Feeling like making an update kinda early - I know I said this one wouldn't be updated quite as often since my main focus is on my SGU story Sensitivity, but I got the desire to post early - On vacation next week, so if I do put up Chapter 3, it will not be on Friday. Dream Smut contained within, if you don't like that sort of thing, skip it :D - Enjoy Dearies! - S
oXo
As a disclaimer - I do not own OUAT - #rumbelldoesntbreakthateasilydamnit
"No, no, no…" she countered, taking the book from his hands as he smirked. "You're so monotone as you read, here, let me show you." Rumpelstiltskin folded his hands on his lap, leaning his head back in the wing backed chair and closing his eyes. Belle continued on with the story.
"The fires leapt around the dragon, his teeth gnashing in fury as the dwarves drove their bone swords into his side. He would not be a slave to their whims, their need to dig further into the ground, to find the dust that would return good to the world. Teeth as sharp as razors closed around one dwarf, killing the attacker instantly, the hot blood coursing down his throat. The dragon roared in triumph as he felt the cold iron slice through his scales. Damned dwarves and their human companions! They were annoying insects compared to his magnificence! He could crush them with a thought, chew their bones to ash, toy with them until the begged him for death.
The old witch laughed from her perch, taunting the dragon even still. This was her fault; she had lead the dwarves and the humans to his home! She had been working with them all along. Leathery wings beat the wind down as the dragon rose in the air. He would kill her for this transgression, and then he would burn her lands with the fires of hell. After he was done, nothing would grow there for a millennia."
"Really Rumpelstiltskin, this is your kind of story?" Belle held a finger in the book, marking where she had left off. Sure this story was full of adventure and knights and excitement, but written from the dragon's point of view made her feel sorry for the beast, even if he was incredibly malicious, and had killed the human's mother in a fit of rage. Rumpelstiltskin's eyes cracked open as she questioned his taste in stories. It was late in the evening, after she had cleared away their meal; he had helped her with the dishes. The kitchen was immaculately cleaned again, and they had retired to sitting back in front of the fire, the tea set taking up the small table between them.
"Better than a story of twoo luv." He teased her, relishing the look of her cheeks as the blush raised in them. She was so easy to tease. Belle cleared her throat.
"Well I certainly don't know what you mean by that. I thought you promised me a scary story." She closed the book he had chosen earlier, and set it on her lap, turning towards him. His amber eyes slid to the side to watch her back.
"No, I said I liked scary stories. I never promised you a story." A half smirk crossed his lips, as he pushed himself out of the chair, swaggering to the book case. He turned back towards her, his long finger pulling another volume from the shelf, as he snapped his fingers on the other hand, muting the lights except for the candle by their seats and the fire place. Eerie shadows played on the wall, and with the snow falling outside, everything was incredibly quiet. Belle pulled her shawl tighter around her shoulders, her tea cup held between trembling hands. He certainly was going to try and scare her with this story, she was certain of it. "But, dear, if you want a scary story, I will happily oblige." He returned to his chair, watching as she turned to face him, her attention on him rapt.
"Long ago, before time was counted in the passing of dark and light, there lived a mortal who thirsted for the most taboo of sustenance. Those in his village had shunned him, driven him away from their fires with stone and bone spears. He was cursed, the dark lived within him. No one would even look at this mortal, for it was said to look at him was to barter your soul to the Old Ones. He had been cursed with a thirst for blood, a taste for flesh, the need to nibble the marrow from the bones of his kindred. He had no name, no home, he wandered the lands, cursed no matter where he went. Eventually he found a tribe that wandered the sands, that kept their dead with them as they moved ever further in the desert.
The mortal felt at home with this tribe – they walked the night, and slept the day, buried under protective hides and sand. Their dead they feasted from, as meat, even water was rare in the desert. And when their dead ran out, one among them would sacrifice themselves for the tribe to continue. Over time, the tribe noticed that their stranger was not aging, never tiring, sleeping like the dead during the day, his thirst and hunger insatiable. The tribe grew scared. Many were dying much faster than before, and the women told tales of the dark beast that rode them raw in the night, filling their wombs with the seeds of the Old Ones. The tribe decided they had to risk leaving the stranger – they would not make it across the desert with him, he would thirst and hunger through them all, even the small babes that had recently been born – dying to some unknown affliction when no one was looking.
The tribe elders waited for the day light to come, the tribe buried themselves in under leather and sand, and waited until the stranger was surely asleep. One by one the tribe rose from the sand, spears in hand. The stalked the mortal stranger, uncertain if he would wake or not before they could carry out their dark deed. The elders pulled the leather cover from the sand, finding the stranger with a deathly pallor, his skin like parchment, his eyes glossed in death. The tribe gathered around, spears raised to strike, each warrior summoning the courage to kill the mortal, and as the first spear struck the mortal, blackness enveloped the land, the elders crying out that they had angered the Old Ones. The tribe scattered as the mortal stranger rose, pulling the spear from his heart, licking the black blood from its blade.
The mortal killed the tribe, one by one, as darkness settled over the desert, allowing him full reign of his power, yet it be day. One by one, he dipped the spear back into his heart's blood, letting three drops fall between the lips of the fallen tribe. Once the act was done, he buried them again, under their leather and their sand, returning to his slumber. The unnatural darkness melted away, returning the sky to brilliant day light.
When the sun set, the tribe rose together, their skin as thin as parchment, their eyes glossed in death. They rose, and flew across the desert at the command of the mortal, now the immortal. His skin supple in health, his eyes sparkling with life.
"Go now, my children, go and feast, feed the worthy with your heart's blood, let their life become your own, let their hunger become your own, let their thirst be your own, as yours is mine now. Return to them the life you have stolen, and live as their immortal remembrance." His thralls moved at his command, their sickness spreading far past the desert, striking even closer to the immortal's village. They slept the day, the sleep of death. At night they rose, their ranks swelling ever more, their hunger more insatiable with each passing day.
At last the immortal would have his revenge on the village that had shunned him, had drove him out, at last he would drink every drop of their blood, eat every bit of their flesh, break their bones and suck the marrow clean. And then, when he was done, when his vengeance was sated finally, he would sleep, and live through his children, and their children. Their thirst would be never ending, their drive to make more like him, like them, would drive them to the far reaches of the world. And when at last all the mortals had been slaughtered like cattle, then his family would be complete. Then the sky would remain dark, their hunger sated, their thirst slaked, and their need for eternal rest complete. And they would rule at last."
Belle shivered in her chair, her tea forgotten, cold in her hands as he closed the book finally, setting in aside on the table. Rumpelstiltskin's face was unreadable, as he stared into the fireplace. They both jumped as the fire popped, Rumpelstiltskin the first to break the silence with a giggle.
"So, dear, sufficiently scary enough for you this evening?" He didn't dare look over at her, to see if she had fear behind those blue eyes. He heard her gasp as the candle finally went out, leaving them in the semi-dark of the fireplace, the embers finally dying down enough to cast sinister shadows across his sharp features. His eyes finally turned, seeing her own blue eyes as large as dinner plates, her hands worrying the tea cup she held so firmly in her hands.
"Yes, Master. That story was sufficiently scary." Belle was trembling as she spoke. She was certainly brave, but the story, the snow, and the dark atmosphere of the room had played on her human fears. Inside she was certain that she'd be burning many candles in her room tonight, just to feel safe.
"Go get some rest dear, I'll clean up the tea. I expect my breakfast on time tomorrow morning." He rose, taking her tea cup, his thumb trailing over her hand as he took the china from her. He could feel her fear telegraphed in her grip on the cup. She wouldn't sleep tonight, all because the willful child had wanted a scary story. "Relax dear, are you afraid of me?" He asked her, his thumb trying to coax her trembling away.
"N..no." She chattered out finally, her hands still showing signs of fear.
"Then why are you scared of the story. I am the thing you should be frightened of." He finally moved the tea cup to the serving tray, kneeling down to take both her hands in his, trying to warm them as the chill set in the room, the chill of late night and the dying fire. "I am much more fearsome than some silly story." He tried to reassure her; uncertain of why he felt he had to soothe her fears.
"I know, you are the Dark One, Master, and if there is anything to be feared in the entire realm, it is you." His half-moon smile slid across his face, hiding the sadness he felt. So she was afraid of him. He supposed it was better that way, a health amount of fear might keep her from doing stupid things like fixing his favorite foods, and being playfully sexual with her eating that made the man side of him and the monster in him want to bend her over the table and bury his cock in her over and over again. How long had it been for him? Two centuries nearly since he had felt that part of his anatomy even stir with any need other than urinating? He assumed it had been because he had stolen a beautiful princess, who occasionally looked at him with adoration in her eyes. Or it could be that he just needed to bed a whore, give in to meaningless lust to kill off that small hope that she might look at him with that adoration once more.
"That's right, dearie! And don't forget it. Now, Belle, off to bed. I expect you ready to help clear snow off the windows if needs be." He rose back to his feet, picking the tea service up and disappearing into the kitchen to clean and put the china away. He lit the lamp that sat on the center island, and went about working, not even turning as the kitchen door swung open, and Belle joined him again. He was happy for the lack of light, facing the wash tub, he could hide the fact that his leathers were incredibly too tight for him right now.
"Master?" Her voice came out in a squeak. Rumpelstiltskin looked over his shoulder at her, as he washed out the inside of the tea pot.
"Yes, Belle." He turned back to the wash tub, cleaning the cups and spoons, drying them before placing them where they belonged on the shelf. He closed his eyes and willed his arousal away; he would not turn to face her feeling like a teenage boy hitting puberty for the first time.
"Please don't make me stay down stairs tonight. Please.." She begged as he turned to her, finally getting his anatomy back under control. She was well and truly scared, all of a silly story.
"And where, exactly, do you propose to sleep this evening, dearie?" He asked, remembering she had an overactive imagination and that even if he had been mortal still, he was still over twenty years her senior. He had seen the real horror of the world, the Ogre Wars, human nature, greed, avarice. Yes, there were things to be afraid of, but scary stories were not one of those things anymore.
"I could sleep on the couch near your fireplace?" She asked hopefully, as he started to scream obscenities in his mind. Holy fucking fairies, the girl wanted to sleep in his room. This was such a bad idea, not only for her, but for him as well. Two centuries, and in one day he was certain he was going to fuck her brains out, bury his cock so far inside her that it would take days to separate them. And he wasn't certain any more that she wouldn't be reciprocating. She hadn't winced at his touch, and the way she had been looking at him all evening, well, he was old, he wasn't dead.
"I'll make you a deal, dear…" he started, one slender finger going to trail down the tip of her nose. "I will allow you to sleep on the couch next to my fireplace, if…." He tapped his chin, watching some of the fear drain out of her, as if she was honestly relieved that he wasn't going to make her sleep in her own rooms. "…if you make me this stew at least once a week." And pleasure me with that succulent little mouth of yours until you can't see straight any more, he added in his mind, wishing he wasn't such a coward as to not say it aloud.
"Deal. Once a week, if you allow me to sleep on the couch in your room for tonight." Belle nodded slowly, and then took a deep breath, the tension in her shoulders melting, allowing her to relax some, but the undercurrent of fear was still visible in her movements.
"Do you need anything from your room, dear, I plan on retiring now, so if you need something, we best go and collect it." Shit! Shit! Shit! Shit! She's really intent on sleeping on my couch this evening. Rumpelstiltskin kept repeating to himself over and over what a bad idea this was.
"Just my shift to sleep in, and some blankets." She said, as he raised a hand to usher her to her room to collect her things. Belle nodded, still not able to smile, and allowed him to lead her off to her room.
This is such a godsdamned bad idea. Rumpelstiltskin was certain that he had just gotten the better part of the deal – the stew had been divine, but he wasn't going to be able to sleep at all tonight.
xXo=.*X*.=oXx-~-xXo=.*X*.=oXx
xXo=.*X*.=oXx
Belle curled up on the fainting couch in front of Rumpelstiltskin's fire place, her sleeping shift on, and her blankets pulled up to her shoulders as she stared at the fire dancing in the grate. Rumpelstiltskin still hadn't turned away from the window, his eyes on the snow that was still falling with renewed force. Occasionally he would rub some of the condensation to get a better look. She was certain that he was avoiding trying to sleep for some reason. It wasn't as if she was trying to crawl into bed with him, but then again, her master had always been slightly odd about his privacy. She hazarded a look at his back; his hands were clasped together behind him, his face slightly upturned to the sky. Yesterday had been the new moon, but with the blizzard outside threatening to cover the world in an extra deep blanket, the night was dark once again.
"Master?" She whispered to the dark room, leaning up on one elbow, her other hand going to push the hair out of her face. He turned slightly towards her, showing that he was listening to her, but he didn't respond. "Are you not going to try and sleep? It is very late you know."
"No, Belle, I believe I have something else that I need to attend to, however, I did say that you could sleep in here, and thus, I will stay until you have fallen asleep, standing watch for the boogey men you're frightened of." His voice came out softer, and deeper than she had heard him speak in a long time. Usually his speech was higher pitched, dancing across a myriad of ranges.
"You'd leave me alone, once I'd fall asleep?" She asked his back, her hands trembling once again under the blankets.
"Only for a little while, dear. I will not be leaving the castle, if that is what you are afraid of." He turned from the window completely then, still hidden by the shadows that the firelight was casting across the room. Belle had to admit, his rooms were ornate, comfortable as they were plush. Deep crimson red and gold adorned the walls, the curtains of his great four post bed, tapestries showing scenes from history, and several ornate book shelves. The room was homey even, comforting. If she would have to be alone, she would rather be left alone in this room than anywhere else in the castle. Even the fainting couch she was currently laying on was incredibly comfortable.
"Well then, I could just read until you returned…" Belle trailed off as she saw him shift foot to foot, almost like he was indecisive about leaving her awake in the room. She had a pretty good idea that he kept all manner of spell components, items that he wouldn't want her rummaging through without him there to keep a careful eye on her, to keep her out of trouble of course.
"Would it make you feel better if I didn't leave then?" He asked from the shadows. "Is there some reason why you insisted on sleeping in here this evening, and then are refusing to actually sleep?" He started walking to the couch, his steps slow, deliberate. Belle felt that her heart was about to leap from her chest as he moved close enough for the fire place to catch the gold of his skin. "What is it that you want, dear?" He arrived at the couch, sitting near her feet, his too large amber eyes almost black.
Belle bit her lower lip; she had never seen his eyes be black before, unless he was enraged about something. Was he angry with her now? Had she pressed too hard to be allowed this, too soon? Earlier in the evening, she swore he had been ready to push her to the great oak table and ravage her. Had she mistaken a small bit of kindness as attraction? She caught his lip curl for a moment, almost as if he was disgusted at her – she had seen that face before, when he looked at some of the people who sought him out for deals.
"I..I want to know you better, Master, that's all." She finally answered him, watching as those large eyes of his scanned her face, as if he was watching her to discern if she was lying to him or not. Finally he leaned back against the far end of the couch, letting his hands fold over his chest, his fingers twitching slightly as he wove them together.
"I suppose I am to blame for that." Rumpelstiltskin turned his face to the fireplace, Belle acutely aware of the loss of his attention. He was closing back off from her, he'd start giggling any moment now, as he always did – she had to moved fast to keep him in a talkative mood.
Belle sat up, placing a hand on his knee. She watched as his attention was fully on her again, on her hand, his eyes wide in shock. "No Master," she started. "I am just lonely, and a bit scared of the story. I realize it's silly to be so scared of a tale. Thank you so much for suffering with my childishness this evening." She dared to stroke her thumb over that same knee, hoping to keep his attention just a little while longer, to keep him from shutting her out as he often did when she tried to learn more about him. "And, there's no one else to talk to here. Some days you spend the whole day in silence, and it is painful not to hear another voice now and then." His attention was rapt, watching her thumb, as the wonder started to fade and be replaced by something darker that she couldn't quite place a finger on.
"I apologize. I've spent years alone, except for the revolving door of people looking for a magical fix to some mundane problem. I occasionally like the silence, if at all possible. People far and wide whisper my name in the night – I can hear them all." His face turned back to the fire place, and the walls were back in place. Belle smiled sadly, pulling her hand back to her lap, only to shift one of the blankets up around her shoulders. The chill from the snow outside was seeping into the room.
Belle watched as he finally rose from the couch, and tossed another log on the fire, adding back a measure of warmth. She took a deep breath, nodding as he turned to watch her again, his form black against the fire. Feeling the first whispers of sleep start to crash through her thoughts, she curled back down under her covers, adjusting her shawl that she had been using for a pillow this evening. Blankets back up to her chin, her eyes finally refusing to stay open any longer, a blissful smile spread across Belle's face.
"Goodnight Master." She managed to mumble out, before sleep completely took her.
"Goodnight, Belle." He chorused back to her, before he finally made his way to his own bed. He may as well sleep himself, since the snow didn't seem to be stopping any time soon.
xXo=.*X*.=oXx-~-xXo=.*X*.=oXx
xXo=.*X*.=oXx
Rumpelstiltskin was quite certain he was dreaming, especially since he had been certain he had gone to bed, and not been sitting up reading a book in his bed, as he listened to the gentle breathing of his help on his couch. Staring down at the book in his hands, he confirmed that he was indeed sleeping, the text a jumble of symbols that had no sense, and was like no language he had ever encountered. He knew every book in his library, front to back – this was not one from his collection, nor was it one that Belle would have brought with her. His half-moon smile appeared. He so enjoyed dreams like these – ones where he was coherent enough, in control enough to make the dream be whatever he desired.
He let his eyes fall back closed, feeling her crawl up over the foot of the bed, tossing the book to the side. This dream was one of his favorites, and that he was aware enough to enjoy it to the fullest extent, well, now, that was just the best part of the evening. Her lips pressed against his jaw, as she moved to straddle him, her hands working his vest open, buttons on his silk shirt popping as she tore the offending fabric free, allowing her access to freely touch him. He pulled her face to his, capturing her lips in a fevered kiss, his teeth grazing her bottom lip, his tongue demanding entry into the mouth he knew would taste of honey and peaches.
Her lips parted, and the monster inside him roared in triumph as his tongue swept over hers. He moved his hands down her arms, across her back, his fingers digging into soft flesh as she ground her hips down against his, seeking out some form of release that the innocent her would have known nothing about. He fought the urge to force himself awake, knowing full well that this dream would only do good to frustrate him even worse come morning, when he would once again have to watch the real her flit around his castle, her every movement of incredible interest to him, and a certain part of his anatomy.
Gods be damned – he needed this more now than ever after her little stunts in the kitchen earlier. He tore dream Belle's shift open, pushing the fabric free as he broke their kiss, his teeth seeking out her neck, worrying the skin there before kissing a path back to that insatiable mouth of hers. Her hands were trying to work the laces of his leathers open, her real clumsiness translating into the dream even better than he could have ever hoped for.
She made small sounds of frustration as she tore at the laces still, his hands moving down her bare back, cupping her behind, moving her for the moment he knew was about to happen. She won over the laces of his leathers, freeing him as he lifted her, immediately thrusting himself fully inside her, his pace already frantic, the need to lose himself in her too great to allow him to be gentle, even in a dream.
Belle pushed his ruined shirt and his vest off his shoulders, her fingernails digging into the flesh of his shoulders as she held to him, panting as he thrust into her over and over. She leaned her forehead against his, as he felt her nails tear at his skin, her hands going to his cheeks.
"Look at me Master…" Somewhere in the back of his mind registered that she had never spoke in his dreams, but he was too far gone to care, his eyes open, staring into those lovely blue orbs that were gazing into his with such wonder, such …adoration. He slowed his movements, reining the monster back under control. Even dream Belle deserved better than a simple fuck.
"Mine." He groaned as he drove into her harder, the muscles in his arms screaming at him as he lifted her slowly, so slow that she tried to wiggle her way back into control of the pace. "Mine." He growled out, slamming his hips up as he pulled her back down, taking perverse pleasure in the way her head fell back, the throaty moan almost echoing in the semi-dark room. "MINE!" he roared, hands tangling in her chestnut hair, keeping her head back as he claimed her mouth again, his tongue mimicking the movements of their hips.
He released her hair as the leather still tangled around his legs became unbearable , legs kicking the skin tight pants away, his arms lifting her again, sliding under her knees, before flipping her over, letting her come to rest under him. He moved one of her slender legs up over his shoulder, pulling the other to his waist as he continued to pound into her, his movements controlled, languid. Belle's hands returned to his shoulders, as if she was hanging on for dear life.
"Oh Rumpel…" She moaned, his sexy little minx starting to bite the skin of his chest, her teeth finding purchase where they could, making him buck as she bit him hard enough to almost break skin. Again that nagging though in the very back of his mind screamed warning at him, and he tossed it away, locking it up before it could interrupt again.
"Let it happen love.." he whispered to her, pressing kisses behind her ear, along her neck, her body growing tenser as she fought not to jump head first off that precipice. "Just let it happen love." He whispered to her again, feeling her insides clench around him. "Let go." He commanded as the first spasm of her orgasm hit her. He growled, deep from his chest, his hips slamming into hers once, twice, three more times before he came. Two godsdamned centuries of pent up frustrations leaving in an instant.
Rumpelstiltskin leaned down, his lips pressed to hers, his tongue pressing into her mouth again, tenderly now, not as insistent as before. Careful to not crush her, he rested on his elbows, his legs feeling like they'd betray him if he tried to move yet. He finally broke the kiss, his fingers gentle as he moved her hair out of her face. She was radiant, her bruised lips curved into a smile, those blue eyes gazing lovingly up at him. For the first time ever, he felt….desired. His Belle leaned up, kissing his collar bone, and that was enough to shut his brain down, his body quaking as he came again.
"My Belle.." he breathed as he finally pushed himself up, his eyes rolling back in their sockets as he finally pulled out of her, completely spent, completely sated. As his head hit his pillow, he pulled her to his chest, holding her close, kissing her forehead, her temples, and the tip of her nose. Her hands curled into small fists against his chest, her cheek pressed over his heart. He pulled the blankets and furs up over them, knowing the fire would go out soon in the dream, leaving them cold.
"Thank you Rumpel." Belle breathed softly as sleep took her, leaving him to fall back into dreamless slumber, a genuine smile on his face as the darkness returned washing up and over him. Of one thing he was certain about this dream – this was the one he would keep returning to from now on.
xXo=.*X*.=oXx-~-xXo=.*X*.=oXx
xXo=.*X*.=oXx
Belle woke early, as per usual, the fainting couch very comfortable once she had been able to sleep. The sky outside was still dark, but she was certain by the frost on the windows that it was, in fact, still snowing outside. That meant that they were probably going to be trapped inside the castle for a few days, waiting for a thaw, or at least for her Master to get fed up and melt all the snow on a whim. Wrapping her blankets around her shoulders for warmth, she let her bare feet touch the plush carpet that took up much of the room, happy to find it wasn't as cold in the morning as the stone floor of her own room was.
Moving finally, she leaned over and tossed another log on the fire, her Master's curtains still closed around the large bed. From the muffled snores, she knew he was still asleep. Padding as quietly as she could to the bed side, she collected the clothing from the floor to take to wash – she could always string a line in the kitchen to dry them by the ovens as she baked today. Frowning, Belle noticed that the buttons had been torn away from the shirt; that would take her a few hours to fix before she could launder it. Normally her Master was careful with his clothing, the vest was one of his favorites, and the laces on his leathers were almost torn. Whatever business he had attended to after she had fallen asleep must have been dangerous for him.
Shrugging her shoulders at the thought, most of her Master's endeavors where dangerous after all, Belle left the room, careful to close the door behind her softly as to not awaken her Master; after all, he would punish her with his foul mood if she woke him too early. She made her way to her room first, pulling on the heaviest dress he had given her, and over her normal stockings a heavy pair of woolen socks she had knitted from wool he had spun for her one evening. They were the best present he had given her so far, even more so than the clothing and her fireplace back. Pulling her boots over the socks, she wrapped her shawl around her shoulders and stopped a moment by the toilette to pin her hair back. She would need to feed the animals, and then shovel as much of the muck into the corner nearest the door. She was certain her Master would use fire to melt around the door so they could at least muck out the basement before the smell became too strong.
Lantern in hand, she left her rooms and moved through the quiet castle towards the Great Hall. The doors opened for her, as per usual, and as she passed by the fireplace, she felt the small hairs on the back of her neck stand on end. She froze, mid-step. She had been watched before, and this was the same feeling. Something, or someone was watching her, and she was certain her Master was still in his bedroom. Had he awoken, he would be calling for his tea from his normal chair already. Belle's eyes scanned over the Great Hall, looking to see if anything was out of place. The book he had read to her last night was still on the table beside her Master's chair. The tea service had been cleaned and put away in the kitchen. The hat was on its stand as it should be; the Grail was on its stand. The mirror was still covered, the cabinets were closed, and the Golden Fleece was still hanging where it should be.
Belle turned again, lifting the lantern out in front of her as she did. Nothing appeared to be out of place, nothing seemed to be missing. Moving quickly, she opened the cabinets and took stock of the items within. One of the first things she had done when she had began to clean the castle, had been to make sure she knew the contents of the shelves and where they were supposed to be. She knew in the course of dusting that eventually she would misplace something slightly askance of what it should be, but her Master hadn't yelled at her once for that.
Eventually the feeling of being watched faded, and Belle wrote the encounter off as nerves from the previous evening. Her Master had intentionally scared her with the story last night, and she was fairly certain he would do so again tonight, once he learned they were snowed in, with the snow showing no signs of stopping any time soon.
Pushing the door to the kitchen open, she sighed at the residual warmth from the oven and stove. The kitchen had always been extremely warm, and she enjoyed cold mornings there. She took the tea service from the shelf, and set it out on the silver tray on the center island. Measuring out the correct portion of tea, she dropped the leaves in the pot, and then fit the lid back in place. The sugar bowl followed, then two cups. Normally she would have set out the service to have all six cups, but unless her Master's visitors magicked themselves into the castle, she was certain they'd have no visitors today.
Belle pulled the loaf of bread they had not ate with dinner over to her, and started to cut it into bite sized pieces. She was going to make bread pudding for breakfast, and she wanted to prep the bread before heading downstairs to feed the animals. The room was warmer than she had first imagined, and Belle wiped the back of her wrist across her forehead, perspiration already forming there – usually she didn't start getting overly hot until she was putting bread in the oven to bake for the day. Setting the knife down, she moved the bread chunks into a pan. She would collect fresh eggs when she fed the chickens – they'd make the bread pudding even better tasting than the eggs she had collected last night.
She would need to use those eggs soon – and since she was most likely to spend her entire day inside – for a while – she would use them in cookies and the breads. She would need to bake several loaves to have on hand. When the weather turned cold like this she knew people liked to eat filling meals. She wondered if her master was the same way. She could ask him later.
Belle headed downstairs, careful of where she stepped. If any water had seeped in on them during the night, she was certain they'd be icy, as cold as it was. The pigs noticed her first, a bucket of leftovers from the kitchen poured in their trough before she went to fill the horses feed bags with oats. The cows were still chewing on the hay she had scattered the night before, happy as they could be. The chickens pecked at her boots.
"Alright, alright – no need to be impatient.." She fussed at them as she felt the head butt of one of the kids on her side. "And you, little boy, will get fresh hay as soon as I am done." Belle reached down and rubbed the black and white goat's ear for a moment, earning her an insistent bleat. She grinned as she snapped the feed bag in place on Rumpelstiltskin's favorite stallion. Jet black, with a blade of white on his nose, the large horse nuzzled her neck as she buckled the strap in place. She pet his side, noticing that she would need to come down later and work a brush over him, his coat was getting a bit dull. The red mare she favored was next, followed by the palomino mare. She stopped in front of the grey's alcove, noticing he was snorting at her.
"What's wrong boy?" She asked as she let the grey's neck, his mane like silk. She wasn't scared of the horse, but he had bit her a few times when she had first come to the castle. As far as Belle knew, Rumpelstiltskin had never given them names, and so she had dubbed this one Bitey for the habit. Buckling the feed sack in place, she would come down after she had the bread pudding in the oven to take the sacks off and allow them to munch on the hay.
Belle moved to the alcove the bales were stored in, picking her way around some muck as she tore off a bit of a new bale, spreading it out on a clean area for the goat. She earned another happy bleat as his little hooves beat out a dance of appreciation. Belle laughed to herself as she finally made her way to the nests she had fashioned for the chickens, tossing out two handfuls of dried corn for them to peck at. As the chickens moved away from their nests, she carefully sorted out freshly laid eggs, and ones that had been "saved" last night by Rumpelstiltskin. A smile spread across her face as she remembered that he had gone back out in the driving rain to make sure no chicks had been left behind in the coop.
Eggs secure in a basket, she placed the basket on the stairs, taking up one of the shovels that had been leaned against the wall by the door. She didn't have the key to the door; her Master would not allow her her own set of keys, so she did the best she could, moving piles and dirty hay across the floor to a pile. She would have to have him help her with what to do with the pile later, but at least now the animals weren't standing in their own filth and it was contained. Breaking apart the bale she had used earlier to feed the goat, she covered bare areas, and made a small fresh pile for the cows and the goat to nibble on until she figured out how what was left in the alcove was going to feed, as well as cover the floor for all the animals for the next few days.
Grabbing the basket of eggs, Belle returned to the kitchen, checking her boots to make sure she hadn't dragged any of the much back up with her, and finding that she had done an exceptional job in not doing so. Setting the eggs on the center island, she pulled her shawl off and hung it on the peg by the door. She quickly washed her hands, using a bit of salt to help get the dirt out from under her nails. Drying her hands on her apron, Belle turned back to the center island. The fear that she had been being watched returning full force; the knife that had been left on the center island was gone, and where she had left it, there was no possible way that it had fallen to the floor.
xXo=.*X*.=oXx-~-xXo=.*X*.=oXx
xXo=.*X*.=oXx
Rumpelstiltskin's head was pounding, and he noticed as he rolled over in bed that he was naked. He hadn't remembered taking his clothing off last night. The last he remembered was that he had pulled the curtains closed around the bed, and had worked at falling asleep as fast as possible to not get out of bed and go ravage his maid. He had been rewarded with lovely dreams of her however, and the memory of such brought his half-moon grin out in full force. He groaned as he sat up, pushing the blankets and furs off him, wondering why his body felt like he had been running the whole night through, and his back felt like he had been flayed. Touching his chest, he winced, before looking down. A crescent of teeth marks marred the golden-green skin there, and Rumpelstiltskin's eyebrows shot into his hairline. Hand going to his shoulder, he felt the wounds there as well; half moon nail punctures on both shoulders. Coupled with the stiffness of his legs, and the muscles in his arms screaming at him, he wondered if his little maid had in fact crawled into bed with him last night.
No. Belle was innocent of such things, and there had to be a perfectly logical reason that his body was manifesting the same wounds he had acquired in his dream. He would need to look over a few of his books, but he had heard tales before that what happened in dreams had the possibly of manifesting in real life, should the dream be potent enough. He had research to do as soon as he broke his fast, and had enough tea to soothe the ache of his head.
He ripped the curtains of his bed open, appreciating that Belle had already put a new log on the fireplace. Looking back at his bed, he noticed the book that was sticking out from underneath his pillow. Curiosity got the better of him, trumping his need to be clothed as his twitching fingers pulled the book to him. Rumpelstiltskin's eyes narrowed as he looked the pages over, flipping through them one at a time. Belle had no access to this book, and he would not have removed it from his lab. Someone was still in his Castle, and was doing a damn good job at keeping their presence hidden from him.
Red smoke covered him for a moment, his black leathers in place as he stowed the book in the inner pocket of his coat. Legs screaming rebellion at him, he decided to teleport himself down to the Great Hall, a decision made all the easier when Belle's screaming reached his ears. Damn the Hall, he made a split second decision and teleported to the kitchen in a haze of purple smoke. Appearing next to her, Belle had started to run for the door, and thus ran head long into his chest. His reaction was automatic, his arms wrapping around her, a hand going to the back of her head as he crushed her to him.
"Belle, what's wrong?" Rumpelstiltskin asked insistently as his black eyes scanned the entire kitchen. The wards on the kitchen door were in place, as well as the magical barrier that only allowed him and Belle access to the basement. He took note that the tea set as well as breakfast was in a half made state, and a basket of fresh eggs sat on the counter top. Belle's screen died in her throat, but his poor maid was hysterically crying now. His head pounding even harder, he leaned a cheek again her head, his arms tightening around her as he felt her fingers grip his vest tightly. Something had scared her, and he was beginning to believe that it was no longer the story from last night. "Belle, darling, you must tell me what the matter is so that I may fix it." He spoke quietly, stroking her hair, her back, trying to calm the fear some, so that he could assess how much danger they were really in. Eventually her tears and her fear lessened, and she took a deep breath to steady herself.
"The knife is missing, Master. I left it on the counter while I went downstairs to feed the animals, and clean up after them some, and when I came back upstairs the knife was gone. It was right here!" Belle punctuated her words by pointing to the exact place her kitchen knife had been left. Rumpelstiltskin looked to the sink, to the other counters, to the stove. There was nary a knife in sight, Belle was a meticulously clean individual, and she kept his estate in order, at all times. He believed her when she said the knife was gone. The area it had "vanished" from was too far for her to be mistaken and have dropped it on the floor, and besides that, he had already scanned the floor, no knife was there.
"Shh, Belle, it is alright. I'm going to take you back to my rooms, with some tea, and a good book and you are going to stay there as I walk the Castle and grounds and make absolutely certain that nothing is the matter." He went to work quickly, pouring water from the kettle that was kept warm on the stove at all times, into the tea pot, quickly setting the lid back in place. "I need you to hold onto my arm now, dearie, we're taking the magical method." He picked the tea service up in one hand, and held his other arm out, smiling at her when she slipped her arm through his. The purple haze returned, as he moved them to his rooms. They were the most guarded, heavily warded place in the Castle. She would be safe there while he hunted down who ever had the gall to break into his home, again, it would appear.
Setting the tea service on the end of the fainting couch, he helped her sit, kneeling down and taking both her hands into his. Belle was still scared, and the trembling was worse now. He realized he had never taken them anywhere by magic before, and the first time someone teleported usually left them feeling out of sorts.
"Now, dearie, I want you to stay here and do not, under any circumstance, remove the covers from the mirrors, nor open the door. I am locking you in here, and there is absolutely no reason to open the door. You know I can move about the Castle at will, so tell me Belle, to make sure you are hearing me – what have I commanded you to do today?" He tried to force some of the power surging through him back down, knowing that his eyes were black, and that when they were, it scared her more.
"I am to stay here, and not open the doors, nor uncover the mirrors at all." She repeated back to him, tears still running down her cheeks, but at least she wasn't hysterical any more. He kissed the back of her left hand, in a gentlemanly manner, and then returned her hands to her lap, pouring a splash of tea in to his favorite chipped cup and pressing it to her hands.
"Good girl. Now there is a tub that will fill of its own accord behind the folding screens over there, feel free to bathe and use any of the oils there you wish. You may read any of the books in the room, or if you feel better trying to sleep, you may curl up in the blankets and furs on my bed. I may be gone for several hours as I check every nook and cranny of the estate, and you," he stopped, his hands still around hers around the tea cup. He took the tongs from the tray and dropped two lumps of sugar into her tea, before stirring the tea with a bit of magic. He hated himself for what he was about to do. "You, dearie, should at least be comfortable while I am gone. I will bring you some fruit and other things to eat on from the kitchen as soon as I check the bottom floors. Now drink this, dearie, it'll make you feel better."
Belle's hands lifted automatically bring the cup to her lips as she took a small sip of the tea, a small sigh of appreciation slipping from her as the warmth did wonders for her nerves. She lowered the cup again, not trusting herself to hold it without dropping it. Rumpelstiltskin nodded, and made a motion for her to take another sip. She complied and took a longer drink this time. He had been right, the tea was making her feel better, even a bit sleepy now.
"Thank you, Master, I am feeling much better now." She slurred out, as Rumpelstiltskin took the tea cup from her, setting it back on the silver tray. Belle's eyes fluttered closed, finding it increasingly harder to keep them open, as her Master blurred in her vision. She toppled forward, and he caught her with ease, curling her to his chest protectively.
She was just a slip of a girl, and he carried her easily to his bed, tucking her into the covers and furs to let her sleep. He made sure the enchantment he had used on the tea was one that would give her dreamless sleep, in case whatever was in his home was using dreams to attack them. He pressed a tender kiss to her forehead, pushing her hair out of her face. This was his Belle, the real one, the innocent maid he was infatuated with already, and he was going to do whatever it took to keep her safe.
xXo=.*X*.=oXx-~-xXo=.*X*.=oXx
xXo=.*X*.=oXx
Regina paced in front of her vanity, waiting for confirmation that the plan was underway. She had to know that everything was working out according to plan to set in motion the next part. The succubus should be reporting back to her, but with Rumpelstiltskin's penchant for covering all the mirrors in his Castle, she was worried that the succubus wouldn't be able to tell her if their plan was going how it should. Regina realized her fears were for naught as the liquid gold replica oozed out from her mirror, taking its true form. The succubus towered over Regina, her skin black as onyx, her hair white as fresh fallen snow.
"Well, are we on schedule?" Regina demanded of the demon.
"Everything is going according to plan, your Majesty. The storm is contained around the Castle, and I have already drained a sufficient portion of his energy. Enough to set the second part of your plan in motion." The onyx being made a grandiose bow as she spoke, her limbs appearing to move too quickly, and yet, like they were being moved through water; the sight was mesmerizing to Regina. The succubus held out a vial of indeterminate liquid to the Queen, her head still bowed. The succubus was biding her time. She had been summoned, and now, with the energy from the Dark One, the Queen could summon her mate. And, well, with her mate in this world, there would be no more reason to obey the Queen, even though the silly human believed that she had bound the succubus into submission.
Regina took the vial, moving quickly to her cauldron, cork popped and dropped to the floor. She poured the liquid into the cauldron, summons spell whispered on her lips, as the purple liquid once again turned gold, a being stepping forth and coalescing into a replica of Rumpelstiltskin, complete with annoying half-moon grin and giggle. Regina took a step back, her eyes sliding over the incubus, her brow arched in curiosity. The succubus grinned, her featureless face sliding back into the visage of Belle once more.
"The Queen must be informed that the Dark One cast an enchantment on the maid – she sleeps in a dreamless slumber, only to be awakened by him. I did try to break into the veil, but unfortunately my powers do not work on human females…" The succubus trailed off as she stared at her mate. They'd play along for now, the unspoken agreement passed between them; it was in their best interest after all. Once they had drained the Dark One and his center, his maid, then they would be powerful enough to move on in this realm and do what they did best.
"And your…specialized skills…can break this enchantment, incubi?" Regina asked, her head crooked to the side as a malicious grin spread across her face. The incubus bowed then, in Rumpelstiltskin overly dramatic bow – the resemblance was uncanny.
"Once the Dark One has been weakened more, the enchantment will pose no problem, Your Majesty." The incubus assured Regina, his voice a perfect mimicry of her former teacher. Regina crossed to her vanity then, pulling open a drawer and taking a new vial from a red velvet lined box. The liquid inside was red as blood, but moved like quick silver. Setting the vial into a golden chain, she changed the shape to that of a heart, a ruby gem, lined with gold. Regina then tossed the bauble to the incubus.
"Should you prove not able to break the enchantment, put a drop of that in each of the maid's eyes, and then clasp it around her neck. It should be enough to break the enchantment, so long as he hasn't placed her under a sleeping curse, and if that's the case…" Regina trailed off, looking back and forth between the pair. "Then you have your work made out for you." The duo bowed then, their movements eerily in time with one another.
"Your Majesty," they said in unison before vanishing back through the mirror.
"He's keeping her in his rooms, they're well warded, and there is the enchantment to take into consideration. " The succubus told her mate as they materialized inside of the maid's chamber. She quickly turned and hung a blanket over the mirror, knowing that the Dark One kept all the mirrors in the Castle covered. She had been extremely lucky that the maid had been in a rush this morning, and she had been allowed ample opportunity to watch the maid's mannerisms and cadence of speech.
"The wards are no trouble; even the Dark One cannot keep us out of dreams forever. It's just a matter of how long they will try to resist. You watched them earlier, does either of them suspect?" The incubus touched his mate's cheek, growling at the clumsy feel of being in human form. Humans, with their limited senses for pleasure. Yes, they had some redeeming qualities, the females could be coaxed into unspeakable debauchery with a few well placed kisses, but the sensation was muted for him, not like with his mate.
"I made the mistake of taking an item that the maid noticed; the Dark One has been roaming the castle the entire time, trying to find where his defenses failed. That and," The succubus trailed off, the cheeks of her human form turning to a blush.
"That, and, Mystarel?" The incubus questioned, his fingers trailing down his mate's neck now.
"He read her the story about the Immortal last night. I got bored with watching, and Ah… borrowed one of the books in the Castle. I left it beside the pillow when I was done." Mystarel let her eyes lower in submission, as she felt her mate's fingers tighten around her neck, his thumb pushing deep into her throat, making it difficult to breathe in her human form.
"I am uncertain if I should be angry at you, or if I should applaud you for making them both afraid – it heightens their emotions, their magic, make it easier to drain them…"
"So then you agree then, Alquarias?" Mystarel turned hopeful eyes to her mate.
"I agree. It will make the hunt that much more satisfying."
xXo=.*X*.=oXx-~-xXo=.*X*.=oXx
xXo=.*X*.=oXx
Hope you enjoyed! - Leave me a comment if you feel so inclined! Chapter 3 will be on a Friday here soon! :3 - S