Strange Magic

Prompt: After Princess Belle called off the wedding due to her fiancé's infidelity, she is determined never to fall in love again. It is a rather unfortunate situation to be in during the Elves' Spring Festival. (Rated K+)

There was a time when Belle loved attending the many balls and festivals that were hosted across her kingdom. Ever since Gaston cheated on her and irrevocably broken her heart, Belle could not find the joy she once had for these gatherings. One went to these things with a date or in the hopes of finding one, which Belle undeniably had no interest in anymore. She was better off by herself, including ruling as Queen.

Of course, her father wanted her to find a husband before it happened. Not that he believed she could rule alone, but he wanted her to have someone at her side like he had with her mother. In other words, she had to fall in love and Belle wasn't willing to risk her heart again to have it crushed. Gaston only loved her for the crown, not for who she was, and like she told her father: "If I find a guy out there who takes my hand and looks me in the eye and I don't want to hit him, then I'll consider getting married."

So far, that guy didn't exist. And Belle believed that it was impossible because every guy she has ever met (besides Baelfire) was a jerk in some way. Or shallow. Or stupid. Or vain.

Belle was aware with these faults unlike her sweet baby sister Emma. The girl was boy crazy and it was her duty to make sure her sister didn't suffer the same heartache as she did… Meaning, Belle would have to watch her during the Elves' Spring Festival.

As it were, the royal family stood side-by-side with each other and Belle conspicuously had her hand resting on the hilt of her sword every time a guy began to approach Emma. The silent message was sent as the male fairies, including several knights either flew away or walked in a different direction. Belle did earn a reputation for her sword-fighting abilities so it put a relaxing smile on her lips as each suitor high-tailed it out of there.

Emma sighed sadly as yet another really cute boy kept on moving past her. Glancing at the corner of her eye, she caught Belle giving another boy a glare with her teeth bared threateningly that the young fairy put her hands on her hips and hissed, "Belle!"

"What?" Belle asked innocently.

"You got to stop doing that!" Emma said.

"Doing what?"

"You know! Being all snarly and antisocial. How can I get a date let alone a dance partner if you keep scaring them away?"

"Emma, trust me, you can do so much better than these guys," Belle told her resolutely.

She groaned. "Belle, I love you dearly big sister. But this overprotective streak has got to end. I'm a big girl. I can take care of myself."

"Oh Emma… I know you think you can and I believe you, but men… they are not always want they seem to be. Take my advice. Stand your guard and if they really want to be with you, then they wouldn't run away."

Emma rolled her eyes. "I don't think making threats will make them daring to try."

"That's the point!" Belle exclaimed. "If they can't toughen up, then they are not worth it."

The blonde fairy merely shook her head in exasperation, but cheered up when she saw Baelfire take the stage.

"There's Baelfire! I'm going down there!" Emma said, dashing off to be front and center when her friend was going to sing. And maybe, just maybe… find a dance partner without Belle present.

"Emma—" Belle began and stopped. Well, at least it was Baelfire. Come to think of it… if there was one guy Belle could trust to be around her sister, it'll be him. Visibly relaxing, Belle knew there was no way her sister could get into trouble.

"Hey, my little dumpling."

Belle closed her eyes and uttered a soft curse as she looked over her shoulder to find Gaston behind her. "Gaston," she warned.

"All right! Booties—prepare to be shaken!" Baelfire shouted as he shook his backside before turning back around and began singing, "I say hey, I'll be gone today!"

The rest of the elf band was rocking out as Baelfire danced around the stage, hopping to the beat of the music, as he sang his song (and Belle noticed) looking at Emma.

Speaking of the devil, Belle spied Emma being twirled by a boy. She didn't like his looks or where he was putting his hands on her sister.

Wings flaring up, Belle was about to intervene but Gaston blocked her. It became a dance as every time she tried to take a step away from him, he was there in front of her.

"Now, now darling," he said. "Can't we be friends? Just one dance is all I'm asking."

"That's too much to ask me Gaston," she told him, gritting her teeth. "And no. We cannot be friends. If you excuse me—"

"I told you it was a silly mistake I made. I promise I have seen the error of my ways."

"Oh really?" She arched her brow. "Well, I know I made a mistake too. Saying yes to marry you. Now if you'll go bother someone else, then I—"

During her exchange with her former fiancé, Belle hadn't noticed that creeping along the edges of the party were goblins of all shapes and sizes. Quickly, each elf bandmate was replaced with an amphibious or a mole-looking goblin, taking the elf's instrument and playing off-key or chewing the mouthpiece. Then there was a shout and a scream, which captured Belle's attention as she shoved Gaston away and saw Baelfire struggling with some kind of weird white creature as he held a vial in his hand with a glowing purple liquid.

"Love potion!" Belle gasped in terror as the container went flying and the potion went right into the eyes of her sister! "No!"

But it was too late.

A large, bulging goblin with pointy teeth came up behind Emma and threw a sack over her head, tying the ends up as he swung her struggling and screaming sister over his back.

"Emma!" Belle screamed, jumping into the air with her sword drawn.

All around, the knights and even her father were stopped by the swarm of Dark Foresters as the elves and remaining fairies looked for places to run and hide.

With a war cry, Belle charged the goblin that held her sister but was instantly yanked by her wing and slammed into the ground, effectively knocking her sword out of her hand.

"No!" she cried softly as another creature picked up her sword and pointed it at her chin while its buddies crowded her, holding her in place so she couldn't escape.

"Where's my potion?!" came the roaring demand as the goblins on stage began plucking their instruments with an intro to a rock song as smoke flashed across them.

Belle coughed as the smoke cleared away, her eyes widening as the new goblin took front and center. He was tall and gangly with gray and golden scales covering his entire body, hard and sharp-looking like armor. They reminded her as reptilian with the way the scales sheened under the light from the lanterns and moon. However, he had wings that were certainly very much like a dragonfly's that were folded against his back. Reptile or insect it was hard to tell what he was supposed to resemble, but he did have a full set of scraggly, long hair in the same colors as his scales. It was probably the only thing about him that looked soft in contrast to the rest of his body. Yet, she couldn't look away from his menacing onyx eyes with a twinge of amber that seemed to burn in their sockets as he looked all around at the captured party-goers. In his hand was a staff that was as long as he that held a stone that matched the hue in his eyes.

Letting out a shrill and deafening laugh Belle knew this could be only one person… The Dark King.

There was a collective gasp among the crowd, but Belle couldn't stop staring at this imposing figure. The Dark King… the Dark King from legends told was here and she couldn't wrap her head around this.

Love potion… he was asking where the love potion was and Belle did a quick sweep and couldn't find the vial or the white creature that was fighting with Baelfire over it. But when she heard the rattling of his insect-like wings, she noticed they were tattered-looking as he landed inches away from her.

He pointed to the sky to the goblin that still had her sister trapped in the bag as a dragonfly swooped in and he crawled on top to take off with Emma.

"No!" Belle screamed, finding that ounce of strength and adrenaline as she jumped up from her captors. "Release my sister you scaly-backed cockroach!"

The Dark King turned towards her, his brow furrowing as he faced her completely. Her wrists were held down, but she stood there defiantly glaring at him. As he drew closer, she ripped her arm away and landed a deft punch at the Dark King's jaw.

Once the blow was done, she could feel herself falling back as the goblins slammed her to the ground for injuring their king.

Expecting the worse, Belle geared herself for an attack from the goblins, but to her astonishment, she heard the Dark King tell his people let him see her. She was jerked forward and was once more face-to-face with the Dark King, whose penetrating orbs bored right into her skull.

"Someone thinks they're a tough girl," he sneered.

"Why don't you free me and I'll show you how tough I can be," Belle growled. Who did he think he was crashing the dance and intimidating everyone and kidnapping her sister!? Vanished was her previous notion about diplomacy and Belle wanted nothing more than to kick his butt.

He tossed his head back and laughed. It wasn't humorous but a condescending one. "Hear that boys? This wee fairy thinks she can take me."

An uproarious laughter erupted from the goblins, but Belle refused to be baited or mocked as she continued glaring at the fearsome Dark King. "What's the matter?" she taunted. "Afraid I might actually defeat you?"

The laughing continued as the Dark King wiped away a tear. "Why don't you tell me where my potion is?"

"I don't know where it is!"

"That's too bad. You have until moon-down to bring it back or—"

"What!?" she cried incredulously. "You have no right coming here taking my people hostage and forcing a deadline on something we don't have!"

"Oh? Then I take it's all right for your people to trespass on my territory and steal from me? Not really fair is it princess?" he spat.

She had no clue what he was talking about, but she had a sneaking suspicion it had to do with Baelfire judging from his guilty expression. However, she wasn't going to call attention to her friend.

"If you feel you need to take someone prisoner for this slight, then take me instead of my sister," Belle announced.

"Belle, no!" exclaimed her father as well as few other elves and fairies.

The Dark King smirked. "You would take her place?"

"Yes." The look of conviction said it all as she stood there without fear, without doubt.

His lips curved into a twisted grin. "Deal."

Then all Belle saw was darkness.