𝑳𝑶𝑽𝑬𝑳𝒀 - Rumplestiltskin [2]

twenty four

24|resurrection

One year ago

Celeste placed the large book on the table, breathing out from its heaviness, the dust making her sneeze. She flicked it open, glancing through the pages.

"What the hell kind of book is that?" Neal questioned as he paced back and forth.

"This isn't a book. It's a hiding spot." She chuckled as she opened the main part of the book, revealing a strange metal object hidden in the book.

"What is this?"

"It's a key." Lumiere answered him. "To the vault of the Dark One."

"The vault of the Dark One?" Celeste mocked him, refusing to believe such a thing existed.

"Where the first Dark One was made." The candle said dramatically causing the pair to roll their eyes. "Borne out of the, well, darkness. If you wish to bring back Rumpelstiltskin to life, it is where you must go."

"Will you be showing us the way?" She asked him.

"If your promises that the Dark One will return me to my human form are true, then, yes, I will." Lumiere agreed to her request.

"We leave first thing in the morning." Neal put the key back into the book and shut it before blowing the candle out. The pair left the room, both skating their good night's before going their separate ways to their rooms.

Celeste sat in Rumpels chair, a fire roaring beside her as she sipped her tea. The nightmares were back, haunting her of a perfect life she could have had with Rumpel. Her ocean blue eyes had faded, replaced with a blanket of sadness. She watched the sun rise, smiling to herself as she wandered back to her room, getting ready for their adventure.

Neal led the way, the sun barely up as they wandered through forest terrain, both quiet as they enjoyed the world waking up.

"You know, ever since it happened, I haven't been able to sleep." She breathed out slowly, knowing she could trust Neal. "He died to save everyone. I think I prefer his selfish self. At least he would be alive."

"You know that wasn't it." Neal stated, wondering if she really believed he died to save everyone. "He died to save us. His family."

"At least he died a hero." Celeste chuckled. "His worst nightmare."

"Were you surprised he had it in him?"

"Of course I was." She grinned up at him, showing she was joking slightly. "Were you surprised?"

"I don't know." Neal revealed to her. "I mean, my papa was never the most selfless guy, like you said. I know he wished he hadn't let me go through that portal. I know how sorry he was, but now that I have a son of my own, I can't imagine ever doing what he did."

"He regretted what happened to you." Celeste glanced around, trying to figure out the best thing to say. "I know he did. I married him and helped him through the nightmares, the memorials, the planning to get you back. He was willing to do anything to get you back. Anything. Although, I didn't know he was planning a curse."

"That's one thing about him I can relate to." He said with pure determination. "'Cause I would do anything to get back to Henry."

"It's getting colder." She changed the topic of conversation, noticing the snow on the ground. She was happy she changed out of her dresses to leather trousers and boots. "Look." Celeste pointed towards a small opening where the snow was the thickest.

"Come on, let's get what we came here for." Neal nodded to her. "Let's get my father."

"And my husband." She reminded him as he pulled out Lumiere and lit the candles, resting him on a tall tree stump.

"You found it. Thank heavens." Lumiere congratulated the pair.

"Now what?"

"Head to the centre of the clearing." The candle ordered. "Under the ice and snow, you shall find the entryway to the vault."

"Celeste!" Neal called out to her, dusting the snow away from something in the ground.

"The key must go in the middle, that's the same markings." Celeste kneeled down beside him, looking over the strange vault door.

"You sure about this?" He called out to the candle over his shoulder, hesitant to open the vault.

"I spent two hundred years in Rumpelstiltskin's library, witnessing more dark magic and sorcery than any living creature has ever seen." Lumiere snapped at him, angered by his question.

"I'm sorry, how long did you say you were there?" Celeste went over his words in her head.

"Two hundred years, at least." The candle answered her.

"He's lying." She mumbled to Neal before he used the key, standing up to talk to Lumiere. "Rumpel built that library for me, not long before I went missing and the curse. It's been there just over thirty years."

"Who are you?" Neal demanded as he stormed over. "Unless you wanna spend the rest of eternity under a snow drift, you better start talking."

"I am who I appear to be." Lumiere said hesitantly. "Only it wasn't Rumpelstiltskin who turned me into this wretched form. It was the Wicked Witch of the West."

"The Wicked Witch? She told you to lead us here?" Celeste gaped at his words. "Well this is fucking dandy."

"She wants you to bring back the Dark One, so she can control him with his dagger." The candle informed them both.

"Okay. We need to leave this place." She glanced at Neal, growing worried of being in the snow.

"Celeste, wait." Neal stopped her. "It means we can bring him back. Does it matter who got us here?"

"Rumpel didn't sacrifice his life for good, so he could return to be a slave to evil." She sighed, nervously playing with her ring.

"My father is the king of loopholes." He said, taking off his gloves. "I'm sure he'll figure out a way to deal with her."

"But what if he can't?" Celeste tugged at her hair with frustration. "Think what she could do if the Dark One was under her control. We'll find another way to bring him back."

"What if there is no other way?" Neal questioned her. "I can't waste anymore time. I need to get back. To hell with the cost."

"All magic comes with a price, that price could cause misery to all the lives of our friends." She tried to reason with him but he ignored her, placing the key in the lock and turning.

The key burned his hand as the vault opened, a thick black substance filling the opening. A body began to emerge from the darkness, the black goop forming into a man.

"Rumpel?"