THE FOREST
SECRET
Chapter 1 - murderer
They sailed throughout the night, leaving a tired helpless princess riding alone in a carriage throughout the dark areas of the night. The young princess that rode in this lonely carriage was Belle, she loved adventures and loved hearing about the world and what was out there for her to seek and discover. But now after travelling to be forced into marriage to a Sir Gaston, she was no more the princess who wanted to discover but the princess her father wanted her to be and that was a loving wife to a husband she did not love. She rode home alone that night in her carriage, outraged that her father organized her wedding without consulting her. She threw her cape over her head when suddenly the carriage came to a halt. Belle heard voices outside the door, making her wary. She raised her back against her seat and knocked the door to the carriage and called out to the two men. "Is everything OK?" she questioned. Faint fast footsteps were heard outside and coming closer as well. The door swung open revealing the carriage man with a stunned face. Belle noticed blood on the side of his neck and his clothing. Belle shrieked back in horror, she knew travelling alone wasn't good, but she had to now be brave. "What's happened, Anthony? Where's James?" Belle questioned the man, looking round him, to see if he was close by. "Quick princess, you must leave the carriage. James has just been killed." Anthony said in a hurry, grabbing Belle's arm and dragging her out of the carriage. Belle got out of the carriage, now afraid for her own life. She is now screaming seeing her friend and driver of the carriage James, lying there in his own blood. She turns away in fright turning her face away and burying her head into Antony's chest. "Who did this?" Belle cried. "A monster shadowed, Belle." He pulled her out of his embrace, looking into her pained eyes. "But we must hurry out of here. It's not safe for you." "But where can we go? We nowhere safe. Are we?" Belle said with fear in her voice. "I'm scared, Antony." "Your father's kingdom is just in the distance. If we hurry we will get there." Antony said, now moving quickly to the two frightened horses. "Now Belle, get onto Philip and follow me." Antony brought Belle quickly over to Philip and raised her onto the horse. He then smiled at her before moving onto his gray steed and grabbed her horse's reins. He hit both of the sides of the horses, spurring them forward in spite of their fear. They rode off into the forest alone, a blow of lightning suddenly striking in the distance. Belle jumped out of her skin by the sudden blow and this made her lose the reins of her horse. "Philip!" Belle screamed as she fell from her horse and landed into the deep heart of the dark forest. She watched Antony ride away with both horses as her vision faded feeling her body go heavy from hitting her head against a rock. "Antony..." she whispered falling now unconscious.
...~o0o~...
Belle lay there for a moment, stirring in her unconscious. She tossed her head back and forth feeling heavy water hitting her features waking her up. "Hmm," She murmured as rubbed her eyes then opened them to see a hooded figure standing over her. She opened her eyes, quickly backing herself away from the stranger that stood before her. She looked at him from head to toe, trying to investigate him but because it was so dark out she couldn't see a thing. As she tried to picture his face before her, all she saw was light brown eyes staring at her strangely like seeing into her very soul hungry to take her or worse kill her. "You keep away from me, you, you murderer." She grabbed a wooden stick and held it in front of her. The hooded figure laughed, just laughed really loud so she could hear him. He slowly made his way closer to her, each step taking his time. The leaves crunched against the floor when he stopped for her. "You think I murdered your friend, princess?" He questions her. Belle looks to him, straight into his pale amber eyes. Just hearing his voice sounding like pure velvet as his words rolled off his tongue. His accent was different, very seductive to hear he was so different but he was monstrous. She tried to swallow but made it impossible from how scared she had become. He suddenly became close to her and with force she placed her wooden weapon in protection. "I said keep away you beast. I know you murdered my friend." She shouted bravely. A surprised expression played across his features and a clap was now heard from him, joined with a high pitched laugh. Belle looked to him surprisingly, unforgiving him for what he had done, or did he do it? Her eyes just squinted with anger. "Such bravery dearie, so brave you are." His voice sounded now low and deep when he continued. "But my dear, bravery won't get you out of this forest. Only magic can. And I..." he pointed to himself. "Happen to have magic." Belle scrunched her features in him, with a deep low tone of her own she said. "I don't want your magic or you saving me. Instead I want you dead." Belle now shouted to him, as she waved the stick in front of him. He stepped back shocked by this princess's bravery was towards him. No one in all the realms he had been too had ever spoken to him with such courage. Even though he could tell by her pounding heartbeat that she was very afraid of just standing there with him but she still fought for her life. He decided to move even more closely to her, investigate her little petite body when he just came now inches away breathing near her pale wet features. "So you want me dead hum," he now changed his tone, to a sudden high pitched. "But of course not princess. You know I didn't kill him," he giggled. Belle waved the stick in front of him, now poking it forcefully into his chest and he began to like her spirit and fiery heart. "I know you did. You're the shadow monster who just killed James, my best friend." The man just looked to her with a huge smile on his features. He seemed to like where this was heading and for that it was indeed turning into something she might regret. "You're quite a spicy one, aren't you, princess. But i will repeat dearie." He now sung in a rhythm. "I did not kill your friend." He rolls his eyes, feeling the pressure of the stick even harder into his sternum. Belle watches him raise his hand and forces the stick away from his chest, smacking it away with his hand. He waves his hands in front of him, rocking his finger back and forth making a tutting sound with his tongue. He made his way close to Belle and smiles now grabbing her cape. He gave her a sneer, "You say you're a princess, noble blood but all I see a pointless spoiled one at that." "Ah! How dare you speak to me like that?" Belle says shocked by him. "I'm a princess by birth right, and I'm not spoiled." Belle watches his hands, as he grabs the stick into his palms and watches his magic before her feeling the wooden stick she held, disintegrate before her eyes. Belle lets go quickly, backing away from him and his power. Her blue eyes watched him, noticing his two hands grab her hood. He brings it quickly down to reveal her features to him. But with that, he notices who she was. His face drew shocked to see what a beautiful princess she truly was. "What did you do that for? It's raining." Belle shouted at him. She grabbed her hood, to rise to back up. But his hands stopped her. "Don't," he says, making Belle pause. "Leave it as it is." His hands were soft on hers, slightly caressing them with his. He drew away, turning his features from her when Belle caught up with him stopping him from leaving her. "Excuse me, but don't I get to see who you are?" He stopped and turned his head to her. "No princess, I'm not a pleasant sight to look at." He says sadly, and he continues to walk away. Belle smiled, and now felt a bit more relaxed in front of him. She noticed him quickly walking away from her again and she grabbed her dress and ran after him. "Well don't I at least get your name? I'm Belle." she said breathlessly. He paused for a moment, looking at her breathing heavy. She was such a beautiful sight to take in, as he then cleared his throat to tell her his name. "It's Rumplestiltskin." He quickly said to her, his voice quiet. Belle looked to him, tilting her head to the side. She didn't quite catch his name, because his voice sounded so low. "Pardon me, what did you say your name was?" she placed her hand onto his shoulder. He frowned at her, as he rolled his eyes. He hated repeating himself but to now Belle, he didn't care. He swished his hand and bowed in front of her. "Rumplestiltskin my name is," he raised his head, pointing his finger to her. "And don't you forget it." Belle gave a little giggle to him, noticing under his hidden features he wore a smile. She now wanted to question him on why he was in the forest the same time as she was. "Rumplestiltskin, may I ask. What are you doing in this forest, it's dangerous." "Oh no dearie, not dangerous for me, but for you it is." He quickly said, as he began to walk away once again.
A loud thunderous noise was heard in the distance, an animal's voice. It was close to and it startled Belle in her spot she stood. "What is that?" She asked when thunder struck loud over the animal's angry sound. Rumplestiltskin grabbed Belle's hand and dragged her quickly out of the forest. "Come follow me, it's not safe for you. You must go," He said. "But I can't find my way out. I'm in the middle of the secret forest and its dark out here." Belle said fretfully. Rumplestiltskin dragged her forcefully out, trying to break through the magic barrier of the dark forest. Belle moaned in pain by his force. "Please, let me go you're hurting me." He then let go of her arm and moved behind her, grabbing her from under her legs in bridal style.
"Whoa," Belle says in shock as she got took by surprise now feeling his arms behind her back as he raised her off the floor. "What you doing?" "I am breaking the barrier, so you can get home." Rumplestiltskin says. Rumplestiltskin watches the purple aura that covered the forest before him. He turns his covered face to Belle and back to the aura. "Ready." He says. "Ready?" she questions. "Ready, for what?" "For this." He adds. And he releases Belle through it.
Belle looks to him as she screams as she feels her body hit the soft grass. She looks up noticing him standing there watching. "Rumple..." she gets up trying to get back through to him. "Oh my god," Belle said in panic. "How are you going to get out?" Her hands began trying to push to break free the aura border that surrounded the forbidden forest, but every time she touched the area a bolt of electricity shocked her. "Ouch," Belle shouted.
She began to worry for Rumplestiltskin standing there, with nothing but his magic to keep him safe. She looked up now to see a huge monster with red eyes approaching Rumplestiltskin. Belle suddenly screamed at the top of her lungs, "Rumplestiltskin behind you!" Rumple turned around to see what she now saw behind him. He turned back to Belle who looked scared as he quickly warned her. "RUN Belle, NOW. AND DON'T LOOK BACK." warning her to move. Belle stood frozen, she didn't want to leave this mysterious man behind. "I can't leave you!" she screamed. "I said go, I mean it. Go!" he shouted to her. Belle turned picking up her dress, and began to run for her life. She stopped far enough to see him standing there with his back turned. The monster stood there, ready to fight when it licked its lips to him and as it pounced it landed straight on top of him crushing him into the very floor. "RUMPELSTILTSKIN!" Belle now screamed louder. She sank to the floor, with tears flooding into her eyes. She sat there for a moment trying to control her tears for this stranger who she didn't know of until today. Two hands grabbed the side of her shoulders and as she turned to wipe her eyes she noticed it was Anthony standing above her relieved.
To be continued...