IV
The Thief
Rumpelstiltskin banished the outlaw to the dungeon with a wave of his elegant hand. What the hell was the world coming to when a common thief could just break into the Dark Castle and make off with his things? He'd have to make an example of him, he thought, a sneer curling his lips. He looked down at the hole in his shirt made by the man's arrow. Damnit, now he'd have to go change.
His maid plowed into him, startling him so badly, it took him a moment to realize she was pawing at his clothes, trying her best rip them off of him. Flaming fairies! Was she daft? No one dared manhandle the Dark One! And all the while her lips were moving with such speed, he couldn't make out what she was trying to say.
"What in blazes are you doing, dearie?!" he thundered, his long fingers encircling her wrists.
Belle was having none of it. She twisted her hands, easily freeing herself from his loose grip. Her face was a mask of concern, and she wouldn't be deterred from seeing for herself that he was unharmed.
Rumpelstiltskin's brow furrowed, and his lips parted in stunned disbelief as he watched her rip open his shirt, buttons flying through the air to roll across the hardwood floor. He froze, his mind going numb as her smooth fingertips came in contact with his bare skin. Hades' knobby knees! How long had it been since a woman had willingly touched him? He shivered, and hoped she wouldn't notice the effect her gentle exploration was having on him.
"Belle …" he breathed, her name soft on his lips. It wasn't at all the voice of the imp she was growing used to. The sound seemed to snap them both out of the trance they'd fallen under.
The girl's pearly teeth sank into her bottom lip as she jerked her hands back, a blush riding high and beautiful in her cheeks. He found himself wondering what would happen if she allowed him to free that captive lip, and suck it between his own. Holy hellfire! Where had that thought come from?
I'm sorry! she mouthed, looking away from the glistening green gold flesh of his toned chest.
The mage grabbed the trailing ends of his shirt and waistcoat and whipped them back together over his chest. With a snap of his fingers, he returned her voice. "As you should be! I am not going to put up with you pawing at me, dearie."
"He shot you!" she hissed, relief flooding her delicate features as her voice rang loud and clear throughout the hall. "You could've died!"
He snapped his Dark One mein back into place and lithely danced away from her. "Dark One, princess … immortal, remember?"
Belle's fingers twisted in her long skirts as she regarded him from beneath her lashes. "Well, I was concerned. I'm not used to magic, Rumpelstiltskin. Where I come from, when a man is shot in the chest, it's usually fatal."
He giggled. "Aw, dearie, were you concerned?"
She arched a brow and crossed her arms over her bosom. "Of course! After all, what would happen to me if you were to die?" she snarked.
You'd be sent home to your father. But he wasn't about to tell her that. She'd, no doubt, be looking for a way to off him post haste. "I really don't know," he said instead. "You're bound to me by your own word … forever. You very well might die, too."
She paled, but she wouldn't allow him to intimidate her. She refused to be afraid of her new master. If they would indeed have to coexist – and forever was a long time – she was determined to do so peaceably. "Then it's good to know you won't be cocking up your toes anytime soon."
His fingers rubbed against his thumb in irritation. "Tea, dearie. I've a long night of torture ahead of me, and I'm rather thirsty."
Belle's lips parted on a silent gasp. "You're going to torture that man because he tried to steal a magic wand?"
"No … because he tried to steal from me … the Dark One!" he tittered, enjoying the outraged flush stealing over her face. She really was lovely in that shade of pink. He'd have to endeavor to make her blush more often. "You try that, you get skinned alive. Everyone knows that!"
She glared, and he had to admire the fire flashing in the depths of those cerulean orbs. "Actually … no, they don't," she said defiantly. Oh, she's going to be fun.
"Well, they will after they discover the body," he tittered, giggling as he dropped down into his chair. "Tea!"
Belle rolled her eyes and stalked off to the kitchen.
A/N: I really do love reimagining these scenes. Hope you're all enjoying as well :D