Belle had just agreed to be Rumpelstiltskin's maid, in her mind it would be better then being forced to marry a man she did not love, which her father was fixing to make her to, and he had beaten her into submission until she had agreed to the marriage. But now the most powerful man in the universe had just offered her a way of escape. Her father was already trying to deny him, but Belle had stepped forward and had accepted it without a moments thought.
All the way to the man's home she spoke not, because she was shy and not sure of the kind of treatment to expect from him, for the village referred to this man as the beast, a monster. As much as she had been bold enough to accept his offer, she was of course afraid at first wondering if he would be better or worst then her father had been.
When she arrived she pulled the curtains open, dusted everything and then when she was shown her room which was little more then a cell, she at that moment decided he must be worst then her father, she had just gotten away from a bad situation only to get back in again, she thought but then she reasoned at least she wouldn't have to marry that awful man, who was worst then even her father could ever be. She shuttered at the thought of what she had almost been forced to do. She had been planning to runaway from home anyways, Rumpelstiltskin had only provided her with a way to do it. She would never go home, never, she would find a way to make sure that she never had to go back. She went to her cell rather easily.
But poor Belle had nightmares all the night as she dreamed of all the times her father had beaten and starved her, in fact she had not had any lunch or dinner that night, she was hungry, but was afraid to ask Rumpelstiltskin for anything least he be angry with her. She cried in her sleep the whole night hungry and frightened of her vivid dreams.
But then finally the door flew open and a pillow was thrown in at her, and she informed it was to keep him from hearing her awful noise and to keep her from distracting him from his spinning. She was of course awake now so it was not needed.
Finally unable to stand the hunger any more she decided all she could do was ask, if he said no she would be no worst off then before, he couldn't expect her to be his maid if she was to weak from hunger can he? Slowly knowing it was locked she knocked on the wall, trying to get his attention one more time.
Finally the door opened again and the man stood before her, she dropped her gaze and started stammering,
"i was just... I wouldn't ask but it really has been such a long time today since I had...I was just wondering if I could trouble you for at least a...a piece of bread or something?" she finally managed to push past her lips.
She didn't hear a response so she looked up and saw him looking at her calculating, and the way he seemed to take in her thin figure and finally the man sighed
"How long?" he asked a hint of anger from his voice. Belle cringed thinking the anger was directed upon her self.
"My father hasn't allowed me anything in the last several days, I have actually lost count of how long it's been." she responded blushing and looking down still thinking he was angry with her for asking.
But Rumpelstiltskin instead looked down at her and said
"Girl you should have mentioned this to me earlier, I had no clue that you were probably hungry yourself, I had figured that at that castle you were fit as a fiddle."
Belle realized at that moment that Rumpelstiltskin was not angry with her, but at her father for doing that to her.
"That is one of his favorite ways to punish me when ever I didn't please him!" she responded quietly.
Rumpelstiltskin led her into the kitchen and started setting out a plate and even placed different types of food onto a plate, and then set it before her.
"There help yourself to what you like, just don't make yourself sick!" he said softly.
"Thank you Sir!" she responded gratefully. Then even while he watched her she slowly swallowed it down not at all concerned about what it was but concerned more about stopping the hunger pains. When she was finished she quietly went back to her room where she curled up on the floor and fell asleep without another sound.
The next day she tried to pour some tea for him and accidentally dropped the cup. When she went to retrieve it she was terrified when she saw that there was a chip in it. She immediately tried to apologize for it.
"It's just a cup, Dearie!" Rumpelstiltskin informed her waving away the incident. She looked at him at first with confusion but then continued to finish making him his tea, placing the tea in an non chipped cup.
For days she cleaned the house for him, she straightened the bookshelves, dusted the furniture, opened the curtains and even cooked and did the dishes. And when she was done she would sit and keep Rumpelstiltskin company when ever he requested for her to be there, other wise she would borrow a book and would sit and read for hours.
