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My father and I had traveled for two weeks. Our previous village had exiled me. They feared me because I knew magic and were afraid of the attention it would bring. I tried to tell my father to stay, I only brought him trouble. He refused.

"I promised your grandmother I would always protect you." he told me. My grandmother, my father's mother, was a sorceress. The magic skips a generation, leaving my father powerless and me with the magic. Once my mother found out about the secret he kept from her, she left us. I was only ten. I am now thirty one but don't look an age over eighteen.

As an enchantress, the magic lets me live as long as I choose to. My father was already in his sixties and growing older. I worried his last day would soon come. If my grandmother were still with us she could let us know, for she was a seer. I wish I was as well but I was granted a different more rare power. I can speak to and understand animals.

It was late at night and everyone slept when my father and I arrived in the new village he had found. A new place for us to live and start over. We were moving into a small hut next to either a shepherd or spinner for they had a fenced in area with six or seven sheep. My father put the cart in the back and tied up Delilah, our old mare. Her days were limited as well.

"Eva, please be more careful this time. You know I can't take another move." he said as we finished unpacking our belongings from the cart, which wasn't much at all. Herbs, clothing, and some tools. My father was a blacksmith. He used to be the best, but because of his age...

"I will papa." I replied as I set up his bed. "I'll cook us something in the morning then get a feel of the area." I spoke, helping him into the straw bed. The hut had two rooms. One had two beds and a kitchen area, the other a storage for clothing and such. The basin for relieving ourselves was out in the back for privacy. The hut had no door. Only clothes. The village had been expecting him. The earl of the land hired him as the new blacksmith, the previous one dying in the ogre war.

"Get some rest." papa spoke before falling asleep himself. I tried to sleep but could only toss and turn. The first night was always the hardest. I sighed and stood quietly going to the back where Delilah was. She was still awake, knowing I always had trouble sleeping when we moved places.

"I'm worried for father Delilah, I fear his days are very limited." I whispered while patting her nose.

"He will go when the time is right. As will I. You are strong, Evangeline. You have little to worry about." she said kindly from where she lay.

"I know, but I've never been alone."

"You were ready to be when you wanted him to stay at our old home."

"That's different. Death is forever, distance is temporary." I countered. We spoke until sunrise. A man came out of the hut that was near ours. The one with the sheep. He held a staff in one hand, helping him walk. He looked to be in mid thirties, he must of gotten injured in the war and sent home. He grabbed a bucket and headed for the forest. I decided to follow him.

'Where is he going? Why isn't he going to the well in the village?' I thought to myself as I stealthily followed him. He had led me to a closed off part of the forest. A small stream led to a large pond, a waterfall coming down the rocks. There seemed to be a cave behind it. I stayed hidden as he gathered water in the bucket before limping back. I continued to follow him. He glanced at a sleeping Delilah before staring at her.

"Guess the blacksmith is here." he whispered to himself before he continued to his morning duties. I snuck back into our hut and began to put together a stew with herbs to help my father's old bones. He woke around the time I had set the table. We ate breakfast quietly.

"Eva, I've been thinking." papa spoke.

"Dangerous pass time." I joked. He chuckled.

"I'm growing old. And you're well past the marrying age."

"Oh papa not this again." I snapped at him.

"Evangeline!" he shouted. He never shouts. I shut my mouth and listened.

"I am not getting any younger. I do not know how much longer I have, so when the time comes, I want to go knowing you will be safe and not alone. I've used my savings to send out messengers, and I'm going to talk with the villagers. A suitor will come. Plenty I'm sure. You will get to choose."

"What if I choose none?"

"You have to. Please Eva." he said softly. I looked into his worry filled eyes. I sighed then nodded.

"Fine. But only because it makes you happy papa." I surrendered. He smiled softly.

"I'm going to go to the mill and start work. Meanwhile, why don't you start another garden." he offered kindly while standing. I began to clean up.

"Yes papa."

"Eva?"

"Yes?"

"I love you." he said before leaving. I sighed sadly.

"I love you too papa." I whispered. I finished cleaning up. I was about to head out back but a knock on the wood outside stopped me. I moved the cloth outside to find the man I followed earlier. He seemed surprised to see me.

"You just missed him. He's already headed to the mill to begin work." I informed him smiling kindly.

"Ah thank you. I just came over to introduce myself since we live close to one another." he spoke. I could tell he was nervous, he avoided eye contact. Most men did when speaking to me. My grandmother once told me she had the same problem at my age. It was because of our beauty.

"Oh, well I'm Evangeline, my papa is Konan, the new blacksmith as you've probably heard." I said.

"Ah um I'm Rumpelstiltskin, my son Baelfire and I live just next to you with the sheep. I'm a spinner. If you need help with any clothing or such just, uh ask." he said and attempted to smile but still had a worried look.

"Thank you, but you must have a wife that helps?" I asked.

"Um no, she died a year ago." he said while looking away.

"I'm so sorry. If you need anything please just ask." I said kindly. This brought a real smile to his face.

"Thank you." he said. He was about to speak again but a plump woman shouted his name.

"Don't you have better things to do then bother this pretty young lady." she said rudely as she approached us. Rumpel looked down ashamed before giving me a smile and walking away.

"It was nice to meet you!" I called after him. He sent me another smile before entering his hut.

"I wouldn't mingle with the likes of him dear." the plump woman who shooed him away informed me.

"Why not?" I asked doing my best to be polite. My insides screamed to slap her but I couldn't. I must keep this home.

"He's an outcast, the village coward. He handicapped himself just so he didn't have to fight in the war. Just like his father. A coward." she gossiped before bragging about her bakery and son, who had just returned 'heroically' from the war after breaking an arm and a rib.

"He's seventeen and unmarried." she winked. I smiled kindly.

"Thank you but no thank you. If you'd like I could treat his arm and rib in exchange for some meals." I offered the baker. Father loves freshly baked bread with his herb soup.

"Oh of course! Come, come I'll introduce you to him." she said dragging me from the hut. She pulled me to her bakery/home. It smelled of delicious baked goods. I was brought to a room where a boy lay sleeping.

"His father died in the war two years ago, so it's just us." she whispered.

"This war brings so much death." I spoke softly. "I'm going to look at his wounds then treat them." I said. The baker nodded.

"My name is Evangeline." I said. Only friends may call me Eva, I didn't trust this woman.

"I am Apirka, my son's name is Garvey." she informed me before rushing to her oven in the other room. I knelt beside the sleeping boy and looked over the roughly made splint on his arm, he was already shirtless so I had little difficulty looking at the wound on his chest. It appears a spear had pierced him resulting in a broken rib, he must have fallen on his arm to break it. His wound on his chest was infected and needed new wrappings. I stood and felt his head. His eyes flickered open.

"Who are you?" he whispered in a weak voice.

"I'm Evangeline. I'm going to be helping you heal." I spoke kindly. He sighed in pain before falling back asleep. He had a high fever. Probably from his infected wound. I rushed back to the hut and gather healing herbs. I rushed back to the bakery and unwrapped his wounds, crushing the herbs into the warm water that Apirka had gotten me. The herbs turned the water into a salve. I washed his wounds before leaving the salve on and re-wrapping them. I applied a proper splint to his broken arm before gathering my things and leaving with a loaf of fresh bread.

Word spread around that I was a healer, more villagers came to the hut exchanging clothing, food, or work for medical attention on either themselves or a family member. All from the war, or a sickness from the winter that had just passed. While treating them my thoughts always strayed to Rumpelstiltskin and his son. I've seen the villagers continue to mistreat him. I felt pity for him. I made it my goal to help him whenever I could.

It was a month later when the first suitor arrived at our doorstep. It was around sunset, my father and I had just finished dinner as he welcomed the stranger in. He was handsome but something seemed off. Then I saw it. When my father wasn't looking the man would smirk at me crudely. He already wore a wedding ring as well. This man was already married, and was here betraying his wife.

"So what do you think Eva?" papa asked pulling me from my thoughts.

"About what?" I asked.

"Maxwell, is here for your hand in marriage. He owns a wealthy mill in the valley, three days walk from here." papa said. I thought for a moment.

"Thank you, but no thank you. I'm sure you should get home to your wife." I snapped at him before walking through the door to get rid of this anger. How can a man betray someone who loved him?

"Excuse me?" a voice broke me out of my thoughts. I turned to see a worried Rumpelstiltskin. I smiled.

"Yes, do you need something?" I asked. He nodded.

"It's my son, he's sick, I don't know what to do." he spoke panicked, tears in his eyes. I lost my smile and pulled him close, careful of his leg.

"Shhh, I'll help you, come on." I said. He thanked me over and over. I suppose no one has ever shown him this kindness in such a long time.

Inside the hut I heard loud raspy coughs. I rushed worriedly to the young boy.

"How old is he?" I asked as I felt the boys head.

"Ten, he'll be eleven in a couple months."

"Had he had chicken pox yet?"

"Um.."

"Red itchy dots all over the body." I informed him as I listen to the boys breathing by placing my ear to his chest. My grandmother had taught me much about the body.

"Oh yes, a couple years ago." he answered. I felt the boys heartbeat through his wrist. Before sighing.

"What is it? Will he be okay?" he asked worried. I nodded.

"It will be tough, but he should pull through. He has a chest cold. You must keep him warm at all times, keep him as clean as possible, anything he coughs up make sure he spits it out, then dispose of it. Keep yourself clean as well so you don't catch the illness. I'll be right back with some medicine." I explained before pulling him into a comforting hug.

"He'll be alright Rumpelstiltskin." I reassured him before pulling away. His face was red with blush.

"Thank you, I have no money but if there is anyway I can repay you." I stopped him.

"There's no need. I want to do this, don't worry about payment. Now, stoke the fire and put that pot on it, bundle him as much as you can. I'll be right back." I said before rushing to the hut. The man from earlier was gone.

"Eva I'm so sorry, I didn't know he was married." father spoke.

"It's alright papa, there will be more. Now you get some rest, I have to treat Rumpelstiltskin's son, he has a chest cold."

"That spinner? Be careful around him." I scowled at papa before ushering him to bed. I was almost out of herbs. Luckily I had started the garden last month when we arrived. The herbs should be ready any day now.

I rushed back over to Rumpelstiltskin's hut he seemed to be finishing covering his son in blankets.

"But I feel so hot papa." he spoke. His throat was sore as well it seemed. Rumpel turned to me with questioning eyes.

"Hello, you have to stay warm, to battle this fever out of you." I spoke softly to him. "Stir these into the pot, with water." I told Rumpel after handing him the herbs.

"Like those soldiers?" Baelfire asked. I smiled kindly and nodded.

"Bring it to a high boil please." I called to Rumpel. He nodded and waited for the water with the herbs to boil.

"Just like those soldiers, you have to battle this illness. Do you like honey?" I asked him.

"Yes." he replied smiling. Rumpel was occupied with the herbs and water.

"Rumpel?" I asked gaining his attention. He blushed at the nickname.

"I'll be right back, I'm going to get some honey for his throat."

"You don't have to. I'm sure it cost a lot to buy." he said stopping me.

"Not at all. There are hives near here that I harvest. It's no trouble." I said kindly before leaving to get the honey. My grandmother taught me how to harvest honey. Simply put the bees to sleep with smoke from drugged boiling water and I'm able to gather as much honey as I need.

I came back with a small jar of honey. The water was boiling. I took a cloth from the table and had Rumpel help me sit Baelfire up in bed. I draped the towel around Bae's head.

"Now breathe in the steam, it'll help you breathe better." I commanded softly. Baelfire did as he was told. The cloth made sure most of the steam was breathed in.

"It smells nice." he said softly. I smile.

"I'll do this once a week until he's better. It will cause him to cough a lot, as I said before, make sure he spits out what comes up. To help with his throat, give him a spoonful of honey." I said handing the jar to Rumpel. I stood from where I was kneeled next to Bae.

"This is all I can do for now." I said brushing my knees off. Rumpel suddenly pulled me into a tight hug.

"Thank you." he whispered. "My son means everything to me." he said. I was a few inches shorter then him. His head was on my shoulder. I felt it get wet from shed tears.

"It's no problem, really. If you need anything else. Don't hesitate to come get me." I spoke softly while hugging him back. Rubbing his back as a mother would. We stood like that moment before I pulled away from him.

"Make sure you both get some rest. Goodnight Rumpel." I said giving him a kind smile. He returned. My heart skipped a beat at the handsome smile. I blushed and gave a quick wave before returning my hut for some sleep.

R&R! I hope you liked it. Plenty more is to come!