Once Upon A Time ~ Book 1

Chapter 47 - The Dark One

Emma walked into Mr. Gold's pawn shop. He stood by the counter, cleaning his hands with a cloth.
"Loads of visitors today." he said.
Emma slamed the door shut causing the bell to make a huge racked.
"I do hope you're not gonna break my little bell." he exclaimed.
"You set the fire." she saidholding up the rope.
"I've been right here, Miss. Swan." he said untruthfuly.
"Take a whiff. It smells like your sheep carp oil." she walked closer to him. "Turns out it's flammable."
"Well, are you sure? There's some construction work going on at City Hall at the moment. There's loads of flammable solvents used in construction."
"Why did you do it?"
"If I did it. If I did it, that would be because you cannot win without something big. Something like, I don't know, being the hero in a fire?"
"How could you even know I'd be there at the right time?"
"Maybe Regina's not the only one with eyes and ears in this town. Or maybe I'm just intuitive. Were I involved."
"I could've run and left her there."
"Not the type."
"I can't go alone with this."
"You just did. This is just the price of election, Miss. Swan."
"A price I'm not willing to pay." she through the burnt rope down on the counter. "Find another sucker."
"Okay, go ahead. Expose me. But if you do......... Just think about what you'll be exposing. And what you'd be walking away from."
Emma turned and began to walk away.
"Oh, yes, and who you might be disappointing."
Emma opened the door and took one last glance at Mr. Gold and slamed the door again.
He smiled as he watched her walk away.

******************************

Bae lit a fire on the wool on a stick. Rumplestiltskin then took the stick and held it against the straw that lay outside the castle. The straw burnt and caught fire and spread up the castle walls.

The inside of the castle crumbled as the flames burnt the wooden rafters and floors. Rumplestiltskin limped inside.
He walked over to a tapestry with the crest of the kingdom and pulled it down. Behind it a swervey, silver dagger was held up on the wall.
He took the dagger and examined it. Ingraved in black was the name Zoso.
He then ran from the burning castle.

******************************

People crowded round the City Hall. It had a red banner hanging over the entrance reading Debate Today Sherif Election.
Mary Margaret stapled posters reading Swan As Sherif and picture of Emma saving Regina from the flames on a notice board near by. She walked to the other side of the notice board and saw David.
"David! Hi." she said.
"Mary Margaret....... Hi." he said smiling.
"I was just........" she started.
"Yeah, yeah. Me, too."
"How are things?"
"Okay. Oh, I got a job. Yeah, I'm working at the animal shelter."
Mary Margaret smiled. "Really?"
"Yeah."
"So. Sidney." she glanced at the posters of Sidney Glass he was stapling to the notice board.
"My wife is friends with Regina, so........." he explained.
"Oh, right. How is Kathryn?"
"Good. She's meeting me here later."
"That's wonderful." she said, stapling really fast. "Well, I'm all out of posters. I'm going to get some more." she walked away before David could say anything.

******************************

Sidney got himself ready behind the stage, smiling in the mirror.
Archie recited his lines. "Citizens of Storybrooke, we welcome you to........... Welcome, citizens if Storybrooke........ We welcome you, citizens of Storybrook. Welcome........" he stuttered.
Emma peeped from behind the curtains out at Henry and Regina who sat at the front of the hall.
Henry smiled encouragingly up at her and she smiled back.
Mary Margaret handed her some note cards and a bottle of water.
"I'm not going to win." she said taking the water and note cards.
"What are you talking about? Everyone's talking about what you did in the fire."
"No. Henry's right. I can't beat Regina at this. Not the way she fights. Watch and see." she took a drink from her bottle.
"Is this really just about beating Regina?"
She peered through the curtain again and looked at Henry. "It's just......." she started.
"Henry."
"I want to show him that good can actually win."
"That's why you want to win it for him. But why do you want to win the election for yourself?"
"That is why. I want to show him that a hero can win. And if I'm not........ If I'm not a hero and I'm not the saviour, then what part do I have in his life?"
Mary Margaret looked at her with realisation.
"Okay. There it is." Emma smiled.
"There it is."
Emma looked out from behind the curtains again at the crowds, then she saw Mr. Gold limp into the room. She watched him as he stared up at her.

******************************

Bae lay against the trunk of a tree, waiting. He heard footsteps near by and got to his feet.
"Papa! I was so worried for you!" he cryed when he saw Rumplestiltskin.
"Oh, Bae."
"Are you burned? The castle is......" he started.
"I'm fine, son. I'm fine. I need you to go home and wait for me there."
"Come with me, please. I have a bad feeling."
"Bae, this is something I have to do on my own. Go home, son. Go home and wait for me, Bae. I'll be back. You go."
Bae slowly backed away and turned and walked from him.
Rumplestiltskin took the dagger from his belt once Bae had disappeared into the distance.
He looked at the dagger then held it up next to his flaming torch.
"Zoso..... Zoso....... I summon thee." he looked around him, waiting for the Dark One to appear. He let his hand holding the dagger fall. He turned around disappointed and jumped in fear and dropped his flaming torch as he saw the hooded figure standing behind him.
"You were asking for me." he said in a low voice.
"Submit! O Dark One." he demanded, fearfully. "I control you." he held the dagger up in his shaking hand.
"Yes, you do. Wield..... the power wisely. You can wield at any time now....... It's almost dawn. That means it's your son's birthday." he stepped closer to him. "I bet Hortor and his men are already on their way to your house."
"No, they can't take him." he said staring into the Dark One's shadowed face.
"You don't control them, you control me. Have you ever wondered, was he really your child at all?...... Unlike you, he's not a coward and yearns to fight and die in glory."
"No."
"What a poor bargain that would be to lay down your soul to save your bastard son. So I ask you, what would you have me do?"
He hesitated. "Die." he said and before the Dark One could do anything Rumplestiltskin thrust the dagger into his chest. He grabbed hold of his hands and fell to the ground, Rumplestiltskin next to himhis face turned from the dark, scarred face back to a human face. The Dark One stared up into his face and cackled.
"It's you." whispered Rumplestiltskin, horrified , staring into the old beggars face. "Your the beggar."
"Looks like you made a deal you didn't understand...... I don't think you're gonna do that again." he cackled.
"You told me to kill you?"
"My life was such a burden...... You'll see." he expression changed. "Magic always comes with a price...... And now it's yours to pay!" he choked.
"Why me? Why me?" he cryed.
"I know how to recognise......" he panted. "........a desperate soul." he gasped and winced and slowly closed his eyes.
"No. No! Stay!" he said, still holding the dagger in his chest. "You have to tell me what to do! Tell me what to do!" he shook him.
Suddenly the dagger began to move in the beggars chest.
Rumplestiltskin slowly pulled it put of his chest, the dagger now covered in blood and the name Rumplestiltskin engraved in black on it. He stared at the dagger, his hand shaking in terror. He glanced down at the dead body next to him.