Loki sat sadly on an upside-down tree stump, his head in his hands.
"First my wife," he uttered, "now my children! I should have known! The only creature you can trust is yourself!"
As he spoke, Serverus appeared in the air before him, bringing a smile to the frost giant's face.
"Ah, my boy!" he exclaimed, taking the baby in his arms. "You missed your daddy, didn't you? You'll never leave me, right?"
Had he not been caught up in his joy, he would have noticed the devious smile on the infant's face.
Rumple hiked through the forest, carrying the unconscious woman on his back. His ears perked up as he heard a group of fire giants nearby and quickly dove into the bushes. Belle let out a moan. He silenced her with his hand.
"She must be around here somewhere!" one of the soldiers said. "I smell chocolate milk!"
The prince gulped, but then had an idea. He took the form of a soldier fire giant and leapt out of his hiding place.
"You dumb bugs missed her!" he exclaimed, pointing in the direction he had just come. "She went that way!"
One of the fire giants sniffed the air. "He's right! The trail is fresh! We can still catch her!"
As soon as the three were gone, Rumple picked Belle up and moved as fast as his legs could carry them both. After a while, he came across a strangely decorated hut inside a grand tree. The light was on, so whoever lived there was home.
Maybe they can help, Rumple thought.
He was about to knock on the door when he realized he was still in his fire giant guise. Nobody would assist him while looking like this. He transformed into the disguise he had used earlier that day with Belle. He tapped his now gray hand on the door.
"Who is knocking so late?" a deep female voice called from inside. "I'm coming, please wait!"
A tan human opened the door.
"Who are you, stranger? Do you not know the danger of being out at night in this forest of fright?"
"Please!" Rumple pleaded. "You have to help me! My friend here, she's..."
The human's eyes widened at the sight of the unconscious female. "Belle! Bring her in, place her on the bed, and tell me why she looks near-dead!"
She guided the disguised prince over to the bed and helped him in setting Belle down.
"Can you help her?" Rumple begged.
"I can, do not stress, but what caused this sickness?"
He bit his lip. If this woman knew he was a fire giant, she would kick him out and keep him away from his Belle.
"She, um...well..."
"Do not speak!" the human commanded as she examined her patient. "She is very weak. I can barely feel her heartbeat. I'll make a soup for her to eat that will help her get well. When she will recover, only time will tell."
Rumple watched curiously as the striped mare searched her shelves of bottles and flasks.
"I've never seen a human like you before," he observed.
"That's because I'm a nord, not a human," she said, turning to him with a bow. "I am Frea, the one and only."
"Oh. Well how do you know Belle?"
The nord answered his question as she pulled a bottle from the shelf. "Seventeen years ago, her mother came to me to seek comfort on what she was about to agree. She chose to be the bride of an evil frost giant, but I told her that if she went, she would find great happiness."
