Belle was happy that Rose was able to escape Avolonea. She could only hope that she got to Snow White and Charming safely. She also hoped that they wouldn't treat her like her father and Gaston did. Rumple told her about how he helped Snow and Charming over the past year. They weren't his friends by any means and he barely trusted them, but he was sure that they wouldn't harm Rose. His only issue was the blue fairy that they kept in their company. Rumple told Belle of how she gave Baelfire the magic bean that separated them and how she tried to take Rose away. Belle could see why he didn't like the fairy, but she, herself, didn't have any feelings towards her. She had never met a fairy before in her life. She had always heard that fairies were good and helpful creatures. Rose knew not to go near the fairy, so Belle hoped that wouldn't be an issue.
After Rose made her escape, her father had her locked away in her old room. She was furious with him and Gaston for frightening Rose to the point where her magic went to extreme measures to protect her. Though she was angry, she was glad they weren't killed or severely hurt. She looked around what was once her room. It was exactly how she left it. Her bed was in the same sheets, her clothes were unorganized and halfway sticking out of her closet, and there were books everywhere. It reminded her of her room back at the Dark Castle. She fashioned it almost the same way. The only difference was the different memories. In this room, she had memories of being angry with her father and lonely nights with her books. At the Dark Castle, she had memories of reading to Rose and alone time with Rumple. Rose was now with other people and she had heard that Rumple was imprisoned by Princess Ella and Prince Thomas. She wanted nothing more than for everything to go back to the way they were. Hours passed before her door opened. She expected to see her father, but instead stood Gaston.
"What do you want, Gaston? I won't tell you where she is." He closed the door behind her.
"I'm not here about that. She's not our priority." She rolled her eyes. She was still Belle's priority. She needed to be with her daughter.
"Then why are you here?"
"To inform you that the king and I had a discussion. We feel it is best for us to be married as soon as possible." Belle gasped in shock. Marry Gaston? She never wanted to marry him in the first place. It was one of the good things about her leaving with Rumpelstiltskin. She was to marry him, not Gaston.
"And what makes you think I wish to marry you? After what you just did to Rose, what makes you think I would want to be your wife?"
"It doesn't matter what you do and don't want, Belle. We've been betrothed since you were born. You know this. It is your duty and responsibility to your people and your family."
"That betrothal ended once I left with Rumpelstiltskin. I am engaged to him now. I will not marry you."
"Belle, listen to yourself! Do you honestly think that the Dark One wants to marry you because he loves you? He's a monster! He isn't capable of loving anyone or anything other than his power and bloodlust! This 'engagement' of yours means nothing! If anything, he only wanted to mark you as his property! His slave that he can do as he pleases with!" Belle was furious.
"He is capable of love and he does love me! And I love him! Even when I was just his maid, he never forced me to do anything without my consent! He's not the monster you think he is! And even if wanted me as his property, how would my marriage to you be any different? You don't care about me! You don't love me! You only want a wife that is beautiful and will bare your sons! I would be better off as his slave!"
"You will watch yourself! I am to be your husband whether you like it or not and I expect my wife to respect me!"
"I will never be your wife. And after what I've seen today, I won't respect you either. No matter what you or my father say, I will not marry you." He narrowed his eyes at her.
"We shall see." He went to the door and opened it. Instead of leaving, two men in robes entered. "In the meantime, these physicians will examine you."
"Examine me?"
"To be sure that beast didn't ruin you." With that, he left. Ruined me, she thought. Rumpelstiltskin didn't ruin her. She willingly gave herself to him. He was her first and he would be her only. Belle saw this as a good thing. Gaston wouldn't dare marry a woman who had lain with another man. She didn't see it that way, but to him, she would be ruined. She allowed the physicians to examine her and waited for them to finish to give Gaston and her father the news that would blow the wedding into smithereens.
When Rose woke up, she was in a large plush bed. She sat up and stretched out her arms and legs. She remembered the earlier events and thought them all a dream. When she looked around the room, she saw nothing familiar to her. It wasn't a dream. Everything that day really happened. Her mother was in Avolonea. That Gaston man and that king tried to have her locked up. She made it to the place where "the snow fights for love." She found her father again, but she couldn't be with him. He was imprisoned. She looked out of the window and saw the sun was nearly set.
She climbed out of the bed and went to leave the room, but something caught her attention the corner of her eye. The lighting was dim, but she saw something in the corner of the room that gleamed. Lighting the candles around the room, she went closer to it. She was surprised that when she looked into the object, she saw a little girl. She had long brown hair in a half ponytail and bright emerald eyes. Her cheeks were puffed and rosy. Her dress was navy blue with white under-ruffles. She had a familiar pink heart-shaped locket around her neck. She touched her locket and the little girl did the same. She gasped and so did the girl. The little girl did everything that she did. She thought it was some sort of magical object, but she didn't feel anything from it. The door opening startled her and she pulled her attention away from the girl to see who it was. She saw it was Snow White. She smiled as she saw the child.
"Oh, good. You're awake. I was just coming to check on you. How are you feeling?"
"Okay, I think." She pointed to the strange object in front of her. "What's this?"
"This? This is a mirror." A mirror?
"What's it do?" Snow was confused.
"Have you never seen a mirror before?"
"Not really. Sometimes my story books have mirrors, but I never knew what they were."
"Well, mirrors are so you can look at yourself. For when you get dressed in the morning, you need to make sure you look presentable before you leave your room. Or if you just want to see yourself." She put her hand to the mirror and the little girl inside did the same.
"So, this is what I look like? This is me?" Snow almost felt sorry for the child. Being the Dark One's daughter, she got to miss out on a lot of things, but Snow never would've guessed she didn't get to know what she looked like. When she had been to his castle, Snow noticed that he had a mirror in the corner of the Great Hall, but it was covered. She never asked why and never thought twice about it. Snow stood next to her and looked at the reflection of her.
"Yes, Rose. That's you." Rose stared into the mirror. She took the time to examine herself. Rumple and Belle had always told her how adorable she was, but she never got to see it for herself. She thought it was odd seeing herself for the first time. All she had known was that her hair was brown and her eyes were green. Rumple always described her eyes as emerald, which she suspected was a type of green. The more she looked at herself, the more she grew upset. It wasn't for how she looked. It was for who she looked like. She turned from the mirror and hugged Snow, burying her face in her swollen belly.
"I don't like it." Snow was even more confused. She gently stroked her hair.
"Why not? You're a very beautiful little girl. What's not to like?"
"I look like my mama." This puzzled the pregnant princess even more.
"Is that a bad thing? I thought you loved your mama. You were worried about her, weren't you."
"That's my good mama. I look like my bad mama." Snow was passed confused and nothing made sense to her. She gently pulled Rose over to the bed and they sat on the edge.
"Alright, sweetie. I'm not exactly sure what you're talking about, so why don't you tell me. You have two mamas? What's that about?" She was hesitant for a moment, but then she found no harm in telling the princess the story of her mothers. She first told Snow about how Belle came to the castle and became her mother. She then told her about how she found out about her real mother. She told her about how she found out how she became Rumple's daughter in the first place. She thought it was best to mention that her other mother was locked up in the dungeons of the Dark Castle. She felt that if she knew, she would try to release her and Rose couldn't have that. The woman still wanted her and Rumple dead. Instead, she said she didn't know what Rumple did to her. She never saw her again. Rose knew that her mother would be fine in the castle by herself. Rose's magic was now connected to the castle and she took care of the woman without thinking about it.
"And...that's it. That's everything." Snow tried to take everything in. The child had such a complicated family.
"Wow. That's a lot. I'm sorry about your mother, though. I can't believe she would do and say such things to you. I couldn't imagine if my mother was like that."
"What's your mama like?" Snow smiled remembering her mother.
"She was a gentle, kind, and caring woman. She always knew what was best. She taught me a lot of things that made me who I am today. I don't know where I'd be without her life lessons."
"Where is she?" Snow frown.
"She's gone. She died when I was young."
"Oh. I'm sorry." She smiled again.
"It's alright. She had love in her heart up until she died and I will carry that love with me for the rest of my life." Rose smiled. She hoped she would soon see her own mother again. She knew Belle wasn't dead, so she had hope that they would be reunited. "Hey. Are you hungry? Charming and I were about to have dinner. Care to join us?"
"Sure." They stood from the bed and headed out. Rose then thought of something. "Hey, do you have messenger birds?"
"We do. Why do you ask?"
"I wanna send a letter."
After the physicians left her, she was locked in her room again. At the moment, she didn't care. She was feeling a bit smug. She knew the instant they found out that her hymen was no longer intact. They knew she was a virgin no longer. Gaston wouldn't marry her once he found out. He wanted a pure woman as his wife and she was no longer pure. She didn't regret it. She remembered the night she and Rumple first made love. Even he said he didn't want to ruin her. He wanted to wait until they were married, but she didn't want to wait any longer and she was glad they didn't wait. They probably would've done it more had he not been imprisoned. She laid in her bed and read one of her books while she waited. It didn't take long before both her father and Gaston burst through the door. She didn't move from her spot and tried not to show her smugness.
"Father. Gaston. Is there a problem?" Her father walked around the bed and looked to her.
"When did it happen?" She wanted to laugh at his expression, but she bit it back.
"When did what happen? You have to be more specific, father." Gaston approached her.
"You know well what he means!" She saw he was angry and loved it. She closed her book and sat up.
"Oh, that. Well, the first time was about two months ago. The second time a week after that. And the third time a few days before he was imprisoned. This that the answer you were looking for?" She saw the anger flare in Gaston's eyes, but her father was only sorrowful.
"Oh, I'm so sorry, my dear. I'm sorry it happened, but you don't have to worry. We'll get rid of it and no one will have to know about it." Belle grew confused. Get rid of what? Her virginity was already gone.
"Papa, what are you talking about? Get rid of what?"
"The child, of course." Belle's eyes grew wide as dinner plates. What child? They couldn't be talking about Rose.
"What child? What are you talking about?" Gaston pointed to her stomach.
"The Dark One has impregnated you with his demon seed." Belle grew even more shocked. She placed her hand on her stomach.
"I'm...pregnant?" Maurice took her hand in his.
"I'm afraid so, my child." Belle stood from her bed and leaned against her bed post, her back to the men with her hand on her stomach. She was pregnant with Rumpelstiltskin's child. She didn't know how to feel. She was excited, yet fearful. She was happy that she was having his child, but he wouldn't be around for it. He may never get to see his new son or daughter. And there was Rose. Would she ever know her little brother or sister? She didn't know when she would see Rose again, but she hoped it would be soon.
"I...I can't believe it." Maurice walked over to her.
"It's alright, Belle. Like I said, we can easily get rid of it and..." Belle snapped at that moment.
"I will do no such thing! I am not getting rid of my child." Maurice and Gaston were surprised at her outburst.
"Belle..."
"No, Papa! This is my child and I will not kill it! Rumpelstiltskin and I made this child together! I will not give up my child so that I will be forced to marry this brute!" Gaston's anger flared and stepped to her.
"You will watch your mouth! You are lucky that I am still willing to marry you! Any other wouldn't have anything to do with you after your association with the Dark One!"
"Then why don't you join those others because I am not marrying you and I am not getting rid of my child!" Before Gaston could retort, Maurice stopped him.
"That's enough, Gaston. It's late and we all need to rest after today. We will finish this discussion in the morning." With that, they left the room. Belle groaned in frustration. Sometimes her father could be thick in the head. He always thought he knew everything. Belle knew her father was always a difficult man. She loved him with all her heart, but she wished he would for once listen to her and abide by her wishes. She never wanted to marry Gaston and she still didn't. She didn't love him and she could never grow to love him. Even if she could, it wouldn't compare to the love she had for Rumple. He was her True Love and that's who she wanted.
She heard the flapping of wings, followed by cooing. She turned and saw a white dove land on her window sill. She noticed there was a parchment attached to it's leg. She took it from the bird's leg and unfolded it. She instantly recognized the unruly and almost illegible handwriting and knew it was from Rose. Some of the words were smudged or crossed out. She also saw some words that she knew Rose didn't know how to spell. It was obvious someone helped her. The letter read:
Mama,
I found where the snow fights for love. I found Papa! He's okay. They said I can visit him anytime I want. We miss you. When are you coming?
Rose
Belle almost didn't believe what she read. She found Rumple? And she could visit him while he was locked away. Belle knew she needed to leave as soon as she could. She needed an escape plan.