"And that, little Avren is how we just began our perilous quest to sunder the fetters of the curse and get back home." Belle ended softly with a large, fond smile to her child. Loving arms encircled his tiny form protectively to her thudding chest as he nuzzled his reddish dappled cheek against her sky blue chemise.
The bright eyed youngling gurgled happily in appreciation and swatted one tiny hand at tendrils of his mothers russet hair while his other gripped the top of her blouse to help him pull himself up. A yawn fell from his lips, but he determinedly remained awake; much too curious about the features of his mothers face than the sleep that softly beckoned him to a land of dreams.
He was nearly a year old and so like his energetic and mischievous father in many ways. Already he had escaped his crib thrice and always managed to slip into places of the now homey instead of ominous Dark Castle with a tactical cunning far beyond his youth.
Golden rays of wondrous spring sunshine slanted through the monolithic glass panes of the Dark Castle dousing the pair in a tawny, cheery glow beaming upon their flesh. Light danced through their coppery manes turning each lock a burnished ruddy hue.
The beauty sat nestled comfortably in her perch of long ago upon the padded window ledge where she could view the alabaster capped peaks of the jagged mountains surrounding her home. Even after nigh 30 years, the cushioned window seat was still her favorite place in the stronghold of Rumpelstiltskin's citadel.
Memories both good and ill were carved upon such a nook, but the fond far outweighed the evil in her estimation. There the first seed of love had been planted in the fallowed heart, and there she sat again not as a slave, but mistress of the citadel beside her Rum.
How things could change from dour desperateness to happiness, Belle thought amusedly allowing her mind to ramble as was often her wont. Even the Dark Castle was transformed from the ominous drafty palace to a grand estate worthy of being truly called a home. The drear and dank became awash with light, the haunting presence of long ago phantoms departed peacefully to eternal slumber, and even the shadow that did linger in the dusty corners seemed no more than the dark of items instead of living malicious things cavorting upon the cold stone.
Rubbing her nose lightly against her sons, she spoke to the persistently squirming child with the tenderness only a mother could know. "Now we had a deal; a story and then nap time." She reminded him with a laugh.
"And a fine tale you tell, Dearie." Rumpelstiltskin commended pleasantly from across the Main Hall.
Belle perched her head up eagerly to hear his falsetto timbre. Her azure eyes immediately fell to her husband as her heart swelled in delight simply towards his presence.
Arms crossed, the fiend leaned lazily upon a gray granite pillar; looking at his life and his love unnoticed from afar. Where once was a cold uncaring man thinking himself a beast stood a man who'd learned of love and goodness from the only one who'd ever saw any noble qualities behind the fathomless eyes and black talons.
No longer did he possess the flesh of a normal man. Once they returned to their world, his skin took the glimmering dragon scales, and the voided onyx eyes of old; his eternal curse for bearing that dark magic's which gave him his strength. His suits, once so debonair and expensively tailored of silks became once again mulled leather jerkins and breeches adding to his oddity.
Belle didn't mind, however; never had she cared a whit what skin he donned. Attraction and beauty always lied within no matter what form he took, be he human or beast. He would be her Rum, always and forever.
Belle smiled infectiously as she shifted the yawning child gingerly upon her chest. Her fingers petted his silky ringlets tenderly lulling him to sleep. "I want our son to learn how we beat all odds and came back to our world." She replied and giggled suddenly. "And besides, he always falls asleep afterwards. It's his favorite story."
"One day, Belle-of-mine, you'll have to pen the tale so our story won't be lost to the fog of legend in ages to come." He suggested jokingly as he padded softly towards them.
His oddly hued flesh glimmered like gold glistening in a clear rivers bed as he stepped into the oblique light. Dust motes drifted about him as dancing little people before falling away making another smile perk upon the beauty's lips. Gentleness softened his strange face as he stared down upon them with love and fatherly protectiveness.
Stroking his son's dark amber hair, a grin involuntarily crept upon his features.
The child truly did have his eyes and his smile. His hair was the russet color of his mothers and his face was more reminiscent of hers, even having the same curious look when a novelty intrigued him.
He was, in truth, a product of the strongest magic of them all.
The gorgeous beauty rubbed the boys back in slow circles as the warmth from the titanic window coyly coaxed him into happy dreams. Her eyes flickered curiously to her love. "I saw the messenger falcon fly by the window. Does Bae send news from the realm of Queen Snow and King James?"
"He does indeed." Pride welled in his voice. "He says his knight training goes well along with Prince Henry's. He'll be on his way home in a few weeks."
After all the time searching for his boy and the many trials laid before them to hurdle, when they had finally tracked down his Bae the boy had not aged a day from his youth when he slipped into the sinister portals blinding iris years and years ago.
Age was only now beginning to creep upon him now that the curse was broken and the world righted. Now back home, he vehemently wished to fight for the downtrodden and helpless and now he was pursuing his dream.
A half sanguine grin twitched upon the side of her lips as she looked away coyly from her love. "And, I trust Darren and Sarah has been looking out for him?"
Of course the true names of Bandit and Lady were actually Darren Steelstrike, son of a blacksmith, and Princess Sarah. One of the first things the restored Dark One had done when they arrived back in their world was alleviate the curse from both loyal animals.
Back in their proper forms, the pair explained how a powerful sorceress had cursed them on Sarah's father, a wealthy nobleman's behest, for she loved a smart mouthed young peasant who had a penchant for thievery.
Surprising they fell to their knees, their hands clasped, piteously begging the fiend to change them back. What once seemed a curse to the in love pair, horrendously enchanted with fur and claws was a blessing in disguise.
To them both, life as human seemed too cloistered and complicated to those who'd lived so long free and wild. They perfered their canine form far more than the human skin. And now they watched over Baelfire whilst he learned the arts of war and the honor of knighthood in the free, happy lands of the Charming's.
"I trust they haven't let him get into too much trouble." He mumbled and pecked his wife's nose with a kiss.
He lifted a gnarled claw to her face tenderly letting his fingers brush against her lush tresses. For a moment his heart jerked painfully, seeing how starkly he contrasted to his gorgeous wife's peach toned skin against his scaled flesh. Subduing the thought easily, his thumb stroked her milky skin beneath his wiry talons warily; always surprised when she did not recoil in revulsion of him.
Their eyes sank deeply into one another, entranced, blue tangling and melding instinctively with shinning ebony in glorious togetherness. She cared not about the man on the outside but the soul shining within which still besotted her heart whenever he smiled or was near.
How he loved her, his heart of hearts.
How she loved him, her very breath.
Their love was akin to a tangible presence betwixt them tethering them together far more than any magic could bind. Slowly, his lips neared her own, wishing to capture her mouth in a warm sweet kiss.
Immediately the tiny child caught between them began to stir once more. His tightly closed eyes opened happily to see his father hovering over him akin to a guardian. He smiled showing a bright scarlet mouth and little buds of growing teeth to his papa. Happily, never repulsed or frighten by his scaled skin, he squealed in childish delight. Cooing and clapping his hands in the way gleeful little children do, he raised his pudgy fingers to the sky seeking to grab onto his beloved papa.
Rumpelstiltskin laughed merrily, unperturbed in the least the tender moment was broken by their son. Without hesitation he scooped the child up in his wiry arms causing a mumbled giggle to dribble from the boy's mouth.
His hairless brow furrowed in mock anger as he held his Avren to eyes level and jestingly chastised his son. "You, little terror, you should be asleep. Deals are never broken in this household."
Avren merely swung his tubby legs in reply and reached out to grab his father's straggly dirty brown hair. He pouted slightly, sending a wave of merriment rumbling through his father throat. "You've got your mothers spirit alright." He nipped playfully at his sons wriggling fingertips, causing a babbling gurgle of laughter to pass his lips. "She was never willing to give up either. Oh but the time for play is done for now and little ones must sleep, and dream of adventures before their strong enough to go about and more trouble find."
Slowly, the fiend placed the child back in his wife's awaiting arms. The babe gurgled mildly in weak protest but sank dreamily into his mothers arms. A magic spell seemed to rush over the child soothing his excitement once more.
A yawn squeaked from his bright pink mouth as he snuggled against his mother, taking solace in her arms as much as he did the strength of his father.
Belle gazed down at the bundle already softly breathing in the realms of sleep. Her voice was little more than a whisper. "He may have my spirit, but he has your soul, husband; kind and gentle and wiling to do the right thing."
"Small mercies." Rum huffed softly. A ghost of a frown flitted across his lips, dying as soon as it came. "I'd loathe if he'd use his powers for ill."
Indeed, their son had been graced with the skill of magic though they'd only seen a fraction of his power here and there. A product of true love from the most powerful sorcerer had bred another of magical proficiency without the aid of an enchanted dagger or curse.
The beauty kissed the crown of her sons, chestnut hair and wrapped her arms tighter about him. "Never. We will teach him goodness and kindness and compassion, and point to the black spire where Regina lurks the rest of her days devoid of magic and friends alike."
"I shall teach him that no matter how powerful his magic's be, True Love is forever the stronger." He declared softly.
Kneeling next to the window seat, the fiend placed his head upon her lap, taking in the moment of quiet togetherness. He breathed in her sweet, intoxicating perfume of love of honeysuckle and the smell of powder lingering upon his boy. With his loving wife, his sons, in their world and home, he had never felt so complete. There was no missing piece in his life, only wholeness and one.
"To think." He chuckled ironically. "You came here as property only to own me mind, body, and soul instead."
"I own you as much as you own me, husband." She murmured drowsily and tucked her head next to her sons. The flaxen warmth cascading through the large pane was not only tempting sleep upon their child. "We are one. Bound by love and marriage and the children we rear."
A chuckle mumbled sleepily from his lips. They were woven together in every aspect, in every breath. Not even the accursed blade held so much thrall over him than his beloved wife. Because of her, his life truly altered from the snarling beast to a good man once more. She taught him courage and compassion and love not grounded in selfishness or evil devices.
He left his true realm with a black heart and she nothing more than a flicker of light in the dark morass of his soul. Now he returned with gladdened heart and goodness that bubbled like a clear mountain spring from his once black soul.
With their lives a completely different course from what they known before the curse spirited them away, in their eyes, their land truly was a whole new world.
Head still upon her lap, Rumpelstiltskin watched his wife and son fall into wondrous repose of dreams. Content to love and protect and cherish them with all his being, he tenderly gazed upon them in the golden glow of sunlight streaming from the mountains until he too fell asleep beside his family.
~8~8~
A/N: I hope you all enjoyed! Writing this was just too much fun and Rum/Belle is just way too great anyway :D. Regrettably, I won't be on FF to much from here on out. I might write a one-shot here or there, but nothing major. When I came across FF I was writing my own fantasy novel at the time. Needless to say I was perilously sidetracked, because for me writing on FF is addicting as well as a vast learning experience. So many people have given me help on my writing style and given much needed advice. Now, I need to continue the pursuit of my own tales before I'm stuck on FF forever. I've had so much fun writing all my stories, escpaically Rum/Belle, and I sincerely hope you've enjoyed them as well! :3
P.S If you're interested in learning more about my own personal work you can PM me. *Shameless self advertising over*