A/AN: This is my OSS for my good friend Charlotte Ashmore! I hope it meets all of your expectations dearest!
Belle sat languidly on the settee, thumbing listlessly through one of the many books the Dark Castle library offered. She licked her index finger, turning another page in a book about King Arthur and the knights of the round table. She barely registered the loud explosion which came from the upper level of the castle, heavily engrossed in her novel. She jumped when another boom resounded. She shut her tome abruptly, scurrying out into the hallway to assess the damage. Her eyes rounded into twin saucers as a jaundiced fog descended from the upper staircase, approaching her rapidly. She was taken aback when she felt her master's hand grab her by the wrist, leading her quickly down the spiral staircase.
"Rumple, what's wrong?" she inquired worriedly as he practically dragged her down the stairs. "What was that noise I heard, and what's that ominous fog descending upon us?" she questioned him, unable to hold back her slew of queries.
"That dearie, will be your death sentence if you don't hurry up!" he hissed impatiently, throwing her over his shoulder when she didn't quicken her pace.
Belle felt heat rise in her cheeks when he hoisted her over his shoulder unceremoniously. Tendrils of crimson smoke surrounded them before they appeared in a dense forest clearing near the castle.
Rumplestiltskin set her down gently, flinching when he noticed their close proximity. She dusted her hands on her dress, feeling the tension which had formed between them slowly ebbing away at her. She cleared her throat as she watched the fog surround the castle.
"So are you going to tell me what that is, and why it was so imperative we leave the castle?" she queried, pointing towards the looming fortress in the distance.
Rumplestiltskin sighed, running his fingers agitatedly through tufts of curl. "That dearie, was a potion gone very wrong. I've been experimenting with different ingredients for days now and apparently I made a bad batch. It'll take a few days for the smog to air out. For now, I thought you might accompany me on one of my deals. You can't stay in the castle, hence the smell," he explained with a flourish of his hand.
"A deal? You've never let me go on a deal before," she beamed unable to contain the excitement in her voice.
"Well dearie, I can't let you stay here alone. It's not like you can live in the woods, and the smell from the potion is pungent enough to kill you, so I guess you're going with me," he supplied, snapping his fingers. Belle looked down to see her blue peasant dress had been replaced by a soft pink wool fabric. The dress was heavily insulated and would protect her skin from the chilly night air. He'd also gifted her with a pair of leather walking boots and a red cloak to keep the wind from tousling her curls.
"Thank you, Rumple," she smiled, admiring her new attire. The imp cleared his throat, heat pooling in his belly from the admiring looks his maid was giving him.
"It's no matter! I can't have you falling ill on our journey. You need to be well enough to pick up the slack once we return," he schooled his features, hoping she didn't catch the unsteady tremor in his voice.
"I see … so where are we going?" she asked, trying to hide the disappointment in her voice from his evasion.
"We'll be journeying to a kingdom known as Arendelle. It's settled deep within the Northern Mountains, and the climate there is frigid. The potion I was making was for the king. He has a daughter with magical abilities who's unable to control her powers. He wants to eradicate her magic by using my potion, but I'm missing a key ingredient. I used it all up in the last batch. There's an old enchantress who lives within the mountains who probably has the ingredient I'm missing. I plan to make a deal with her and procure it to restart my spell," he explained as she walked behind him through the foliage.
"Isn't it wrong to want to change someone though? Perhaps this girl doesn't want to be rid of her powers. Wouldn't it be better to help her control it than to completely destroy that part of herself?" Belle inquired, fingering the fabric of her dress anxiously.
"This girl isn't my concern, dearie. The king has a valuable magical object which I desire. I'm only interested because our common goals have aligned. He has something of value which I need. Mortals are foolish creatures and are afraid of what they cannot understand. Magic tends to be very fickle, and the king is only protecting his daughter from the clerics who'd rather dissect her than help her," he retorted, hoping she wouldn't badger him with questions the entirety of their journey.
"I see," Belle muttered to herself, biting her tongue to keep from asking anymore questions. She was ecstatic about leaving the castle and longed for her master to know she could be a useful asset in his dealings. She wanted to prove herself to him so she might be able to leave the confines of the castle more often. Rumpelstiltskin snapped his fingers, and the greenery around them changed into a cold barren wasteland.
"Where are we?" she inquired, her teeth chattering with each spoken syllable. The wind whipped around them, and she shielded her face from its cold fury.
"We're on the edge of the kingdom. The sorceress lives somewhere among these parts," he replied, scanning the horizon as he walked ahead of her. Belle opened her eyes to see the gloomy overcast skies up ahead. She wondered if the sun ever shined here and how depressing it must be to live in a colorless palette of grays and whites. She trod carefully over the snowy landscape as she watched her master glide effortlessly over the glittering expanse which stretched on for miles. Was he afraid of getting his boots dirty? She was unaware of her footprints which dissipated behind her as she walked. Rumpelstiltskin managed to keep her tracks covered, and he wondered how long it would take her to realize the boots he'd gifted her with were enchanted. They had the ability to glide over the snow as he'd been doing for the past hour.
"Pick your feet up, dearie," the Dark One instructed. Before Belle could ask what he meant, she felt herself being lifted up above the deep snow. Her feet felt lighter than air as she caught up to him, bypassing the heavy snow she'd trudged through earlier.
"How?" she inquired, glancing at him inquisitively.
"Those boots are sealed with magic and can be used to coast effortlessly through the air. They're quite useful for ventures such as this one," he giggled impishly as he flourished his index finger in the air for the full effect.
"They're quite innovative," she voiced, reaching over to grab a handful of snow to throw at him. He was caught off guard when the snowball smacked his cheek. He observed as she descended over the incline and out of sight. He could hear her girlish giggles echoing throughout the trees and it awakened something foreign inside of him. He was too awestruck to move for a moment as he reached up to touch his face. A rare thing occurred as a smile graced his lips, and he wondered if hell had frozen over, for no one had been able to make him smile but his boy. He thought of returning the gesture as he bent over to grab a smattering of snow. He raced towards his maid who'd he assumed would be over the hillside. As he ascended the incline, he heard a blood curling scream which halted him in his tracks.
"Belle!" he called out her name frantically, his heartbeat a thunderous tattoo against his chest as he raced towards her. As he reached the descent, he noted three mountain wolves had cornered her and were circling her hungrily. Food was scarce in these parts, and he knew Belle looked like a tasty morsel to them. He simply waved his hand, leaving the beasts temporarily frozen in place. The spell would wear off in a few hours and would bring no harm to the lupines. He rushed towards his maid who crumpled into his arms with heaving sobs. He was flummoxed by her close proximity, but didn't have the heart to push her away in her distress.
"It's alright, Belle. I promise that as long as I'm around, no one can hurt you," he reassured her, patting her back lightly. She pulled away, wiping stray tears from her eyes.
"I was so afraid, Rumple," she confessed, her voice trembling slightly.
"It's all right, dearie. Just stay close by next time," he returned. She looped her arm through his, and he didn't have the heart to push her away, no matter how uncomfortable she was making him.
"Could we stop for a short rest?" she queried sheepishly, averting her gaze timidly. The Dark One commanded him to forge on with the quest, while the spinner warned him to be considerate of his maid's feelings. He pushed the Dark One's demands aside, deciding to listen to the small part of his conscience which remained.
"Of course," he returned, leading her to a shallow embankment of snow. He snapped his fingers and a pile of logs appeared, igniting in flames. He summoned a comfortable velvet armchair similar to the one she often sat at back home in the castle library.
"Have a seat and rest a bit," he commanded, pointing to the armchair.
"Are you certain, Rumple? I don't need a chair. A rock would have been suitable enough," she replied modestly, giving him a calculating glance as she searched his face for any hidden agenda.
"Nonsense, dearie! I can't have you overdoing it. Besides you'll have plenty of chores to attend to once we return home. You need to keep up your strength," he downplayed, snapping his fingers. A porcelain cup appeared in her hands filled with hot chamomile tea.
"Tea as well?" she inquired, furrowing her eyebrow suspiciously at him.
"It'll warm you up and keep you from catching a cold. I can't have you falling ill halfway through our journey," he returned, schooling his features and praying, to any god which would listen, she didn't see through his facade.
"Thank you, Rumpelstiltskin. You've been quite accommodating on this journey," she remarked with a curious gleam in her eye.
"Well I- I- I- needed to make sure what belongs to me is in good working order. The castle would be a cesspool of filth without you. Your health and well being depend on it!" he fibbed, masking his true emotions from her.
"Of course," she nodded, averting her gaze towards the roaring fire. He noticed a flash of disappointment in her azure irises, and he felt his heart falter, knowing he was the cause of it. She would scorn him if she knew of his unrequited feelings for her. There was no way she could return his affections. She was so lovely to gaze upon, while his hideous appearance sent the masses quivering in horror. The unwelcoming silence grew between them as she took her gloves off to warm her hands over the flames.
"Belle, I hope you've had a sufficient rest, because we must be going. We've got a lot of ground to cover before nightfall," he remarked. She nodded wordlessly as she stood up from the chair. He snapped his fingers, leaving no trace of their passing.
"Why can't you transport us to the enchantress just as you did to Arendelle?" Belle questioned him as she glided over the snow beside him.
"The enchantress doesn't know I'm coming. She's made a habit of not staying in the same location for long. There's a nefarious king who lives south of here in the kingdom of Azarok. He has an obsession with magical entities and enjoys torturing them so that he may learn of their secrets. The enchantress knows this and moves around a lot to help ensure her safety," he revealed, narrowing his gaze as the path forked up ahead.
"Which way should we go?" she inquired, gazing between the two paths.
"There's a hint of magic coming from the left, but I don't sense anything on the right. There's a chance the enchantress is close by," he remarked, heading towards the left. Belle followed suit as she contemplated on what he had told her of the evil king. She hoped they didn't run into him anywhere on the road. She felt chilled to the bone but it wasn't because of the cold. It was the fear which churned in her gut about the probable pitfalls which lay ahead for them.
~X~
King Madrick rested his back against the velvet plush backrest of his throne. He sighed disinterestedly, drumming his fingers over the velvet armrest distractedly. He heard the oaken doors open, arresting his attention as one of his attendants entered.
"What is it Travers?" Madrick inquired to the man dressed in uniform.
"Your grace, the notorious Dark One has been spotted on the edge of the kingdom. He's being accompanied by a beautiful young woman the messengers say," Travers supplied, bowing reverently to the monarch.
"Perhaps she's his prisoner. The only way to find out is to confront them," Madrick remarked, rubbing his beard contemplatively.
"I beg your pardon, your majesty, but we're talking about the most powerful sorcerer in all the realms. He could reduce our entire army to ashes with the flick of his wrist. We need solid plan if we want to get close to him," the officer reasoned.
"Don't you know everyone has a weakness Travers, including the Dark One? He's only capable of producing dark magic which means there's only one way to stop him," Madrick supplied as a snide grin spread across his face.
"And what would that be, your highness?" he asked, shoving his hands in his pockets and pinching the fabric nervously with his fingers.
"Light magic, Travers. The strongest of all that is," he smirked as he procured a small pouch from his pocket and pitched it to him. Travers caught the tiny sack between his fingertips.
"What is this?" he inquired, gazing at the king in puzzlement.
"Fairy dust, the most potent light magic of all, and there's quite enough in there to paralyze a Dark One. It'll weaken him, and we'll snatch her right out from under him. Perhaps she possesses secret knowledge about him. For the right price, she might reveal to us how to wield his power," Madrick added. The thought of having control of the Dark One made him salivate at the amount of power he would obtain.
"What if she's fiercely loyal to him and isn't his prisoner?" Travers countered.
"Oh, she'll talk. There's a way to break everyone," the king smiled menacingly. The officer felt an unpleasant shiver creep up his spine at the dangerously low octave of the royal's voice.
"Disguise yourself in peasant's clothes and meet them along the road. Make yourself sound pitiful and pathetic. I'm sure the woman will wish to help you and will convince the Dark One to bestow a bit of mercy upon you. When he gets close, throw the dust on him," the king instructed.
"But your majesty! What if I fail?" Travers lamented, falling to his feet in trepidation.
"There's a whole line of men who'd love to have your job, Travers. You're quite dispensable to me, but if you succeed with this mission, I'll make you my very own personal adviser. Wouldn't it be worth it if I could raise your station? I'm sure Gwendolyn's father would have no qualms about her marrying you then," he taunted, dangling the bait in front of him.
Travers sighed as the image of a blonde fair skinned beauty with doe green eyes appeared within his mind. Gwendolyn was his truest love, and he would do anything to be with her. Her father was a rich lord and had done everything in his power to keep them apart. Their clandestine romance had carried on the past three years, but he was tired of the secrecy. He wanted to profess his love to her in public by properly marrying her. The only way her father would ever acknowledge Travers of being worthy of her hand was if his station was elevated. He would never deny him permission if he was the king's adviser, and he knew what he must do if he ever wished for it to happen.
"Fine, I consent to your wishes, your majesty. I'll bring you the Dark One and his mistress in exchange for the promise of Gwendolyn's hand," he obliged, stuffing the pouch deep within his pockets.
"Excellent! Don't fail me, Travers! I'm counting on you!" he admonished, waving him out of the throne room. The man swallowed back the bile in his throat, his love for Gwendolyn fueling his desire to carry out the king's command.
~X~
"Are we close?" Belle warily inquired as they continued down the snowy path. The white expanse stretched on for miles. They'd been traveling for the last four hours without any sign of the enchantress or anyone else for that matter.
"I don't know, Belle. I sensed a whiff of her magic down this path, but I'm afraid it has eluded me," he sighed in frustration. She decided not to question him further for fear of rousing his temper. He'd grown softer towards her lately and had only yelled at her once for lingering in the library too long and forgetting about his afternoon tea.
She was pulled from her myriad thoughts when she noticed something peculiar up ahead of them. There was something laying in the road just a few yards away. "Rumple, what's that?" she questioned as she pointed a gloved finger towards the strange specimen. Rumpelstiltskin's gaze sharpened as he took in the figure Belle was speaking of.
"It appears to be an old beggar of sorts," Rumpelstiltskin noted as they approached the man lying face down in the snow. Belle clasped her hands over her mouth as she dashed ahead of him. He opened his mouth to protest as she flipped the man over to check his pulse. His blond hair was matted to his face and his beard was littered with snow. He was adorned in patched rags and attire Rumpelstiltskin had been accustomed to wearing when he was a poor spinner. He pushed back the familiar feelings of never being full and a bone deep chill which always lingered with him as he observed Belle search for a way to aid the man.
"He's still alive, Rumple! We should help him," Belle declared with a pleading look in her eyes.
"And why would we do that? I came out here to find the enchantress, not to mess in the affairs of peasants!" he snapped, his amber irises filling with contempt.
"I know you like to make others believe you're a beast, but I've seen the good in you, Rumple. I know you're capable of it. Now please help him," she requested, tears misting behind her eyes.
"Fine!" Rumpelstiltskin groaned, unable to cope with the thought of her being disappointed in him. He wished her opinion didn't matter so much, but he considered himself a goner the moment she flashed him one of her radiant smiles. If he wanted her to keep bestowing them upon him then he would have to help this beggar.
"Move," he commanded as he pushed her aside gently. He placed his hands over the man's body to revive him. He didn't notice the beggar place his hand deep within his pockets to retrieve the fairy dust. He felt all rationality leave his brain as the man flung the white shimmering substance at him. His skin burned beneath the surface and it felt like a thousand bees were stinging him at once. His vision began to wane, and he heard Belle scream. He wasn't sure how he mustered up the strength to magic them away, but he focused his mind on a distinct location deep within the Northern mountains. A crimson haze surrounded the duo, transporting them to a cave settled deep within the solace of the craggy peaks. He felt his remaining strength dissipate, the feeling of her tender hand caressing his cheek was the last thing he felt before falling into a deep slumber.
A/AN: Rumpelstiltskin has been poisoned by fairy dust. It's very toxic to him. In the next chapter, we'll find out what happens to Rumple and Belle. Will they find the enchantress, or will King Madrick succeed with his dastardly plans?