Worlds Colliding (Once Upon A Time) Book One (Dedicated to @MakiSakura)

chapter 12 - Skin Deep

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ღ Worlds Colliding (Once Upon a Time) ღ

Flashback

Enchanted Forest

Day - French Family Castle

In the castle, the royal family, Belle, her half-sister Tori, and their father Maurice, gathered with guards and knights, and Belle's fiance Gaston.

"Sir, there's news from the battlefield," a steward told him. "Avonlea has fallen."

Maurice was horrified. "Oh, my Gods."

"If only he had come..." Gaston trailed off.

"Well, he didn't, did he?" Maurice replied, crossing the room. "Ogres are not men."

Maurice sat down on the throne seat.

"We have to do something," Tori told them. "We have to stop them."

Maurice gave his stepdaughter a look for speaking. "They are unstoppable, Victoria."

Belle walked closer. "He could be on his way right now, Papa."

"It's too late, my girls," Maurice told them. "It's just too late."

There was a banging at the door.

"That's him," Belle told them. "That has to be him."

Everyone approached the door.

"How could he get past the walls?" Maurice asked. "Open it."

Some guards opened the door, revealing no one standing in the hall.

Rumplestiltskin appeared sitting on Maurice's throne. "Well, that was a bit of a let down. You sent me a message. Something about, 'Help, help! We're dying. Can you save us?'" Gaston pointed his sword at him. "Well, the answer is..." Rumplestiltskin smacked the blade away. "Yes, I can. Yes, I can protect your little town for a price."

"We sent you a promise of gold," Maurice told him.

Rumplestiltskin nodded. "Ah, now, you see, um... I, uh, make gold. What I want is something a bit more special. My price... is them."

Rumplestiltskin pointed at Belle and Tori.

Maurice shook his head. "No."

Gaston shielded Belle with his arm. "This young lady is engaged to me."

"Yet you don't defend your lady's sister, because of what she is," Rumplestiltskin replied. "I'm not looking for love. I'm looking for caretakers. For my young, young daughter Priscilla and our rather large estate. It's those two girls or no deal."

Maurice pointed at the door. "Get out. Leave!"

Rumplestiltskin walked toward the door. "As you wish."

Gaston and Maurice pushed Belle and Tori away from him as he passed with their arms, much to their annoyance.

Tori walked closer to stop him. "No, wait." Rumplestiltskin stopped, turning to face them. "I will go with him."

"I forbid it, Victoria," Maurice told her angrily.

"No one decides my fate but me," Tori replied, just as angry. "You lost the right to control me ever since you started to treat me like a monster. I can't stand another day with you in this castle."