Once Upon A Time ~ Book 1

Chapter 65 - Rumplestiltskin Stricks A Deal

Sidney stared at his reflection in the mirror in Regina's office. Regina stepped close to him.
"Have a seat, Sidney." she said to him.
After a moment Sidney walked to the lounge in her office and sat down. She sat next to him and took a blood red apple from the bowl on the coffee table.
"Well?"
Sidney picked up his phone and pressed a button. A recording came on.
"Well, you got yourself an ally." said Sidney's voice. "We won't get fooled again." said Emma's voice.
Sidney turned the record off.
Regina smiled and sniggered happily. "She bought it."
"All of it."
She looked around at him. "Masterful job, Sidney. Top to bottom." she held out the apple to him.
He took it and admired it.
"And cutting the brakes on her car?" she sniggered again. "Inspired."
"I'm glad you approve."
"Now she trusts you. Now we can have some fun."
"Everything she does, everywhere she goes, you'll know about it."
She smiled and placed her hand on his leg and stared into his eyes. "Oh....... I don't know what I'd do without you, Sidney."

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A castle sat on a hill by a blood red horizon. Inside men and a young girl gathered around a large table, with a map of the surrounding on it. The room they stood in was crumbling and rubble lay near the door the gaurds stood by.
"Sir, there is news from the battlefield." said a dark skined knight with a scarlet cloak to a kind who also wore scarlet clothing and a fur a collar. "Avonlea has fallen."
The young girl looked around at the men, worried. She wore a pale yellow gown and had shining blue eyes with light brown locks hanging beneath her shoulders. In her hands she held a book close to her.
"Oh, my gods!" he let out.
"If only he had come." said a man is dark blue clothing and a hansom face standing next to the girl.
"Well, he didn't, did he?" said the King to him. He then turned and walked towards his throne. "Ogres are not men." he sat down. "We have to do something. We have to stop them."
They girl walked towards him and bent down on the floor next to his throne.
"They are unstoppable."
The girl took his hand in hers. "He could be on his way right now, Papa." she said.
"It's tooblate, my girl. It's just too.......late."
Suddenly there came thudding on the double doors.
The king got to his feet.
"It's him! It has to be him." she said walking with him briskly to the doors.
"How could he get past the walls? Open it." he said to the gaurds.
The gaurds lifted a huge stump that held the door shut. The man in the dark blue clothing drew his sword and the gaurds opened the doors.
The people in the room gazed down the distructed corridor, but there was nothing there but rubble and ruin.
"Well, that was a bit of a letdown." said a voice from behind them.
They turned around quickly to see Rumplestiltskin sitting in the throne at the other end of the room.
He chuckled, his eyes darting between the people.
The man in the dark blue clothing stepped forward and drew his sword yet again.
"You sent me a message. Something about, Help, help! We're dying. Can you save up?" he said in a high pitched voice.
The king and his daughter stepped closer to Rumplestiltskin.
"Now, the answer is......" he got to his feet, glared at the man brandishing his sword and pushed the blade away from him. "..........yes, I can. Yes, I can protect your little town.......for a price." he pointed his dirty finger at the King.
"We sent you a promise of gold." said the King, stepping closer to him.
"Ahhhhh, now, you see.....I make gold....." he stepped closer to him too. "What I want is something a bit more special..... My price.......is her." he pointed to his daughter.
The king looked around at the girl and the man in the dark blue clothing put his hand in front of her.
"No." said the King.
"The young lady is engaged to me." said the man in the dark blue clothing.
"I wasn't asking if she was engaged."  he pased the room. "I'm not looking for.....love." he imitated. "I'm looking for a caretaker for my rather large estate. It's her or no deal."
"Get out." said the King. "Leave!"
The man in pushed her back away from Rumplestiltskin.
"As you wish." he began to walk to the door.
"No, wait........" said the girl, pushing the man's arm away gently and walking towards Rumplestiltskin who had turned to face her. "I will go with him."
Rumplestiltskin chuckled gleefully.
"I forbid it!" her betrothed exclaimed.
"No!" shouted her father.
"No one decides my fate but me." said the girl. "I shall go."
"It's forever, deary." said Rumplestiltskin.
"My family, my friends, they will all live?"
"You have my word."
"Then you have mine. I will go with you forever."
"Deal!" he sniggered excitedly and chuckled gleefully.
"Belle." said her father. "Belle, you cannot do this." he stepped closer to her and took her hands. "Belle, please, you can't go with this.........." he glanced at Rumplestiltskin. "..........beast."
Rumplestiltskin's jaw dropped and he put his hand on his chest, afended.
"Father........ Gaston......." she looked at the man in the dark blue clothing. "........it's been decided."
Rumplestiltskin stepped closer. "You know, she's right." he pointed at Belle. "The deal is struck."
Her father's eyes widened in shock.
"Oh, congratulations on your little war." said Rumplestiltskin and chuckled as he put his hand on Belle's back and led her out the door, smiling gleefully.

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A man with greying hair and blue eyes took brightly coloured flowers and roses from a white van reading Game Of Thorns.
"Well, this is just perfect." said Mr. Gold's voice.
He stood by the van, a big, tall man standing next to his dressed in black. 
"I've been looking for you, Mr. French."
"I'll have you're money next week." said the man.
"Terms of the loan were fairly specific. Take the van." he said to the tall man in black.
The man nodded and walked to the door of the van.
"Wait! No!" he walked after him, then turned to Mr. Gold. "Tomorrow's Valentine's Day! It's the biggest day of....... I've got a grand of roses in the back!" he said as the man turned on the engine. "Stop! You gotta let me sell them!" he said to Mr. Gold.
"I'm gonna alow you two to continue this conversation." said Mr. Gold, looking at his antique pocket watch.
"Oh, this is no way to do business, Gold."
Mr. Gold walked accross the street, away from Mr. French, who stood in front of the van trying to pull away.
"You are the lowest!" he shouted. "People aren't going to put up with this!"
Then the man drove the van quickly away and Mr. French was leftby the side of the street watching it go.
Regina stood on the other side of the street watching the commotion.
Mr. Gold smiled as he walked towards Regina.
"Mr. Gold. Was quit a show back there." said Regina.
"Well, Mr. French is just having a bad day. It happens to the best of us."
"I've been meaning to talk to you about something........."
"Yeah, and the moment you have something I want to discuss, we'll have that little chat." he interrupted and tryed to step away.
Regina stepped in front of him, blocking his way. "No, we're gonna do this now. It'll only take a moment."
"Is there something eating you, dear? Something you need to get out in the open?....... Because it's gonna have to wait."
Regina opened her mouth to say something.
"Please." he said spitfuly before she could say anything. The he stepped away and walked down the street.

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The King ~ Moe French