In Shadow

Chapter 37

A Queen's Revenge

After their very enjoyable bath, Belle had become all business. She told herself it was nerves, she told herself that the sick feeling in her stomach was natural when dealing with magic, she also knew it was a lie. The feeling she had was much more about excitement than anything else and that frightened her. She should tell Rum. Tell him she was drawn to that book, and now ...knowing what lay inside, drawn to the cabinet itself. How much, her mind wondered, could she learn with those books? Could she find a tome that would allow her immortality that she might be with Rum forever? She shook her head as she followed him down the hallway. Where in the realms had that thought even come from? She had no desire to be immortal. She would happily live here with Rum for the rest of her days, but every life had a beginning, and an end.

She stared at his back as he moved to the door of the lab, opening it with the wave of a hand. Removing wards, she realized. She had never noticed them before. Should she have? The pull toward the wardrobe was instant when the door opened. Yes, that thing needed more wards. Now. "What do I do?"

Rumplestiltskin turned and seeing the stubborn set of her face, the flashing of her eyes, knew this was not a time for jokes or tenderness. "Wards. A physical manifestation of an invocation, either thought or spoken, which create a protective barrier around an inanimate object, such as a house, or a cabinet. As I said, you can ward people as well, but that is more advanced. These wards are like the protection potion without the potion. So much of magic, Belle, must be first envisioned in your mind. Your mind is a powerful tool. Nothing can be done if one cannot first see it done, even if one has not yet done it. Does that make sense?" When she nodded, he continued talking about beginning with a thought and invocation, and moving on to just the thought.

He did not notice Belle as she moved ever closer to the cabinet. She wanted more than anything to pull it open and simply look at the books. She didn't need to touch them, she didn't want to open them or read them, just look upon them. She did not realize that her fingers were about an inch from the knob until Rumplestiltskin grabbed her hand and pulled her back across the room. He tilted his head to one side. "Are you okay? I understand that blood magic is very compelling, even through the wards I have on it already. That's why we're adding more. Belle?"

Her eyes had been glued to the cabinet, her mind not even registering he was talking. She shook it off. She had to get past this. "I'm sorry. What?"

"Is everything okay, Belle? It does not take much to become addicted to blood magic and I do not know how long you held that book, although I suspect it was not long." He reached out and pulled her chin up so he could look in to her eyes. "Belle?"

What she said in her mind was "No, everything is not alright, I am addicted to this magic." What she actually said was, "Yes, of course. Let's get started."

#

"It is not going to happen right away," Rumplestiltkin said for perhaps the 10th time that morning. He knew Belle was getting frustrated as she tried again and again to erect a ward around the cabinet in the lab. "Relax," he said, putting his hands on her waist. She shook him off, stepping just slightly closer to the imposing wood and thrust her hands in front of her, willing with all of her being, with everything in her soul, that a solid steel cage filled with concrete would cover it from bottom to top. It still stood there, the sheen of old, polished wood seeming to mock her. It was harmless enough to look at. An old Georgian wardrobe, with four short, flourished legs, two doors with antique bronze pulls and waves starting at each end along the top meeting in a beautiful hand carved filigree; as furniture went, it was very nice, probably very expensive, and yet ...it felt almost as if it sensed her there, knew what she was doing, and knew that however much her mind wanted to create a powerful ward, her heart wanted to open the doors and remove the books inside.

He stepped back and waited. Now was not the time to try to console her. Either she would erect this ward, or she would pass out from exhaustion. Belle took a breath, trying to relax even as the muscles in her shoulders bunched with anticipation. She let her breath out slowly. She was trying too hard; going too fast. She pictured the cabinet covered with one of the heavy tapestries hanging in the great room, saw it clearly in her mind. "Creare." And this time she felt something flood out from within her. She felt it cross the room, move in the air, and settle over the wardrobe. When she turned, Rumplestiltskin was smiling.

"I knew you could do it," he said, the pride obvious in his eyes. "What did you see?"

"A tapestry, from the great room. Heavy, hard to penetrate, although perhaps I should have imagined those nasty curtains," she said, also grinning despite the sweat that had broken out across her forehead and extreme exhaustion.

She staggered a little and Rum was there, his hand on her elbow. "Enough for today. Magic takes energy and you have been at it nonstop for hours. Let me add a few more wards and we'll get lunch." He paused. "Okay, a really late lunch." Belle looked confused and he shook his head. She was well on the way to becoming as obsessive about magic as he was. Losing herself for hours without realizing it. "It's after three."

Belle was stunned. "Is it really? I hadn't .."

He waved a hand. "No matter. I should have paid more attention. You are a distraction no matter what you're doing, it would seem."

She leaned in to kiss him when a voice sounded behind them. "How very sweet. I do not recall this being part of my training, Rumple."

They both looked up to find Regina standing in the doorway. Her face was set in a snarl. When he did not respond to her barb she shrugged. "I have a gift for you." Her eyes were on Rum, but the words were for Belle. Regina raised her hands and all of the carefully placed wards cracked and fell away from the wardrobe. The doors flew open, the books falling out, directly on to Belle. They stung everywhere they touched her, and yet ...and yet ...she reached out, grasping the book she'd had the other night. "That's right, girl. It feels good, doesn't it? Even as it eats away your very flesh."

Belle looked up, the book in her hands, blood dripping from her palms onto the wood floor. Blue eyes turned blood red and rage filled her mind. She had no more control over it than she had of her desire for Rum. She stared at Regina, flipped open the book, and held it out toward her. Regina intended to say something about how she wasn't going near that book, but then Belle took a breath and blew the magic off the page. It swirled in the air and then wrapped around Regina's throat. She couldn't breathe, couldn't speak. Rumplestiltskin stood there, stunned so badly he didn't know whom to help. Regina choked, dropped to her knees, her fingernails clawing at her throat leaving bloody trails behind. Belle's eyes never left hers and when she looked up to see that they were absolutely solid red she knew the girl was now controlled by the blood magic. It was not something she had anticipated, and Regina realized too late it was about to cost her her life. She was going to die.

Rumplestiltskin finally forced his body to move. He didn't dare touch Belle; his magic would only amplify what she was doing. He looked at Regina, who's throat was a bloody mess as she tried to get some air and still, Belle did not relent.

"Belle!" Rumplestiltskin was screaming. There was no time to speak softly. "Belle!" He didn't know how to reach her. "You're going to kill her! BELLE!"

He had no other choice. He reached out and tore the book from her hands, ripping off several layers of skin in the process. He tossed it across the room and raised a hand, slamming shut the doors of the cabinet. Regina was face down on the floor, no longer moving. He had no time at all. He pulled Belle into his arms and pressed his lips to hers, putting every ounce of love, need, desire ...every year they had spent together, every moment, every day that he had loved this woman went in to this one kiss. He saw the child lying on the straw, clutching a tattered doll for comfort, he saw the girl who had grown up too fast and taken over her father's castle, he saw the young woman terrified of a boy who knew nothing of love, and a young woman who's kind heart forgave and cared for wounded soldiers. He saw a woman mourn for the loss of her friend, and a woman of immense bravery step up and end the ogre wars by agreeing to become a maid for the Dark One. Each memory, each thought, each moment, was filled with a love he had not realized he was even capable of; a love so pure it exploded out of his soul. He felt her respond, clutching at his arms, pulling him closer until she wrapped her arms around him and began to weep. He held her against him. It was going to be okay. He would make it right. He had to.

Behind them, Regina gasped, choked, gagged and got up slowly off the floor. Rum didn't dare turn around to face her. "I suggest you leave."

"She's not yours anymore, Rumplestiltskin." This was the Queen's parting barb before she turned, and attempting to appear as if she were not fleeing, walked briskly out the door.

Rumplestiltskin could not be bothered if she got out the door or not, so long as she did not come back in this room. Belle clung to him as she wept. Her hands were covered with blood, her tears were red, and he did not know what to do. If what he'd just done to break her away from the book was what he believed it to be, he ...he didn't know. He would figure it out. He gave it a moment of thought and the information was still there. Everything he knew, up to and including how to detox someone from addiction to blood magic. He had seen her go straight for the original book. She should have told him. Should have, but didn't and he had to let that go. It was out now. He had to get her out of this room.

"I'm sorry, Rum. I'm so, so sorry." She was still clinging to him, and he realized that she wanted desperately to go get the book he'd thrown across the room. He said nothing, simply picked her up and carried her out of the lab, closing and warding the door. He added an extra precaution that would prevent Belle, specifically Belle, from getting inside. Although if she got angry enough, it was possible it wouldn't hold.

"It's going to be okay, sweetheart. I promised I would take care of you. I promised. Do you remember?"

She nodded, unable to say anything else, completely spent. He carried her to the bathing room and gently washed her hands before undressing her, putting on her nightclothes and putting her in bed.

She looked up at him, his back was to her. "Are you leaving?"

He shook his head and turned around. When she gasped and covered her mouth he knew the worst had happened. Would he take it back? No. Not if it meant losing Belle. "Your face ..."

He tried to smile as he undressed and slid in to bed next to her. "True love's kiss."