1.

War was coming. Belle had seen it come many weeks before it actually happened, however, her father had waited to ask for help when it already was too late. Her father was a proud man, and this mistake was going to cost him dearly. After all, there was only one able to help them, and everyone knew it was better to seek help from someone else. There was no one else. No one else with the power needed. The kingdom had to be saved, and there was only one person able to help.

That same person left them waiting in one of the rooms of the castle, Belle's slender figure leaning impatiently against the windowsill, arms crossed. It felt odd to wear such an extravagant dress with war coming, somehow it felt like it was suffocating her. They had to do something. She had no right to be in a pretty dress when people in their kingdom were about to be slaughtered. A knock lured Belle out of her thoughts, her blue eyes focussing on the door.

One of the guards opened the doors, surprised when he realised there was no one. The hall before them was empty, no sign of life. All of their backs were turned when they heard a giggle. No one had to turn to find out who it was, but still, everyone in the room did. Nobody liked turning their back on Rumpelstiltskin. He oozed with confidence and Belle knew why. Rumpelstiltskin was feared throughout the land, though, everyone who sought help turned to him if they really had to. Belle pursed her lips at the sight of him. What was he going to demand this time? She had heard of him, the terrible things he demanded from the people he helped. Belle knew better than to ever bargain with him, still, her father had asked for his help.

Every word leaving his mouth sounded like he thought it was all just a game, and Belle realised that's exactly what it was to him. A game. All of their lives were just a game to him. It angered her, frustrated her until she felt her heart pounding in her chest at the mere sight of him.

Being so lost in her own anger, she almost missed the part where he demanded her to come with him, in trade for the safety of their land. Was she really all that? Just a pawn in a game? That's not fair, she almost wanted to say, but her lips remained sealed. Her father had to trade the one thing he loved the most for something he loved as well, but Belle knew better than to think her father would ever trade her. A lost feeling came over her and suddenly the uncomfortable feeling came running back to her. Who was she, really? Just a girl. There were so many people about to die, just so she could have her freedom? Who was she to demand her father's people to die for her?

No one was going to die for her. No one but her decided her own fate, and Belle stepped up to Rumpelstiltskin, her heart still beating as if it was about to jump out of her chest.

''I'll go with you.'' she spoke, her fingers trembling, her voice strong. She could do this.

For her father. For the kingdom.

The place was filthy, was all Belle could think the moment they arrived. Had he really brought her along to be a bloody maid? He should've just taken everyone in the castle if his goal was to get the place clean. She couldn't help but glance behind her the moment she had walked into the castle, to see if her footsteps were visible in the layer of dust. Her thoughts went back to her home, former home. Everyone was safe now, right? It had been her main goal, to keep everyone safe, but now the possibilities for her were endless. If he was ever going to leave her out of the castle, that was. And if she ever got the place fully clean before a new layer of dust settled on the unused furniture. She could hardly believe he lived in this place, all by himself.

Her eyes curiously travelled over the walls, all decorated with things she could hardly place. He seemed to have quite the collection of fine china, and she wondered who would ever visit him. Who even wanted to? Belle was not quite sure of her feelings towards him. He did save her father's kingdom, but he also took away what her father loved the most. A good part of her was afraid of him, the things he could do were not natural and Belle was frightened of him. He couldn't be the slightest bit sane, or even human. Another part of her was curious, she had never met anyone quite like him and even though she was frightened, her curiosity was going to get the better of her, she was sure of that.

''Where are you taking me?'' Belle dared to ask as she held up the skirt of her golden dress so it wouldn't graze the dusty floors.

She damned herself for sounding scared, even though she was. Belle did not know what he was capable of, but she was sure he could make her evaporate with just a blink of his unnatural coloured eyes. He barely turned to her, but did answer. Apparently she was getting her own room and Belle almost sighed from relief. She was not sleeping in a dungeon as she had expected.

Belle followed him. Her eyes widened the moment the door opened and revealed her so called room. ''My room?'' she exclaimed, annoyed with herself and with him.

Annoyed with herself for believing him, annoyed with him because he obviously enjoyed the situation. He roughly pushed her inside, and Belle's hands thumped on the door, over and over again.

''Let me out!''

It was obvious that her crying for help was not going to help, so after a few more tries Belle tried to relax and slowly slumped down to sit on the filthy floor. Was he going to hurt her? Was that really why he had brought her down here? Fear overcame her and she wrapped her arms around herself, as if it would protect her from anything. Her fingers trembled so she intertwined them to keep them from shaking. Some parts of the stone walls were covered in a layer of moss and Belle wrinkled her nose at the sight of it. The rays of the sun barely came through the small windows, a thick layer of filth and dust preventing the sun from coming in. Mere minutes ago, she had been slightly excited, she had been in a new environment where she was ought to clean. The cleaning part wasn't the part that excited her, but she had always been fond of seeing how other people lived. The tour she had gotten, the way from the entrance to her own little dungeon, had been

brief but she had seen countless of things she wanted to inspect thoroughly.

Curiosity was always going to get the better of her and she had learnt at an early age to embrace it. A soft sigh escaped her full, red lips and Belle closed her eyes. If she could just fall asleep, every thing would be better.