Epilogue
Rumpelstiltskin hoisted Belle in his arms as he transported them to the sitting room of the Dark Castle. He could tell his maid was utterly spent, and he planned to let her sleep for as long as she liked. He sat down in the velvet arm chair as the hearth roared to life. The castle was linked directly to his magic, and he could command it with his cognition without having to lift a finger. Gwendolyn's ebony gown clung to Belle's skin, and he snapped his fingers, replacing it with a warm fleece night dress. Black reminded him of the darkness, and it wasn't befitting of the sole light in his life.
Soft snuffles erupted from her throat as she clung to him. Being in contact with the dagger had banished the rest of the loathsome fairy dust from his system. The king of Arendelle could go find it himself as far as he was concerned. A slew of queries swam through his head. How had Belle found the dagger? How had she made it back to Azarok so quickly, and what had possessed her to masquerade as a female version of himself? He shook his head in disbelief at that last one. She shifted in his lap, and he snapped his fingers, magicking them to her chamber. She would be getting the most lavish suite in his castle within the next few days. As he placed her down on the bed and tucked the duvet over her, she reached for him.
"Stay with me," she mumbled drowsily, scooting over to give him an ample amount of space. His heart thrummed heavily against his chest as he lay down beside her. She wrapped her arms around him tentatively, unwilling to let go. He buried his face in her nape, inhaling her pleasant musk of rose with a hint of lavender. The question burned on his tongue, and he could no longer withhold his pressing desire to know her answer.
"Belle, how did you get back to Azarok? It would have taken you weeks if you'd traveled there on foot," he inquired.
"I prowled in your study, attempting to find a way to bring you home, and I came across a black book which revealed the dagger. My mind connected the dots, and I realized the dagger held the source of your power. There was a wand lying nearby, and I remembered what you told me about how our emotions are connected to magic. I simply thought of the place I wanted to go and used the wand to create a portal. I also used it to glamor myself up to look like the Dark One," she revealed, stifling back a yawn while resting her head against his torso.
He blinked in disbelief. "Belle, the dagger not only contains the source of my power. It can also be used to control me. It's a miracle you were able to fight the urge to do so. The fact you were able to do two difficult spells most seasoned sorcerers are unable to complete is baffling. It took my former pupil, Regina months to learn how to glamor herself, and you seemed to have mastered it within seconds. Portal jumping is another matter completely," he remarked skeptically.
"I accredit all of my success to my devotion for you. My love for you is what pushed me onward," she professed, reaching up to brush tufts of curl from his eyes.
"I just don't see how you could stand to love a beast. I've done terrible things, Belle. No one deserves anyone like me, especially you. You're full of so much goodness and light," he protested.
"Rumple, I don't care how ugly your past is, and I think I've proven today that I'm not full of as much light as you think. I killed a man in cold blood, and I nearly gave myself away to the darkness. If it wasn't for you, then I probably would have," she asserted.
"What did I do?" he asked, cocking his head to the side.
She placed her hand over his beating heart. "You proved that goodness still lies within your heart. You spared Travers and gave him and Gwendolyn a fresh start. There's a good man beneath those shimmering gold scales, Rumpelstiltskin. I'll make you see it every day if I have to." she vowed.
"So, you'll stay here with me forever then?" he inquired daringly.
"Yes, I'll go with you forever," she promised, restating the words she'd spoken all those months ago, the day he'd first stepped foot into her castle.
"Forever it is then, dearie," he smiled, pressing a soft kiss against her lips. She tangled her bare legs around his waist as he ravished her mouth with his. She broke the kiss momentarily to gaze within his dark amber irises.
"Rumple, I want you to teach me magic," she interrupted, taking him aback with her request.
"Are you certain? You've already proven you're a prodigy," he remarked with an impish giggle.
"I want to perfect my abilities," she stated, tucking an erratic curl behind her ear.
He nodded in agreement. "There will be time for that, Belle. There will be time for everything," he sighed, spooning himself against her backside. She closed her eyes as they fell into a blissful slumber, dreaming of what the future held for them.
A/AN: I could keep this thing going forever, but I'm going to stop here. Merry Christmas to my dear beta and friend, Charlotte Ashmore! I hope this is what you wanted my dear friend! I love you bunches! I'd like to thank everyone who took the time to read this fic! It has been such a pleasure to write. In the future, Belle perfected her magic, and they found a way to bring Bae home. Rumple's vision from before came true. ;)
