XXIX

An Intriguing Development

How the hell had this happened? No one should have been able to break through the wards surrounding the Dark Castle. Especially the three mediocre witches who'd stolen his beloved …

The morning had begun in a promising fashion. He'd woken to find his sweet girl wrapped around him like an octopus, her warmth permeating his usually cold skin, her delicate hands burrowed beneath his shirt. He'd marched up to the library to begin his spellwork with a goofy smile on his face. He'd really have to learn to control that before he went on his next deal. He'd just added several drops of their True Love potion to the cauldron when Belle had joined him with their morning tea. Ever the fidgety little minx when she was excited, she'd expressed a desire to go out to the little garden she kept near the kitchen courtyard, and he'd seen no reason to deny her. She was safe within the walls, after all.

Rumpelstiltskin didn't think twice about her long absence, using the time to finish the charm on her pendant. It wasn't unusual for her to find busy work, or become distracted with some new recipe she wished to test on him. She was becoming rather skilled in the kitchen, for which his stomach would be eternally grateful. Hours later, pendant in hand – and quite eager to test it – he'd sought her out. He'd nearly been frantic – correction … he was ready to lay waste to half the populace of the Enchanted Forest – when he hadn't been able to find her. Instead of his precious beloved, he'd found a sand dollar partially hidden beneath the leafy greenery of her prized carrots. A bloody ransom message! As if he cared about a bauble from his collection when those witches had his true love in their possession.

His entire body felt as if it would spontaneously combust with the effort to keep his magic at bay as he stood on the edge of Demon's Bluff. He would kill the sea witch first for daring to mark his Belle's delicate throat. And yet, she was pleading with him not to give in to their demands. He might need the gauntlet someday. It was too powerful to just hand over to his enemies. Was she for real? Gah! He tossed the enchanted glove at Cruella and watched them disappear, leaving Belle to collapse into his waiting arms.

Once she'd regained her breath, she smacked her palm against his chest. "Why would you do that?! What if they try to use it against you?" she scolded him in a raspy tone, her throat raw from being gripped so tightly by Ursula's slimy tentacle.

"A 'thank you, Rumpel' would be fitting about now, Belle," he drawled, cradling her close to his chest. "Worry not … As soon as I secure your safety, I'll retrieve the gauntlet. You're right. It is too dangerous in their hands. Did you think I would leave you to them?"

"No! I knew you wouldn't. But I worry what they might do to you in the meantime," she fretted.

"You leave them to me," he growled. "But for now, let's get you home, hmm?"

Belle nodded, wrapping her arms tightly about his neck and closing her eyes for the trip home.

*.*.*

"This is NOT what I expected when you said you were taking me home!" she hissed in a furious whisper as the smoke cleared and she found herself standing in the middle of her father's opulent bedchamber, the king's snores reverberating noisily off the walls. "It's almost two in the morning, Rumpelstiltskin. It's rude to just pop in on him like this."

"Pfft! He'll be thrilled to see you," the mage scoffed. "After the trauma you just experienced, I'm not leaving you alone at the castle while I go off to deal with those harpies. Now would you like to wake him, or shall I?"

"Gah!" she grumbled, marching to the foot of the bed and tapping her father's foot. "Papa … Papa, wake up."

Rumpelstiltskin rummaged about on the dresser and found an ornate pewter bowl which held several rings and a pocket watch. He dumped those out and pulled a short coil of gold thread from his pocket, dropping it into the bowl. The king mumbled incoherently in his sleep as Belle doubled her efforts to wake him. What a clod! he thought with a roll of his eyes. He'd give her another minute before taking matters into his own hands. Summoning several ingredients from home, he added dragon root and mandrake to the bowl before making his way to Belle's side.

She yelped as he plucked a hair from her head. "What was that for?!"

"Cloaking spell. No one will know you're here, dearest … no matter how powerful they are," he explained.

Maurice grunted in his sleep and flopped over onto his back, dead to the world. Rumpelstiltskin had had enough. His eyes narrowed as he surveyed the room, zeroing in on the little sitting area in the corner where there was a fat tome, an empty goblet and a bowl of some sort of small round candies on the table next to a well-worn chair. He giggled as he snapped his fingers, bringing the candles to life to light the room. He scooped up a handful of the candies and chunked them one at a time at the king until the man shot up in bed, gasping and sputtering.

"What the bloody hell! Guards!" the king roared.

Belle buried her face in her hand and shook her head. "Well, you've done it now, Rumpel."

"Belle?" Maurice gasped, throwing the blankets aside and rising to his feet to don his dressing robe. The door burst open and the king's guard hurried into the room, weapons drawn. He waved them away. "Return to your posts. It was a false alarm, gentlemen."

The guards looked warily at the Dark One where he lounged against one of the posts on the footboard, but they retreated as they'd been commanded by their king.

Maurice pulled his daughter into a warm embrace and Rumpelstiltskin took advantage of the king's distraction to snatch a hair off his head to add to the contents within the bowl. "What's going on?!" he bellowed.

"Calm yourself, Papa. It will be alright," Belle crooned, patting his arm gently.

Rumpelstiltskin recited the incantation over the mixture, his magic transforming it into a ball of golden light. It rose in the air with his guidance, spreading over the ceiling in a bright shower of sparks before cascading over the walls until every inch of the room was covered. Only then did it fade. The mage smirked in satisfaction. "In case you're curious, sire, that is a cloaking spell. It will prevent anyone seeking to do my Belle harm from entering this room."

The king frowned, totally bewildered. "Why would anyone want to harm her?"

Belle moved into the circle of his arms and rested her head on Rumpelstiltskin's chest. "Because they know how much I mean to him, Papa."

"Three meddlesome witches abducted her from the Dark Castle this afternoon. I paid the ransom, but they cannot be allowed to keep the item they required for her return. I must get it back. There is also the matter of reinforcing the walls around my castle in order to assure this doesn't happen again." His long spinner's fingers carded gently through the hair at her temple before sliding tenderly along her cheek. "I don't want to leave her alone while I attend this matter."

She pursed her lips petulantly. "I don't need a babysitter, Rumpelstiltskin."

"I never said you did. Think of this as a short visit with your father, dearest, and not as a punishment. I need to know you're safe, and perhaps you won't worry so much if you're in good company."

Belle snorted. "Not bloody likely." Her arms tightened about his waist. "You'll be careful?"

"I will return to you, Belle, before the dawn," he promised. And then he was gone, leaving her behind with her speechless parent.

Maurice gathered his wits as he watched his daughter's shoulders slump dejectedly. He went to the door and summoned his guard. "Send to the kitchens. Tea to start and breakfast for two, Lucian. My daughter will be with me for several hours and I want her to be comfortable."

"Yes, your majesty."

Belle removed her cloak, laying it across the arm of the sofa, and moved to stand next to the archway leading out onto her father's private terrace. She looked out across the land in the direction of the Dark Castle, her heart heavy with longing. As much as she loved her father, she yearned to be home. Even the warm spring breeze with its hint of salt and brine from the ocean did little to soothe her.

Maurice laid a comforting hand on her shoulder, thrilled to have this time with her. "Are you alright, my girl?"

"I'm fine, Papa. This just wasn't what I'd planned for the day," she said, a twinge of melancholy in her voice.

"I'm sure being kidnapped is never on the agenda," he snarked dryly. "Come now, tell me what's troubling you besides the obvious."

Belle sighed, a small smile curling the corner of her mouth. "We're true love, Papa. He even released me from our deal to give me a choice as to whether I wanted to remain with him."

"Avonlea?" he asked, paling. "What of our people?"

She rested her hand on his arm. "He will honor his word. Avonlea will continue to prosper without the threat of ogres. I've told you, Papa … Rumpelstiltskin is an honorable man. One must simply be wary of his play on words." She moved to sit on the sofa as a servant brought in the tea tray and set it on the coffee table. "I worry for him."

The king sat down beside her. "What is there to worry over, Belle? He's the Dark One."

"He's still a man, Papa. He possesses the same emotions and fears as you or me, but moreso because of his power. I don't want our relationship to cause him difficulties," she lamented, sipping her tea.

Maurice pinched the bridge of his nose, conflicted over what advice he should give her. As her sovereign, he wanted her to come home, to make a good match and ascend the throne as was her birthright. But as her father, he wanted her happiness. He set his cup down and turned towards her, taking her wee hand in his larger one.

"Belle, there are only two choices for you, my darling, and you are the only one who can decide your fate. You could come home. You could leave him behind and return to Avonlea to become queen. Or you can choose Rumpelstiltskin and trust him to protect you, to love you and make you happy. If you truly love him – Gods, I can't believe I'm saying this – but if you truly love him, you should be with him. I wanted to die when I lost your mother. She was everything to me. Hold on to every moment you have with him. Cherish one another and don't let a day pass where you don't show him in some way."

Belle gaped at her father in stunned disbelief. "Papa! You just gave me your blessing to be with the Dark One!"

Maurice huffed a short laugh. "No, my girl, I just gave you my blessing to be with the man you love. I've read each of your letters a dozen times or more, and I can see how you feel for him written clearly on your lovely face. I want you to be happy, Belle."

She wrapped her arms around his thick neck and hugged him tightly. "Thank you, Papa."

He patted her back. "Just make sure when the time comes, I get to walk you down the aisle."

A/n: Hope you enjoyed! *hugs* Please let me know what you think. Send me some love in a review!