10. The Spell

I stammered, unable to process what had just happened. A woman in a tight, black dress stepped gracefully out of the carriage. Her black hair was pulled back into a elegantly teased up-do. The first thing I noticed about her was the brilliant streak of vivid red hair that started by her right temple.

"No matter, I will clean you up if you will come with me to my castle."

"No, th-thank you," I shivered. "I must be returning back home."

"Come, child," said the woman. "I must attempt to make amends…"

"I-I'll be fine," I said, taking strides to get away.

"Come now, I must do something," said the woman. "Let me at least walk with you a spell, I am tired of riding in that carriage."

She walked to the driver, and he began to slowly follow us on foot. "So, what are you running from?"

"I'm not running from anyone ma'am," I said politely.

"Come now, you can tell Regina," said the woman. "I can keep secrets."

"I have no reason to run from anyone or anything, honest," I replied.

"Hm…" pondered Regina. "It's someone… Is it master or lover?" I bowed my head, and blushed as she concluded. "Ah, it's a master AND lover. Well, darling, he set you free, so that means he loves you. But if you don't love him… well, then run for the hills!"

"I don't know what I feel," I replied, frustrated. "I mean, I could love him. I do care for him. It's just… Something evil has taken root into him. I don't know what it is, but I know he can be so much more than he already is…"

"Sounds like your Prince Charming is under a curse," said Regina. "Now, we all know that all curses can be broken-"

"Well, I wouldn't call him that, but… can it really be fixed?"

"One kiss¾ true love's first kiss can break any spell," said Regina as she stopped and looked into my eyes. Her deep brown eyes held a tint of yellow and fire in them, and they scared and intimidated me.

"Is it really all it takes is a kiss?" I asked.

"Oh child, it must be true love's kiss!" laughed Regina. "And really, what do you have to lose? If it doesn't work, well… it wasn't meant to be then."

"Well, thank you for your advice," I said as she entered her carriage.

"Nice talking to you Miss¾"

"Adele," I lied, not wanting to give out my real name.

"Miss Belle," smirked Regina as she curtly waved. "Goodbye."

I walked the rest of the way back covered not only in mud, but in goosebumps as well.

. . .

"What in the name of deal making happened to you?" asked Rumplestilzkin as he took in my dirty appearance at the door.

"I-I," I began, but he quickly took my hand and lead me to the bathroom. "I'll clean up those tracks I brought in. I'm so sorry."

"No matter," said Rumplestilzkin. "We will talk after your wash up. Here, let me run you a nice hot bath."

"Thank you, sir," I said, gratefully. "Again, I am so sorry."

"For now, I will find you clean clothes, and we will dispose of these dirty ones," said Rumplestilzkin, taking my dirty dress into his arms. "You're shivering, Belle."

"I'm so cold," I said, hugging myself for warmth.

"I will leave you to your bathing then," replied Rumplestilzkin as he quietly closed the door behind himself.

I jumped into the steaming bath, and exhaled, trying to regain my nerves. I closed my eyes, took a deep breath, and plunged beneath the light brown surface. I rested my head against the bottom of the tub, and emptied my thoughts. I surfaced after a few seconds, wiping my face, and began to scrub and clean myself with some vanilla scented soap that Rumplestilzkin had left me. Once I got ever inch of dirt off of me, I washed my hair, and unplugged the drain.

I grabbed a towel that was sitting by the sink, and wrapped myself in it, and opened the door. There was Rumplestilzkin, holding a cleaner version of the dress I had been wearing. "I…" inhaled Rumplestilzkin as he stared at me in my towel. "Your dress…"

He handed it to me, and I detected a slight blush upon his gray skin. "Thank you," I said politely. "I will go and change now."

He closed the door, and I quickly changed, my heart fluttering in my chest. So it is true, I thought to myself. He has some attraction for me.

I walked out of the bathroom, towel drying my curls, and looked around for Rumplestilzkin. I found him in the library pondering over Jane Eyre by Charlotte Bronte. "Tell me, Miss Belle, why is it this particular book that you love above all others?"

"Well," I sighed, happy to have avoided the topic of how I had gotten so filthy. "It's a beautiful story. It proves that you can overcome your past, and that it is not beauty but character that truly defines what a person is."

He sighed, and closed the book. "Must be boring. There aren't any pictures. Just words and words and more words for 500 pages."

"The pictures are in your mind," I said, sitting on the edge of the table. "You try to imagine what the characters and the scenery looks like for yourself. Ok, close your eyes."

"Is this a trick?" he asked abruptly.

"No," I said honestly. "Close your eyes…" He eventually gave in and did. "Now, can you picture Jane in your mind? She's described as plain, and ordinary. What do you see when you try to picture what Jane would look like?"

"A pale, young girl with brown eyes and dark brown hair," he replied. "She's got a sad expression because of all the pain she had endured. The loss of her parents, the abuse of her Aunt, the betrayal of her first love…"

"See, you can create images from your imagination," I said, smiling as he opened his eyes. "It wasn't so hard, was it?"

Rumplestilzkin smirked. "So dearie, why don't you now explain to me why you were so dirty? I'm surprised the straw you gave me managed to avoid your filthy fate."

"Well…" I paused, wondering how I should explain. "A passing carriage came by, and I happened to be walking too closely."

"And they refused to help clean you up?" he pondered as he sat in his favorite armchair.

"I refused any sort of help," I said plainly. "I was instructed to gather the straw in town, and to return right back to the castle. I don't disobey orders."

"Did they at least apologize?"

"I don't quite recall an apology," I said, trying to recall if Regina did apologize.

"Must have been a royal then," said Rumplestilzkin. "Royals are always a pit more so than peach to deal with." He laughed his trademark laugh, and I smiled and laughed.

"What about me then?" I asked. "I'm part royalty, or at least I was."

"You have a title, I assume?" he asked, curiously.

"My father is Prince Maurice D'Italia, which makes me Princess Belle D'Italia," I said. "Do you find me to be so similar to those royals that you condemned?"

"Not in the least," responded Rumplestilzkin. He got up from his chair, and sat next to me on the table. "You are the first royal I have ever met who wasn't stuck up."

"I take it I'm not what you're used to," I said, looking into his eyes.

"I guess not," he smirked. "But then again, you've never met a person quite like me either."

"It seems not," I chuckled.