Chap 7 is up. Now I know I said I wouldn't include Hannibal until the Storybroke part of the story, but I didn't know I would be doing this chap, and when I got about a third of the way threw, I figured he had to make an appearance, and couldn't think of a why not. But don't worry, nothing scary is happening in this chap and Hannibal is on his best behavior.
Rumpelstiltskin was the Dark One, the demon in the night, the maker of nightmares. He put baby tears in the virgin blood he drank. He boiled children for diner, and forced innocent maidens to do horrible things in his bed. But worst of all, he was the dealmaker from hell itself, so evil that only the most desperate souls called upon him, and he was known to never be wrong or second guess himself, and feared no man.
But oh how his reputation would suffer if anyone knew that at that moment he was scared beyond any and all forms of reason. Because while no man scared him, but a very particular Woman was a different story. And the worst thing was, he was with Belle.
It had been a nice day. He had been teaching Belle sword fighting, nothing much, just your basic blocking and lung. Although Belle did seem a little distracted, and for some darn reason she kept hitting his backside, and always giggling when leather met wood. But they were both enjoying themselves, when suddenly a messenger came and told Belle her father had important news.
When Belle and Rumpelstiltskin, the later being invisible, got there, they could see the man was very happy about something. 'Well this can't be good.' Rumpelstiltskin thought.
"Belle, it's the most wonderful thing imaginable. You will never guess what message just came." Maurice said, looking happier by the moment.
"Well if I can't guess you might as well tell me." Belle said smiling.
"King Leopold is back." Belle was shocked by the news; she had not seen Snow since the funeral for her mother. And soon after she and Leopold had left with some of the closest staff left to morn. It had been almost one and a half years. "But that is not the best bit, apparently two weeks ago, while riding through a forest, Snow's horse went mad with her on it." Belle was shocked that this was the "best bit" and that her father was so excited. "A young noble woman, who is thirteenth or fourteenth in line for the throne, went and saved her. The King was so thankful, that the next day he went and proposed, and the young lady said yes."
Belle couldn't believe it. The King to be this impulsive was, unusual, and that poor Snow could have died worried her. "This is unexpected."
"I know, but so wonderful, and the best part is that they will be holding banquets, not just one, but seven, one every seven day to celebrate the soon to be queen and the rescue of Snow. The seventh will be the biggest which will include the wedding. Any and every person with even the smallest title has been invited, the king is so happy he's even invited Maleficent. Can you believe it?"
"No, I can honestly say I can't" Belle said looking at Rumple who appeared just as shocked. "Maybe next they will invite the Dark One." Belle said laughing.
"Oh, Belle, please don't talk like that. I'm sure Leopold has enough since left in him not to invite that horrid monster. But inviting Maleficent will insure she is not offended and will not try to curse someone, but no one really thinks she will attend."
"Well, then you will one day have to explain to me the logic behind inviting a simple dark fairy, a dark fairy with an unusual power yes, but still not as strong as the Dark One himself, to insure no one is cursed. When the Dark One could turn us all into frogs or snails with the flick of a wrist."
"Simple, the Dark One might actually come. And besides, who would want a monster there; it might eat one of the children or something." Maurice said. "And besides, we should focus on happier things. Like the fact that we have been invited for all seven of the banquets and Snow is dyeing to see you again after so long. So go tell the maids what to pack, we were asked to be there as soon as possible. "
As Belle left, she had to admit, this could be lots of fun, if she could get Rumple to agree to a favor.
"NOOOOO. Just no. Not a chance. Never going to happen. I you can't change my mind." Rumpelstiltskin said, sitting in front of the fire place reading a book with glasses.
"Come on Rum, you have to go with me. Every single male from the four corners of the realm will be there, and I can not handle the idea of being asked by every one of them to dance."
"Belle, I'm sure you will only be asked by half of them to dance, ¾ at the most." He said, laughing slightly.
"Rum, I will do anything, and I do mean anything if you will do this for me." Belle said, getting down on her knees and putting her hands together to beg. "PLEASE, I am begging you, begging."
"If, if, if I do this, you will owe me a big favor, you will owe me a couple of big favors." He said, pulling the glasses down to the tip of his nose.
"Fine, deal."
"You do realize you just made a deal with the Dark One, and must do an unspecified number of unspecified tasks."
"Yes." Belle said.
"You are either very brave or very, very, very, stupid."
"I just believe in the best of you."
"Very, very, very stupid it is then." He said, laughing as he returned to his book; that is until Belle hit him with a pillow.
When Belle got to Snows castle, it was much happier then when she had last been there, gone was the black and sadness, replaced by music and dance and joy. And Snow was, quite literally jumping for joy. "I am just so happy Belle. Regina is just so nice; she has been so good to me. I'm just so happy, you have to meet her Belle, and she is one of the greatest people you will ever meet."
"Ok, ok, Snow, dear heavens you'd think you were being proposed to by prince charming himself."
"I know I'm just so happy for her and dad and me and her."
"You said that already."
"Yeah." Snow said. And then a tall and beautiful woman with long black hair. "And this is the women herself. Regina, this is my best friend Belle. Belle, this is my future step mother Regina." Snow said smiling.
"It is a pleasure to meet you Belle." Regina said, but although she smiled, Belle could clearly see the pain in her eyes. Then after sitting down she said. "Snow has told me so much about you."
"Yes, and Snow has told me so much about you." And then Belle leaned in closer, said in a pretend whisper. "Don't worry, she's only said the bad things, we had a very short conversation." She then leaned back and watched Regina's reaction; she almost looked pained at the comment, but quickly recovered.
"Well, she's only said good things about you; she finally stopped after about three days." Regina said smiling, but it didn't quite reach her eyes.
"Well then, we will have to have revenge, I can tell you all the good things about her, and you can tell me all the bad." Belle said laughing. And so the group laughed and had a wonderful time telling stories, but the whole time Belle could see the sadness in the bride-to-be's eyes.
"I don't know what it is, but there is something about Regina that seems off." Belle said as she got dressed behind a screen.
"Really, and what would that be."
"I don't know, she just looks to sad to be about to be getting married."
"Well maybe that is the problem when you go from not having any chance of being on a real throne to being queen. It's not exactly a small change."
"Yeah, but you'd think she'd be happier."
"Well maybe she will have fun at the banquet." He said. And then when Belle stepped out from behind the screen. And Rumplestilskin was at a complete loss for words. "I know I might be stating the most obvious fact ever, but you look absolutely stunning."
Belle stood there in a yellow dress and a silver tiara just like the day they met, only this one was a thousand time prettier, but that could be because it was tactfully showing off one or two details very well that proved she was older, smarter, and very pretty. The tiara was a larger version of the one she had worn that day they met when she was only seven years old. "You are a vision of loveliness, and if I didn't know any better, I'd say you were feeling nostalgic."
"Well this was the first outfit you every saw me in, so I had the maids make a new one that fit me better. What do you think?" She said as she twirled around slowly.
"Are you fishing for complements, or did you not hear me when I said you were, without a shadow of any form of doubt the most beautiful thing I have ever seen."
"Well, then I wonder if you would like the honor of escorting me to tonight's event?"
"It would be an honor." And with a puff of smoke, there stood in place of the Dark One, a handsome young man in his mid 20s, standing a foot taller than Belle, he had dark hair and sky blue eyes. "I suppose this will do for an outfit; what do you think?"
"Honestly, I liked you better when you look like you. More danger and charm, less muscle head."
"You are such a liar, that look is the stuff of nightmares, this is the look of prince charming himself." He said with a melodic voice.
"Well, then it appears I've been having nightmares for years. And I never said I wanted 'prince charming himself'." And with that Belle took his arm before he could consider her meaning.
It was a wonderful party. There was food and dance and merriment abounded. A large number of royals were there, and Rumple couldn't help but notice that more than one of the single men was eyeing Belle as they danced, and some of the already taken ones were giving her more than a passing glance. But a cold stare here or there was more than enough to make them suddenly become very interested in the floor or their partner.
And Belle couldn't help but notice that a large number of the women were looking at Rumple, and while she knew it was because of his change of look that made them stare, she still felt a little jealous.
"You do know that every bachelor has looked at you."
"What?" In truth, Belle hadn't even noticed any of the other men.
"It's true, I can't help but feel great pride knowing they all want to be in my place, even some of the already taken men have given you a look."
"Well, not to make your ego to big, but all the women have been looking at you to, and to think your all mine."
"Ha. I bet they wouldn't give me a passing glance if they knew who I was."
"Oh, I wouldn't be too sure." And then she kissed him on the cheek. "I think they would at least look at you with disgust."
"Why dearie, I'm hurt."
"I said they would look at you with disgust, I think your rather handsome."
"You really need to get out more, you're becoming delirious."
"Beauty is in the eye of the beholder."
"Well then this beholder needs an eye glass, because…" But the sentence remained unfinished when one of the women standing in a corner of the ball room caught his eye. And Belle saw his tanned face turn white. "Um, excuse me for a moment." And then he all but ran out.
Belle wasn't sure what shocked her more, Rumple's scared reaction to, whoever or whatever he saw, or the fact that he almost ran out. But the biggest problem was the fact that more than one of the men saw that she was no available to dance with.
"May I cut in?" She heard someone behind her ask, but before she could answer, she was being swept up in the dance again. "My, my, now what fool would abandon you in the middle of a dance?"
"Hannibal." Belle said, finally seeing her new partners face. "What are you doing here?"
"Well I was invited; the real question is why did Rumpelstiltskin leave the loveliest woman here in the middle of a slow dance?" Belle looked at him shocked. "He came and talked to me when you visited and I told him that I was completely unworthy of you."
"Really, did he threaten you."
"Yes, and I threatened him."
"So how did you know it was him I was dancing with?"
"He smells like magic and straw, just like the gold you used when you visited, same way I always knew he was in the room. And it was the way I knew you were here, same light smell of roses. And I just looked for where all the men were staring." He said with a laugh.
"Well, I'm glad you're here, or else I'd be dancing with someone who stepped on my feet because they were looking at my chest."
"Well if that happened, I would chop them up and eat them." He said with a very unsettling smile.
"Has anyone ever told you that you can be very creepy some times?"
"Once or twice every hour." And then the song ended and they both laughed. "So, shall we go and find him and see why he left."
"Lead the way." Belle said.
Thank you to Grace5231973, Twyla Mercedes for all the help, xxxLeanniexxx for your help, and emospritelet.
So, who did Rumple see, who could make him want to leave Belle. Cookie if you get it right.
