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“Ugh, I just can’t get this right,” Belle muttered as she slammed the lumpy dough onto the kitchen table. She had been the Dark One’s maid for over two months now. Cleaning the castle was tough work, but it wasn’t impossible. She was pretty sure Rumplestiltskin used at least some magic to clean the parts of the castle she couldn’t or wasn’t allowed to enter. It was the cooking part of the job that had her at her wits’ end. Two months in, and the best she could manage was a Shepherd’s Pie that made him turn green.
Green!
He’s already green!
She banged her hand against the tile, wondering if he could magic to swallow her whole.
“Tsk, Tsk, dearie. You’re going to ruin your pretty face like that.”
Belle jumped and turned ahead to see the smug imp, himself, leaning against the doorframe.
“Well, pardon me. Can’t a maid wallow in peace?”
He scoffed, pushed himself away from the frame, and walked over to the counter, where he pointed a clawed finger down at the failed dough with a frown. “And is this the source of your—wallowing?”
She groaned and covered her face with her hands.
“The castle can provide whatever you want. Why do you continue to insist on this frivolous endeavor?”
She placed her hands on her hips and looked up at him with her head held high, “Because if I am to live here for the rest of my life, I can learn how to cook you a decent meal.”
He glanced at the dough and then at her, raising an eyebrow in question. “And what was this supposed to be?”
“A shepherd’s pie.”
If possible, he turned greener at the memory of her first attempt. At the snap of his fingers, the clump of flour disappeared.
“Hey!” Belle exclaimed.
“Move over, dearie.”
Belle watched in confusion as the Dark One summoned multiple spices, mutton, and flour. Rumplestiltskin rolled up his sleeves and started to work.
“Now, dearie, this is how you make shepherd’s pie.”