Dark One's Daughter *Book Four*

Fall {1}

Third Person POV

Wind rustled all around Ingrid as she stood in the middle of the forest, proudly watching her shattered spell approach the unsuspecting Storybrooke. Even though Gold had doubted her during her entire stay here, an immense amount of smugness rose in her chest as she heard footsteps behind her.

"Well done, dearie. It appears you've won," Gold said, coming to a stop beside Ingrid.

Not only had she won in the sense of the spell but Gold couldn't quite believe that she had actually gone to Amie when she needed help with Emma. After how things ended in the Enchanted Forest, Gold thought that they would never even be civil again. But now ... now he could finally use his daughter's name to his advantage again.

"That's big of you," Ingrid commented. "And a welcome change, you're usually so confrontational."

"Well, I prefer reasonable. I'd like to make a deal," Gold told her.

"You have nothing that I want," Ingrid responded.

"We both know that's not entirely true, is it?" Gold said, and he was satisfied when he saw Ingrid's jaw clench shut. "This spell of yours, when it hits, in a few hours from now ..."

"Sundown," Ingrid specified.

"Sundown, yes. It will bring out the darkness in everyone in this town," Gold said.

"It will do more than that," Ingrid chuckled lightly. "They will tear themselves apart until everyone is dead."

"Not everyone," Gold corrected her, fully turning to face her. "You'll have what you want, you alone with your sisters, Elsa and Emma, doing who knows what, and I'll be here, too. Spending every waking moment of my immortal life trying to rip your heart out."

"It seems you do have something to offer," Ingrid spoke after a moment. "What do you want?"

"To leave," Gold answered simply.

"Didn't we already make this deal?" Ingrid recalled.

"Yes, but I have an eye for a loophole. And I think I've spotted yours. My wife, grandson and son will be destroyed by this spell. So, I want you to allow them to leave with me. You spare the three of them, I spare you misery," Gold said, looking back ahead of them.

"Amie really means that little to you, does she?" Ingrid asked, surprised that Gold hadn't requested she spare his daughter.

"Amie means more to me than you will ever understand," Gold corrected before a small smile played on his face. "But she doesn't need my protection because this spell won't affect her either. Not only because she, like me, is immortal thanks to my gifts in magic, but also because of you." Ingrid turned back to look at Gold. "You wouldn't risk putting my daughter under that spell knowing what she is capable of and what she would be able to do to you considering everything you've put her family and friends through. And I guess that even after all this time, my daughter still plays on your mind on repeat, doesn't she?"

"Whether that is true or not is irrelevant. Tell me something, Rumplestiltskin. How would I manage to pull that off? I have three ribbons and each of them already have an owner. You can't just make a single person immune to the spell," Ingrid said.

"You've just answered the question yourself, dearie. I saw my daughter on the way here. She was wearing something around her wrist that I haven't seen in many decades. I couldn't recall where I had seen it before but then I remembered. You gave it to her back when Amie was playing with your feelings for me. And then when the truth came out, she returned it, didn't she? Now you've given it back. You enchanted the bracelet the same way you enchanted the ribbons. My daughter is immune. If you didn't care for her, why save her?" Gold asked, genuinely curious.