The daughter

The Crocodile part 1

Constance heard her mother around so she went downstairs. "Do you know your father is in the basement practicing magic." Belle asked her daughter. "Shocking not really." Constance said. "Hey" Rumplestlin told the two women. "Hey." Constance said. "What are you doing?" Belle asked. " I was, uh, gonna make you both breakfast." Rumplestlin said.

"No. In... in the basement. I saw you practicing magic." Belle said. " Want some breakfast?" Rumple asked the two. "Please." Constance said. "Constance Margarita!" Belle shouted at her daughter. "Sorry mother." Constance said.

"No, we need to talk about this." Belle said. " It was just a couple of spells. Nothing to be concerned about." Rumplestlin said. "Okay, then be honest with me. Why did you bring magic here?" Belle asked. "I've told you. Magic is power." Rumplestlin said. "Why do you need it? Tell me." Belle said. "You don't need power, Rumple. You need courage... to let me in." Belle added after a brief pause. Belle and Constance both walked out of the house.

The mother and daughter walked to Granny's dinner. "Hey Ruby." Constance said. "Hey Connie." Ruby said. "Can we have two ice teas please?" Constance asked. "Yes." Ruby said. "So what about you and Jefferson?" Belle asked her daughter. "It started right when Regina made me and dad thought you where dead." Constance said.

"Flimsy locks." The Evil Queen said. "I have a deal to discuss. A certain... mermaid" she added. "I'm not dealing today." Rumplestlin said. "Are you angry with me? What is it this time?" The Queen said looting her self tea as Constance had a pot and a couple tea cups out.
"Your little deception failed. You'll never be more powerful than me. You can keep trying, dearie, but you're never gonna beat me." Rumplestlin said.

"Oh. Is this about that girl I met on the road?" The Queen asked. "What was her name?" She asked. "Margie? Verna?" She asked again
"Belle. Ten year old Constance said."
Right. Thank you little girl Well... you can rest assured I had nothing to do with that tragedy." Regina said. "What tragedy?" Rumplestlin asked moving from his spinning wheel.
"You don't know?" The Queen asked. "Wow. After she got home... her fiancé had gone missing." The Queen started saying.

"And after her stay here, her... "association" with you, no one would want her, of course. Her father shunned her, cut her off, shut her out." she finished saying. "So she needs... a home?" Rumplestlin asked. "He was cruel to her. He locked her in a tower and sent in clerics to cleanse her soul with scourges and flaying. After a while, she threw herself off the tower. She died." The Queen said. "You're lying." Rumplestlin and Constance shouted.
"Am I?" She asked.

"We're done." Rumplestlin said
"Fine. I have other calls to make." The Queen said. She ran her fingers over the table. "Hmm. The place is looking dusty, Rumple. You should get a new girl." Regina said. "Is mother really gone father?" Constance asked. "I guess so deary but now with your mother gone I can get rid of you." Rumplestlin said. After that Constance fled the castle.

"Thank you." Belle said After being given another tea. "Are you okay? That's your third iced tea this morning. Wouldn't wanna have to call you a cab." Ruby said. "Wait Constance dose not drive?" Belle asked. "No do to the fact dad never want me to learn he said I was capable of walking unlike him so he made me walk." Constance said. "Well No, I... I've never had it iced before. It's- it's delicious." Belle said going back to the tea. "I haven't seen you in here before." Ruby said. "But Constance is a regular. So I am confused." Ruby said.

"Well, I-, uh, I've been a kept woman until recently." Belle said. "Let me guess. Bad breakup?" Ruby asked. "That and the queen." Constance mubbled under her breath. "I think I may be headed there." Belle said. "And do you have a place to stay? Any family here?" Ruby asked. Constance but other than that Uh, I'm- I'm not sure. I'm still looking. But I'm on my own for now with her." Belle said.

"She lives with Mr Gold because he is her dad but I could ask Granny about a room here." Ruby said. "Really? Thanks. Uh," belle said. "Ruby." Ruby said. "Belle. What I really need though, is- is a life, a job." Belle said. "Well, uh, what do you like to do?" Ruby asked. "I- I do love books." Belle said. "The library. It's been closed forever, but, uh, things are changing now. Maybe they need a librarian." Ruby said. The two walked out and went to the library.

Belle walked to the door to open it but it would not open so she walked around the corner and looked into the window why Constance Wait for her. "Excuse me, miss" A man with a red hat said to Belle and belle jumped. " You startled me." Belle said. " I- I was just wondering if you had any spare change." The man said. "Oh, no, sorry. I- I don't have any money." Belle said. " What- what about a friend? Are you meeting anyone here?" He asked. " Uh, no. but my daughter is here Why?" Belle asked.

" I just wanted to make sure." The man said. As Belle screamed Constance saw a man take her away. Constance ran to her fathers shop. "Dad mom is missing someone has tooken my mother again." Constance said crying. "Oh it's okay Constance." Rumplestlin said. "Come on let's go." Rumplestlin said. The two walked to the Nolan,Blancherd, Swan,Mills loft. "May I have a word, Sheriff?" Rumplestlin said when David opened the door.

"Uh, acting sheriff. And I'm already late on another busy day, cleaning up the mess you made." David said. "My apologies. That was a moment of poor judgment on my part. And it's not lost on me that I'm now here to ask for your help." Rumplestlin said. "Well, then it shouldn't be lost on you when I say no." David said.

"Hear me out first. I'm here to report a missing person." Rumplestlin said. "She left are home early this morning. Her name is Belle." Constance said not telling the whole story. "Back in our land, you mentioned you loved someone once. Is?" David asked. "And is that your mother? David asked. "Yes." Father and daughter said. "You also said she died." David said. "We thought she had." Constance said.

"Well, why don't you just use the tracking spell you gave me to find Jefferson?" David asked. "It only works if you have something the person owned. I- I don't." Rumplestlin said. "How can you be sure she's gone missing and not run away?" David asked. "I was with her and someone took her I heard my mothers screams." Constance said.

As for me I can't. Look, the townsfolk are less than sympathetic to my plight, but you- you're in the rather unique position to understand exactly what I'm going through." Rumplestlin said. "Will you help us?" Constance asked.