A/N: Thanks so much for reading and reviewing, Lovelies!
~8~8~
Hordes of gray dust motes drifted precariously about a lovely decorated guest room of Rumpelstiltskin's large home. Speckles of grime mottled the golden slants of light that managed to slip through the drawn, heavy curtains like little dancing people before falling away into obscurity.
Belle sneezed intermittently at the thick billows of dust wafting about her. Filth felt as though it clogged her throat and her eyes seemed enameled with gray grime. Waving her hand to paw at the grand plumes of dust, unearthed by her curious rumaging, she scrambled away from the room; her body racked with heavy coughs.
Racing into the neatly cleaned kitchen the beauty pressed against the locked door leading down the drive and inhaled fresh air greedily. Being away from all the filth felt as though breaking the surface of water for precious air filling strained lungs.
"You would think, that we lived here for thousands years rather than a few months." She wheezed in a nasally rasp.
A twisted grimace crept unbidden to her face as her lungs hacked up the rest of the dust from the attack of bedded filth. At least when her master related his plan to her back in the Dark Castle she expected more from the strange new land they were abducted too in lieu of more dust and knick-knacks to peruse and keep tidy.
Instead, they had quickly fallen back into an abhorrently routine way of life. She would rise with the charcoal gray light of dawn tinting the sky, make breakfast for her and the Dark One, and then he would travel to work leaving her to clean and explore. After the hours trudged past he rolled back into the drive, ate supper, mostly worked in his second floor study and that would be their day.
The only variance from the hair yanking monotony was Sunday when she didn't toil away at the legion of dust in the rarely ventured rooms or days he took off from manning his shop. But even then her master's appearances in his days off were rare and few and far between; like today. After lunch he had retired to his study and she hadn't seen him since.
No, he preferred to hunker down and sequester himself in his large, warm study; content to disregard another living being in the house.
Swiping a cobweb from her russet mane Belle couldn't help but let another dour frown pull at her lips. Some days, the beauty didn't even think he even saw her as a person, only a thing meant to work and serve. Her master rarely spoke to her unless she began a conversation, and only when he felt in the mood to exchange words.
Part of her was beginning to feel more aloof from him than in the drafty, dank corridors of the Dark Castle. It was like they lived in two separate houses.
A knock on the back door, shattered the lovely beauty's rambling thought abruptly. A yelp of surprise nearly burst from her lips, but she bit it back with a firm will as she stealthily skittered away from the door.
How her heart hammered against her bosom! Each bang of the door pounded like a thud of her rapidly fluttering heart.
Behind the lattice of blue and white curtains, a shade of trim, prim figure stood there expectantly. It was the first time some one had come up to his door; the first time she had actually seen another person up close in months in favor of watching men and women stroll down the sidewalk oblivious to the curse that had spun their lives into a web of deceits.
Throwing all caution and care to the wind, even with a slight inkling of heavy dread her master would be probably less than pleased with her answering the door, Belle eagerly fiddled with the bronze knob until the portal swung agape.
Her smile, once bright and beaming, ready to accept the guest, slipped away like sun melting autumn frost.
Regina's ruby painted lips curled in a devious smile as her glimmering jade eyes narrowed deviously upon the slightly ruffled beauty. Feigned happiness veiled her pallid features like an ill fitting mask that could fall at any instance should the mood strike her to abandon her ridiculous pretense of politeness.
"Annabelle French what a surprise to see you here." The Madame Mayor lied expertly, her timbre imitating shock and pleasure like running into an old friend.
She was the evil queen, Belle recognized immediately. Her silky raven hair was cut short in this new world and all the sordid black lace and midnight pearls were replaced with a sharp pinstripe business woman skirt, but there was no getting rid of the evil aura radiating from her flesh like a fetid stench off a rotting ogre carcass.
Before her was the woman who enacted the repugnant curse, who schemed with the Dark One, and was renowned for cruelty; Regina, the evil queen.
Even in the Dark Castle when the vile sorceress had stopped by to pay her master visits and bargain for a few baubles or elixirs here and there, Belle always felt uncomfortable with the pallid witch tromping about. Most of the time the wary beauty tried not to turn her back on the ruthless monarch; fearful a dagger would be lodged in between her shoulder blades should she let her guard down about the sinister queen at any instance.
All the other times she was not trying to tiptoe around the brazenly dangerous royal, Belle was attempting to shake off the steely looks of condescension. Yes, the beauty knew very well she was a servant and her life was not her own, but Regina had a way of making it feel shameful and obvious with every disgusted sneer and cool glare.
"Ah Regina there you are." Rumpelstiltskin's voice greeted dryly from behind the frightened beauty nearly making Belle sigh in relief at his sudden presence.
The light thud of his cane padded vapidly down the stairs in a languorous tattoo as the business appeared in the kitchen. He was still dressed sharply, even while in his own home, but the jacket to his suit was missing revealing the dark red shirt the same color as old blood.
The cunning witch arched a thinly plucked brow incredulously, but did not take her burrowing glare off the nervous Belle. "Does she know?" Regina's lips twisted into a sardonic half smile.
"Of course she does." Rumpel snorted derisively at the foolish question as he limped nearer. "I think it would be rather difficult to transact business in front of a woman who does not also recall we are from a different land." He grinned furtively. "She might think us mad."
Regina shrugged in tactful carelessness, her curiosity temporarily assuaged with the knowledge she did not have to watch every word. "Fair enough, Mr. Gold. Now, about what we discussed over the phone."
Rumpelstiltskin nodded tersely. "Of course, we can chat about all the details. But first." Pausing, he turned to the beauty and nudged his head to the stove. "I'd hate to be an ungracious host. Could I trouble you to put a pot of tea on, Belle?"
He wasn't truly asking, that was blatantly obvious by his low demanding tone, but Belle was more than grateful for the pretense of making it a decision rather than an outright order.
They nervous beauty only replied with a faint, obedient nod, and thankfully slipped away to fill the kettle. Any where out of Regina's general vicinity was a huge welcome to her senses and pride.
A thin, carnelian smile slithered upon Regina's ashen features as she took her time looking about the home of Mr. Gold. Her turquoise depths scanned for any chink in his armor even when it came to his physical residence. "Fancy place you've got here, Gold." She commended with a small, tittering chuckle. "I see our deal came out smoothly."
"They always do." He retorted crisply though there was a knowing smile tugging at the ends of his lips.
"You know I've never had much against you Gold." The Madame Mayor remarked easily, her words stained with lying malice. Her eyes flashed hatefully, though she kept her temperate composure. "I'm glad this change benefited us both."
"Indeed." Rumpelstiltskin agreed sagely and politely proffered her to a free chair in the kitchen.
Once they were seated, Rumpelstiltskin placed his ash wood cane between his legs and curled his hands about the hawk nosed handle in his usual fashion. Cocking his head every so slightly to the side, he regarded her intently, but not in a way that spoke of trying to garner some advantage. "Something tells me, you came over here for more than a simple celebratory chat of how smooth the curse is working, Majesty."
"Hardly." A scoff spurted from the sorceress' full lips in contempt. "No, as I was in my office down at city hall the thought struck me that I have nothing to do." Regina admitted austerely, not unaware of the irony of such an announcement.
Rumpel chuckled harshly as though her words were ridiculous blathering of a mad woman. "Nothing to do, majesty?" He flourished his hand to one of the opened windows. "You run the town. All decrees and petitions come directly to you. The last say shall always be yours, and you come to me and say that you are bored?"
The wicked monarch glared at him, her emerald eyes flashing with steel and hate. "Don't mock me, Gold. I know what I can do. But since this curse dictates forever by the first 100 years this business will be run-of-the-mill and tedious." She leaned forward conspiratorially, her words all but a whisper upon the wind. "I want something else, something that I have not done before to give me a new challenge and something…fulfilling."
"Well you could always try bingo at Winter's Retirement home." The Dark One teased cruelly. He did not laugh, but the amusement was plain upon his weathered features and crooked grin and eyes glimmering in evil merriment.
Before Regina could parry with a reply, Belle stepped in with two cups brimming with fresh brewed tea. Steam clashed with the slightly cool air as she placed them before the two most powerful people in Storybrooke and folded her hands in front of her. Taking a few steps back should they need to call her again, her eyes rested widely upon their exchange.
The vile sorceress sighed heavily as she insipidly stirred her drink. "You laugh now because you have a little distraction." Her teal eyes flickered to Belle laconically before falling back to Gold. "I on the other hand do not."
Fierce crimson dabbed Belle's porcelains cheeks at the implication of the words not spoken, yet still there. Did she truly assume Rumpelstiltskin was taking advantage of her in that way?
"Well what exactly do you want, Regina?" Gold queried impatiently. Taking a long pull of tea he smacked his lips happily, completely nonplused by the harpy's outrageous insinuation about him and Belle.
Just the way she inflected 'distraction' made his blood want to boil with righteous indignation, but he suppressed the urge staunchly in order to dealt with the matter at hand. His Belle was a slave, not his bed warmer. He would never order her to something such as that. While he may have been a monster stuffed into the flesh of a human once more, the Dark One was not that type of beast to take advantage of some one like Belle.
"I want something that Snow White and her prince were denied by this curse in their paltry attempt to stave off the inevitable." The mayor answered simply. Her ruby lips were drawn in one thin line as she stared at the irascible Mr. Gold. "A child, Mr. Gold, I want a child."
From the side, Belle gasped at the proclamation, her eyes wide in startled shock at such an admittance.
With a small smirk, Gold ignored his studious slave and shook his head in feigned forlornness. "Really now, majesty, you should have probably considered that before you enacted the curse. What child do you want exactly? There is no orphanage, all the children have parents, I cannot simply hop into a car and bring you one from Boston, and all the women who were pregnant in our old world shall remain so for eternity."
False humor and pleasantry drained from the evil witches face. A snarl twisted upon her glossy ruby lips as she banged a fist upon the table making the cups clatter. "Think of something." She growled through grit teeth.
"Are you ordering me, Dearie?" The Dark One's voice was bereft of any mocking leaving only a dangerous timbre like a rabid beast rousing from slumber. His glassy brown eyes narrowed warningly in a silent suggestion to plan her next words very carefully least something rather unfortunate befall her.
After a tenuous, breathless moment, Regina cleared her throat in defeat of their perilous stand off. Adopting her normal ease once more she managed a paltry upturn of her lips. "I'll make it worth your while."
"Oh." The fiend's voice brimmed with intrigue; the air of hazard diminishing.
"Freedom from the law." Came the harpy's instant nearly snapping reply. Another cunning smile traced her lips as she leaned back. "Even you, Mr. Gold are not immune to the law…yet. I know some of the deals you bargain out are less than on the up and up with our county law codes. Try to at least find me a child to adopt and you can do anything and everything without facing this world's justice system."
Rumpelstiltskin barked out a hard laugh, clearly amused. "You still keep Graham on so tight a leash?"
Regina nodded demurely as she took a tenuous sip of the warm brew. Pride wove into her horrid, blood red grin in agreement with his words.
"A free pass to keep my business private and unhampered should clients go…awry." Gold stroked his five o'clock shadowed chin thoughtfully; mulling over the uses such an advantage would allot him. "Very well, majesty. I make no promises, but I'll see what I can do. Admittedly it might take a very long while."
Scuffing her chair back, Regina rose with the grace of a monarch still, her smile a faint more genuine. "I'm in no hurry, Mr. Gold." She laughed at some private joke. "I do have forever."
The magical monster rose slower, his face twitching with pain at a twinge in his bad leg. "Well if that's all…"
"Actually." Regina interjected sly, her eyes floated back over to the lovely beauty looking at the exchange with unabashed curiosity. "I have use for an assistant back at the office; some one to answer calls and do some of the more strenuous, humdrum tasks and some minor errands."
Blood spirited away from Belle's face, turning her skin in an ashen hue. Fright churned in her flipping gut at the words spewed from the malicious queen's mouth. Regina wanted to buy her? Repulsion hitched in her throat like hot bile even at the thought. There was no doubt if her fate lay in the hands of the cruel witch then eternity would be misery incarnate.
Immediately, Rumpelstiltskin's face transformed from the normal easy dangerousness to something far more threatening. A perilous air wafted about him as he stared angrily at the Madame Mayor; all forms of cunning games fled from his weathered face in a hearts beat.
Holding back a sneer he growled possessively like a beast over a haunch of meat. "Belle is not for sale." He uttered in firm finality leaving no room for bartering
"Isn't it you who told me oh so long ago that everything has a price?" She mocked, her mouth pursed in amusement at getting a rise out of his temper.
"Ah Indeed, Dearie, but I am not looking to sell any of my things." Sheer murder flitted his low voice as he glared daggers at the cunning witch.
Regina lips twisted into a malicious smile. "Not even for the deed to the nun's convent?" The vile sorceress asked in a seductive mocking.
A muscle twitched in the Dark One's jaw as the only hint the offer took him aback. In truth, the deed to the nunnery was a prize he sorely desired. Hate for the fairies turned nuns burned hot in his chest for centuries, but Regina held their title and placed their funds on their small private school and dormitories.
Yes, she knew how badly he desired such a tract; so bad in fact she was positive he would have traded half the land he owned to grasp his filthy hands over the scrap of paper. With the deed as such a sought item for the indomitable Rumpelstiltskin, Regina had no qualms waving it before him knowing full well it was out of his reach.
"Get out." He managed to ground pass his clenched jaw.
Sighing, the vile harpy shrugged carelessly as though it was of no consequence. "You're loss then." Her black heels clicked rhythmically against the tile, almost in a mocking gait, as she strutted to the door. Taking one look back she grinned knowingly at them both. "Just remember my offer stands." With that she departed briskly into the warm afternoon, her chin held high at the small victory.
Only when she was little more than a dot down the street did Belle let out a tremulous breath. Placing a hand to her heart the brave beauty realized she was shaking terribly. Her nerves quivered with fire, for she knew how her master coveted such a contract and yet had passed it up...for her.
Flickering her gaze warily to the Dark One, she hoped he would be to upset over declining such a fortuitous a deal he clearly desired and had even mentioned it once r twice. "Th-thank you…" Belle stammered shyly. He had saved her from a terrible tumble to a sordid life of misery under the vile sorceress' heel. Heavens knew she did not desire to belong to Regina!
The Dark One stared at one of his most prized possession strangely. In any other instance he would have sold a trinket or two to procure the deed post haste and plunge the nuns in debt they would claw desperately to break from; but not Belle.
Why not her he pondered with a touch of panic smearing his blackened soul. Because she was far more precious than any other thing he owned? Because she was simply, lovely, endearing Belle? Stifling the thought away he waved his hand through the air dismissingly. "Uh…no matter."
"I'm…I'm sorry you couldn't get the deed that you wanted." She rubbed her slender forearm bashfully as she nibbled on her bottom lip; what else could she possibly say to thank him for saving her?
A small smile twitched nervously upon his features. Turning back to the stairs he began his limped trek back to his study, but halted. Abruptly, the magical monster turned back to his Belle slightly. "It's…it's…all right. It would have been an unfair trade on my part; I would have lost more than I would have gained."
Quite uncertain what had prodded his tongue to speak something so unlike himself, the fiend hobbled back up the stairs with as much decorum and haste he could possess, leaving a slightly smiling, confused Belle behind trying to puzzle out his strange words.
With a small sigh of defeat and relief, the beauty shrugged and busied herself in preparing a cup of tea. The master's words probably meant nothing, of course.
~8~8~
A/N: I am sorry. Hate me if you want, but I just don't think, even in the show, Regina, being the brilliant evil woman that she is would actually assume Mr. Gold did not remember who he truly was. He's the Dark One for heavens sakes. Anyway just my two cents.