Saving The Beast

She heard them discussing it outside her tower door.

"Scourges and flaying won't work on my daughter." Her father says. "The dark one's magic is too strong for the clerics' work.

"Then what will you do, sire?" The guard asks. "To free Belle from this curse?"

"It's not a curse..." Belle thinks, leaning against the tower's window.

"We'll go straight to the source," Maurice says. "We'll lose good men in the process but I'm sure that enough men, we can overcome him."

Their voices trail off as they walk away, discussing battle strategies.

Belle's eyes widen as their words sink in. They meant to go after him, to- to kill him. But could they? He was so powerful...

"I may be immortal, dearie, but not invincible. It would be extremely difficult but someone could kill me." His voice echoes in her ears.

So, if Beauty was to save the Beast, she first had to save herself. She had to escape this tower.

But that was impossible.

She tried everything to get out, every tactic she learned from her books failed her.

So with a heavy heart, she seated herself beside her tower window, to watch her father and his men marched off to Rumpelstiltskin's castle to slay the beast. They left before dusk and would be back at dawn.

Suddenly, her door creaks opens and a small boy scurries into the room. Belle recognizes him as one of the kitchen boys.

"Miss. Belle!" He cries. "I come to free you!"

Belle quickly climbs down and faces the boy. "Why?" She whispers.

"I know you truly love the dark- the dealer." The boy says, "And no one should be deprived of their true love, no matter how unorthodox their love is."

Belle takes the boy's hand. "Thank you." She whispers, smiling at him. Then her smile fades. "But what about the other guards?"

"Nah, don't worry about them. They all left." The boy says, giving a cheeky grin. "And before you ask, I plan to run away myself once I see you safely on your way."

"Thank you." Belle repeats.

"Just doing the right thing." The boy says. He hands her a cloak. "Here, the night will be cold."

Belle takes it and fastens it around herself.

"Now go!" The boy commands.

Belle starts to rush out the door but stops and turns. "What's your name?" She asks.

"It's Dimitri." The boy quickly says. "Now go!"

Soon Belle finds herself, running down the dirt road, following their footsteps, stopping to only rest a few times.

When she was two/thirds there, she hears the guards returning, sounding like they are in high spirits.

Belle hides in the brush silently, her heart sinking. Them happy could only mean one thing...

"You were right, sire." A guard says. "With enough men, we were able to overcome the dark one."

"That imp should be dead by morning!" Another guard cries.

"And Belle should be free from that curse!"

They cry joyously and continue on their way.

Only once Belle was sure that they were long gone, did she emerged from the brush, her spirits rising. He was still alive... but by the sounds of it, he wouldn't be for long...

She turns on her heel and sprints towards the Dark Castle, knowing time was racing against her.

…

He shifts on the tower's stone cold floor, feeling waves of pain overcome him.

The irony. He was so close to his healing potions but couldn't even reach one. Not that it would matter anyway. His wounds would be too much for the potions.

His eyes flick up towards the sky, the golden orbs glazed over with pain. At least hopefully he would be able to see his Belle again...

Ridiculous. What kind of place that would hold his Belle take him as well? He was the Dark One. And nothing could have changed that...

Except for Belle.

At the thought of her name made Rumpelstiltskin's own clench in pain and tears began the mingle with his blood.

Maurice's men truly wanted him to suffer for- what was it again? Oh yes, putting an enchantment on Beloved Belle.

Really, it was humiliating for him. He didn't even notice when they somehow managed their way into his castle and sneaked attacked him.

And now, he was bleeding out on the floor, his head bashed open, side stabbed, what felt like ribs broken along with his leg. Of course it was the one that had been injured in the Ogre Wars.

But all throughout the fight, he did not scream or yell in pain. The guards, obviously unnerved, quickly left, sure that with the rising sun the imp would be dead.

Left to die on the floor, the defeated dealer left himself only think of those happy sun-filled memories of Belle, his beauty.

"She died" echoed in his head along with "Scourges" and "flaying". A suppressed sob escapes his ruined body as his eyes close in pain.

Footsteps interrupted his thoughts. Perhaps it was a guard returning to make sure that he was dead but no, these footsteps were soft and light even in a hurried pace. They sounded like his Belle's.

"Perhaps she has come for me." Rumpelstiltskin thinks. "The angel to spirit me away."

The footsteps reach the top of the steps and a horrified gasp echos in the room as something collapses by him.

Rumpelstiltskin forces his eyes to open and he sees Belle kneeling in his blood, leaning over him, hair curled around her face and tears in her eyes.

"Belle." He gasps out, wincing at the pain. "Have I died then?"

Belle's eyes widen. "No! Of course not!"

"Thought as much, dearie." Rumpelstiltskin says. "The pain would be gone." His confused eyes roam over Belle's face. "How are you alive?"

"What are you talking about?" Belle says. "Father- I don't think he would- He wouldn't tell people-"

"I had been told that you had thrown yourself of a tower window after the trials of being 'cleansed'" He spat the last word with as much venom he could muster.

"Well those are complete lies." Belle whispers. "But he did lock me in a tower to appease the townspeople."

So he had been partly lied to, well...

"At least... I got to see you... one last time, dearie." Rumpelstiltskin says. He pushes himself up with his good arm, reaching out a trembling hand to caress Belle's cheek. She puts her own over it, leaning into his touch. Tears stream down her face as she reaches out to touch his cheek.

"Don't-Don't talk that way." Belle denies, her voice cracking. "We're together again. Everything will be fine." She brushes a few strands of his hair out of his face. "You'll see."

"Dearie... It's better... this way." Rumpelstiltskin grits out.

"No!" Belle protests, burying her face into his hair, encircling one of her arms around his waist.

"Belle." Rumpelstiltskin whispers, closing his eyes in pain, his arm now laying on Belle's neck.

"We are home. We are where we shall be forever." She sings softly into his ear. "Trust in me, for you know I won't run away. From today, This is all that I need, And all that I need to say is..." She takes in a small shuddery breath. "Don't you know how you've changed me, strange how I finally see. I found home." She looks at Rumpelstiltskin, fresh tears rolling down her face. "You're my home." Her hand finds his cheek again. "Stay with me..."

A painful termor racks his body just as Belle's voice trails off into silence. "Belle!" He cries out in pain. Belle jerks back, her eyes trying to find a way to save him. Her sky blue eyes lock onto his golden ones.

He tries to say "I love you" but before he could, his body slumps to the floor, slipping from Belle's arms , his eyes closing. His hand slips from Belle.

Belle covers her mouth, shaking her head in disbelief. "No... no!" She cries out in desperation, clinging to Rumpelstiltskin's body. "Please." She whispers. "Please don't leave me." She lifts up her head.

"I love you." She breathes out, before bringing her lips on top of his rapidly chilling ones...

…

So, ah, what do you guys and gals think? I know some parts are a little OOC but first time really writing a tragedy fic.

I started thinking what if Rumbelle had more of a Beauty and the Beast musical ending? Plus don't own the song Belle sings, that belongs to the musical.

Now should I continue? And gives you guys two different endings on what could happen after the kiss? or just leave it as is? It's all up to you, darlings!

~8 Navy Roses