XXI
"Stop being a big baby, Rumpel."
"Ow! No, no, no ... not there ... ahhhhh."
"Stop wiggling around and it won't hurt."
"But, dearest ... ooh ... do you have to ... ah ... be so rough?"
"I like it rough."
"Damnit, Belle! Ooh, yes ... right ... there."
"Move your hips to the right, sweetheart," she cooed softly.
"Ahhhhh. You. Are. A. Goddess."
"You can rest for fifteen minutes before I start in on you again."
"Where did you learn how to do that?"
"Books, darling." Belle stepped gingerly back onto the carpet as she eased her weight from Rumpelstiltskin's back where she'd been working the kinks out with her toes as he laid on the rug before the hearth in their bed chamber. She aimed a sweet smile at him over her shoulder and entered the bathing chamber to see to his bath. After he had a nice soak, she'd be able to work out the rest of the knots.
As touch-starved as he'd been when she'd come to stay at the Dark Castle, it was probably three centuries worth of kinks and knots she was finally freeing. She asked the tub to fill, one of his handier enchantments, and tested it with her foot. She asked for more heat and watched the steam begin to fill the room before calling him to her.
"You're still limping. Did I not help at all?" she asked worriedly.
He eased himself into the tub and submerged to his chin, letting the heat seep into his strained muscles. "You helped, my love. It's just been a rather trying day."
Belle laid down on her side on the cool marble floor next to the sunken tub and propped her head in her hand. "And I'm sure a lot of that was my fault," she said with a grimace. "Hopefully, I'll be able to get control of that blue flash soon."
"Indeed. It will serve you well when you can control it. You could shape it to be a powerful defensive maneuver. But the day wasn't a complete waste. You did well with the conjuring spell," he winked.
Belle moved to sit behind him. "Sit up so I can work on your shoulders." She tentatively placed her hands on his shoulders and began kneading the knotted muscles, ignoring the moan which issued from his throat. "So, are you going to tell me how your meeting with Charming went this afternoon?"
He grabbed her right hand and pressed a kiss to her palm. "I'd rather just lie here and concentrate on what you're making me feel." He tugged on her hand. "It would feel better if you would join me."
She pulled her hand back and resumed her ministrations. "Hmm. And then I won't get the answers I want. Now stop avoiding the issue and tell me," she persisted, drawing another throaty groan from him.
"The shepherd escaped from the Winter Palace and somehow ended up in the Infinite Forest."
She gasped softly against his ear. She'd leaned forward slightly to work on a knot under his right shoulder blade. "How'd that happen?"
"More of Regina's machinations, no doubt. If he was trapped there, he couldn't very well find Snow White to break her curse. It took quite a bit of convincing to get him to let me help him." His breath caught as her hand ghosted down over his hip. "The boy is entirely too hot-headed. He depends more on his sword than his wit."
"Did you actually draw your sword on him, Rumpel?" she asked, her eyes twinkling with amusement.
"Think about it, my Belle. He was feeling hopeless and needed to lash out at someone to feel like he had control over his own destiny. Do you really think I was going to deny him? It's not like he could hurt me." The Dark One added a twirl of his hand to get his point across. "Owww! Unlike you. Easy, sweetheart," he grumbled and sank lower into the water.
"So what deal did you offer him? And don't bother denying it, Rumpelstiltskin. I know you too well," she chastised.
"How bad do you want me to tell you?"
"Well ... I do admit to being curious."
She was sitting cross-legged behind him as she worked on his back, so she was surprised when he turned over in the tub and snaked his arms around her legs and pulled her forward slightly. "Come into the tub with me, dear one." He dropped a kiss to her ankle and laid his head against her calf, his eyes full of promise.
The fact he could've used his magic on her to get her to comply, but didn't, made her change her mind. "It's going to take me an hour to peel these leather pants off," she complained as she began to undress.
"Use your magic," he said in a condescending tone.
"I don't know," she replied hesitantly.
"Concentrate on what you want and make it happen."
Her clothes vanished piece by piece instead of all at one time the way he did it, but at least she succeeded at a task he'd set for her that day. She was feeling rather pleased with herself as she sank down into the water to sit on the bench built into the side of the tub he'd vacated for her. She made him turn around once more and pulled him back against her, so she could wrap her arms around his chest and her legs around his waist, completely enveloping him in her embrace. He sighed his pleasure and relaxed against her, letting his head fall against her shoulder.
"You're right," she said, swirling her tongue against the sweet spot beneath his ear. "This is much better. Now tell me about the deal you offered Charming."
"I, uh ... I kind of stole the engagement ring he'd planned on giving to Snow and enchanted it so he'd have no trouble finding her. He's the only one who will be able to break the sleeping curse - being Snow's true love -and all. Gods, Belle, that's distracting," he growled as her hand slipped lower across the firm plane of his stomach. "So, I offered to return his ring and get him out of the forest if he'd do just one wee favor for me."
Belle rested her chin on his shoulder and crooked a brow at him in askance. "One wee favor? Since when is a request from you ever small? Disastrous, monumental, or depraved, yes. Wee, no."
He had the nerve to look affronted. "Depraved? I think not. I'm hurt you would even suggest such a thing."
She nipped the side of his neck with her teeth and then kissed the spot to soothe it. "Oh, come off it. What was the favor?"
He turned in her arms, so he could see her face, serious of a sudden. "You remember the potion? The one I made from strands of hair I obtained from Snow and her prince?" Belle nodded. "I had him put it in a safe place so when the curse hits, the potion will be transported to the land without magic to be retrieved when the time is right."
Her fingers toyed with the ends of his hair as she thought it over. "And just why didn't you hide it yourself? Why did you need Charming to do it for you?"
"Have you ever heard of the witch who resides in the Forbidden Fortress? Maleficent?"
"Isn't she the witch you procured the unicorn foal for? The one with the affinity for the color purple?" she asked, vaguely remembering the blonde.
"Exactly. Did you know she could transform into a dragon?" he asked slyly. She could see the imp trying to emerge in his excitement.
"Oh, Rumpel, you didn't. Did you trap that poor woman? With an egg in her gullet?" She was really trying not to laugh, her teeth worrying her lower lip. She didn't harbor any gentle feelings for the witch, and could only think it would've been more fitting to trap Regina in such a state instead.
"I did."
"Did you give Charming back his ring?"
His lips hovered over hers as he pulled her against him, tired of conversation. "I did."
"And my letter for Snow?" she asked, his mouth swallowing her question as his tongue dipped into her mouth to taste her. He hummed in response and she lost herself in his kiss. He'd answer the rest of her questions eventually.
*.*.*
Forty-eight hours until "I do" …
"Quickly, sweetheart, where would you like to have the actual ceremony? The lake, the garden, or the ballroom?"
Belle's head shot up, the book she held tumbling to the floor. "We have a ballroom? Why do we have a ballroom? Better yet, why have I never seen the ballroom?" How could she not have seen it, she wondered. She thought she'd seen them all ... unless it was one of the rooms Rumpelstiltskin kept locked. Why would he lock up the ballroom? "Rumpel -"
Poof.
Belle turned back to her book and began to read once more.
Poof. "What kind of flowers would you like, love?" he asked suddenly next to her ear as he leaned over the back of the sofa and eyed her expectantly. She was thankfully able to hold onto her flash of magic. She really didn't want any more damage done to the Dark Castle with company soon to arrive.
"Roses?"
"Red?"
"Don't we have a lovely hybrid in the garden in a peach tone? I'm having ..." she slammed the book closed and turned to face him. "I'm not telling you what my dress looks like!"
"I believe we do. Flowers for the arch," he persisted. "Why? Are there roses on your dress?"
"Oh! Peach colored roses. Those will be lovely. And I'm still not telling you anything about my dress. You will see it soon enough tomorrow afternoon."
Poof.
Belle magicked a tea service onto the low table set before the sofa and prepared his chipped cup full of tea, handing it to him as he poofed back into the room and sat beside her. "Why are you testing my sanity this morning, Rumpel? I told you we don't need to do anything fancy for our wedding. We only need each other and the minister ... and Jefferson. It would be just wrong to get married without him there as a witness. God's bones, Rumpel, please tell me you procured a minister," she cried, panic lacing her tone.
Poof.
Forty-six hours until "I do" …
"Again, why are we walking to the village?" he grumbled, kicking at a rock in his path on the dirt road which led to the village halfway down the mountain. "We could have been there already if you'd let me use magic."
Belle simply smiled sweetly at him and laced her fingers with his. "That's the point, Rumpel. There's nothing wrong with using our own two feet to walk the two miles to the village. You've been magicking all over the castle this morning and I'd like to spend more than two seconds at a time with you."
It was true. He was doing all the wedding preparations himself, refusing to let her lift a finger to help. But she would not bend when it came to her wedding dress. She wanted it to be a surprise as per tradition and she wasn't backing down. He was wearing himself thin trying to make everything perfect for her, but she didn't want anything elaborate. She just wanted it over.
She wanted to be bound to him by the laws of the realm, in a ceremony she'd dreamed about since she was old enough to know what marriage was. And now she was marrying for love instead of alliance and she couldn't be happier. They would be bound in every way possible. They would have their happy ending.
"I'm sorry I couldn't invite your entire kingdom to be present for your wedding, dear one. People hear my name and they run for the hills," he said with a shrill laugh, but it lacked the usual mocking undertone. She glanced at him sharply. He was actually upset he couldn't provide guests for their wedding. "Belle, sweetheart, are you absolutely certain you want to go through with this?"
She stopped in the middle of the road and threw her arms around his neck. Her hands stroked his hair and she left sweet nibbling kisses on his lips. "I want nothing more than to be your wife, live in your heart, and share your life." She placed her finger to his lips when he began to protest. "I don't care if people shun me for the rest of my life as long as you promise you won't." She linked her arm through his and tugged him along behind her.
He gazed at her thoughtfully for a long moment as they continued down the mountain. "I don't remember you being quite so pushy and bossy when I first brought you home to the Dark Castle."
Belle laughed merrily as she remembered. "Of course, not. I was terrified at first. It took some time for me to realize the stories about you were greatly exaggerated."
"You saw right through me, didn't you?"
"I did. Even when you would deliberately do things to frighten me."
He brought her hand to his lips and placed an open-mouthed kiss on her palm, sending gooseflesh dancing along her arm. "I love you, my Belle," he told her, his warm amber gaze revealing his heart to her.
Belle froze in fear as she heard a shrill mocking voice behind them. "So, it's true then. The Dark One has found his true love. A princess, no less."
She felt Rumpelstiltskin stiffen at her side, a low growl rumbling in his chest. Turning, she leveled her stare at the fairy and smiled sweetly. "Yes, I used to be a princess. What has that to do with anything?"
"You are throwing your life away to dwell in darkness. How could you choose evil over good? Even now I can sense his unholy power within you. Did you willingly choose to be bonded to him in such a way? To give up your soul?" The Blue Fairy asked, sneering at Belle and raising the hackles on the imp's neck.
"Rheul Ghorm, begone from this place. No one cares for your holier-than-thou opinions. You want everyone to believe you are nothing but goodness and light when you're just as capable of evil as I am," he snarled, trying to keep a rein on his temper in Belle's presence.
Blue turned back to Belle, her eyes pleading. "Please, princess, I can help you escape his influence. There is a way out for you if you wish it."
Belle narrowed her eyes, vexed that anyone could ask her to give up her true love. "Would you ask Snow to give up Charming? Would you ask Aurora to give up Phillip or Ariel to give up Eric?" she asked in horror. "How could you ask me to give up Rumpelstiltskin?"
"The Dark One is incapable of love," she answered, convinced the girl was a simpleton.
"See, that's where you are wrong. The Dark One is just what everyone sees, it's what he wants everyone to see. To me, he shows his true self. Something you will never be able to comprehend with your small minded, self-righteous, fairy mentality." With that, Belle turned on her heel and stalked off towards the village.
Rumpelstiltskin rubbed his thumb and forefinger together, wondering if he might be able to zap the little jellyfish nuisance, then thought better of it. Bowing low to her in one of his mocking bows, he turned to follow Belle. "Very well said, dearie. You're learning." He stared at her with a look of awe and wonder.
"Why are you looking at me like that?"
"No one has ever stood up for me like that before. Not even when I was human," he confessed.
"Well, I meant every word."
He glanced over his shoulder to make sure the fairy hadn't followed them. "You know we probably haven't heard the last from her."
"Yes, and if I catch her around the castle I'll pin her on the wall and add her to your bug collection," she hissed. Her temper had yet to cool from the confrontation.
They'd reached the edge of the village when he stopped to pull her into his arms. "My blood-thirsty little sweetheart. I must say, dearie. Marriage to you will never be boring." He dropped a kiss to her lips with a big smack and steered her in the direction of the seamstress' shop to pick up her wedding gown. "Hurry, and finish your shopping, dear heart, so we can go home."
Home. Oh, how he loved the sound of that. The Dark Castle had been cold and forbidding, a place to store his treasures and collections before he'd made his bargain with Belle. Now it was a home. She was his home.
Thirty-nine hours until "I do" …
"How do you spin straw into gold?"
"…"
"Why do you live in a castle?"
"…"
"Are you really getting married tomorrow?"
"…"
"Can we have a tea party?"
Rumpelstiltskin narrowed his eyes and looked into the little girl's wide questioning eyes. "You'll make a lovely wee snail, won't you, Gracie?"
Jefferson clamped a hand over his daughter's mouth and steered her over to the sofa to greet Belle. "Pay him no mind, Grace. And, yes, we can have a tea party," Belle laughed. Rumpelstiltskin smirked at her and went back to his spinning.
Jefferson leaned over and gave Belle a loud smacking kiss on her cheek and settled back against the sofa cushions. "So, are you getting nervous?" he asked, waggling his eyebrows at her.
"Behave, Jeff. And no, I'm not nervous." Belle conjured a tea tray onto the table before the sofa without a second thought. A rosy blush rose to stain her cheeks as the hatter's mouth gaped open in shock and he jumped to his feet to point an accusing finger at her.
"How'd you do that?"
Belle smirked up at him and twirled her hand in the air as she'd seen Rumpelstiltskin do countless times and said, "You know ... magic." Rumpel snorted and winked at her.
"Yes, I can bloody well see that, darling. Would you care to explain?"
Grace pressed a cup of tea into her father's hands. "I think she's lovely, Papa." She turned to face the imp. "Mr. Stiltskin would you like a cup of tea?"
He rose from the wheel and sat on the arm of the sofa next to Belle. "Yes, dearie, that would be lovely." Belle beamed at him for being nice to the child. He didn't have anything against children. Actually, he would rather spend time conversing with a child than most adults he knew. He was drawn to their honesty, and they most times reminded him of Bae. Grace was a lovely child, no more than ten years old. Too bad she had her father's habit of speaking incessantly. They must make quite the pair.
"Lady Belle, will I be able to see your library while I'm visiting? Papa said you have so many books. I love to read."
Belle smoothed the child's hair and smiled at her. "Of course, dear."
"Are you going to answer my question?" Jefferson asked huffily.
"No," her fiancé snapped.
"Later," Belle whispered from the side of her mouth.
Belle placed a hand over her stomach and groaned. "Rumpel, I don't feel well."
He stood up and began stalking toward the door, his eyes turning to pitch as the beast reared its head. "Stay inside. That was the wards you felt rippling. And it's not Snow."
Belle rose to her feet to follow, ignoring his command. "Then who else could it be? Regina?"
He stopped at the doors leading into the entryway to meet her worried gaze. "No. It's your father."
A/n: Well, this should be interesting.