A/N: Sorry, But I do not own Once Upon a Time or Rumpelstiltskin and Belle.
This is just a fun little story! Hope you guys like it!
Belle morosely set Rumpelstiltskin's tea on the table in the main room, he used in his castle, and poured his tea into his favorite cup, the one she chipped on her first day in his.
She never did asked him why he wanted to use it or why he never used his magic to fix the chip.
Rumpelstiltskin sat at his spinning wheel, spinning straw into gold. He listened to his maid's every move. He knew she was still scared, but he really did not care. He was just happy to have someone around.
"I was wondering," Belle began, as she stood near him with her hands behind her back., "if I could do some reading?"
Rumpelstiltskin looked over at her.
"Did you get everything done on the list?" He asked her.
Belle nodded her head.
"The wash is all done?"
"Yes."
"All my things dusted?"
"Yes."
"Entrance been clean?"
"Spotless."
Rumpelstiltskin smiled as he stood up in front of her.
"The grand staircase been wash?"
"I'm sorry, I did not see that on the list?" Belle reached in her bodice, of her golden dress, pulling out her list. Rumpelstiltskin's adam apple bubble, just knowing where she kept her list.
Belle read the list over. "It's not on here.'
"Look at the back, sweetheart," Rumpelstiltskin told her as he picked up his cup of tea.
Belle turned the list around. It only had one thing written on the back. Sweep and wash the grand staircase.
"I'm so sorry, I'll start it right away." Belle quickly put the list back in her bodice and then began to walk away.
"Wait." Rumpelstiltskin held a hand out to take a hold of her hand ,but held back from touching her. Belle looked over at him as he walked back to his wheel with his tea. "You can take a small, little break. Pour yourself some tea and read."
"Thank you."
After that, Belle was starting to become a little more comfortable around Rumpelstiltskin. She would sit in a chaise chair, to read and drink some tea, while Rumpelstiltskin would be at his wheel. Sometimes, Rumpelstiltskin would ask what she was reading and Belle would tell him.
Rumpelstiltskin had a small bookshelf with a few books next the fireplace. , and Belle would take her time looking at each book, before picking one to read. Rumpelstiltskin enjoyed watching her when she did that.
000
It was a cold, windy day. Rumpelstiltskin was out on a few deals and Belle had plan to have a hot meal of leek potato soup with bread and butter ready for him when he returned.
She soon heard Rumpelstiltskin stomping around and guessed that a deal did not go right. She placed the soup and bread on a tray and walked to the main room.
Belle was not happy once she entered the room. She had spent a good part of her day polishing the table that Rumpelstiltskin had thrown his dirty cloak on , and left his filthy boots off on the floor. There was mud all over the table and floor.
"You do know I worked hard cleaning your table and you dirty it as soon as you return," Belle remarked as she walked over to a small table to set down the tray.
"Would you like to eat next to the fire tonight?" She asked turning around to look at him. But Rumpelstiltskin was already standing next to her, with an angry look on his face.
"What did you say to me?" He hissed at her.
Belle took a step back, she had never seen Rumpelstiltskin this mad before.
"I asked if you wanted to sit…"
"Oh no, not that. What did you say before that?" He spat at her.
Belle shallow before answering him.
"I…I..I told you that I spent all day polishing the table that you got mud all over on."
"Don't you ever speak to me like that, AGAIN!" He yelled at her. Belle took another step back, shaking and trying to hold her tears back. Never had he yelled at her.
"I was only saying…."
"You are MY MAID! I don't care if you spent all day cleaning the table. It's still dirty! Go get your rags and clean up the mess." He shouted at her.
Belle could not hold back her tears.
"Yes, master.," she said walking past him to get her cleaning supplies.
Rumpelstiltskin was frozen. Belle called him, master. She never called him master before., she was crying. Rumpelstiltskin looked at the hot bowl of soup she had made for him, but he did not have the stomach to eat it. Sadly, he walked over to his spinning wheel.
Belle wipe a few tears from her face. She was starting to get used to being around Rumpelstiltskin and was seeing him more than just her master. She had never seen him that mad. Who knew what would happen if he he would get angrier? Belle did not want to fear for her life. She thought he was different from what everyone said about him. That he was really a man, who was lonely. But Belle guessed she was wrong. He really was a monster.
It did not take long for Belle to come back in, with a bucket full of soapy water and rags. She cleaned the mud off his boots and sat them near the fire to dry, then carried his cloak to the washroom to be cleaned later.
She did not hum or sing like she usually did. A noise that Rumpelstiltskin was getting use too when he would spy on Belle when she was cleaning.
The room was uncomfortable for both of them.
A few tears fell from her eyes as she started to clean the mud off the table.
Rumpelstiltskin wanted to go to her, but held back. He would not even look at her. He was a coward and he did not know what to say to her.
Tap tap tap
Rumpelstiltskin looked over at his window. Belle also looked. Belle watched as he opened the window with a flick of wrist. Snow blew in as a dove flew inside and landed near Rumpelstiltskin.
"Rumpelstiltskin, I bring news from Avonlea.," the dove spoke.
Belle stopped what she was doing to eavesdrop.
"What is it?" Rumpelstiltskin asked the dove.
"All are safe, the ogre war has ended."
"Wonderful," Rumpelstiltskin said as he looked over at Belle ,but she was already out of the room.
He smiled, playfully.
Belle did not care if the weather was cold outside, she was going to leave this place. Deal or no deal she was not going to spend another moment in this castle. Her village was safe now. She wanted to go home and see her father and friends.
Belle ran as fast as she could to the main doors. Once there, she pulled one opened. Snow was blowing in a strong wind. Belle knew if she were to run and get a cloak to wear, Rumpelstiltskin would stop her. She was going to have to risk it. A town had to be nearby and someone would be kind to let her in.
Belle took a deep breath, and stepped outside.
It was warm… too warm.
Belle looked around. She was not outside, but another part of the castle.
"No, no," Belle yelled running out of the room and down a hall.
The hall seem to never end. Belle turned a corner; dead end. She ran back the way she came.
"How do get out!" She yelled to herself. Belle then placed her hands on the wall, thinking it had to be some kind of magic. "There has to be a way out."
Belle walked down the hall, sliding her hand along the wall. "Rumpelstiltskin!" She finally yelled out as she dropped to her knees. "Please Rumpelstiltskin."
A door appeared, out of nowhere.
Belle opened it and walked through. She was back in the main room, where Rumpelstiltskin stood in the middle, waiting, with a Cheshire Cat-like smile across his face.
"Try all you want, sweetheart ,but you can never escape me or this castle. We had a deal, remember? You will stay with me, forever."
Belle covered her face with her hands and cried.
Rumpelstiltskin did not like seeing her cry. He took a small step to comfort her, but stopped.
"You are nothing but a monster," Belle told him, looking up at him.
Rumpelstiltskin smiled. "I am a monster, sweetheart, or did you forget? Leave, go to your room tell you stop that foolish crying." Rumpelstiltskin told her Turing his back to her.
Belle stood up and left for her dungeon room, and fell on her cold, hard bed and crieduntil she fell into a restless sleep.
0O0o0o0o
It had been a few days since the whole Robin Hood deal happened and things in Rumpelstiltskin's castle were changing, slowly.
Belle knew there was good in his heart, he just kept it hidden. But Belle was bring it out of him, one day at a time.
After giving her the library, he had also given her a more comfortable room. Or as he told her, "I don't want my housekeeper getting sick in that damp dungeon."
Rumpelstiltskin had also asked Belle to join him at the table for their meals. Belle was more than happy to. Rumpelstiltskin would talk to her about history and traveling. Belle enjoyed listening to him, wishing that someday, she could visit some of the places he had told her about.
After they ate supper, Rumpelstiltskin would sit at his wheel as Belle sat on her chaise, reading.
000
"You have it!" Belle squealed one day, making Rumpelstiltskin jump, dropping his potion.
"Have what, sweetheart?" He asked picking it up and looking it over for no cracks.
"King Arthur. It's one of my favorite stories. My mother read it to me when I was just a small girl." Belle hugged the book to her chest.
"Never read it."
Belle's eyes went wide. "You never had? You are missing out on such a wonderful tale."
Both were silent for a moment.
"If you would like, I could read it to you after supper?" Belle blushed when she asked him.
"I would like that very much." Rumpelstiltskin told her.
Belle gave him a bright smile. "Until then, Rumpelstiltskin." Belle said as she left him.
Rumpelstiltskin could not hide the smile off of his face and he knew Belle saw it. He then looked down at the potion he carried and realized that he forgot what he was doing with it.
A/N: Thanks for reading!
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