Chaos. War was always chaos.

Thoughts were lost, decision-making was rash, brutality, bloodshed, and the feeling of hopelessness came soon after. For a knight's life is all darkness and death was a gift. To die in battle was the greatest gift of them all. It was the screams though, the men's last dying words were screams that would keep her up at night. Cowards. No brave man should scream when they're about to die. But the wails of the knights receiving their finial gifts turned her stomach. Belle tried her best to tune them out. She began to hum a sweet ballad in her head that her mother would sing to her when she was younger. Her humming caused the fighting to stop and the knights began to dance. Belle was dancing too, while slashing through the knights, stepping over the entrails of her fresh kills. Her armor dripped with the blood of her fallen enemies. A knight foolishly came charging at her. She twirled gracefully dodging the attack before bringing her sword up and slashing through the man from shoulder to waist, nearly cutting him in half. Another came rushing to her with sword, swinging his blade through the air to crash and parry the blow of Belle's steel. Belle and the knight fought it out until her blade was knocked out of her hand. She fell to the ground ready to accept her gift as the knight loomed over her with a brazen chuckle. Then suddenly an arrow protruded through the man's breastplate, sending him toppling over to the ground and killing him. She looked to the trees and smiled at Mulan for saving her life before returning to the battle. Belle and her force of 2,000 knights bred hard in sword and shield continued to break down the rank of his knights until no one was left. The Knights of Avonlea cheered their victory for they would live to see another day. Belle did not cheer. She didn't view this day as any sort of victory. He eluded her once again. Life was not a victory for her, only death. His death.

xox0xox

Still. No movement.

His eyes told no tales or intentions. He could have planned to kill her right then and there and she wouldn't have guessed it. His eyes were still, with no movement behind them as he focused on her. Through his focus she felt like she and him were the only two people at the Line of Treaty. The winds were high and rippled the banners. On his side a criss dagger with a black hilt and a single ruby at its end splayed his flag. Belle's banner was a single yellow rose, overgrown thorns running down its green stem. The horse she sat upon shifted it's weight on the muddy grassy dale. Though it didn't break her will her eyes remained on him just as his eyes remained on her. Belle knew he was waiting, waiting for her to make the first move, so she could play right into his trap. Belle was wise despite being only 19 years old, she had the wisdom of a true queen making it impossible to trick her.

"I looked for you on the battlefield" Belle said simply.

"I wasn't there."

"Very fortunate for you then."

He smirked. "Pray tell Yellow Rose. If I had been on the battlefield, would your blade have been in my belly?"

"Aye, and your chest too."

He giggled "And there are the thorns." He said sitting upon his black steed. "What's stopping you Yellow Rose? This may be the Line of Treaty, but both of us have our swords." He placed his hand on the hilt of his sword. "Would you care to dance?"

"You think I'm a fool Rumplestiltskin. I know you're the greatest swordsman in all of the kingdoms."

"My reputation precedes me." He mocked.

"That it does, however your leadership skills do not." Belle saw the change in his expression. "A true shame, it was so easy to cut down the ranks of the greatest swordsman whom ever lived."

He did not laugh nor smirk this time.

"Sweet Belle, A rose indeed. So beautiful and alluring, but a hidden unsuspecting danger lurks beneath her beauty." He said wearing a coy smile. "Aye, you have won battles Yellow Rose, but the war is yet to be over. Bend the knee and pledge your fealty to me and no more bloodshed will ensue."

"My knees do not bend quite as easily as you think Rumplestiltskin."

"Then I will drench your kingdom in its own blood. So said the rightful King." He turned his black steed around and galloped off along with two of his knights.

Belle was finally able to exhale. She watched him leave until he faded into the distance. Belle then commanded her convoy back to Avonlea.

xox0xox

Rumplestiltskin.

The man was as powerful as he was a mystery. He was an invader from another land called the Enchanted Forest. He and his army of 20,000 soldiers had been raiding multiple kingdoms until the Kings had no choice but to relinquish their crowns to Rumplestiltskin. Now he was after the kingdom of Avonlea and Belle wouldn't let that stand. The Queen was young, but resilient and she wouldn't let her land be taken from her without a fight. She didn't like war, but she did agree with it. Especially when it came down to fighting for what was right.

After a battle Belle would always call upon her hand maiden to prepare her a bath. Ruby was a slave. Born only to make Belle's life easier. She was taught in the art of performing only to please the needs of Belle.

"My Queen how was your meeting with the invader?" She said pouring warm water from a basin of down Belle's auburn hair, scrubbing the dirt and grime from it.

"It did not fare well. He wants me to bend the knee. He wants to take my kingdom from me Ruby." She said with her head tilted back on the lip of her bath tub.

"You can't let that happen My Queen." Ruby said stopping her motion to give Belle clarity.

Belle smiled before closing her eyes. "I shan't, If Rumplestiltskin wants a war. Then a war he shall get. I won't pledge fealty to an invader."

"But he's powerful." The slave warned.

"And what of my power Ruby?" Belle asked sitting up to turn and look at the girl questionably.

"I meant no disrespect my Queen." She said with her head bowed. "It's just that I don't want to lose you."

"You won't lose me My Lady." Belle subsides, shifting back down into the tub. "Don't I always come back to you?"

"You always return, though bruised and bloodied, but always come back." Ruby said she said kissing the brow line of her queen.

"Wash me." Belle commanded and Ruby happily complied. She knew that phrase meant more then what was commanded.

"As you wish My Queen."

Ruby picked up the towel and began washing her body with the warm water and scented oils. Paying close attention to Belle's supple breasts, she gently washed them before trailing down under the water.

"Nothing like a woman's touch after a battle." Belle whispers to no one in particular.

Ruby smiles at her queen and keeps rubbing Belle's clit under the bath water. Belle closes her eyes and begins to relax from Ruby's soft touch. In her tranquility, her mind couldn't help but wander to the man who loves to call her Yellow Rose. She hated the man, but there was something about him that she admired, his passion. She admired how driven he was in his pursuit to conquer all of the kingdoms, but he couldn't have hers.

"Call me Yellow Rose just as he does." Belle moaned.

"My Queen?"

"Just do it Ruby."

Ruby's fingers found their way into Belle's entrance, The queen moaned her excitement as the slave continued to seek every spot within her. "You're so tight Yellow Rose."

"Oh fuck, call me it again!"

"Yellow Rose." The deep voice whispered that was not of Ruby's. Belle's eyes opened and she quickly sat up in the shock of the new, but familiar voice. Rumplestiltskin was holding Ruby flushed against him with a dagger at her neck. "Shhhhh now Yellow Rose. No screaming, lest you want me to nick the neck your little toy."

"What do you want? Why have you broken into my castle?" She said bringing her knees to her chest to hide her modesty from the invader's eyes.

"I want to simply finish our discussion." He said with a mocking tone.

"You ended the discussion at the Treaty Line, when you rode off. Did my words wound you?"

"Aye they did. I may be a soldier but I have feelings too Yellow Rose."

"So you've come to kill me in my tub without any honor?"

"I have no wish to end your life. I just want to finish our treaty alone." He said brazenly.

"A fool's errand. I will not bend the knee!"

"You've proven that much Yellow Rose, but a deal needs to be struck, or the violence will not stop. I've conquered almost all of the kingdoms, but you remain irrepressible."

Belle stood up from her bath naked, giving the intruder a menacing look. "I will always be strong for my kingdom you fiend."

Rumplestiltskin looked over her naked form and licked his lips "I can see that. That's why I want you to keep your kingdom and marry me. I can make you the queen of not one kingdom but all of them."

"Why would I make a deal just to chain myself to an evil invader?"

"I know I may not be husband material, but you will get to keep your kingdom and your life." He said while pushing the dagger deeper into the top layer of Ruby's skin, causing her to whimper and close her eyes from fright.

"Release my handmaiden, it's me you want."

"As you wish My Lady." Rumplestiltskin smiled before letting go of Ruby and causing her to fall down on the ground limp and scared. "See, I'm not all bad." He steps over Ruby, sheathing his dagger before walking to the Queen. His eyes roam over Belle's naked form once again, looking as if he was weighting his options. He sighs deeply before picking up a towel and wrapping it around her. "Surely you can muster being married to me to save your kingdom."

"Do I have a chance to think about it?" Belle asked.

"I'll give you no more than a month Yellow Rose." He said .

"In this month, do you promise not to raid my outside villages?"

"You have my word." He said with a mocking bow.

"Then you have mine."

"Deal." He said with an excited giggle. "Think long and hard about it Yellow Rose. The fate of your kingdom now lies with you." He added just before jumping out the window from once he entered.

The invader was a mystery to her and his intentions remained unclear. What good could come from being married to a conqueror? But she could at least consider it, her people were important to her and Rumplestiltskin promised no more bloodshed would continue if she accepted his proposal. Belle was far from naive and knew there had to be other another purpose to ask for her hand in marriage.

The title is temporary. If you have any suggestion for a new title, please let me know in the comments. Also let me know what you think for the story so far. This is gifted to my friend and beta Oncer4LifeDearie, since she doesn't believe I can write "normal" stories (lol) and because she's done with the show Once Upon A Time.

-RL