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I do not own Once Upon a Time.
Chapter 3
Rumpelstiltskin and Belle traveled for several hours in her carriage. They journeyed for several hours in silence, then Rumple dozed off a bit. He rested his head on Belle's shoulder as he slept. He had been asleep for over two hours when Belle brought the carriage to a sudden halt, which jarred him awake. "Where are we?" he asked, looking around at his surroundings.
"We're almost halfway there." Belle said. "Are you hungry? You should probably have something to eat. I brought a basket with food, enough for several days, and water."
"That would be good, thank you." he replied. When Rumpelstiltskin was under the Dark One's curse, he needed little food and even less sleep. But now he was mortal, and he needed both. His stomach growled a bit with hunger pangs.
"You just stay here; I'll go in the back and get our food." Belle said. She jumped out of the carriage and searched through the back of it, then came back into the front with some bread and an array of vegetables. "I only have one water jug, we'll have to share; I hope that's alright."
"If it's alright with you." Rumpelstiltskin said. He took some of the food into his hand and began to eat, and Belle followed suit. They took turns drinking from the water jug, careful to leave enough for the entire journey.
"Are you feeling alright? You seem tired; maybe we should have waited a few more days to make the journey. We can set up camp here if you're not up to the rest of the trip and finish tomorrow." Belle suggested.
"I'm fine; just needed a bit of a nap." Rumpelstiltskin said. "I apologize for using you as a pillow."
"It's okay. I don't mind." Belle said. "Do you have enough to eat?"
"Yes – thank you." Rumpelstiltskin said. "You?"
"Oh, I'm good. I need to go into the woods and um – take care of some private things, I'll be right back." Belle said.
"Let me clean up while you're gone." he suggested.
"No, you shouldn't be climbing in and out of the carriage with your bad leg unless you need to." Belle said.
"I'm not helpless Belle – and I do need to – take care of private things as well. I can manage and I won't go far." he said. Belle sighed.
"Alright, well – just set everything in the back then. I'll meet you back here in a bit." Belle said. "There's a stream not too far, we can go there to water the horses and then be on our way again." Belle and Rumple both took care of their private issues and Rumple cleaned up after their lunch. They took the horses for water and Belle allowed them to feed on a nearby patch of grass for a bit, and then they were back on their journey. Both of them were quiet for some time, until Belle finally spoke.
"So – Rumple – you never told me. What do you do?" she asked.
"Do?" he asked.
"Do you have a trade?" Belle asked. Rumpelstiltskin thought about what to say for a moment.
"Yes, I um – I'm a spinner. That is my trade." he replied.
"Well that's a – noble skill to have. Your work is of good quality, I assume. Although the clothing you were wearing when my father and I found you is – not what you would expect of a spinner. It looked of high quality; clothing to be worn by a nobleman. You – you aren't a thief, are you?"
"I have never in my life taken anything that wasn't given to me of free will, my lady." Rumpelstiltskin replied. "The clothing I was wearing was – given to me. In a trade of sorts."
"Oh, I see." Belle replied. "Do you recall yet what happened to you? Why you were at the Dark Hill?"
"I – no I don't, I'm sorry." he replied.
"It's not your fault. Most likely you were robbed and badly beaten. It was luck that my father and I found you, you surely would have died there alone." Belle said.
"Yes, that it was." Rumpelstiltskin agreed. He now started to realize what had happened. That hill – in his realm, that is where his castle sat. When he went through the portal, he would have landed in the spot that matched his realm. Only there was no castle there; that is why he landed at the top of the hill and tumbled down it. More awkward silence came between them. "Do you enjoy reading, Belle?" he asked curiously.
"Why would you ask that?" she wondered out loud.
"Well you – seem like a very intelligent girl, I would presume that you enjoy keeping your mind sharp, but I never saw you reading when you were sitting by my side. Why is that?" he asked
"I love reading – very much. But I was focused on getting you well, I didn't have time for books. You were terrible with fever, I had to keep you cool and comfortable. I wanted to give you all of my attention." Belle said.
"I'm terribly sorry to have inconvenienced you so much with my ill being." he said.
"Oh, it's not a bother, I enjoyed doing it. I mean – I didn't enjoy you being ill, not at all just – well I don't get to go many places or do many things and this has been – a bit of an adventure for me." Belle admitted.
"Me too." he replied. More awkward silence filled the air for a bit.
"Are you married?" Belle asked, rather bluntly.
"I – I was. Once. She died." Rumpelstiltskin admitted, not wanting to elaborate.
"Oh – I'm very sorry. I don't mean to pry, but - did you fight with her before she died? When you were sick with fever, you – well, I think maybe you thought I was your wife. You kept telling me you were sorry for yelling at me, that you didn't want me to leave. But oddly enough you used my name. Was your wife's name Belle too?" Belle asked. He thought about what to say for a moment.
"No, it – it wasn't. I must have – been confused a bit. From the fever." Rumpelstiltskin said.
"That's what I thought." Belle said. "So you never remarried then?"
"No." he said. "What about you? I heard your father say that you've rejected every suitor in town. Why is that?"
"They're awful – all of them. Brooding, boorish, lacking any form of intellect or common sense. The men of my age in my town are nothing but common brutes dressed in finery. I wouldn't have any of them for any offering of comforts. They know nothing of love." Belle said.
"And you do?" he asked.
"Well I know what it's not. I'd rather die a spinster than be wed to a man whom I didn't love and didn't love me." Belle said.
"I can't imagine – any man with an ounce of sense not loving you." Rumpelstiltskin said.
"Well these men don't have that much to offer in the way of sense. The last suitor, Gaston, was the worst of all of them." Belle said. "So your wife – you did love her, did you not?"
"I um – it was an arranged marriage. We were both of poor families and – I'm not really sure that she was ever happy with me. I did my best but – it just wasn't enough."
"Well that's a shame. I think you're a very nice man. I don't wish to speak ill of the dead, but – she seems a bit foolish for not seeing that." Belle said. "You provided for her and your son, did you not?"
"Like I said – we were poor. I provided food and shelter and Milah she – she wanted more out of life than that." he admitted.
"Pity. You seem like you have such a good heart. It's too bad she never recognized that. I would treasure a man with a true heart far more than all of the wealth in an entire kingdom." Belle said. Rumpelstiltskin remained quiet for some time after that last comment. This Belle – he could love her. It wouldn't be the same as his Belle, but – it might be enough. But what of Bae? His real son was still out there, in his land. And this Bae – if he could find a way to break the curse of this Bae, he could at least give the boy some peace. Perhaps this Belle would be willing to leave her land, and travel back to his with him. He wouldn't sent her away this time. He would never send her away again.
They traveled for several more hours, mostly in silence, until it started getting dark. "We're only a couple of hours away, but it is getting dark so maybe we should set up camp for the night. I'm getting a bit tired as well." Belle said.
"Yes, that is a good idea." he agreed. Belle found a secluded, safe area to settle in. She led the horses to a nearby stream, watered them and allowed them to graze, then tied them up for the evening. She brought a tent along in the carriage and set it up while Rumple watched, frustrated that with his bad leg he would be of little assistance to her. She had several blankets tucked into the back of the carriage and placed them inside the tent. The two of them ate and drank a bit, then Belle helped Rumpelstiltskin into the tent. He strained a bit, his leg aching and his body still a bit sore from his injuries, as he made his way down onto the ground.
"I only have the one tent so we'll have to share. It's probably not all that proper, but – I do trust you." Belle said.
"I wouldn't think of doing anything to harm or take advantage of you, Belle. You have my word." Rumpelstiltskin said.
"Thank you." Belle said, and she handed him a blanket. "Well goodnight then. Rest well."
"You too. Goodnight, Belle." he said. Tired from their journey, they both drifted off to sleep quickly.
The next morning, Rumpelstiltskin rolled over in his sleep. He unintentionally rolled close to Belle, tossing his arm over her as she slept. Belle awoke with a start and sat up, pushing him away and causing him to awaken. "I – I'm sorry, I – I didn't – it was an accident, I didn't mean to put my hands on you like that while you slept." he said, embarrassed.
"It's – it's alright. I told you, I trust you." Belle said, and she peeked outside the tent. "The sun is up, we must have slept quite late. "I'll get us some breakfast and we'll be on our way then."
"I can't break down the tent but – I can at least put the blankets away." he suggested. "You shouldn't have to do everything."
"Alright, that's fine." Belle agreed. They had their breakfast, packed up their things, saw to the care of the horses, and got back to their travels. In a little over two hours' time, they reached their destination. Rumpelstiltskin looked around and recognized where they were immediately. It was his village. The village that he lived in with Bae and Milah.
"He lives here? The Dark One." he said.
"Yes. He drove the villagers out centuries ago. No one lives here but him. He prefers his solitude." Belle said.
"With his power he could live anywhere. Why here?" Rumple asked.
"I don't know, really. There are legends that he grew up here as a boy, if one is to believe that he was ever a boy. The difficulty will be figuring out which hut he resides in. They all look so – empty." Belle said.
Empty. That's what this Bae's life had been for nearly three centuries, Rumple thought to himself. He knew that feeling well.
"I think I might know which one it is." Rumple said.
"How?" Belle asked.
"Just a – hunch I have. Right there – that's his home." Rumpelstiltskin said, looking ahead to one of the smallest huts in the village. He knew it well; it was his home with Milah and Bae. Belle and Rumpelstiltskin cautiously approached the door. Belle knocked once, and took a step back. The door opened on its own. Belle started to step inside but a voice boomed at her.
"You stay out. Send the crippled man in." The Dark One said. "Alone." He did not show his face when he said this. Belle turned to Rumpelstiltskin.
"I don't want to send you in there alone. I don't want him to hurt you." Belle said.
"I'll be fine. We'd best do as he asked." Rumple said. "Stay by the door and wait. He won't harm me." Rumpelstiltskin entered the hut, and as soon as he stepped inside the door slammed behind him. The Dark One stepped forward from a corner of the room and removed his hood. He waved his hand, and flung Rumpelstiltskin into a chair. Shackles appeared out of nowhere and clasped around his wrists, tethering him to the chair.
"These shackles are laced with magic. I will ask you questions and they will know if you are answering them truthfully, and if you are not then your fate will be sealed and it will not be a kind fate, and if you choose not to answer, the fate of the girl will be in jeopardy as well, do you understand?" the Dark One said.
"Y-yes sir." Rumpelstiltskin replied.
"What is your name?" the Dark One asked.
"Rumpelstiltskin." he replied, his voice trembling. The Dark One watched him for several moments but nothing happened.
"Where do you come from?" he asked.
"I – I'm not sure how to explain it but -"
"Where are you from?!" The Dark One screamed.
"Another land. A – parallel land. I think. I'm not sure." he said. The Dark One's eyes widened as nothing happened to indicate that he was lying.
"How did you get here then? Magic? Only I have magic in this land, I have forbidden it be used by anyone other than myself."
"Yes. Magic. I – a portal. I created a portal." Rumpelstiltskin said.
"How do you know of portals? No one knows of portals in this land! They are forbidden!" The Dark One screamed at him.
"Because I – in my land I – I have magic. Like you."
"Like me? You think you are as powerful as me? You're a poor, crippled man, what can you know of my powers? You know nothing." The Dark One said. "I want to know why you're here – and why you have his name."
"Whose name?" Rumpelstiltskin asked.
"Do not play games with me!" The Dark One screamed, and he grabbed Rumpelstiltskin by the neck and began to choke him. "No one – NO ONE knows his name, no one even knows of his existence, not in this time, but you do. WHY!"
"Bae – please. I'm sorry." Rumpelstiltskin said, gasping for breath. The Dark One pulled back and glared at him, his eyes becoming red. He then leaned over the chair, getting into Rumpelstiltskin's face.
"Who are you? WHO!?" The Dark One screamed, becoming angrier and angrier.
"I am your father!" Rumpelstiltskin shouted, then he began to sob. "I'm your father, Bae."
The Dark One backed and watched for any sign of the crippled man telling a lie. There was none. He began to pace in frustration.
"My father – died nearly three centuries ago. He fought bravely in the Ogre Wars and he died on the battlefield. I never met him. And you say that you are him, and you do not lie. How is that possible?" he asked, calmly but with a tone of anger in his voice as he continued to pace the room. Rumpelstiltskin began to tremble, knowing that he must tell the truth and fearing the consequences of revealing that truth at the same time.
"Because in my realm – a realm that exists parallel to this – I bear the curse that you bear, Bae. In my realm – I am the Dark One." Rumpelstiltskin admitted.
At Rumpelstiltskin's castle, Belle had spent the better part of a week trying to decipher what Rumpelstiltskin was working on before he went missing. His notes made no sense to her; alchemy was certainly not her forte. But it wasn't like him at all to just vanish. No he was too clever, too smart, and too – cowardly, Belle hated to admit. He never did a thing without a calculation behind it.
But what was his motivation? It was clear that Regina made him think her dead, so he wasn't looking to find her. Belle wandered through the castle over the past week looking for clues, and was still saddened by the placement of her chipped cup on that pedestal. She knew, even without seeing him that he was filled with regret for letting her go. Foolish, cowardly man, she thought. If he had just allowed himself to be free of this curse, they would be together.
Belle read through more of the books located in his workroom, but still couldn't put the pieces together to this puzzle. He was gone, she knew that much. But where? If he were in the Enchanted Forest someone would have seen him by now. Another realm? That wasn't possible. To her knowledge, the only way to another realm was a portal, and they were difficult to come by, if not impossible. And why would he travel to another realm, he had no reason to unless – his son. Was it possible for his son to be alive in another realm? Belle quietly cursed this foolish man she was still in love with despite himself for not telling her about his son as he had promised to do.
Belle scanned his work room diligently one more time. If that was his plan – if he were trying to get to another realm – he had to have created a way there. And if he created it, then everything she needed to recreate that portal would be there. Belle had an intense dislike for magic, especially the magic that Rumpelstiltskin used. But if it was the only way to find him, she had no choice but to use it.