and wished he had gotten the chance to meet him.

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Taran woke up.

Gasping for air. He was shaking while trying to stand up. He was very surprised that he was alive. He should be dead.

He turned around panicking, wondering where he was. He noticed that he was surrounded by trees. Was he in a forest? It felt different from the Forbidden Forest. It was night time too, making it harder for him to see.

He didn't understand how he got here. He had wished for the cauldron to stop it's destruction in their world. He took a step back after hearing a crack sound. On the ground where there was dirt and sand, he saw broken pieces of the Black Cauldron. It definitely was destroyed, but shouldn't he be too?

"If your wondering how you survived, it is all thanks to me." A voice said from behind. Taran looked at the person who said this. Standing before him was a boy with pale skin, brown hair, and green clothes.

"Where am I?" Taran asked him. The other boy smirked before giving his answer.

"Welcome to neverland."