All the stories don't always have a happy ending.

OS 3 : Part 1 : What about my father ?

OS in some parts, centred on Rapunzel, her awakening after her father left her, and her life in the tower until she was released from it.

Pairing : No pairing

Spoiler : Beauty.

It shouldn't have happened that way....

That was the first though that invaded Rapunzel's spirit as she woke up, not in her home and not far from her father, but in the bed of the witch that told them she would help to save the realm from the Beast that threatened it. This first thought appeared in the young girl's mind after a time, because she needed time to succeed to be herself again.

Suddenly, she started, seeing the witch seating in her rocking chair and facing the fire: she began to smile to her with indulgence, which didn't stop Rapunzel from being afraid. Some minutes passed, while a silence appeared and stayed. Rumplestiltskin's daughter finally broke it :

"Where is my father ? Rapunzel asked to the old woman.

- Gone, answered the witch with calm."

Rapunzel may was only sixteen, as Belle was, but she wasn't so naive, and immediately understood that something in the witch's tone wasn't normal. This last one seemed to jubilate, as being extremely satisfied of herself, almost as if... her plans were realizing just as she wanted them to.

"Gone where, and why ? Asked Rapunzel, horrified. Her father would have never left her, that was a certitude, he would never have abandoned her.

- Back home, of course ! Said the witch. What else could he do ? I gave him what he wanted.

- What ? What do you mean ? You have a way to stop the curse on Belle... I mean, the princess ?

The other woman send a sharp look to the young woman who just looked down, and then, a fine smile appeared on her face.

- This... princess. You really like her, don't you ? Maybe even a little more, she muttered for herself, with nostalgia in her eyes." Rapunzel just nodded. "I guess you would want to save her." She nodded again. "Unfortunately, she said with a sincere pity, it won't be possible."

Rapunzel's look became hurt, but as she was used to misfortune, she rapidly admitted this fact.

"But, she finally dared, madam, what about my father ?"

With no sympathy, the old woman (centenarian, even if she didn't seem to be so old) gave her a letter; that was the one Rumplestiltskin wrote so his daughter would understand why he had to leave without her. Trembling, Rapunzel began to read it.

My dear Rapunzel,

If you feel yourself being abandoned, I want you to know that I am sorry about that, and that I love you more than everything. But I do love also our kingdom, and as you, I refuse that it is destroyed by the Beast. I know this is not what you want; Belle is dangerous, and even if she ignores that, it changes nothing to the fact that she must be stopped.

It is impossible to the witch to take this curse from Belle, and maybe that no one can, because maybe she should have never been born, and that her birth itself was a curse for the king and the kingdom...

I wish that it wasn't the case; darling, the witch gave me an object which will allow me to... kill Belle and save the realm from what she could have been. What she would have become; what she may already is. She will die, but even if it hurts me to have to make her disappear, I have no other choice. Except that this magic comes with a price to pay (know it, all magic comes with a price, always), a price which is the thing I love most... you. You will stay with this witch during the time for Belle to die, and when it will be done (in a very little time), I swear I will come back to you.

Rapunzel, my loved daughter, I love you, and I promise you that I will be here soon for, and then I will take you with me, and we will be happy together,

you father, Rumplestiltskin.

Once she read the letter, Rapunzel realized that she was crying; as she knew now, at this instant that when you used of magic, there was always a price to pay, that could be really heavy and high. But the security of the realm was in the balance (and of course everything would be better if Belle died, no ?), so she accepted to stay with the witch who proposed her to learn magic (as she knew the young woman would have to stay for a long time.)

"No, she answered with assurance, my father will come for me, and I don't need this, I have no trust in magic, thanks to him, even if it seems to be sometimes helpful."

The witch just smiled, knowing that the girl would soon lose hope, as the curse wouldn't be destroyed before at least a hundred years. Yes, soon the young adolescent would stop fighting, and the old witch would have a new apprentice.

A new apprentice who would soon stop question and bore the witch with her demands and her what about my father ? She perfectly knew it...

To be continued...