Hey, everyone. I would apologize for updating so late, but I have been doing that a lot lately, so I'm not even going to try. I have my writing bug back, so I'll try to have the next update within two weeks.
I wanted to make a comment about the story concerning Rumpel and Cora's magic. Rumpel, in my story anyway, has magic that comes from inside himself. Blame it on the dark curse, if you will. While Rumpel taught Cora magic originally, Cora has been learning a different type of magic behind his back, as I stated in previous chapters, starting around chapter 7. I consider Cora's magic to be more external and elemental than internal, like Rumpel's. Whether this is like the show or not, I don't know, but I'm not an expert on Rumpel's magic in the show, since the show, in my opinion, hasn't given magic a clear, exact definition whether his magic is external and comes from nature or rather internal and comes from inside himself.
I wanted to point this out, in case anyone was confused. Cora is not as strong as Rumpel, but she does have some spells up her sleeves that can sometimes counteract Rumpel's own magic. Rumpel could still take her in a fight though, so Cora relies on stealing his dagger, like she did back in chapter 10, or using her words to get under Rumpel's skin, like you will see in this chapter.
I have been making references throughout the story about Cora's use of a different magic, I just never explained it in exact detail, so hopefully this helps.
Also, I'm going back and reediting my first seven chapters with the help of CharlotteAshmore, to clean up all my little mistakes I made on my own before I had a beta. I won't be changing the story, just refining the grammar.
Anyway, let us move onto depressed Dark Ones and melancholy maids...
Belle was lying in her bed at the Dark Castle, the soft sheets enveloping her body. She sighed as she was woken by a hand upon her waist, stroking her skin through her nightgown.
She turned over to see Rumpelstiltskin sitting on the edge of her bed. She jerked awake, startled by his presence.
"Rumpel?" Belle murmured, her voice groggy. "What are you doing in here?" This moment seemed so familiar to her, like she dreamed about it before. There was another nagging thought at the back of her mind, something she couldn't remember about herself and Rumpelstiltskin.
"I needed to see you, Belle," he responded, moving his hand from her waist to stroke her face. She leaned her cheek into his palm, enjoying the warmth of his skin. She would have thought Rumpelstiltskin to be cold-blooded, but he was always warm. Maybe a little too much.
"Why?" Belle asked, touching the hand that was holding her head.
"Because I made a mistake. I didn't mean anything I said to you before. Sweetheart, I was wrong." He continued cupping her face in his hands, as he moved closer to her neck. He lightly kissed behind her ear, a very sensitive spot. Belle gasped, tilting her head to look at him.
"What mistake? What did you do?"
Their lips brushed very slightly, before Rumpelstiltskin rolled her onto her back so he was hovering above her, balancing on his forearms.
"You don't remember, little maid?" He lightly kissed her cheeks and nose. He seemed so gentle and kind. Nothing like the Rumpelstiltskin she remembered. The nagging, uncomfortable doubt was still hovering at the back of her mind.
She shook her head, looking up with large, confused blue eyes.
He chuckled, lowering his lips to her own. "That's good, dearie," he mumbled against her lips. "Now I won't have to stop myself."
Before Belle could ask what he meant by those words, he was finally kissing her. A deep, bruising kiss, hard and fast. It left Belle breathless.
"Rumpel," she breathed against his mouth, as he lowered his hands to brush the undersides of her breasts.
"Sweetheart," he murmured, cupping each breast, his thumbs tickling her nipples. She moaned at the contact, feeling sweat bead on her forehead. He removed his lips from hers, trailing kisses down her throat.
As he lowered his right hand to touch the secret place between her thighs, the nagging, piercing thought invaded her mind. This wasn't right, but she couldn't say why.
Just as Rumpelstiltskin covered her secret spot, Belle shuddered...and woke up.
She gasped, eyes flying open. She quickly turned in her bed to see what was around her. Not the Dark Castle, she noted, but a quiet, little inn. Now she remembered.
After she left Rumpel behind, when she had poured her heart out to him, and he only told her that he had never cared for her, she was able to get a ride with a farming couple. A sweet, old married pair who gave her money to stay for the night at the small dwarf tavern a few miles away from the Dark Castle.
Belle had yet to see any dwarves, but she had only paid for a room and went straight to bed.
Now in the morning light, Belle felt empty. Rumpelstiltskin had completely and carelessly ripped out her heart. Not literally, of course. She knew he could do that, but he had only scarred her with his words.
You are delusional, he had said. All because she thought he cared about her. She thought he might have even loved her, but she had just been acting naive.
Now she has having...those kinds of dreams about him again. It had only happened the one time before, but Belle remembered it vividly. Just like she remembered the one from last night.
She shook her head, feeling disgust for herself. How was she still pining for the man who had broken her heart? She shouldn't be, or so she told herself.
Lying in a tiny dwarf inn, sleeping in an uncomfortable bed, Belle had the saddest thought that her mother would not be proud of her. Instead of fighting, Belle had run.
She had tried to fight, but Rumpelstiltskin just didn't love her. There was nothing else for her to do but leave. He'd broken their deal. She could do whatever she wanted.
She had never felt so lost in her life before.
Belle finally rose from her bed and made her way down to the tavern room. In her melancholy, she hadn't realized how hungry she was, but in the brightness of morning, she couldn't deny the ache in her stomach for food.
She sat down at a table, noticing the meager decorations on the walls and the sparse customers. Just as her breakfast was served, oatmeal and a cup of water, seven little men walked into the tavern. She assumed they were dwarves, since well, it was a dwarf tavern, but she had never seen any of them before. They weren't as short as she had thought. Actually, they were pretty close to her height, Belle being of the shorter variety already.
"Another night at the mines," one of the men muttered, placing his dirty cap on a table. He was mostly bald with a little bit of black hair circling his temples. "Why Doc insists on working at night, I have no idea, but I'm about ready to take my pickaxe and jam it into my eye."
"Grumpy, don't talk like that," another man with glasses said. "I make us work at night so we'll have more space. Not as many dwarves around to get in our way."
Grumpy snorted. "That is the stupidest thing I have ever heard Doc, and I've heard Dopey say that our entire existence was written by a mysterious author essentially causing us to be fiction. His words, not mine." Grumpy shook his head in exasperation. "And Dopey can't even speak."
Doc sighed, sitting down as the other five dwarves ordered their meals. "Is the reason you're upset because you can't see your fairy any longer?"
Grumpy immediately shut down. Belle could see pain in his eyes. "I chose my brothers, remember? Don't remind me of her."
Doc patted Grumpy's hand and left the table, presumably leaving to get food.
Belle continued to eat, wanting to say something, but not knowing what. After Grumpy sighed in defeat, Belle finally stood up from her table and sat down across from the 'grumpy' dwarf.
He glanced upward, startled. "Uh, can I help you, sister?"
Belle waved away his concerns. "No. Sorry, I just happened to overhear your conversation and I wanted to make sure you were all right."
Grumpy snorted, folding his arms on the table. "You're a little too late for that, sister."
Belle pursed her lips, thinking. Finally, she reached out and put her hand over Grumpy's fist. "You loved someone, didn't you?"
Grumpy didn't meet her gaze. "It doesn't matter. It's over now."
Belle squeezed his hand. "I wouldn't say that. You shouldn't give up on love." Belle's heart gave a leap when Rumpel's face popped into her mind. She told herself that she didn't give up on them. He clearly didn't love her and he didn't want her there any way. She reminded herself not to feel guilty for giving advice that she didn't keep herself.
Grumpy shook his head, pulling his hand away. "Maybe I gave up, but it would never have worked with her. She is a fairy and I'm a dwarf. The two don't mix."
"What's her name, your fairy love?" Belle rested her hand on her chin.
"Nova," Grumpy replied softly. By his tone, he was still in love with her.
Belle sat straight up in her chair. "Nova!" she exclaimed happily.
Grumpy jerked, not expecting her reaction. "Uh...do you know her?"
Belle nodded emphatically, grabbing Grumpy's hand again. He glanced down in surprise, not knowing how to respond. "She's my fairy godmother. She's helping to teach me light magic."
Grumpy's eyebrows raised. "Did...she talk about me?" he asked hesitantly.
Belle's euphoric joy dimmed a little. "Oh, actually, no she didn't." At Grumpy's crestfallen face, Belle continued speaking. "But, I'm sure that she didn't feel comfortable talking about her personal life. After all, she is my fairy godmother. It's somewhat like a job for fairies."
Belle's words seemed to cheer Grumpy back up again.
"You shouldn't give up on her, you know," Belle said. "Go see her and talk. Tell her that you are being pulled in different directions. One is with Nova, the other with your brothers. Knowing Nova, she'll be understanding. Then go from there."
Grumpy nodded, a new resolve in his face. "You're right. I will. Thank you." Just as Grumpy began to leave the table, he paused, seeing Belle's face. She looked happy for having helped him, but also a little upset herself. He sat back down, and this time, he reached across the table and touched her hand.
"Are you all right, sister?"
Belle grimaced. "I will be, I guess."
"What's your name?" Grumpy asked.
"Belle."
Grumpy's eyes widened. "Your name sounds familiar." He paused, thinking for a moment, when his eyes alighted. "I remember now. A big buffoon came into the tavern a few months ago looking for his fiancé. He said her name was Belle. I'm assuming there aren't too many girls by the name of Belle walking around these parts."
Belle's face heated in embarrassment. "Was his name Gaston?"
Grumpy shrugged. "I don't know. I just know he was a real jackass." He looked at Belle. "Oh, sorry for the language."
Belle chuckled. "It's all right. I've heard worse. A man I cared for called Gaston very unmentionable names much more terrible than...uh...jackass." She remembered when Rumpel had called Gaston a 'fucking fuckwit.' Belle blushed at the language, but couldn't help smiling at the expression he had made.
Grumpy laughed out loud. "Well, who knew you could cuss."
Belle blushed. "I don't normally, but I guess certain situations warrant it."
Grumpy continued chuckling to himself, when he finally sobered. "All right. What's bothering you? Love trouble like me?"
Belle ducked her head, letting hair fall into her face. "You could say that."
Grumpy's hard expression melted into softness. "Well, you helped give me advice. The least I could do for you is to give some of your own."
Right as Belle began to speak, the six other dwarves came rumbling towards the table.
"Grumpy, who's this?" A dwarf, a slightly round, rosy cheeked one, asked.
Grumpy waved a hand. "Go away Happy, I'm giving this girl some advice."
"You?" Happy laughed. "Grumpy, you're too mad at the world to give nice advice."
Grumpy turned in his seat. "You know what Happy? You're optimism is really pissing me off. Brothers, go sit at another table. I'll be there in a few minutes." The six dwarves left, leaving Belle and Grumpy alone again.
"So where were we?" Grumpy asked.
Belle pushed a piece of hair behind her ear, preparing herself to speak. "I just recently left a...relationship, you could say."
"Was he hitting you? Throwing you around?"
Belle's eyes widened. "Not at all. I mean, our relationship wasn't conventional, but he never treated me badly. Well, expect for when he called me delusional and that he would never love me, but other than that..."
Belle's attempt at a joke didn't convince Grumpy. "Does he hate himself?"
Belle quirked her head, not understanding. "Why would he feel that?"
Grumpy snorted. "Because he let you get away. You seem like a nice woman, you've got smarts, and you're clearly beautiful." Belle blushed at his compliment. "He'd be an idiot to let you go."
"Thank you," Belle inclined her head, " but..." She trailed off thinking. She thought of the moment when Rumpel had let her go. She remembered seeing pain in his eyes when he'd told her to go into town and retrieve more straw. Belle initially thought that he didn't want her to leave, but that he felt like he was doing the right thing for once in his life. That still didn't excuse the way he'd screamed at her and told her she was delusional for thinking he would ever love her.
However, Belle had been pushing him for answers. She felt a little guilty for that. It shouldn't have been that surprising that he had exploded.
She remembered his expression when she told him she loved him. He almost looked...regretful.
Did Rumpelstiltskin love her? Did he love her still? Did he say those hurtful things to her only because he loathes himself? Did he mean those words for himself and not for her? Could he ever believe that she could love him? Was that why he pushed her away?
She needed to know. She needed answers. She needed to see Rumpelstiltskin. She couldn't return home and hope life would go back to normal. Her life wasn't normal at all anymore.
She was going to go back and get closure. Whether Rumpelstiltskin wanted to open up and tell the truth or not, Belle was not going to let him off easy.
She nodded her head in resolution and stood up, reaching down to give a startled Grumpy a hug. "Thank you so much."
Grumpy frowned. "Uh, ok. You're welcome, I guess? Don't know what I said, but..."
Belle waved her hand, dismissing his concerns. "What you said was perfect. I need to go see the man I love. I'm not going to let him ruin a potential amazing love story out of fear. The only thing I can do is talk to him, rationally and calmly. Thank you so much for your help, Grumpy." Belle grabbed her cloak from her chair, slipping it around her shoulders. "I hope you mend things with Nova."
Belle left the tavern, leaving a confused Grumpy behind.
Regina finally tracked down her mother. Before she had left the Dark Castle, she had grabbed one of her mother's abandoned hair brushes. Thank goodness for Rumpelstiltskin's lessons, otherwise Regina, without the Dark One's help, would have had serious trouble.
She was standing before a stone cottage, close by the sea. The cottage was a little more humble than Regina thought her mother would have used, but she guessed Cora didn't have much time to find an abandoned mansion.
Regina made her way up the stone path, reaching the wood door. Everything was eerily silent. No neighbors around to make noise. The cottage itself didn't make a sound. Even the ocean was still. She hesitated before using an opening spell to enter the cottage.
Regina knew something was instantly wrong. Her mother wouldn't just leave her door wide open for anyone to enter. She would have warded against any intruders that could use magic. So why did she make it so easy for Regina to enter?
She wants me to come inside, Regina thought. The safer plan was to leave right away, but Regina was determined to stop her mother from hurting anyone else. Regina just hoped that Rumpelstiltskin's lessons were enough.
Regina took a step inside, her shoes clicking on the hardwood. The cottage was only filled with a small table and a few chairs. Everywhere else was sparse and extremely dusty.
"Mother," Regina called out, waiting, her back to the open door. No one answered. She had a moment's thought that her tracking spell had been faulty, but she knew that wasn't the case. Her tracking spell had worked. Cora was just playing a game.
"Mother, I know you are here," Regina spoke again, crossing her arms over her chest. "Stop hiding. I'm not leaving."
The open door suddenly slammed shut behind her. Regina whirled around, but only saw the solid oak door.
"Hello, Regina," said a voice behind her.
Regina quickly turned back around to face her mother, nose to nose. She almost flinched backwards at how close Cora was standing.
Cora smiled, delighted to see her daughter. "Have you come to help me, daughter?" She backed away slightly.
Regina relaxed a little at the space. "I'm not here to help you, Cora. I'm here to stop you."
Cora tilted her head in confusion. "Stop me from what? I'm not hurting anyone."
Regina scoffed. "Not right now, but I know you are taking revenge against Rumpelstiltskin. I know you want to be more powerful than him. If you succeed, how many people would you hurt before someone became the Dark One again? I won't let you hurt anyone. Rumpelstiltskin or Belle."
Cora flinched at the young woman's name. "Belle. That little bitch. She ruined everything for me. If it wasn't for her, Rumpelstiltskin would still love me. I would still have the power of the Dark One on my side."
Regina laughed, shocked. "She didn't ruin your life, Cora. You did it all on your own when you tried to control the Dark One with his own dagger. Rumpelstiltskin was the one to toss you aside, not Belle."
"Semantics, daughter." Cora's lips twitched, as she began to pace the small room. "So, you've come to stop me. How are you going to do that again?"
Regina lifted up her hand, a fireball enclosed in her fist. "With this." She threw the fireball straight at her mother's expensive gown, but Cora blocked the hit with a protection spell. The spell encompassed her within a force field.
Cora threw her head back and laughed, wicked, taunting. "Is that all you've got, Regina? You're seriously trying to kill me?"
Regina grimaced. "I don't want to kill you. I want you locked up for the rest of your life. The only way for me to do that is to incapacitate you." Regina stumbled as her mother threw a gust of wind her way. Regina quickly countered by bringing her right hand up, and using the air to choke Cora. She wasn't using enough force to kill her mother, just enough to stop her.
Cora scrambled at her throat, until she finally dropped to the ground. Regina forced herself to let go of her magic. Once she did, Cora dragged in a staggering breath.
"Good, Regina. I'm so proud," Cora chuckled, her throat still rasping. "But naughty girls need to be punished."
Regina frowned at the words, but before she could respond, Cora pushed her hands into the wood floor. Regina felt the earth begin to shake, and she fell backward as a plank of wood was unleashed from its nails and hit her in the knee.
She felt her backside hit the ground, stunned, losing her breath from the fall. She winced as she struggled onto her palms, and frowned as Cora managed to stand upright.
Before Regina could say or do anything, Cora plunged her hand into her daughter's chest.
Regina gasped as she felt her mother's fist wrap around her heart. She turned her eyes to look directly into her mother's face, shocked.
"I don't want to kill you, Regina. I just want to incapacitate you."
Regina grimaced at her own words used against her.
Cora smiled and whispered an incantation. Regina couldn't make out what it was, but she instantly felt drowsy. Her eyelids drooped, and she slumped against the ground, all the energy leaving her body.
She barely had enough consciousness to register Cora's last words.
"Oh, daughter. What have you done?"
Cora laughed as she thought of her daughter. Regina was so silly, thinking she could take down her own more powerful mother.
Cora was on a mission, but first, she needed a little help.
She entered a worn down, old tavern, seeing many a desolate man sitting inside. Her gaze focused on a familiar looking man. The Sheriff of Nottingham if she remembered correctly.
"What are you doing so far away from home?" Cora asked the man as she took a seat across from him.
"Robin Hood. Put me out of business," the man grumbled into his cup.
Cora tsked. "Bad luck. What if I could tell you that things will change for the better?"
The Sheriff glanced up from his mead, wonder in his eyes. "What could you do for me?" His gaze turned sly as his eyes roved over her body.
Cora rolled her eyes in disgust. "Not that, young man." When he began to frown again, Cora spoke. "What about money? Power?"
Now the Sheriff looked much more interested. "How much money?"
Cora waved a hand. "We'll discuss that later. For now, I need you to help me with someone."
Belle was thankful for the light of day. She wasn't so lucky to get a ride as she was when leaving the Dark Castle. She knew it would be at least a day by walking before she made it back to Rumpelstiltskin.
She wrapped her cloak around her shoulders tighter, her blue dress swishing against her ankles. She really wished she was wearing more sensible shoes. Her brown heels were perfect for cleaning around the castle, but not for walking on dirt roads for long miles.
Belle was excited and nervous to see Rumpel. She shouldn't have walked away. He had been so convincing in his hate-filled words that Belle had believed him in her pain. With her new perspective, she would discover if Rumpel had been telling the truth or not. She didn't belong to a deal any longer. She could go anywhere and everywhere as long as she pleased.
She knew traveling these roads by herself was potentially dangerous. She should have asked for help back at the tavern. In her new realization, she hadn't been thinking clearly.
It seems you have been doing that a lot lately, Belle thought to herself.
She squared her shoulders, deciding, in that moment, to stop feeling guilty or upset. She would return to Rumpel, determined and looking for answers.
As she continued walking down a dirt road, she heard horse hooves pounding on the earth. She turned around to see a carriage pull up beside her.
Belle instantly felt her guard raise, as she took a step back away from the carriage. Her heart started to race, not sure what was happening.
When the door to the carriage opened, Belle felt her heart freeze.
Cora stepped out, patting the neck of one of the horses to calm the animal.
Belle instantly reached for her protection amulet, holding on to it tightly. She reached out a hand to steady herself, and remembered the one defensive spell Nova had taught her. She kept repeating the words inside her mind as Cora walked closer.
"Don't be afraid, little one. I'm only here to hurt you." At her joke, Cora laughed, maniacal and ugly.
"Stay back," Belle said, shakily, still holding out a hand.
Cora seemed to find the younger woman's words hilarious for she began laughing again. "I will not. I'm getting my revenge on Rumpelstiltskin, darling. And you're the first step to that. I'll also be able to hurt you in the process, so it's really a win-win situation for me."
Belle clutched her amulet tighter in her fists. "You can't hurt me. Rumpelstiltskin made it so."
Cora tapped her chin, pretending to think. "That little amulet only protects you against dark magic intent to harm. It does nothing against brute strength."
Belle frowned in confusion when she felt a pair of strong hands clasp her shoulders. She gasped and turned around to see a familiar looking man.
"The Sheriff was more than happy when I told him I needed help taking you," Cora said, smirking.
Belle struggled in the larger man's grasp. He pulled her painfully against his chest. She turned pleading eyes to Cora.
"What are you going to do to me?"
Cora shrugged. "Maybe let the 'nice' Sheriff have his way with you."
Belle's eyes widened, as the man behind her chuckled. "Please don't," Belle begged. "Let me go."
Cora frowned. "Now why would I do that?"
Belle could feel the Sheriff's breath against her neck. It was absolutely disgusting. In that moment, Belle knew she had two options. She could lay down and let Cora and the Sheriff hurt her, or she could make Nova proud and fight back.
Belle felt her hands tingle as she focused on the defensive spell Nova taught her. She couldn't lift her hands since the Sheriff was holding her arms down, but she angled her palms to face the man's legs. She pushed the magic from her body, and breathed a sigh of relief when the Sheriff's hold fell slack. Belle wriggled her way out of his hold and began to run.
Cora stared in shocked anger as Belle ran away. She shook herself out of her amazement and used a spell to place herself directly in front of the young woman.
Belle gasped, stopping abruptly.
"You're not getting away from me, little girl," Cora spat out. She nodded her head at the Sheriff behind Belle.
Before Belle could turn around, she felt something hit the back of her skull, causing a searing pain enter behind her eyes. She felt her body slump to the ground as she couldn't keep her eyes open any longer.
She lost consciousness.
The Sheriff grinned, greedily. "Can I have her now?"
Cora cut him a disgust filled look. "No. You'd take too long, and I need to take her now."
"Bu-" the Sheriff sputtered, "what about my money?"
Cora rolled her eyes. "You really think I was going to give you what you wanted? You're not worth my time." With those words, she snapped her fingers and Belle and herself disappeared, leaving a fuming Sheriff behind.
Zelena kept her distance from Rumpelstiltskin all day. He just sat around his spinning wheel looking glum anyway. Zelena had tried to comfort him, but he just snapped and told her to leave.
Zelena was not going to listen.
She had her mother's list of spells in her hand as she subtly walked to the front entrance. She stood before the door and whispered the unlocking spell Cora had given her to use. Cora's elemental magic touched into the earth in ways Rumpel's internal magic would never be able to do. Her mother wasn't as strong as the Dark One yet, but Cora could use spells Rumpelstiltskin would never think of. In the meantime, as her strength grew, Cora would use the power of subtly.
It would take some time before Rumpelstiltskin noticed anything different. It was a good thing Belle had left. Rumpelstiltskin was extremely distracted.
Her mother would be able to walk right on in the Dark Castle and torture Rumpelstiltskin.
Zelena quickly went to her room and sent a fire message to her mother, letting her know that she had succeeded. Hopefully her mother would be proud.
Rumpelstiltskin was having a bad day.
His straw kept getting tangled in his spinning wheel. The 'true love' potion he was working on was not turning into, well, true love. Zelena wouldn't leave him the hell alone.
And Belle was gone.
He wrenched his new gold thread from the wheel, viciously. He needed to stop thinking of her blue eyes and the way they would light up when she discussed books. Or the way her long, brown hair would shine in the light coming in from the open windows. Ever since she tried opening the drapes, he hadn't had the desire to see them closed again. Not until she left, that was. Now he was surrounded in darkness, just the way life was supposed to be, he figured. The Dark One wasn't supposed to know 'light.'
It had been a week since she'd left, and he couldn't stop thinking of her. Really, he was irritating himself, acting like a love sick fool, but that was exactly what he was. A love sick fool that fucked everything up.
He shook his head as he continued spinning straw into gold at a faster rate. The basket by his feet was quickly overflowing.
He had acted stupidly and rashly. Belle had just kept pushing and pushing. He had snapped and told her a lie that would forever haunt him. You are acting delusional. I want you gone. Just leave.
Why did he do that? Well, he knew the answer. He was a coward, a beast that had no self-worth and ruined everything he touched. He didn't even have the courage to go and find her and tell her the truth. He was too afraid to lose his magic and power that he allowed the best thing that had ever happened to him slip through his scaly fingers.
He sighed in disgust at himself, when Zelena entered the room.
"Don't talk to me, dearie. I don't think I'll be able to take your whining for attention any longer. I'm getting a headache."
Zelena looked insulted, but stood her ground any way. "I'm not here to whine." She paused, realizing what she had said. She shook her head and continued speaking. "I'm here to tell you my mother is coming."
Rumpelstiltskin frowned, pausing in his work. "Cora can't enter here. I have a protection spell to prevent that from happening. Don't speak lies, dearie. They're not becoming on someone your age." He laughed at his own joke, while also recognizing the complete hypocrisy in his statement.
Zelena huffed, crossing her arms. "I'm telling the truth, Rumpel. My mother-"
"Is here." Cora strode into the room, hands upon her hips.
Rumpelstiltskin stood up quickly, shock blooming across his features.
Cora chuckled. "It's not every day you surprise the infamous Dark One." She placed a hand over her heart. "I'm truly a wonder." She pointed a finger at his face. "As I can tell from your expression, you're wondering how I got into your precious castle." She placed her arms around Zelena's shoulders. "My favorite daughter helped me. I gave her an elemental spell that would counter your internal magic. Of course, I couldn't open your protection spell from the outside, so I snuck a spell to Zelena, and she did the rest. How thoughtful of her, don't you think?"
Rumpelstiltskin clenched his fists. "Give me one reason, dearie, as to why I should not hurt you within the next second?"
Before Cora had time to open her mouth, Rumpelstiltskin already had a choke hold of magic around Cora and Zelena's throats.
"I thought," Zelena gasped, "that," gasp, "you would...give, ugh, us a moment to," gasp, "explain."
Rumpelstiltskin chuckled. "I said I would give you a second to explain and I did. You didn't answer fast enough. Tsk, tsk. Shame on you."
Cora chuckled herself around his choke hold. "You were always," gasp, " a stickler for details."
Rumpelstiltskin smiled. "This is the best thing that has happened to me in a long time. I get to kill you," he pointed at Cora. "...And I get to kill you," he directed his gaze to Zelena.
Zelena gasped again, not from pain but from indignation. "What...have I...done to you?" she rasped out through her teeth.
"You're annoying, that's what you have done," Rumpel shrugged. At Zelena's hurt expression, Rumpel spoke again. "It's just the truth, dearie. You'll get over it."
"Because... I'll be dead," Zelena said.
"Well, when you put it like that..." he trailed off. He tightened his grips on each of their throats, when Cora managed to utter a few words.
"Wouldn't you like to know," she raggedly said through her constricted throat, "what happened to your precious maid?"
Rumpelstiltskin didn't loosen his grip. "You don't know anything." Though he couldn't ignore the pain that went through him at the mention of his previous caretaker.
Cora managed to nod. "I do. I'm not the one who spends all my time locked away in a castle. Really, Rumpel, you sound like a fairytale princess."
He tightened his grip again, narrowing his eyes.
Cora realized her poor choice of words and tried to reroute the conversation. "I know what happened, Rumpel. Let me at least tell you before you kill me. I'll take pleasure in it."
"Well, see, now I don't want you to tell me at all. If it makes you happy, then I'd much rather kill you now."
"So you didn't hear how her father shunned her when she returned home?" Cora scratched at her neck, trying to find air again.
Rumpelstiltskin hesitated. He knew he shouldn't listen to Cora, but he never thought rationally when it came to Belle.
He slowly loosened his grip on the magic, but still used enough to keep both women in place. They just wouldn't sound like they were suffocating. The sound of their rasping throats were really annoying.
"What about Belle?" Rumpelstiltskin demanded.
Cora nodded her head, a sly look in her eyes. "She returned home. Regina happened to hear a few men discussing the poor tale of the noble lady down by the docks. Regina came to find me and related to me the whole conversation. Belle finally was able to be with her father again, but he just couldn't accept her presence anymore. He wasn't sure how much you had tainted her. She lost all marriage prospects, especially when her 'dear' betrothed went missing. No one will have her."
Rumpelstiltskin couldn't help the hopeful note enter his voice. "So she needs a...home?"
Cora laughed, causing Rumpel to narrow his eyes. "She doesn't need a home. Once her father deemed her 'tainted,' she was forced into a tower and was tortured with scourges and flange. Apparently there was also an incident involving leeches. I can't remember all the details. Anyway," she waved a dismissive hand, "the delicate creature couldn't handle the pain any longer."
"What happened to her?" Rumpelstiltskin demanded, lessening his grip even more. He didn't realize he was doing it, but Cora definitely did. She tried not to smirk at the lost expression on the Dark One's face.
Cora shrugged. "She flung herself off the tower." Rumpelstiltskin jerked his head, not understanding. "She died," Cora elaborated.
Rumpelstiltskin dropped his hands and his magic with them. Both Cora and Zelena shared a triumphant expression between each other.
"You're lying," he said softly, feeling his chest squeeze painfully.
Cora lifted an eyebrow. "Am I, Rumpel? If you try to find her back home, you won't. She's not there. Her body was apparently cremated. And besides, like her father would let you see her tombstone. He probably hates you even more than he did before. Not only did you take his daughter, but you killed her as well."
Rumpelstiltskin knew he should plunge his hand into Cora's chest and rip out her heart. He wanted to, but he felt his entire world closing in on him. He could hardly move, he was in so much shock and pain.
All my fault, he thought. She's dead.
There was a small part of him that registered that Cora could be lying just to spite him, but her story was so convincing. He didn't know what to believe. If Belle was really dead...he didn't know what he would do. He lost his son, his wife. Now he was losing his little maid.
"We're done," he managed to say. "Just leave." All the fight had left his body.
Cora had accomplished what she had set out to achieve. She had power over Rumpelstiltskin. In his despair, she was leaving the victor.
She nodded at Zelena to walk with her. Right before Cora stepped outside the door, she wiped a finger down the long dining table. She lifted her finger to inspect it. "The place is getting a little dusty, Rumpel. You should really get a new maid."
With those words, she left the castle with Zelena in tow.
Rumpelstiltskin sat in his laboratory, staring at the vial of 'true love' he finally finished assembling. It held a piece of Snow White and Prince Charming's hair. Rumpelstiltskin hated the site of it. It just reminded him of the love he'd lost.
The one you purposefully let go, his subconscious murmured. He also hated the sound of that.
He knew he'd fucked his life over, but losing Belle was too much. Cora had only delivered the news a week ago. It had been two full weeks since he had seen Belle, and he would never see her again.
She took all her belongings with her when she initially left, so there was no way for him to track her, hopefully disproving Cora's claim of her death.
However, Rumpelstiltskin couldn't get the nagging thought out of his mind that Belle was really and truly gone from him forever.
He grabbed the potion, clenching it in his fist. He wanted to smash the tiny vial, see it in pieces on his floor. He knew though, that it would come in handy one day. He didn't know how, but he just knew. He had a plan.
Actually, that day came sooner than he thought.
He could feel the presence of an unwanted visitor in his castle. He frowned, snapping his fingers so he was standing within his foyer.
Prince Charming stood facing him, sword drawn.
The Dark One rolled his eyes. "What do you want, dearie? I helped you get your princess back to normal. You have love, happiness. What more could you want?"
"I need to make a deal," Charming stated grandly.
Rumpel snorted. "Again? You just made one, what, a month ago? You can't tell me your future bride is in trouble again."
When Charming hesitated, Rumpelstiltskin sighed. "What is it this time, dearie? Memory loss? Poison? She isn't dying, is she?"
"No," Charming shook his head vigorously. "Snow...can't have children," he said softly.
"Ah, so that's what this is about. Well, you're just in luck. I happen to have a potion that can help with infertility." With a swish of his hand, Rumpelstiltskin produced a vial of a white and grey liquid.
Charming hesitantly grabbed the potion. "This will help?" he asked, doubtfully.
Rumpelstiltskin just stared at him. "Of course it will help, princeling. I am the Dark One after all. If it doesn't work, you can have your money back, guarantee."
"Truly?"
"No. Are you not listening? I'm the Dark One. My spells always work. Now, you must do something for me in return."
Charming sighed. "I expected. What do you want from me?"
"This." Rumpelstiltskin produced his 'true love' vial and presented it grandly before himself. The minute he had seen Charming standing in his foyer, Rumpel knew what to do with his potion.
Charming eyed it speculatively. "What is it?"
Rumpelstiltskin held it gently, looking at the purple substance inside the vial. "The most powerful magic in the world. True love."
When Charming reached for the potion, Rumpelstiltskin pulled it away, tsking at the man.
"Careful, dearie. This is all I have of it. It's not much, as you can see." The purple substance didn't even reach half of the glass.
Charming stated incredulously at the magi. "You? What do you know of true love?"
The shock in his voice pained Rumpel. He thought of Belle's beautiful face, her positive energy, her belief that he wasn't a monster. He'd had true love and he squandered it away.
Thinking of Belle while standing before Charming made a spike of irritation flare through Rumpel's body. "Well not so much as you, perhaps, but not so little as you might think."
The shocked expression on Charming's face grew even more. "You? You love someone?"
Charming was really starting to piss him off. Was it so difficult to believe he could love?
Maybe it was though. Being a coward made it difficult, he supposed.
Rumpelstiltskin felt the melancholy of losing Belle wash over him as he spoke. "It was a flicker of light amidst an ocean of darkness." Now he only resided in darkness. He would never experience Belle's light again.
At Rumpel's jaded tone, Charming's expression morphed from shock to one of pity. "What happened?"
"She died," the Dark One said, bluntly. He wasn't going to say more about her. It hurt too much. He snapped himself out of thoughts of Belle and got back to business. "The thing about true love, dearie, is that it can slip through your fingers within an instant. It's the most powerful magic in the world, and I want you to keep it protected."
"How?' Charming asked as Rumpelstiltskin placed the vial within a container that resembled an egg. The younger man jumped when Rumpelstiltskin threw the egg towards him.
"By hiding it in the belly of the beast, of course." At Charming's confused expression, Rumpel spoke. "Have you ever heard of Maleficent? I have a feeling that this potion will remain safe until it needs to be retrieved again. I need you to place this vial inside the dragon's belly. That simple."
Charming's mouth fell open. "I need to...what?"
Rumpel sighed. "Put the vial inside Maleficent's stomach," he said much slower. "I gave you what you needed, now do this in exchange."
Before Charming could object, he snapped his fingers, causing Charming to disappear.
When he was alone again, he thought of their conversation. Belle's light was gone, and he was surrounded in darkness.
He was truly alone.
Belle slowly woke from a sea of blackness. She opened her eyes, staring at her surroundings. She was inside a cell, within a dungeon. When she moved her arms, she felt shackles around her wrists. Belle knew she hadn't been in this room before. Cora had kept her locked within a different room, strapped to a table for the past two weeks. Cora would try new spells on her, ones that the evil woman had not perfected yet. Belle was covered in bruises and dried blood. Cora was very much adept at torture. Belle had no energy left. She didn't know how to escape. She was alone and scared.
All she wanted was to be free and see Rumpelstiltskin again. She was tired of only hearing Cora and her own voice within her mind, trying to keep her strong through Cora's torture. The voice sounded a lot like her mother.
"Belle," a groggy voice called out, softly.
Belle jerked, not expecting to hear someone else. She sat up on her elbows and glanced across her cell, through the dark, to see a girl in another cell, her own wrists shackled.
Belle squinted, finally recognizing the young woman. "Regina," she gasped. Belle sat upright even more, and crawled over to the bars, wrapping her fists around the iron. "Are you all right?"
Regina nodded, leaning against a wall, no effort like Belle. "As good as you probably are. She's torturing us, Belle. My damn mother."
Belle's grip on the iron tightened. "Where are we, Regina? How do we get out?"
Regina shrugged. "I'm not sure. We might be underneath the cottage my mother had fled to, but I think it's too small to have a dungeon underneath. As to how we get out...I don't know." Regina tapped the iron bars. "Magic doesn't work. I don't know how to escape. I'm sorry. I tried." Regina was on the verge of crying, her throat beginning to choke with tears.
"It's all right, Regina. You tried." Belle tried to keep the panic out of her voice. Since Regina continued sniffling, Belle figured she hadn't succeeded.
Just then, both girls jerked towards the right of a hallway, as a door opened and closed.
They could only hear heels clicking on the cement floor, as a light came down into view.
Belle's mouth went dry when she saw Cora step into the light. She smirked, evil, villainous.
"Hello, girls. We have a lot to discuss, don't we?"
DUN, DUN, DUN! That ain't good.
Also, "A flicker of light amidst an ocean of darkness," is one of my favorite lines in all of OUAT dialogue history, just a little fact.
Upcoming: Belle and Regina try to escape, Rumpel comes to a conclusion, and Cora continues being a colossal bitch.