"You don't have to do this." He'd told her that a hundred times and yet her mind remained unchanged.

"And leave you all the glory?" she teased, adjusting one armored glove. "Never." He knew the teasing covered the fear she felt. He could smell it on her, but she was being brave; his brave Belle, but her confidence did nothing to appease his own fear.

He had to admit the armor he'd conjured for her fit perfectly, hugging the precise curves of her form and showing a strength in her body he'd never known she had; but he didn't like the idea of taking her into danger with him.

Still, knowing she was by his side would bring him comfort. Sending her away would just make him worry all the more. What if the Queen found her? What if she was taken captive? What if she was killed or used as a bargaining chip against him? What if, what if, what if… The possibilities were terrifying in their endlessness. No, it was better to keep her here where he could protect her.

The castle was under attack and even now he could hear battle raging behind the closed doors of the dining hall. He'd enchanted the furniture and anything else that was capable of movement to fight for them, to slow down the Queen's men and give them a chance to prepare, but now they were out of time.

Belle must have seen something in his eyes because she reached for his arm, giving it a gentle squeeze, her earlier humor sliding away.

"Come on, it's going to be fine." She pulled her short sword free of its sheath, giving his arm another squeeze. He wanted so badly to believe her. "Let's go protect our home."

Rumpelstiltskin relented, what other choice did he have? and took a deep breath, drawing his magic around him until Belle could feel it crackling on her skin and rippling over her armor. He looked to her and she nodded firmly, her hand working around the sword.

"Now."

The imp threw out his hands and the doors exploded from their hinges in a shattering of gilded wood and dust. In seconds everything in the hall was incinerated leaving the stones scorched in the wake of his magic. The two quickly advanced as more guards swarmed down the hall to fill the empty space Rumpelstiltskin had created. Swords and magics clashed, Belle covering Rumpelstiltskin with steel and he protecting her with his magic. Blood and bone followed them as they fought their way to the Queen. They had to remove the head of the beast. If they could do that the rest would follow, but first they had to get there.

Just as they reached the main doors Rumpelstiltskin felt a cold ripple of magic shatter up his spine, freezing the marrow in his bones and melting his feet to the floor. He knew what had happened even before he saw her, and terror clutched at his heart.

"Belle." He had to warn her, tell her to run, that the Queen- He turned just in time to see Belle glance at him. She'd lowered her guard when he'd stopped and there wasn't time. His eyes widened her horror as the ogre's club came down. He would have given anything at that moment to move, to protect her, but he was bound by the magic of the dagger.

The club struck her in an explosion of blood and bone, strings and mist of it splattering across his face and vest. He could feel teeth settling against his collar bone and something hot and wet slipped done his cheek to slap against the floor. For a moment he didn't know what had happened and her body was still standing, a bloody stump where her head had been just moments before. Then the sword fell from her hand and she collapsed, a mangled mass of twisted flesh and metal, and if it hadn't been for the magic of the dagger keeping him firmly in control, his own magic would have exploded with a vicious fury, leveling everything for miles, with any luck, killing him in the process.

"Oops."

Rumpelstiltskin snarled at the Queen as she marched through the front doors, twirling the dagger in her fingers.

"I'll kill you," he whispered, his words as frozen as his soul.

"I don't think so," she mocked, painted lips pulling over too white teeth as she paraded in front of him like a peacock. "Because you see," She lifted the dagger with the warped blade and panic closed in around Rumpelstiltskin's throat. "You, are mine."