Belle is four and her mother is dying. There is nothing to be done, they say, some sicknesses cannot be cured, they say. The final comment thought, is what causes her to truly listen. "The Spinner could cure, it, for a price." The old washer woman says.
Three hours and many books and a rather nervous assistant accountant, he did most of the reading, later, and Belle knows the Spinners name. She gets the assistant accountant to fetch her a single gold coin, and then makes her way determinedly to the side courtyard, where the well is.
With a deep breath she tosses it in. "Rumpelstiltskin, Rumpelstiltskin, Rumpelstiltskin" She chants. She waits, and waits, and when it feels like all her efforts and hopes were for naught, he comes.
"Hello dearie." Says Rumpelstiltskin.
"Hello, can you save my Mama?" She asks, hoping that the quaver in her voice isn't obvious.
"I can," he says, "for a price."
"Name it." Belle replies, lifting her chin defiantly and hoping she sounds a good deal braver than she feels.
He smiles.
She is twelve when her father announces her betrothal to Gaston. Gaston. Gaston the dullard. Gaston who every other girl of her acquaintance seems to think is a fine specimen of boy, and whom she would rather have her fingernails ripped out than be forced into the company of, and her father has betrothed her to him! She'd even told him how awful the boy was. Just the other day the stupid boy had dumped one of her favorite books in a mud puddle, telling her that girls oughtn't read.
In her fury at the utter insult of it all, she stamps her foot and shouts; "I won't marry him Papa you can't make me! I'd, I'd rather…" she pauses a moment t to think of something truly objectionable that she'd rather do than marry Gaston, her mind wanders to the cook, who had been mumbling about the Spinner, Rumpelstiltskin…"I'd rather marry Rumpelstiltskin!"
"Would you really dearie," asks an odd, chirpy voice from behind her.
Her father goes very pale and then grey, as he looks over her shoulder.
Belle turns, taking in the…man…creature standing in her father's office. His skin is greenish grey, and where the torch light touches it, flecked with gold. His hair curls and falls softly to the collar of a rather fearsome looking dragon skin coat. He giggles at her, wiggling his fingers.
Belle blinks. "Well, it really depends on your opinion on women reading…"
Belle is seventeen when she goes to visit Emperor for Life George's court. As he has no particular need for anything at all, save heirs, he has invited every eligible maid to his castle in order to find a bride, to replace his wife who had died, childless.
She does not know why he picked her of all women present. But she's wondering if the edge of the world is far enough to run. The man is old, which in itself doesn't bother her, but he's just so cold; that and he controls the Dark One. No one knows how, but the imp is never far from his Masters side.
George looks through her, even as he propose, and all she can do as she stands there, feeling numb, is stare into the odd eyes of the Dark One. Oddly large eyes that almost seem to pity her; as well they should, soon she will be his companion in captivity to the ice hearted man.
Belle doesn't know how old she is; only that 'quite young' seems to be an appropriate estimate.
She has been in Neverland for ages is seems. Forever ago, or yesterday, who can tell, Peter and Wendy had left, with some lost boys and both of them had begun growing up. Finally ready. Before leaving Pan had gathered those that wanted to stay and held out his sword, hilt first. Up and down he gone through the line-up, until finally he paused in front of Belle. Slowly, he extended the sword to her. She clasped it and a huge wild grin spilt her face. Even as Peter and Wendy and the boys faded from sight, Belle raised the sword over head, giving an ecstatic crow.
Now though, she has begun seeking adventures elsewhere than Neverland, which has begun seeming rather…dull…of late.
So hear she is, sneaking into a place that she has only heard of in whispers. Even the stars didn't want her coming in here, but she couldn't help it. She had always been curious, even in the before Neverland time, and becoming the new Pan had not help any.
So here she was, sneaking about in a rather dusty great hall, idly running her fingers over the spinning wheel there, the only non dusty item in the room.
"What are you doing?" Asks a harsh voice from behind her.
Startled, Belle hops into the air, crashing into the ceiling in her fright. No one can sneak up on her, she's Belle! Yet the strange looking man obviously has.
After rubbing her newly bumped head, she float nearer to the man, who seems just as startled as she is, though she supposes that most children can't fly so that may be why. Most children would not be breaking into the Dark One's castle either.
"My names Belle. I was bored, and this place looked interesting, but it's really just a big collection of dust isn't it?'
Her diplomacy and tact had also fled out the window upon becoming the Pan.
The Dark One glares at her, Belle smiles blithely back.
It's only later, months and months later, that the pair will look back and Rumpelstiltskin will see that his heart grew a tiny touch lighter, in this moment, and Belle will find that she grew-up, just a tiny bit at the same time.