Belle was just setting out the tea tray when Rumpelstiltskin came stomping into the room through the main doors.
"Oh!" Bell exclaimed, startled. "I didn't know you were out."
"It's not like I have to check in dearie," he snarled. "I'm the master here, remember?"
"I'm sorry. I didn't mean," she started to apologize, but he cut her short with a wave of his hand and muttered something she didn't quite catch.
"Would you like some tea?" she offered.
"No, I don't want any bloody tea!" he growled punctuated by a loud sneeze. "Oh gods, it's starting," he lamented.
"What's the matter?" Belle asked, eyes wide with concern.
"What's wrong? I'll tell you what's wrong! Those gods-be-damned fairies are what's wrong!" he forced out through clenched teeth.
"What could possibly be wrong with fairies?" Belle asked, thinking of the pretty winged creatures.
"Sneaky, conniving, little wenches!" he grumbled.
"Surely not a fairy," Belle protested.
"Yes a fairy, and they bite too!" he informed her, shaking a finger under her nose. "What's worse is their dust," he stated emphatically.
"But fairy dust is magic," Belle said, shocked.
"Aye, the kind that makes me sick," he scowled. "Evil little green one distracted me, while the purple one came at me from above. Got me square in the face with that awful stuff." If Rumpel was looking to Belle for sympathy, he was sadly disappointed when she started to giggle. He narrowed his eyes and frowned at her. She clapped a hand over her mouth trying to stop the sound, but she wasn't very successful.
"I'm sorry," she got out between bursts of laughter, "but you were dive bombed by a fairy!"
"All very well and good you find this entertaining, but I'm going to be miserable for at least a week," he finished with a low hacking cough. He started to move towards the door that led to the part of the castle where his bedchamber was located. He was stopped short by another cough. He moaned, and Belle was quite sure she heard him say "I hate fairies!" before he was out of sight.