Disclaimer: All publicly recognizable characters, settings, etc. are the property of their respective owners. The original characters and plot are the property of the author. The author is in no way associated with the owners, creators, or producers of any media franchise. No copyright infringement is intended. This is a work of pure fiction. All characters and events depicted in this story are entirely fictitious. Any similarity to actual events or persons, living or dead, is purely coincidental.

Tags: *Belle/Rumpelstiltskin, *Dark One Rumpel, *Snarky Maid Belle, *Regina/Not so Evil Queen, *Robin Hood, *Tinkerbell, *Prince Charming/David Nolan, *Snow White/Mary Margaret Blanchard, *Cinderella/Ashley Boyd, *Valentine's Day, *So much fluff it'll make you reach for the Pepto, *Valentine's Day Ball, *TLK, *Magic, *More fluff, *A wee tiny bit of angst

Rating: M(ffnet)/E(AO3)

Pairing(s): Rumbelle

Summary: Though Regina has found love again, and changed for the better, she is still full of mischief. If Rumpelstiltskin can woo a lady into joining him at her Valentine's Ball, Regina will share a spell with him to grant his fondest wish to find his son. He didn't count on True Love's Kiss to be the catalyst to the spell, however. Whatever choice he makes, it's sure to not be what he was expecting.

A/N: Sweet, unexpected little plot bunnies just won't leave me alone. With the anniversary of 'Skin Deep' and Valentine's day coming up, I thought this was would be appropriate to celebrate. Hope you all enjoy and thanks so much for reading! Another re-posting. Don't fret, I have smth new in the works :D

The Queen's Masquerade

By:

CharlotteAshmore

I

***Flirting with the Dark One***

"Check."

Rumpelstiltskin shook himself inwardly as his gaze snapped away from her twinkling eyes and back to the chessboard between them. "You're cheating, dearie," he drawled, his overlarge amber orbs narrowing as they lifted to meet hers once more.

Belle arched a brow at him and sank deeper into the scattered cushions supporting her on the hearth rug. "I would never, Rumpelstiltskin, as well you know," she admonished. She peeked at him from beneath her long lashes where he sat cross-legged and seemingly at ease across from her. She wasn't above a little flirting with her master, however. There was just something so appealing about the flustered state he seemed to fall into when she softened her tone and held his gaze. Hellfire! She could send him into full-blown stammering befuddlement with a brush of her fingers. Her tongue caught between her teeth in contemplation, as she wondered what he'd do if she tried to kiss him.

She could hear her nursemaid scolding her in the back of her mind. The woman would probably think her young charge wanton for wanting her master so desperately. Well, she was neither naïve nor an innocent young miss fresh from the schoolroom. Even when she'd been in the schoolroom, she'd been well-read and intelligent, and now she wanted to put her knowledge to practical use. Her papa and former betrothed would be horrified to know she harbored such thoughts about her master, but Rumpelstiltskin appealed to her on every level. He was worldly and sophisticated, yet playful with a dark edge to his humor. And though he tried to hide it, she knew he appreciated her wit and intelligence as much as she did his. They were well matched. If only she could get him to see it, too.

Belle suspected most of his standoffish nature stemmed from so many years of loneliness. He'd forgotten what it was like to have a friend. Then again, she didn't know what his life had been like before becoming the Dark One. If she could only get him to open up and let her in. He thought himself unlovable and she would jump at the chance to show him otherwise. No one could have been more surprised than she when she had found herself attracted to her master. Coming to live with him in the Dark Castle, she'd feared he would be cruel and heartless – much like the stories she'd heard of him since her childhood – but she couldn't have been more wrong. Granted, he wasn't one to be trifled with, as those who dealt with him would be the first to point out, but with her … she shivered. With her there was potential for love and she wasn't ready to give up on that for anything.

The sorcerer scowled down at the board and quickly maneuvered his king away from her black queen. "You're trying to distract me," he insisted as she leaned over the board to set her bishop into position, giving him a clear view of the valley between her breasts. Tiny beads of perspiration popped out on his brow as he swallowed thickly. His tongue darted out to wet his dry lips, his skin prickling with sensations he hadn't experienced in too many years to count before she'd come to live with him.

Again, her eyes twinkled with humor as her lashes fluttered innocently. "I am not cheating, master," she returned, her tongue lingering over a title he'd never forced her to use. "You just don't want to admit to my skill at the game."

He snorted. Were her pupils just a bit wider than they'd been a moment ago, he mused. His eyes narrowed on her, looking for other signs he was sure he was imagining. "No, I have no doubt as to your skill, m'dear. It is the unmistakable charms at your disposal … and your use of them to win our wager," he chuckled darkly, pointing one long finger in her direction.

"Pfft," she scoffed with a laugh. "I do not have to cheat, nor use my 'charms' to beat you at chess, oh mighty Dark One."

"Cheeky wench," he chided. He frowned down at the board once more as he noticed she'd checked his king … again! Ugh!

"Posturing poof," she countered.

Rumpelstiltskin gaped at her and moved his king to relative safety. "What did you call me?!"

Belle bit back a giggle at his outraged indignation, and tilted her head to the side, giving him a look at her slender neck which had his fingers fidgeting at his side. She moved her queen and grinned at him triumphantly. "Checkmate."

"The devil you say!"

Indeed, his king was trapped between her queen and bishop with no clear passage to safety. "'Fraid so, master. Which means I've won a free day," she chirped, clapping her hands with glee.

"Bah!" he growled. "Best two out of three?"

Belle shook her head slowly. "No."

"Why not?" he asked, disappointment evident in his voice as he banished the chessboard back to its place in the cupboard. She was a challenging opponent, and if he liked to give her little gifts as incentives to play with him, all the better. He wasn't above a bit of bribery. "Are my wagers not to your liking?"

"They are very much to my liking, master," she purred, inching closer to him without trying to be obvious about it. "But I would like you to wager different things from time to time."

His heart slammed into his chest wall, battering against his ribs as her hip brushed his knee, and he could feel the heat radiating from her warm body. His gaze dropped to her petal soft lips as his own parted infinitesimally. "Like what?" he asked. What was wrong with his voice?! That breathy tone surely hadn't come from him.

A pretty pink blush rose in her cheeks as she averted her gaze, her fingers tracing the mottled skin on the back of his hand. Oh, gods! She's touching me. Why is she touching me? I can't fucking breathe! "I think tomorrow when we play, if I win …"

"Yes?" he asked, trying to be casual and failing miserably. He did not need her to catch on to his little infatuation with her.

"If I win, I want to be permitted to spend the day with you in your tower."

"Why?" he asked, snapping out of the haze of pleasure she'd woven around him. He arched a brow. "Trying to learn the monster's secrets?"

Her delicately formed little fingers rose to tease the hair which had fallen over his brow to shadow his features, and he stopped breathing, stunned once more by her touch. He could swear his bones were melting. Not a good look for the nefarious Dark One.

"You're no monster, Rumpelstiltskin." Her breath was sweet as it fanned over his lips, and he shivered, his body tightening with desire as he watched her through heavily-lidded eyes. "I simply want to see what you do. You never allow me in your tower and I get lonely without you sometimes. I enjoy your company."

Rumpelstiltskin whimpered slightly as her fingers carded into his hair, her all-knowing gaze seeming to look into his soul as he moved forward to close the distance between them. He was lost, mesmerized by her sweet smile, her warmth, and her touch. The rolled parchment bounced sharply off the end of his nose to land in Belle's lap. What in seven hells?! He jerked away from her, his hands fluttering nervously as he reached for it, wondering whether he should curse the interruption or be thankful for it. He'd almost kissed her! What game could she possibly be playing? Yet when he looked up at her, he couldn't mistake the disappointment in her eyes.

He could taste the queen's magic in the air as he focused his attention on the scroll. "What is that?" Belle asked, her fingers fidgeting with a small stain on her apron.

"I don't know," he replied, sliding the gaudy pink ribbon off and tossing it aside. Pink? "It's a summons. The queen wishes to see me."

His little maid's shoulders slumped. "Must you go now?"

No, he was certain he could put her majesty off for a few days at least, but putting some distance between himself and Belle wasn't exactly a bad idea. "Yes, it would be best to see what she wants. Her temper is amusing, but it is usually accompanied by the burning of villages and instilling fear in the populace."

Belle rolled her eyes. "Yes, and we wouldn't want that." She slowly climbed to her feet and smoothed her skirts. "Master, if you wish … when you return … " she stammered. "Will you perhaps come to spin in the library? I could read to you."

The Dark One leaned closer, peering into her wide eyes as he tried to discern her motives for wanting him in her private sanctuary. Yes, he kept a spinning wheel there, but he hardly ever used it. Or he hadn't before she'd begun inviting him once or twice a week to join her in the evenings. Though he wouldn't admit it to himself – much less to his worrisome little maid – he enjoyed those quiet evenings with her. "Perhaps," he finally answered, swallowing around the lump of emotion clogging his parched throat. "If it's not too late."

She smiled sweetly over her shoulder as she turned to leave the Great Hall. "I'll wait for you … master."

It took him a full five minutes to snap out of the – dare he say it? happy – daze Belle had left him in. He couldn't visit the queen like this! He concentrated on his – as yet fruitless – quest to reunite with his son, and felt the darkness of his failure batter at his heart. Now he was ready for whatever Regina had in store for him.

A/N: So, did you like the first part? Reviews would be amazingly lovely. I will be posting a chapter every day as this is another repost :D Hope you all enjoyed it, and thanks so much for reading!