2. Change of Plans

I woke up to the searing pains of my back, and noticed that I had rolled over in my sleep. The sheets were stained with blood from the beatings I endured last night.

I walked to the tall mirror in my room, undressed, and peered at my back. What I saw horrified me. My back had several strips of skin missing, the cuts deep to the bone. I winced as I tried to put my corset on, then cursed and flung it across the room.

I decided not to wear my corset, or my wedding gown. Instead, I put on my brown hiking boots, leather breeches, and a white long sleeved ruffle shirt. Before I put on my shirt, I took a long piece of cloth, and wrapped in around my chest, giving me the appearance that I was a young boy. Let's see them try to marry me now!

Once I was dressed, I tried the door, and found it to be unlocked. I ran down the stairs, and out to the woods, hiding from the hustle and bustle that was supposed to be for my wedding.

I didn't want any of it. I didn't want to marry some pompous pig like Gaston. I wanted to explore the world, find adventure, find my own happiness. I would never find what I wanted in Gaston.

I walked along the path, and sat down on a fallen log. It had hurt me so deeply when father had summoned all the eligible bachelors in the kingdom to try to win my hand in an archery contest, but the reasoning behind it hurt even worse.

No man in the kingdom found me to be beautiful.

I know, with a name like Belle, and fortune and a royal title, you'd think I'd be beautiful. Well, I guess my beauty didn't make up for the fact that I was very outgoing, bawdy, and one of the best fighters in the kingdom. Not exactly a turn on for most men.

I sat there, forcing myself not to cry. To cry would be showing weakness, and I was not weak. Taking a deep, shuddering breath, I turned around, and saw a soldier heading my way. "Princess Belle!"

"Go away," I said, getting up and walking away from him.

"Your father calls for you," the soldier said. "He says he doesn't care how you look right now, you are coming with me to be married."

"Not without a fight," I growled as I unsheathed my sword from its holster. The soldier drew his, and we clashed blades three times before he paused.

"Please, I don't want to have to hurt you," he said as he blocked my blows with ease.

"Come on," I said, quickening my blade work. "Give me all you got!"

He grunted and threw his sword around until finally, it fell from his sweaty grasp, and I had him where I wanted; on the forest floor with my sword at his throat. "Please, Princess!" he gasped. "Please show mercy!"

"Get up, and tell my father that if he wants me to wed that pig, he will have to kill me first," I said, lowering my weapon. The soldier whimpered as he quickly got up, got his sword, and ran off towards the castle. "Pathetic. A man who get's beaten by a woman. Why he's on father's guard, I'll never know…"

"That was quite a show!" said a strange voice, making me jump and turn around, pointing my sword directly at it. He chuckled in an unusually high pitch, making the hair on the back of my neck stand up. "Not many people can amuse me, but that! That was something else!"

"Who are you?" I asked of the man who stood before me. He was a strange creature, with wavy brown hair, scaly silver and gold skin, long black nails, and piercing midnight black eyes. He wore a ruffled, billowy, red long sleeved shirt and tight black leather pants.

"None other than Rumplestilzkin," he bowed courteously. "At your service milady."

"I'm so glad to have entertained you," I said sarcastically. "Now, if you don't mind, I have a wedding to attend to."

"Ah!" Rumplestilzkin said, clapping his hands giddily. "Who's the lucky bride and groom? Shall I take you there as my date? You know, I can be quite the dancer."

"Please!" I said loudly. "Just stop."

"You know," smirked Rumplestilzkin. "I know exactly what your problem is missy. You don't have courage."

I turned on him, and stepped up to him in a challenge. "I have courage beyond measure," I growled. "I took on one of my father's men, and sent him whimpering like a babe! Your sentiments hold very little truth. You do not know me, so let me be!"

"But you are about to walk into a loveless marriage," he said softly. "The thing you despise most, the one thing you stood against from the very beginning of your womanhood. And now, you are turning into a coward, and playing right into your father's hands."

"I don't have a choice," I barked. "Look at me, look at what I am! I am more of a man than any man in the kingdom! I am bound by my duty as Princess to serve and bow to King Maurice! I cannot escape or change my fate!"

"Oh, but you can," Rumplestilzkin whispered in my ear. "I can make all of this disappear…"

"How?" I asked, turning to look deep into his dark eyes.

He chuckled lightly. "I will tell you soon enough, now go to your wedding…" And with that, he faded away.

I cursed Rumplestilzkin, and headed towards the chapel, where I knew my father was waiting for me angrily with Gaston.

The instant I walked into the chapel, two soldiers grabbed hold of me, and dragged me down the aisle as I kicked and screamed. "Get your damn hands off of me!" I shouted. "I am Princess Belle, and you will treat me like the lady that I am!"

"So much a lady that she wears men's clothes!" guffawed one of the soldiers holding me.

"She doesn't even look like a lady!" laughed the other. "She's about as feminine as an old crone!"

With that, I drove my elbows hard into each of their groins. They fell to the floor, writhing in pain, and the chapel turned into chaos. I tried to run out, but two soldiers blocked the door with their weapons. I was trapped.

"Now, Belle," said my father as he grasped my hand in his tightly. "You are going to marry Gaston."

"She doesn't have to," said Rumplestilzkin from behind us. He had his arms folded in front of him. "You can change all of this, Princess. It's very simple really."

"How?" I asked.

"Don't get too close to it, Belle!" cried Gaston as he unsheathed his sword, pointing it directly at Rumplestilzkin. "That thing is pure evil. It will manipulate your mind and blacken your soul…"

"My souls blackened enough on its own," I said, pushing Gaston aside. Rumplestilzkin gave a giddy little laugh at my quip. "I can defend myself and hold my own."

"All you have to do is make a deal with me," said Rumplestilzkin. "I will take you away from all of this, and you will, in turn, live with me…"

"I WILL NOT HAVE IT!" bellowed my father as he grabbed one of his soldier's swords, and pointed it straight at Rumplestilzkin. "You will not abduct my daughter to use her for your animalistic needs!"

"It's her choice," Rumplestilzkin replied smoothly, bending the sword in half. "No one can choose for her."

All eyes were on me as I was forced to decide. Which was the better? Living in a marriage in which I would be forced to lie in bed with a chauvinistic pig, or live with Rumplestilzkin?

"I choose," I said, after much consideration. "To live with you."

"It's forever, dearie," Rumplestilzkin warned.

"I don't care," I said harshly. "Do we have a deal?"

"Yes!" laughed Rumplestilzkin wildly.

"Belle, you cannot do this!" cried Gaston as he rushed towards me. "You are my betrothed!"

"Ah!" said Rumplestilzkin as Gaston and my father rushed towards me. "No harm shall come to my ward. And yes, she can do this. The deal has been struck. Come along, dearie…"

He looped his arm through mine, and with a puff of magic smoke, we were transported out of the chapel.