A/N: Wow, this is a really long one. This was a request from 1994omi, asking for some Emma/Rumpel in the Enchanted Forest during a time where Rumpel was locked up and the curse never happened. I hope this is what you wanted, dearie!

I want to thank those that reviewed recently as well: Fairy the Freak, orthankg1, DragonRose4, 1994omi, and Grace52319733. I loved the requests I received last chapter and I will be sure to write them in time.

Freedom

Nya-hahahaha! Hee-hahahaha! Nya-nya-nya-nya-nya!

"Gods, he never stops laughing, does he?"

One of the guards stationed at the mouth of the mines suppressed a shudder. There were always two guards on duty-one to guard the entrance at all times and the other to be ready to bring the prisoner food or control him if he grew too antsy.

"Whatever magic he's had, I'd like some of it right about now," the other guard grumbled, shaking off a yawn. It was surprisingly easy work to guard Rumpelstiltskin, but also incredibly boring around the clock.

Just as a more powerful yawn stretched his mouth wide, the guard caught a moving shadow in his field of vision. At the mouth of the mines, a cloaked figure strode into view, the long white velvet hood obscuring the face. Judging by the curves that were barely hidden by the cloak, he assumed it was a woman.

"There now! Our prayers have been answered," the guard howled, nudging his partner in the ribs. Barely alert and almost dozing on his feet, the man stumbled and came close to falling over. The cloaked figure stopped in front of them, apparently awaiting permission to pass. The guards blocked her way, never budging. "Are you lost, girl?"

The cloaked figure tried to skirt around them, but one of the guards pushed her back.

"State your business," he ordered gruffly. "Or leave."

"Really? What other business do people have down here? Selling roses?" The voice was husky and strained, as if the girl was purposely distorting it to shield her normal voice. The guards waited. "I am here to see him. Rumpelstiltskin. Let me through."

The guards were taken aback by the girl's unwavering confidence. Most women in this land, young or old, were too shy or too scared to speak the Dark One's name even in their heads, convinced he would pop up in their bedrooms. Locking him up did nothing to change that. This one, however, barely quivered.

One of the guards became too curious and flipped back her white hood, revealing the young woman's face. They whistled lowly, recognizing her features instantly.

"Well, well. Princess Emma. You're an awfully long way from home, aren't you? Guess we should have known it was you-you're too cocky for your own good."

Emma shifted some of the loose blonde hair out of her eyes and scowled. That kind of behavior was the reason few people enjoyed her company; she was too hard to handle.

"Says the pair of big, tough guards who yawn while guarding the most powerful man in all the realms," she shot back. One guard rolled his eyes while the other made a show of yawning more widely and loudly.

"Trust me, Princess. He isn't going anywhere, anytime soon. He'll rot in that cell before your parents let him walk free again. Now, why did you wander all the way down here in the dead of the night to see him?"

"None of your business," she snapped.

One of the guards moved a little too close for her taste and she swiped at him. She only missed because he jumped back. There was a feral look in their eyes, a carnal desperation they longed to quench. It came from spending too many lonely hours on duty without proper companionship.

"We're much better company than that imp," he said, hooking his thumb over his shoulder. The unsettling string of laughter bubbled up from the darkness again. "You came here all by yourself. Brave girl. Can you imagine what it would be like if you two guards like us captured the princess' heart?" The guard said to his buddy, all the while letting his drowsy gaze roam over Emma's body. Emma took a careful step back, her shoulders tensed.

"Heart? Who cares about her heart? Think of the royalty. Never having to work this shift again." He attempted to grasp Emma's hip, to pull her close, but Emma's instincts were swift.

"Don't touch me," she hissed. She grabbed his hand and twisted it sharply. Something cracked and the guard yowled in agony. Then she punched him hard enough to silence him, his body falling away to the floor. The other guard stood motionless, gawking at her like she had eight heads.

She raised her fist threateningly.

"Are you going to make the same mistake?" The guard held up his hands in surrender, his head shaking wildly on his thick neck. Surely this was more action than he had ever seen on duty.

"N-no, Princess," he stammered. He bowed his head and gestured to the winding dark path, poorly lit by crackling torches on the wall. "Right this way."

"I can find him myself," she said coolly, charging along the dirt path before the guard could object. It wouldn't be hard-all she had to do was follow the sound of laughter.

She knew she was bound to be in trouble for knocking out that guard, among other things, but at the moment she didn't care. There were more pressing issues she wished to settle.

Deep within the blanket of shadows, the laughter ceased. He had heard the commotion and he eyed the monstrous bars of his cage with new interest, his dirty golden fingers wiggling under his chin. Someone was coming...

Emma followed the path, her hand sliding over the rocky wall, taking sharp turns and curves until she reached the heart of it and found a set of jagged bars instead of a dead end. The bars resembled the jaws of a ferocious monster, with the most powerful being of this land tucked somewhere in its belly. There was only one dim torch mounted on a wall near his cage, making it difficult to see inside. There were far too many shadows swimming there. Any one of them could be him.

Which one was he? Where was he?

"Come closer, dearie. I won't bite..." A high-pitched giggle floated out of the darkness, making Emma's nerves tingle.

She was hesitant to approach the bars since she had no idea of his whereabouts, but she dared to take one step forward, then another. She stopped two feet away from the cage, enough to see anything that might come out of the darkness. He blended in so well.

"Can you see me?" She asked, squinting into the shadows. She peered at the corners, on the floor, even on the ceiling, but there was no sign of movement. She could sense his eyes watching her, though. Observing. Calculating.

"I can see you perfectly. You are a blinding streak of sunlight in this dismal, dark abyss. You can't see me...yet," he taunted.

There were no footsteps to be heard, but his voice kept moving. Almost like he was pacing. Sometimes it was close enough to touch; other times it was far away, in the depths of the cage.

Emma was growing impatient.

"What will it take for me to see you?" She asked boldly, keeping her chin raised. Must he have a price for everything? There was another eerie giggle, echoing off the stone walls.

"Come closer," he purred.

His accent sounded thicker when he begged. It was a smooth, velvety sound, alluring, and one that Emma feared she could easily fall in love with. Her feet guided her to the bars, until she was nearly pressed against them. All at once, a shadow leaped apart from the rest.

"Boo!" Emma jumped back, even though he made no move to touch her. He exploded with insane giggles. "Never gets old!"

Infuriation chased away the temporary fright that iced the blood in Emma's veins. She had been one inch away from punching him in the nose like that guard. Who would be laughing then? Not him.

"Do you have to do that? What are you, eight years old?" She growled, the hair on the back of her neck bristling.

The imp had doubled over laughing, but now he straightened up, gliding just near enough to the bars so she could get a good look at him. Large amber eyes, reptilian in nature, gleaming with intelligence. Scaly gray-golden skin all over, though the gray might have been patches of dirt. Stringy, gold-streaked hair that hung a few inches above his shoulders. A lean body, clad in seductive blood-red and black leather, leaving little to the imagination. Even in his cell, he wore power like a second skin, stalking toward her as proudly as a peacock, every muscle brimming with the darkest of magic.

He was unlike any man she had ever known. Too complex a puzzle for her to solve yet.

"Do I look eight years old to you? Try three centuries. I walked this world before your great-great-grandmother did. Lovely woman, if I do say so myself. Though, I must say, you're the spitting image of your fair mother."

Emma froze in place. It shouldn't have surprised her that he knew who she was, since her parents were the ones to imprison him this way. Robbing her of her introduction, it was another thing he managed to hold over her head. And he loved it.

Smug little imp.

"Oh, yes! I know precisely who you are. The first-born daughter of Snow White and Prince Charming, the product of twoo wuv, Princess..."

He waved his hand rapidly, beckoning her to surrender her real name. It was a well known detail that the Dark One had a thing for names. Emma chewed nervously on the inside of her cheek, wondering if it was smart to give him what he wanted.

What was the harm? It was only a name.

"Emma." His eyes lit up like the celebratory fireworks at royal balls.

"Em-ma," he lilted, letting the name roll slowly off his wicked tongue. "What a lov-er-ly name." He continued to hold out his hand in request for hers. That was reckless, so she kept her hands safely by her sides, folded under her cloak. He pouted before swooping low in a respectful bow. "Rumpelstiltskin, at your service. What can I do for you? Need a sparkling new gown for your royal ball?"

Emma ignored the jab he made at her title of royalty. She heard he didn't have much love for royals, though that never stopped him from making multiple deals with her parents in the past.

In fact, her parents were part of the reason she was there in the first place.

"I haven't been...very happy lately," she said uneasily. How did people usually strike up deals with the Dark One besides whine about their daily problems? Rumpelstiltskin gasped loudly and pressed a hand to his chest, mocking her with her self-proclaimed unhappiness. "My parents keep finding suitors for me. The number seems to double with every day that goes by. I know they're trying to make me happy, hoping one of them is the right one, but none of them are. I want to escape from it, to see the world and find love on my own terms. I just don't have the means to jump from world to world."

If this worked, somehow she would take the time to explain to her parents about her intentions. This was something she needed to do for herself. Rumpelstiltskin cocked his head and seemed to stare through her for a second. As if she reminded him of someone.

"You royals are never satisfied being at the tippity-top of the world, are you?" Emma's brows furrowed. What did he have against royals? Not all of them were that selfish or proud. Rumpelstiltskin's tongue flicked across his gold-dusted lips. "Tell you what, dearie. I shall arrange for you to go galloping off into the sunset, jumping from world to world...if...you take me with you."

That surprised Emma more than anything he had said to her before. She expected a price attached to her request, but she never expected it to be something like this. Here she imagined the price would be her first-born child.

"Why would I agree to take you with me?" Why was he so interested? Was it only the chance to escape his prison? Or was it something else?

For one instant, he shed the mask of the powerful, dark beast in favor of a more human side. That sad, longing look in his eyes...he was searching for something. Or someone. She was about to reach out a hand to him and ask if he was alright, but the moment passed and he snapped back into the persona of the giggling, impish dealmaker, as if that part of him never left.

"It's either that or you'll owe me a favor. Surely you've heard the rumors. I'm a monstrous creature without morals, granting-and demanding-the most unholy of requests."

He certainly sounded like he accepted his sinister reputation. Emma scrunched her nose. It had more to do with her skepticism than the old, foul tray of food in the corner. If you called maggots "food."

"I've seen worse," she declared. It was far too simple to label him a monster, a fearsome evil roaming the world. She doubted he had done even half of the cruel things people claimed.

"So you agree to take me?" Rumpelstiltskin slid close to the bars, his face coming within an inch of hers. Only then did she understand how much he wanted this. His hand rose to brush her cheek and she shivered. His hand was ice-cold, but his touch was alarmingly gentle. "That is my price. Take it or leave it."

Rumpelstiltskin withdrew his hand and stepped back from the bars. He turned his back and started to slink into the shadows again. Emma had the urge to call out to him.

No-he was doing this on purpose. He was pulling her strings, playing some sort of mind game. She had seen the flourish of hope in his eyes. He needed this more than she did. Of course, if she walked away now, her chance would be gone and she would have to confront her parents about the suitors or try to actually like one of them.

She'd rather not.

"Wait," she called out before the darkness swallowed the imp whole. He skipped backwards, awaiting her decision. She sighed. "Deal."

The imp giggled again, the shrill sound winding its way through her ears. He clapped his hands together, as if she had done something worth applauding.

"Splendid! You should know, you'll need my dagger to release me from this cell, which happens to be, oh, under your sweet mother's pillow." She cursed inside her head. She should have known this would not be easy. Her parents should be sound asleep now. If she got caught, there would be no simple way of explaining what she was doing.

Unfortunately, the deal was already struck. The only thing they could do was deny Rumpelstiltskin her end of the bargain and endure his verbal curses.

"I'll get your dagger. Then we leave." She would explain this to her parents. Somehow. Rumpelstiltskin grinned from ear to ear. Dancing his way to the bars again, Emma was startled when he cupped her chin, his amber eyes burning into her green ones.

"Yes, we shall."

...

Ever since her sleeping curse, Snow White had become an incredibly heavy sleeper. The world could crash down around her bed and she would never stir. Charming often said she slept like she was dead. It helped to have the security of his arms around her at night, to carry her away into her dreams.

She never felt it when someone's hand slipped under her pillow to retrieve the precious artifact underneath, nor when a pair of lips kissed her cheek. She snoozed soundly in her husband's arms, oblivious to the world.

When she finally woke, it was the early hours of the morning, the sun barely risen, and her husband was shaking her roughly by the shoulder.

"Snow! Snow! Wake up! Emma's gone!"

Layer by layer, the fog of sleep thinned around her brain. Charming's cries broke through. Emma's...gone? Gone where? She jerked awake and sat up straight in bed, accidentally flinging Charming aside. She started to apologize, but he thrust a piece of paper in her hand.

"Read this."

Emma had left behind a note for them to find. Snow rubbed the last remaining sleep from her eyes and began to read.

Mama, Papa...

This is the hardest letter I have ever had to write. This is because I have done something you might consider reckless, but I hope you'll be able to understand how much I needed to do it. I have never felt very happy in living out my days as a princess, trapped behind castle walls. I've always wanted to see the world, to meet new people, and to help them in any way I can. You thought I might be lonely behind these walls, so you found me suitor after suitor...The truth is, I need a chance to find love on my own. I need the chance to be free.

I promise I'll come home soon. I'll write to you every day. Please, please, please understand this. I love you both very much. More than I know how to express in words.

Emma.

"How do we find our daughter?" Charming asked. Already he was on his feet and getting dressed. Snow reread Emma's letter before giving him an answer. Yes, Emma, I understand.

"We don't," she said, the page falling to her lap. Charming was halfway to shrugging on a vest when he stopped to gape at her. Didn't he understand? "Charming, our daughter is asking our permission to be happy. What kind of parents are we if we deny her that chance?"

Charming pulled on his vest. Then he planted his hands on his hips and looked at her like she had gone mad.

"Snow, our daughter is out there, somewhere in the Enchanted Forest, alone. There are ogres, trolls, dragons, evil witches, and a number of other threats that could hurt her," he argued, reaching for his sword.

Snow admired how protective he was of their daughter, especially since the memory of Regina's wrath was still so fresh, but she couldn't help wondering if their protection was part of the reason she left. Were they too protective of her, too afraid of losing her? Were they too hasty in pushing those suitors her way?

All they wanted was for her to be safe and happy.

"Emma is strong and brave. I've seen the way she handles that sword in the courtyard-she's a natural. She promised she would return home to us. We need to have hope and faith in her, Charming."

He knew she was right. It was only because Snow had been out there, on her own and facing the world, that she ever met Charming. If Emma was going to find love, they needed to let her go.

"How is she supposed to see the world? A horse?" There were only a few horses in the stables, even fewer capable of making a long, hard journey. There were many areas in the Enchanted Forest where supplies were scarce and it was a great distance to cover. How could one girl manage it on her own?

Some instinct warned Snow to check under her pillow. Just as she feared, the dagger was gone. Oh, Emma...not this way...we would have helped you...

Emma had never been very good about asking them for help. As if running to them would make her less strong.

"She's with Rumpelstiltskin," Snow moaned softly. In the dead of the night, her words cracked like a whip between them. Now Charming was alarmed, his hand resting on the hilt of his sword.

"What?" He threw his hands up in the air before using them to cover his distraught face. A deep groan issued from his throat. Snow didn't want to imagine Emma being around someone as unpredictable as Rumpelstiltskin, but the dots were connecting.

"She must have gone to him to make a deal. So that she could see the world-or perhaps even worlds. The price...was his freedom." Was it any better than Rumpelstiltskin demanding Emma's first-born child?

"What does that mean? Snow, what are we supposed to do?" Charming sank onto the edge of the bed and hung his head. She wouldn't be surprised if he suggested they race down to the mines to head them off. In her heart, she knew the two would be long gone.

Have hope...

"We need...to let her go, Charming. Let her do what she has to do. She's with the most powerful man in the realms-nothing will touch her." Except Rumpelstiltskin himself, of course. She bit back a rush of bile as she pictured that imp's hands on her daughter. Her beautiful daughter, who was more woman than girl. "He won't hurt her."

"How do you know that?" Charming said angrily, his forehead lined with exhaustion and worry. "You know what he's capable of."

"If Emma doesn't return to us," Snow said darkly. "If I ever find him, I'll deny him a second chance. For our daughter, I'll demand his head. Then he'll never find whatever it is he's searching for."

...

Rumpelstiltskin was restless, more so than usual. He was anxious, frightened, and excited all at the same time. He couldn't seem to stop moving around his cell, crawling over the ceiling, bouncing from wall to wall, and finally settling on his stomach and kicking his legs gleefully.

Emma, Emma, Em-ma.

Emma promised to release him from this miserable prison. He could tell when someone was lying and she was not. Soon he would have another opportunity to find his son. Bae...

His curse fell through when Regina, the monster he was planning to manipulate, somehow plunged off a cliff and got herself squashed by a boulder. The details were murky. No one was keen on keeping him up to date on the outside world while he was stuck in there, though the guards liked to talk to each other.

The guards were talking now.

Rumpelstiltskin stopped kicking his legs to listen closely. His head shot up when he caught the sweet sound of Emma's voice, chewing out one of the guards. She was here-she had come back! She had kept her word! Of course she did. It was only because she wanted him to hold his end of the deal, nothing more.

Nonetheless, he happily leaped to his feet when he noticed her beautiful gold and white form standing outside the cell. From her cloak, she took out the dagger.

He thought he might be falling head over heels.

"So how do I...do this?" Emma playfully twirled the dagger through her fingers like a baton. He was hesitant to inform her of the workings of the dagger, but he had no choice if he wanted to be free. Someone had to give him permission to leave his cell.

"You hold the dagger, confidently might I add, and ask me, very politely, if I would care to step outside my cell. Piece of cake," he explained.

Speaking of cake, the first thing he would do when he was free was conjure an entire buffet of the most tasty treats and devour the entire table. With cherries on top. Anything was better than that slop they served him.

Emma extended the dagger in front of her. Oh, it was close enough to grab, but he knew if he tried he would face excruciating agony. He had to be patient. Come on, come on, come on...His hands drummed against the bars.

"Rumpelstiltskin, I would like you to step out of your cell. Please. I release you from it," Emma spoke in a calm, firm voice. That was the voice of a queen.

Finally! Rumpel gripped the bars, summoning his greatest magic to pry them apart. Nothing in the world felt better than being able to join Emma on the other side. He brushed off the dirt and stretched his arms high above his head, enjoying the unlimited space.

"Thank you, Princess. Now, if you would be so kind..." He held out his hand for the dagger. For a moment, Emma kept it beyond his reach and he narrowed his eyes. He couldn't attack her with his magic while she held the dagger, but she didn't have to know that. "That's not funny, dearie."

"I'm not laughing, am I?" She retorted. There was quite a temper on this one. "How do I know you won't hurt me once I hand over the dagger? You'll be in control of your power again and you won't need me anymore. You can walk out of here and go wherever you please."

That was true, but he didn't have any sudden urge to break his deal. Nor to kill this strong, fierce young woman.

"You have my word," he swore. The only deal he ever broke was the one he most regretted. He would not make that mistake twice. Emma considered her options for a second longer. Then she came to her senses and offered the dagger to him.

The minute his hand curled around the blade, he tugged hard on it, yanking her straight into his arms. She fit perfectly, the puzzle piece he could never find. Emma instinctively grabbed his shoulders to steady herself and he took the opportunity to wrap his arm around her waist, holding her close.

Close enough to kiss.

"You gave your word-"

"I'm not hurting you...am I?"

She bit down on her lip and he couldn't help but feel something stir deep inside him. How long had it been since he had a beautiful woman in his arms, one that didn't recoil or faint at the sight of him?

"You are far more reasonable than those two lovebirds," he said, tracing the tip of the dagger down her cheek. Emma didn't flinch, nor did she lower that chin. Such a brave princess. "I know you, Em-ma, far better than you think. You are a desperate soul, same as me."

Footsteps bounded along the path, headed their way. It must be the two pathetic guards, coming to see what the fuss was about. When they saw him standing outside his cell, with Emma in his arms, their faces turned pale as fresh milk.

"How did he-?"

Then they noticed the dagger poking through Emma's curls. It was the last thing they saw. Rumpel snapped his fingers and the two guards transformed into two wriggling maggots on the ground. Serves them right, he thought with a sneer.

"That wasn't very nice," Emma scolded him when he giggled. She broke free of his arms, careful not to step on the two maggots crawling away.

"They weren't very nice, were they? I simply gave them what they deserved." Here he did her an enormous favor and she wasn't the least bit grateful. Instead she pursed her pretty pink lips and glared at him with those shiny green eyes, so alike her mother's.

Something strange came over him then-he deemed her quite kissable. What would it be like to break through her walls? He liked a good challenge.

"Tell me, dearie...have you ever been kissed before?" He attempted to circle her, like he did with most customers, but she matched his steps flawlessly, forever keeping him in her line of sight. Didn't she trust him at all?

"Yes," she admitted. No doubt by those tasteless suitors her parents found. He dared to take one step forward, forcing her to take one step back.

"By someone who was interested in you for more than your wealth and title?" This time, she didn't answer. Those fiery green eyes flickered to the ground. Ah, that was the problem. Too many people suffocating her, using her for personal gain. "Didn't think so."

Another step forward. Emma didn't realize it, but she was about to slam her back into the bars of his cell. She eyed him distrustfully.

"How do I know you're not interested in my wealth and title?" Now that was worth a good laugh. He was already the most powerful, most feared man in the realms, but King Rumpel? Nah. He shook his head.

"Someone once told me I spun more gold than I could ever spend." His heart throbbed dully for Belle. It had been a very long time since he last thought of her. Emma reminded him a little of his lost love-beautiful, intelligent, passionate, brave. "As for your title, I have no interest in being a grumpy, old king on a throne listening to the little people whine. I'm exactly where I want to be. I must admit, you're not bad company."

Another step. This time, Emma's back collided with the bars and her eyes widened. She was gorgeous when she blushed.

"That wasn't part of our deal," she protested. Rumpel decided to continue this dance by stepping back, giving her the space she needed.

"Are you afraid of me?" The fire in her eyes burned stronger than ever.

"No." He believed it. He liked it. The corners of his lips stretched. How could he resist?

"Prove it."

It seemed Emma liked a good challenge, too.

One minute her back was pressed against the bars; the next she was pressed against him, her arms entwined around his neck, and her mouth hot on his lips. It was a short, close-mouthed kiss, but it stole his breath away. His mind buzzed when she pulled back, her cheeks glowing pink, her green eyes glazed.

"Happy?" Oh, yes.

Slipping the dagger into his vest, his hands flew to her waist and he returned her kiss twicefold. She didn't fight, though she certainly liked to nip his bottom lip. Ooh, she was feisty.

They stumbled backwards and he pressed her once more to the bars, sliding his hands along those jagged teeth while he deepened their kiss. This was dangerous, this was foolish, this was crazy...and neither one cared.

The most miraculous part was when she finally let her walls slip and she opened up to him. Her lips parted, letting his tongue snake inside to explore to his heart's content. She moaned under his mouth and he swallowed every delicious sound. His hips melded seamlessly over hers, his leather pants far too skin-tight to disguise his liking for her. Her hands delved into his hair and even tugged a little, causing his mouth to open wider to her.

It was a dangerous game they were playing. A battle for dominance and he wasn't sure which one was winning. He would have bet his money on her.

They had to stop this. Before it went too far. Before they made a mistake.

Emma was the one to do it. Her walls went up again, logic slammed back into her brain, and she broke the kiss, shoving him away. She wiped her mouth with the sleeve of her cloak, though he noticed how her tongue ran across her lips to savor his taste. Both of them were flushed and breathing heavily. With Rumpel's golden skin, it was harder to tell the difference.

He put his hand to his heart and felt it pounding. That weak, broken thing.

"That...is the most I've felt alive in years," he gasped.

"Yeah," she agreed. His eyebrows rose. They had agreed on something, other than a deal. There were miracles, after all. When she caught her breath, she led him up the dirt path, toward the entrance of the mines. Toward their freedom. "Let's go."

They didn't talk about what passed between them.

"As you wish, Princess."

...