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Belle held the arms of Jefferson the scarecrow and Cora the tin woman as they mused about the creatures of the forest. "Perhaps there's an evil wizard! Or a tiger!"
Jefferson laughed manically, "Or a lion!"
Cora sniffed but suppressed a smile, "there'd more likely be bears."
Belle laughed, "Lions, and tigers, and bears? Oh my! I know tigers don't live around here, but perhaps lions?"
Jefferson shrugged.
Cora quirked a brow and began a sentence that she never finished, "Li-" Horses thundered across their path effectively cutting off Cora's words and the soldiers of OZ circled the little group. The trio stared in horror at the horses surrounding them. One of the men scowled and asked, "Have any of you seen a man and a boy dressed in lion skins?"
Belle looked at Cora who shrugged and Jefferson only took off his hat and twirled it in his hands. Belle looked back at the guards, took a deep breath, and spoke, "No, sorry sirs, but we haven't."
"You'd best watch out for him then. He's cowardly peasant filth who has run away from home after failing to pay his taxes."
All three nodded and the soldier who had spoken motioned his men on. They galloped off. Cora coughed and waved her hand to scatter the dust, "Well, they were charming."
Jefferson gave Cora a look, "How on OZ can that dust bother you and make you cough? You're made of tin."
Belle knew a fight was starting and shouted, "What is that?"
Everyone looked where she had pointed. There was Belle's dog Philipe sniffing something yellow and furry poking out from behind a tree. Someone hissed, "Shoo!" and shoved the dog away. Philipe began whining.
"Hello? Is anyone there?"
Something rustled and a mop of dark brown curls and big brown eyes peeked out from behind the tree. It was a little boy.
Belle smiled kindly, "Oh, hello there. What's your name?"
The boy only stared in shock and Belle held out her hands in a peaceful gesture, "I suppose I should start. My name is Belle, these are my friends Jefferson and Cora."
Jefferson tipped his hat and Cora shot the boy a haughty look. Belle ignored them and continued speaking, "And I see you've met my dog Philipe."
The boy scooted farther into sight and whispered in a high Scottish accent, "My name is Baelfire, miss."
Belle smiled, "It's wonderful to meet you Baelfire. Would you like to pet Philipe? He's quite friendly." Baelfire looked hesitantly at the dog but tentatively reached out a thin trembling hand. Philipe welcomed it and leaned into the boy's touch. A grin blossomed on the boy's face and Belle mirrored his smile.
"Have you any parents, Baelfire?" The boy nodded and replied, "Aye, but I don't know where my papa went. I got lost."
"What about your mother?"
"Mother is... Dead, miss."
"Oh, I'm sorry. You see, my mother has... Passed on also. We can help you find your papa, if you like."
The boy nodded and came out from behind the tree. Belle's eyes widened as she saw that he was wearing a lion skin, but she shook her head and took his hand anyway. He was just a little boy.
The trio continued walking and Baelfire asked, "Where are you going then?"
"Well, we're off to see the wonderful wizard of OZ to ask for some things. Cora would like a heart, Jefferson would very much like a brain, and I wish to be transported back to my home of Avonlea."
Baelfire sighed wistfully, "I wish I could see the wizard- for my papa. My papa always wishes for courage cos papa went and fought in the war when we used to live in the village."
The boy looked at his feet, "They say he hurt himself very much because he didn't want to die and he's a coward. That's why his leg hurts all the time. But I know better, he did hurt his leg, but I know why. He hurt himself so he could stay with me. I heard my mama yelling at papa 'fore she... 'Fore she passed on."
Belle nodded, "That is quite sad... but... that doesn't sound cowardly to me. It sounds quite brave."
Baelfire looked at her with shining eyes, "You really think so?"
"Oh, yes." And Belle really meant it. She wasn't just trying to appease the boy, to permanently cripple oneself for family? A brave thing, though it could be seen as a most cowardly act from a certain viewpoint.
A question popped into Belle's mind and the beauty asked, "What is your papa's name?"
"Rumplestiltskin."
"My, that is a quite a name."
The boy grinned, "Everybody says that." and the two laughed.
Jefferson shushed them hurriedly, "What was that?" Everyone froze as they cocked their heads listening for anything. All that was to be heard was the wind whistling in the trees.
Cora scoffed, "I don't hear anyth-"
And then there it was, very faint but they were just able to make out the word, "Bae!"
Baelfire's mouth dropped, "Papa?"
Everyone looked at Baelfire before the boy took off screaming, "Papa! Papa!"
"Baelfire, wait!" Belle dashed after him and they ran down a hill on the yellow brick road in the dark forest. Cora and Jefferson gave each other an exasperated look before they both sprinted off after them.
Belle and Baelfire, meanwhile, had already sprinted far ahead of them.
"Baelfire, come back!"
The boy didn't listen. The two finally stumbled into a clearing where a hunched figure stood with a golden lion skin wrapped around it's body. Long scraggly hair hid its face as it leaned on a old walking stick.
"Papa?"
The person turned revealing amber eyes and a slightly crooked nose. "Bae?"
"Papa!" Baelfire laughed and ran into his father's arms and (it had to be) Rumplestiltskin clutched his son tighter as he whispered in half sobs, "My boy, my boy. My beautiful boy."
Belle didn't want to interrupt them, but Bealfire seemed to have a mind of his own. "And Papa, then I met a nice lady and she said her name was Belle and she said you were brave, nobody else says that and she said I was right and she-"
Rumpelstiltskin looked up at Belle and his face contorted to one of terror and he hugged Baelfire closer, seemingly shielding him from her view, "Please. Please, don't take my son."
Belle smiled kindly, "Don't worry, I'm not here to hurt you. It's just, your son mentioned that you might want to visit the wizard."
"W- wizard?"
"The wonderful wizard of OZ. He said you might need some courage though, I can't see why."
The man seemed shocked by what she said but Baeflire tugged on Rumplestiltskin's clothes. "Papa, can we pleeeease go?"
It only took one pleading look from Bealfire and Rumplestiltskin gave a wet laugh, "Of course we can, Bae. Anything you want."
He looked up at Belle and Belle tucked a strand of hair behind her ear and mouthed. "Baelfire is wonderful."
And in the first show of friendliness, Rumplestiltskin's mouth quirked upwards in the ghost of a grin.