Chapter 25

A Talk and A Nap

They were both dumbfounded as they appeared back into the dark castle, a shaking, exhausted Elizabeth in between their arms, whimpering softly. Before anything else was said or done, little Elizabeth's needs were taken care of immediately. Rumple tried to lay her down to change her, but Belle had trouble putting her down. Rumple looked at her sadly, knowing just how she felt. He was desperately holding onto her now, afraid to let her go for one minute. Their child…their baby…had been apart from them for too long. But her needs still stood, and for what their poor girl was sacrificing for her family, they owed it to her to give her all the tender love and care she needed. "Oh my poor love…worry not…it's only for a minute." He cupped Belle's cheek and kissed her temple, both of their bodies still shaking from the shock of the news as they pressed up against each other. Elizabeth let out a cry, confused and uncomfortable from being wet and hungry, and from the ordeal in general. Belle immediately started to rock her child and whisper soothingly to her. "Okay baby…okay…don't you worry…mama and papa are here now…" Rumple nodded in agreement and started to hum as he laid the child down. He found that his clawed, golden hands shook as he was changing her…it was the least he could do for her now. Elizabeth began to calm down a little, comforted by her parent's soothing words and care. It took him much longer to change her as he usually did, for now it was as if he had forgotten how to in all of the news that now surrounded him and continuously sent his heart and mind reeling. Elizabeth couldn't even open her eyes at this point, for weakness and dizziness from the fate she accepted called for her to try to sleep….but she needed to be fed first. As Belle picked her up and held her protectively to her, Rumple made a bottle appear in a cloud of purple smoke. She had objected at first to him using magic to summon what Elizabeth needed, knowing now more than ever the price of magic, but there was no other way to feed her. They held Elizabeth between them so that she could snuggle into both of her parents as she was nursing, and that had a great effect in calming the child down. Comfort and closeness from her parents always soothed the child's pain…and now it would have to soothe her for eternity. The two parents gazed into each other's eyes as Elizabeth slowly yet steadily fed, looking up at them and enjoying the comfort and warmth. Elizabeth fed off more than milk…apparently, she also fed off the love that her parents shared between each other. Being a creature of magic, it could be said that she fed off emotions. There was nothing left but to accept that this was her fate, and now the child just focused on her parents for strength and comfort against the pain. Despite the situation, they both smiled down at her. They were utterly fascinated with their tiny daughter, the little miracle that was snuggled between their arms. Here she was…so brave and such a little fighter. She had made it all this way, braved the wilderness and bore the pain of her disease…and yet she still gave herself as a sacrifice for her family. "Our little angel…" Belle spoke softly, pressing a kiss to Elizabeth's forehead. Suddenly, the room was silent, and the only sound that could be heard was the sounds of the crackling fire and of Elizabeth's soft suckling. There were also the sounds of Rumple encouraging her to drink, for Elizabeth was still understandably quite nervous. It actually turned out that Elizabeth was so tired that she wasn't able to finish feeding. Belle stifled a giggle and Rumple smirked as they watched her fall asleep with the bottle still in her mouth. Rumple conjured up a bassinette for her to sleep in while the parents talked, which she did, soundly. Her tired snoring could be heard in the echoes of the dark castle's great room. Rumple almost wished that the child wouldn't fall asleep, for he knew now that him and his love had to discuss this all…what this meant to them. He was afraid of it, afraid of what he would hear and afraid for what was to happen next between the two of them. Ever since Elizabeth had arrived, Rumple felt for the first time in decades what it meant to be truly and utterly afraid. He also felt more loved and needed than he had ever before. Elizabeth was, undoubtedly, the best thing that ever had happened to him…and it was all thanks to Belle. In that moment, his love for her grew even deeper and more fervent. Belle, in turn, had felt the same way. She would rather live a complicated life with Rumple and have his love and the product of her love then be cooped up in a throne room among a council in a stuffy atmosphere for all of her life. The imp had given her her freedom and her baby, and most importantly…someone who would love her for her, and not for her family breeding. He nervously rocked the child back and forth by rocking the bassinette in the same motion, looking out toward the window absentmindedly. He finally got up the courage to talk first, and he cleared his throat nervously before doing so. "Belle…listen…for all of that happened…I'm so sorry…I never knew…" she sighed sadly and took his free hand in hers and looked deeply into his amber grey eyes. He felt as if he was drowning in those deep blue hues of her eyes, his heart beating like a jackrabbit's. "Rumple…I was two days pregnant…there was no way you could have known…" he looked down at the ground though, utterly ashamed. Not only had he cast Belle out, but also had, in turn, casted Elizabeth out along with her. If it weren't for his insane belief that no one in the world could possibly care about him, Belle would have stayed with him and Elizabeth could have been born into a normal life with perfect health. And no matter how many times Belle would talk him out of his guilt, he still thought about it day and night. "I suppose you're right, darling, but if it wasn't for me kicking you out off the door and into this cruel world…."she stopped him right there and continued to look into his eyes soulfully. Above all else, she hated that he constantly blamed himself. Yes, it was by measure partly his fault, but she now remembered how sickly Elizabeth was when she was born to begin with. She had been much smaller than a normal baby and didn't cry when she was born. Yet she never had the chance to even name the child before the infant shifted into a foal and escaped the clutches of the witch who had held her and her mother captive. "My love…we both are to blame. We need to stop the blame…and focus on her. She needs us now. Elizabeth has made a sacrifice for us…for both of us…and should we ever have more children…for them as well. We owe her a home now…a home without fighting or blame….Rumple, it's the least we can do for her. Please stop blaming yourself? Please?" her blue eyes looked into his pleadingly, and of course, he melted on the spot. "Alright love…alright…" inside, he would always blame himself, but he also had to remember that Elizabeth picked up on human emotion, so now he needed to keep the area around her as happy and as soft as a place as could be. And as Elizabeth cooed in her sleep, the two of them looked down into the bassinette with a soft smile. "She's a beauty, our little one…" he sighed happily and smiled at Belle, showing a small smirk along with it. "Thank goodness she's got your teeth and not mine…" She smirked in return, shaking her head softly, her reddish brown curls falling over her shoulders. "Oh no love, I think you're mistaken…" she then gestured to the little pointed canine type teeth at the corners of her mouth that were almost identical to the canines at the corners of his teeth as well. "I have to tell you dear…she took mostly after you in her looks…" Rumple agreed, pulling Belle closer to him and grinned at her "ah yes…with your personality." After a few moments of thought, he held her hands around his and they intertwined their fingers. Rumple then thought of something to give Elizabeth that every little princess ought to have. "Belle…we should show them…show them all. Everyone in this land should know that she is ours, and that our love still stands…we should present this child to the public…" She grinned at him and kissed him at once, running his hands slightly over his chest. "Oh Rumple…that's a wonderful idea…yes, I think it's time we show our little princess to the world. We should show them our pride…" she then spoke softer as she stared up in his eyes "what our love created…" He nodded and smiled with agreement, nuzzling her cheek softly but then started to pull away tiredly and playfully, just a little "You know…we should…spend some alone time together, you and I…" she smirked at him and pushed him down on the table to lay down and rest. "Devil…" she muttered and smirked, laying down on the table with him and laying her head on his chest. "But before we do anything…nap…" she said tiredly, and he agreed as he ran his hand through her chestnut hair. "Yes…I agree.." in a short time, they both fell asleep curled up beside each other, holding tight to each other as the child in the bassinette slept peacefully next to them.