Once Upon A Time ~ Book 1

Chapter 48 - The Debate

The crowds in the City Hall had quited now and sat listening as Anchie was speaking on the stage.
"Tragedy has brought us here, but we are faced with this decision and now we ask only that you listen with an open mind and to please vote your conscience. So, without further ado, I'd like to introduce you the candidates. Sidney Glass and Emma Swan." he indicated to Emma and Sidney sitting on either side of him. "Glass-Swan..... Sounds like something that a decorator would make you buy." he chuckled nervously alone on the stage while the crowds stayed quite. "Wow. Crickets. Okay. Mr. Glass, your opening statement?"he stepped away from the microphone and Sidney stood up.
He fixed his suit. "I just want to say that if elected, I want to serve as a reflection of the best quality's of Storybrooke." he looked around the crowd. "Honestly, neighbourliness and strength."
Regina sat by the front of the crowd, mouthing each word Sidney was saying. "
"Thank you." he steped back to his seat.
The crowds clapped and Regina smiled up at him.
Archie walked back to the microphone. "And Emma Swan?" Emma looked up at him and walked slowly to the microphone. She looked around the crowd. "You guys all know I have........what they call a...... troubled past. But you've been able to overlook it because of the......hero thing......."
Henry beamed up at her.
"........ But here's the thing." she stared down at Henry. "The fire was a set-up."
The crowd mumbled and whispered between one another and Regina looked horrified up at Emma. Mr. Gold looked around suspiciously.
"Mr. Gold agreed to support me in this race, but I didn't know that that meant he was going to set a fire."
The crowds continued mumbling as she stared at Mr. Gold, sitting down the back of the room.
"I don't have definitive evidence. But I'm sure." she looked at Henry again, then back at the crowd. "And the worst part of all this was........ The worst part of all this is I let you all think it was real........ And I can't win that way." she stared at Henry again. "I'm sorry."
Mr. Gold rose from his seat and limped down the aisle on his walking stick out the door.
Emma walked back to her seat and Regina smiled broadly at what she had just witnessed.

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Emma sat in Granny's Diner, alone, a glass in front of her. She took the last drink from it and set it down.
Ruby walked over to her from the other side of the counter.
"Another?" she asked.
"Oh, hell, yes." she answered.
Ruby took her glass.
The door of the diner opened and Henry walked in.
"Hey, Henry."
Henry opened his backpack and took out one of the walkie talkies and gave it to her.
She looked at it. "What's this for?"
"You stood up to Mr. Gold." he sat down next to her. "It was pretty amazing."
"Well, he did something illegal."
"That's what hero's do. Expose stuff like that."
Ruby placed a glass of milk and another glass of whiskey on the counter in front of Emma and Henry.
Henry put his hand beside his mouth and whispered to Emma. "I shouldn't have given up on Operation Cobra."
Emma smiled and looked down again when the door opened.
"I thought I might find you here." said Regina walking over to them, Sidney behind her. "With a drink. And my son." she added.
"You here to card me, Officer?" Emma said to Sidney.
"Well, not at all. In fact, I think I'll join you."
"Here? I don't know. I think they're setting up a back room for the victory party."
"Well, you'll have to tell me what that's like."
Emma looked at him, perplexed.
Regina held up the sherifs badge. "Congratulations, sherif Swan." she placed the badge on the counter.
"Wait. What?" said Henry.
Mary Margaret and Archie walked into the diner followed by some more people.
"It was a very close vote, but people really seemed to like the idea of a sherif brave enough to stand up to Mr. Gold."
"Are you joking?" asked Emma.
"She isn't joke." said Sidney.
Henry smiled broadly.
"You didn't pick a great friend in Mr. Gold, Miss. Swan." said Regina. "But he does make a superlative enemy." she smiled. "Enjoy that." she turned and walked away, leaving Emma shocked beyond her believes.

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The gaurds walked out of the cottage, holding Bealfire.
"Everyone's watching from behind their curtains today." said Hortor leading the gaurds. The gaurds laughed.
Suddenly then gaurd standing by the horses let out a grunt, as a blade went through his back. He fell to the ground. Behind him stood a hooded Rumplestiltskin, holding the bloody dagger, his eyes bulging and his face dark.
Bae stepped back, horrified.
"Dark One." Hortor went down on his knees.
Rumplestiltskin walked slowly towards him.
"No." said Hortor fearfully. "Who are you?"
"Have you forgotten me already?........ What was it you used to call me, again?....... Spindleshanks?........" he checked his fingers and pointed at him. ".......Hobblefoot?"
"Papa?" sais Bae.
Hortor quivered as Rumplestiltskin showed him the bloodstained dagger. "Rumplestiltskin." he whispered.
"Wonderful....... And now you shall know me as the new Dark One....... How about a little fealty?" he steped forward. "Kiss my boot."
Hortor crawled down, but before he could reach his boot, Rumplestiltskin grasped his head and twisted his head until he heard all the bones crick.
"Papa, no!" cryed Bae.
Another gaurd drew his sword but Rumplestiltskin simple thrust the sword into him. He went to each gaurd and stabbed them all to death.
Rumplestiltskin stood in the midst of the dead gaurds.
"Papa?" asked Baelfire, scared. "What has happened to you?"
"You're safe, Bae." he walked towards him. "Do you feel safe, son." his hood had fallen from his head, his hair covered his face and blood dripped from the dagger he held up.
"No. I'm frightened."
"I'm not."
Bea stepped back.
"I'm protecting what belongs to me. And I'm not scared of anything." he gritted his dirty, yellow teeth and smiled.

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Emma walked into the sherifs office and sighed. She placed her stuff down on the desk and looked at the jacket that hung on the coat rack.
"The sherif's jacket." said Mr. Gold who stood at the door.
Emma jumped in fear.
"I thought you might want it after all."
"You do know I'm armed, right?" said Emma.
He smiled. "That's all part of the act, my dear." he walked into the room. "Political theatre in an actual theatre...... I knew no one was going to vote for you unless we gave you some kind of extraordinary quality, and I'm afraid saving old Regina's arse from the fire just wasn't going to do that. We had to give you a higher firm of bravery. They had to see you defy me. And they did."
"No way." she folded her arms. "There's no way you planed that."
"Everyone's afraid of Regina. But they're more afraid of me. By sending up to me, you won them over. It was the only way."
"You knew I'd agree."
"Oh, yeah." he nodded. "I know how to recognise a desperate soul."
They stood in silence for a moment and Mr. Gold stared at Emma.
"Why did you do this?"
"We made a deal some time back, Miss. Swan. We established that you owed me a favour. I know that can be a bad feeling, owing someone..... Now that you're sherif, I'm sure we'll find some way for you to pay back what you owe me." he began to walk out of the room. "Congratulations."