Mirror, Mirror
The pawn shop was deathly silent as the Doctor continued to read out Belle's letter, telling them of ropes woven with gold, potions to hold them down and the united power of two daggers finally destroying the angel that pursued them.
"…We now stand the victors in our little war and I hope with the information in this letter and the far more informative book that Rumpelstiltskin has put together for you, you too can at least contain the angels. To defeat them though you will have to find another way unless the Doctor can come to us in his machine and bring us back to Storybrooke. Oh I do so hope you can come for us as I long for home. I am homesick for you my Rumpel. We are currently ten days shy of the winter solstice if that is of any use to the Doctor in coming to us at the correct time. If not, well we have made some difficult decisions there as I cannot be anywhere near the curse when it strikes. We have decided it best if I go across the sea and Rumpelstiltskin will soon arrange passage for me and will ensure that I am well financed for such an excursion. I will leave after midday on the solstice if the Doctor isn't able to come for us, though it will break my heart to do so. Rumpel will travel with me as far as the port as we cannot risk me falling into Regina's power when she currently holds my younger self captive. It will be hard to leave but it must be done. You will remember nothing of it though, at this moment Rumpel is working on a memory potion but, from the creative swearing I keep hearing, I am making the assumption it is not going too well right now.
"Darling Rumpel, know that if I do leave I take you along with me in my heart but I do not wish for you to live a life in memoriam of me. You have the greatest capacity for love and I want you to find happiness. Love again darling, promise me you will. Rest assured that I will keep your dagger with me and I will guard it with my life. No one will ever be able to control you again as long as I breathe and when my last breath is done I will take it down into the darkness with me and guard it in death as I did in life. There is little more to say though I am loathed to end as it feels like the most cruel of goodbyes. I send you all my love and a kiss and pray that you are safe and well. Goodbye my darling if that is how it must be. Goodbye my dear, sweet friend. I will always love you. Forever yours, Belle."
The Doctor folded the letter as he finished reading, removing his glasses as he met the tear filled gaze of his friend.
"I've said it once and I'll say it again, Rum," he said with a smile, "Your Belle is a clever girl."
"Oh you don't need to tell me that," said Rumpel, "To think she was with me once more back then and I know nothing of it. It does explain though why there is such a blank around those few weeks. I thought I had just blocked out a tedious period of my existence. Wouldn't have been the first time but to know it was a forced amnesia, I'm trying very hard not to hate myself for denying me those memories."
"You did the wise thing, however painful it is now to not have the memories," said the Doctor, "You would not have been able to resist changing time had you known what Belle would have faced. I should be able to get those memories back for you but not until we've dealt with the angels and retrieved your dagger, you're too volatile without it right now."
"And can you do that Doctor?" said Rumpel, hope lighting his eyes for the first time in days, "Can you retrieve the dagger and…"
"Belle? Yes I can," said the Doctor, "She can be safely removed from the timeline now. I can bring her home and I can bring your younger self as well if we need to, his will only be a flying visit though."
"Another bloody Dark One knocking about," exclaimed Killian, cutting off any response for Rumpel though the sorcerer paid him little mind, "Could this day get any worse?"
"Oh shut up Killian, you cockwomble," said Rose, "Aren't any of you happy that your friend is coming home? Not to mention the fact she's told us how to defeat the angels!"
"Of course we're happy," said Regina, before she reached a hand out to her former teacher's shoulder, "I'm happy for you Rumpel."
"Let's not roll out the bunting just yet," said the Doctor, handing Belle's letter to his friend, smiling as Rumpel opened it once more to trace the elegant signature on the last page, "We've got some work to do if we're to achieve what Belle and Rumpel did at the Dark Castle. Let's have a look at what she sent us and go from there."
Rumpel placed Belle's letter in his pocket and turned to the other items spread out on the table before them. He opened the potions satchel, the glass vials within looking as though they had only be set inside moments ago rather than nearly three decades before. He picked each up in turn, recognising his own handwriting on the labels despite having no memory of writing them, and moved them in the light to see the liquid move within.
"For Rumpel and Henry," said Rose beside him as she turned over the wrapped paper package in her hand, "Made by someone who loved them both. Its Belle's writing again. Do you want to open it?"
Rumpel nodded, replacing the potions in the case before he took the parcel from Rose, untying the string that bound it before he opened the paper out on the desk before him. He smiled at the sight of the familiar silk scarf that had been pristine when he had fashioned it from his magic days before but now looked worn and frayed in places. He picked it up, feeling something concealed within the material as he gently unravelled it, his breath catching in his throat as two familiar bracelets fell out into his palm, one set with clear beads and one with deep indigo.
"Baelfire," he said reverently, not caring for the tears that came to his eyes as he closed his hand over the bracelets, "One for a very dear friend and one for his grandson. Oh Belle thank you my love."
"What are they?" said Rose, leaning over him and setting her chin on his shoulder, "They look like friendship bracelets."
"My son made them when he was a child," said Rumpel, "He had me sell them for his pin money. I never thought to keep one for myself but now I have one to keep with me and one to give to Henry."
"I'm glad you have them," said Rose, picking up the black silk scarf, "Funny that this is one of the reasons you chose to save my life."
Rumpel took it from her hand before turning to her, fastening it around her neck, "Then you should keep it as a memento," he said, pocketing the two bracelets.
"Seems like you became quite the angels expert Rumpel," said Regina, holding open one of the books to reveal his familiar handwriting, "Sketches, observations, analysis, the works. Shame you went and gave yourself amnesia and could you have been any more cryptic in some of your passages? Page one doesn't even make sense and your writing is appalling. Note well that anything that takes on the image of an angel becomes itself an angel…."
"Well I'm sure it made sense when…"
"Say that again," said the Doctor, snatching the book from her hands, "Anything that takes on the image of an angel becomes itself an angel. Look to your mirrors and do not let the angel see or be seen through them."
He dropped the book on the desk and hurried to the side of the room, picking up an antique hand-glass and holding it in front of Emma's face.
"Tell me what you see," he said, ignoring the look she gave him before she turned her attention to the mirror.
"My reflection," she said, "The shop in the background, I can see Gold and Rose behind me and Regina's shoulder."
"And what does your image do in the mirror?" said the Doctor.
Emma frowned, "The same thing that I do, it's just my reflection."
"But in that moment when you look at yourself in the mirror, that reflection is you."
"Mirrors are like windows," said Rumpel, his eyes meeting Regina's without need to voice the memory they shared, "Mirrors in our world could be anything. A looking glass, a form of communication, a prison, somewhere to hold something and retain the image eternally. Doctor if my thoughts have turned the way yours have, then we're in trouble."
"Yes we are," said the Doctor, "Regina, you're mayor. How many buildings do you think have CCTV in Storybrooke?"
"The sheriff's station, the hospital, the mayoral office and the town hall," said Regina, "Well that's all I know of in a civic sense. Private properties, I have no idea."
"And where do the feeds come out?"
"The sheriff's station handles its own tapes but the office and town hall all feed back to the mayor's office. Why Doctor?"
"Because Rumpelstiltskin has sent us a very clear warning in so few words," said the time lord, "Anything that takes on the image of angel becomes itself an angel. If any of those cameras have caught an image there's a chance it could replicate. We need to check the feeds and then we need to shut down the cameras. Rose I want you and Killian to stay here with Rumpel, keep your TARDIS key to hand and if anything worries you get inside and take the box and everything in it with you. Regina, Emma you two have the best knowledge of the systems, I need you with me. Keep your phone on Rose; we may need to call you."
"What are we meant to do in the time being?" said Killian, looking over at Rumpel with a frown before he turned his attention back to the Doctor.
"What we've become well practiced at, reading," said the Doctor, "From what Belle said in her letter we're going to need rope and lots of it. You're a seafaring man Killian, should be right up your alley."
"Where do you want to go first Doctor?" said Regina, taking hold of his arm.
"Wherever has the most outward facing camera's, the angels were in the street last night," he said as Emma came to Regina's other side.
The dark haired woman nodded, her magic surrounding them as she took them to the place he wanted, leaving the others to fathom out the information that had been sent from the Dark Castle.
The threesome finally reappeared in Regina's office, the Doctor shaking off the residual magic with a shudder. The room was dark, the heavy drapes pulled across and not letting in any sunlight and the Doctor quickly retrieved the sonic screwdriver for his pocket, aiming it at the light and illuminating the room.
"Won't do to have anything jumping out of the shadows," he said, "Keep your eyes open. Where are the video stations for the CCTV cameras?"
"A couple of doors down," said Regina, heading to the door, "Follow me."
She led them out of the room and down the elegant corridor until they reached the room they needed. She reached for the handle but the Doctor took hold of her hand, pulling her behind him as he pushed the door open. The room inside buzzed with electrical feed, lit only by the grey images upon the screen. He turned on the light and slowly led them in, cursing that the room was L shaped making them unable to see fully inside. He strained his ears as he detected the sound of movement, pressing his back against the wall as he stopped Emma and Regina from following him in. He forced his eyes not to blink as he finally rounded the corner, his breath leaving him as his worst fears were realised.
Six angels stood within the room, all with their faces covered but clearly making their way to the door he had entered from. He saw the image on the television screen, one angel positioned in front of the camera that pointed to the steps of the mayor's office. He cursed in a tongue that defied translation before he spoke to the women still in the corridor.
"Our angels expert at the Dark Castle was right," he said, "The angels have used the image relay on the cameras to multiply. There are six in the room. We need to get back to the shop. We've got a lot of work to do."
"How do we stop them multiplying?" said Regina, taking hold of his wrist.
"When I get back to the TARDIS I can send out an electromagnetic pulse that will knock out all video and recording devices. Once the link is severed we can stop them multiplying but we've still got to face those that are already here," said the Doctor, "Regina can you get us out of here without me moving, I can't risk taking my eyes off the angels."
"I've got you Doctor," said Regina, "Emma take my hand. Ready when you are Doctor."
"Let's go," said the time lord, grateful for the familiar smoke that surrounded him.
The sound of shouting greeted them as they returned to the shop, cutting off any requests to visit other sites or imparting the information they had. The Doctor rolled his eyes at the curses currently issuing forth from Killian's mouth before he looked over at Rose.
"What the hell is going on?" he said.
"Killian said something rude about Belle and Rumpel being alone together at the Dark Castle which I shan't repeat. Rum got angry and this is the result," said Rose, "We're about five minutes in. I was just about to get popcorn."
"Emma, would you mind?" said the Doctor, waving a hand towards Killian before he stalked towards Rumpel, cutting off any retort that was about to come from him, "Shut up and listen to me, we've got trouble. Belle gave you the measurements for the amount of spun gold you would need to fashion the ropes for one angel didn't she?"
Rumpel nodded, "She said we'd need about eighty feet to weave through for one so that's one hundred and sixty feet for two," he said, ignoring the shouting that now seemed to be occurring between Emma and Killian, Regina's voice soon joining the fray, "I have some stored but I may need to spin some more."
"A lot more," said the Doctor, "We're going to need at least six hundred and forty feet, seven hundred to be on the safe side."
Rumpel was glad of the cot behind him as he sat down heavily, looking up at his friend in concern, "How many? How many angels Doctor?"
"Six in the camera room, two that we already know of and maybe more," he said, "We have at least eight angels to contain and kill."
"I couldn't spin that much gold if I worked day and night for a week," said Rumpel.
"I can give you ten days," said the Doctor.
"What?"
"Ten days. I've been running the calculations in my head. I only have a short window of opportunity to get to the Dark Castle in the time Belle wanted, retrieve her and your younger self, bring them here and get him back before his timeline is compromised," said the Doctor, "You have ten days to be ready. Potions, ropes and everything else need to be ready by then."
Rumpel shook his head, "It can't be done," he said, "We'll never be ready."
"Yes we can be," said Regina, neither the Doctor nor Rumpel having realised the arguing behind them had stopped to let the others listen, "We can be ready Rumpel but you'll need to lead us. Tell us what you want us to do and you can focus on spinning what we need. We'll keep an eye on you and if the Dark One rears its head we can cut off your magic until you're in control again. We have enough magical ability amongst us to manage this, you even wrote us a book on how to defeat them. We can and we will do this."
Rumpel closed his eyes, willing his heart to cease its thumping as he thought of the endeavour that lay before them. He cursed the fact that he had no memory of his previous battle with the angels but Belle's letter at least assured him that she was alive and it was the hope of her return that gave him courage.
"We'll need the fairies," he said, "They may not like it but they'll be able to help you to brew the potions we'll need. We'll need a base of operations as well, somewhere big enough to house us all. The book mentioned warding spells that slowed the angels down, let's get as many people as we can in one space and that will protect them. As for me, I'll need my spinning wheel and a hell of a lot of straw but there's something else too, someone needs to go to the farmhouse where Zelena lived and…and bring the cage. Zelena may be gone but her magic should remain and that cage could contain me. If I'm to use magic there's a risk the darkness could take hold and if that happens, that might just save your lives."
"There is no way we're putting you in a cage Rum!" cried Rose, "You're a human being."
"Flower I'm not, not entirely," said Rumpel, "And the not entirely part is the deadly part. It's ok though, before too long Belle will be back and so will my dagger and iron bars will, in all hope, be a thing of the past."
"It will be Rumpel," said the Doctor before he clapped his hands together, "Well you all heard the man, let's get moving. We've got a lot to do and very little time to do it in and if someone with either magical ability or access to cash could summon up breakfast we'd be getting somewhere."
xxxx
Belle blinked back the tears that burned in her eyes as she signed her name on the final page of parchment, the letter to her fiancé the hardest she had ever had to write when she knew her future and the chance of seeing him again was in the hands of the Doctor, her knowledge of the time lord insufficient to know if he was capable of doing what she asked. She folded the many sheets of parchment, carefully inscribing Rumpel's name across them before she dropped the ruby red sealing wax over the join, fixing it with the mage's own seal. She set it down in front of her, allowing herself a small smile as a familiar hand and a crisp white handkerchief came into her line of sight.
"Thank you darling," she said taking the handkerchief and drying her eyes, as his fingers gently slipped beneath her hair to knead the tension from her neck after being bent for so long over her letter.
"Are you alright?" said Rumpel, raising her up from the chair she sat in and taking her place before guiding her into his lap, her legs thrown over the arm of the chair as she wrapped her arms around his neck.
"I've just said goodbye to the man I love," said Belle quietly, "And in ten days time I'll be forced to say goodbye to you too, fully in possession of the knowledge that you'll forget we ever had this time together. It hurts Rumpel."
"Don't give up hope yet," he said, his lips skimming her cheek as he spoke, "The Doctor may yet come, there are ten days left until the deadline you set. Don't give up sweetheart."
"I'm sorry," said Belle pressing her forehead to his, "Here I am, longing to get home when I should be celebrating the days we have together now. Did you get anywhere with the potion?"
"Safely brewing," said Rumpel, "Much as I detest the thought of drinking it. The charms for the box are ready as well and I've worked it into the fabric of the curse as best I can. We can only hope Regina doesn't alter anything. I bound all my notes into a book, its no great work but hopefully the older me will be able to make something of it and find a way to defeat the angels if we can't get to them."
Belle kissed him softly, still revelling in the fact that she could do so despite it being half a day since they had defeated the angel and made the discovery that the sharing of the curse prevented her kiss from breaking it. She blushed to think that they had spent the first hour after their victory not cleaning up the dust and debris from the destroyed angel, or setting the castle to rights after their enforced encampment in the vault but instead laid out on the rug beside the fire. The kiss that had once been denied now fully indulged. When they had finally parted before all restraint could be forgotten they had finally dealt with the mess that littered the great hall.
The debris of the angel had been magically moved into several enchanted containers, Rumpel unable to resist the opportunity to study the remains of the creature in the hope of gleaning some knowledge of its power. Once that was contained and removed to the vault, he had swiftly returned everything they had moved to their camp back to its correct place, the long table and spinning wheel once more gracing the hall. They had moved to Rumpel's tower shortly afterwards, the mage summoning lunch from the kitchen as they made plans for communicating their findings to his future self and what Belle would do should the Doctor not come for her. Neither had liked the idea of her leaving and crossing the sea but they both knew that she could not risk being within the radius of the curse when it struck. It was with tears that they finally agreed on the time frame and the method of her leaving as Rumpel promised to ensure her hassle free travel and a small fortune to her name that would give her as much comfort as she could have as she waited for the curse to consume her life.
"Hey, little maid," came the voice at her ear, "You've wandered to parts unknown in that head of yours and we still have work to do."
Belle smiled, noticing that he seemed in little rush to release her from his embrace so she could rise, "What do we need to do for the enchantments?"
Her question was enough to have him let her go and she got to her feet, collecting up the letter she had written and the small package she had wrapped which contained her silk scarf and the beaded bracelets she had bought from him in Longbourne.
"Put whatever you want to send in the box," he said, opening the small wooden chest and waving a hand over it, a faint glow of magic surrounding it, "Once something is placed inside it can't be removed until the older me has broken the enchantment so if its something you might need should things not go to plan don't place it in there out of sentiment."
Belle nodded, not hesitating to place the letter and the package inside, "We should probably add that book on sculptures that I found the first ideas for containing the angel in," she said, searching the pile for it and adding it to the box when he nodded his consent.
"I have a few potions on the go that I will place under a stasis spell," said Rumpel, "I should be able to analyse them even without my memories and replicate them if what I've put in the book doesn't make sense. I'll put them and the book inside when I'm done. Is there anything else?"
"No I think that's all we'll need," said Belle, "I didn't tell the future you about the curse, I know you wanted me to but its not something he…you need to hear when there's nothing you can do about it. You'd spend all your time looking for a cure rather than focusing on the angels."
Rumpel frowned, "You're right," he said before he managed a rueful half smile, "Is it still suicide if the older me kills the younger me because I know I'll be seriously unhappy that we didn't tell…me? I hate time travel."
Belle giggled at the quizzical look on his face, "You just let me deal with the older you," she said, "Besides, what's done is done and the results were worth the price."
"You and I will have to disagree on that part my love," he said, picking up the book he had found the spell in, "While it got results it was not worth your life and the only blessing in this whole mess is that I will not remember, for a while at least, that I was responsible for it. There is one thing I can do though to make amends and that's to prevent anyone ever being able to do the same again."
He opened the book at the pages that contained the spell, fisting them tightly before he ripped them from the binding. Belle gasped, her heart wrenching at the sight of any book being destroyed but she did not stop him as the pages turned to fire and then ash in his grip. She knew what was in his mind, should his power pass on and another Dark One came to take his place, they would have no means or so he hoped, to share the curse and slowly destroy the person they loved. She doubted though that the precaution was necessary, certain that the spell was only capable of a true love match and she was sure that none other than Rumpelstiltskin could balance the pull of the darkness with the true compassion of his soul.
He tossed the book onto the desk, his expression dark and Belle knew she would be in for a night of his silent brooding if she didn't act quickly. She took his hand, pulling him back to reality with her touch and smiling when he looked down at her.
"I'm hungry," she said, "And I'm fed up of magically delivered food, it tastes funny. Why don't we go downstairs and see what we can scare up for dinner in the kitchen, forget about all this until tomorrow? It's not like Storybrooke is going anywhere."
"Are you suggesting I help with the cooking, little maid?" he said, his countenance at once the stern master of the castle but Belle could see the slight tremor at his lips that held back a smile.
"I am indeed," she said, raising herself on her toes and kissing him, enjoying the jolt of shock she felt go through him at her touch despite the kisses they had already shared, "If you help you might even get dessert."
She bit her lip to hold back a giggle as she moved back enough to see confusion change to shock in his wide eyes before they darkened and she found herself a willing captive in his arms. Excitement flooded her veins as his lips descended to hers once more, the soft searching touches she had grown used to forgotten as he all but consumed her. She fisted her hands into his hair, as he lifted her onto the desk behind her and Belle thanked whatever deity was listening that she had yet to change out of the breeches he had conjured for her that morning as she wrapped her legs around his waist. She swallowed down the moan that left him, grateful that he had none of the shy sensibilities of the spinner she had known as he took control of the kiss, his hand spanning her hip as his stirring hardness pressed against her core. His lips left hers, trailing down her throat as he freed a hand to tug open the buttons of her blouse, his lips following the trail of exposed skin as each was undone.
At first neither heard the trilling alarm that came from the potions bench but it grew louder and louder until it could not be ignored. Belle heard his groan of frustration as his lips left her skin but his forehead still rested against her breastbone, his muttered words about timing muffled by her skin. She managed a wry smile as he finally lifted his head, her fingers loosening their grip on his hair and feathering through the soft strands before she pressed one final fleeting kiss to his lips.
"I guess you'd better see to that," she said as he stepped back, glad that he was as breathless as she was, "I'll go and start on dinner."
"I won't be long," he said as she hopped down from the desk, buttoning her blouse once more as she did so.
"Don't rush," said Belle, "I'm not planning on going anywhere just yet."
She saw his small smile before he was forced to turn his attention to the potions that were now bubbling fiercely over the flames. She headed to the stairs and was barely half way down them before she heard the fizz and then pop of an explosion, followed by a several bitter oaths that had her desperately trying to bite back a laugh but she failed all too quickly in her endeavours.
"Belle!" came the call from upstairs, "It's not funny!"
"Of course not darling," she said, laughing harder at the utterances from above that cursed the distractions of women but she knew there was little venom behind them, "Please try not to take the roof off, I have no wish to be sweeping up snow."
More muttered curses followed her as she descended the rest of the stairs. She had missed the little nuances of his personality that had disappeared in the man she knew in Storybrooke and found them all the more adorable now she better knew the man beneath. Her thoughts turned to the embrace they had shared moments before, her body still pleasantly tingling from the desire that had flooded her veins. Innocent as she was when she had been his maid she had read enough to conjure a few fantasies about her master in the darkness of her room but the reality of being in his arms in a way that had more than once featured in her dreams had far surpassed anything she could have imagined. She knew a blush stained her cheeks and was grateful for the chill that permeated the corridor as the sun slowly began to dip and bring in the long winter night.
She soon pushed open the door that led to the great hall, the room warm and cosy as the fire danced in the grate, illuminating the long table and spinning wheel as the light from it glinted off the great glass cabinet. She remembered many a night spent in such light, the candles not needing to be lit as they sat beside the fire with books in hand until Rumpel would abandon his and ask her to read to him. She shook off the memory as she found herself staring at the flames but as she did so something caught her eyes, a faint flicker of movement in the shadows by the large double doors. She peered into the darkness, seeing once again the slight movement that seemed to be focused on the large cloth that covered the great mirror. She looked over to the window beside it, seeing no movement of the curtain to let her know a window had been left ajar but still the cloth over the mirror rippled.
She took a cautious step towards it, wondering if maybe Regina was somehow trying to enchant her way into the castle through it and knowing she could not risk being seen by the queen whilst her younger self was still her prisoner. She was about to turn to go when she heard the cloth slip free, the mirror revealed and the cloth instead partially covering the figure that stood before it. Belle gasped, her heart leaping to her throat as she saw the arch of a wing and grey hue of the statue that now stood frozen but only by her wide eyed stare.
"Rumpel," she whispered as fear prevented her from finding her voice before she tried once more, screaming his name so he had little choice but to hear her, "Rumpelstiltskin!"
She realised she'd blinked as the cloth fell away from the angel, revealing the horror she had never wanted to see again but instead of being turned to her it was turned towards the fire, its finger outstretched to the flames. Belle realised its intent as the previously strong blaze stuttered, the angel retaining power it seemed even as it stood in stone. The failing blaze though allowed the shadows to lengthen and even forcing her eyes to remain open did nothing to stop the creature moving as the darkness stopped her from being about to see it. She gasped as a hand grasped her shoulder, not even having noticed the smoke that heralded Rumpel's appearance at her side.
"What's wrong? I heard you cry out. I…"
She didn't need to see his face to know he had seen the angel, the hand on her shoulder tightening to the point of pain. The light stuttered and the angel moved once more, finally turned to face them with its arms outstretched across the expanse of the room as though to grab them.
"It came out of the mirror," said Belle, unable to stop herself from blinking as the candles in the room all illuminated at once, bathing the room in light, "We defeated it. It was dust."
"Are you sure there was only one that followed you?" said Rumpel at her back.
"I only ever saw one but there were three in Storybrooke," she said, "However it got here we need to get rid of it. You didn't put away the potions did you?"
"No they're still out," he said, "Can you keep you eyes on it sweetheart? I need to go to the vault and get my dagger and then I'll bring the potions."
Belle shook her head, "No I don't think I can," she said, "It makes me want to shut my eyes and I can't resist it. I'm not strong enough Rumpel."
"You're strong, you're so strong," he said, a wave of his hand covering the mirror with the cloth once more, "But we'll go together, if it leaves the room we can track it."
Belle took hold of his hands as they came about his waist, finally letting her eyes fall shut as she felt his magic surround her. She opened them again as his hands moved away from here, finding herself once more in the vault but it was missing their little encampment.
"Stay right there and don't touch anything," said Rumpel, "I removed the enchantments earlier and there is more than enough in here that could kill you."
"Comforting," said Belle, her heart sinking as she saw the jars containing the debris of the fallen angel, "Well the angel in the hall is a new one."
"I have a theory about that," said Rumpel, heading off into the maze of artefacts, his voice carrying through the silence of the room, "The first time we made the attempt on the angel, when I faced it on my own; we used the mirror to hold it. Mirrors are reflectors but for brief moments in time they hold images and I think our original angel used that against us. It's as though the mirror absorbed the image and manifested it into living form. I imagine it fed off the power woven into that mirror. It's heavily enchanted so I can communicate with Regina."
"It acted like a photocopier?" said Belle.
"A what?" came the response, "Isn't that what you called the picture of Bae? I thought that was a photo…graph."
"Yes that was a photograph," said Belle, "And I suppose that could be the comparison also. The mirror recreated the angel, an exact replica image but rather than put it on paper it made it flesh, so to speak."
"That would be my theory," said Rumpel, reappearing with his dagger in his hand, "I only hope it only has the ability to do it once. Are you ready? The ropes are still on the table in the hall but we need to get the potions from the tower. Do you feel strong enough to face the angel? You've used your magic once today and I don't want you to over tax yourself."
Belle nodded, "I'll be fine darling, I just want it gone," she said, "I don't think I can face spending another night here with a threat of it hanging over us. I just want to be able to enjoy the time we have, not live in the vault constantly worrying that thing will get through and get to us and before you say it I know using my magic again takes time off my life."
"My brave Belle," said Rumpel, his fingers brushing away the tear on her cheek she didn't realise she had shed, "Let's get this over with."
It was all too soon for Belle when she found herself back in the great hall, glad she had Rumpel at her side as they arrived to total darkness, the mage quickly conjuring one of his orbs of light and illuminating the room. Belle had shrieked when she realised that they had appeared teetering on the edge of the mantel above the fire place rather than on the floor, Rumpel's balance and she was sure a bit of magic the only thing preventing them from crashing to the floor though. She understood the logic though, the angel having moved to the place they had stood before they had left the room and clearly waiting to ambush them there in the dark.
They had only allowed it to move a few feet as they made their way down from the ledge and Rumpel soon had it held as he gave Belle his dagger once more and let her give the command to watch it as she performed the now well rehearsed ritual of containing and binding the angel. She had returned his dagger to him when she returned to his side and once more he coached her in bringing her magic under control, the power responding far quicker than it had previously and she felt a small triumph in that before they had struck down the angel before them, dust and debris once more littering the floor.
Any celebration they had was short lived though as Belle dropped her dagger with a shriek, her arm cradled to her chest as she fell to her knees in the dust. Rumpel was beside her in an instant, the remains of the angel forgotten as he took hold of her arms.
"Belle what's wrong?" he said as she screamed and flinched away from his touch.
"It burns!" she cried, ripping open the blouse she wore and fighting it off, crying out at the sight of her right arm and the bright red lines that were winding their way up from her wrist to her shoulder, "What's happening?"
"I don't know," said Rumpel, running his hand over the marks on her arm, the shimmer of his magic wrapping her skin, "That should help."
"Thank you," said Belle, her breath shuddering out of her as the fire in her limb cooled, "Was it the curse?"
"I would think so," said Rumpel sadly, "If it was some sort of defence mechanism from the angel it would have effected me too and…"
Belle looked down as he gently moved her arm in the light, the lines that had once been red now glittering gold in the firelight. She traced her own fingers along the fine lines of gold that twisted up her arm from her wrist to her shoulder, one line even winding down her chest until it disappeared beneath the line of her bodice.
"The curse is spreading like an infection," hissed Rumpel, "It shouldn't be taking hold so quickly."
"Its progression was always going to be unpredictable," said Belle, capturing his hand in hers before he could pull away from her, "Besides, it's kind of beautiful. I like having your mark on me. Let the world see I'm your wife."
"Most women would run screaming from such a title," said Rumpel though Belle saw the quirk of a smile at the corner of his lips.
"Well I'm not most women," said Belle, raising his hand to her lips and pressing a kiss to his knuckles, "We should get this cleaned up. Hopefully nothing else will jump out of that mirror."
Rumpel looked over to the mirror in question before it disappeared with a flick of his wrist, "Let Regina scream at my vault for a while if she wants to talk to me," he said, helping Belle to her feet, "You know, I don't get many visitors with the snow so heavy on the mountain so it doesn't really matter if the hall is a bit of a mess and we've been cooped up here for days on end."
"And from the look on your face you have mischief in mind," said Belle, "What are you planning?"
"Something we couldn't do in Longbourne," said Rumpel, picking up her dagger from the floor before vanishing both it and his own to a place of safety in the castle, before he took hold of her hands, "Hold on tight."
Of all the things Belle had expected it had not been to find herself stood in the village tavern whilst a small set of musicians played a reel and the villagers danced wildly in the centre of the room. Her shock was only compounded as she turned in disbelief to the sorcerer beside her. She thought she would find him invisible or at least wearing a cowl as the people that looked their way failed to start screaming but instead her heart stopped to see not the visage of the Dark One but the face of the man she had left in the Frontlands. Gone was the leather and silk that he usually wore, replaced by the simple home spun clothes she had once known. She wondered how often he cast such a glamour so he could walk amongst the villagers without them running in fear. She had looked down at her own clothes to find herself similarly dressed in a familiar brown woollen dress but it was the glimpse of long blonde hair falling over her shoulder that gave her pause. Rumpel had turned her towards the glass of the window, allowing her to see an unfamiliar face staring back at her, a glamour protecting her identity as much as it was his.
She had shaken off the unease that had come from wearing someone else's face and had led him to the nearest table, memories returning to her of their time in Longbourne as they were soon presented with bowls of warm, savoury stew from the kitchen and foaming mugs of mead. When they had shared a similar evening in the Frontlands they had merely sat back to watch the dancing but this time Belle found herself pulled to her feet almost as soon as their empty bowls were cleared. Curses and angels and time travel all became distant memories as she was whirled around the make shift dance floor, the country dances simple but fast as the villagers revelled in the very fact that they were living even in the depths of a bitter winter. She had many try to take her hand during the evening but there was only one man she danced with, grateful that he had found them such an escape after the darkness they had faced.
It was well into the night when they finally drew themselves away from the village, Rumpel moving them into the shadows before wrapping his arms around her and transporting them back to the castle. They appeared once more in the entrance hall and Belle felt the tingle of magic surrounding her once more before she was turned towards the window, seeing her own reflection staring back at her once more. She frowned though as she saw the face of the man behind her, the mage still wearing the glamour he had worn in the village.
"Are you going to change back?" she asked as she turned round to face him, "No one here to see you but me."
"I can keep it, if you want," said Rumpel, "It doesn't tax my magic too badly to stay this way for a while."
Belle shook her head, "All magic comes with a price, that's the first thing you ever taught me," she said, "And why would I want you to stay this way?"
She saw the blush on his cheeks as he turned away from her and her concern grew as he headed to the door to the great hall.
"Wouldn't you prefer to see a man rather than a monster?" he said, "Before we left the village you…"
Belle's laugh cut him off though she stifled it swiftly, wrapping her arms around his waist and pressing her forehead to his back, refusing to let him take another step, "If this is about us sleeping together darling might I remind you about earlier in your tower. You were very much yourself then and if you think I didn't want you then you are very much mistaken," she said, raising herself onto her toes to press a kiss to his neck, "I love you however you look and the only thing I ever demand is that you be yourself, not hide behind your magic. I loved my spinner but I also love my Dark One and he's the one I want tonight so here's what's going to happen. I'm going upstairs, I'm going to take off my clothes and climb into your bed and I'm going to end this evening crying out your name to the heavens. Whether you're a part of that is entirely up to you but I won't accept anything but the master of this castle tonight."
Belle bit back a giggle as she unwound her arms and headed for the stairs, looking back briefly to see him look up at her in awe. Her spinner faded from view but she didn't mourn him as in his place stood her beloved sorcerer, the light from the candles highlighting his gold flecked skin and wide whisky eyes. She held out her hand, glad when he headed towards her and took it, letting her lead him up the stairs and to the bedrooms beyond.