I pick up the hot tea pot and pour his afternoon tea into our chipped cup. He's spinning again, I presume. He's been spinning a lot quite recently, it sets his mind at ease. There is a knock on the door and I hear him call out to me from the dining room. "Could you get that for me, sweetheart?"

"Yes, I've got it!" I call. I set down the tea pot and dust my hands off on my white apron, hurrying to the entry hall to answer. I open the doors to see King James, Queen Snow, and my dear friend Mulan. "Your Highnesses, Mulan! We didn't expect you all until later this afternoon. Please, come in." I curtsy at the King and Queen after they enter. I make eye contact with Mulan and we grin.

She quickly embraces me. "How are you Belle?"

I return the embrace. "Better than ever! I'm out of Regina's dungeon and with Rumplestiltskin. We're happy and everything is wonderful." I squeeze her hand, "Thank you, for sending Philip to save me. It was a nightmare there."

She laughs. "Anytime. Just try not to get captured any time soon, alright?"

I roll my eyes. "I guess I can try." I turn my attention back to the King and Queen. "Your Highnesses, if you'll follow me into the dining room. Rumple is probably waiting for you there. I'll bring the tea right out."

King James nods. "Thank you Belle, and please, call us Snow and James. We're all friends here."

"Of course, James. I'll be right out with the tea." I curtsy one last time before hurrying back into the kitchen. Quickly, I pull out three more tea cups and saucers from the cabinet and pour tea into them. I set the tea cups onto the saucers then put them on the tea tray.

I wonder what it is the King and Queen need from Rumple. They sent a letter yesterday saying it was urgent and they needed to come as soon as Rumple could see them. Rumple was quite flexible as always. He doesn't have that busy of a schedule anyways. Not since I got out of Regina's castle two months ago. As I take the tea into the dining room, my mind flashes back to the night I arrived at the Dark Castle...


The doors to the Dark Castle open as I walk up. He's expecting me. A warm feeling makes its way into my body, putting a smile on my face. He's changed. I can feel it. I walk inside of the castle and see him. "Rumplestiltskin..." I breathe.

"Belle." He tries to hold it back, but a smile appears on his face. "I thought you were dead."

I shrug casually. "Well, I'm here now. Did you keep the drapes down, or do I need to let some light back into the dining room?"

He chuckles and holds out a hand to me. I accept it gently. "I've missed your smile."

"And I've missed you." He starts to lead me into the dining room. I pull away. "Wait."

He gives me a confused look. "Tea's all ready for us Belle. There's something I wanted to show you."

I grab his arm. "Rumplestiltskin, wait." He looks in in the eyes. "I want to be sure."

"Sure of what Belle?" he asks me.

"That you've changed," I whisper before I pull him to me, pressing our lips together. And this time, he doesn't pull away.

His hand is at my back as he pulls me closer to him. I'm breathless but I can't tear myself from his lips. Until, finally I need air. I break the kiss slowly and smile at him. "You have changed." In more ways than one. He looks like a man now, no longer like he did before.

He brushes the hair from my face. "Indeed I have. Belle, after you left the castle all those years ago, I couldn't think straight. I was-am lost without you Belle. You make me a better man. You make me, for the first time, want to go back to how I was. You loved me even when I was an ugly, ugly man. And I promise, from now on, I'll only use my magic for good."

I kiss him quickly. "I love you," I tell him.

He takes my hand. "And I love you too. Now, let's have some tea. There's a special cup for you."

"You kept it?" I ask in shock. "After all these years, my chipped cup."

He shakes his head. "No, Belle, our cup."


I smile at the memory as I walk into the dining room. Rumple sits at the head of the table, King James on his left and Mulan on his right with Queen Snow next to her husband. "So what do you propose we do?" James asks.

Rumple holds up a hand. "One moment if you would. Belle, please, set the tea down and sit. You're just as much a part of this conversation as the next person."

I bite my lip and hold back the blush that comes to my face. "Alright," I say. I pass out each tea cup-the chipped one to Rumple-then sit next to the chair between him and Mulan.

"Now," Rumple begins, "Shall I fill Belle in on the situation or would you like to?" he asks James and Snow.

James shook his head, "By all means Rumplestiltskin, you explain it. Perhaps then I'll finally understand the damned situation."

Rumple chuckles. "Well, Prince Charming, your daughter is quite magical. I'll give you that. I've known that for many years now. It's quite ironic isn't it? The product of true love has magic. Now, how Regina plans on procuring said magic from the young princess, I have no idea."

"What type of magic does she have?" Snow asks.

"Hard to say, all magic is the same as it is different," Rumple replies.

"That doesn't make any sense," Mulan and James mutter.

"Belle, you can take this one I believe," he says to me.

I nod as he drinks his tea. "Alright. Well, there is no single type of magic. Magic isn't an item for purchase. It's a skill one has to learn. There is no good magic or dark magic, more or less. There are however, people. The good and the bad. But, then again, are we ourselves one hundred percent good? Or one hundred percent bad? No. So you see, people work the same way as magic." They give me a confused look. Rumple squeeze my hand.

"Go on," he presses.

Taking a breath, I continue, "We are all light. Yet we are all dark. Magic is light. But it can be used for darkness. Dark magic is purely light magic being used by a dark person. So, it will be Princess Emma's choice how she uses her magic. She may use it for light. Or for dark. To heal. Or to harm. It all depends on her choices in life. But even then, she won't be purely light. Or purely dark. That is, until she makes a decision. There comes a time in our lives," I look at Rumple softly, "when we have to make a choice. A choice between good and evil. It is when we make that choice that we dispel either the darkness or the light within us."

Snow nods in understanding. "So it is our job to raise Emma in the light. So that when the time comes, she will make the right choice?"

Rumple takes over. "Exactly! We won't know the type of magic Emma will have until she gets older. I believe she has the wolf curse to deal with as well?" he questions.

"How did you-" Snow starts.

"I see the future dearie. Never underestimate the power of sight. Now, once your daughter has learned to master that curse, I will teach her how to control her magic. And," he closes his eyes and thinks, "on her eighteenth birthday, she will will be faced with the choice that will choose her fate. Or at least, the fate of one she holds most dear."

I see Queen Snow's face turn pale. "And what fate is that?" she asks softly.

"Sadly, I don't know. Now, I really do hate to be rude, but Belle and I have plans together for this evening. If you three wouldn't mind, we can continue this conversation on a later date?"

Snow, James, and Mulan stand. "Of course. We wouldn't want to impose," James says, "We'll see ourselves out."

Mulan quickly squeezes my hand. "Goodbye Belle, keep in touch alright?"

I chuckle. "Always." She follows the royal couple out. Once we hear the door close, I turn to Rumple. "So, plans for this evening?"

He raises an eyebrow. "Why don't you go up to your room? There's a surprise on your bed. I'll meet you in the ballroom in a half hour." He kisses me quickly then leaves the room.

I smile knowingly and hurry to my bedroom.


I know. I'm late and I'm superrr sorry! BUT you got Rumbelle and Belle POV AND explanation on Emma's magiccc! Woo! This was super fun to write acutally:)

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proudlesbian-Thanks!

Debbie93-Thank you:) Hope you enjoyed this chapter!

ValzBrownie-welllll Emma's got some MAJOR thinking to do before she comes back;)

HarrylovesGinny09-:)

Mary-Alice-Brandon-Cullen-...not gonna spoil anything here. but if you want to chat, PM me...

Aod4L-she does don't worry! Yeah Nick is gonna have a chat with him mum soon ;P

Reminder-PM me and we'll chat! A LOT of the questions you asked are important to the plot-line and I don't want to spoil anything for everyone:) Thank you so much for the review! I'm SUPER glad you like it

schroederplayspiano-maybe just a coincidence;) Your review actually meant the WORLD to me! I'm so so glad you liked it! Thanks darlin!

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PM me if you wanna bargain for sneak peeks! BRAND NEW POV up next