Little Background/Summary: Belle is the disgraced village spinner with her son, Bae (who she found as a baby). Rumplestiltskin is the king of the land.
Rumplestiltskin:
Rumplestiltskin was riding through his lands one late August afternoon. He had taken great care to dress as a commoner; he'd learnt long ago he could never truly see how his kingdom was doing unless he appeared much lower than he was. He had left his advisors, his guard, everyone back at the castle.
He had even brought in his friend, Jefferson, to make any major decisions while he was gone. Jefferson was the result of one of these such trips. Because of the trip he had taken, he had found Jefferson, his greatest friend. Jefferson, in return, was eternally grateful; Rumplestiltskin had saved him and his daughter from starvation.
Rumplestiltskin sighed as he thought about it. There were so many people in his lands he had never seen, people who were starving, being tortured. It was too painful for him to think of, but he knew he must. He didn't want one starving child in his lands, not one abused woman. He wanted his lands to be full of happiness. Of joy.
His people were unaware of what he did. No one ever noticed the stranger that would appear for a few days in certain towns and leave. Days later, certain individuals would receive commissions, donations, gold, anything. It all depended on their needs. He generally kept an eye on the families. Only a few times had the families ever not respected his gift. Those were the families with heavy drinkers, gamblers.
When that was the case, he generally did his best to get the innocent away from the guilty family members.
He was so busy thinking of the past and where to visit next that he didn't notice the snake on the forest floor. His horse sure did. The horse bucked crazily the moment its eyes hit the snake. Rumplestiltskin was pulled from his daydream much too late to be able to do anything. He was thrown violently through the air as his horse broke out in a gallop, getting as far away as he possibly could from the slithering creature.
Rumplestiltskin hit the ground with a groan, but before he could even sit up, he found himself falling once more. He had landed on the side of a cliff.
He was unconscious when he slammed into the ground.
Belle:
"Children, hurry up! We need to get to town before nightfall," Belle lectured her son and daughter as they giggled once more. Bae, her thirteen year old son, had been chasing a butterfly while his three year old sister, Rose, had been mimicking him. At her words, the two stopped and hurried back to their mother. They only halfway home and the sun was sinking fast. Each had an empty basket in their hands. Belle limped alongside of them, cursing her old injury. Her leg always chose the worst moments to act up. Bae, sensing his mother's pain, wrapped his arm around her waist, allowing her to lean on the boy who was already almost as tall as her.
"Mama, Rose is hungry," Bae whispered as the little girl skipped ahead. Belle lowered her head in shame. Of course Rose was hungry. They hadn't had the money to stop and eat earlier. They had little food in their house. They had received less money yet this time than they had the last market day they had travelled to the nearby village. No one wanted to support a woman like her. Her children could get more money begging in the street than Belle could during honest work.
But Belle would never let her children beg. She couldn't. She would never make her children do something like that.
"Mama, Mama! There's a man over there!" Rose cried out, pointing into the woods. Bae's eyes widened and he pulled his Mama towards the woods where Rose was pointing. True to her word, there was a man laying unconscious at the bottom of a large drop-off.
"He must've fallen. Stay here. I'll go get him," Belle ordered. Both of her children stared at her, Rose in curiosity and Bae in unease.
"I'll come with you," Bae said. Belle shook her head.
"Stay here with your sister. I'll call you if I need your help," Belle told the boy. He bit his lip but did as his Mama commanded. Belle hobbled slowly into the dense woods, towards the body that lay crumpled on the ground. The man wasn't moving; Belle was afraid the man was dead and that was the last thing she wanted her children to see. She couldn't afford to rip away any more innocence from them than what had already been ripped away.
She approached the man cautiously, getting down onto her good knee before sitting on the ground next to the body. She moved the cloak aside to see the man's chest rising. She breathed a sigh of relief: he was alive.
She replaced the cloak and noticed his leg was bent at a funny angle. He had broken it. The poor man. She couldn't just leave him in the woods, injured. It was inhumane. If it hadn't been for some kind soul who saved her, four years ago, she may have died in the woods and Rose wouldn't have been born.
"Children, come here. I need help," Belle called softly. Bae and Rose took no time in running through the woods to their mother. Bae nearly tackled her in relief, burying his face into her chest as he sobbed for a moment.
"This man's injured. We need to get him home so we can help him," Belle said softly, running her fingers lightly through her son's tangled hair.
"How can we do that, Mama? We can't carry him," Bae protested, staring up at his mother. Belle stared down at the man, an idea forming. She just prayed the man wouldn't be too mad when he woke up.
"His cloak. We can settle him on it and use a basket to prop up and steady his injured leg and drag the cloak down the road," Belle suggested. Bae's eyes widened.
"But we'll ruin his cloak!" Bae protested. Belle nodded sadly.
"And it is a lovely cloak. However, it's either the cloak or his life," Belle stated.
Her words rang true. It was hard work, dragging the cloak down the road. Rose had fallen asleep long ago and had wrapped her tiny arms around Belle's neck. Belle had only one arm to pull with, and Bae was getting tired as well. They dragged the cloak back all through the night. The sun was starting to rise when they arrived at their small hut on the outskirts of town.
"Bae darling, I know you're tired, but can you go do the chores? As soon as you're finished you can sleep as long as you want," Belle begged. Bae nodded and dutifully went out to do the chores. Belle hated to ask him to do such a thing, but she had to take care of the man and then get started on a day's work. She laid Rose down on the floor near the empty fireplace. They only had one bed, and she needed to tend the man. She pulled the small blanket from the bed and wrapped it around her daughter before turning to the man who was lying in the middle of the floor.
She was able to drag the cloak next to the bed, but actually lifting him would be a problem. She considered calling Bae in, but decided against it. She couldn't do that to her poor boy. She stood over him and tried to pull him up by his arms. Nothing. She was about to give up and treat him on the floor when his eyes fluttered open, revealing two hazel eyes that stared up hazily at her.
Rumplestiltskin:
An intense wave of pain rushed over him as hi eyes opened. His leg was on fire. It was killing him. Rumplestiltskin's eyes caught sight of a girl standing over him, holding his arms. Her blue eyes widened when they met his.
"Sir, I-I'm trying to get you into the bed so I can treat your leg. C-can you help me?" she asked, her eyes falling from his immediately as she talked. He started to stand but had to bite back a scream from the pain in his leg.
"Don't use that leg. I'll move behind you to help," the girl said softly. She released his arms and walked behind him, wrapping her arms around his stomach to help pull him as he pushed himself up. It took them a few tries but they finally got Rumplestiltskin into the bed. The girl was still behind him, almost underneath him. She struggled to pull free, slipping onto the ground as she did.
The door burst open seconds after the girl hit the ground.
"Mama! Are you okay?" a boy asked, rushing over to the girl on the floor. Rumplestiltskin stared at the two of them, still slightly delirious from the pain. She looked like only a girl…yet she had a son his age? It seemed illogical.
"Bae darling, I'm fine. I hate to ask, but can you go get some water?" the girl asked, biting her lip as she did. Her son was out the door before she had even finished the sentence. The girl stood awkwardly before moving towards his leg.
"I'm afraid this'll hurt. A lot," she told him, biting her lip still.
He didn't feel much pain; in fact, he passed out a few minutes into whatever she was doing.
When he awoke, the first thing he noticed was a tiny child was laying on the bed at his feet, staring at him curiously.
"Who are you?" she asked as soon as she noticed his eyes were open. He blinked, staring at the girl. She couldn't be any older than four. If it wasn't for the way she talked, he would've guessed younger.
"I'm R…Robert. Robert…Gold," Rumplestiltskin lied. In all the time he'd travelled, he had never given out his real name. Most peasants didn't know the name of the king, but he didn't want to risk anything.
"That's not your name silly!" the girl said with a laugh.
"Mama said I have a gift. I can tell when people lie!" she said gleefully. Her words caused the sound of wood to scrape against the floor. Rumplestiltskin glanced over to see the boy from earlier leaving a spinning wheel to make his way over to the bed. The boy looked exhausted. He then noticed that the girl – woman – was lying on the floor by an empty fireplace. He had taken their bed. Their only bed, from what he could see of the place.
"Rose, don't bother our guest. And you know what Mama says about telling people that they're lying," the boy lectured. The girl lowered her head slightly but shot a smirk at Rumplestiltskin.
"Am I bothering you, Mister Gold?" she asked, fluttering her tiny eyelashes at him. He nearly laughed. This girl would grow up to be a heartbreaker, he was sure.
"Rose, go outside and…no. Never mind. Why don't you play with your doll?" the boy amended quickly. The girl's eyes lit up at his words. She jumped off of the bed and ran for a small chest in the corner of the room, pulling out a small piece of cloth. He could see straw sticking from it. Still, she clutched the doll to her chest like it was her most valuable possession. It probably was, he reconsidered.
"I must apologize for my sister's behavior. I would have her play outside, but Mama doesn't want her alone. Townspeople don't like us too much here," the boy explained grimly to the man.
"They say Mama's a bunch of bad words," Rose spoke up from the corner. The boy shot a glare at the girl before turning back to Rumplestiltskin.
"Is there anything I can get for you, Mister Gold?" the boy asked dutifully. Rumplestiltskin was hungry, but he could tell both by the state of the children and the state of the house that they didn't have enough food to spare.
"What's your name?" Rumplestiltskin asked. The boy tilted his head slightly.
"I'm Baelfire. But everyone calls me Bae. If you need anything, let me know. I have to get back to spinning," Bae told the man apologetically.
"You spin?" Rumplestiltskin asked. The boy nodded, a bit apprehensively.
"Mama doesn't want me to. She says I shouldn't have to help her support us. But Mama's so tired. When she goes to sleep, I sometimes get up and spin for her," Bae admitted. Rumplestiltskin stared at the boy. He had a heart made of gold, to be doing that.
"What about your friends? Do you ever play with your friends?" Rumplestiltskin asked. Before he had been king, he had been raised by his mother in a village and he spent as much free time as he could playing with the other children.
This was the wrong thing to say. The boy sat down at the spinning wheel and started to spin.
"I don't have any friends. All of the children tell me that their parents say I ruined my Mama's life. That if I hadn't been born, Mama might have been a normal person instead of a coward," the boy said sadly, staring straight ahead. He seemed to realize too late what he had said. He spun around, eyes wide.
"You can't tell Mama I said that! She doesn't know I know," Bae insisted. Rumplestiltskin stared at the boy, unsure of what to say. The boy turned and went back to spinning at the wheel. Rumplestiltskin used the time to examine the home. It was one room. He was lying in the only bed. There was a fireplace, where the girl was sleeping. In one corner was the chest that Rose was sitting on, cradling her doll.
There was a second chest in the other corner of the room, which he assumed held clothes and such. Then there was a small table with two mismatched chairs. That was all. The place was incredibly tiny, too small in his opinion for a girl and two children. He still couldn't think of the girl as a woman. She was too young.
"Do you have a father?" Rumplestiltskin asked hesitantly. Bae continued spinning.
"No. Mama never told me who my Papa was, and Rose's papa….wasn't a nice man," Bae said. Rose perked up when she heard her name.
"Bae, when's Mama gonna wake up? I'm hungry," Rose whined. Bae's spine straightened.
"You just ate Rose. Mama's tired. She's only been asleep for a little while," the boy said, his voice strained. Rose shook her head, her brown curls flying.
"No I didn't," she argued. Bae was off of the small stool instantly. He was over to the girl instantly, standing over her. The girl didn't flinch and Bae didn't grab her arm harshly.
"We ate breakfast yesterday morning, remember?" Bae asked the girl, his voice barely a whisper. Rumplestiltskin's heart nearly gave out. Yesterday morning was recent for them? How had he missed this village in his last few runs? He couldn't stand to have children starving. If only he had his bag with him…it had still been attached to his horse.
A sharp knock on the door drew all of their attention. It even stirred the girl from the floor. She sat up quickly, eyes wide. She lurched to her feet as Bae ran over to her, wrapping his arm around her waist. He helped her limp over to the door. She was injured, too? Rumplestiltskin seethed at the thought. The first thing he was going to do when he got back to the castle was make sure this family was safe and never needed anything again.
The girl opened the door to reveal a girl in the doorway, wearing a red cloak. She looked the same age, if not a bit younger than the girl here.
"Hello Belle! Granny sent me by to get our stuff. She said you would have it done by now?" the girl asked, holding her basket loosely. The girl, Belle, lowered her head.
"Actually Red, I haven't gotten to…" she was cut off by Bae, who ran up to the girl holding a small pile of clothes.
"Here they are!" Bae said happily. Belle turned and stared sharply at the boy. The girl, Red, laughed at the boy.
"Why thank you Bae!" she said, giving him a slight curtsy.
"I have your payment. And Granny sent some food. She made too much yesterday and said it would go bad," Red said. Rumplestiltskin watched, curiously, as Belle froze at the words.
"Red, I appreciate it, but…you haven't been in town that long. You don't want to be caught doing such a thing for me," Belle told the girl, her head lowered. Red laughed at the girl and walked inside, pulling Belle along with her. The door closed gently behind them.
"I may not have been in town, Belle, but you have nothing to be ashamed of. You're raising two children, alone, and supporting them. That's something to be admired for, not looked down upon for. Plus, you have to understand that Granny and I have our fair share of rumors about us. The least we can do is help another in need," Red told the girl. Belle did not raise her head still. Red turned and started taking food out of her basket, setting the items on the table. Rumplestiltskin noticed that Belle was clenching her fist the whole time. The items Red pulled out where not items that would go bad. They were basic ingredients, along with some vegetables and fresh meat.
When Red had finished unloading her basket and filling it with her clothes, she turned around to give Belle some money. She handed the girl some money.
"Did you hear? Apparently the king went missing two days ago. No one's seen him, but his horse came back earlier this morning," Red whispered. Belle's eyes widened, as did Rumplestiltskin's. Two days? He had been out for two days?
"I heard that he had been attacked and the horse was the only one to get away. He had to have hurt some of his attackers though. I heard he's a strong man. It shouldn't be too hard to find the attackers. Any man recently injured is probably guilty," Red added. Belle's face seemed to go even more pale. Rumplestiltskin nearly cursed his luck. He would look like a would be assassin to himself.
Red turned to leave when she noticed Rumplestiltskin. Her eyes widened.
"I'm sorry. I didn't know you had company!" Red said, her eyes scanning over him. Belle seemed to jump out of her stupor.
"He's Bae's father," Belle lied swiftly. The room was encased with a heavy silence. Red stared at Rumplestiltskin, as if she were calculating something.
"Bae's father?" Red asked dubiously. Belle nodded quickly. Red didn't believe it. Rumplestiltskin wouldn't have either, if he had been in her shoes.
"He lives in the town over. When we were there, he asked if he could come with us, to spend some time with his son. He didn't realize he had a son. He fell on the way here and hurt his leg," Belle continued. Red stared at him and then glanced at the children. Both seemed equally shocked at her words.
"How come the children didn't know about it?" Red asked suspiciously. Belle sighed.
"I was going to break it to them gently. But I didn't want you thinking he attacked the king," Belle said. Her lies sounded more real this time. Red seemed to believe her. But it didn't seem to be the best thing. She stomped over to the bed, glaring angrily down at Rumplestiltskin.
"So you're the sick bastard that got a thirteen year old pregnant," Red spat. Rumplestiltskin's wide eye slid over to Belle, who had glued her own eyes to the ground.
"Twelve, Red," Belle corrected softly.
"Twelve?" Red questioned, seeming even more mad.
"He didn't know. I lied about my age. And I never told him," Belle added once more. Red glared.
"This isn't the last you'll see of me," Red promised, leaving without another word. Belle seemed to collapse on the floor, causing both Bae and Rose to run over to her, helping her back to her feet. She stared at Rumplestiltskin, who still was reeling in shock from what had just happened.
"I am so sorry. She was talking of people being accused of hurting the king…I had to give you an excuse for being here, for being injured. Or they would try to kill you. And I couldn't stand if I was the reason someone died. That was the only story I could think of," Belle apologized, her air coming out of her in a rush. Rumplestiltskin pushed himself into a sitting position, wincing as he did.
"It's okay. We haven't been properly introduced. I'm Robert Gold," Rumplestiltskin said.
"I'm Belle. This is my son, Bae, and my daughter, Rose," Belle introduced. Rose giggled up at the man.
"His name's not really Robert Gold. He lied," Rose said. Belle shot her daughter a stern expression before turning to Rumplestiltskin.
"I apologize for my daughter. She can be a handful, sometimes. I hope she didn't wake you up," Belle said fretfully. Rumplestiltskin shook his head.
"It was a bit alarming to wake up to see a girl practically on top of me as she stared at me though," he joked. It surprised him that he was joking. What was that? Where did it come from?
Belle cracked a weak smile at his words as well before turning to Bae.
"What have I told you about spinning?" Belle lectured. Bae lowered his head, but Rumplestiltskin caught the triumphant grin that was still on his face.
"I was only trying to help, Mama. You were so tired and I knew Red would be by to get them," Bae tried. Belle didn't seem to buy it.
"And your excuse for spinning?" she persisted. He shrugged.
"I was bored?" he tried. He then decided to swoop in from another angle.
"Is Mister Gold really my father or were you lying?" Bae asked. Rose stared at her mother as well.
"She was lying," Rose said quickly. Belle seemed to hate that question altogether.
"Bae darling, now's not the time. I'll tell you about your…father….when you're older," Belle promised softly. Rumplestiltskin frowned at the way she stumbled over the words. As if he didn't have a real father. Rumplestiltskin shook it off, not wanting to think about it.
"Bae, why don't you and Rose run outside and fetch some water? I want to make sure…Mister Gold is feeling okay," Belle commanded gently. Bae grabbed a bucket on his way out the door and little Rose ran after him. Belle stumbled over to his bedside, sitting tentatively on the edge of the bed. She felt his forehead, appearing relieved when she realized he wasn't feverish.
"You probably won't be able to walk on your own for a long time," Belle said sadly as she pulled the blanket from him. He saw that she had a makeshift splint around his leg, that it had been cleaned as well. His doctors would have done better, had he done this in his own home. However, she did better than he could have done.
"Are you a nurse?" he asked, glancing back up at her. She blushed and shook her head, eyes gluing themselves to the bed.
"I'm nothing more than a poor disgraced spinner. I just…knew how to do that. I did it to myself four years back," she explained, gesturing to her injured leg. Rumplestiltskin felt a lump form in his throat.
"Four years ago?" he asked, trying to keep the horror from his voice. She glanced up, shocked.
"Yes sir. I would take you to the village doctor but I'm afraid I don't have the money for it," she admitted. Rumplestiltskin thought for a moment.
"How often do letters go out from this village?" he asked.
"Once a week. They went out this morning. Is there someone you need to write?" Belle asked curiously. Rumplestiltskin nodded.
"I'll write to a…friend of mine. He can come get me," Rumplestiltskin explained. Belle stood slowly and made her way to the spinning wheel and started spinning just as Bae had been earlier.
"Have you no husband to take care of you?" Rumplestiltskin called out. The girl faltered but continued spinning.
"There was to be one of them, once," Belle said softly. Rumplestiltskin examined the girl. She was very pretty, of that he could tell. She was so loving. Yet, for some reason, the people of the town hated her, shunned her. Any man should be lucky to get a wife that not only looked like her, but had such a compassionate heart as hers as well.
"What happened?" he asked. He knew he was pressing his luck, he knew he was being quite rude, but he had that desire for knowledge.
"I was a coward. He was going to marry me, despite me already having a son. But when the war struck and all the men in town volunteered to go, I begged him not to," Belle explained sadly. Her voice was so detached, Rumplestiltskin wondered if she even realized she was telling him her story.
"He called me a coward and told the town he wanted nothing to do with me anymore. Told his buddy that he could take me then," Belle said. Her hand drifted absently down to her injured leg before she snapped out of it.
"I'm sorry. I shouldn't have said anything," Belle said quickly, realizing what all she had told him.
"His buddy….was he Rose's father then?" Rumplestiltskin asked. Belle nodded.
As if speaking had conjured them, Rose and Bae chose that moment to run in the hut, Bae carrying a sloshing bucket of water. Belle stared at the food on the table before smiling at Bae.
"If you and Rose can get a fire started we'll have soup for supper," Belle promised. Her words caused the two to rush outside. Belle left her wheel to approach the second chest. She pulled out of it a cast-iron pot. It was heavy; he could see how she struggled to get it to the table. Once it was on the table, she poured a good amount of the water into the pot before picking up a knife from the chest. She cut the meat up into small pieces and dropped it in the pot before moving on to the vegetables. She only cut up a third of the vegetables, Rumplestiltskin noticed, and she cut everything into tiny pieces. The amount of food she put in the pot couldn't have been enough for two bowls of soup he would eat at home, but things were different here.
He knew the moment he got back, this family would never experience poverty again.
Belle:
The next morning when she went to the market, she could hear the whispers. She was used to normal whispers, but now the whispers were more malicious. Red must've told someone about Mister Gold.
She hurried to the fabric store with her satchel full of spools to sell. Today, no one would buy from her. Absolutely no one. Someone so much as suggested she have the new man of hers take care of her.
She was nearly in tears by the time she made it back to the hut. She needed more money. The coins Red had given her wouldn't last long, nor would the food. She could make the food last two days at the most. The extra mouth would be there for two weeks minimum. And the children? They desperately needed new clothes. Their clothes were much too small, especially Rose's. She had noticed that this morning when she was helping Rose into her dress. Bae had been hiding the fact that his clothes were too small for awhile, and it took seeing Rose's too small dress to make her realize it.
She wiped her eyes before entering the hut, not wanting to let the children see her crying. The children, much to her surprise, were sitting on the bed next to Mister Gold. He was reading them something….a book? She didn't own any books. He must've had a book on him at the time. She hadn't seen a book.
When the children saw her, they jumped from the bed. Bae's eyes held worry, especially after they saw her still full basket. He hugged her tightly, his head almost not fitting under her chin anymore. When he pulled back, Rose held up her arms, hoping to be picked up. She had tear stains down the side of her face. Belle picked the girl up, noticing instantly that the worn sleeve was nearly detached. It looked as if someone had crudely taken a needle and tried to stitch it back together in a short period of time.
"Rose, what happened to your dress?" Belle asked. Rose hiccupped slightly.
"I tripped and it ripped! I'm sorry!" she cried. Belle nearly fell apart at the desperation in her daughter's voice. The dress was threadbare. Belle had been adding on to it since Rose was 18 months old. The dress was half as old as Rose herself. It wouldn't do. Belle sat the girl down.
"Don't worry about it. I'll make you a new dress," Belle said decidedly, her jaw set. Rose appeared excited for a moment before glancing over at her brother.
"Have you eaten yet?" Belle asked. Both children stared up at her, confused.
"Eaten? But we ate yesterday?" Rose asked, confused. Belle shook her head.
"We have food. While we have food, you two will eat at least once a day," Belle said, picking up the two bowls they owned. She moved the pot onto the fire so it could heat up again.
"How are you feeling, Mister Gold?" Belle asked him as she turned back around. He glanced at her, his eyes thoughtful.
"I'm doing great. I was wondering if, um," he drifted off for a moment, looking awkward. Belle moved closer, trying to gauge what he needed.
"Do you need to relieve yourself?" she finally asked. He nodded gratefully as Belle sat down on the bed next to him, helping him swing himself around so his good foot was on the floor and his bad leg was next to her.
"Bae darling, watch the food please," Belle called out. It was a struggle, but they made it to the door.
"We only keep a chamberpot during the winter. I'm sorry. I should've asked you long before now," Belle said, feeling quite embarrassed. Mister Gold shook his head, smiling down at the girl.
"Don't worry. Bae helped me a few times already," Mister Gold explained. Belle nodded.
"Do you have a family, Mister Gold?" Belle asked as they slowly walked into the woods.
"I had one. Just like you. My wife gave birth to my son and ran away with him. We found her body a week later but never found my boy. He must've died, unless some kind soul took him in," Mister Gold shared sadly.
Belle was struck by horror. It reminded her so much of…no. No, she couldn't think of anything.
"How old would your son be?" Belle asked.
"Thirteen. Same age as your boy. Maybe that's why I like your boy so much. I wish my boy would've been like him," Mister Gold said sadly. He stopped walking suddenly, turning to face her.
"I've never told anyone that. How is it that you can get that information out of me when no one else can?" he demanded, seeming more scared than actually angry. Belle shook her head.
"Same way you pulled parts of my story from me the other day. I hadn't told anyone about that either," Belle admitted. Mister Gold frowned down on her.
"This is a good spot. I'll move a few trees away so you can have privacy," Belle said quickly, disappearing from his side before he could protest. He was grateful he was next to a tree that he could lean against as he relieved himself. He called out as soon as he finished, grateful to find her instantly at his side.
"Bae told me about…you. The boy thinks it's his fault," Mister Gold found himself saying. Belle stumbled at his words. It broke her heart to hear that.
"It isn't. It was my choice," Belle swore. Mister Gold nodded.
"If you don't mind me asking, why did you keep him? What made you decide to keep him? You had to know what would happen if you did…" Mister Gold prodded. Belle nodded.
"I couldn't just leave him. He looked so helpless," Belle said. Mister Gold's steps faltered.
"So you weren't going to keep him until you saw him?" Mister Gold asked, stopping abruptly. Belle stopped as well. Realizing her mix-up of words. And realizing that she had given part of her biggest secret away.
"I was going to give him away after I had him but couldn't," Belle lied, trying to salvage what she could. Mister Gold didn't move.
"You're lying," he said softly. They were nearing the hut now. She didn't dare meet his eyes.
"What do you want me to say?" she finally bit out. He stared at her, his hazel eyes unwavering. Eyes that looked so achingly like Bae's that it drove her crazy.
"The truth would be nice," he said wryly. Belle felt a fury grip her from deep within.
"The truth? The truth? I don't want to hear you ask for the truth! I don't even know who you really are! For all I know, you killed the king. For all I know, you are the king! Your name's not Robert. Rose already said that. And Rose knows. You can't fool her. Unless you're willing to tell me the truth, I'd suggest not asking for me to tell the truth," Belle finished, feeling exhaustion creeping over her bones.
"Okay."
Belle's head jerked up and she turned to face the man. His arm was still wrapped around her, a crutch for him. Her movement would have made them nose to nose if they were the same height. They were not. He was taller.
"Okay what?" she asked testily.
"Okay. You tell me the truth and I'll tell you the truth," he said softly. Belle snorted.
"Only one person ever knew the truth and he was far from honorable. How can I know you won't be the same?" she shot at him. She knew that fear was irrational. But it was still there. It had taken root in her heart and nothing could flush it away.
"Let's start out with an easy question. Who was the one person to know the truth?" Mister Gold asked her.
"The man who raped me. Rose's father," Belle said, locking her emotions up the best she could. Mister Gold stared for a moment, as if trying to mentally connect the dots.
"Imagine his surprise when he got a virgin while expecting a woman who had given birth before," Belle said bitterly. She slid to the ground, taking Mister Gold with her. She was too tired to even stand anymore.
"Bae's not your son," Mister Gold said, his voice flat but understanding at the same time.
"I found him in the woods. He looked…perfect. No one was around. He'd been abandoned. I had been sick for the last four months. My parents had just died. So when I walked into town carrying a baby, everyone assumed it was mine. By the time someone asked, I'd fallen in love with him too much to admit he wasn't. From then on, I was considered a whore. But I had Bae."
The words had come gushing out, as if some dam had been busted inside of her. Mister Gold stared at her, unblinking.
"You gave up your reputation, your chance to have a normal life…for a baby you found abandoned in the woods?" he asked, his voice low. Belle nodded, but couldn't bring herself to be miserable.
"It was the best decision I ever made in my life," she admitted.
"When was it?" Mister Gold asked anxiously.
"When was what?" Belle asked dumbly.
"When did you find the baby?" he repeated.
"December. It was much too cold for a baby to be alone in the woods," Belle said. She remembered that date; it was the same date she celebrated Bae's birthday on.
"December 14th," she elaborated. Mister Gold's face turned ashen.
"My wife ran away the twelfth of December. We found her body the fifteenth," Mister Gold said, his eyes wide. Belle's eyes widened as well. She scrambled away from him.
"No! No, you can't have him. He's mine," Belle swore, eyes full of fury. Mister Gold hadn't been expecting that. He especially wasn't expecting the girl to tackle him and pin him to the ground.
"Bae is mine. I found him. I raised him. He's my son," Belle said vehemently, her face close to his.
"Is that why you're here? To take my son from me?" she hissed. Mister Gold stared, shocked, at the girl on top of him. What had happened to the shy, ashamed spinner with a pure heart that had rescued him?
Easy. He had threatened her son. Mama Bear always comes out to attack anyone who threatens to steal her children.
"I'm not here to do anything, Belle. I was injured and you took me in. But I do want to get to know my son, now that I have found him," Mister Gold said stiffly. The girl took no notice.
"He's MY son," she hissed, her voice sounding near desperation. Mister Gold stared up at her for a moment, his eyes turning cold.
"You wanted to know my secret as well? Guess what? I'm the King. Rumplestiltskin, at your service. So technically, if I want to get to know my son, I can do that. Hell, if I want to take my son, I can. Because I'm. The. King," Mister Gold spat out at her. Belle stared down at him for a moment. As if the words were still soaking in. But the moment they did, her eyes widened in horror. Right before tears started to form in them.
She didn't even move off of him. She just seemed to curl herself into a ball, all the while still straddling his stomach.
"You can't have him. You'll have to kill me first," she cried. Mister Gold was at a loss. He wasn't accustomed to crying women, especially not crying women sitting on top of him. He was torn between trying to comfort her and telling her to get off of him. His leg was aching in pain.
"Can you get off of me? I can't exactly move on my own," Mister Gold finally said gruffly. Those were the wrong words to say. Belle glanced up at him, a new light in her eyes.
"You can't move on your own," she repeated. A sinking feeling settled in Mister Gold's stomach.
Belle stared down at the man, inner conflict tearing through her. He couldn't move on his own. She could leave him out there, or drag him farther into the woods. He would disappear. Bae would be safe, with her.
Still, that voice in her that refused to be quieted would not have it. He was still a human, too, and deserved basic rights. Even if he was going to take her son from her. Or try to. He had the right to live. Plus, he was the king.
He was the king. The king of the land. She couldn't kill him. And she couldn't oppose him.
"Let's make a deal," Belle said suddenly, eyes finding Mister Gold's – Rumplestiltskin's – instantly. The conflict dissipated from her eyes as she met Mister – Rumplestiltskin's gaze.
"What kind of deal?" he asked skeptically.
"I will keep your secret. Continue to watch over you. Not leave you to die out here. And you promise you will never, ever take my son from me," Belle said. She could see the hesitation that played in his eyes. Of course. But Belle was unwavering. He was HER son, hers. Not his. Never his.
"Deal. Now can we get back to the house before you injure me anymore?" Rumplestiltskin asked sarcastically. Belle stood awkwardly, ignoring her leg. She reached down and grabbed his hand, pulling him up with his help. When they were finally ready to move again, Belle quickly wiped any remnants of tears from her face.
"How do I know you'll keep your word?" she asked hesitantly.
"I can write you up a contract and sign it," he stated dryly. Belle shook her head quickly.
"I can't read," she said impatiently. Mister Gold – Rumplestiltskin – sighed.
"Of course you can't. Just know that I never break deals, dearie," he said. She felt uneasy but had no other options. They slowly limped to the house. It was uneasily silent. Belle opened the door to see Rose in Bae's lap, crying. Belle immediately closed the door and pulled from Rumplestiltskin, rushing to their side. She stopped just short of them when she caught Bae's glare. Directed at her.
She froze. Her son had never glared at her. Ever.
"You lied to me," Bae said, his voice quivering with venom. Belle flinched, taking a shaky step backwards. Bae rose quickly, still cradling Rose to his chest.
"You lied to everyone. You could've been happy. I really did ruin your life, and you let me," Bae said bitterly.
"You were listening," Belle said, her voice feeling detached. Bae nodded.
"We heard everything. About how Rose's papa hurt you, about how I'm the king's son, about how he wants to take me away," Bae spat. He took another any step forward. Belle stumbled to the floor, staring up at her angry son in horror.
"You ruined your life for me! For a baby in the woods! Why would you do that? You should've had a happy life!" Bae shouted, dropping Rose onto the bed before descending on Belle. Before he could stop himself, he'd kicked her. Hard. His fury coiled deep inside of him, wanting to spring lose again.
"Why couldn't you have just left me and been happy? You could have been happy! And I ruined that for you!" Bae continued. His hands found themselves around her neck as his words ripped out of him. The horror in Belle's eyes to see her gentle son snap seemed to scare even Bae. He stiffened, his hands still locked around his mother's neck. Until a hand fell on his shoulder. Mister Gold. Or, as Bae now knew, Rumplestiltskin.
"You shouldn't lay hands on a woman. Especially not your mother," Rumplestiltskin lectured, his tone attempting to be light but failing. The words caused Bae to release Belle, only for him to turn on Rumplestiltskin.
"You! It's all your fault! You ruined her life! If you hadn't scared off your wife, my birth mother, Belle could have been happy!" Bae screamed, lunging at the man. Rumplestiltskin fell to the ground.
Bae was on top of him in an instant. Before he could throw his first punch, two arms pulled him back.
Belle pulled her strong son away from the king, wincing as the pain from where he had kicked her spread.
"Baelfire, I am happy. I've been happy since the moment I found you," Belle told the boy, pulling one of her arms from around him to gently run her fingers through his hair. It had been the only thing to soothe him, as a child.
"But you didn't have to keep me. I really did ruin your life," Bae sobbed, turning around so he was wrapped in his mother's embrace.
"Sh. You ruined nothing. You and Rose are the only happy things in my life. And don't worry. Rumplestiltskin promised he would never take you away from me," Belle told the boy. Bae wrapped his arms around her, burying his fingers in her hair as she had his. Rose stared, feeling left out, but both of Belle's arms were occupied. To her utmost surprise, Rose ran over to Rumplestiltskin and hesitantly wrapped her arms around him. He hobbled to the bed and sat down, the girl still clutching him. She crawled into his lap as soon as he had sat down and he shot a terrified look at Belle,
Tentatively, Rumplestiltskin hugged the girl back, running a hand through her messy curls just as Belle was doing to Bae. For one single moment, they looked like a family.
And then that moment ended.
A sudden loud knock on the door caught all of their attention. Without waiting for the door to open, Red burst in, chest heaving, eyes wild.
"Belle! Someone's here, looking for your lover! He even had an image of him! We have to get you out of here!" she said. Belle's eyes widened in fear.
"We just need to hide him. No one knows about me," Belle said, trying to make her voice calm. Red shook her head.
"Someone mentioned that a stranger had come to town and was staying with you. They looked interested to hear that!" Red cried. Rumplestiltskin tilted his heads at her words.
"What did the men look like?" he asked.
"The leader had on a black hat. All black. He seemed….a bit mad. And there were two other men with him, obviously under him," Red explained. Rumplestiltskin chuckled.
"Don't worry. They aren't here to hurt me," Rumplestiltskin explained. Belle stared at him.
"It's my dear friend Jefferson. The Mad Hatter, as he's better known," Rumplestiltskin elaborated. Red's face turned ashen.
"The acting king is here searching for you? You really did attack the king, didn't you?" she accused. Before Rumplestiltskin could utter another word, someone else did for him.
"He is the king, wolf-girl," a man's voice corrected from the door. Jefferson. The man strolled in the place as if he owned it. When he saw the state Rumplestiltskin was in, he chuckled.
"You really do look like you were attacked, dear friend. Is this where you've been hiding?" he asked, glancing around the hut with what Belle assumed was distaste, until his eyes fell on her. It wasn't distaste; it was comfort. The place reminded him of his old home.
Rose scurried off of Rumplestiltskin's lap, running over to Belle. Bae had pulled away from her to see the man who had entered, and Rose gladly took his place.
"Belle, Red, Bae, Rose, this is my friend Jefferson, the Mad Hatter. Jefferson, this is Belle, her friend Red, her daughter Rose, and her son, Bae, who also happens to be my son," Rumplestiltskin explained with the lazy flick of a wrist. Jefferson's eyes glued themselves to Bae.
"You found your son. I thought we'd both agreed he had more or less died," Jefferson said, trying to sound condescending but Belle could tell he was secretly pleased. Rumplestiltskin shrugged.
"She found him and took him in as her own," Rumplestiltskin explained. Belle's face turned red. He was telling this, her huge secret, in front of Red. Everyone in the town would soon know. Jefferson's eyes hit her.
"You, m'dear, look much too young to have a thirteen year old son. How old are you? Twenty?" he asked.
"Twenty-six," Belle shot back. Jefferson didn't appear to believe her, but shook his head anyways.
"Well, I sent my, I'm sorry, your men, to procure a wagon, when I heard there was an injured man here. I'm assuming the boy's coming back with us as well?" Jefferson asked.
"NO!" Belle screamed instantly, pulling Bae close to her and glaring ferociously at Jefferson and Rumplestiltskin. Rumplestiltskin sighed.
"I made a deal with the girl, that I wouldn't separate her from the boy. We're all coming back," Rumplestiltskin announced. Belle's fingers dug into both Bae and Rose at the words.
"You said you wouldn't take my boy from me," Belle accused. Rumplestiltskin's lips formed a smirk.
"And I'm not. I'm taking all of you. Here's the thing about deals; you should be careful how you phrase them. After all, I'm still sore over you trying to kill me," Rumplestiltskin stated sourly. Belle's eyes widened as she fought to keep the tears down.
"But you'd be taking Bae away from his friends!" Belle protested. Rumplestiltskin glanced at the boy, who had stiffened at her words.
"Bae, why don't you tell your Mama what you told me yesterday, was it?" Rumplestiltskin asked the boy lazily. Bae didn't dare open his mouth.
"Bae doesn't have any friends. Apparently their parents all told them that Bae ruined your life," Rumplestiltskin drawled. Belle gasped and tried to pull the boy close to her, but he pulled away.
"We're happy here," Belle tried, failing to squelch the tears this time. Bae spun on his mother.
"No you're not! You're not happy, Mama! How much longer will it be before someone else decides to hurt you again? You can't afford to take care of me and Rose! How will you take care of another baby?" Bae yelled. Belle flinched, pulling Rose to her. Rose, who didn't quite understand.
"Every time you get hurt, you have a baby?" Rose asked, her face scrunching up in confusion. Belle nearly cried.
"No baby, that's not what happens," Belle tried, but her daughter wouldn't leave it alone.
"It's that other word. That you used in the wood. Rape?" Rose asked, testing the word casually. Belle's vision swam.
"Rose darling, that's a bad word. Please don't use it," Belle begged.
"As touching as this is, I need to get back to the palace. And so does the king. So whatever you plan on taking, you'd bettered pack it quickly," Jefferson commanded. Belle's tears fell freely. She nodded, not trusting herself to speak as she attempted to rise. Her weak leg gave out on her, causing her to fall back to the ground. Red came to her aid, as did Bae. They helped her over to one of the two chairs.
"Sit, Mama. I can pack for us," Bae said gently. He hurried over to the first chest, pulling out two knapsack. Rumplestiltskin noticed how hard it was for the boy to move with so many people in the small area.
"Jefferson, why don't we wait outside and let them pack in peace?" Rumplestiltskin asked.
Rumplestiltskin:
Rumplestiltskin allowed Jefferson to help him out of the house, followed closely by the other two men. They sat down along the side of the road. Even from this distance, Rumplestiltskin could hear Belle crying.
"I missed a lot in these last few days," Jefferson noted wryly, staring at his face. Rumplestiltskin nodded.
"I was thrown from my horse, and lost consciousness. Woke up when Belle was trying to lift me into their only bed. Fixed up my leg. Fed me, despite barely having enough food for themselves. Don't think I saw her eat anything actually. I learned that Bae is my son. When that happened, she went from being gentle and kindhearted to nearly psychotic," Rumplestiltskin shortened. Jefferson stared at him for a moment.
"I can't blame her. If I'd found Grace as a baby and raised her as my own, only to meet one of her parents, I would've more or less tried to kill whoever they were, especially if they expressed interest in her," Jefferson whistled. Rumplestiltskin glanced down.
"Well I may have threatened to take Bae away," Rumplestiltskin admitted. Jefferson glared at his longtime friend.
"And she didn't kill you? She must have the biggest heart in the lands," Jefferson said. Rumplestiltskin shook his head.
"She's devious too. Made a deal with me. She said she'd spare my life and continue taking care for me, keeping my secret, as long as I swore I'd never take Bae from her. Which is why we're taking the whole family. We both know I don't go back on deals. And I'm afraid that, now I know he's alive, I don't ever want to leave him," Rumplestiltskin admitted. Jefferson's eyebrows knitted together.
"How are you going to introduce her to court? This is a rather precarious situation. After all, what will people think? We have to consider the will of the people," Jefferson reminded him. Rumplestiltskin thought for a moment.
"What could I introduce her as? What options do I have?" he asked. Jefferson stared, unperturbed, at him.
"The most logical choice is your fiancée. We both know they've been wanting you to remarry for years. It would sate everyone. You could introduce her as Bae's savior, but that would get her little more than a servant's quarters. Being king doesn't mean you can have everything. Or you can give her a small cottage in the village and make her bring Bae to visit you occasionally," Jefferson suggested. Rumplestiltskin shook his head.
"I want Bae to be reinstated as my heir. You will remain the second in command until he's old enough, but I want my son to take over," Rumplestiltskin decided. Jefferson stared hard at him.
"You can't claim Belle as Bae's mother then. She won't be given those rights. Everyone knows you had a son with Milah. You would have to pretend Bae is younger than he is. That, after Milah left you, you took a mistress. It would explain all of your excursions. It would also explain why you are now taking her in as your new wife," Jefferson schemed.
"Wife? I never agreed to that. She doesn't love me, and I don't love her," Rumplestiltskin said drily. Jefferson shrugged.
"What king has ever been given the right to marry for true love?" Jefferson shot at him.
"King Leopold did," Rumplestiltskin threw back. A wagon pulled up in front of them.
"We should at least ask her," Jefferson persisted.
"Ask me what?" Belle's voice asked from behind them. Both men glanced over their shoulders to see Belle standing in the doorway, a knapsack on her back and a sheet holding a few items in her one hand while Rose was perched on her other hip. Bae had another backpack on his back. Belle embraced Red.
"You and Granny can take anything else. It's not much, but I would appreciate it if they would go to use. And please visit me," Belle begged. Red smiled at the girl.
"Of course I will!" she promised. Belle turned back to the two men, who had by this point struggled to their feet.
"The king and I were just discussing our predicament. Why don't we get going? We can discuss it on the way," Jefferson suggested smoothly. Belle's smile slipped and she nodded tersely. Rose was sucking on her thumb, regarding the men suspiciously. Jefferson and one of the guards helped Rumplestiltskin into the wagon before Bae jumped in. Before helping Rose and Belle, Jefferson pulled out a small candy from his pocket, offering it to Rose. She stared dubiously at his hand, unsure of what it was. He chuckled at the little girl.
"It's a candy. My daughter used to love them," he told her. He unwrapped the small candy and gently pulled her thumb from her mouth, replacing it with the candy. The girl's eyes widened in joy as the candy must've given her taste buds the best experience of their short lives.
Belle seemed apprehensive about it but allowed Jefferson to all but pick her and Rose up and set them next to Rumplestiltskin before climbing in as well. The wagon began as soon as the four of them were seated, Rose still standing slightly. She tumbled into her mother's lap when the wagon started going, causing her to remain there. Bae didn't seem comfortable either.
In fact, Rumplestiltskin raised an eyebrow when the boy shoved his sister off of Belle's lap, only to take her place. He then picked up Rose and held her himself. Belle smiled unconsciously, wrapping her arms loosely around the children.
"We do have something to discuss," Jefferson began. Rumplestiltskin noticed the minute tightening of Belle's hands at his words.
"If we introduce you as the woman who raised Bae, the best we can do is place you in the servant's quarters. Rumplestiltskin plans on making Bae his heir, and you would only get to see Bae on rare occasions," Jefferson explained. Belle's face ashened and she shook her head violently. Bae mimicked her.
"She's my Mama. I'm not leaving her," Bae announced. Jefferson glanced at Rumplestiltskin.
"The second option is less desirous. You would get a cottage for you and your daughter, and would get to see Bae once a week or so," Jefferson continued. This suggestion also seemed to terrify the girl.
"Is there a third option where I get to see Bae always?" she asked. Jefferson hesitated, staring at Rumplestiltskin.
"The third option would be for us to lie. Pretend Bae is twelve instead of thirteen. Say that, once his wife had been killed, he took a mistress. He could even claim Rose. If that were the case, we would introduce you as his betrothed, his fiancée," Jefferson explained. Belle stared at him.
"If I agreed to be the fiancée, I would get to be with my son, all the time?" she asked. Rumplestiltskin started at her words. Jefferson glanced to Rumplestiltskin, indicating that it was his turn to talk.
"I don't think you understand. If you agree to be my fiancée, the court will expect us to marry within a year. You would be forced to act as queen," Rumplestiltskin explained. Belle stared at him blankly.
"If it means I get to still be around Bae and Rose, that they are both safe, healthy, and with me, I will do whatever it takes," Belle swore. Rose pulled herself from Bae's lap, nearly tumbling into Rumplestiltskin's lap, as she frantically started tearing through the sheet/bag Belle had brought.
"Rose darling, what's wrong?" Belle asked, trying to calm her daughter down. Rose stared up at her Mama with tear-filled eyes.
"My doll! I left her there!" Rose cried. Rumplestiltskin stared at the girl. If what he had seen earlier proved true, the doll was the only belonging she had.
"Stop. We have to go get it," Belle tried ordering. Jefferson shook her head.
"We need to be back at the castle immediately. Rose can get a new doll at the castle," Jefferson said, trying to make his voice detached. The girl's eyes gushed more tears as Belle pulled her closer.
"I'll make you another doll when we get to the castle, after I make you a new dress. It's okay," Belle soothed the girl. She just continued to cry. Belle held the girl close as she stared back up at Jefferson.
"So I pretend Bae is twelve, that I've been his mistress for the last thirteen years, and agree to marry him?" Belle asked. Rumplestiltskin's heart stuttered. He didn't know what to think of that. This girl would give up her freedom to be with her son. HIS son. His son. Bae was his son.
"I'll claim Rose too, if you'll let me," Rumplestiltskin said. Belle stared up at him, confused.
"Why? She isn't yours. Why would you do that?" Belle asked dumbly. Rumplestiltskin didn't know exactly what to say. He really didn't.
"Well it would look bad if you'd had a second lover. And she looks similar to Bae. It'd work," Rumplestiltskin said, trying to pass it off as mere convenience. It was far from that, though. The little girl had gotten under his skin. Belle nodded to him.
"Is there anything else I will need to know, going in to this?" she asked.
"The court will expect you to produce an heir within a year or two. Even if Rumplestiltskin claims the other two as his, they will want to know for sure that you can still produce heirs and that it isn't just some ploy," Jefferson explained. Belle's jaw tightened at the words but she nodded.
"I'll do it. But in return, I want to share a room with Bae and Rose. At least until I have to be married. My children have never been far from me. I want them to be as close as possible," Belle stated. Jefferson seemed taken aback by this.
"Belle, that is considered rather inappropriate in the castle. Especially with you being as young as you are…" he drifted off at her glare.
"Sir, I will tell you right now that it is necessary. There have only been six months in my entire life that I have slept alone. And my children have never slept alone. I will not have them start now, not in a new place. If they want their own rooms once they are comfortable, so be it. But I want us to start out together," Belle spat. Jefferson seemed shocked from her outburst.
"As the king's fiancée, they will expect the two of you to share a room and bed. Especially considering you will be saying you've already had two children together," Jefferson said with a wrinkled nose. Belle stared at him for a moment.
"Fine. My children will have an adjacent room to the king's room. That will satisfy the court, and they will be none the wiser that I share a bed with my children. We can rearrange things after the marriage," Belle argued stubbornly. Jefferson's jaw set. He was about to continue arguing, but Rumplestiltskin could see it wouldn't be best.
"I have a compromise. The court will have no qualms if I inform them that my mistress and I are used to sharing our bed with the children when we were not passionate. We can use that to an advantage. It is not entirely uncommon for entire families to share beds, especially in the village I grew up in. The court cannot have qualms with that, as long as there is a separate room for the children once the marriage has occurred," Rumplestiltskin offered. Belle turned her blue eyes to him.
"You would share your bed with us so we could stay together?" she asked, eyebrows knit together in confusion. Rumplestiltskin shrugged.
"I'm tired and this incessant chatter is irritating. Now that we have this solved, how about we rest until we arrive at the castle," Rumplestiltskin suggested. With a nod at Jefferson, he leant back and settled into a restless sleep.
How was that? I am planning on writing more. This is an incredibly long chapter. There may not be many chapters if they are all this length, but rest assured, more will come, albeit being far in between. I haven't given up on my other story, either. Trust me.
You'll want to keep tuned into these two.