Author's Note: Well I saw the first episode, so far I guessed Regina stormed out of the Dinner! I'm kidding I loved it and hope to see more next Sunday! Well here is next chapter (I think if weird to update on Wednesday but its the only time I can), I finished this chapter last Friday but was unable to update 'cause classes are driving me crazy! At least I'm thru with exams!
When Elsa finally got to the entrance, she felt exhausted, she hadn't slept more than a couple of hours and it was almost eight, she had a long day ahead of her. She was considering weather to knock or just come in. She knew Emma was not a morning person and Regina was probably tired, so she took her chances expecting everyone to be asleep and step in as quietly as possible just to be caught as soon as she had closed the door.
"Elsa!" exclaimed Henry running towards, hugging her. Two hugs in one day and it wasn't even 8 a.m. she was making up for the lost time.
"My gosh, where were you?" asked Emma equally concerned. "You are a mess, you have branches in your hair and you are all dirty, what happened?"
"I just fell in the hill" she let go of Henry's embrace
"Care to explain what where you doing out at the middle of the night?" asked Regina
"I needed fresh air and a change of scenery" she looked at their expressions "I didn't thought it would upset you this much"
"Well you did left a note alongside the phone, the device is supposed to be with you wherever you go"
"I didn't wished to be followed"
"We won't if you ask us not to, but we need to know where you are, what is something bad had happened to you? or if someone had found you and tried to harm you?"
"I can fight back"
"Hardly" said Regina "You might consider yourself a bigger danger than you are. You have a great power, but not the tools to use it correctly, you are still an easy target"
"I thought training was to help me with it"
"And it is, but until you are completely in control and centered, you are still in-and a- danger. There is people that will try to hurt you without hesitation, but you are never going to mean harm to them, and they will take that as an advantage. Is not a weakness, no, but your kindness won't save you all the time and if you get wound or killed, then it is of our concern, understood?"
Elsa inspected the woman for a couple of seconds and nodded wordlessly, she was going to refute, but she saw authentic preoccupation in her eyes.
"Well, don't you have an appointment with Belle? You better take a shower and prepare yourself" scolded Regina.
"I'll get you some clean clothes" said Emma making her walk up the stairs. "Henry, get her a towel will you?" her mom asked as she was left alone with Regina. "I though you said that…she was a grown up, that she could handle herself and wander off"
"So? I didn't say at the middle of the night"
"You worried"
"I'm the mayor, if the town people got a held of her they would make her pay"
"Come on, that's not it. You are fond of the kid, aren't you?"
"Henry cares for her, and if my son does, so do I"
"That was mother instincts kicking in. Reproaching the kid and sending her away"
"Please Miss Swan, I bet you got more important cases to attend at the Sheriff Station"
"Yeah, you might be right, not as entertaining as in here, but I got work to do" she checked the hour "I will get her settle, care to drive her to the Dinner?"
"I'll see if she needs a ride"
"Good" she climbed up the stair getting the clean clothes from the bag. Knocking twice at the door, it opened as Elsa hesitated in the inside. "Ok, so" she came in pointing at the shower "the handles make the water run, left is warm and right is…" she considered it for a second "Why am I telling you this? Cold doesn't trouble you. Anyways, there is soap and a hairbrush and here is your clean clothes, I will get you another pair of shoes, those are a mess"
"Thank you"
"Just thanks"
"Pardon?"
Emma smiled "You are too proper, you can say just thanks and drop the manners once in a while, that won't kill you and if you want to blend in, then you will need it"
"Um, ok? Thanks" she shrugged a shoulder.
"Good try" she smiled and closed the door behind her going for a pair of shoes, preferably tennis, since heels in the snow were a bad combination.
After a while, she went to the door again when she didn't heard the water running "Are you all done?" She asked from the outside
"Yes" she opened as Elsa was brushing her hair in front of the mirror with no steam; she was dressed in the clean clothes.
"Wow, you have pretty long hair"
"Anna said we could be Rapunzel's cousins" she smiled starting to braid it.
"Don't you want to wear it down?"
"I'm not big in changes" that was not completely the truth, she did changed a lot in just a couple of minutes, from her coronation outfit to her ice dress, but she liked the little details that resembled her how things were back home; braiding her hair was one of them.
"Ok, then, you ready to go to the Dinner? Regina could give you a drive there"
"I would rather walk" she said taking the tennis getting prepared.
"I know she can give a hard time, but she cares" Emma looked at her eyes thru the reflection.
"I'm aware, but still, walking there could give me some time to clear my mind, if I have to face The Dark One's wife, I would preferably think how to defend my posture and argument before verbal aggressions can take place"
"Remember, less formal, but whatever, Belle speaks pretty much like you" she thought it over "you two probably could get along, you are alike"
"Besides our love for books and perhaps tea I don't see the alikeness"
"She likes tea alright" mocked Emma "Anyways, is fifteen 'till eight, if you are sure you want to walk you better get going"
"Yes, I'm ready" she stood up walking to the exit in her company "I will see you after the meeting"
"Take the phone" said Emma "We won't interfere, promise, but we need to locate you" she gave it to her "But maybe we will stop by to get lunch there"
"No eavesdrop?"
"I…can almost assure you that there won't be any, but the Dinner is pretty much the gossip place in this town, keep low profile and no one will overhear you"
"I meant you"
"Ow. No I won't spy"
"Alright" she took the phone "I will be back in…a couple of hours" she looked to the blue sky and white horizon taking a deep breath.
She exhaled unevenly gazing down at her hands resting in the table. The woman in front of her hadn't stop starring since she had entered. Belle was quiet just waiting for Elsa to say something, to explain herself, but maybe she should be fair and ask what she wanted to hear out of her.
Ruby walked to them bringing breakfast even though they hadn't order. She served two plates of pancakes, an inner joke with Belle and the only familiar thing for Elsa.
"Here you go" she put them in front of both "You want something to drink?"
"What is in the morning menu today?" asked Belle.
"Well hot cocoa is popular lately"
"Chocolate" mumbled Elsa to herself "I would love one. Thank you" she spoke directly to Ruby with familiarity, something that took aback Belle.
"Um, the same thing, please" she gave the menu back for her to take when she noticed her wrist "w-what happened to you" she grabbed her hand turning it around.
"I…" she looked at the worried eyes of Elsa; remorse was written all over her face "I fell in the woods, you know, running around and wolftime, I guess I was so eager I didn't watch my step"
"That doesn't sound like you"
"Well, appearances can be deceiving" the message was for both of them "I will heal by tonight, Belle, no worries" she said lightening the mood "Your drinks will be right up" she smiled at Belle and looked encouraging towards Elsa.
As soon as she left, the silence came back, it was uncomfortable for both, but there was no way to start this conversation.
Belle finally took her fork and knife "Well, better start eating or its going to get cold" as soon as she realized her choice of words, her head snapped up in her direction to see if she had offended her by this "I mean-"
"No need for explanations" she said raising her hand up to stop her babbling looking thru the window "You are probably right, is going to get cold" she picked a napkin resting it in her lap as she picked her utensils.
Belle took a bite and then gazed at her "So, for how long have you known Rumple?"
"The Dark One?" she enquired "Not much. My parents were the ones that knew him, even before I was born, I don't know how or why, details were never given"
"Why did they turned to him?"
"They didn't" she said a bit offended "He…came to us" she pressed her fork tightly "He…I don't know, was drawn towards my power, I can't explain why, he just seemed deeply intrigued, I can even dare to say preoccupied"
"Did your parents ever agreed on a deal with him?"
Elsa though it over, and as her lips were going to let out a 'yes', she caught herself and shook "No"
But Belle had noticed "I can tell you are lying, Did they had a deal?" she persisted; maybe Elsa knew something that Rumple hadn't told her "Was it something they wouldn't dare to give?"
"I owe you none of my secrets" remarked Elsa coldly "My pa-father- told me he had done something unforgivable …for my own good. I have reasons to believe it involved The Dark One" another waitress dropped by giving them, their hot chocolate drinks.
"Thanks"
"Did…Rumple ever wanted you as an apprentice, like Regina, Cora or Zelena?"
"Why do I have a feeling you have talked to him and you are interrogating me to corroborate his story?"
It was Belle's turn to look down and avoid her gaze "I did" she glared at the ring in her finger "Look, I love him and I know he has done some serious wrong, but he is a changed man"
"If you are so sure about it, then why does it troubles you so much what I-a complete stranger-have to say in the matter?"
Belle couldn't answer, she had a point. She knew the best and worst of Rumple. He was a total beast at times, but he was also a gentleman, a fine lover, a caring man. He had killed and mourned his own loses. Belle finally took air to her lungs "I want to be mother of his child, but…when you said I shouldn't it scared me…because sometimes I still doubt his heart. I-I don't know if I can trust him, specially with such a big decision and…if he turns again to the man he used to be I…I wouldn't know what to do then"
Elsa stood silently, just sipping once at her drink and placing it down "So, you are not mad at what I said, you are mad that it might be true"
"Just what did he did for you to dislike him this much?" she asked a bit accelerated.
"To answer your previous question; yes. He did wanted me to learn from him and I was well aware I wouldn't be his first or last apprentice, still, my parents refused and…locked me in my room instead, they did it for the best, I was a danger and I come to terms with myself about the matter, but…" she though back "it didn't seemed like he wanted to teach me how to control my powers, he just wanted me in his eye sight. N-not in a romantic way, nevertheless not as a student either and when I learned about the truth of his son it made sense, he was a lonely man"
Belle knew that much was true; he felt alone "That's why you didn't trust him to be a parent again?"
"To try and fill the emptiness and do it right this time? One of the reasons yes"
"What's the other?"
"He…well, he had an offer to make me. More like a...warning. He was going to take care of my powers, but in return, he wanted my first born or my sister's first born, and there's when I could agree no further. I'm independent and seek for no man, but my sister" she smiled "have I seen true love glow thru her eyes? She loves him, for real this time. His kindness, his flaws, his oddness… I couldn't do that to her, I love her too much and have hurt her plenty too" her shoulders fell weakly "He said he would get the first born of either of us, one way or another, he was serious at the time and he sort of…offered the same deal the previous day as he did back then, but now, I am not naïve to walk in his web again"
"If you despise him that much, why did you asked for his help?" Belle was processing it all, but that question got stock on her head.
"My sister. She talked about having a life, a real one, because she was in someway trapped as me those 13 years. And when Kristoff came and asked if I would ever give him my blessing…I knew I couldn't be this Snow Queen any more. I wanted to be aunt to her children and for the first time, be her older sister. And perhaps, if I didn't have the powers, The Dark One wouldn't want me anymore. So I went to him, I…did it at everyone's back so when I came to him and told him all of this, he…got upset, disappointed I can't explain his reaction, and still, somehow he was pleased I had come to him. The trolls were unable to help me, he was the logical choice, the man that could do it all. All but this" she held her hand out " 'Born, not cursed, your magic is a part of you', but he made me believe he could so I agreed, but instead of fixing this, he just trapped me in a vase, because I had 'too much power for such a young sorceress, too many emotions, too childish, too repressed to be trusted' " she exhaled "All that could had been true, but the decision was mine to make and now…now I'm here, Odin know where in another time far away from home with no way of going back" she covered her face "I lost it all again. If I had been able to control this curse, I would still be in Arendelle, with my sister, my Kingdom in my time. Probably celebrating a wedding and for once in my life actually being happy" she sniffed a little composing herself "I thought I deserved that much, but if this is my punishment for all the wrong I have done, then is a merciful one"
Belle faintly smiled at her clearing her throat "So…that is the reason you don't trust him. Because he could ruin your sister's happiness as he…ruined yours"
"If he wants a son so bad he could take it away from someone I love then I don't think he deserves a son at all. He of all people should know how a lost feels, he shouldn't wish for another being to pass thru the same"
"You know…Balefire recently died...it devastated him. He might have lost him in another dimension back then, but he created this curse to find him and he did, but now he is gone…for real"
Elsa was perplex, sadness in her features "Balefire is dead?"
"You knew him?"
"N-no" she drove her eyes somewhere else "but…I know he was a kind boy…"
"And he grew up to be a fine man" Belle said proudly "He was Henry's father"
At that Elsa's shock was greatly shown "The Neal they talk about is Balefire?"
"Was; yes. Henry is his and Emma's"
"Yes, that makes perfect sense" she cleared her throat "That does make sense" she mumbled
Belle inspected her doubtfully, perhaps she wasn't being straight honest about Bae, but she had almost forcedly retrieved some information out of her, she could let that pass unnoticed. However, she had one more issue, she couldn't easily let go of.
"I just have one last question…" said quietly "Do you hate Rumple because…you feel he kind of took you away from your family?"
"Well, I was trapped in the vase away from Anna so…"
"I mean, when you were younger…did he wanted you that bad as an apprentice?"
"He was desperate, as I stated before but…my parents passing had nothing to do with it. They were going to a wedding or something, I can't recall correctly, but it was a shipwreck. As much as I dislike him, I can't adjudge him that much power over nature to wash them overboard" she felt the knot in her throat "it was when I turned 18, just in time for me to finish my studier within the 3 years and take the crown. Otherwise, my mother would had taken charge for longer"
"Yes" said Belle lightly feeling her heart strangulate. She knew now that Rumple had something to do with it, and the innocent girl had no clue; 'for the best' he said, how could it have been for the best? "So that pretty much clarified everything for me…so thank you for your time…"
Elsa looked at her and nodded laying back exhaling "I would just want you to know that…my motives to oppose have nothing to do with you at all, you just happened to be the…woman he fell in love with, which for my dismay turned out to be…good hearted" tried to grin "Listen…my unresolved issues are with him, I have nothing to hold against you, I apologize if I insulted you by any means before, which I'm sure I did, I was fairly upset and probably spoke out of place, but I seek no trouble, I merely look for a way back"
Belle accepted her apology thinking one of her own "Maybe I judged you unfairly too" she leaned into the table "Have you had any luck with your travel home?"
"So far I have nothing, Emma opened the portal, but as I understand it was a 'once in a lifetime stunt', so, Regina is helping me figure my magic out and finding a spell, but…I don't see how any of this will work. They don't even know from which land I come from, the only one that does is-"
"Rumple" interrupted Belle
"Yes" she said evenly changing swiftly the topic "but, Henry sees hope, so that keeps me calm and soothe"
"He is a great boy, he reminds me a lot of Bae"
"He does" she whispered then looking at her plate "Now I am sure our breakfast is cold and not by my doing"
Belle laughed softly "Yes, I think I will take it home and eat it later" she motioned to a waitress that took the plates. "Have you started to read any of the books yet?"
"I have and you were right it does take dedication to keep on track of Verne, but so far I love it, it has adventure and emotion, is really enjoyable to read at night"
"I am glad you like it, the library has so many from him, you can stop by and pick more when you are done with the ones you have" said Belle catching herself in the act, she was being polite to her which felt odd at the start, but after all the confessions they had mutually made, she didn't mistrust her anymore. She maybe didn't particularly like her but it was a start.
Elsa noted her gist too and smiled pleasingly "If I stay long enough to finish thru the first three books, I would gladly go visit for more"
"That would make you the first one, not many people visit the library"
"So you told me before" she corroborate "a pity, it's magnificent"
Belle shrugged "you can go read there if you want. Is quiet and peaceful, only place in Storybrooke in which no one would follow you"
Elsa consider it for a second "I might take your offer…the people doesn't know I am the one creating this…" she gestured to the outside "anyhow, Emma and Regina have been watching out for me, they are concerned, maybe the library would be a good place to…be. Is lonely and comfortable, I would love to spend my day there and not more wondering around pointlessly or lost in the woods"
"The woods?" she looked back at Ruby "It explains that much" she mumbled.
"If everything is cleared then, I shall depart" she said about to stand up.
"Wait…" she asked "What if I could…convince Rumple to help you?"
"I can't give him anything in return. I did offered to build him a snowman as company"
"A snowman?" asked incredulously Belle as if Elsa was trying to make a fool out of her.
Elsa looked down "I can create life out of snow…I don't do it quite often, but it was the closest thing I was willing to give him instead of a child of flesh"
"Ow" she answered "I can imagine why he didn't agree. But I could talk to him and try to find a spell to get you back home without asking for anything in return"
"You owe me no favors. There is no need for you to do so, besides, I can almost assure he would say no"
"You don't know him anymore, he is a changed man and I will prove it"
"Are you proving this to me or to yourself?" she raised an eyebrow
Belle had to admit it was a bit of both "I'm going to get you back home with his help, and you have my word on that"
