Alice and Robyn stood alongside one another unable to move. She stared at Robyn who looked in fear when they were given their mobility to find a green cloud came to them bringing the strange redhead woman who Alice had seen around the castle the past several days; she believed Belle introduced her Lady West.
Zelena walked to the girls, Robyn stood still refusing to look at her master as the witch circled them turning her attentions to Alice placing her fingers on her chin to inspect her."
"I will admit Robyn, you have a good eye. The girl is lovely you are the Princess' ward I believe? I wonder if your friend is nearby."
"Leave her alone" Robyn spoke. "Alice has nothing to do with"
"Alice" she pursed her lips staring back at Robyn. "What a lovely name, I can see why you never wanted to report back; she appears to be a fun distraction."
Robyn wished she had her bow and arrows at this moment wanting not more than to plunge an arrow into Zelena's heart. Her surprise came when Zelena summoned a black box where the contents made a thumping sound leading Robyn to fall down clutching her hand to her chest with Alice huddling her.
"Monster, what have you done with her?" throwing her dagger at Zelena who disappeared when the dagger hit a wall.
"Ask her, she knows what's in here." She said behind Alice. Zelena used a key from her pocket opening the box, but felt a presence before she indulged the contents from the box. "It appears I am being summoned, I guess I will have to take you two with me."
Before the girls could refuse, Zelena closed the lid and green smoke appeared to them leaving the corridor empty.
The shock continued to linger on as Belle composed herself coming to terms of witnessing Rumpelstiltskin's transformation. She knew he was different when he possessed magic, but the revelation she presented to him had never a guess she would have assumed. Belle had heard about various fairies who would transform themselves in the likeness of other animals, many resided in different realms believing they had little necessity in interacting with other humans. The story Rumpelstiltskin told her made sense regarding why fairies sightings were rare unless one knew the proper way to summon one or they would interact with those who they viewed as worthy of their time and effort to the point they were dismissed as legends within first glance.
Here Belle was standing in front of what many of her books considered a creature of legend and she stood silent. Rumpelstiltskin appeared to be as much of a swan as an average bird expect in a larger size, he appeared as silent as her waiting for a response when she went closer to him touching his feathers and wings finding them to be real, she then stared at his eyes. They were not of a birds; large, a caramel color similar to the eyes she had seen for the past several months on Rumpelstiltskin.
"You are him." Embracing the animal as he lowered his neck to her back, "I wish you had confided in me sooner, but I understand why never wanted to say anything."
"Thank you" he said letting his guard down. "I just never thought…." A sudden wave of silence hit Rumpelstiltskin, feeling a sharp pain watching in horror his feathers fading from his wings rendering him immobile.
"Rumpel, what's happening!" she tried moving him but her touch causes him to continue wallowing in pain.
"Looks like she wasn't lying about his non-human status after all" stated Gaston when Belle turned around finding him behind her laughing heading to them grabbing her wrist forcibly trying to kiss her causing Belle to spit at him, he touches his cheek smirking and slapping Belle into the ground. "Don't worry, once its midnight, whatever Zelena placed in your drink will finally take its effect, you will forget you ever met the bird and realize how utterly wrong you have been."
"Now I know you have been drinking." She lifted her skirt gathering the dagger she usually kept on the holster of her thigh aiming it at Gaston. "Fix whatever you did to him, punish me instead."
"Don't be so dramatic Belle" taking Rumpelstiltskin's body and throwing it the side when Belle runs again to him, "in just a bit, you won't even remember anything other than announcing our wedding date perhaps for the Winter Solstice. I know a spring wedding is better suited but I can't wait an extra 5 more months for someone else to corrupt you."
"You're despicable." She says turning back to Rumple "I promise you darling, everything will be fine."
Gaston grabbed Belle's wrists when she noticed the feather from her hair fell tucking it closely back from Zelena when she arrived holding onto Alice and Robyn who were unable to talk. Zelena walked over to Rumpelstiltskin who began passing out as the witch sneered at him then glanced at Gaston who continued holding onto to Belle took a better look at her.
"I don't see what the fuss is about." She said "You certainly are not worth the trouble I have to endure in getting my prized possession back" glancing back at Gaston. "To each their own then, I should give you a reward my dear but an invitation for the happy nuptials will be just fine.
Belle saw there was no way out; Rumpelstiltskin was transported into a cage which according to Zelena had been made of iron where his magic proved weak for him to escape. She then looked at the clock then back at Rumpelstiltskin who continued looking at her when a thought struck her, she continued staring back at him who nodded in reassurance. She went over to Gaston, smiling as she gave him a kiss shocking everyone.
"My love, who is this woman? Everyone must be worried about us and papa shouldn't get the wrong impression on my birthday no less."
Alice and Robyn were surprised when Zelena began laughing. "See Rumpelstiltskin, all that was needed was for the girl to have gotten a new outlook. Enjoy your new kingdom Your Grace." Zelena gathered her broom and disappeared with Rumpelstiltskin leaving Gaston and Belle clung together as Robyn and Alice where continuing to understand what was going on.
"Belle, what are you doing?" Alice stated. "You just let Zelena leave with Rumple!"
"Silence brat, clearly Belle has no idea who you are talking about."
Belle started laughing back at the girls. "Oh Alice, you can say just about the silly things at times, Rumpel doesn't mean anything to me." Turning her attention back to Gaston. "I will need you to go the straw room and find out how much gold we still have."
"We can do that tomorrow"
"I can't have my father thinking we are broke before we are announcing our wedding date." She batted her eyes when Gaston took the insulation differently and followed her inside using another entrance.
When the pair were gone, Alice continued staying dumbstruck when Robyn tried to get her attention. "Come on, we have to help Belle"
"I don't think she needs any help"
Robyn sighed grabbing Alice's hand "I know the potion Zelena gave her, she wouldn't know the first thing about Rumpelstiltskin or that his gold was created in the straw room." Alice got the message as the girls ran to catch up with the pair going through some of the party goers when Alice bumped into her father and Tiana where happy to see her.
"There you are, I almost requested a search party for you." Stated Rogers hugging Alice who became too overwhelmed in being surprised.
"Papa, its great to see you too. I thought you will be back next week." Seeing Tiana wave at her "Hey Tiana, congratulations" providing a curtsy.
Alice tried to get out the situation when Robyn took her. "My apologies, but Alice and I have someplace to get to and we are in a bit hurry"
"Papa, I'll explain later, just enjoy the party. I really have to go." Waving back, Alice continued running probably realizing she might have just lost some privileges for the first time since was 10. "You know, this isn't how I wanted you to meet my dad and future stepmother."
"They seem pretty nice, although I'm sure they were not focus on me." Desperately diverting the subject when they were placed in a corner. "Where's the room?"
Alice led them instead finding Belle and Gaston were nearby the room with Gaston desperately placing his hands on Belle whilst she moved from laughing at the conversation. Alice just thought it was a strange sight to see where she wished she had her father's flask at this moment.
"Belle, I am starting to like this new you. Although I don't think I can take everything."
"Take as much as you want. Everything Rumpelstiltskin has ever made was given to me, therefore it is now ours" She giggled.
She opened the door seeing all the freshly made gold Rumpelstiltskin had made earlier in the afternoon for the next day's collection. Gaston looked awestruck seeing the wealth created for Avonlea, he pushed Belle out taking a basket and started picking up the thread laughing at the prospect he now has unlimited wealth, the control of Avonlea and Belle all under the span of twenty minutes.
He continued cheering, turning to find Belle whose expressions were now filled with anger when she gave him a smirk.
Gaston gazed at her when he noticed is hand touching the gold began melting. He threw the thread out but it was too late as he continued melting, he grabbed Belle's skirt pulling into him when the gold continued touching him leaving Gaston to melt faster until all Belle saw a dead burnt tree half of Belle's size lying next to the spinning wheel.
Good riddance
Alice and Robyn arrived finding Belle disheveled half of her dress now torn and her displaced. She cried holding onto the girls who hugged her tighter.
"Rumpel spoke to me as he was in the cage. I swore to him, I would get him out of there when he told me that I needed to take Gaston into the straw room because the gold was not ready to be touched."
"You convinced us" stated Alice. "We will get him out." She turned back to Robyn "do you know how to get us there?"
"Through a portal, we need a marker of Zelena's or Rumpelstiltskin to open one. Do either of you have anything he might have touched?"
Belle took out the feather from her hair that Rumpelstiltskin gave her, staring at it both laughing and crying surprised at finding the feather began to have a gold tint floating away from them. They followed the feather until they found themselves at the lake where it stopped find what they hoped was the portal. Alice and Robyn found a boat usually kept close by for fishing when they saw Belle down on the pebbles weeping holding on to the feather. Alice went to go comfort her when they saw she kissed the feather causing a bright light to surround her allowing the girls to get Belle to be placed in the water when they saw a portal being formed in which they kissed one another before jumping in.