To Wish Upon a Moon

I've recently grown addicted to Once Upon a Time. Though I was in the midst of a HP Draco five-chapter piece, this particular character captivated me so much. And every other thing fict I have read about him has left me…disappointed. So, I complied with my urges and began this. It shan't be long, I swear.

I don't want my character to be too OC. I promise you, she is based off of a traditional fairy tale…maybe a few…and I dearly hope you like this.

PS: Several lines are borrowed from Into the Woods, fyi

DISCLAIMER: OUAT is not mine, thankyouverymuch.

-XXX-

"I wish…more than life, more than anything…." I whisper to the moon. She is silent, weeping bright white light into the inky blanket surrounding her. I envied her comfort, matched her sorrow. "More than the moon—"

"Oh, I do not know about that, my dear. There is a great deal of value in the moon." A voice sounds from just behind me, breaking my reverie. Surprised, I gasp loudly. Chuckling, a few snaps of twigs underfoot, and my intruder makes himself known.

Green-gold skin shimmers beneath the night-light. A pair of wide eyes flicker, reflecting pure white orbs dead center of huge onyx pupils. Half of an angular face is masked by shadow, yet the profile is unmistakable. The devil-dealer. The imp of arrangement. Rumpelstiltskin.

His name has been tossed around in gossip circles for as long as I can remember. Always whispered, it is a name frequently paired with the shadiest of deals. He is known for his ability to change people's fate, as well as a remarkable capacity for cruelty. When unable to pay their debt, Rumpelstilskin collects his debtor's blood, families, or worse.

What could he want with me?

"Your words were summons enough, love." He leers. I shrink away from his pure chocolate gaze. Men are not my forte. I am not even certain this particular specimen qualifies as such.

Rumors flew in regards to the origins and breed of this imp. Some say he was demon's spawn, the result of an encounter between a minor princess and a demon. Others speculate he was a true man, once, but either made a deal of his own resulting in a monstrous transformation into trickster, or else regressed under the power of his own evil. Fewer still believe he was once a great mage, fallen into madness Whichever it is, the pebbled greenish-greyish-goldish skin, matted hair, and wild eyes indicated a perhaps magically-influenced existence. Besides, everyone knows of his tendency to trade his powers for favors. Though no one truly knew the extent of his magical ability.

"So, so, so," He sang. "You wish."

I nod, eyes falling to the ground rather than view his twisted lips and slick skin. His fingers steeple. I gaze upon them. The nails are long. Several rings rest the three center fingers of each hand. I shiver.

"Oh, come now, my beauty. You have a wish. What shall it be? A pretty new dress? A handsome prince? What could be worth more than the moon?"

"No, no, I shan't deal with you." I raise my head. "I know better. I've heard of you, and your dealings, sir."

His lips quirk. "Ah, lovely, you don't know half of it. But come, we've not even discussed terms, let alone your wish…now then…now then, you were saying?"

"It is nothing you can grant me, sir." I assure him.

He leers again, sliding closer to me. I shudder as his thin chest brushes mine. The tough leather is hard, and smells of pine. A tongue snakes out to run along the edge of his dry lips.

"Try me," Rumpelstilskin suggests. "I'm sure we can find some arrangement to your liking."

I pull away, turning back to the moon. A soft sound follows my motion, perhaps a sigh? Something to wonder at, but I move along without pause. "I tell you, sir, it is nothing you can possibly solve. This is a riddle that needs nothing more than time. Time will unravel all, I am certain."

Stalking about, circling me, his bright eyes flash. "Perhaps I might encourage time to…move along, shall we say?" He purrs. "I promise you, all of my deals are fair."

"And what sort of deal might you strike with me?"

The bright smile proves his joy at my taking his bait. He quivers with energy. These deals must be his life's blood. With a small cackle, the imp speeds up his circling. The footwork is complex, almost a dance. A great tremble, and the edge of climax is approaching. He senses my faltering confidence. It brings him a further burst of adrenaline.

"Well, well, you are most certainly ready to play the game?"

I merely stare.

He gazes back, turning his head as his body twists. The joy fades, replaced by a careful seriousness. "It depends on your wish. Some are more costly than others."

"Mine ought not cost much."

"I cannot know until you tell me," Rumpelstilskin breaths, tone tinged with impatience. Behind me now, he sneaks closer. I feel a hot burst of breath on the cool skin of my neck. My shudder brings a smile to his lips. Though I cannot see it, I can practically feel it crackle in the stale evening air.

"Want I want, more than anything else in the world," I breath, staring at the ground. The imp looms closer. "Is to know what I want. What will make me happy."

For what feels like an eternity, the night is still. Not even the cheery crickets play. The wind is silent. My breath is ballooned in my chest, held back with apprehension. Even the demon behind me cannot speak. He is considering. We wait.

Finally, with a low chuckle, my intruder wakes. Without pretense, I am spun to face the monster.

"Possibly the silliest wish I've ever heard in my thousand years." He murmurs between laughter. "Alright, alright my dear. To know what you wish, to find your happiness."

"And your price?" I ask stubbornly. "For their must be a price."

"Very good!" He sweeps me around, laughing further. "Yes, a price, a price. What would be…fair?"

It is a rhetorical inquiry. Again, I wait. When he claps his hands, a smile leads his glowing eyes.

"You, my dear, shall do this mere thing for me. I will show you what it is you wish provided you come here, twice a month. From the fullest moon to the new moon. The darkest and the bright."

"Once every fifteen days."

"Indeed. Very good."

I hold my ground, slipping from his grasp. "And for how long?"

He muses. "As long as it takes. I can only do so much. Your dream will be in front of you. All you have to do is find it. But," He pauses, slow grin building as his dry lips stretch against his thin face. "If you do not find your happiness in, say, a year…I shall take you."

Take me? He said it so simply. Take me where?

"Wherever I wish. You shall be mine."

I am taken aback. "But…that is not exactly in the deal."

He pouts. Genuinely pouts. "My dear, I am going out of my way to help you. This is only fair. Besides, I believe you said 'more than life, more than anything.' So, it is your life you gamble. But fear not, you are a bright girl. Surely you shall see."

"No," I protest. "I never laid those on the table. You cannot take word undirected toward you and include them in our deal."

Almost lazily, the imp bats his eyes. "Oh, I cannot, can I?"

Without a word, he darts away. I gasp to see him next perched on a near boulder, nearly ten feet ahead of me. He looms over, eyes glinting. "If I cannot… we cannot have a deal."

I bite my lip. The imp's smile narrows.

"You have no choice, my love. Stay in this life? No, no, or else you wouldn't be here. Take my deal? You gamble little more than what you already clearly undervalue. After all, you want this more than..life. More than anything."

I hesitate. He is right, terribly so. What choice do I have?

"Alright. Yes." Without further adieu, I offer forth my hand. In a flash, my intruder is back. His smile is horridly wide, horridly bright. The second his palm is pressed to mine, I realize the significances of our dealing. It was trading something awfully like my soul.

-XXX-

To be continued...sometime?

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