Ch. 3
Belle awoke to the sound of her daughter crying, but it was her husband's dash to the door that jolted her upright. As the fog of sleep lifted, Belle could hear a struggle on the bridge—men yelling, swords clashing, maids screeching.
"We've been boarded!" Rumpelstiltskin said. He was fastening his sword belt over his waist, struggling to find his boots in the dark. "Take the baby and hide!"
"Wha—?" A clash was heard outside the door and Belle screamed. She scooped her child in her arms and held her close to her chest.
"The wardrobe!" Rumpel guided his wife to the large oak dresser in the corner and opened the doors. "Get in!"
"No, no!" Belle cried. No, she didn't want to leave him. No, she couldn't believe they were being attacked so suddenly in the night.
"Keep quiet," Rumpelstiltskin said, shutting the doors. "I'll come back for you when it's safe."
When the doors closed and darkness shrouded them, Belle held her wailing daughter's head and tried to calm her. Outside the room, the men Glissa had asked to guard the door had fled to the battle on the main deck. Rumpelstiltskin looked around the hold for the captain. He drew his sword when a large man in black armor rounded the corner and came at him.
Their swords clanged together, and where the man had bulk, Rumpel had speed. He had centuries as the Dark One to perfect his fighting skills and slain the man quickly. Another descended the stairs to the bridge—this man was thinner, about Rumpelstiltskin's height, and had a heavier sword that looked unfamiliar.
They fought harshly, their swords dancing and singing a sinister melody with every clank. Rosie's crying made the armored man turn his head, and it was just enough time for Rumpelstiltskin to push him away and stab him in the gut. He went down like a rag doll.
Glissa sneaked through the hold, ducking behind crates and pillars in just her nightgown, crawling her way to Belle's room. Rosie's crying guided her, but when she emerged from the gallery door, an armored man in black grabbed her by the hair and dragged her close to his masked face.
"Where's the baby?" he demanded.
"I-I don't know!" she cried.
The man opened his mouth to ask a second time, then cried out when a sword pierced through his chest from someone behind. The man fell, releasing Glissa's hair, and Calden was suddenly before her, his sword bloody and his body heaving with distress. He held out a hand to her.
"Come on , I'll hide you."
"No, I have to get to Miss Belle!"
From above on the main deck, a man cried in agony and fell to the floor. Calden took Glissa's hand. "Now, Gliss!"
"No!" Glissa ripped herself away, took the sword from his hand, and charged down the corridor to the cabins.
The sounds of battle raged from outside the wardrobe. Belle kissed her daughter's head as Rose screamed. As much as Belle wanted to cry herself, she kept calm and counted her breaths.
The wardrobe suddenly opened and Belle shrieked. A man in black reached out for the child but Belle held on tightly. He grabbed her hair and yanked Belle from the cabinet. She screamed bloody murder, struggling to get to her feet to run away.
"Give me the child!" the armored man commanded.
"No, please!" Belle begged.
As the man in black unsheathed his sword, Belle staring up at him in paralyzing terror, someone from behind gave a great yell, swung a sword, and slashed the armored man in the back. He fell to the ground, yelling in pain, and released Belle from his grip.
Glissa stood by. "Move away, miss!"
Belle clamored backwards against the bed and watched with amazement as the young, petite maid-in-waiting raised her sword and finished off the armored man by staking him through the throat. Belle closed her eyes and buried her face in her daughter's soft hair.
With the mysterious man's death, the fighting on board the ship seemed to halt. Rumpelstiltskin ran into the room moments later, his sword bloodied and his face red and sweating. He took one look at the man Glissa had killed and hurried to his wife and child.
"Are you hurt?" he asked Belle, touching her face.
Belle shook her head, no.
"The baby?"
"She's fine." Belle looked at her maid. "Glissa saved us."
Rumpelstiltskin looked at the young woman and nodded. "We owe you our lives."
Glissa lowered her head, her face melting in confusion and regret for her deed, and dropped Calden's sword on the floor. "I killed him," she said blankly.
Calden entered the room out of breath. He looked around at the carnage, at Glissa's shaking body, and took his cloak off and wrapped it around her. "The boarders are gone," he said to Rumpelstiltskin. "Most are dead, but some fled back to their ship. They came on rowboat and—"
"I killed him," Glissa whispered again.
Rumpelstiltskin helped his wife up and sat her on the bed. "The captain?"
"He's dead," Calden said. "We lost five men in total."
"Oh, God." Belle put a hand to her mouth.
Glissa turned to Calden, tears springing in her eyes. "I killed him!"
Calden held her in his arms and rubbed her back to calm her. Rumpelstiltskin looked around the room at the tired, scared faces. The baby was safe, but for how long? And why did these men want her in the first place? He stood, his legs trembling ever-so-slightly.
"We dock at the next port," he announced. Rumpel looked at Calden. "Tell the first mate."
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The sailors who had given their life to protect Rumpelstiltskin and Belle were given a proper sea burial, with all the amenities and honor of fallen soldiers. They were dropped into the sea at dusk, their bodies wrapped in fine linen. Captain Orgo's face was left uncovered as they tipped him into the calm ocean, a special prayer given to him by the shipmates. Belle watched the horizon with Rose in her arms, but the merchant ship had fled from their path.
Once ported at Locksbury, Rumpelstiltskin and his entourage continued by carriage to his castle in the mountains. Glissa sat in the carriage with Belle and her husband, and Calden was given permission to join them on the team of guarded men behind them on horses.
The journey to the castle took two days without any interruption. Belle slept fitfully, even as Glissa offered her arms to little Rosie, but Rumpelstiltskin was wide awake for most of the journey. He watched his wife slumber, a curl of brown hair falling in front of her face. He moved to the empty seat next to her and put his arm around her. Belle found his chest and nestled against him.
Glissa smiled slightly at the pair as she held the baby. If any two people were meant to be together in the world, it was them. He kissed his wife's forehead and brushed the hair from her eyes. Rumpelstiltskin looked at Glissa.
"You could have stayed in Locksbury," he whispered. "After everything, why are you still with us?"
Glissa shrugged slightly and rocked the sleeping baby. "I got no one else, my lord," she said. "You and Miss Belle are like family to me."
Rumpelstiltskin lowered his eyes and nodded understandingly. "I meant what I said on the ship, about owing you our lives."
Glissa shook her head. She looked at little Rose, so small and pink and smelling like the flower she was named after. Tears sprang to her eyes when she realized all of the carnage on the ship, all of the fear and useless fighting could have been prevented if she had just told the master the truth.
"Sire, I . . ." Glissa closed her eyes and bit her lip. She took a breath to steady herself. Just as she was about to say it, that the child was special and probably wanted in all the kingdoms, Belle stirred in her sleep and opened her eyes.
Rumpelstiltskin looked down at his wife, who blinked hazily out of her slumber. "Love?" he asked.
Belle squinted and looked around the carriage. "Where's the baby?" she asked, sitting upright quickly.
"I have her, ma'am," Glissa said.
Belle reached for the child. "Give her to me." She didn't mean to sound so demanding, but her dreams were plagued with visions of faceless men carrying Rosie away into the night.
Glissa handed the child over and Belle snuggled the baby against her chest. "Are we any closer?" she asked her husband.
"Half a day's journey," he responded.
Belle sighed, exasperated. "I hope Papa isn't worried."
They hadn't sent word to anyone that they were traveling by carriage, or even that their ship had been attacked, for fear it would be intercepted and they would be moving targets once again. Eventually, the rocky landscape gave way to tree-covered hills and mountains, peaks as high as the tallest castle and sky as blue as Belle's eyes. When Rumpelstiltskin's castle was finally in sight, Belle seemed to relax, even giving Rosie back to Glissa for some rest.
They passed through the town below the mountain without fanfare. At the castle gates, Lord Maurice was there to greet them, having seen the caravan wind up the rocky mountain. He smiled brightly and opened his arms as Belle exited the carriage. He hadn't seen his daughter since she married Rumpelstiltskin and they set out to sea.
"Papa!" Belle rushed to her father and hugged him tightly.
"My Belle," he murmured, squeezing her tightly. "My beautiful Belle."
Rumpelstiltskin stepped out of the carriage. When Maurice pulled away from Belle, Rumpel gave the Lord a respectful bow. "Sire."
"Rumpelstiltskin." Even after a year and a half as in-laws, Maurice still addressed Belle's husband with a sort of bitterness to his tone. He was respectful enough, returning the bow and shaking his hand, but there would always be a glimmer of mistrust in the old man's eyes for his daughter's well-being.
"Where's my granddaughter?" Maurice asked. "Let me see that lovely child."
Glissa came from the carriage with the baby in her arms. She smiled, presented the child to the lord, and Maurice instantly broke into tears.
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Lord Maurice didn't ask why the family was late on their arrival at first. He had assembled his own procession from his estate and brought them to Rumpelstiltskin's castle to clean the drafty halls and make it more presentable to the new family. A host of maids scurried about, cooking and cleaning and setting up rooms. Knights guarded the corners and helped Calden settle the horses in the stables. It was the most activity Rumpelstiltskin had ever seen in his home. His heart filled with appreciation.
The maids had even set up a nursery for Rose—complete with a cradle, toys, stuffed animals, and a rocking chair for Belle to nurse in. The once dark and gray castle had come alive with brights colors and sunlight, and Rumpelstiltskin was confident they could make this their permanent home.
Before dinner, Rumpelstiltskin assembled Lord Maurice and his men in the dining hall. He told the of the attack on the ship, of the mysterious men in black armor who wanted the baby. Maurice was furious, shouting and pointing fingers and blaming Rumpelstiltskin for his deeds as the Dark One that had brought this misfortune on his granddaughter.
"Papa, stop!" Belle cried. "This wasn't his fault!"
"You swore to protect my daughter!" Maurice yelled to Rumpel.
"All due respect, m'lord, I have." Rumpelstiltskin sat calmly at the head of the table. The chipped cup he had so longed for was steaming beside him with tea. "My wife and daughter are here now because of the bravery of the people on my ship—"
"But for how long?" Maurice bellowed. "When can we expect another attack?" He pointed to Rumpelstiltskin. "If it's you they're trying to hurt, I'd gladly throw you before their feet to keep my family safe."
"As would I! A hundred times!"
"Stop it!" Belle yelled. "This is my fault!"
The men looked at Belle. She was dressed beautifully in a crimson gown, her hair done up and adorned with jewels, but her guilty face made her look less like a noble and more like a scared child.
"I know why they Rose," she said, lowering her voice. "She's special."
"Special?" Maurice said.
"What do you mean?" Rumpelstiltskin stood and went to his wife's side, his bewildered eyes searching her for answers.
"The Blue Fairy came to me long ago. She told me I would have a child with a special gift."
"This is absurd!" Maurice yelled.
Rumpelstiltskin took his wife's shoulders gently. "Why didn't you tell me?" he asked.
Tears sprang to Belle's eyes. "I-I don't know. I was afraid . . . I thought—"
"She couldn't tell you," a soft voice said. From across the table, a blue light appeared, growing larger like a star, then fading into a small fairy with mocha skin and a blue dress. Ruehl Gorm.
"What's she doing here?" Rumpelstiltskin asked to no one in particular.
"You wife was correct in not telling you," the Blue Fairy said, flying closer to them.
"Correct?" Rumpel repeated. "Men died trying to protect this baby!"
"And many more will," the fairy said. She looked around, at Maurice and Belle and Rumpelstiltskin and even the lord's men. "The men in black armor call themselves The Guild. They're loyalists to the Dark One."
"But we've locked him up!" Maurice said. "How can they—"
"They're servants of darkness. They believe the Dark One will rise again and take power. That's why they want the baby." The Blue Fairy looked at Rumpelstiltskin and Belle. "Your child is a doorway to other lands. She has the ability to transport herself across time and space. The Guild wants to groom your child to use her magic for evil, to take over the Enchanted Forest."
"Why her?" Belle cried. "Why is this happening?"
The Blue Fairy paused, her wand in hand, staring sadly at Belle. "It's what always had to happen."
Lord Maurice sat at the table, the weight of the fairy's news too much for him to handle. Rumpelstiltskin stared off into nothingness, calculating the Blue Fairy's words.
"So we . . . we find The Guild and we destroy them," he said.
"I'm afraid it's not that simple," the Blue Fairy said. "The Guild's numbers are countless. They have eyes and ears everywhere—they live in darkness and shadows. They will keep coming after you and your baby no matter what."
"Then what do we do?" Belle asked.
"There is one solution," Ruehl Gorm said.
"Anything," Rumpelstiltskin said. "We'll do anything."
The Blue Fairy sighed. "You have to give up your child."
To be continued