✅️His Golden Princess

Nightmares of Burns

Shooting my eyes opened I wince grabbing my right hand seeing a red burn mark going around my wrist. My hair falls in front of my eyes before Henry woke up with the same burning mark on his left hand. My father was off trying to help Red so Regina called Rumple. He entered the apartment seeing me leaning against the countertop trying to not cry at the pain this causes. "Astrid, here let me see it...oh I was afraid this would happen."

"What exactly caused this, Rumple?" He holds my arm gently in his. Eyes drifting over the burns seeing Henry was confused.

He lowers my arm gesturing me to sit down at the table where he opened a box filled with different items. "A side effect, princess." His gaze locks on Regina angry. "You know, it's remarkable you'd cast a curse you know so little about."

"My victims are not supported to wake up. So I certainly never cared what happened to them after. Until now." Regina said her hands intertwined together in front of her.

Rumple rummaged through the bag picking up a vial of some blue liquid. Dripping a few drops inside a circle shaped necklace and he does this twice. One for me and the other for Henry. "When people fall under a sleeping curse, the soul travels to a netherworld, where it residents until awoken. This world is between life and death. However, even when the curse is broken, sometimes in sleep. The victims find their way back, like you two."

"How exactly do we stop the burning then?" I asked tapping my fingers on the table with my other hand. Slightly wishing that I hadn't eaten part of the apple turnover now.

Rumple glanced down to me handing me the necklace that I put over the dagger one hanging around my neck. "These necklaces will help you control your time in that world...and once someone controls something, one no longer need fear it."

He then bends down holding Henry's necklace on his index finger giving him instructions. "You wear this while you're sleeping. Once you control the journey, the fear will stop."

"Everything comes at a price with you. What do you want for this?" Henry started to take it but Regina questions his deal.

Rumple chuckled at her question glancing over his shoulder at me. "For a house call. You couldn't afford it. But this is for Henry and Astrid. This one's on me." Henry finally takes the necklace.

Getting to my feet I followed him outside in the hall when he packed his bag gently closing the door behind me. "Thank you this." I held up the longer necklace giving him a smile.

"You're welcome dear. I have one last thing to do for you though." He stepped forward gently taking my arm once more. He waved his freehand over the wound healing the burns the best he could at least to the outside view. "There you go, all better now."

Lifting my head up I tilt my head over to my shoulder when he locked eyes with me. "I must say I was impressed that you didn't try and kill Regina. For giving me this burn." Holding up my right wrist that doesn't hurt as bad anymore.

Rumple moved his left hand around my waist with his right tucking hair behind my ear. "It had crossed my mind indeed. There are various ways I could have made her suffer..." He trailed off with a smirk making its way across his lips.

"Rumple..." I warned raising a brow at him.

He raised his freehand up in surrender slumping his shoulders in relief. "But I knew you and Henry wouldn't like it so I decided not to."

"Well thank you. Speaking for both Henry and myself I appreciate it." Wrapping my arms around his neck I leaned forward eyeing the necklaces around my neck. "Although you've got to stop giving me gifts. You might make the other girls jealous..."

He wrapped his arms around my waist tugging me closer to his chest. Our noses brushing each other right when he leans down kissing me softly. "If their are any others eyeing me. They'll be disappointed because I only have my eyes and heart set on you, Astrid Swan."

He pressed his lips back to mine and I wrap my arms around his neck deepening the kiss. He spun us around gently putting me between the wall and himself never breaking the kiss in the process. I push my hands against his chest finally breaking it to hear we are both panting heavily with grins on our faces.

"Before we go any further I think it's time we have that date we kept talking about. Does Granny's first thing tomorrow morning work for you, Mr. Gold?" I asked smiling as I played with his tie seeing his eyes only focused on me rather than what I was doing.

He kisses me again burying his face in my neck to whisper in my ear. "I'd love that, Lady Astrid."

"I told you to stop calling me that...it's makes me blush." I wrap my arms around myself with hair falling in front of my eyes. My cheeks turn red even more when he cups my face in his hands smiling.

"That's why I do it, my dear. I like seeing you get embarrassed because of me. It's cute." I poke his chest and he turns on his heels to leave but slowly stopped walking down the stairs.

He turned around to face when holding his left hand behind his back. He softly smiled revealing a red rose out to me. "Dare I ask what else you can do with your powers. Besides create roses and what not." I chuckled until he tugs my arm making me giggle.

Slightly stumbling into his chest I hold the rose in one hand while my other rests on his black suit. "Astrid, I can do absolutely anything you want. I could create you a hundred roses right here if you wished or take you anywhere in the world." I giggled again bending my head down into his chest.

"If we left Storybrooke you wouldn't have magic. How would you go on, Rumplestiltskin?" I teased knowing that he relied on magic so he wouldn't limp as much anymore. How would he handle living in my reality.

Rumple twirls me around in a circle planting a kiss on my forehead when I spun back into his chest mirroring his smile. "If we left. I would have the most beautiful teacher in all the realm to guide me through the unknown. I'll see you in the morning." After that he left and I heard the apartment door open behind me. "I may be ten but I gotta say you guys seem cute together." Henry declared making me blush again entering my mother's apartment behind him.

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