Pirates
By: RosexKnight
An outing to a port town goes wrong when someone from the past abducts Belle and Baelfire.
Chapter 19
"The ocean is gorgeous!" Baelfire wondered as he walked alongside Belle. "I didn't know it was so big!"
Belle smiled down at her son, ruffling his hair affectionately as she looked ahead to the rest of the market. A hand ran over her large belly as she passed a fish salesman that gave her a large smile. She was due, truthfully, any day now. Belle, however, wasn't quite ready to let the feeling of her child inside of her go yet. They were all getting incredibly stir-crazy in the castle, though. The news of the child had spread, and although Belle enjoyed the small moments with her men, entertaining the guests and being on such strict rules had tired her very quickly. The past eight and a half months had not been easy on them. When Rumple was called to aid someone with the fishing bounty in a port kingdom, it had been a blessing. After all, Baelfire had never seen the ocean.
The boy walked ahead of her with the bag of things they had bought at the market. Fish and the local produce mixed with the wares of the kingdom such as jewelry and blankets that Belle somehow thought she'd make good use of. Perhaps her husband's collecting was rubbing off on her.
"Mom look the docks!" Baelfire exclaimed, eyes sparkling. "Can we go look at the ships?"
Belle looked ahead of them where the sidewalk of the market gave way to wooden planks of multiple docks where there were multiple ships were docked. For a moment, part of Belle wanted nothing more than to join her son there, gazing at the ships, but the other part of her had swollen ankles and a large belly and wanted to go back and sit down with some chocolate pudding.
"Not right now, Bae." Belle decided, giving him a smile of apology. "Perhaps later today when your father is back from his business. Come, let's go back to the inn."
The boy only nodded as he turned to walk beside his mother as they made their way back to the inn they were staying at. Rumpelstiltskin had been very particular about which one they would occupy. It had taken Baelfire's charm to convince him to take them along on this trip, and even then he had only agreed with the condition of charming an object on their person so that he would be able to find them with his magic easily if something happened. Baelfire's shawl and Belle's wedding ring were buzzing with magic, only discernable to the two of them.
"Perhaps tonight we can all go for a walk on the beach." Belle offered as she noticed Baelfire's downcast eyes. This seemed to perk him up, though. Being out of the castle was doing him some good. "Oh yes and the beach at night is really the best. The waves lap at the sand as the tide comes in and the sky is so clear you can map out every star you see. Sometimes you can-"
"Mama!"
Belle's thoughts were cut off by Baelfire's cry for help. She whirled around, seeing someone had grabbed her son. A stout man in a red knitted hat. The boy was struggling to get free, but the man was just a little too big for a boy only of twelve.
Belle, however, hadn't even taken a step forward before she felt someone take hold of her own arm. She struggled against her attacker, but she was honestly in no position to do much at all.
"Easy, now love. Be nice." The man holding her said, leaning around to give her a grin. "I'm not fond of the idea of dragging you back to my ship."
By this time the first man already had Baelfire held thoroughly, though the fire in his eyes had not been doused.
"Rumpelstil-!"
"I don't think so, love."
Belle's words were cut off by the cold steel of a hook at her throat. Her entire body went cold and she was unable to do anything but stand still as her pulse raced.
"There now, you wouldn't want anything to happen to either of you…"
"You'll regret this." Belle said simply.
"I don't doubt it. Now then, time for a little nap."
Baelfire cried out for her just before the sharp pain in her neck rang through her body, and then Belle's world went black.
The first thing Belle was aware of when she came to was the sound of waves, then the ache of her head, then the roiling of her stomach. Instinctively, she tried to lift her hand to stroke her belly, but found them to be bound behind her back.
Her eyes flew open to see the ocean. Too much of it. From over the side of the ship she could see that it stretched out far too much for them to be near the port. Swallowing her fear, her eyes drifted to the deck. It seemed abandoned, save for the man with the hook for a hand, the man with the red knit hat, and a woman.
"Bae?!" She chirped, and the three turned to her. Behind them was Baelfire, who rushed to herewith relief.
"Mama! Are you okay?!" He asked, the boy practically clinging to her, burying his face in her hair.
Something was wrong. "I'm fine." She lied, turning her attention to the pirates. They hadn't bound her mouth. She could still call for Rumpelstiltskin. However, something told her this wasn't like her last kidnapping. She couldn't simply do that. She straightened, her princess voice unwavering. "You are either very brave or very stupid to abduct us. The wrath of Rumpelstiltskin is not a pretty sight."
The pirates chuckled, the lady stepping forward. "We did not abduct you. We simply want to offer a trade."
"A trade."
"Of course. Child." She gestured to Bae, who held tighter to Belle. "For a child."
Immediately, she fought against the binds, scooting as far away as her position on the deck would allow. Baelfire didn't leave her side, looking between her and the lady pirate.
"Who are you?" Belle demanded, the authority in her voice wavering.
"Milah." She said. "This is my ship, the Jolly Rodger. You've already met Smee and Hook, my first mate and fellow captain. How are you finding our accommodations, princess?"
"Ghastly." Belle spat. "You let my son and I go now or so help me I'll-"
Something in Milah snapped and she stepped forward, her sword suddenly at Belle's throat. Behind her, the men chuckled.
"He is not your son he is mine." she growled, leaving Belle too shocked to do anything but stare at her, dumbfounded. "Now you will do as we say princess or you'll find yourself overboard."
The princess relaxed, understanding dawning in her eyes. Milah. Rumple's first wife. Baelfire's...so that was why he was clinging to her. Miah seemed to falter as she looked to Baelfire, the boy clinging to Belle's side looking at her with something akin to fear in his eyes. But the soft look soon passed as Milah sheathed her sword and yanked Belle to her feet, separating Bae from her in the process.
"What do you hope to accomplish?" Belle asked, glancing to her son. He was eleven. On the cusp of manhood. Already he'd taken a liking to one of the princesses of the realms. "You know you'll never-"
"It sounds like the princess wants to lose her tongue, love." Hook's voice came from behind her, cold but with a warning.
And suddenly the pieces all fell into place. Belle had heard the story from Rumple. How his wife ran away with a pirate. How that pirate humiliated him. And now they were back to steal Baelfire away.
"You have no right to him!" Belle snapped, stepping forward, ignoring the ache of her body and pounding of her head and fear swimming in her chest. "You abandoned him! You abandoned both of them! You-"
Cold steel pressed to Belle's neck, and she realized that once again Hook was behind he, halting her advances with the singular motion. Immediately, she stopped, not even daring to swallow. Baelfire gasped, rushing forward as if he were going to strangle Hook, but Milah held him back by the arm.
"You're lucky we need you alive, princess. Though you're not one anymore are you? You're the wife of a coward, which doesn't make you anything." Milah said, yanking Baelfire back to her, causing the boy to stumble onto his rear. "Now, call him. And we'll make the deal so you can be out of my sight forever."
Belle glanced to her, then her son. The boy's expression was unreadable. Regardless, she was rendered helpless. And so, with a shaky breath she inhaled, then spoke, calling upon her husband.
"Rumpelstiltskin, Rumpelstiltskin, Rumpelstiltskin."