Gaston had told her many things before she had fled.

From the very beginning of their courtship, he had spoken of forever. They would be together forever, living and loving in his palace by the sea. He would keep her safe, and they would have many children— strapping boys, like him. The love he spoke of appealed to her at first, but Belle was a practical girl. She knew that the kind of love he desired only existed in fairytales. Gaston was deluded to think otherwise, but who was she to deny him such fantasies when he was the only lord in the land who expressed interest in her.

In the beginning, it had been simple, easy, even, to play along with his delusions of forever. Gaston's smooth words and little kindnesses had been enough to ease away the [guilt] in Belle's mind as she worked to deceive him of her affections. But as time progressed, she realized that he would be unhappy with anything less than the perfection in his dreams. Any deviance from his set path resulted in fits of rage, where the well-bred man would dissolve into a creature of aggression and obsession. Gaston had made it quite clear that if anything that interfered with the destiny he was determined to have, Belle would be the one to suffer the consequences. There was a patchwork of bruises on her arms to prove that.

But when he had proposed, Belle knew she could not say no, regardless of how revolting or dangerous the man had revealed himself to be. Marriage, even to him, was the only way to prevent her from becoming a burden in her father's household. Thus she found herself tethered to a violent, possessed man who was determined to own her, body and soul.

Belle considered herself a coward for her actions, and now she suffered the consequences. How she wished it had not been so.

XXX

The carriage that now carried her from her home to the chapel was like a hearse; hot and stuffy, filled to capacity with maids and gossipy, cheerful women. Belle struggled to breathe as the carriage jolted down the rough roads of the kingdom. Her corset was pulled tight, digging into her sides, and each gasp for air brought her only temporary relief. Dread coursed through her veins as they drew closer to their destination. She clutched at her chest, certain that her heart was dying inside of her.

So perhaps it was the heat, the lack of air, or the pure sense of dread that finally broke through her fear and drove her to run away from her soon to be husband.

The women had tried to stop her as she lunged from the carriage, throwing herself into the muck and dirt on the side of the road. She had lost her uncomfortable slippers moments after exiting the cart, and bolted into the woods without looking back. Her companions called for her to return, told her that her husband was waiting for her, but their cries made her run all the faster.

Belle would not be a burden to her father, but marriage to this cruel, deluded man was not in the future she wanted. Belle laughed as she fled out of sight of the carriage, knowing that this was the first brave thing she had ever done. From here on, she would make her own destiny.

Her white wedding gown was soon ripped into shreds by the briar bushes she passed, the fabric stained brown with dirt and dust. The soles of her feet were black and sore, and mud coated her legs up to her calves. She paused in her flight only for a moment to rip her corset from her body, drinking in the air greedily as the threads snapped and set her free.

Belle flew, seeking out the one man that rumors said could keep her from ever being found by those whom she fled. This would be her second brave act, the one that changed her fate forever. This was her decision, her destiny. Her choice.

It was in this manner that she finally arrived at her sanctuary; the Dark Castle.

Belle collapsed beside the lake, laying her head down in the cool, dewy grass that surrounded it. Her breathes came in desperate gasps as she struggled to control herself, bringing her mind up to speed with her body.

The soft moss beneath her became her bed, and she rested, closing her eyes and drifting into an exhausted slumber.

XXX

The night was dark, slowly steeping in silence. Dark clouds brewed across the waters of the still lake, obscuring the infamous castle from view.

The castle's keeper was perched on one of the rocks, peering into the depths of the lake. His dragon scales glittered in the dimming moonlight; his blackened nails spun circles in the crystal clear waters.

Belle awoke to find him perched over her, gazing at her as though she was a particularly curious specimen he wanted to dissect.

She jolted back with a muffled scream, and he glowered at her, huffing in disappointment as she struggled to compose herself.

As quickly as she could she explained her situation to the castle keeper. All the while she kept her gaze on his eyes, maintaining his gaze even while he sneered at the stories of her fiancé. He snarled like a cat when she showed him her bruises, but she maintained her composure. She would be brave from now on. The reptilian magician would not frighten her.

If anyone could keep her safe, he could.

The magician paused to consider Belle's situation, cool calculation in his beady eyes. She stared back at him, unflinching, with only a hint of desperation in her doe-like eyes. He thrived on the desperation of others, but this one—this one was different. There was a determination in her that he liked, one that he decided to keep.

At last, he told her he would keep her safe from her fiancé.

But only for a price.

Belle agreed, caution thrown to the wind as relief broke into her pretty blue eyes. She stared up at her savior, gratefulness echoed in every line of her being. He guffawed for a moment, knowing that the admiration of this gem would last not a moment longer.

With a wave of his hand and a toothy grin, the magician transformed the run away bride into a beautiful swan. Her white dress melded seamlessly into light, downy feathers, and her brown locks were bleached into a perfect white head. A black strip of feathers surrounded her bright blue eyes, and they gleamed out at the magician in the darkness.

She called out to him, her heartbroken voice ringing of betrayal. The magician cackled and told her that this was the price she would pay; in order to remain under his protection, she would be a swan by day and a woman by night, and would remain at his lake for all eternity.

Belle cried out miserably, but it was too late to undo what had been done. She flew to the lake and settled in the water, just as the sun made its way above the horizon. Her lone call echoed into the distance as she cried her sadness to the waking world.

The magician gazed at her for a while, seeing the sun reflecting off of his lake and onto his new prize. He grinned manically.

The lovely lady should've known better than to make a deal with the notorious Rumpelstiltskin.

A/N So after watching the play 'Swan Lake' for the first time, this little story blew its way into my mind and wouldn't leave me alone. Hope you all enjoy it! Keeping with the theme of the play, however...there's no dialogue. It's very difficult to keep myself from writing the dialogue between the characters, but I'm giving it a shot. Let me know what you think!

~Ches