Chapter 12
Belle is scared. She has tried many times, calling out for him, begging for him to rescue her. She does not understand why he does not come.
Huddled in a ball in a remote corner of the castle, she is staring morosely out the window. The last thing she remembers is that cell in Regina's castle. And then she woke up here, in this strange, damp castle, surrounded by dozens of strange people.
Belle would like nothing more than to escape, to run wild into the forest, but when she tries she was stopped by several burly looking guards. For her safety, she was told. The Enchanted Forest wasn't what it used to be. Which doesn't make any sense at all; aside from the wreckage in the castle, the forest looks relatively unchanged. Granted, she's never been in this part of the forest before, as Rumple's castle had been in a completely different area.
Ever since the disappearance of someone named Emma, the entire castle has been on lockdown. No one is allowed out, except for certain approved groups. Mostly hunters or people doing castle repairs.
Belle can tell that some time has passed. The way that people talk, their strange appearances. Like everybody is a different version of themselves. Including herself. She looks down at her clothes in distaste. What happened to the dress she had been wearing at Regina's castle? This paper thin gown is hardly comfortable.
Strangely enough, nobody looks as though they've aged very much. From time to time, as she wonders around the castle, dazed, she hears people bring up "the curse" and "Storybrooke". She keeps hearing things about people losing their Storybrooke memories. What's Storybrooke? Lose memories? Is that what happened? Is that why many people are acting so weird? It's like they've lose their identities.
She doesn't understand why everyone is being so ridiculously vague! It's so frustrating. Half the people seem as confused as she does, and the other half gives her the same ambiguous excuses, such as earthquake. The weirdest thing is that of the people who know something, they seem astonished by her questions. She's heard people stare at her, murmuring things like "she remembers" or "she has her memory back". It's almost like they don't expect her to know who she is. Weird. Belle has no idea what they are talking about.
These people are nice enough; yet she cannot help but feel unsettled. She knows none of them yet they seem to know everything about her. The only person she truly trusts is Grumpy. Or, as many call him, Leroy. But she can tell that even he is hiding something from her.
That woman, Regina. Same cold, unforgiving sneer. Same coal black eyes. Belle is glad to find that she is not alone in her distrust and fear of this woman. As she wanders the castle, she sees many people throw the Evil Queen dirty looks. Weirdly though, this woman does not immediately kill them with her magic spells as Belle expects. She just ignores them.
It's Regina and that man, David, who know something. Judging by the strange looks they exchanged when she asked them about Rumple, they know more than they are letting on. She would press them further, but they are preoccupied with finding someone named Henry. And more recently, Emma.
There is a niggling doubt inside that he hasn't answered her desperate calls, come to stop her heartbreaking sobs, because he does not love her anymore. That she's really and truly ruined things. But Belle refuses to believe that. He didn't come for her when she trapped in Regina's because of the Evil Queen's many cloaking devices. No, he's still looking for her. Belle believes deep in her heart that eventually, he will find her. Even in this new place.
Belle wanders down the hall, her fingers lingering on the cold stone walls, tracing the cracks along the wall. She would've preferred to stay in the solitude of the room she's claimed as hers, but her gnawing hunger got the best of her. She heads toward the room where food is kept and is about to go inside when she hears loud, arguing voices. Intrigued, she slips behind a column to listen.
There is a tall, worried looking man who is pleading with David. Belle is startled to see that in just a few short weeks, David seems to have aged several decades, appearing worn out and overly stressed.
"Please." He appears to be begging. "I've already lost my son."
David peruses the man strangely. "Are you sure that's the only reason?"
Belle studies David's suddenly defensive stance. She's already figured that David and Regina are the leaders of this place, but David's expression conveys the fact that this Emma is someone he really cares about.
The man nods quickly. A little too quickly, in Belle's opinion. "Absolutely. I mean, I do still care for her, but come on man. I'm engaged." As if for good measure, he holds up his hand.
"No." David says firmly. "I will not risk the safety of anyone else, Neal. Who knows what else is out there?"
"I can protect myself." Neal insists. "Come on. You said so yourself yesterday that you'd go look for her if it wasn't for your wife."
"I already have a group looking." David argues. "Including Ruby, who should be able to sniff out Emma's path in no time."
"Still. It'd be better if I go." Neal says petulantly. "I know Emma. I know which way she'd go. What possible actions she might take. And I know this place better than she does." His voice softens. "I know you're her father. But I care about her too."
One of the things Belle has always been good at reading people, and she can tell by Neal's body language and desperate demeanor that there is something going on. Though he insists that this is purely platonic, Belle has the sense that he is not a hundred percent truthful. This Emma is clearly somehow important to him.
Like maybe he still has feelings for her? And the way David looked at Neal. Almost like a stern father glaring at his daughter's boyfriend. Or maybe ex since he has a fiancée?
Which is quite strange. David appears quite young, which means that Emma is probably really little. So how would Neal be her boyfriend?
"Besides." Neal continues. "She might be able to help."
"How so?" Regina pipes up. "I'm sure Ms. Swan is an excellent fighter, but we have an endless supply of those around here." She says dismissively.
"Emma has magic." Neal answers. "Wait…you didn't know?" He turns to David. "You never told her?"
"Well…no." David says. "It never came up."
Regina rolls her eyes. "Doesn't surprise me. Product of true love and all." Her voice drips with sarcasm.
"And Gold did say that she'd be pretty powerful." David sighs and turns to look at Regina. "I guess it couldn't hurt?"
"No." Regina agrees. Her voice causes goosebumps to flare on Belle's arms; she can't help it but she will always be a little scared of the Evil Queen. "I suppose it couldn't. And it would give us more time to think about Henry." Her voice cracks at the last word.
Belle has had enough; this seems like an overly personal conversation and she can come for food later. She slips out and crashes straight into somebody.
"Oh! Sorry! I didn't see you there." Belle apologizes immediately. "A-are you ok?"
"It's fine. My fault." A small, dark skinned woman smiles. Her smile does not quite reach her eyes, which Belle is startled to find are quite cold. As cold as a snake's. "I was just on my way to find Neal."
Neal. "Ah, so I take it you're the fiancée."
"I am." The woman replies. "Do you know him? Neal?"
"Me?" Belle points at herself. "Oh, no. I just overheard him talking with that man. David? He was saying something about going to find someone named Emma."
"Really?" Something in the woman's eyes shift. She seems almost…happy? Happy that Neal's leaving?
"Yeah." Belle says. "Do you know anything about that?"
"I did." The woman says smoothly. "In fact…I was just going to say goodbye."
Huh. Belle would've sworn that this woman hadn't known. Something about her seems insincere.
"Well, guess you're gonna miss him." Belle comments.
"Of course I will." The woman says simply. "Well, bye." As she leaves, there is a disquieting smile on her face that sends a chill down Belle's spine. She thinks she hears the woman whisper "jackpot" to herself.
Odd.Belle thinks to herself. Why would this woman be happy about her fiancée leaving? Especially to find his ex?
There is something sinister going on with this woman, and Belle is determined to find out what.
