Once Upon A Time: Hook's Adopted Son (Book 1)

Skin Deep

(Enchanted Forest)

A tale as old as time: Beauty and the Beast. The story of Belle, a girl from a small town, tries to rescue her father from a beast in a castle, but instead, she takes her father's place and promises the beast to stay in the castle forever. Belle not only falls for the beast but also saves him from Gaston. Or at least, that's how the tale goes.

But in the enchanted forest, Belle is a real princess, and her father, Maurice, was the Duke of a small village. Gaston was a prince who happened to be engaged to Belle. However, the kingdom was on the verge of war with the ogres. A cold silence loomed over Maurice's stone-hewn castle, broken only by the sound of a heavy downpour beating against stained-glass windows and the distant roll of war drums. The grand hall, once used for balls and royal declarations, had become a makeshift war room. A table crowded with maps of nearby kingdoms, reports of troop movements, and flickering candles stood at the center.

Belle, the young daughter of Duke Maurice, lingered near it, her delicate fingers brushing the edges of a tattered map. Her golden-brown eyes scanned the lines of villages and valleys—the same ones now falling to the merciless advance of ogres. The steward, pale and breathless from his return, removed his damp hood. "Avonlea has fallen," he announced grimly, placing a sealed scroll on the table.

Gasps rippled through the room. Maurice's expression hardened as he turned away from the group, his lined face sinking into shadow. "Oh, my gods..." he murmured, voice cracking with the weight of helplessness.

Gaston, dressed in the polished red armor of a princely suitor, clenched his fists. "If only he had come..."

"Well he didn't, did he?" Maurice snapped, storming across the chamber. "Ogres are not men." He collapsed into the throne, the weight of war settling in his bones.

"We have to do something. We have to stop them," Gaston insisted.

Belle stepped forward, her voice softer but stronger. "He could be on his way right now, Papa."

Maurice shook his head. "It's too late, my girl. It's just... too late."

A loud banging suddenly echoed through the castle. Belle's eyes lit up. "That's him! That has to be him."

Everyone in the war chamber moved toward the door. Guards rushed forward, flinging it open. No one stood in the hall. But a voice answered from within. "Well, that was a bit of a let down!" said Rumplestiltskin, lounging arrogantly on Maurice's throne. "You sent me a message, something about, 'Help! Help! We're dying. Can you save us?" Gaston drew his sword. Rumplestiltskin barely blinked as he slapped the blade aside. "Well, the answer is... yes, I can. Yes, I can protect your little town... for a price."

Maurice stepped forward. "We sent you a promise of gold."

"Ah... now, you see, um... I uh... make gold. What I want is something a bit more special. My price... is her." He pointed to Belle.

Maurice's voice thundered. "No."

Gaston stepped in front of Belle. "The young lady is engaged... to me."

"I wasn't asking if she was engaged. I'm not looking for love! I'm looking for a caretaker... for my rather large estate. It's her, or no deal."

"Get out," Maurice ordered, his hand raised toward the door.

"As you wish," Rumplestiltskin said, turning.

"No, wait!" Belle cried out, stepping forward. Rumplestiltskin paused, grinning as she crossed to him. I will go with him."

"I forbid it, Belle!" Gaston protested.