Saving Rumpelstiltskin
A hooded figure slowly approached the wooden spiked bars of Rumpelstiltskin's prison cell. It paused, momentarily immobile, then threw back the cowl to reveal a young woman with curling auburn hair and a quizzical expression. The imp Rumpelstiltskin noiselessly glided forward to face the still figure. His golden skin glistened in her torchlight, eyes large, intent on her face.
"You're Rumpelstiltskin?" a distinctly feminine voice inquired.
The brooding figure clutched the bars, steel eyes boring into the fair face of his visitor.
"My name is Belle. I'm here to break you out!"
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Belle's grandmother had often whispered of a powerful demon, who had once been a man, locked in the highest tower of the the grey castle. So powerful he could grant any wish but he exacted a terrible price for his aide. Neither diamonds nor gold would entice him, for his alchemical skills were vast. His demands encompassed something infinitely more precious: a child, especially a first born child, the typical rate, or lacking that the promise of a future favor might suffice.
Infamy earned him enemies, for alleviation of desperation allowed common sense to resurface, and all that remained was guilt and anger. Inevitably Rumpelstiltskin was blamed for making such heinous deals despite the benefits obtained when he kept his side of the bargain. Long ago he had assisted the fairy king's only daughter in her wish to marry a human and in retaliation her family had trapped Rumpelstiltskin by a cunning spell that neutralized his power. Placed in a most inaccessible location, he was abandoned, to await eternity.
Only desperation drove Belle to consider her grandmother's stories. Each of her father's brilliant but unsuccessful anti-ogre military strategies only enticed death one step closer. Her heart cried out to see the once bustling village streets now empty, verdant fields now barren, and a village once brimming with life now deserted as her neighbours and friends had fled the approaching hordes. Only a miracle could save her family and her village- or a deal with a devil. Maybe she could arrange both.
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"I want to make a deal with you," the cloaked Belle called out bravely.
"I'm a little bit indisposed at the moment," with a wide sweep of his hand Rumpelstiltskin indicated the bars and cell that made up his prison. The windowless cell occupied most of the top tower floor, a bare circular room of cold mortared stone. A faint wind whispered in Belle's ears and shadows flickered across Rumpelstiltskin's dark face in the torchlight.
"The fairies crave my presence so much that they prepared this quaint little abode for me." Rumpelstiltskin strutted the short length of his cell, head held high and a sardonic grin creasing his face but Belle noticed the once golden coat was now threadbare, the curled locks tangled, the visage grim and weary.
"So come back next year. I can't help anyone from in here." Despite his flippant tone, Belle noticed that he watched her under lowered calculating eyes. "Or better try next century."
"I'm here to help you escape," Belle persisted, "in exchange for helping my village."
"Escape?" he giggled. "Well, dearie," he tiptoed up to the bars and leered at her. Lowering his voice, he whispered conspiratorially, "you may not have noticed, but this prison cell here-it's magic. Only powerful magic can get me out." He raised his voice conversationally. "And you haven't an ounce of magic in you, although that's quite a nasty curse you carry by the way- that I will offer you free of charge."
"Nevertheless, what will it take to break the spell holding you captive?" Belle insisted, her tone polite, purposeful, and not a bit desperate.
"Perhaps you've a little griffin liver on you? Toad toes? No? Maybe a vial of xali flower nectar or powdered dragon heart in your little bag there?" An ebony nail indicated the leather satchel over her shoulder.
"Oh, yes!" Belle exclaimed. "My bag!" She withdrew a cloth wrapped bundle and offered it to him. "I wasn't sure how well they fed you. I thought you might be tired of turning straw into food up here." Belle thrust the package into his hands and began rummaging through her bag.
Rumpelstiltskin stared at her, momentarily bemused by this strange woman offering gifts of food, let alone suggesting she could free him as if all it would take was a wave of a magic wand, an "abracadabra", and "fee fi fo fum" for good measure. Well, the magic wand might help but the magic words were worthless but for entertainment value.
But Belle was not finished with her culinary charity. "I'm sorry these are day old rolls, we're still waiting for food shipments from Tierre," she said apologetically while withdrawing a lumpy cloth and adding it to the one he still ogled in his hands.
"Here's a bag of dried apple slices. Maybe you could save them as a snack for later. I dried them myself," she prattled merrily on, unaware of the look of incredulity growing on Rumpelstiltskin's face.
"Oh, and this is the last meat pie. I actually stole it from the pantry while Cookies had her face in the flour barrel. Don't tell anyone," thrusting another flatter bundle on top of the others. "If you eat it right away, it might still be warm." She dug deeper in the bag mumbling, "where is...? Aha! My favorite for last. The cakes at the war council were irresistible so I saved one of those for you." Licking a finger, she added, "They were the only thing irresistible at the war council."
A smug Belle looked up into Rumpelstiltskin's perplexed face. "That should keep you until I return tomorrow," and she turned toward the door.
"Wait!" Rumpelstiltskin demanded. "How did you get in here?" He dropped the packages in a heap on the floor, but not before a quick sniff of at least one bundle. "The trolls should have smelled you coming even with your poorly crafted invisibility charm," he scoffed, " which incidentally, is worthless- against anyone but humans."
Belle merely grinned, twirling the bone charm on its leather cord around her neck and stepped up to the bars. "Will you accept my deal?"
The puzzled imp leaned partially through the bars to stare into her eyes. "My freedom for the lives of your little village? Of course I agree, " he chortled gleefully. If nothing else it would be amusing to watch. His mind struggled to grasp the audacity, the fearlessness, the foolishness of this Belle who without any magic slid effortlessly into a troll-guarded tower, snuck dinner into a magic cell, and optimistically offered to liberate him from an unbreakable enchantment.
Belle smiled widely. "I will write up the contract and return tomorrow. "