With no battering ram this time, the mob decided to use their grappling hooks and rope that they had used to climb across the wall, to scale the castle and smash through the windows. As soon as they had done so all the lights went out at once leaving the corridors and rooms in total darkness.
"All right, men, be on your guard," encouraged Gaston as he lifted his bow and drew an arrow. "Remember last time."
Each of the men with him shuddered as they remembered the last time that had come to this godforsaken castle two nights ago. Many of them still had the wounds from forks, knives, trunks, and dressers, and burns from candles and torches. It was an insane sight to see various household items come to life and ambush them just as soon as they had entered.
However, for the moment, there was no sign of any traps. No movement came from the shadows that pressed on all sides. Gaston focused on his eyes and ears to sense on any disturbances no matter how miniscule. A crash behind him forced him to turn around to see one of the men smashing a suit of armor with a club. After a moment without any response, he grinned sheepishly and they continued onward, still on guard.
After a few minutes they heard the sound of shouts and yells of another group. Gaston immediately ran ahead, his company struggling to catch up with his strides. They went up a few staircases but found nothing except for a group of snails. Backtracking they came across the staircase at the foyer to discover only one other group of men waiting there.
"What happened to the others?" questioned Gaston.
"We don't know," said one of the men. "We heard shouts from a part of the castle but found nothing but some bugs."
"That's what we found!" spoke one of Gaston's men.
"What's going on here?" said another.
"This place still has an enchantment."
"That enchantment only brought to life candlesticks and clocks!"
"This must be a new enchantment!"
"We should get out of here!"
"Yes! Let's leave!"
"Quiet!" shouted Gaston, silencing the men immediately. "This is no new enchantment. This is the work of a sorcerer. I'm guessing it was that stranger that had released Belle and rode with her to this castle. And if he is responsible then all the more reason for me to kill him. And you men can join me in this effort to free the land of this sorcerer and the Beast or you can turn chicken."
"An excellent idea!" said a voice from their right.
They turned to see Rumpelstiltskin leaning leisurely against the wall at the top of the stairs. At once all of the lanterns and torches were alit allowing everyone to see a crowd surrounding them and all ready for a fight with spears, swords, clubs, and knives. In a cloud of smoke half of the mob was turned into squawking chickens. At their realization of what had happened, everyone, with the exception of Gaston, bolted towards the double doors. To their relief the wall, along with all of the snow and ice, had vanished giving them safe passage back to the town.
"Come back you, cowards!" shouted Gaston but to no avail. They were well away. He turned to the crowd to see Belle beside a handsome man armed with a sword. At once he recognized the man as the Beast.
"Well, Beast, let's finish our battle," he challenged, drawing his bow only to have it disappear in another cloud of smoke.
"I'm the new monster here, Dearie," taunted Rumpelstiltskin, poking at Gaston's back with a sword.
The hunter growled. "Fine by me."
He drew his own sword and swung it behind him only to find nothing.
"I say, were you looking for me?"
He roared as he turned around and leapt down the stairs to where his target was but again Rumpelstiltskin evaded his attack. He jabbed only to have the imp stop the point between his fingers. Cackling, he pushed Gaston back with surprising strength and then swung his own sword in an uppercut. Gaston blocked it and swung again to his right but Rumpel leaned back enough to have the sword miss him by centimeters. Cackling again he advanced on Gaston, pushing him back to the edge of the stairs.
"Belle will be mine, Beast," roared Gaston and he pressed his own attack. His blade pounded against Rumpelstiltskin's defenses forcing him back this time. After one particularly hard strike, Gaston took advantage of his lowered defenses and sliced at Rumpelstiltskin's face, creating a gash that stretched across from cheek to cheek. The imp fell down onto his knees, his hand against his face to stem the blood. Gaston stood over him prepared to deal the killing blow.
"Au revoir, Beast," said Gaston triumphantly and swung his sword to behead his opponent. To his surprise Rumpelstiltskin brought his blade up to parry the strike and continued to apply enough strength to stand up to face him. Gaston gasped as he saw that there was no sign of the wound, not even a scar. Rumpelstiltskin gave a hollow chuckle, and, using magic, pushed Gaston all the way to the top of the stairs and against the wall.
Gaston shook his head to clear the stars and there was a monster of a headache in his skull. Out of the corner of his eye he noticed the hilt of his sword glinting in the light. As his fingers brushed against it Rumpelstiltskin's blade jabbed into his arm.
He roared in pain and with a powerful kick, sent his adversary across the room. Fighting through the pain, hoping to get his adrenaline going to ignore it, he pulled the sword that was lodged through his arm. He looked up with pure hatred in his eyes at Rumpelstiltskin, who was getting up in the middle of the foyer. With a cry he threw the sword down at him only to see it stop in mid-air a few inches from his face. With a smile, Rumpel flipped the sword and grasped the hilt.
"I think it's time to end this little duel," he said with a salute.
"My thought's exactly, Beast," growled Gaston picking up his sword with his left hand, his right limp and dripping blood. With a battle cry he charged down the stairs, his sword held high. Rumpelstiltskin held his sword in a defensive posture, his eyes narrowing, waiting for the attack.
He didn't know how but Gaston had him pinned against the floor with his wounded arm and their swords were interlocked. The giant of a man pressed his foot into his stomach, and Rumpel couldn't help but gag at the pressure and pain.
"No one is a match for me, Beast," leered Gaston victoriously.
"Funny," answered Rumpelstiltskin weakly. "The last time someone said that to me, I answered that he was no match for my intelligence."
He pressed his free hand against Gaston and before he knew it, the hunter was thrown through a window and he continued to fall down the side of the mountain and into the chasm below. A shockwave that spread out across all of the lands signaled his death.
"No one screams like a girl or has skulls in his eyes when he dies like Gaston," said Rumpelstiltskin in a lighthearted tone as he stood up gingerly.
There was a pause as everyone present was shocked at the sudden death. Then they all cheered and surrounded Rumpelstiltskin, applauding, patting, and praising him.
"Well done, my friend," congratulated the Prince. "You've freed us and restored our happily ever after."
"As much as I like celebration parties, I do have plenty of happily ever afters to restore," said the warlock. "As well as stopping Maleficent. She is planning on enacting a powerful curse that will bring an eternal winter over the world. I suggest sending word to Prince Eric. His kingdom is free from Ursula's control and his land is the nearest one that is a bringer of hope in this dark and oppressive world."
"It shall be done," said the Prince.
"Well, you haven't completely restored this happily ever after," interrupted Belle.
Rumpelstiltskin looked at her puzzled.
"My father is imprisoned somewhere. My life will be complete when I'm reunited with him."
"Very well," agreed the imp. "I will do this act for you if you give me something in return."
Now it was Belle's turn to look puzzled. "What?"
"I would like your magic mirror," he replied. "It will allow me to find him and maybe more."
"I'm sorry but I don't have it," she said. "Gaston took it from me the night when he led the people of the town the first time here."
"Well, he didn't have it on him this time," said Rumpelstiltskin rubbing his chin thoughtfully. "Hmm, I think I know who does though." He looked back at Belle. "Don't worry, I always honor my agreements. I will find and free your father."
After two rounds of goodbyes between everyone present (and a few kisses from Belle and the maid), he left through the double doors and out into the forest. A few howls broke through the night, and he smiled.
LeFrou continued to run through the woods along with three other of the villagers from the castle. His black hair was slick with perspiration, the sweat dripping down his large pink nose, his dark brown coat ripped in several places by branches from bushes and from trips and falls from rocks. His red shirt had already lost some of its buttons and, along with the white shirt underneath and green pants, was coated with mud and dirt. One of his socks had gotten new holes after the loss of the shoe, and despite this drawback, he continued to run for his life.
Behind could be heard the panic squawking of another chicken as it was cornered by the pack of wolves. The pack had been anything if not driven by the sight of such a buffet. The scattered and frightened villagers and poultry only aided their tactics in acting as a pack.
"That's the last one!" panicked one of the men as he looked back at the group of dark silhouettes some distance behind them.
"If Gaston survives inside the castle then I doubt he'll be able to hold off even this pack," said another as he leapt over a fallen tree.
"Nobody can beat up a wolf pack like Gaston," encouraged the small fan of the hunter. There was another howl and soon barking was resumed behind them. "I hope."
Looking to his right he could see two of their pursuers keeping pace with them. Even at their distance LeFrou could see that with their size they could easily toss him around like a toy, their dark, thick fur rippled in the wind, their paws kicked up clumps of snow with each step, and their fangs were bared, glistening in the moonlight. All in all none of that compared to the look in their eyes. They were the only rays of light on their shadowy forms, but instead of gleams of comfort they were blazes of ravenousness and bloodlust.
In dismay LeFrou realized that this part of the pack was driving them off of the main path that led back to the town. However, it was too late for within a few more steps they fell down into a steep ravine. Looking up from under the mass of bodies he could see the whole snarling pack gathering at the top, staring down as if to survey how much of a fight their prey would present now with them at their mercy. In terror everyone huddled together, awaiting their fates at the hands of the true apex predators.
Suddenly, the pack turned as if distracted by something approaching, and they all disappeared in a fit of growls and barks. Within seconds the trembling men couldn't hear them and but it took some more minutes before they had the courage to start climbing back up.
"What got their attention?" asked one of the men.
"Perhaps another chicken that they missed?" said another hopefully.
"Or perhaps Gaston?" said the third.
"Or it could've been the Beast come to finish us off," said the first.
"You would be right in that regard, Dearie," said Rumpelstiltskin, revealing himself from behind a tree.
All the men gasped at the sight and at once knew what had happened to Gaston.
The warlock couldn't help but cackle with glee at the sight of the frightened men. "Not to worry, I've not come to harm anymore more of you. Unless of course you do something foolish. Instead I'm looking for someone by the name of LaFrou."
The villagers parted immediately to reveal the small man in the middle of tiptoeing away. Sheepishly, he turned around to face Rumpelstiltskin, but then tried to put on his best face of bravery.
"Whatever you want from me, go ahead! Do your worst! I'll never give in! I'll fight you as hard as Gaston! I'll pound you into the dust and leave you for the wolves! I'll-lluggggkkk-uh-uh-uhn!"
"There. That's better," said Rumpelstiltskin happily, holding LaFrou's tongue in his hand. "And a little gross. You should really be more careful with your things!"
The small man pranced about, his hands feeling the inside of his mouth, eyes wide with shock. All the other men quickly hastened away for fear of the same fate, leaving LaFrou alone with the imp.
Rumpelstiltskin approached the now silent supporter to tower above him. "Now I believe you wanted to tell me what I wanted to know?"
"Uhn! Uhn! Uhn!"
"I'm sorry what?" he mocked, leaning his ear down as if to listen. "You have to speak louder."
"Uhn! Uhn! Uhn!"
Rumpel grinned cheerfully, clearly having too much fun. "Hold on, I've got one more: I'm sorry I don't speak mute."
"Uhn! Uhn! Uhn!"
A cloud of smoke transported the tongue in the warlock's hand into LaFrou's mouth.
"Ahhhhh!" he gasped in relief. "Yes! Yes! I'll tell you anything you want to know!"
"Good," leered the imp. "Now what I want from you is where is the magic mirror Gaston had taken from Belle the first time he led the mob to the Beast's castle?"
"You wanted to know about that?" he exclaimed confusingly. A threatening look from his interrogator immediately returned the look of terror on his face. "Yes, yes, I know where it is! It's in the tavern on Gaston's wall along with his other trophies!"
"Thank you, you may go," Rumpelstiltskin pointed toward the direction of the village and immediately the small, squeamish man struggled to get away. However, the warlock got another idea and with a wave of his hand, pulled his screaming prisoner back and held him up by his collar.
"Actually, I do have one more question," added Rumpelstiltskin. "What created that ice wall?"
Still trembling in the presence of the warlock, LaFrou told him. Rumpelstiltskin was silent for a minute and then dropped the beardless dwarf. With a whistle from his lips, the growls and barks of the pack were resumed behind him and LaFrou took off as fast as his little legs could carry him.
"Sic 'em, boys," encouraged the imp as the wolves raced past him in pursuit of their target.