Archive of Our Own ^beta

Chapter Text

King Simon was lost.
But he would never admit it.
He was a king and a king never got lost, they knew where they were going at all times.
His few knights that rode beside him knew it was best to not speak as they got more lost. King Simon would just strip them of their knighthood. He had done it before.
Sir Gaston, King Simon's bravest and strongest knight, rode at his right. He knew that soon he would have to speak to the king and get him to turn them around or find a place to rest before the woods got darker.
Slowly, he turned his head and looked at the other knights. A few looked tired and others looked angry. Gaston took a deep breath, it was now or never.
"Your majesty, it's getting late and the horses need their rest," He began.
King Simon looked over at Gaston. "I suppose you are right," he stopped his horse. The other knights did as the king did and stopped, all eyes were now on him.
"Let's find a place to rest, then tomorrow we shall head for home," he called out to his knights, he then waved over for a knight and ordered him to ride ahead to find a place to rest for the night.
Ulric rode his horse near Gaston and looked over at his friend. "I wanted to be home by now, I was not planning on sleeping alone," he said in a low voice.
Gaston kept his eyes forward, he did not want to be sleeping again outside.
"A lovely girl, with hair the color of the sunset will be missing me. Not happy, knowing that she may sleep in another man's arms,"
Gaston snickered. "I know how you feel, my friend. Tomorrow night, drinks are on me,"
Ulric chuckled, "Damn right," then slowed his horse down so he would ride next to the other knights.
It was not long until the knight who rode ahead came galloping back.
"Majesty," Sir Gavin bowed his head as he stopped his horse next to King Simon, "I have found a castle where we can rest. It looks abandoned, but it would be safe."
"How far ahead?" the king asked.
"Just a few miles,"
"Good, take a few men and ride ahead. Start a fire and get food cooking," King Simon ordered him.
"Yes, your majesty."
Soon Gavin and three other knights rode ahead to do as the king ordered.

The castle did look abandoned. There was no life coming from it. It was huge and dark, but it was not falling apart as most abandoned castles were. The yard was unkempt and overgrown, King Simon noted as he rode through the gates.
Gavin walked over to his king and helped him from the horse. "We have a fire started and Sir Rulf has killed a boar for dinner,"
The king nodded. "Good, are you sure no one lives here?"
"Yes, we have called out and looked around. No life, besides a few animals."
"Have you looked in the castle?" The king raised an eyebrow as when he asked. Gavin shook his head. He didn't want to tell the king that he and Sir Leo had opened the door, stepped inside but were spooked before they could look around by something that they hurried out of the castle.
"No,my majesty."
"Then how do you know for sure this place is abandoned?"
Gavin looked to his side at Leo, in hope for some backup but Leo just looked away from him as if he was not listening.
What a no, good coward Gavin thought as he looked back over at his king. "Just look at this place. One can tell no one has lived here for well over 100 years."
The king did looked around and then nodded. "Yes, you are right. No king or queen would ever live like this," he then looked over at Gaston. "Shall we look around the castle as they prepared dinner.
"Sounds like a good plan to me," Gaston handed Gavin his horse and walked with the king to the front doors as Gavin watched. He let out a gulp as he watched Gaston pull open the door with ease and then enter with King Simon.
He waited for a few more moments for them to come racing out...but they never did.
"You would think that the ghost in there would have sent them running?" Leo now stood beside him.
"Fool, it must have been a mouse," Gavin took the horse over by the others, so they could be brushed, fed and given water.

Gaston had found a torch and lit it so they had some light as they wandered around the castle.
King Simon's eyes were as wide as a little school boyas he wandered around, letting Gaston light the way. The castle was amazing. Besides all the cobwebs on everything, dried up leaves on the floor and the mice running about the whole place.
"Gaston, clean some of that dirt off the walls so I may see it better," he ordered.
Gaston did as told and using his sleeve, he cleaned an area on the wall.
King Simon grabbed the torched to inspect the area better.
"This is a fine castle," he looked over to his favorite knight, "I'm thinking we could use it as hunting place?"
Gaston chuckled, knowing what Simon really meant.
King Simon never liked the sport hunting of animals. When he told his wife he was going on a hunting trip, it was really a hunting trip to find a wench to play with in bed.
"I think this would be a fine place for hunting."
King Simon laughed, "Let's look around some more and map this place out. Once we get back to the castle, I shall send some of the maids over to start cleaning this place up."
Both men did not seem to notice one thing as they wandered around...That something did live in the castle. Something dark and evil.
His yellow eyes followed them as they walked around the castle, talking about what would go in each room, making whoever watching them very angry.
When he noticed a few knights coming into his land, he knew that a king and others would not be too far behind.
"You can see a lot from this window," Gaston pulled down old, dusty curtains to get a better view. But King Simon was not listening, he was too busy trying to open a trunk he had found along the wall.
He pulled out his sword and began to break the lock with it.
Gaston walked over to him to see what the king had found.
Soon King Simon had the lock broken, he set his sword down and threw open the lid. Then he gasped.
"What is it?" Gaston looked over his shoulder. King Simon bent down and grabbed whatever what was kept locked and forgotten.
A golden crown with a huge ruby in the front and many gemstones around was inside of the trunk.
"This crown is heavy," said King Simon as he held it up.
"Who would forget something like that," Gaston's eyes were wide as he looked at the crown.
The king chuckled, "Well whoever did, it's their lost."
"Are you going to take it?"
"Course I am! This castle is abandoned, no one will know it is missing," with a smug look on his face, he put the crown in his satchel, for safe keeping. "Come on, I'm sure the food is ready,"
Gaston and King Simon made their way out of the castle.
Once alone, the thing that was watching them, stepped out of the shadows and looked down at his now broken chest and lock, letting out an angry growl.

=====

All that was left of the boar were just the bones and a few scraps of meat, as the knights and their king laid among the fire, their bellies full.

"Tomorrow, we should head west. It would get us back faster," Gaston told King Simon.
King Simon let out a yawn. "Yes, yes, the sooner the better. I want to send out a few servants as soon as I can to get this place cleaned. Make sure someone creates a map to this castle, as well.”
"Yes, your majesty,"
Once that was said, King Simon rolled onto his side and was soon asleep.
No one knew that they were being watched. As soon as the last knight had fallen asleep, the owner of the castle stepped out of hiding and made his way around the camp, looking at each knight, as they slept, until he stood right over King Simon.
He bent his knees, so he could reach into the king's satchel, taking back his crown. He stood back up now he wanted to be paid for being so nice.
"Rise up," he growled in a loud voice. King Simon woke, but not from the growl, but from a chill going down his spine. He looked up and me the eyes that belonged to the Dark One.
"Must I repeat myself?”
King Simon shook his head and began to rise to his feet as the other knights, slowly sat up from where they lay reaching for their swords.
"Dark One," King Simon did not look into Rumpelstiltskin's eyes as he stood in front of him. "Please, forgive me, I did not know this was your castle,"
Rumpelstiltskin let out a playful giggle. "I was nice, allowing you and your men to come and rest," he held the crown in front his chest. "And this is how you repay me, by taking my things," he clicked his tongue a few times as he waved the crown so all could see.
"Please, forgive me,' King Simon fell to knees to beg for forgiveness. He had never crossed paths with Rumpelstiltskin and had never planned too. He had heard the stories of him turning people into bugs then stepping on them, cutting hands off, the list went on.
He was the reason for nightmares.
Rumpelstiltskin began to walk among his knights, "I know of you, King Simon. You're a fool, for a king. Thinking of the woman you want to bed and not about your people who need food and clothes. Your knights, well they wanted to kill you for getting them lost in the woods tonight," he looked over at the knights as if he could read their thoughts.
"Then I was nice, allowing you to rest in my yard and how do you repay me.” he began to walk back over to King Simon, who was still on his knees. His face was white as a ghost. "By stealing my crown," he said through his yellow teeth.
"Forgive me, Dark One," King Simon begged. "Please, let me live.. I'll do anything!"
Rumpelstiltskin let out a laugh. "Begging will not help you," he turned around and began to walk away from the king, but then he stopped and looked back over at the poor helpless king and raised an eyebrow.
"I know of the stories that are told about me. Some are true and others, you never know," he turned on his heels and began to walk over to the king.
"You have a daughter,"
Slowly, King Simon nodded.
"Of an age to marry," Rumpelstiltskin crossed his arms over his chest as he spoken.
Again, King Simon nodded his head. "She is 19,"
Rumpelstiltskin hid his little smile.
"Well I need payment for allowing you and your men to rest on my land. I shall have her, make her my bride,"
King Simon stood up. "No, I will not allow it! She is to wed in a month to a rich, powerful king!" he yelled.
Using his magic, Rumpelstiltskin shut his mouth and lifted him into the air. "Did I ask if she was spoken for?" He now stood nose to nose with the king. "I will give you three days," he held up three fingers.
"On sundown and the third day, I will come for the princess. If not, you will be very sorry you had ever laid your head on my grass," he dropped the king from his powerful, magical grip. "Be gone, all of you by sun up," Rumpelstiltskin order as he disappeared

oOoOoO

Princess Buttercup stomped her foot and screamed. "MOMMY, how could daddy do this to me?" her beautiful face was red from all the yelling and crying she had done, after her father had told her and her mother about the dark one.
"Simon, you need to fix this. I will now allow my only daughter to become the bride, to that sick minded, dark one." Queen Sarah stood at her daughter's side, wrapping an arm around her.
"Don't you think I am, if I had only knew that young knight had went into the castle and took that crown," he lied as he walked over to the window, pulled the drapes aside and looked out.
"We shall have his head for his," Queen Sarah held her daughter close to her chest to comfort her as she weep.
"I won't go, I want to marry King Jasper of the north and have everything I want," Buttercup sobbed in her mother chest.
"And you will, your father will fix this mess and you will wed, in a lovely golden gown, with rubies and diamonds."
That had gotten Buttercup to stop her crying and smile.
Queen Sarah looked over to her husband, "Did you hear me?"
But King Simon was not listening, his perverted mind was on other things, Belle.
The maid, Belle, was lovely as she stood over the well, getting water. King Simon wished he could be standing behind her, pushing her up on the well wall, her skirt over her knees and him in between them, listening to her moan in his ear as he pushed, harder and harder into to her. He could feel himself getting hard from thinking about that.
He did not notice his wife now stood beside him, also looking at Belle with a glowering look across her face.
"Did you hear me?" she snapped at him
"Huh?" King Simon was still looking down at Belle.
Getting angry with him, Queen Sarah grabbed the drapes and began to pull them shut, when a thought came to her.
Belle was a beauty. All the men loved her. The queen had seen the way their eyes followed her as she walked past them. She smiled to herself, how she wished to get rid of Belle but her husband would never allow it. She had dreamed, many times of having her killed, tripping her down the steps or pushing her down that well.

King Simon sighed when the fabric fell over the window, moving away from them. "We are dealing with the Dark One and I don't want to anger him no more than he already is,"
Buttercup began to cry louder, "I won't go with him, who knows what will happen to me," She fell to the floor and sobbed harder.
"Sweetheart, I'm doing my best to think of a way to save you,"
"If you wanted to save me then you would have never let this happen," she yelled to her father, looking up from the floor.
King Simon ran his hand through his hair, thinking.
"I know how," Queen Sarah walked over to her princess and helped her up from the floor. "I know of a way to trick him.”
"How? We are dealing with the dark one, if he were to find out we played a trick on him, he would kill us all," King Simon told his wife.
"We will just have to make sure he will never find out then."
"How mother?”
"Easy, we shall send you off to your aunt's castle for a few days and hand over a fake bride."
"A fake bride?" King Simon raised an eyebrow.
"Yes, a fake bride. We can have Belle stand in Buttercup's place. Make him think she is our daughter and let him take her,"
"Oh mother, I knew you loved me," Buttercup clapped her hands.
"Do you really think this could work?" King Simon really did not want to hand over Belle to the Dark One. He had plans for that maid, whenever he could get her alone. Besides Gaston had spoken about making her his wife.
"OF COURSE it would work. I've seen how all the men look at her, besides the Dark One will never know,"
"But I don't want one of my dresses on a dirty maid's body," Buttercup placed her hands on her hips. "I also do not want to give her one. I love all my dresses."
"Then I will have a new one made for her to wear when he comes,"
"So she gets a new dress, and I get nothing after going through all of this," she stomped her foot on the floor. "I almost died when Father told me I was going to live with the Dark One and now a maid gets a new dress since she is going. It's not fair!"
"I will have three new ones made for you right away my dear,"
Buttercup smiled.
"But would Belle want to go?" King Simon walked over to the window and pulled back the drapes, in hopes Belle was still at the well.
She was already gone.
"If she wants to see another sunrise again and know what is best for her, then she will. I'm going to send for her now." Queen Sarah looked over at her daughter. "Why don't you get your maids to start packing. You shall leave at midnight for your aunt. I will have a message sent to her right away," Queen Sarah told Buttercup with a smile.
"Oh thank you Mother!" Buttercup hugged her mother before running off.

Queen Sarah looked over at her husband as he moved away from the window, knowing he wanted to look at Belle. She was happy to get rid of that maid and not have to worry about her husband. "Come along, we have a lot of work to do." she lifted up her skirts and walked out of the room.

oOoOo

Belle stood in the middle of three mirrors and looked at the gown she wore. So much had happened since the other day, when Queen Sarah had called for her and then told her the news. She was to take the place as a princess and become a bride to the Dark One.
She had longed to run away from the castle, to go on an adventures; see far away lands, eat new foods, read new stories, and live life. Living in King Simon's castle was a nightmare for her. She worked hard each day, from sun up till sun down.
She also hated the king...
She could feel his eyes, watching her the other day when she was getting water. She was scared that he would someday try and do something to her. The stories the other maids told about the king and his grabby hands. Some maids liked when the king would corner them and push his hands up their skirts. Belle shivered just thinking about it.
But leaving here and living with the Dark One...would her life change for the better or for the worst? She knew the stories of the Dark One, they scared her as a young girl. What if he ever found out she was not really a princess but a maid? He would for sure kill her.
"You look just like a princess," Queen Sarah stood beside her. "Blue looks lovely on you.”
Belle quickly bowed. "Thank you, my Queen,"
"Rise up, I don't want the dress to dirty."
Belle did as she was told while the Queen looked in the mirror and fixed her hair.
"Once you change out of that dress, I want you to meet me in the sitting room. I want to teach you a few princess things and how to drink tea as a princess."
Belle nodded her head.
"Sitting, drinking, eating, it's all easy to remember," Sarah looked over at Belle. "Just remember one thing, never ever tell him you are the maid. He would kill you if you ever do and also all of us."
"He'll never know, I will make sure of that."
The dressmaker came in and began to remove the dress off of Belle as the Queen left.
Once back in her own dress, Belle sigh. Did she really want to do this? She was warned that if she did not, then she would lose her head. Belle placed her fingers on her neck that would be no way to die.

That night, Belle could not sleep. In just a few hours the Dark One would come, thinking she was the princess and take her away to become his bride, as the real princess was hidden. Belle did not even know where Princess Buttercup was.
Belle walked around the small bedroom the Queen had placed her in, so she could rest better and look like a princess.
She had taken a milk bath and used flower scented soap that she used in her hair, so she would smell better.
Her head was too busy with everything that was happening. Live the rest of her life in a lie with the Dark One.
She fell back on the bed and let out a long sigh.
"I should just run away," she said to herself, then sat up with a huge grin. "I will, I will run away. I'll be gone before anyone knows, long gone from this castle, before she can take off my head."
Feeling triumphant, she stood up and walked for the door. She had nothing she needed and once she got out of the kingdom, she could find work in another and save a few coins before moving on. To Belle, this was good plan.
She opened the door and stepped out...
"Where do you think you are going?" two guards stood watch over her door. Eyes wide, Belle looked up at both of them.
Damn, she thought. Why would she think it would be easy to leave the castle?
"No place. I just wanted a drink," she lied, taking a step back.
"Then one of us shall go get it for you. The queen had ordered us not to allow you to leave this room until she comes for you,"
"Never mind about the water. I just want to sleep." Belle slammed the door shut. Out of all the maids in the castle and all the young women in the village, why did the Queen choose her to be the stand in for Princess Buttercup? She crossed her arms over her chest and sat back down on the bed. She wanted to scream and pull out her hair.

=====

At sunrise, the Queen came for her.
Belle spent a good part of her day listening to the queen and getting ready.
"You will need to take a few things he might think something is wrong if you arrive with nothing. Buttercup does not want to part with any of her dresses, but I have a few that I wore when I was younger. I have them already packed and I also added some soap and a comb into the chest."
Belle now sat as still as she could, as her hair was being worked on, for the first time. She had always worn her hair back with a ribbon after running a comb through it, she hated as the lady pulled her hair as she brushed it. Belle wanted to take that brush and smack her with it.
"You need to hold still or you will have funny looking hair," the lady told her, using one hand to keep her head still.
"Well it's kind of hard to hold still when you are pulling my hair out," Belle yelled back. The lady just rolled her eyes and pulled more hair.
Soon the Queen entered the room with a small box. "I have a few things I will not miss," she set the box on the dresser and opened it. "Just a few old things," she pulled out a ruby necklace and held it out for Belle to see. "This would look lovely with the dress,"
Belle gasped. She had never worn a necklace before and now she was to wear one that looked to be very heavy.
Queen Sarah laid it down and took out a few rings. "These never fit my finger, they were just too small for them"
Belle's eyes were wide as she looked at the rings.
"And the last thing a princess would need." she took out a small tiara.
Belle's hair was done and Queen Sarah set the tiara in place and smiled. "You don't look like a maid now, but a princess. You are doing a great thing for your kingdom, a hero to us all." she held her hand down for Belle to take and then walked her out of the room. "Remember everything I have told you,"
Belle nodded as she followed the Queen, "I must never tell him who I really am and act like a princess at all times,"
"Good, I'm sure he will give you a good life or maybe end it sooner," she let out a small laugh.
Belle said nothing as they entered the throne room where King Simon and Gaston waited.
Both eyes lit up as they watched Belle enter.
"She is even more lovely." the king said licking his lips.
"I still think we should have gotten another maid, you know how I feel about Belle and I wanted to marry her," Gaston told the king.

"Yes, I too. I've tried to talk her out of it, but she would not listen. You know how woman are?"

Gaston nodded. "I'll get her back," he said under his breath, vowing to himself to save her from that monster.
"Now," Queen Sarah grabbed Belle by the arm, "Act as if you will miss us, cry and hug us both."
Belle nodded her head as they stood next to the King.
"Think of something sad," the queen hissed in her ear.
"Belle," King Simon walked over to her. Belle wished she could run from him. She could see the lust in his eyes.
"Thank you for doing this,"
"It's my honor," she curtsy.
King Simon could not stop looking at her. Why did this have to happen? Why, out of all the places they could have stayed, did they have to come upon the Dark One's castle? Now he was losing a beautiful maid. He should have put his foot down and sent another one, an ugly one. But his wife, once she had her mind set on something, there was no changing it. He was beginning to think he should have had someone take her during the night or slipped into her room and had a go with her before she left.
But it was too late now and soon the Dark One would arrive.

Gaston stepped up to Belle and gazed down at her, "My lady, I shall come for you,"
Maybe leaving with the Dark One would be better than here. "It's best if you don't...who knows what he would do to you."
Gaston just chuckled and smiled down at her. "Never fear my lady."

Soon the room grew very cold, The Dark One had arrived for his bride.
"Make sure he never finds out," Queen Sarah wrapped her arms around Belle, as a mother would if she was to lose her only daughter, as Rumpelstiltskin walked into the room as if he owned the place.
"King Simon, we meet again," Rumpelstiltskin said as Gaston drew his sword.
Rumpelstiltskin raised an eye at him as he slapped the sword away. "Learn who to draw a sword out to, boy."
Rumpelstiltskin walked up to the royal family and looked at Belle. "She is very lovely. Now hurry with your goodbyes, this will be the last you see of your family,"
"Please, don't take her away," the queen sobbed, over doing her acting.
Belle patted her on the back and tried her best to look upset. But she found it very hard. She had never liked Queen Sarah or her husband.
Queen Sarah stepped back, took out her handkerchief, "Oh my little princess, what shall I do without you?"
Rumpelstiltskin placed his arm around Belle's waist, "Maybe next time your husband will leave his hands off my things. Come along, say goodbye to your father."
Belle looked over at the Queen, "Good-bye, mother,"
Queen Sarah covers her faced and let out a loud cry as she ran from the room.
Next Belle looked at the king, she tried to look at his face, but she couldn't. "Father, take care"
"Oh, my girl," King Simon reached out for her and took her out of Rumpelstiltskin arms, to hug her. He ran his hands up and down her back as he spoke in her ear. "I should have had my fun with you last night and now that beast will get to know what it's like between your legs."
Belle pushed away from, tripping over the skirt, but Rumpelstiltskin was there, catching her fall. He was giving the king a hard, long, look.
He then looked over at the chest, "I'm guessing that is hers? "
Belle nodded her head as Rumpelstiltskin clicked his fingers and the chest disappeared "Don't worry, it's already at the castle."
Belle looked up at him with wonder in her eyes as he wrapped his arm around her waist.

"Come along now." He began to lead Belle away from them but then stopped looking back over at King Simon and Gaston. "If you send anyone to rescue her, you will be sorry.”
With that, he left with Belle in a puff of magical, dark purple, smoke.

Chapter Text

Chapter Two

The wedding

Belle could not stop coughing once the smoke had finally cleared. She coughed a few more times before regaining control of her body.

"Come along, I'm sure you want to get his part over with." Rumpelstiltskin said as he let go of her and began walking down a path that led to an old, run down, church.

"Is this where you live? I thought you lived in a castle?" she asked as she quickly followed him staring at the building in front of her.

"No, this is not where I live. I wanted you as my wife, princess and it would not be right to be living with an unwed princess," he answered her smirking in her direction before turning back to the building.
Belle blushed, feeling foolish for asking him if he lived in a church. Why would a princess even ask anything like that? Especially to the all powerful dark one.

Belle noted that the church looked a little unkempt. Weeds grew all over the yard, a dead tree that looked as if during the next storm, it would fall over. Part of the church's right side wall was falling apart crumbling inwards. She briefly feared that the whole building might collapse in on itself.

Belle recalled the last time she was in a church. It was in the middle of the village, she lived in as a little girl The church was small, but it was very beautiful with its stained glass windows, that she loved to admire. Wishing she could have the windows in the little house she lived in with her mother and father.

Belle remembered her mother kneeling down with her hands folded in the church. Tears fell down from her eyes as she whispered something. Belle could not remember what her mother had said or why she had looked so upset. Belle knelt next to her mother, with her own hands folded like her, watching and thinking how lovely and beautiful her mother looked.

Soon after that day, her mother had died.

Belle was thinking of that day, so long ago. Missing her mother, that she was not paying attention to where she was walking.
She stepped on her dress, tripping over it. Her tiara fell off her head as she fell forwarded when Rumpelstiltskin quickly reached out and grabbed her by the arm. He helped her back up "Are you hurt?" he asked as he held her.
Belle shook her head. "No, I'm fine. Thank you."

"Are you sure?" he looked a little be worried. It's been so long sine Belle could remember someone being worried about her. She blushed a little and looked away.

"Yes, I'm sure. I just I ripped my dress a little." she gave him a small smile.

He bent down and picked up the tiara and looked at the dent in the middle of it than at her face. Would the princess cry knowing her tiara had a dent in it?

Belle took her tiara out of his hands and looked at it. He waited for her to start begging him to fix it. But she never did. She placed the tiara back on her head, without fixing her now messed up hair or asking for any help.
He raised an eyebrow at her, thinking how peculiar she was. After all she's a princess shouldn't she worry about her hair and her tiara?

"Do you not care for the dent or how your hair looks?" Belle felt like she was just punched in the stomach. She had to think of something and it had to be fast.

She reached up and removed the tiara from her hair and looked at it briefly. "It's not that bad,"

Rumpelstiltskin rolled his eyes. "You are a silly princess. Don't you care about your things?" he took the tiara out of her hands and took a better look at it.

"This looks to be a very old tiara," using his magic, he fixed the dent in it, then took a step closer to her and reached out for her.

Belle took a step back.

Rumpelstiltskin chucked. "I will not harm you, I just want to set this back on top of your pretty head," Belle blushed, allowing him to step closer to her again. Gently, he brushed some of her hair back and then placed the tiara back on top of her hair, running his fingers through her brown locks. "Come along," he took a hold of her hand. But something did not feel right.

He ran his fingers along her palm. It was rough...
A princess's hands should be soft not rough. Girls with rough hands worked, a princess did not. Princess did not get their hands dirty.

Confused, he began to bring her hand closer to his face to inspect it.
But Belle pulled her hand away and held it closer to her chest. Keeping him from seeing it. Rumpelstiltskin looked at her. "Why is your hand so rough?" he asked her.

Belle felt her stomach dropped. What should she do now? She already almost below her cover twice. What could she say about her hands? All she wanted to do now was runaway. But how far would she get?

She was doom and she knew it. He will find out she is not the real princess and surely kill her on this very spot. Belle was not ready to die. To live, she needed to think of something and fast. Why was it so hard to lie to him? He's been nothing but kind to her.

She looked down at her non-princess like hands as Rumpelstiltskin took a deep breath. "Well, I guess princess are just like others, during the dry season. Once we get back to the castle I shall give you a cream to rub on them. Come along." he turned on his heels and began walking to the church's doors.

Belle shut her eyes and sigh. Could she really lie to him for the rest of her life? Rumpelstiltskin held the door opened and allowed Belle to enter. A little old nun greeted Belle with a nod. The nun refused to look at Rumpelstiltskin, standing behind Belle.

"I shall give you all the time you need to get ready. But do not take too long," he told her walking away from her, to go speak with the friar.

The nun reached out a hand for Belle to take and led her into a room that was the opposite way from where Rumpelstiltskin walked.

/...\
Once in the room Belle looked at the small ripped in her dress, from stepping on it with her shoe.
It was not that bad, it would be easy to fix. No one would ever be able to tell she had ripped it.

"Tell me princess, are you here on your own free will?" the nun asked Belle.

Belle hated to lie to a nun.

But then she really did not have to lie to her, she thought. Belle took a deep breath. "I'm here to save my people," well it was not really lie. Just a half truth. At least that's what she told herself.

The Nun nodded. "Please, sit my princess and I shall fix your hair," Belle did as told. The nun removed her tiara and set it aside then began to run a brush, gently over Belle's hair.

"You have such lovely hair my princess," "Thank you. You may call me Belle if you want." Then Nun placed the brush down and whipped her eyes.

Belle was surprise, did she say something wrong. "Are you alright," she asked getting out of the chair and went to her side.

"Yes, I'm fine princess. It's just...It's not fair. You are a lovely, kind princess who has to marry such an evil, wicked man." Belle's heart went out to this nun, who cried for her as she hugged her.

"Allow me to help you escape from here, before he comes for you. Please, I can not allow you to marry him." Belle shook her head. "As much as I want to run away, I can not. If I do, other people will die and that is something I could never allow to happen." The nun looked up at her as the teas fell from her eyes. It broke Belle's heart to see someone cry for her.

"You are a brave princess for saving your people. I shall pray for you then. Ever night I will say a special one, just for you Belle." Belle hugged her again. She could hear her mother's voice, from that day long ago in the church. A voice she had not heard in such a long time. Hearing what she had forgotten that long ago day.

"Please, I pray that my daughter, Belle, will be well taken care of when I am gone. I pray that she will live a happy, good life on earth, when I no longer walk it," her mother had prayed for her that day also, knowing her time would soon be over and now this nun, who did not know even know her, was going to pray for her.

"Thank you so much," Belle said, not really know what else to say to her.
"I do have something for you," the nun moved away from Belle and then left the room, leaving Belle alone for a few moment.

When the nun came back, she had a small bouquet of roses.

"All brides needs flowers, even if they are to marry..." she was not sure if she could say his name.
She handed them over to Belle, who let out a gasped. Roses, her favorite flowers. The same as her mother. She held the bouquet up to her nose and sniffed them.

"I love roses," she gave the nun a kindly smiled. "Thank you for everything you are doing for me, I will never forget your kindness."

"Come, we better get going before he comes looking for you," the nun took her hand and held it. "I do wish you would allow me to help you run away from here before it's too late." Belle bent down a little and placed a kiss on the nun's forehead head smiled down at her, letting the nun know she will be okay.

Rumpelstiltskin stood at the altar, next to the friar, whom seemed to be very nerves being so close to him. But Rumpelstiltskin did not care all the much, he just wanted to get this over and get back to his castle. His mind was filled with the princess. She was an odd princess, not like he thought she would be. He had picture a spoiled rotten princess, who always gotten her way. But no, not this one. She was different and he felt slightly intrigued by her mysterious ways.

She had no tears after being taken away from her family like this. Most princess, he was sure, would have bagged not to go or worse...But no, not her. When she about tripped and fell, she did not care that her hair got messed up, or that her grown got ripped a little, or even that she had dropped her tiara.
The one thing that most define sty bogged his mind was how her hands felt.

He wanted to asked her more about it, but the worried look on her beautiful face when she stepped away from him, holding her hands to her chest, he thought better to let it go, for now.

Her face...She was a lovely princess and the way her hair felt when he touched it, was soft. He wanted to feel it again and her eyes. He could look at her eyes forever.
Rumpelstiltskin was lost in thoughts about the princess that he did not see the nun come walking down the aisle and take a seat in the front. The only witness for the wedding.

"Is the princess ready?" the friar asked her. The nun nodded her head as she wiped some more tears from her eyes.

The friar looked over at Rumpelstiltskin. "Shall we began?"

Rumpelstiltskin took a deep breath, not wanting to show the friar that he was began to get nerves. He looked up the aisle as the princess came into view.

Wow, he thought as he saw her standing there, holding the bouquet of roses.

Slowly Belle took the first few steps down the aisle. The church was empty beside the nun, the friar and Rumpelstiltskin. She had dreamed of this day as a little girl. Being around friends and the person she loved. But no, that would never be now.

She was a false bride, getting married to the Dark One, to save the real princess. She was not getting married for love, as she had dreamed about or read about in books.

Rumpelstiltskin could not take his eyes off of her as Belle stepped up to him. She did not look scared for what was about to happen, she kept her eyes to the front.

She blushed a little as she took her place next to Rumpelstiltskin, she could feel his eyes on her. She wondered what he was thinking.

The friar looked at her, not really wanting to wed them, but he was scared to know what would happen if he told the Dark One 'No," Beside the Dark One had given him a chest filled with gold and the
church really needed it.

"My dear, what is your name?" The friar asked her before beginning.

Her name? Rumpelstiltskin did not never asked her that when they left the castle. "Belle, Princess Belle," Remembering the queen had told her, if anyone asked her name, that she needed to say princess for now on.

Belle, a lovely name for a lovely princess, Rumpelstiltskin thought to himself. Wishing he could say her name right now to know how it felt to say.

The friar opened his book and began to the wedding.

After speaking their vows to each others, Rumpelstiltskin placed a golden band around her ring finger. "You may now..."

The nun began to sob louder as she covered her face. Wishing there was someway she could help Belle.
The friar looked at Belle and then slowly moved his glazed to Rumpelstiltskin before speaking the last words.

"You may now kiss your bride," Belle looked down at her roses. She had never been kissed before and now Rumpelstiltskin would kiss her, making her his bride. But was she really his bride?

"No need for that, Thank you again and there is another chest filled with gold for your little church." Rumpelstiltskin took Belle by the elbow and ushered her up the aisle and then out of the church.
Then as the same way they left the castle, they left the church.

Belle now stood in the castle next to her husband, Rumpelstiltskin.
"Come alone," he told her as he began to walk away. "I'm sure you are very tired and wold like some rest." Belle was not sure she could move. She was just married and now she knew what will happen. Was she ready for this part?

Was she ready for any of this lie? Rumpelstiltskin stopped walking and looked over at her. "Do I need to repeat myself?"

"I'm sorry," Belle lifted her skirt and hurried over to him. She followed Rumpelstiltskin up the grand staircase, looking around at everything.

There was not much to really look at. The castle could use a good cleaning. She wondered why Rumpelstiltskin never used his magic to clean this place. She was sure he could do it with a snapped of his fingers. "Your room is in the East wing," he began to tell her as they walked down a long hallway.

"My room? I thought we would share one sine we are now man and wife," she blushed a little for saying such thing. Did a princess talk like that, she wondered? Rumpelstiltskin stopped in his tracks and looked over at her. Belle about ran into him.

"Yes, man and wife do share a bed together. But that is not the reason I wanted a wife." Belle looked surprise as she looked up at him.
"I'm sure most think that I took you to my bed first and claim you as my wife in that way." He could have done that, Belle had heard stories of men, who would run off with a girl and lay with them. But Rumpelstiltskin had taken her to a church and spoken vows. He began to walk.

"So why did you want a wife?" Belle asked as she hurried to catch up with him.

"I have my reasons, rest assured you have nothing to worry about." They now stood in-front of a large door.

Rumpelstiltskin opened it and allowed Belle to enter first.

"This castle is now your home, you may go anywhere you wish. If you need anything just let me know and it will be yours." Belle stood in her new bedroom, fit for any princess. She could not see much light as only a few candles were lit.

She looked over and glanced at Rumpelstiltskin, wondering if he would come in and take her.

"I would never enter your room, only if you ask me. Now I shall leave you so you can get some rest." He bowed down to her. "Until tomorrow, my wife..." Belle was now left alone. She dropped her roses, that she still held and ran to the bed.

She threw herself on top of it and began to cry. She had been holding in the tears for so long and now that she was alone, she allowed them to fall.

How long could she live like this? A false bride to the Dark One.

Chapter Text

It was dark when Belle finally stopped crying. She had no more tears left. She rolled over on to her side and sniffled a few times before clearing her eyes. It was dark, the only light coming from the moon as it spilled into the room. Slowly, Belle sat up in her bed and stretched her arms up, popping a few joints. She then noticed she still wore the same gown, and that it was now full of wrinkles.

Belle thought of changing the dress, wondering where the chest was.at she scooted over to the edge of the bed, placed her feet on the floor, and stood up. A candle sat on the bedside table, Belle reached over to light it, but when her hand got near it the candle lit on it own. “Amazing,” Belle gasped as she watched the small flame give off a warm light. She placed her finger in the loop on the brass candle holder and held the candle up as she looked around for the chest. She spotted it near the far wall, next to a huge wardrobe.

Carefully, so she did not stub her toe on anything, Belle shuffled over to it and knelt down, placing the candle next to her as she opened the heavy lid. She searched through then chest, pulling out dresses Queen Sara had given her until she found a nightgown. She laid it on the other side of her and then began to place everything back in. : She promised herself that she would hang the dresses in the wardrobe in the morning as she shut the lid. She stood up with the nightgown hanging over her arm and holding the candle and then made her way over to the desk at the end of her bed. She sat the candle on the top of the desk and laid the night gown over the chair and began to undo the one she had on.
she slipped on the dress but note that the dress fit awkwardly. The shoulders kept slipping off; they were too wide and you could see part of her breast. The waist was so baggy that another Belle could fit in the night gown. Her hands were covered by the sleeves and the skirt was too long.
Belle shut her eyes and shook her head. "No, no no no," she looked down at the gown and lifted the skirt until she could see her toes. "What am I to do? If this one does not fit me, then the other dresses for sure will not fit on me." She eyed the gown she had just taken off on the floor. She could stay up tonight working on cleaning it, but she also wanted to get some rest. Belle let out a long sigh as she let go of the skirt.

What a mess she had gotten herself in. She was now married to the Dark One and was living a lie with him. Tomorrow…who knew what would happen? She could be very well living the last few hours of her life.

She bent down and picked up the gown and laid it over the chair, then took the candle in one hand and held the skirt in the other so she would not trip as she walked back over to her bed.
Once the candle was back on the bedside table, Belle fell, exhausted onto the blankets. The bed was one the softest she had ever slept in, and the pillows were like a cloud. Belle let out a yawn then she blew the candle out, got under the covers and fell asleep. But she did not have peaceful dreams. she tossed and turned until morning.
/---/

It was early morning, and Rumpelstiltskin had the tea already set out on the table.
All night he had sat at his spinning wheel, trying as best as he could to forget about the princess. But he just couldn't. He could not forget the way her hands felt. She was an odd princess. He had thought that she would have been spoiled and bratty, not one who didn’t care about her hair getting messed up!
He stopped his wheel as he thought about her eyes. How he could just get lost them, and her hair was soft to the touch. How he wished he could always feel it; he was sure that a princess would have soft hair. From the ones he had seen, their hair was always well taken care for. They used only the best shampoos in their hair and the finest brushes. He was sure that Belle took very good care of her hair.
He began to think of the many shampoos he had heard about that he could maybe get for Belle's hair. One that had a great smell to it and that would also make her hair shine more. He then wondered if she even knew how to wash her own hair. Most princesses had their maids to sit outside the tub, washing them.
Lost in his thoughts about Belle's hair, he did not hear the door open and then shut.
"Good morning," Belle now stood in the room, not too far from him. She stood near the table with her hands folded in a yellow and orange dress.
"Morning, dearie," he looked over at her and then gasped.
The dress she had on was lovely, but it was huge on her. How did she even walk down the steps with the skirt pooling around her feet? A shoulder fell down, and Belle nervously placed it back up, then lifted her skirt and walked over to the table with her head down. This was a mistake, she told herself; she should have stayed in her room.

Rumpelstiltskin kept his eyes on her, looking over her dress. It looked as if she had tied something around the waist of the dress just to hold it up on her.
"Did your maid not pack the right dress for you, princess?" he stood up and wandered over to the table. "Or do you not know how to dress yourself?"
Belle knew he would notice the dress, but a little part of her wanted him not to. Every dress she had tried on today was just too big, and the one that was made for her was a mess.
Today she was sure was her last day to be alive.

She looked up at her husband as he pour two cups of tea as he waited for her to answer. "Yes, it would seem so that my maid packed the wrong dresses," she said in a whisper.
Rumpelstiltskin raised an eyebrow. "Are you saying that none of the dresses you have with you fit?"
Belle nodded too scared to even speak.
Rumpelstiltskin sighed. "Sounds like the maid did not really care for you. How do you like your tea?"
Slowly Belle glazed up at him as he sliced a lemon for his tea and then added some peppermint to his.
Belle's mother, when she used to make tea in the winter she would always add peppermint. Belle had always loved the taste of peppermint. It had been so long since she had any that her mouth began to water.
"I too like peppermint in my tea," she said in a soft voice.
Rumpelstiltskin chucked as he added peppermint to her tea cup. "Would you care for a lemon in it?"
Sweetly she nodded her head as Rumpelstiltskin slice another piece of lemon and then dropped it into her cup. He then stirred both cups with a spoon and then set Belle's in front of her as he took his seat at the head of the table and took a drink,
"What would you like to eat? I am sure you are very hungry from skipping dinner last night," he asked her as he took another drink.

Belle sat down her tea cup. She enjoyed the lemon that added more flavor to the peppermint. Living as a maid, when having tea, she never could add anything but a little sugar.
Her stomach rumbled a little bit; it had been all morning. Food sounded great.
"Anything right now sounds good, what do you have to eat in the morning?" she asked him.
"I really don't eat," he sat his cup down. “Think of anything you would like.”
Belle looked down at her tea, thinking what would be nice to eat.
"Eggs sound good."
Rumpelstiltskin smiled at her as she waved his hand over the table. A plate of eggs appeared in front of her and Rumpelstiltskin.
Once her plate and Rumpelstiltskin's plate was clean, Belle tried her best not to pick them up to clean them. She twisted her napkin as she waited to see what Rumpelstiltskin would do. Should she pick them up and go clean them, or let them stay? A princess never would pick up her own plate to clean it. A maid always did that. But Rumpelstiltskin had no maids, and she was now his wife. Would he want her to clean them?
Rumpelstiltskin took one last long drink of his tea before he stood up. "I have things I need to take care of today outside of the castle," he told her.
Belle looked up at him, surprise that he was going to leave her here alone.
He waved his hand over the table, clearing it. Belle was a little happy that he had did that. Who knows what would have happened if she did start cleaning the table. He probably would have discovered her lie then.
"How long will you be gone?" she quickly asked.
"For the day. I'm sure you will be asleep when I get back." He turned and began to walk away from her.
Belle stood up from her chair and hurried over to him. "Are you going out to make one of your deals?" she said as she almost tripped over her dress.
Rumpelstiltskin stopped in his tracks. "Yes, I have a few deals to take care of today. Nothing for a princess such as yourself to worry about." he looked over at her, as Belle picked up the skirt and took the last few steps near him. Sighing, Rumpelstiltskin rolled his eyes and snapped his fingers.
A cloud of purple mist covered Belle. She gasped as it clear away. She was now in the most gorgeous blue silk dress she had ever seen.
"There, now you won't have to worry about ripping that." He let out a giggle.
"Thank you so much," Belle ran her fingers down the bodice. Loving how soft the fabric felt.

"Blue is your color," Rumpelstiltskin said in a soft voice as he kept his eyes on her. Wide eyed, Belle looked up at him and blushed.
Rumpelstiltskin quickly turned on his heels and waved as he left the room without another word, leaving Belle alone for the day. Belle twirled a few times, watching the skirt lift up in the air and waved around her ankles. She let out a playful giggle.

Once she had her fun, Belle wandered over the chair next to the fire place and plop down, It was her first day living in the castle and wife of Rumpelstiltskin. She began to think what she should do.
Being a princess was different than being the maid. She would spend her days cleaning where she was needed, unlike a princess. Belle sighed as she laid her head back on the soft chair.
After a few long moments Belle stood up, she would explore her new home. She had always wanted to go exploring, and even if this was not some far away land like she had dreamed about in her books, she still needed to know her way around the castle. Who knew what she could find!
The castle was not at all like the one Queen Sara and King Simon lived in. The place was covered in dust and cob webs. It almost look to be abandoned. Belle slide a finger over a windowsill, clearing away the dust where her finger.
"Ick," Belle said to herself and she looked at how dirty her finger was. "You would think he would clean this place with a snap of his fingers!" She wandered around for a little bit longer, before she could not take it anymore. This castle was her home too, and it needed to be cleaned.
Belle turned around, on a quest to find bucket, mop, broom and rags. After looking in a few more rooms, Belle finally found what she needed. Now all she needed was water. Belle made her way to the kitchen, with the bucket in hand. Opening the door that led outside, she found the well to fill the bucket with water.

She would start with the upper hallway. The view from the windows you could see the gardens. It would be a nice place to sit and relax, if only there was not so much dust on the windows.
Sun light came through each window as Belle cleaned them all off, making the room feel a little brighter, but there was still a lot that needed to be done. When she was done with the last window, she stood in the room with her hands on her hips making a list in her head.
"Windows are done, next I should do the walls, rid them of all the cob webs, then, dust the paintings hanging there, and then the clean the chair and the table. The floor shall be last." With a smile on her face, Belle got to work, singing to herself as the hours went by.

She was in the middle of the cleaning the floor, that she hadn't notice the sun going lower or that someone was also standing in the hall way. Belle, on her hands and knees, scrubbed the floor. She poured more water on the floor and began scrubbing until her head butted a pair of boots. Slowly, she raised her eyes up to whom the boots belonged to. Her husband was home and he did not look happy as he looked down at her.

"What do you think you are doing?" he hissed.
Slowly she let go of the rag she held in her hand, worried. Why did she have to clean? He would know that she was not the real princess, and she needed to think of lie or something and fast. "I..I..." She sat up on her knees, looking away. She could not look into his eyes.
Rumpelstiltskin raised an eyebrow, waiting for answer.
"There was nothing to do. I wandered around the castle to know where everything is at and thought I could maybe clean a little." Slowly her eyes moved upon him. Well that much was not really lie, but still she was princess, and princesses did not clean. She began to stand up, letting the lie spill out between her teeth. "I know you think it's funny for a princess to be on her hands and knees cleaning, but growing up in the castle, the only friends I had were the young maids. When my mother and father were gone, I use to borrow a dress from one and help them with the cleaning." She hated to lie. When she was a child, she lied a few times, but all children did. Now here she was telling the biggest lie ever.
Rumpelstiltskin looked at her for a moment. Belle gave him a small shy smile. "Besides, there was nothing else to do. I hope you don't mind."
"This is your home, do as you like." he sighed to her.
Belle let out the breath that she did not know she was holding in. She was sure that Rumpelstiltskin would keep asking why she would clean.
"I thought you were going to be out late?" She asked, needed to change the subject.
"Yes, I was planning of being out late, but I thought I would get done early and have dinner with you."
Belle blushed, "You wanted to have dinner with me?"
"Why don't you go clean yourself up, I'll meet you down in the main room." Rumpelstiltskin turned on his heels and left Belle.

Belle hurried to her room to change out of the dress. As soon as the doors were shut, she was already slipping out of the dress, leaving it on the floor and went to her chest and threw open the lid to pick a dress to wear. But then she stopped: none of these dresses fit her.
Slowly, she shut the lid then below a piece of hair that had fallen in her face up. What should she do? Both dresses that did fit were now dirty, and she wanted to look good for dinner. She was not sure why she was so excited to go have dinner with Rumpelstiltskin, Belle sighed to herself as she stood up and walked over to her wardrobe and opened it up, not knowing why, since she had not put anything in there.
The wardrobe was filled with dresses and shoes! Belle gasped as she pulled out a lovely green gown. She had never had this many dresses before. She held the green one up to her, then turned to look into a mirror, but then remembered: when she awoke today and was getting dresses, she could not find one anywhere in the room. Thinking about it now, she had not seen a mirror anywhere in the castle. She wondered why. She’d have to ask Rumpelstiltskin about it, maybe over dinner she thought as she slipped the green dress over her head.
After washing her face and tying her hair back with a matching ribbon, Belle was ready for dinner.

/---/
The table was set, filled with all types of food and wine. Rumpelstiltskin stood nearby, waiting for his wife. He still could not forget how he found her when arriving home: she looked like a maid! No wife of his would get on her knees and clean. There seemed to be something off about this princess, and he could not put his finger on it. He walked over to the fireplace, looking into the flames. Why did he even get married? That was something he kept asking himself.

The doors opened and Belle came in.
She was like an angel as she walked over to him in the green dress. He wished she had kept her hair down and not in a ribbon. Maybe he should hide them all so she would not be able to tie it back.
"Princess, you look lovely," he bowed down to her.
"Thank you," Belle curtsied and then allowed Rumpelstiltskin to place his hand on her back and lead her over to the table.
"I know the other day things were rushed between us and today I was gone, so I thought we could sit and talk."
"Yes, that does sound great," she told him as he pulled out a chair and allowed her to sit, then he poured her a glass of the finest wine he had and did the same for him.
"How was your day?" Belle asked him as she took a drink of the wine. She let the wine sit on her tongue. Never had she tasted wine like this before. Back at the castle, sometimes she would get ale, and during the holidays, they would get watered-down wine. It was never the best, and Belle never cared for either, but this wine was great.
"Same as always, went out, made a few deals for the souls who needed it the most," Rumpelstiltskin answered her as he place some meat on his plate.
Belle took another drink.
"So tell me Belle," Rumpelstiltskin leaned over a little to look at her, “have you traveled a lot?"
She swallowed the wine hard and looked at him. ‘Did Princess Buttercup travel a lot?’ she wondered to herself.
"Sadly, no, I have not seen much." She held a hand to her throat from when she swallowed the wine. "Father did not like me stepping outside of the castle, aside from balls."
"What a shame, most fathers never did allow their daughters the freedom to see far-off lands."
Belle nodded. "I have dreamed of seeing far-off places, like the lands I've read about in my books. I’ve always dreamed of traveling all over the world." Well, that much was not a lie. She remembered a book her mother used to read to her as a small child of faraway lands; they had stayed with her in her dreams. "I would love to visit Agrabah. The palace always sounded so lovely."
Rumpelstiltskin chuckled, he had been there more than once. "Do you read a lot?"
Belle nodded, her mouth too full of wine to answer him.
"What do you like to read about?" He waited for her to swallow.
"Anything really. Far off places, adventure, history..." she covered her mouth and blushed. "I'm sorry, I'm sure you think it's weird for a woman to like reading,"
Rumpelstiltskin shook his head. "Not at all. Most princesses would only read romance and poems." he took a drink of his wine, he was pleased to know that his wife well-read.
Belle took swigs of her wine until the glass was empty. She began to reach over to pour more, but Rumpelstiltskin beat her to it and poured her another glass. "You like wine?"
"Yes," she said, watching the liquid filled her glass.
"So tell me, what other places would you like to see?" He sat back down and looked at her as she took a big gulp.
"If I tell you, you cannot laugh." She took another drink, her body was beginning to feel great now.
"Why would I laugh?" Rumpelstiltskin smiled to himself. From the look of Belle checks she was beginning to get a little drunk. Geez, she must be a lightwieght to get tipsy this fast.
"Atlantis."
"Atlantis?" Rumpelstiltskin raised an eyebrow. "But that's under the sea. How would you ever visit that kingdom?"
Belle had the biggest smile across her face as she leans over to Rumpelstiltskin more. Her head tipped back a little.
"I wonder what it would be like to be a mermaid. If I was one, then I could visit Atlantis," she laughed.
Rumpelstiltskin looked at her then he laugh out loud. "My dear, I think you've had too much to drink. It might be a good time to get some rest."
Belle placed a hand on her head. "Yes, I feel a little funny."
Rumpelstiltskin made a note to himself. Dinner tomorrow he would just give his wife tea. He would not want her to get drunk every night. He stood up and walked Belle to her room. Belle looked up at him as she stood at her door.
"What are you looking at?" he asked her.
"Your eyes..."
"My eyes?" he forked an eyebrow up.
Belle nodded, "They shine, and I like that." And with that said, she opened her door and stumbled into her room, leaving Rumpelstiltskin alone and slightly dumbstruck.

/----/

The next day, Belle's head felt a little fuzzy as she made her way to the main room. She needed to be careful when she drinks next time. Who knew what would happen if she had too much and let it slip that she was no princess?

Rumpelstiltskin stopped his spinning and looked over at her with a smile when he heard the door open. "Morning, princess, did you sleep well?"
"Too well."
Rumpelstiltskin stood and went over to the table and made her some tea. He handed her a cup, but had a hard time looking at her. Even if she did not remember about telling him that his eyes shine, he still did.
"Thank you," Belle took a drink.
"Go sit next to the fire place." He turned on his heels and went back to his wheel. Belle did as she was told and sat down. She placed her tea on a small table, but stopped when her eyes spotted gold. There laid a book. She picked it put and looked at the cover.
"Atlantis," she ran her fingers over the golden titled and then looked back over at her husband. "Is this for me?" she asked.
"Just something I had gathering dust." He did not look over at her.
Belle smiled as she got more comfortable and opened it. She was not sure how much time had passed, but she almost dropped her book when Rumpelstiltskin stood up in a flash.
"Someone is here," he announced. Belle marked the page she was at and also stood up.
"How do you know?" she asked as she hurried over. He did not answer her, he just stormed out of the room, and Belle followed him. He went to the main doors just as someone pounded on them. Waving his hands in the air to open them, for whoever it was, Belle froze and covered her mouth. She was doomed!

Gaston stood there with his sword out, pointing it Rumpelstiltskin.