Hi everyone, hope you enjoy and please review
Disclaimer : I don't own once upon a time or the characters, though I wish I did!:)
Belle didn't know exactly how long she had been in here. She guessed a few weeks judging by the tiny light that came in from a high window in the tower. That, and the tray of food that was placed in her cell every morning. It was usually water and a small bowl of brown stew. She heard foots steps alerting her that another guard was here to bring her her morning meal. Like every other morning, a black guard came in and set down the tray before wordlessly leaving, locking the door once more behind him. She got up from her sitting position and looked at the cup of water. It was dark and didn't look that appealing but she drank it anyways, coughing after she took a swig. She looked at the contents of the bowl and tried to take a spoonful or two before returning to her usual position, tucking herself in a corner of the small room. She had her hands clasped around her legs, pulling them as close to her body as she could. Her chin rested on her knees, her long tangled mess of hair falling around her body. Belle shivered in her dark and damp cell. She rubbed her legs trying to warm herself up. Even the dark castle had better cells then this. A year ago, if someone told her she would be an expert on dungeons and cells, she wouldn't have believed them.
There was the noise of shuffling feet coming from outside her door. She inhaled quickly and her body stiffened. They could only be one reason for that many guards to come to this part of the castle; the Evil Queen was going to pay her a visit. For the first few weeks of Belle's imprisonment the queen sent in men to try to get information from her. They kept asking about a dagger and anything that she knew about the Dark One but she wouldn't tell them and she didn't know anything about a dagger. Once they realized she couldn't help them they stopped coming, even the queen hadn't been to her cell in two weeks.
She heard the door unlocking and the queen strolled in, motioning for the guards to close the door behind her. Belle stood up and flatten herself to the wall. She tried to get as far as way from her captor as she could in her small cell. The queen didn't say anything for a while, only giving her a cruel smile.
"Ahh the little maid," Regina finally purred as she circled the room. Her black high heels clicked against the hard floor, and the dark train of her cape swished as it was dragged across the floor. "The woman who captivated the Dark one." She stared at her distastefully. "I don't know what he saw in you, but I guess whatever that was he didn't want it. That's why he threw you out, at the mercy of me." Regina said with a wide smile. Belle's face hardened against Regina's harsh words. She tried her best to not let Regina see how her words were effecting her.
"Are you here to kill me?" She said getting right to the bottom question.
"To kill you?" she looked at her with feigned surprise. "Why would I do that? No, no this is a glorious opportunity for me." Belle hid her agitation and her curiosity with a blank face, although she greatly wondered what the queen meant. "Yes, killing you would be easy, but I have a better idea. One that takes care of Rumpelstiltskin. Then I guess I will probably have to kill you or maybe not, I guess it depends." Belle didn't ask depends on what? Belle let her continue. "I was originally going to tell him an elaborate story about you death." She smirked. "Would you like to hear it? It is quite the tale." She looked at Belle looking for an answer but she got only silence and a cold look. The evil Queen frowned. "Well I tell you anyways," Belle held her breath afraid of the inventiveness of the Queen. "The rejected little maid ran back to her daddy's castle seeking safety and refuge at home." Belle waited for the downfall, she was sure the Queen wasn't going to tell Rumpelstiltskin a happy story how woodland creatures and fairies guided her to her father's castle, and then they lived happily ever after. "But," the Queen continued with false sadness. "Her father scorned her, not wanting to have a daughter tainted by the Dark one. He shut her up in a tower and sent in clerics to cleanse her."
"They were so cruel to you that your little, weak and pathetic self jumped off the tower in despair to your death." She smiled wickedly
"No," she said firmly. "My father would never do that to me. He would never cause me to, to… "
Regina chuckled, "Yes like he would never let his only daughter go with the vilest beast in the enchanted forest." Belle opened her mouth but no words came out all she could do was shake her head no. Regina raised her eyebrows.
"You know I was much like you when I was younger," Belled highly doubted that but she was too in shock to bring up that argument to the queen. "I thought like you, that there was good in everyone. But there are people in this world who just don't. Do you know what my own mother did?" Regina asked her with fake laughter. Belle had no clue and she slightly shook her head no. "She ripped the heart out of the man I loved, right in front of me. I wept next to his body as he laid there lifeless and stared into my mother's eyes. You know what I found? Nothing. No emotion. No goodness." She stopped. Belle couldn't believe it who could do that to their own daughter. She remembered her own mother who sacrificed her life for Belle. She had loved her mother, her mom was a great listener and always made time to spend with Belle instead of sending her with nannies or servants. Losing her mom had been so hard for her, she loved her father a lot but her mom had always understood her better. She took after her mother a lot, her sense of adventure, her determination, and love for a good story. All she had left of her was a necklace which Regina had taken when she through her in this cell. Her mom was wonderful and she couldn't imagine her doing anything like what Regina's mom did. "Most people aren't good. I met the dark one shortly after, he gave me magic. He gave me power. You think you know him, you don't dearie." She said mimicking his voice. Regina took long strides towards Belle. Regina towered over Belle's short frame.
"You haven't seen him at his darkest." She said knowingly. "There is no good in him."
"I believe that there is. I might not have seen him at his darkest but I have seen the good and light in him. He is someone worth fighting for. There might still be good in you. I believe that evil isn't born it's made." Regina laughed bitterly.
"This is who my cruel and dark life has made me." She yelled. She took long breath and glared at Belle. Belle saw her raw anger and from that moment on Belle felt sad for her and what she had become. She honestly didn't know if Regina could change. She realized she had lived a sheltered life back at her father's castle. She read many books but they never told her about such great darkness and pain in this world. She also realized she was really fortunate to have and such a safe and wonderful childhood. Something Regina didn't seem to have.
"So instead of telling him of your demise you're going to break his heart. The only thing worse than your death would be your rejection." Belle's heart lurched, so this was her plan.
"I won't do it." She said defiantly, shaking her head.
"I'm afraid you don't have a choice," she snickered. Belle stared at her, clenching her jaw.
"If you take my heart or cast a spell on me he'll know."
"Don't you think I know that? Last time I checked I was the one with magic," she snapped. She then produced with magic a clear vial with a dark blue liquid in it. "This is what is going to make you do it. I'm afraid dear I'm not here to kill you because I already did. You did drink your water didn't you?" It dawned on Belle and she grabbed her stomach, she had drank poison. Regina walked over to her tray and picked up the cup. She peered inside." Ahh I see you did. So here it is. I was pretty particular about the poison. I made it myself, mixing a few thing I've collected." Regina said smugly quite proud with herself. "Anyways this is the only antidote, and before you think about it magic can't cure it. I made sure of it, with the help of some unwilling test subjects. So now to the details. You go to the Dark castle, tell Rumpelstiltskin you don't love him, it will crush him. Then after if he doesn't kill you, which I'll admit he probably won't, you'll come back here and I'll give you the antidote."
"What about after that? What will you do with me then?" Doubting that Regina would let her go free after what she wanted her to do. Regina would know what she would probably run back to Rumpelstiltskin.
"I won't kill you if that's what you thinking. I'm sure we can think of something." She paused, deliberating. "If you want more incentive I'm sure we can think of one." She again thought and then came up with an idea. "How about your father?"
Belle looked at her extremely worried but didn't say anything. Belle stayed like that for a half-second trying to process it all. If she didn't do it not only would she die but her father would die, but if she did do it her father might live and so might she if Regina let her. She felt like that was her only option, but she hated what she was going to do, hated that she would have to break Rumpelstiltskin's heart, and right now she strongly disliked Regina.
"So what's it going to be?" Belle only nodded.
"Great." Regina smiled, taking her slight nod as a yes.
"So all I have to do is go there and talk to him?"
"All you have to do." Belle again nodded but started thinking. She couldn't just pop into the dark castle and say Rumple I don't like you and walk out.
"Well I need a reason to be there."
"Your problem not mine." She guess she was going to have to think of something herself. "But you can't go like that," Regina indicated at her skinny and scarred body. She made another vial with green liquid appear. She pushed it out to Belle, who looked at it warily. Regina rolled her eyes, "it's not poison. It's a health potion. You'll go back to how you were, the scars were disappear and you won't look so scrawny. It only last for 48 hours so don't take it now." She then walked over to the door and knocked, signaling for a guard to come in. "this is the dress you have to wear." She brought an elegant dark blue dress. Belle thought it looked very uncomfortable. "I have a carriage that looks like one of your father's. You'll have to look like the lady that you were." Regina finished. She strolled to the door and then looked over her shoulder. "You look terrible," and with a flick of her wrist Belle's hair was in perfect curls with some pieces pulled back. Light makeup was also applied to her cheeks and above her eyes. "You have ten minutes I'll send someone to help with the corset, and to bring you out to the carriage." With that she walked out and slammed the door. Belle help up the huge dress. Couple of minutes later a young girl came up and helped her, but she didn't talk or make eye contact. Later the door opened again and three guards took her down the long stairway and outside to wear the carriage was waiting. Regina was right that the carriage looked like the ones at her old home. Even Belle who grew up riding to and fro places in them couldn't tell the difference. A man who she figured was one of Regina's guards helped her in the carriage, and then took his place as the driver. Two other men followed on horses. As the carriage took off she saw Regina siting her in the castle with her usual smirk waiting for Belle to destroy her old master.
It was taking quite a while to reach the Dark Castle. Belle had fallen asleep during the trip. She woke up when a guard opened her door. They had reached the Dark Castle, it was only a little walk to the front door. The guards stayed back while she walked alone to face the Dark One. She had a hard time in her dress, she wished she had the blue one rumple had given her. She finally reached the doors, she looked back and saw the guards and the carriage waiting for her return. She took a deep breath and opened the huge doors, cringing at the slight creak. She slipped through and looked around the great room. Her eyes searched the room until they rested on the empty spinning wheel. She remembered when he spat in her face. No one could ever love me. Her eyes had pleaded with him to believe her, to just believe that she could and did love him with all her heart. She loved how much he had changed from the time she arrived at the dark castle, the man who locked her in the dungeon for weeks while she cried every night at the loss of her family and friends. At first he would leave notes telling her to what to clean that day but later on he would write notes telling her to meet him in the garden or in the library for tea, where they would talk for way longer than they planned. She loved how he would be nice to her and do little thing like using magic to clean parts of the castle or .she loved that he left her books, that he thought she would like, around the places she cleaned in the castle but she loved more the man they came from. Not a monster or a beast. Like he was so widely thought of and called. She thought from the time she spent there and the number of times she told him he wasn't a monster he might have started to believe her.
It was weird for her to be back there she found herself staring at every corner and window sill she cleaned. The places on the table where she set different plates of food. She was still in sort of a daze when Rumpelstiltskin's magic disappeared around him he appeared in the great room. He stumbled shocked that she was here in his castle.
"Belle." She closed her eyes and braced herself to play the part. "You're here. You came back," she spun around to find Rumpelstiltskin staring at her with awe and disbelief. "Oh Belle," the way he said her name made her heart melt. He quickly took long strides to reach her. He didn't exactly smile but his eyes were bright and happy. He reached out his hand to her face, but stopped before touching her skin. "I'm so sorry, I thought I lost you," he looked heartbroken at the thought, and because of that Belle really was heartbroken. She wanted to tell him that he hadn't. That she was here now, and that she would stay with him forever like they agreed, but Belle couldn't. He opened his mouth about to say more, but she had to stop him. If she didn't she would break down crying. She put both her hands up.
"Stop," she said harshly. At first he looked shocked, but then he but his hands together behind his back and waited for her to continue. She closed her eyes trying to steady her breathing. She went to grab her mother's necklace like she usually did when she was sad but touched her bare neck. When she finally opened them she saw a concerned look on Rumpelstiltskin's face. She steeled her mind and went back to the tortuous plan that the queen was making her do.
"I didn't come back to you. You told me to go and I will as soon as I grab my things, I left in a rush just forgot some things." She knew it was a lame excuse but it would do.
"Belle I know I let you go but that was a mistake, I promise I won't ever do it again. Please just stay."
He sounded so shattered and depressed. He was offering the thing she wanted most, a chance to be back with him. This was the worst thing she had ever had to do.
"I'm not staying you released me from our deal and I'm back with my father who missed me every single second. So unless you're going to threaten me or my family or friends I'm just going to collect my things and leave." Rumpelstiltskin stood shock, his face was ashen.
"Belle I would never," he faltered off.
"Really, I've heard the stories Rumple- Rumpelstiltskin." She slipped.
"Never to you Belle. Please stay I, I don't want you to leave again. Thought you. The kis-." here it goes she thought.
"You thought I loved you." She finished his thought, but in a harsh tone. "There's more than one way to break a curse. I don't love you. You're nothing but a beast a monster who ripped a young girl from her father." He was used to being called a monster but not from Belle.
"Why are you saying this?" her looked at with wide eyes and whispered.
"Because it's true." She thought her might get mad but he didn't. He seemed to accept that answer, but was completely broke because while he always believed he was a beast, for a while, while Belle stayed he started to think maybe he wasn't. He hung his head. Part of him wanted to make her stay but he wouldn't.
"I'll just go grab my stuff,"
"Don't bother," he said quietly, and they appeared on a heap on the table. She was about to walk out when he spoke up "What about all the time we had in the castle. Our lunches in the garden, or when we read in the library after dinner." She remembered those times too. She had fallen in love with him over those times.
"You know what I remember working all day till my whole body ached," that had only lasted a few days before he realized what all the work was doing to her and lightened up her work load. "Sleeping in the cold dudgeon, away from everyone I had ever known, thinking I was never going to see them again remember crying myself to sleep every night." He looked at her with so much regret and sadness. She walked towards him, and he held his breath, but she only turned to grab her things from the table.
She slowly turned around ready to walk out of there her knees were about to buckle. She didn't know if it was because of the poison or the amount of stress and anguish she was being put through. She just took deep breaths and put one foot in front of the other. She was halfway to the door when Rumpelstiltskin raised his bowed head.
"Belle where's your necklace?" he said unevenly.
"What?" she responded at the unexpected question? He looked at her and repeated the question more steadily. Her mind raced she was so overwhelmed she couldn't think properly. She had a hundred different excuses in her head but couldn't formulate one.
"I, I lost it." She stumbled.
"Belle that was your mother's necklace. You never took it off even when you were cleaning the dirtiest places in the castle. There's no way you could have lost it."
"Well I did." He didn't seem to except the answer like he wanted to protest, but he didn't. But by the look on his face she knew it wasn't sitting well with him. He looked like when he was making a plan, with thousands of ideas swirling around in his head. She turned around again but at a faster pace. Belle placed her hand on the door pushing it open. She wondered if she could make herself just walk out of there not knowing the reproductions of her actions. There was a part of her that wanted to stay, but she thought about her father and Regina. She put a foot outside where the sun was shining, such a contrast to the darkness and dismalness of inside the castle where a lonely man sat broken hearting.
Hi everyone, I know this isn't a happy ending so I was wondering if you wanted me to continue writing and make it a happy ending or just leave it like this The choice is up to you. So thanks everyone for reading, and please review on what you want and what you thought of it (please don't be too harsh). Thank you again. Hope you liked it.