Transformation
A/N: Okay so this fic came to me after reading a fic called Danse Macabre by Rumbella of . It was a great fic and you should totally read it! It's not complete, but I'm sure they will update when they are able to.
This is definitely AU. No doubt. I also recently saw Frozen and kinda got a few ideas there. It basically starts out with child!Belle and Rumple and they meet and have a friendship, until time tears them apart. I hope you enjoy. Any reviews would be greatly appreciated.
Chapter one
Belle woke with a start. She sat bolt upright in her small bed and got up and ran to the window. A fresh blanket of snow covered the land. She couldn't hide her excitement. The girl loved it when it snowed. She didn't especially like summer because where her castle was located, the temperatures got very hot. She rushed to her dresser and pulled out a brush and haphazardly ran it through her chestnut curls. Her hair was typically wild in the morning. She went to her closet and pulled out one of her favorite dresses, a plain sky blue with a white blouse underneath and some brown furry boots. She found her cloak and rushed downstairs. Her father was the lord of the land and was very busy, especially with the ogre wars. They just won a brutal war, but it was won with help from other lands. The ogres would soon come back in seek of revenge.
She tied the cloak around her and went out one of the main doors. One of the guards saw her and stopped her.
"Where are you headed, milady?" he asked in a mildly amused tone.
"Out to the woods to play in the snow, sir," the girl replied politely.
"Be mindful of the cold and remember to look out for ogres," the guard warned. Belle nodded understandingly before whisking around and trudging through the calf-deep snow. The day was a sunny but bitterly cold one. She tightened her cloak and walked faster toward the sheltering trees of the woods. She entered the woods and was relieved. The cold was less brutal and the wind was broken by the leaves of the thick evergreens. She walked further into the woods and wondered how so much snow got into the woods through the needles of the pines protecting it. The snow was ankle-deep now. In that moment, Belle was very grateful of her fur boots. She had received them for her seventh birthday three months ago.
Belle kept onward, delving deeper into the thick woods. She was stepping over an overturned log when she heard a low snarl. She stepped onto the log and looked around. She saw a blur of gray and realized exactly what was lurking amidst the trees. The small beast revealed itself and snarled at her, lips drawn back to reveal a set of razor-sharp teeth. Fear found its way into the girl and her heart began racing. The wolf gave a howl and three others appeared by its side. Belle knew the creatures would outrun her, but she also knew they would surely jump atop her if she stayed there upon the log. She did all she could think of. She crouched slowly as to not spook the wolves and curled into a ball, hands on the back of her neck. One of the wolves gave a small yelp of triumph. Belle squeezed her eyes as she heard the animals close in on her. She felt one of the wolves' breath hot on her hands.
Suddenly, she heard the distinctive sound of an arrow being fired from a crossbow and heard one of the wolves yelp and fall. Belle uncovered her head and peered up. She couldn't see much around her hair, which had gotten undone from its braid sometime earlier when she was running. Another shot, another wolf fallen. One last shot, and the last wolf fell. Belle still trembled in her little ball. She heard light footsteps and heard a small voice.
"You're okay, you can come out," it said. It had a strange accent, the voice. The speaker was not of her land. She tentatively uncurled and sat on the log and faced the speaker. It was a human boy, maybe a year or so older than herself. He had longer-than-average dirty blond hair that came to his shoulder and bangs that stopped just over his brown eyes. He was a skinny thing, skinnier than Belle. She could see each of his ribs through his clothing and his cheekbones stuck out from his tanned face.
"Thank you," Belle said gratefully. The boy had saved her life. He gave a dismissive wave.
"No matter," he said in his strange voice.
"What is your name?" Belle asked. The boy cleared a spot in the snow and sat, just across from the log.
"What's yours?" he challenged. Belle cocked an eyebrow.
"I asked first," she objected. The boy gave a tiny scoff; so tiny Belle was only half sure that he actually scoffed.
"Okay then. Rumpelstiltskin." He faintly rolled his "r". Belle assumed that had something to do with the strange accent the boy possessed. Belle couldn't help the small laugh that escaped her lips.
"Rumble-hill-fin?" she asked with a grin. The boy shook his head patiently.
"No, no. Rump-ell-stilt-skin," he corrected. Belle tried the name out silently before saying it aloud.
"Rumple-stilt-skin?" she asked, more confidently this time. The boy gave a shy smile.
"Yep, that's it. What is yours?" he asked.
"Belle. Belle French," she said.
"Belle. That's pretty. I wish my name was pretty," he said with a bowed head.
"You name is not ugly," she said firmly, "just different." The boy looked up at her.
"Really? It's not? Most people laugh at my name or think I'm not serious when I tell it," he said.
"They just have no imagination. It's unique and I like it. 'Belle' is boring. Only one syllable. Yours has four!" she said. Rumpelstiltskin cocked his head.
"Syllables?" he asked. Belle's eyes widened.
"Surely you know what a syllable is," she said in disbelief. Rumpelstiltskin shook his head slowly.
"Afraid I don't," he said. Belle was shocked.
"Don't you read?" she asked. He shook his head yet again.
"No. Never learned," he said. An idea found Belle's mind.
"I could teach you!" she said with excitement.
"Really?" he asked. Belle nodded.
"You could ask your mama or papa if you could come to my castle so I can teach you. Surely, they'd like their son to grow up a reader," Belle said. Something triggered her new friend. He lowered his head and sadness clouded his eyes. Belle instantly felt bad, even though she was unsure of what she had done to upset the boy.
"I- I'm sorry," she said. Rumpelstiltskin shook his head.
"No, no. It's just that I don't have any parents. My mama died years ago and my papa cast me out. He said he was never meant to be a father," the boy said sadly. Belle got off the log and sat by him and put a hand on his arm. He tensed under her touch and Belle wondered if he had never been comforted.
"You can come live with me at my father's castle. There's plenty of room and I'm sure my father would allow it," Belle offered. Rumpelstiltskin brushed her hand off his arm and shook his head. .
"I've lived out here in these woods for almost a year. I'll be okay," he said. Belle frowned.
"But it's so cold and you have so little clothing," Belle pointed out. The boy was in a tight, thin shirt and baggy, holey pants. His shoes were leather and had holes in the soles. His shirt thankfully had long sleeves, but it was still nothing compared to the land's brutal winters.
"I've survived this long," the boy pointed out. Belle was surprised at how much older his speech was than his body. His eyes too. He had the eyes of an old traveler who had no home. Maybe that's what he was; a lone traveler with no home.
"Really, Belle, I'll be fine. I'm sure you have other worries. Balls and banquets to attend to," he said.
"I don't live in a kingdom. My father is a lord, not a king. I am not a princess," Belle said. Rumpelstiltskin looked mildly surprised.
"You look like one," he said matter-of-factly. Belle felt herself blush.
"You think? I'm certainly not near as fancy and proper," she pointed out.
"You're pretty enough," Rumpelstiltskin said.
"Please," Belle said dismissively. He shrugged. Belle glanced at his crossbow.
"Where did you get your bow?" she asked. Rumpelstiltskin picked up the small bow. It was made of quality wood and looked to be handcrafted.
"I, uh, sort of stole it," Rumpelstiltskin admitted. Belle's eyes widened.
"You stole?" she asked with disbelief. He nodded slowly.
"From my father, the one who sent me away," he said.
"Why did your father send you away, Rumpelstiltskin?" Belle asked cautiously.
"He didn't want me. He didn't think we could be a family. I tried to prove to him I could be a good son, but he didn't listen," he said softly. Belle looked down. This boy was lonely and troubled. He needed a friend. As did she. None of the children in her land liked her all too much. They thought she was different, therefore not worthy of their friendship. They thought it was bad to read a book rather than plan a future that is still ages off.
"We could be friends," Belle said. Rumpelstiltskin looked at her quizzically.
"You need a friend and I need a friend. We could be each other's friends," Belle said. Rumpelstiltskin gave a faint smile.
"I'd like that," he said. Belle grinned widely.
"Good! Would you let me bring you food? You're so thin," she said. Rumpelstiltskin seemed to consider this for a while.
"I suppose you won't stop offering it so sure. Bring the food," he said with exasperation. Belle laughed.
"You're different and I like it. All the kids in my land, all they care about is marrying, having babies, and hunting," she said. Rumpelstiltskin gave a small laugh. The sound was magical to Belle. She succeeded in making a lost soul happy. That was one of her biggest dreams. To make a lost person found.
"Same with my land. They never want to go on adventures or explore. They just want to be ordinary. I don't want to be ordinary. I want people to remember the name 'Rumpelstiltskin' even after I die," he said boldly. Gods, this boy was ambitious. Belle found it interesting. Not many children were this ambitious. It was a good quality. The heroes in Belle's books were often as ambitious. This boy could be a hero. This boy could use his ambition for good.
"I'm sure they will. Anyone who meets you will not soon forget you," Belle said honestly. Rumpelstiltskin grinned. Belle heard a horse in the background. It was surely someone sent to look for her and bring her back to the castle.
"I will bring you the food tonight. Look to the north at the castle. There's a tower facing the woods. There's a window on the top. A light will flash in the window. That will let you know that I am on my way," Belle assured. Rumpelstiltskin nodded.
"Thank you, Belle French," he said. Belle got up and brushed off her dress and looked back at the boy. He was getting up and turning to leave.
"Goodbye, Rumpelstiltskin," she said as he disappeared into the forest.