Disclaimer: All publicly recognizable characters, settings, etc. are the property of their respective owners. The original characters and plot are the property of the author. The author is in no way associated with the owners, creators, or producers of any media franchise. No copyright infringement is intended. This is a work of pure fiction. All characters and events depicted in this story are entirely fictitious. Any similarity to actual events or persons, living or dead, is purely coincidental.
Tags: *Belle/Rumpelstiltskin, *Nimue, *Enchantress (Winter from Love Letters :D), *Enchanted Forest AU, *Dark One Rumpel, *Caretaker Belle, *Angst, *Smut, *Magic, *Lust, *It may get a little dark (or a lot), *Triggers for kidnapping, *Triggers for holding Belle against her will, *Gawd, I don't know how many triggers there are! *Happy Ending, *That's why you read fic, isn't it?
Summary: Rumpelstiltskin is fed up with his wife's continued rejection and whisks her back to the Dark Castle. There's more to consider than just the two of them. Will time and close quarters rekindle their spark and lead them back to one another? What about marriage counseling with the enchantress, Winter? Nimue as the manifestation of his power in human form only complicates matters. Will their love win out?
A/N: This is my assignment for our Ohana Secret Santa. My giftee Ethereal Wishes prompted this to me for our annual gift exchange. Actually, she just wanted to see what it would be like for Nimue to seduce Rumpelstiltskin in corporeal form (She felt it was right up my alley *grin*). It didn't quite work out that way, and I went off in a completely different direction. However, I'm sure she'll be pleased. I've been teasing her for over a month with this fic :D Anyone who is familiar with my works know I love me some Dark One Rumpel, so it's set in the Enchanted Forest. I hope you enjoy! Happy reading :D
Choices
By:
Charlotte Ashmore
I
.
The wand dangled loosely from his long spinner's fingers as he stepped through the ornate golden door back into his world. Magic shimmered along his every nerve ending as his golden skin breathed in the magic so innate in the Enchanted Forest. A giggle slipped past his lips as he bore the precious bundle cradled in his arms towards the ebony iron gates of his castle. Gods, but it felt wonderful to be home.
It felt slightly different this time around. Now he had the power of every dark one humming through him. Everything was more brilliant, sharper, and limitless power crackled at his fingertips. It was much more pronounced here than it had ever been in Storybrooke.
Belle stirred in his arms, whimpering slightly in her sleep as the effects of the sleeping draught he'd given her began to wear off. Her anger would be a sight to behold when she discovered what he'd done. His precious wife would not be happy.
The doors of the Dark Castle opened before him, welcoming him home. What a mess! Then he remembered that wily thief and his band of outlaws had taken refuge in the castle once upon a time. Filthy ingrates! He ignored the Great Hall, deciding to deal with it later. It would better suit him to make his little wife comfortable as she would be waking soon. Preferably someplace devoid of sharp objects.
Rumpelstiltskin laid her down upon the settee and frowned down at the short pencil skirt and plain blue blouse. That just wouldn't do. She was home now and would be dressed accordingly. Crimson mist enveloped her with a thought, and when it dissipated, she was swathed in a lovely empire-waisted lilac gown with a wispy ankle-length skirt. Something befitting her as the wife of the Dark One.
And she was whether she bloody well liked it or not. Divorce him? He thought not. She had promised 'til death do them part … not until he pissed her off for the last time and she decided she wanted to take their unborn child and hand him his walking papers. Things had gotten out of hand, and this was his last chance to get it right. Where better to do that than in the Dark Castle where he could remind her of how they'd fallen in love to begin with. Without the interference of those so-called do-gooders back in Storybrooke. He could just imagine Regina's rage at having been duped into handing over the wand. One of these days she would learn not to make deals with him.
He sighed and moved to the sideboard beneath the window, quickly banishing the dust and pouring himself a healthy measure of goblin-made whiskey into a cut crystal tumbler. The light from the window spilled across the settee, burnishing her chestnut locks with auburn hues. He breathed deeply, a sense of belonging settling deep in his bones as he thought for the umpteenth time how good it was to be back home. It was even better to have her at his side.
The sorcerer was sure the peace wouldn't last beyond her waking, however. She wouldn't like being trapped here with him, but his mind was made. There would be no pleading with her this time, no empty promises. He would show her who he was … who he'd come to finally accept. She would, too, in time. Or so he hoped. This time she wouldn't be afforded the chance to run as was her wont. Regardless, she wouldn't be happy.
He was right. He leaned a hip against the sideboard and drained his glass as Belle blinked her eyes open and gasped. Her back was to him, but he could clearly see the tension in her shoulders as she came to realize where she was.
"Rumpelstiltskin!" she crowed at the top of her voice. High color tinged her lovely cheekbones, and her chest heaved where it threatened to spill from her bodice. He'd probably catch hell for that, too, he thought, biting back a giggle.
"There's really no need to shout, dearie. I'm not deaf."
She shot up off the settee and turned to glare icy daggers at him, one hand planted firmly on her hip as the other waggled a finger under his nose. "Tell me this is another of your elaborate ploys. Tell me you've turned the house into a reasonable facsimile of the Dark Castle. But do not tell me we're actually here."
Rumpelstiltskin calmly ignored her and poured himself another drink. He waved one elegant hand towards the window behind him. "See for yourself. I thought it would do us both a bit of good to quit Storybrooke for a time."
Belle stomped her delicate feet towards the window, her eyes narrowed to slits as she waited for him to stand aside. She hung her head dejectedly as she took in the sight of the rose garden below with the mermaid fountain at its center. She crossed her arms over her chest and bit her lip to keep the tears at bay. "Why? Why would you bring us back to the Enchanted Forest … especially now?"
Again, he drained his glass, setting it down on the sideboard more forcefully than he'd intended. He arched a brow at her when she startled. That wretched god posing as their child still had his hackles raised. There would be no more of that nonsense either. Already he was formulating a list of spells he would use to keep any and every one out of his home. "Because we can't be happy in Storybrooke."
"Rumpel, we can't be happy anywhere!"
"We were happy once," he argued.
"Until you decided to lie to me!"
His ruined teeth gnashed together, his amber eyes glittering. "To protect you!"
"Over and over again you lied! You plotted and schemed until I didn't even know who you were anymore!" she screeched. "I can't do it any longer, Rumpelstiltskin. I won't."
"That's if you ever really knew me at all, sweetheart," he said sadly. "Or did you simply fall in love with a beast you wanted to change? Was it the illusion of who I could be that you loved?"
She gaped at him. "I did … I do … love you! But you're destroying me, Rumpel. I can't trust you. I can't compete with this darkness inside you. I won't do this … I just can't."
He circled around her like a hunter with his prey. "Well see, dearie, that's where you're wrong. There will be no divorce for you. You will live in this castle with me whether you like it or not. I tried so hard to give you everything you desired, but you just couldn't accept me for who I am. Fine!" he snapped. "I can accept that. I told you from the beginning I was a difficult man to love. What I will not accept is you taking my child from me."
"And I won't let you spread your darkness to him!" she seethed. "How can you claim to love me if you will hold me here against my will?"
It physically pained him as he reached up to brush a stray curl behind her ear and she flinched away. "Think what you will, Belle," he said, dropping his hand to his side, "but I do love you … more than I have ever loved another with the exception of my son. How can I hold you here?" he asked softly in a tone he reserved only for her. "Because I would rather live with your scorn than live without you."
Dark crimson mist carried him away, leaving her alone to think about her newest dilemma.
*.*.*
"Don't you ever weary of your playthings, dear?" Hera asked as she passed out of the antechamber and into her husband's vast sanctuary, the silk folds of her gown swishing softly about her legs. She stepped over to the wide clear scrying pool where his gaze was affixed as he continued to ignore her presence. She fought to keep the sneer from curling her lip. She arched a brow at the surface of the pool where the girl he was watching ran across a courtyard. "Oh, don't tell me you've found yourself smitten with another one."
Thunder rumbled ominously in the distance as his annoyance with his petulant wife grew. Soon there would be lightning strikes all over the great mountain of Olympus. "Cease your jealous prattling, woman. I have no patience for your petty ramblings this evening. This one has done nothing to arouse your ire."
"Yet," she sniped.
"Ever," he thundered, his icy blue gaze lifting to meet hers. "This one belongs to the Dark One … his true love as a matter of fact. His wife."
Hera edged closer to her husband's side, eager to see what sort of mere mortal woman could have claimed the heart of such a monster. "Did he bespell her? I wasn't aware that particular pet project of yours was capable of love."
Zeus rose from where he knelt next to the pool and moved to the mammoth golden throne on the raised dais where he could look down over the room which usually brought him peace. He waved her forward to sit next to him. "Rumpelstiltskin isn't like any Dark One who has ever held the curse previously."
His wife snorted derisively. "Oh, please, dear. They're all the same. Every one of them has craved the power for themselves. Of course, later they all regret it when their power is stolen, and they're condemned to spend eternity in the vault. I'm sure this one is no different."
"You dare scoff at the truth, wife?"
Hera quailed beneath his rage, surprised he hadn't sent a bolt to singe the hem of her favorite gown. "No. I misspoke, husband," she demurred. "Perhaps you would care to enlighten me as to how this Rumpelstiltskin is so different."
The god waved a page forward to bring them a bit of refreshment. "Wine, my love?" he purred in that seductive tone she was helpless to resist. Already her interest was piqued.
She accepted with a regal nod and settled back on her chair, eager for a story. At the very least, it would ease her boredom. Better still was the fact she didn't have to feel threatened the girl she'd seen was her husband's latest target for an easy conquest. True love was a powerful thing, after all, and even Zeus wouldn't toy with it.
"I'm sure you remember long ago when the first Dark One came to be?"
"How could I forget that pesky magician and his lady love? Nimue, wasn't it?" she asked, well aware of her facts. Yet it would behoove her to play to his ego. He did so love to tell the stories of his mortals just as much as she enjoyed hearing them.
"Yes, yes … she was overcome with bloodlust. She couldn't see past it and it ended her. It destroyed the deep love she shared with Merlin. Neither of them ever recovered fully. Every Dark One to gain the curse after her met the same fate. They let the power consume them. The current Dark One, however, didn't want the power for himself."
Hera frowned. "Surely, he did in some capacity? He couldn't have gained the curse by accident."
A slow smile curled his thin lips as he drank deeply from his cup. "Zoso was as clever as he was brutal, but he wearied of his curse after a century or two. When the duke of the Frontlands acquired his dagger, Zoso no longer wanted any part of the curse. It is a steep price to pay to have that much power, to be vulnerable to the dagger. When he made the decision to be rid of the curse, it was rather easy for him to find a soul desperate enough to take it from him.
"Rumpelstiltskin was but a poor spinner, branded a coward in the ogre wars because of his desperate need to be there for his son. He wounded himself grievously in order to return to his precious Baelfire." His lip curled in disgust. "Milah," he spat, "his wife … she scorned him for his so-called cowardice. Eventually, she abandoned them both for a worthless pirate, leaving her husband and child behind for her own pursuits of fortune and glory."
"And love?" Hera asked, refilling his cup. "Did she fancy herself in love with the pirate?"
The god's eyes narrowed. "We're getting a bit off track, dear one."
Hera smiled coyly, enjoying herself now as the story unfolded. "My apologies, husband. Please, do continue."
"Zoso tricked the spinner, goaded him into killing him with the dagger. Rumpelstiltskin was desperate to save his son from being conscripted into the duke's war. The child was only fourteen … much too young for war. So, you see, the spinner had a good heart. Something no other Dark One possessed. He wanted the power for his child."
"Something tells me this story doesn't have a happy ending," she pouted.
"No, it doesn't," he affirmed, tipping his cup in her direction, a small nod to her astuteness. "The darkness is not something easily contained. We can thank my dear brother for that. The child didn't like what the curse was doing to his father and sought to find a way to break it. With the aid of a magic bean –"
"Like the ones the giants used to toil over?" she interrupted, pleased when he didn't become annoyed with her.
"Yes, dear one, the very same. It was given to him by a rather meddlesome fairy."
"Pesky little gnats," she huffed, knowing her husband held no love for the irksome creatures.
"Indeed. In the end, Rumpelstiltskin was afraid and chose his power over his son. Of course, the instant the vortex closed, he regretted his decision. He spent the next three centuries trying to find a way back to his Baelfire."
"How incredibly sad."
"He suffered greatly. The guilt and pain of loss weighed on him greatly. You cannot even imagine how patient and driven he must have been to allow each piece of the puzzle to fall into place. He went down many dark paths to insure his success." The wine flowed freely between them, leaving room for a gentle peace to settle over them. They weren't god and goddess in that moment, but merely husband and wife.
"Years passed and time was not a friendly companion. He grew lonely. He was on the cusp of having everything he wanted, for it wouldn't be long before his curse would be enacted. All he had was his deals to break the monotony of his days. It was then he answered the summons of King Maurice of Avonlea."
Hera wrinkled her nose. "Why does that name sound familiar?"
Zeus chuckled. "Perhaps because there is a shrine in your lovely honor in his quaint kingdom."
"That must be it. What is so special about this king? And don't keep me in suspense, husband; I can tell this part is important," she cajoled playfully.
He grinned broadly. "Not the king, dear one … but his daughter. The princess Belle."
"The same girl you were watching earlier?"
"The very same. The king called upon the Dark One to save their kingdom from the ogres pressing upon their borders. And as you know, such a deal would require a steep price. Rumpelstiltskin demanded the princess."
"Oh, how delicious!" the goddess crowed merrily. "Did he ravish her post haste?"
"Hera! Truly you are wicked," he chuckled, tipping her chin up to kiss her softly.
"It's one of the many reasons you still love me," she purred. "No matter how many times I anger you … you are still my one and only love, Zeus."
"As it should be with true love."
She rose from her seat and moved onto his lap, reveling in the feel of his arms closing around her. "So, he didn't ravish her. What happened between them?"
"He brought her to his castle to be his caretaker. Never would he have thought she would see into his dark heart to the man he truly was. He couldn't understand her at all. At every turn, she challenged him. She brought light to banish his darkness."
Hera sighed dreamily, always a sucker for a love story. "He fell in love with her. True love at that."
"Indeed, he did. He set her free because he couldn't bear to hold her any longer against her will. He was frightened of what he felt for her." He brushed his fingers lazily through her long dark curls. "But she came back to him. A little witch whispered into her ear, planted seeds of hope in her heart and sent her back to the castle to break his curse."
"No! He would have been furious. To be so close to reuniting with his son only to have his power stripped from him," she cried in alarm.
"Which is exactly what almost happened. For just a moment, he let himself hope she could love him and the curse nearly broke. It was when she told him of the woman, she'd met on the road, that his darkness overtook him. He clung to the curse more fiercely than before and banished her from the Dark Castle, believing she'd only wanted to trick him."
"But if she hadn't really loved him in return … the kiss never would have worked!" she scoffed.
"Hera, love, men do not think clearly when their heart is breaking."
"True," she admitted. "Well, she married him as you've said. Does that mean she refused to leave him?"
The god shook his head regretfully. "No, she did leave when he demanded she go. To make matters worse, the witch took her captive and made Rumpelstiltskin believe she'd died. Never have I wanted to intervene so badly on a mortal's behalf. Rumpelstiltskin mourned for her, and pushed forward with his curse and didn't discover her true fate for twenty-eight years. They were happy for a short time before events tore them apart once again. She has a bad habit of being unable to accept his flaws at times and running from him. If only she would stop running," he murmured sadly.
"Sometimes, my love, a woman just needs her space," his wife intoned with a solemn nod. She'd had many seasons over the eons where she'd needed her own space. Particularly after that Hercules debacle.
"It only got worse for them, I'm afraid. She was in an accident and lost her memories. To make matters more unbearable, the witch gave her false memories and turned her into a tart. After that was resolved, he was forced to go off to another realm to rescue his grandson, and in turn he had to face his father which led to his death."
"His death?!" she shrieked.
"Alas, yes," he murmured. "It didn't do him a bit of good to spend so much time languishing in the vault. The darkness is stronger there and ate away at what goodness remained. His son – at the cost of his own life – resurrected him, only for Rumpelstiltskin to fall into the hands of another witch. There are entirely too many witches roaming free down there."
Hera bit her lip to stifle a girlish giggle.
"Finally, he was freed from her clutches and he was able to marry his precious Belle. But as I said, the darkness had corrupted him, and he deceived her. When she learned of his duplicity, she sent him away. They've made it a bad habit of breaking apart only to reunite over and over again. She wants him to be honest, and he's afraid she won't accept him for who he is."
"Is that the end of their tale, my love?" she asked, saddened to see it end so abruptly. "If it is, I'm afraid I don't much care for it."
The god gave her hip a gentle squeeze in rebuke for her cattiness. "No, dear one, it doesn't end there. The darkness nearly consumed him, and Merlin's wily apprentice removed the curse from Rumpelstiltskin. He almost didn't survive. His beloved was still conflicted, for she wanted him to be a hero. There he was powerless and alone, still trying to find a way to protect her, to give her everything she wanted."
Hera brushed away a tear, her heart fluttering painfully. She couldn't remember the last time one of her husband's stories had moved her in such a way. "It wasn't good enough for her?"
"I'm afraid not."
"What happened to the curse when it was removed from him? The darkness had to go somewhere."
"Their savior took it unto herself," he explained. "Just as Rumpelstiltskin did centuries before, she foolishly thought she could contain it. She very nearly lost her own love to death, and erroneously shared her curse with him to save his life. He allowed the darkness to control him, and almost destroyed her and the entire town."
"Oh, how dreadful!"
He nodded sagely. "Rumpelstiltskin sent Belle away this time … to save her from their fate. The savior was forced to destroy her love, breaking the curse."
Hera's eyes narrowed suspiciously. "The darkness would need a new host. Otherwise, it would have destroyed them all. It would have been a plague on the land without a soul to contain it."
Zeus smirked. "I have always loved your cunning mind, dear one. Yes, the curse would have sought a new host. Rumpelstiltskin arranged to draw it back unto himself. Belle was gone, he thought, forever. Off to see the world. If he couldn't have her, why not have his power. No one before had ever held the curse as long as he had. None before him had ever controlled it as he had. But this was different."
"How so?" she asked, clearly intrigued as he spun the tale.
"This time, he had access to every Dark One to ever exist, the power his and his alone. With it, the potential to use the power for good or evil. Think of what he could do if he were able to find the balance," the god remarked with a hint of awe. "He steeled himself to face an eternity of loneliness."
Hera tucked her head into his shoulder, overwhelmed with sadness. "Please, love. I don't know how much more of this I can stand."
His hand ran soothing circles along her back in an effort to comfort her. "Patience, dear one. We are nearly to the end of our tale." He pressed a kiss to her brow. "Just when he'd given up hope, she returned to him. His grandson had contacted her, told her why Rumpelstiltskin had sent her away. Yet, instead of telling her the truth about regaining his power, he deceived her once again. This last time they reunited, they were gifted with a child. Rumpelstiltskin is willing to do anything to make Belle happy, even to go so far as to let her go, but he would never abandon another child. He's brought her home to the Dark Castle, making her a virtual prisoner in order to have a part of the wee one's life."
"Oh, Zeus, we can't let this go!"
"We cannot intervene, Hera. You know that as well as I," he said with a weary sigh.
She twirled a long lock of blonde hair around her finger, pulling him into a soft kiss, her eyes glittering with promise. "They need to see their love is to be fought for, my love. It's there, surely. They just need to remember."
"Hera, there's nothing we can do," he insisted.
"Then perhaps we should find someone who can?" she suggested, reveling in the growl rumbling in his chest to rival the thunder in the distance. "Someone who is well versed in Rumpelstiltskin's life … a guardian …"
A slow smile spread over his lips. "Oh, my clever little wife." He rose from the throne, her petite form cradled gently in his arms. "Belle needs a helping hand. We shall send her Winter."
"You are so wise, my love," she cooed. "The poor dear has been so despondent of late. This will bring our sweet daughter happiness once more."
"Indeed," he whispered, nipping at her lips as he bore her to their bedchamber. "If anyone can help the poor girl, it's Rumpelstiltskin's guardian enchantress."
