ℜ𝔬𝔰𝔢 𝔊𝔬𝔩𝔡 (and the legend of the Dark one)

Chapter 5: Fleeing to the forest

"Me..." he stuttered. "She died because of me, and I knew if I told you, you would leave me just like everyone else."

Rose's heart ached. She felt both hatred and sorrow towards her father. For forty minutes, the two sat in silence, looking at the floor or listening to the fire burning the logs to ash.

"I believe she is still alive. Maybe we could find her together, because why would Zelena lie about that?" Rose broke the silence, hoping her father would change his mind about her mother's death.

"Stop this, Rose! She died! There is nothing I can do. When it comes to saving loved ones, I am powerless!" he screamed.

Rose broke into tears as well and grabbed his arm to stop him from walking away. "Why won't you believe me?"

Rumple paused, paralyzed by a memory of Belle. She had said the same thing many years ago, and Rose was so much like her mother it broke him. She deserved an answer as to why Belle was gone forever.

"Because Regina told me after she left, Her father captured her and tortured her. She was in so much pain, emotionally and physically, that she...she threw herself off a tower and she died."

Rose was shocked and in a daze of disbelief. "Why would you trust Regina? You told me she used to lie."

"Because I know that everyone who loves me eventually dies or leaves. This is just another example of that, and I searched for her for weeks...she is gone"

"Maybe you didn't look everywhere..." "No, Rose, you need to stop... stop being stuck in your little fantasy. You have to grow up and face the truth instead of hiding from it. You are not a child anymore." The words came out in a mix of intensity, anger, and sorrow, shouted louder than she had ever heard her father shout. Rose hesitated for a second. So that was why he didn't let her come with him-he thought she was immature and maybe he only viewed her as a waste of space.

"Okay... alright, I get it. You think I'm childish, a burden. If I'm such a nuisance to you, then maybe you'd be better off without me." She shut her eyes so she wouldn't regret her decision, and teleported as far away from the castle as she could.

Rumple stood frozen in regret. Once again, he had driven away someone who cared about him. His eyes stung with shame, and his jaw ached. It took him a while to search the castle to see if Rose had truly left, but after thoroughly examining the estate, it was clear she had vanished. For the rest of the night, he stood at the castle's old, twisted gates, desperately waiting for Rose to return, but she never did.

Rose materialized in an eerie, damp forest. The smell of wet oak and moss hit her nose, and sharp pine needles jabbed the soft rim of her feet, which were still bare from the injury. For at least half an hour, she wandered around the forest in a distraught daze until the dingy moon reared its head, and the forest began to grow more menacing.

After cautiously inspecting a clearing for any sign of human life, Rose found an old willow tree and curled up in a small heap underneath it, like a baby bird would to its mother. It was almost peaceful, laying under its tall branches, with the wind whispering husky melodies only nymphs would understand in her ear. It almost made her forget her argument with her father, and allowed her to drift off as peacefully as she could.

"State your business, goblin," a loud, arrogant voice declared. Rose flickered her eyes open until she could make out the fuzzy image of a man staring down at her in confusion. "In case you haven't heard, stranger, the forest isn't owned by anyone, so I don't have to tell you a thing," Rose replied rudely.

As she rubbed her eyes, her vision became clearer, and she examined the man in front of her. He looked about her age, with a messy mop of dark curls secured in a ponytail behind him, and his face was lightly speckled with stubble that was barely noticeable.

He seemed good-looking, as far as men go, although this was probably the closest Rose had ever gotten to a boy of her age. The only person she had known of her age before was Grace, Jefferson's daughter, who would sometimes accompany her father to discuss deals with Rumplestiltskin. Grace was an odd girl, having been mostly raised in Wonderland, but the two had one thing in common: both had lost their mothers and were instead raised by their eccentric fathers. This caused them to become fast friends.

"Yes, you do, actually, because this part of the forest is my family's territory." The boy puffed up his chest, as if she should already know who he was, but instead, Rose tilted her head, perplexed by the stranger.

"And your family is?"
"The Hoods. You might have heard of my father, Robin Hood."
"Nope, not ringing any bells, forest owner," Rose snapped.
"You know, the famous thief who takes from the rich and gives to the poor." Rose shook her head playfully, but before she could tease the boy any further, he began tying her hands together with a loose, messy knot.
"Hey, what are you doing?" she exclaimed.