Belle's sister naiads thought she had lost her mind.
Maybe she had, but none of them had come up with a better solution. Their streams were drying up and the drought showed no sign of ending. She knew that if they didn't find help somewhere, they would all lose their home and likely perish. Humans, though they still occasionally made offerings to the water nymphs, mostly ignored them. And even if they could be convinced to help (and naiads were among the more persuasive nymphs), what could they do? If the naiads' own magic had failed them, what could mere mortals add?
Belle knew that calling on the Dark One was the only choice left.
So she did, sending the other naiads downstream, saying she would deal with him on her own. The others hurried off without needing much prompting. Even they had heard the frightening tales of the most powerful sorcerer in the realm. But Belle wouldn't let those stories stop her from trying to save her stream and her naiads.
He didn't keep her waiting long. Within hours of sending the call, he appeared on the rapidly drying shore. Belle was beneath the water, of course, but she could see him plainly. He wore dragonskin clothes and an expression that fairly oozed with confidence and swagger, which seemed at odds with his short stature and overall impish appearance. Though she was wary, she couldn't help but be fascinated by him.
"You called, dearie?" he trilled over the water.
Slowly, Belle's head broke the surface. "The Dark One, I presume?" she said softly.
He gave an exaggerated bow, grinning at her. "Rumplestiltskin," he replied as he straightened.
"My name is Belle, and I need your help."
Rumplestiltskin tapped his cheek with a finger. "Lots of people ask for my help. I'm sure you know I do nothing for free. All magic comes with a price, after all."
She had expected this, and knew his price would undoubtedly be high. But he was the last hope she had. She merely nodded and explained, "The drought is drying up all our streams. We can't stop it, no matter what we tried. You're said to be more powerful than any magic user in the land. If that's true, surely you can stop our waters from disappearing."
The Dark One stroked his chin. "I can see how that would be a problem for a bunch of bubbly water spirits." Belle wrinkled her nose at him, but he continued. "I think we can come up with a deal. I'll save your little puddles, and all your little friends can go on living happily. My price is you."
Belle's mouth dropped open. "Me?" She hadn't had the faintest clue what he would want in exchange for his magic, but never would she have dreamed he would ask for her!
"Oh yes, dearie!" Rumplestiltskin replied with a flourish. "I've never had the occasion to study your kind before, your special brand of magic, and I've been meaning to for some time. So, you come out of that little pond of yours and accompany me to my castle where I can learn what I want to learn, and the damage from the drought will be mended."
Leave her home? Go with him? What did he mean, he wanted to study her? All these questions and more ran through Belle's mind as she stared at him, not quite able to form a response.
"Oh, don't look that petrified," he said. "I want to study your magic, not dissect you." The slight giggle that followed the pronouncement was not comforting.
All the same, Belle knew she only had one choice. "I go with you, and the streams will be back as they should be? My sisters will be safe?"
Rumplestiltskin gave another bow, not as flamboyant though still not quite sincere, but she believed him when he told her, "You have my word."
Taking a deep breath to steel herself, Belle clothed herself in a simple dress with a bit of magic, and moved to join him on the shore. "Then you have mine," she said softly.
The imp let out a delighted giggle. "Then the deal is struck!" Belle looked away from him for a last glimpse of her home. Rumplestiltskin snapped his fingers, and she saw the water already beginning to rise when he took her by the waist and she was enveloped in a magical purple cloud.
They appeared in a vast hall dominated by a large table and fairly teeming with strange objects. But Belle was given no time to look around, for almost immediately, Rumplestiltskin had his hands on her shoulders and turned her to face him. She looked at him, but he didn't say anything for a moment, merely looked her up and down a few times.
"Well you look human enough," he said bluntly, releasing his hold on her and moving to the chair at the head of the table.
Belle let out a breath through her nose. She did not follow him.
"How much of that is you? Do you look human all the time?" He sat in the chair and steepled his fingers, his eyes fixed upon her.
This was going to be a long day, Belle thought. "Mostly," she replied. "My magic is subduing the way I would look were I not, er, clothed."
The Dark One raised his eyebrows. "The clothes make you appear more human?"
Belle's face, already a bit pink, darkened. "The clothes are part of the human illusion. I can have clothes on and still look like myself, but it requires a bit more concentration than just appearing as a clothed human."
Rumplestiltskin nodded. "How long can you survive out of the water?"
Grateful for the change of subject, Belle said, "A day, perhaps two. Each naiad is different, of course. Weaker naiads can only last a few hours before they start to dry out. I knew of one who could survive for three full days before she had to return to the water." Suddenly, Belle was wondering if he was going to keep her out of water until she dried up, just to see how long she could last.
As though he could see the thought forming in her mind, Rumplestiltskin waved a hand. "Don't worry, dearie," he said. "I'm not going to hang you up to dry. I only torture those who have it coming." One of those impish giggles followed the statement, and Belle could only shake her head.
More questions followed, seemingly unconnected, though of course all about her magic and how she lived. He flitted from one subject to another with no apparent end goal in sight. She'd eventually given in and taken a seat, with a few empty chairs between them as a buffer.
Running a hand over her head as she considered how to answer his latest query, she realized she had been in the open air long enough for her hair to dry. That hadn't happened in some time, and she lost her train of thought for a moment as she ran her fingers through the silky tresses.
The Dark One might have interrupted and tried to get her back on track, but he couldn't help but notice how lovely she was. He blinked and shook his head, angry at himself for falling under her spell. He'd never been enticed by a naiad, and he'd thought he would be immune to their charms. Clearly, he needed to watch his step with this one.
"Well," he said sharply, drawing Belle back into the conversation, "Perhaps it's time I show you to your room."
"Room?" Belle echoed. Rooms were for humans, creatures of the dry world. She didn't need a room, she needed water. "I hope it has a large bathtub," she said with a touch of sarcasm.
Again, that giggle. "You could say that, dearie." He rose smoothly and gestured for her to follow. Reluctantly, she did, again wondering what in the world she had gotten herself into.
Through the labyrinth of halls that made up his castle, Rumplestiltskin led Belle to an unassuming wooden door. "Here we are!"
Belle narrowed her eyes suspiciously, wondering what unpleasantness awaited her beyond that plain door. She opened the door with caution, and then her eyes opened in astonishment.
Behind the door was not just a room, but some great magical working that replicated the bottom of a river. And the magic didn't stop there, for it was fully submerged in real water. There seemed to be an invisible barrier in the threshold that kept the water from rushing out through the open door. Tentatively, Belle touched the barrier, and her fingers passed into the water with ease. Delighted, she threw herself headlong into the room. Forgetting where she was and who watched her, she assumed her natural form and swam through the water.
Rumplestiltskin observed her with interest. She was moving, but he could see that she had changed She still appeared human, mostly, thought she was more graceful in the water than any mortal could pull off. Other than that he couldn't make out much, other than what appeared to be a kind of glow shimmering on her skin. When she twirled past the door on one of her passes, he spotted the gills on her neck and nodded.
She cavorted for several minutes before coming back to the threshold and floating in the water in front of him. He stood with his arms crossed, a smirk on his face. "Big enough bathtub?"
Belle clasped her hands and sighed, turning a lazy back flip. "It's lovely." She faced him again and he noted that her eyes, a plain if lovely blue when he had looked at her before, were now silver. Interesting, he thought.
She was smiling at him as she said, "This is more than I hoped for. Thank you."
Rumplestiltskin waved a hand, looking away from those bright eyes. "No matter. If I'm to study you, you should have something that resembles your natural habitat. Now, I have matters to attend. Stay in your room if you wish, but if you choose to explore, know that any locked doors are best left alone." With that cryptic message, he vanished in a cloud of purple smoke.
And so the first few days passed, with Belle spending her time in her room. Rumplestiltskin was in and out of the castle frequently, off making deals with other desperate souls like her. He would come back from his deals and interrogate her some more, about magic, about her gills, about her powers of seduction. That conversation was almost unbearable for her. Of course as a naiad she had all those abilities, though she had used them very rarely, and only in dire situations. It had seemed at first that the topic made the Dark One uncomfortable too, although when he saw her blush he seemed amused enough to overcome any difficulties on his own part.
When he was leaving after their discussion on the end of the fourth day, she finally asked him, "Why do you want to study me?"
He didn't stop as he said over his shoulder, "Knowledge is power, dearie!"
The day after that, he was off dealing, and Belle's curiosity got the better of her. She left her room, clothed herself, and ventured out into the castle.
The only room she remembered was the great hall where they had arrived her first day here, and she honestly couldn't remember how to get there. So, Belle just picked a direction and wandered.
The rooms she could enter were sometimes dull, bedrooms and washrooms and closets. Some were stuffed to the rafters with strange objects she couldn't begin to name. And, as Rumplestiltskin had said that first day, some doors were locked. These of course made her even more curious, but she managed to pass them by without trying her luck.
The room at the top of a flight of stairs that was full of bottles and odd bits and bobs she couldn't identify must have been a workroom of some kind. She was peering at a bottle of bright green liquid when a voice sounded behind her.
"Dangerous things in this room, you know!"
Belle jumped in surprise and whirled to face him. Rumplestiltskin was inches away from her, grinning with impish glee. "Wouldn't want to turn into a toad, would you?"
The naiad let out a huff and placed a hand on her chest, over her pounding heart. "I was just having a look round. There was no inquisition today, after all."
The Dark One shook his head. "Indeed not, but you still shouldn't wander into a room full of potions and magics that you don't understand." He waggled a finger at her. "That could get you into all sorts of trouble."
Belle couldn't help the slight smile that came to her face at his antics. On impulse, she grabbed his admonishing finger and retorted, "Then why don't you show me around, oh great and powerful one?"
Rumplestiltskin jerked his hand away from her touch, and for a moment she wondered if he was angry. But he merely waved his hands in that odd manner he had, and said, "Let's be off then! The castle awaits!"
After that, Belle started spending more time outside of her room. Rumplestiltskin still asked his questions, but they became more about her personally, rather than strictly about her nature or magical abilities. She wasn't certain, but she almost thought they were becoming friends.
For his part, Rumplestiltskin was still wary about the level of comfort they were slipping into, even as he encouraged it. In the back of his mind was a whisper that this could all be a trap laid by the naiad's wiles. Even so, he couldn't deny how much he enjoyed the time they spent together. Maybe it was all a trick, a complicated spell she was slowly weaving around him. He wasn't sure he cared.
So the weeks passed, and they continued to grow closer.
Belle had told Rumplestiltskin in the early days of her life with him that she didn't need to eat human food, but that she occasionally did just for the enjoyment. The flavors were so varied and exciting, she had said. One evening, the Dark One decided to treat her to a small dinner. In a fit of whimsy, he even enchanted some musical instruments to play softly from the corner of the hall. He knew it was ridiculous, but he couldn't help himself, gods be damned.
He had just magicked the food to the table when Belle entered, and Rumplestiltskin thought his heart might stop. Her gown was simple, but elegant, a fitted bodice and flaring skirt in shimmering gold. Her hair was dry and tumbled over her shoulders in waves of shining chestnut. He honestly couldn't tell if she was trying to appear human or if her true beauty was showing, because she was beyond beautiful. She was extraordinary, exquisite.
And Rumplestiltskin, who always had a quip or a comment, was at a loss for words.
Belle smiled at him and swept a small curtsy. "Hello, Rumple," she said softly.
He cleared his throat and managed, "You look very nice, Belle." He mentally smacked himself. If that wasn't the understatement of the century.
But Belle just kept smiling and thanked him before taking a seat at the table. He joined her, shaking his head slightly as he tried to come to his senses.
They ate together, Belle picking small bites from the different dishes as Rumplestiltskin named them for her, and she grinned with each new taste. Once his initial shock passed, the Dark One was able to converse with her normally again, and the dinner passed in their usual casual comfort.
Some time after he had cleared away the dishes by magic, Belle surprised him when she asked, "Rumple, would you like to dance with me?"
His eyebrows shot up to his hairline, and she giggled. "Well," she added, "You did so thoughtfully provide music."
Damn, so he had. "If you'd like," he replied.
She frowned for half a second at his noncommittal response, but smiled as she said, "I would like it very much."
As they rose, Rumple waved a hand and the table disappeared. Belle stepped closer to him, and he swallowed hard.
When they came together, he took one of her hands in his and the other slid to her lower back in a smooth motion. Before he could over think it, he swept her into an easy waltz.
They danced and danced, gazing into each other's eyes as the world seemed to fall away.
It might have been hours later when Belle leaned into him and gently pressed her lips to his. Rumplestiltskin's feet faltered and they came to a halting stop as she kissed him. He was frozen in shock and couldn't respond for a moment. That tiny voice in the back of his mind, the one that feared she was pulling him into some web, seemed to have disappeared. Whatever her motive might be, Rumplestiltskin knew he was lost. Sliding his hands into her hair, he held her close and returned her kiss.
Belle sighed with happiness and wrapped her arms around his neck, pulling him closer. His lips were warm and his body against hers just seemed right. She didn't know when she had fallen for him, but now that they were here it didn't matter. She gently ran her tongue along his lips and sighed again when he opened his mouth for her, his hands tightening in her hair.
Suddenly, Rumplestiltskin pulled back and stared at her. "Belle," he murmured.
She took his face in her hands and pulled him close again, pressing their foreheads together. "Rumple," she whispered. "I love you."
His eyes opened wide, but he didn't hesitate when he replied, "I love you."
They were engulfed in a cloud of magic, and when it dissipated, Belle flushed with anticipation as she saw that they were in a bedchamber. Rumple stepped back to gaze at her and ran his fingers softly down her cheek. "You are magnificent," he said reverently, pulling her close again to kiss her ardently. She responded with enthusiasm, her hands tight on his shoulders as she nibbled at his lower lip.
He growled low in his throat and slipped his hands over her back, deftly undoing the laces down the back of her bodice. If she wore undergarments, he didn't see them as he pulled the dress from her shoulders and slid it down her hips, for suddenly she was completely naked before him, smiling wickedly. It was she who grabbed him and pulled him back to her, pressing herself to him and fiercely kissing him.
Rumplestiltskin ran his hands over her shoulders and slowly down her back before lightly running his fingers over her buttocks. Belle shivered against him and moved her lips down his neck, her hands grabbing his shirt and pulling it from his pants insistently. The Dark One chuckled softly and moved back a step so she could remove the offending garment. Her hands slid over his bare chest and he closed his eyes, relishing her touch. A shaky breath escaped him when she came to his groin and cupped him through his pants.
Opening her eyes, he saw her grin and pulled her close once more, kissing her while he grabbed her by the back of her thighs and lifted her. She cried out in surprise and clung to him, her hands tangling in his hair. Rumplestiltskin moved to the bed and lowered her onto her back before divesting himself of the rest of his clothes. He stood there for a moment as her gaze slid slowly over him, down and then back to his eyes. She lifted a hand and beckoned, and he went to her, laying his body over hers and meeting her lips with his own.
He murmured her name over and over, his mouth leaving hers and trailing down her neck, over her breasts, and down her stomach. Small gasps escaped Belle's mouth as he traveled lower, laying kisses along her inner thighs and running his tongue over her. When he hit the apex of her legs she cried out and clutched at his hair. He looked up and she stared down at him. His gaze was almost predatory and she felt another rush of heat between her legs. "Rumple," she whimpered, and he surged back up to her and crushed her mouth with his. In a moment he was positioned between her legs, pressing against her. Belle wriggled delightfully beneath him and moaned.
Holding her close, he slipped inside her and they both let out cries of pleasure. It was as if they were meant to be like this, joined together as one. Rumplestiltskin buried his face in her neck, biting down on the tender flesh as his hips moved with hers. Belle's hands clawed at his back and her teeth found his shoulder, and they marked each other, laying their claims.
Belle grabbed Rumple by the hair and pulled his head up so she could look him in the eyes. "Rumple," she moaned his name and he knew he wouldn't last much longer. "Belle," he whispered back, gazing into her eyes that had turned to silver in her passion. He touched his forehead to hers, feeling himself about to come undone, and said, "I love you."
With that he exploded, thrusting himself deep into her and arching back. Belle was crying out loudly under him, her body shaking as she came with him.
He melted back down onto her, his face again buried in her neck, breathing deeply and trembling slightly. After a moment, he felt her hand running over his hair softly. He managed to roll himself off her so they were laying side by side.
Belle followed, rolling with him so she could lean over him. Her eyes were blue again, and they sparkled as she caressed his cheek. "And I love you," she said, pressing a gently kiss to his cheek.
Rumple wrapped his arms around her, holding her close. He didn't know what tomorrow would bring, but with Belle warm against him, he couldn't bring himself to care.