It took nearly twenty minutes for Belle to be able to muster up enough courage to take the tea tray all the way up to the tower where Rumpelstiltskin's workroom was. She had only been into the room a handful of times within her early days at the Dark Castle - mostly just to check on Rumpelstiltskin and bring him up a tray of food every so often. However she hadnt needed to wander up to the room recently, as he had gotten into the habit of spending more and more time in the common rooms where Belle usually was either reading, organizing the clutter, or listening to Rumplestiltskin's stories and sharing a few of her own.
The air on that particular day, she noted as she ascended up on the stone steps with her tea tray, was different than it was before. It was more potent and bitter than usual - the palpable flavour of dark magic was making her eyes water.
Neither Cora nor Rumpelstiltskin looked up from the workbench when Belle entered, and so she moved as silent as she could around the many tables covered in vile's of potions, magic books stacked higher than Belle's waist, and the smaller sized spinning wheel in the center of the room. Out of the corner of her eye she watched as Cora and Rumpelstiltskin spoke to each other in low murmurs, a dark clawed hand pouring thick black ooze into a decanter held delicately between her manicured fingers. Both sorcerers shoulder to shoulder, closely working together as a fluid team.
Belle pursed her lips in displeasure as she placed the tea tray on a table nearby, taking extra precautions to ensure it didn't topple over. The unusually tense feeling at the pit of her stomach was not one she had felt before and it only increased as she shifted her gaze to Cora's hand which brushed ever so lightly along Rumple's silk sleeve in a familiarity that did not settle well within her.
With another curtsey to the two who were too engrossed in their work to notice, Belle left the workroom, a part of her glad to be away from the woman, another confused as to what this woman meant to Rumple. She raced down the stairs, her head dizzy from the fumes and her thoughts trying to piece together what Rumple and Cora were up to.
That first night when Cora had visited, Belle had overheard them talking about something that Rumple deemed too risky, and then something about Cora's daughter... Was this what they were doing? some sort of dark magic that even the Dark One himself was not one hundred percent willing to follow through with?
Dinner came and went while Belle puzzled, and still she had seen neither Cora nor Rumplestiltskin leave the tower workroom. So, to battle her boredom and to stop her mind from imagining the worst, Belle decided to tackle the very large curtains in the main hall.
"Natural light…" she grunted to herself as she dragged one of the taller ladders she had stowed away into the room, for the first time wishing she had some basic magical abilities that would allow her to simply wish the ladder into existence. Once or twice she had seen maids at the old manor house remove and clean curtains in many of the great rooms, usually working in pairs. But as it was Belle was alone, and for the first time admiring the hard work her maids dealt with, as she now understood how difficult it actually was to try and pry away curtains.
When she realized that the curtains were nailed shut she let out a small laugh. Of course they were nailed shut. And she continued to laugh to herself as she pictured Rumple in his leather pants and silk shirts climbing up the ladder and nailing the curtains one by one. Quickly she descended the ladder and found a hammer, once again climbing up and up, a few times slipping on her skirts.
"Shorter skirts, I need to remember to make shorter skirts…" Belle exclaimed under her breath as she pried away one nail after the other, effectively removing the entire velvet curtain from the window revealing a beautiful spring sunset. It dropped heavily to the ground and Belle felt a satisfied smile bloom on her face.
"Whatever are you doing?"
Belle nearly toppled off the ladder when she heard Rumplestiltskin's voice from behind her. With an exasperated sigh, she turned her head and frowned down to where he was standing at the base of the ladder. He was looking up at the now open window with what appeared to be a combinationn of confusion and possible distaste.
"What does it look like I'm doing? I'm taking down the curtains." Belle said with a laugh as she gingerly stepped down the ladder.
"Why?"
"To let in some natural light of course. It really is a lovely view isn't it…"
Rumpelstiltskin blinked at the mountains in the distance as if he hadnt realised they were even located near mountains, then once again looked to Belle who now had made it all the way down to solid ground and was standing shoulder to shoulder with him and smiling at the yellow and pink sky.
"But why?"
Belle opened her mouth to speak but decided against it and instead watched as Rumpelstiltskin frowned at the sunset dipping below the mountain peaks, the orange light shimmering on his skin.
"So, all finished then?" she sighed, giving Rumpelstiltskin a playful nudge with her shoulder, "Is her majesty gone or are you looking for the supper you missed?" Belle asked briskly, privately shocked at the slight bite in her tone.
Rumpelstiltskin only snorted slightly, turning back to Belle with amusement in his eyes.
"Did she tell you to call her 'Your majesty'?" he questioned with a snort.
"Who is she?" Belle asked instead, now that the conversation was directed at the person she was most curious about. "Is she your…" Belle trailed off, unable to find the best way to phrase the question that had been quietly poking away at her ever since she knew of Cora's existence.
When she looked up, Rumplestiltskin was regarding her with a strange look on his face and Belle crossed her arms over her chest self consciously.
"Lover?" he provided, in a frank way that made Belle blush. Of course, that is what you really want to know, isnt it? her conscience provided.
Belle thought back to the intimate kiss on that first night she was here, the easy way they moved together while working, the subtle touches here and there. Just thinking of it made Belle seeth just a little. Was that was jealousy felt like?.
When Belle only darted her eyes in embarrassment, Rumplestiltskin sighed and walked over to his wheel. He sat down heavily and stared off for a moment before staring back at Belle who hadn't moved from her place by the open window.
"No." he replied in the voice that Belle had began to refer to as his real voice. Belle perked up slightly at Rumplestiltskin's confession and finally turned to face him.
"You seem close…" Belle prodded slowly, not daring to feel too optimistic.
"We are." He replied and Belle nodded slightly, delighted to be able to get such clear and forthright answers from him.
"Your son…" Belle began, pausing to gage his reaction. She could be pushing it now, but Belle needed to ask, she had to. Rumplestiltskin only shifted back in his seat and crossed his arms, lifting an eyebrow when Belle's blush deepened and she began to stutter a bit nervously, "Is she… I mean… was she his – your…"
"Did I procreate with that woman, is that what you're asking."
Belle gaped for a moment,
"Well, I wasn't going to put it like that…" she muttered to herself before freezing when she heard a low chuckle escape from Rumplestiltskin.
"No. We were never close like that. My son was born and was gone well before Cora ever existed."
"So you two were never… lovers." Belle said, trying desperately to not redden when she said the word. She must be nearly the shade of her mother's roses by now…
"Never." He affirmed, "Perhaps in another life…" he added quietly. Belle frowned for a moment at his wording before walking over to where Rumple sat and leaned slightly against the spinning wheel while he looked up at her curiously.
"One more question." Belle said, smirking when Rumplestiltskin made a show of rolling his eyes, then gesturing her to continue.
"Why did you call me Verna?"
infuriatingly (and not at all surprisingly) Rumplestiltskin didn't answer and instead turned to his wheel, picking up a handful of straw from the basket on the floor and feeding it into the wheel.
"She asked me my name." Belle continued, "Before you showed up…" she trailed off when she noticed Rumplestiltskin stop his ministrations, his face twisted into a dark scowl.
"Did she now." He said lowly, blinking up at Belle.
"Is that important?" she asked a bit nervously, perplexed at the change in Rumplestiltskin's mood.
"Names have power. You didn't give her your real name did you?"
"No." she murmured, biting her lip in thought. Her gut had told her not to trust Cora, and judging from the look on Rumplestiltskin's face she was right to follow that feeling.
"Cora is dangerous." He continued, tapping his thumbnail on the curve of the wheel in thought, "Fortunate for you, I am even more dangerous. Cora would never dare go near you again, not after she and I have a little chat." He stopped his tapping and turned his attention completely onto Belle, the darkness from earlier dissipating from his eyes and returning to their natural colour. "If you find yourself ever a lone with her, call my name immediately, do you understand?" Rumplestiltskin watched her intently, only relaxing back into his seat when she nodded her understanding.
He smiled then, just a slight smile, but it was honest and almost comforting.
She found herself being lulled into a calm silence as the wheel began to spin, the straw being woven into a gold thread that caught the last of the sunlight from the newly uncovered window, glistening beautifully as Belle had predicted. As the spinning continued, Belle travelled her eyes up the fine silk sleeves of Rumplestiltskin's shirt, across the opening at the top which showed off just a hint of his collarbone and right up to his face. The sunset cast an enchanting glow into the room and Belle could see just a hint of gold now in Rumplestiltskins own complexion. His eyes were completely focused on the wheel now, and Belle knew that she was all but forgotten, so she took her time studying his face – the thin arching of his nose, masculine mouth, waving shoulder length hair, and the slight wrinkle between his eyes that only showed up when he was either concentrating hard or confused when Belle hugged him.
"You're staring again." He murmured, though he appeared to not mind too much for he still continued with his spinning, his movements only becoming a bit more self conscious and Belle watched, fascinated by his change in demeanour.
The Dark One she had first met was all confidence and ferocity with an otherworldly presence that made the air tingle and anyone nearby shiver in fear. But the Rumplestiltskin she had slowly begun to see peek through all the hand flourishes and dragon hide jackets, was a reserved and pensive magician who would tense under Belle's scrutiny.
"Sorry." Belle responded softly, letting her eyes drop back to the wheel for a moment before sighing and standing from her spot. Rumplestiltskin watched her every movement with guarded interest, his hands not once stopping his spinning.
Belle smiled gently at him and dipped slightly into a curtsey before slowly heading out of the main hall, feeling suddenly exhausted from the day. It was probably all the fresh air that made her feel sleepy. That and her needless worrying about Rumplestiltskin's past.
"Belle,"
Rumplestiltskin's voice broke through her reverie and she turned to look over her shoulder at him.
"Yes?" She asked with a smile.
He watched her for a moment before waving a hand and producing a medium sized book from a puff of purple smoke.
"This is for you." He said before tossing the book at Belle. She yelped as she lunged for the book, barely catching it in both her hands. She gave him a curious smile before flipping the book over to read the title.
"Adventures of the Seven Seas?" she read with a questioning glance at Rumplestiltskin.
His face was impassive as he sat back down at his wheel, picking up more straw and feeding it through,
"A bit of light reading for the journey ahead. I think you will enjoy it. Damsels in distress, dashing pirates..." he frowned then eyed her for a moment, "Although with the way you read perhaps you should bring a second book, in case you finish this one before we get to our destination. I would suggest something light, I can't have you lugging around five heavy novels like I know you would, it would just slow us down." he said in a bored tone.
Belle felt confused for a moment,
"The journey ahead? What journey ahead?" Belle said in quick successions, the book clutched tight against her chest.
"Well something has come up and I am to visit a Kingdom in the south…"
"And you want me to come with you?" Belle interrupted him with a hopeful smile. Rumplestiltskin snapped his mouth shut and pulled his lips into a tight line.
"I am in need of an assistant for the trip. However if you prefer to stay here I can always pay someone…"
"Oh no, I would love to. Please!" Belle nearly begged with a ridiculous smile spreading across her face. A journey to the Southern Kingdom? she had only read about the Kingdom in the south, no one from back home ever being able to travel that far.
This was more than Belle could ever wish and she felt her heart soar at the prospect of actually travelling somewhere new. Her face must have showed her elation for Rumplestiltskin quickly lifted his hand and pointed an accusatory claw in her direction.
"Don't get too excited. I need an assistant that is all. I am not some charity and this is not some good deed I'm doing, so don't mistake it for one."
Belle quickly shook her head in amusement at his tone,
"Oh of course not. I would never mistake you for being capable of good." She replied with a knowing smile.
Rumplestiltskin only narrowed his eyes further before shooing her away with his hand.
"Be ready in the morning. It will only take a day or two to journey there, so pack light."
Belle nodded before tilting her head in curiosity.
"We won't be using magic to get there? Like when you brought me here?"
"We will be taking the carriage." was his curt response.
"Why?"
Rumplestiltskin sighed and looked up once more, "This is not the sort of place we can go by magic Dearie. Now go with you, and be ready in the morning!"
Belle shrugged and smiled at him.
"Morning it is then. Good night Rumple!" she sang before turning to walk out of the hall, her hands immediately opening the book and her eyes eagerly reading the pages.
Tomorrow couldn't come soon enough.