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A Fallen Friend
Title: A Fallen Friend
Author: Kat Lee
Fandoms: Once Upon A Time/Labyrinth
Character/Pairing: Rumplestiltskin/Belle, Labyrinth Ensemble Minus Sarah
Rating: PG-13/T
Challenge/Prompt:![[livejournal.com profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/external/lj-community.gif)
puzzleprompts April 2016: Invisibility, Rumplestiltskin, Deformati's Careful Demons, A Winter's night, Time, and Bloody
Warning(s): Character Death
Word Count: 1,267
Date Written: 29 March, 2016
Summary:
Disclaimer: All characters within belong to their rightful owners, not the author, and are used without permission.
It was another cold and dark Winter night, and he was alone again in a place where he did not belong. He had finally fallen asleep despite the constant hum of the Sea Witch's fish tank, the hard couch that wasn't nearly big enough for his length, and, worst of all by far, the constant pain in his heart and leg. He was deep in dreams of a better time when he used to chase a certain, beautiful maiden through his big, dark, and foreboding castle, never, of course, letting on that he was truly chasing her and it was all merely a game, when he felt the shift.
It was subtle and would have gone unnoticed by most Sorcerers in his rightful time, but it was different here, as so many things were. It was different, because this land was supposed to be unaffected by magic. Yet he felt the slide of worlds, the change of dimensions, and a wrenching pain that snapped his eyes open immediately. He sat up as the room spun, a hand clutched to his heart, and already he could feel the differences.
The tank's annoying hum was gone as was the fish, the apartment, and the magicless land into which he had been forced by the one woman who held power over him. The invisible power that had wrenched him from Ursula's couch had already retreated by the time Rumplestiltskin shielded his eyes against the bright sunlight. Suddenly, he heard sobs, heart-wrenching sobs from voices he knew. Rumplestiltskin turned swiftly, and the world stopped.
"Bloody -- !" spat out of his mouth, but then he stopped. He had no words for this. This was a new pain, a fresh pain, that tore at his heart. He'd never felt another like it except for when he lost Bae and his Belle and when she cast him from their world.
He stared at the coffin, tears welling in his eyes. His lips trembled. His body shook. It was all he could do not to sink to his knees in the dirt, and then he thought, To Hell with it! His friend had been a King, after all, and he had so few reasons left for pride and vanity. As he sank to his knees, his whole being trembling, he remembered a man who had possessed no end of both, or rightful reasons for having them.
Jareth had never been driven to his knees by a mere woman. There was one girl who had affected him, true, but although he'd let her think she'd bested him and had allowed to win his game, he had never been hurt as Rumplestiltskin was now or, at least, if he had, no one in all the kingdoms had been aware of it. He had worn his pride as a shield as, too, had Rumplestiltskin, and they had found common ground centuries ago.
The corners of Rumple's mouth twitched as he remembered fondly that there was no one like the two of them. He had never before met a more equal, nor had Jareth. Their powers eclipsed any one else's in their lands, and when put together, they were unstoppable. He wondered what had felled the mighty Goblin King. They had always had to be careful in their deals and games with opponents ranging everywhere from petty, spoiled Princesses to some of the mightiest Demons Hell had to offer, but still, he couldn't imagine any of them beating Jareth. He couldn't imagine anything truly defeating his friend, without his allowance.
He wanted to ask what happened, but he couldn't seem to find the words. His gaze turned from the coffin covered with white roses to his fellow mourners. Even the Fieries could not find a reason to smile. The Goblins were crying a river, and the eyes of Jareth's favorite Dwarf companion were as red as his round nose. Rocks rolled as Ludo bellowed a mournful song, and even the worms cried for their beloved King.
Rumplestiltskin felt a tiny, gentle paw upon his knee and looked down into the grieving, tear-filled eyes of a Knight he knew to be very valiant, far more so than any in his own kingdom, despite his small stature and broken nose. "We . . . We thought you should know," the creature who Rumplestiltskin had never been quite certain was more akin to a fox or dog from his own land whimpered before breaking into fresh tears.
"What happened?" he finally found his voice to ask, but the Knight just shook his head and scratched at the tears flowing over his trembling whiskers.
"We know not," he sobbed, "only that we found him this way." His sobs broke into a howl, and Rumple found himself opening his arms to the brave Knight. He fell into them, but as he fell, the world again shifted. This time, the same power that had brought him to the labyrinth dumped him unceremoniously back on the Witch's couch. He jumped to his feet, crying out that he was not done, but his leg gave way.
He fell and shoved himself angrily back up to his feet. Gripping the arm of the couch for balance, he looked around the tiny, dark apartment, but there was no sign of the force that had taken him to his friend's funeral or brought him back here. Some one was playing with him, and whoever it was at least knew what had happened to the King, if they had not done the horrible deed themselves. He thought of a thousand spells he could use if only he was home to go back, to force the power to reveal its identity, to avenge Jareth's murder, but none of them would work in this forsaken land.
The door opened. Rumplestiltskin turned to face the Sea Witch entering her apartment. He saw the lines underneath her dark eyes, the slump of her weary shoulders, and the way she nearly dragged herself through her own door and knew that this world was unkind to her, as well. But that didn't matter now. Only two things did. He had to get his Belle back. He had to return to a world with magic, and he had to avenge his friend's death. "We're going back," he spat.
Ursula looked at him, a snide remark on the tip of her once imperial tongue, but the remark died when she saw the flicker of pain in the Dark One's eyes. Something had happened while she'd been gone. Something that had brought back not the power of his magic but the power of his soul. She wondered what had happened, never sensing the faint traces the magic had left behind in a world without magic. She opened her mouth to ask but then shut it again at the furious look on his face.
A chill unlike anything she'd felt since becoming mortal poured into her very bones as she watched him begin to scheme. Something had definitely happened, something he didn't at all like, and Ursula was glad she was not at war with the Dark One. It wasn't the first time she'd had that thought even in this world. She already knew it wouldn't be the last, but never before had she felt it so strongly. Whatever had angered the Dark One, he was going to tear it apart. They just had to get back to Storybrooke and his little maid first. Ursula smirked, her spirits lifted. She was guaranteed a front row seat for this battle, and it would be a fight to be remembered in legend!
The End
Author: Kat Lee
Fandoms: Once Upon A Time/Labyrinth
Character/Pairing: Rumplestiltskin/Belle, Labyrinth Ensemble Minus Sarah
Rating: PG-13/T
Challenge/Prompt:
puzzleprompts April 2016: Invisibility, Rumplestiltskin, Deformati's Careful Demons, A Winter's night, Time, and BloodyWarning(s): Character Death
Word Count: 1,267
Date Written: 29 March, 2016
Summary:
Disclaimer: All characters within belong to their rightful owners, not the author, and are used without permission.
It was another cold and dark Winter night, and he was alone again in a place where he did not belong. He had finally fallen asleep despite the constant hum of the Sea Witch's fish tank, the hard couch that wasn't nearly big enough for his length, and, worst of all by far, the constant pain in his heart and leg. He was deep in dreams of a better time when he used to chase a certain, beautiful maiden through his big, dark, and foreboding castle, never, of course, letting on that he was truly chasing her and it was all merely a game, when he felt the shift.
It was subtle and would have gone unnoticed by most Sorcerers in his rightful time, but it was different here, as so many things were. It was different, because this land was supposed to be unaffected by magic. Yet he felt the slide of worlds, the change of dimensions, and a wrenching pain that snapped his eyes open immediately. He sat up as the room spun, a hand clutched to his heart, and already he could feel the differences.
The tank's annoying hum was gone as was the fish, the apartment, and the magicless land into which he had been forced by the one woman who held power over him. The invisible power that had wrenched him from Ursula's couch had already retreated by the time Rumplestiltskin shielded his eyes against the bright sunlight. Suddenly, he heard sobs, heart-wrenching sobs from voices he knew. Rumplestiltskin turned swiftly, and the world stopped.
"Bloody -- !" spat out of his mouth, but then he stopped. He had no words for this. This was a new pain, a fresh pain, that tore at his heart. He'd never felt another like it except for when he lost Bae and his Belle and when she cast him from their world.
He stared at the coffin, tears welling in his eyes. His lips trembled. His body shook. It was all he could do not to sink to his knees in the dirt, and then he thought, To Hell with it! His friend had been a King, after all, and he had so few reasons left for pride and vanity. As he sank to his knees, his whole being trembling, he remembered a man who had possessed no end of both, or rightful reasons for having them.
Jareth had never been driven to his knees by a mere woman. There was one girl who had affected him, true, but although he'd let her think she'd bested him and had allowed to win his game, he had never been hurt as Rumplestiltskin was now or, at least, if he had, no one in all the kingdoms had been aware of it. He had worn his pride as a shield as, too, had Rumplestiltskin, and they had found common ground centuries ago.
The corners of Rumple's mouth twitched as he remembered fondly that there was no one like the two of them. He had never before met a more equal, nor had Jareth. Their powers eclipsed any one else's in their lands, and when put together, they were unstoppable. He wondered what had felled the mighty Goblin King. They had always had to be careful in their deals and games with opponents ranging everywhere from petty, spoiled Princesses to some of the mightiest Demons Hell had to offer, but still, he couldn't imagine any of them beating Jareth. He couldn't imagine anything truly defeating his friend, without his allowance.
He wanted to ask what happened, but he couldn't seem to find the words. His gaze turned from the coffin covered with white roses to his fellow mourners. Even the Fieries could not find a reason to smile. The Goblins were crying a river, and the eyes of Jareth's favorite Dwarf companion were as red as his round nose. Rocks rolled as Ludo bellowed a mournful song, and even the worms cried for their beloved King.
Rumplestiltskin felt a tiny, gentle paw upon his knee and looked down into the grieving, tear-filled eyes of a Knight he knew to be very valiant, far more so than any in his own kingdom, despite his small stature and broken nose. "We . . . We thought you should know," the creature who Rumplestiltskin had never been quite certain was more akin to a fox or dog from his own land whimpered before breaking into fresh tears.
"What happened?" he finally found his voice to ask, but the Knight just shook his head and scratched at the tears flowing over his trembling whiskers.
"We know not," he sobbed, "only that we found him this way." His sobs broke into a howl, and Rumple found himself opening his arms to the brave Knight. He fell into them, but as he fell, the world again shifted. This time, the same power that had brought him to the labyrinth dumped him unceremoniously back on the Witch's couch. He jumped to his feet, crying out that he was not done, but his leg gave way.
He fell and shoved himself angrily back up to his feet. Gripping the arm of the couch for balance, he looked around the tiny, dark apartment, but there was no sign of the force that had taken him to his friend's funeral or brought him back here. Some one was playing with him, and whoever it was at least knew what had happened to the King, if they had not done the horrible deed themselves. He thought of a thousand spells he could use if only he was home to go back, to force the power to reveal its identity, to avenge Jareth's murder, but none of them would work in this forsaken land.
The door opened. Rumplestiltskin turned to face the Sea Witch entering her apartment. He saw the lines underneath her dark eyes, the slump of her weary shoulders, and the way she nearly dragged herself through her own door and knew that this world was unkind to her, as well. But that didn't matter now. Only two things did. He had to get his Belle back. He had to return to a world with magic, and he had to avenge his friend's death. "We're going back," he spat.
Ursula looked at him, a snide remark on the tip of her once imperial tongue, but the remark died when she saw the flicker of pain in the Dark One's eyes. Something had happened while she'd been gone. Something that had brought back not the power of his magic but the power of his soul. She wondered what had happened, never sensing the faint traces the magic had left behind in a world without magic. She opened her mouth to ask but then shut it again at the furious look on his face.
A chill unlike anything she'd felt since becoming mortal poured into her very bones as she watched him begin to scheme. Something had definitely happened, something he didn't at all like, and Ursula was glad she was not at war with the Dark One. It wasn't the first time she'd had that thought even in this world. She already knew it wouldn't be the last, but never before had she felt it so strongly. Whatever had angered the Dark One, he was going to tear it apart. They just had to get back to Storybrooke and his little maid first. Ursula smirked, her spirits lifted. She was guaranteed a front row seat for this battle, and it would be a fight to be remembered in legend!
The End