He returned to his castle holding the heavy long braid, it was past midnight surely Belle would be sleeping. He would not have to worry about her questioning his sudden disappearance earlier. Remembering that he had left the castle unlocked, what if she had fled? The idea of her being gone filled him with both relief and melancholy. Appearing on the roof of the tower he peered through the bars of the window to see if his beauty was indeed dreaming. He smiled with no irony, drinking in the sight of her lovely face looking so serene. In a silent cloud of moment later he now sat on the hay beside her.
Rumpelstiltskin's eyes were looking up towards the window and a vibrant memory of Rapunzel's dismayed face flashed in his mind. The girl lying on the hay might have been his payment but was it necessary that he made her a prisoner as well? There were of course dozens of spare rooms with large soft beds in his home, he could just as easily keep her there. With liquid grace he stood up, draped the corn yellow hair over his shoulder and bent down to scoop the sleeping young woman into his arms. She was so wonderfully light and warm, he nestled Belle's head into his chest before he began to carry her from the cell.
Down the spiral staircase into the lower reaches of the castle his light footsteps echoing as he watched the serene expression on the girls face. Paying close attention to his stride making sure not to wake her. Freezing in place when she stirred slightly, a small sleepy noise escaping her lips. Continuing he found one of the bed chambers that Belle had cleaned since he had acquired her. The blankets pulling back with a flick of his wrist before placing her oh so carefully onto the down mattress. He pulled the blankets up over the soundly sleeping girl tilting his head slightly as he gazed down at her. Why hadn't she run tonight? She had a life, a family surely their agreement could not mean enough for her not to want to go back home. He stepped backwards and in the same instant vanished from the room leaving Belle to her dreams.
There were still loose ends to tie up with his business this evening. He produced himself at the edge of the old witches garden. She could sense his magic, hobbling to her window and glaring out at the imp.
"Good to see you again too, Dearie." He gave her a patronizing bow, bending at the waist before promptly straightening back up.
She continued to glare as she demanded with a growl. "What are you doing here?"
"I have a deal for you old woman." he flashed his menacing teeth to her, stepping closer to her cabin.
"I want nothing from you." Her voice a low raspy hiss. "Be gone."
"Oh, I wouldn't be so hasty if I were you dear." He spoke calmly as he stepped up to the front door knocking. He looked back to the witch at her windowsill and before she could react he had magicked his way inside behind her. "You don't know what I have to offer."
She twisted about to face him with a sharp turn. "I know no good will come of any bargain with you, imp."
Putting his hand to his chest and giving an expression feigning insult. "Rapunzel didn't seem to think so."
The old woman's anger grew when the snake like man spoke the name of her pride and joy. "You stay away from her!" Her voice barking at him.
He gave a giddy giggle, "Too late."
"What did you do to her?" Concern mingling with the sharp bite of fury when the witch asked this question.
"I freed her, she wanted so badly to run off with her valiant prince. I couldn't begrudge a desperate girl her chance at true love." His tone sickeningly sweet as he watch the old woman seething. "You simply are not company enough for a love-sick princess."
She was enraged summoning her strength she tried to strike him with her staff but Rumpelstiltskin was gone in a wisp of smoke. Reappearing at the opposite edge of the room quite pleased with the old woman's reaction. Wagging a finger at her, "None of that dearie I'm not here to battle just to bargain."
"To hell with your bargains, I must find her." She hissed her eyes reduced to slits as she felt the urge to kill him.
"You won't find her, She's long gone I made sure of that." Watching woe wash over the woman.
He conjured a large brown sac. Reaching into it he gave the witch a glimpse of the braid he had claimed. "She did have rather lovely hair, she mentioned you were fond of it."
"You cut her hair?" The old woman's voice cracking in dismay as if she were looking at a flower with all its petals plucked off.
"Yes, she didn't have much else to give." He shrugged indifferently.
"Give it to me." The witch demanded.
His lips drew tightly across his face into a smile. "See, I do have something you want."
"Give it to me, now." her voice soft and dangerous.
"Of course Dearie… but it will cost you." He sat down on her table resisting the urge to antagonize her further.
The witch snarled, "You will pay for this." she summoned all the venom in her body into these words.
"Promises, Promises." He responded daringly. "Time is wasting though Dearie. I don't believe that her charming prince knows she has fled her tower. He did like to come visit her in the night." his voice twisting implying that the man may have defiled the old woman's gem.
"What do you want for the hair?" She resigned herself knowing her revenge would have to wait. The idea of catching the Prince sneaking into her Rapunzel's tower blinded her with fury again. If she caught him, he would sorely regret it.
"I noticed some magic beans growing out in your garden." He peered out the window at her verdant garden. "Just a handful, you can have this." Rumpelstiltskin gestured to the sac holding the massive braid.
She nodded and reached for the bag, "It's a deal, take them and be gone."
She struck her gnarled staff on the ground and in a flash of lightening evaporated from her hut. Rumpelstiltskin pressed his palms together pleased with himself and went out to the garden. Tip-toeing around the rows of plants before bending down. He began to pluck off seven magic beans and pulling out a red leather coin purse from his pocket, gently placed them inside.
He knew he would have to save the Prince from the old woman but he only did promise that he would be alive. Vanishing from the witches property he waited in the outskirts of the forest that surrounded Rapunzel's tower. Watching with malicious delight as the noble prince's horse galloping the the base of the stone column.
The handsome young man dismounted from his horse. His heart fluttering in his chest, he had not seen his princess in many nights. He had been searching for a way to help her run so that they would be married. He had yet to find any such aide but he could not resist seeing his love any longer. "Rapunzel, my love let down your hair to me." He called upwardly into the starry night.
The witch bit back an evil cackle manipulating her voice to mimic the saccharine sweet one of her lost treasure. "Is that you my prince?"
"Yes, Rapunzel let down your lovely hair so that I might see your face." He replied eagerness in his voice.
Without another word the witch let the braid cascade down the tower. The prince taking it in his hand tenderly and began to scale the tower. He had been visiting the young princess for many months now and had skill enough to climb quickly. His eyes alight, longing to see Rapunzel. His expression turning to disgust and fright when he found the witch holding tightly to the corn-yellow hair. "She is gone. You took her from me and she is gone." The witch hissed as the young man was frozen in terror. "You will never, ever see again." she barked the last part to him before releasing Rapunzel's braid.
The prince began a free-fall, no anchor to secure his way down. The witch watched his descent waiting to hear his bones break, wanting to see him die. In the distance Rumpelstiltskin quickly magicked a safety net of ivy, the princes collided into the first web and it slowed his fall. The witch saw this and let out a howl of contempt using her own power to turn the second cushioning strands of ivy transformed into a thicket of briar. Rumpelstiltskin's trick had managed to break the princes fall enough that when he fell through the patch of thorny briar he did not die. Though the thorns on which he landed had cut at his skin and pierced through his eyes blinding him.
The old woman looked down to see the man unmoving at the base of the tower. Thinking that she had succeeded in killing him she appeared beside him taking the braid in her quivering hands and vanishing.
Rumpelstiltskin went to the prince, examining him and seeing the many cuts from the thorns. He was alive but his body had taken a beating from the fall. "Wake up, wake up." He laughed bending down to speak into the young mans ear.
The strange voice jolted the man back into consciousness. The prince groaned in pain feeling hot blood running from his eyes. He was blind, the witch had succeeded in her promise. He would never see the fair face of his Rapunzel ever, ever again. His princess was gone, tears mingling with streaks of blood down his face. "Where is my love?" He asked into the darkness waiting for the imp to respond.
"She is in the forest, trying to find you." Rumpelstiltskin giggled circling the prince.
"How will I find her with no sight?" The young prince's voice ripe with agony.
Without answering Rumpelstiltskin whispered into the horses ear. The animal listened carefully to his instructions, it was to find the princess in the woods. Trotting off into the forest to find the frightened child lost in the wide world she hadn't know. Rumpelstiltskin left the prince to his sorrow, returning to his castle. Glad that his own eyes had not been blinded and he would be able to watch Belle rest for awhile before she woke with the sun for a new day.