Chapter 2
"You're not going to just send me away Father! I refuse to go!" Belle shouted, halting the servants in their tracks, stopping them from loading her trunks into the waiting carriage. It had been two days since she had contacted Rumplestiltskin and she had not heard from him, had not seen any sign, nor received any answer. Belle believed her last hope was truely lost.
"Belle, its my responsibility, not only as your Father, but as your King to be sure that you are protected. Im afraid that the only way to ensure your safety is to send you to Arendelle post-haste. Please do not ask me to watch helplessly as my Daughter, my only child is slaughtered by bloodthirsty Ogres! I couldnt bare it if--"
"Yet you ask me to leave you here in Avonlea, knowing that I would probably never see you again? Papa, I WILL stand by your side! Im a woman now! Im not a Child, please dont treat me as such!." Belle entreated tearfully.
"Oh, how touching Dearie! I think im going to cry!" Rumplestiltskin drawled snidely, watching from the throne unnoticed at first by the bickering Father and Daughter. Belle whirled around in surprise and several of the servants loading the carriage had screamed and scattered in alarm at the appearance of the Dark One.
"You...you came! I thought you werent going to help us. I had all but given up hope." Belle gasped through her tears as she stared in awe at Him.
"You...your the Dark One! Leave my castle at once! You arent welcome here!" King Maurice spat angrily, advancing on Rumplestiltskin where he sat on the throne idily. Really he looked quite bored by the proceedings already.
"Papa! Dont speak to him so disrespectfully! He's here at my invitation, I begged him to help us." Belle intervened, placing herself in front of her Father to block his path to the throne. King Maurice looked aghast at his Daughter and his eyes suddenly burned with rage.
"You stupid little fool! Do you know what you have done? You have damned us all! What have you done!?!" Maurice lamented, hands clawing through his hair desperately.
"I haven't got all day, Dearie." Rumplestiltskin interrupted with a catlike grin.
"You'll help us?" Belle asked in a disbelieving tone, approaching the throne slowly.
"For a price of course." he replied, rising from the throne and meeting Belle halfway.
"We have all the gold you could ever use at your disposal Dark One." Maurice answered, taking Belle by the upper arm and tugging her back away from Rumplestiltskin slowly.
The Dark One pulled a face in mock distaste and tsked.
"No, you see, I Uh MAKE gold. What I want is a little more special...more valuable...My price...is her." he said, pointing to Belle.
"No! I won't hear of it! My Daughter, my only Child becoming the prisoner and play thing of some...some Beast!" Maurice exclaimed, placing himself firmly between Belle and the Imp.
"Prisoner? Plaything? Really Sir, you wound me. I have nothing so dishonorable in mind. A little tiny birdie told me that the girls Fiance has fled the kingdom, placing your righteous family name in questionable respect and your kingdom in jeopardy. However if a suitor could be found to marry her; someone with riches and power, not to mention someone who could put an end to the Ogre wars once and for all, why, I do believe that could solve all of your problems as a whole, now wouldn't it?" He asked slyly.
"You want to marry my Daughter? Why?" Maurice asked suspiciously.
"I need a caretaker for my rather large estate. I also have need of someone to cook, serve tea, and tend to guests when I have them. I hardly expect your Daughter to perform any uh... Wifely duties for me at the onset of our union although I am sure that we could grow rather fond of one another in time. In exchange, your kingdom would be saved from Ogres and I could provide all the gold that You could ever spend. There's also the added incentive of the protection of my extensive magic... in other words your kingdom would be the most powerful in existence. Untouchable." Rumplestiltskin explained with a smile.
"Done." Belle said with finality, stepping around her Father and towards Rumplestiltskin.
"Belle, you can't!" Maurice shouted, taking her hands in his and imploring her.
"This would be forever Dearie. Be aware of what your signing up for." The Imp interrupted again.
"Yes, I will stay with you for the rest of my life if that's what you wish." she agreed. Rumplestiltskin giggled and shook his head slightly.
"I'm immortal Dearie. Binding yourself in Marriage to me would make you immortal too. It has its benefits of course; you would never age, rarely would you be ill, you would eventually have powers of your own to use for the good of your Kingdom. But it is forever. Forever with me as my Wife. Are you certain we have a deal?" he asked her seriously, all pretence of humor and sarcasm gone.
"Do I have your word that you will keep your end of the bargain?" Belle asked.
"Yes Belle, I swear it." Rumplestiltskin promised.
"Then you have mine. I will be your Wife and I will stay with you forever." Belle said.
Maurice collapsed backwards onto the throne, his head in his hands.
"Splendid. The deal is struck!" Rumplestiltskin took his dagger from his cloak and cut his palm.
"Your hand please, Belle." he asked her softly, the sound of her name on his lips made her shiver with a feeling that she couldn't explain. She gave him her hand and he sliced a cut into her palm, which was surprisingly painless. He joined their bleeding palms together and a thin gold chain of magic wrapped itself around their joined hands. The chain radiated a warm heat and shone so brightly that it hurt to look at it. Belle shut her eyes tight as she heard Rumplestiltskin intone a phrase in Gaelic 'Mo Anam Cara', which she knew translated into 'My Soul Mate'. The light faded and in its place Belle saw that they now wore matching gold wedding bands on their ring fingers. The bands were engraved with the Gaelic Claddaugh symbol and the intonation Mo Anam Cara.
