Belle shivered in the cold night air, as she made her way through the forest, she pulled the jacket she had took from Rumple's wardrobe close to her.
When she had awoke after thier union, she had crept back into the castle to get her clothes. She knew it would be cold and she didn't own anything else but the dress and shoes he had given her. She had opened the wardrobe and selected a jacket. She slipped her arms into the sleeves and pulled the jacket close, breathing in his scent. before she had left.
Tears spilled down her cheeks as she lay down by a tree, waiting for first light. Soon he would wake, then he would know that she had left. She hoped somehow he would forgive her, the gods knew she didn't deserve it.
As she had read the paper that had reveled her secret to him she knew what she had to do, what she would have to take care of if she was to ever have a life of her own. He would never quit hunting her, eventually someone would find her, someone would tell him where she was and as long as that hung over her head, she was in danger and so was Rumple also someone else too. Her hand softly rubbed across her flat stomach, yes, she knew, there was such a connection between them last night, a bond that was so strong that at the moment Rumple felt the stiring of new life, his magic caused her to feel it as well.
As soon as she saw the sun peep it's head out she drug herself up and resumed her trek to Gaston.
Late that afternoon Belle spotted a cottage, it's inhabitants were gone. she was sure that they had not gone very far since the fire was sill lit inside. Quickly and quietly she entered and grabbed a loaf of bread and darted out the back of the one room shack, least she be caught. She was brought up short by a sight to good to be true, tied to a post out back was a rather large horse. Belle stole a glance around but still no one appeared. She took a few cautious steps toward the beast with her hand out stretched. The horse acknowledged her with a snort and a shake of his shaggy mane. The animal leaned into Belle's hand, hoping for a good scratch from the woman or maybe even a treat. Belle spent a few moments getting him used to her before she unknotted the rope from the post and lead him off into the forest. The horse had proved to be invaluable to her over the next few days as she traveled much faster and wasn't as tired on his back as she would have been otherwise.
The journey back wasn't as severe as the exit had been on her. "Well phillipe, I geuss the ride into hell isn't nearly as hard as getting out, is it?" She reached down and patted the horses neck." Oh, I wouldn't be so sure of that." a deep male voice closed in behind her. Belle gasped as she spun her shoulders around to look at the stranger that had snuck up so quietly, he was large but kept his face hooded, she couldn't make out his features, he was holding a crossbow aimed at her. "Come down from off that horse M'lady" he said. Belle slowly slid off the side of the steed.
"Who are you?" Belle asked, trying not to show the fear that threatned to overtake her. The hooded man never answered her, he just closed the distance between them and with one quick, sharp blow, knocked Belle unconsicious with his weapon, slinging her over one shoulder. "Sorry about that, but your husband will be wanting what he paid so handsomely for" He disappeared back into the words leaving only the horse as evidence that either one had ever been there.
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Rumplestiltskin made hasty tracks in the direction of Gaston's castle. He had picked up a few traces of Belle along the way. Her smell mostly and some of his oddly enough, she must have brought something of his along, most likely to keep her warm at night. He could have used magic to get him to this castle much quicker, but he didn't want to walk into a situation blind, not knowing what he was up against, putting Belle in more danger.
It was very quiet as he made his way up to the estate in the darkness. No guards stood at the doors, no dogs to smell his approach as he made his was up to the entrance. How very arrogant of him, Rumple thought as he smelled the wind for danger, Belle's scent was heavy upon the air.
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Belle's head hurt. She opened her blurry eyes as she rubbbed the tender spot on the side of her head. "AWW, does it hurt my darling?" A cold sinister voice laced with poison that Belle knew all too well spoke. She froze as the chill of Gaston's voice slithered up her spine with each word. A pair of big black boots stepped forward in frount of Belle's face, on pure instinct she covered her head with her hands waiting for blows to descend. Gaston looked down at his wife then laughed a deep throaty sound at her actions. "Don't worry Belle, your punishment is to come but first I have a few questions for you my sweet." he leaned over her and graping a good handful of hair, he brought Belle to her feet.
Belle tried not to cry out from the pain as she struggled up to meet her husband's cold, calculating eyes. He backed her up a few paces till she felt a wall behind her, he kept fast hold of her hair, pulling her head back so she couldn't look away. "I've missed you" he whispered as his eyes roamed over the legnth of her body. "Tell me Belle, where have you been hiding?" Belle bit her lip in an attempt not to cry but she could feel hot tears threatning to fall as he pulled her head forward then sharply back causing her to strike her head against the cold stone. It was nothing compared to what he could do, but it hurt all the same. "Well, where you've been dosen't really matter now does it, all that really matters is where you are going, right back to where you belong."
Belle's heart sunk as she soon realized that it was to Gaston's bed that he was referring too. His large, meaty hand reached up and fondled her breast. Belle whimpered as he painfully pinched her.
His hand let go of her hair to grip her jaw roughly holding her head securly against the wall, she didn't dare struggle for fear of him. She tried in vain to perhaps reason with him, hesitantily she spoke,"Gaston, please, I came back to beg of you, let me go. You only wanted me to produce an heir for you, I can't, I think I've only proved to you that I'm a barren woman, I'm no good to you, the gods have punished me for my wickedness, so please just let me go."
"OH, someone has gotten brave since she's been away." His eyebrows raised in mock fasination at her words. "Have you missed me as much as I've missed you? Let's find out." Much to Belle's horror, his hand began to gather up her skirts and rub up her leg. "NO, Please listen to me "
"SHUT UP" he growled as his hand under her jaw moved up across her face to cover her mouth. He was tired of her being so bold. He could feel himself harden as his hand moved up his wife's trembling leg. He was going to enjoy this, wether she did or not was of no importance to him.
As his hand snaked up her thigh, Belle's moment came, he losened his hold on her mouth long enough for her to open it and clamp down on his finger with her teeth. "OWW" Gaston jerked his hand away from her face. "YOU LITTLE WHORE, I'll show you, perhaps a whipping will make you alittle more docile."
Gaston picked Belle up from where she slumped against the wall and shook her. He then drew back and slapped her hard across the face, knocking her to her knees. "I think it's about time for that punishment now." he pulled Belle roughly to her feet, dragging her to her old room in his dungeon. "I'm sure you'll feel right at home here my pet, it hasn't really been that long has it?" Cold shackles were slapped around her wrists, hauling her up in a painful position where she was unable to stand on her feet. Gaston had pulled her down the stairs to the cell causing Belle to lose her shoes and now she balanced on her toes as she hung from the chains that kept her in place. Belle knew her plan had failed, he would never let her go. He was going to kill her and Rumple's unborn child. When he left for a moment Belle let herself weep. "I'm so sorry Rumplestiltskin" she whispered, "I love you, I just wanted to be free, I was a fool" she thought.
All too soon the door swung open and Gaston returned with a small whip. He used it on his horses he had told her. He would always choose this one because like his horses he only needed to break her in order for to obey.
"No, no, this will not do" he stated as he looked her over, he then walked up to stand behind Belle. At once he grabbed the back of her dress shredding it, exposing her back. "Aww, there we go, much better" he said as he walked back to retrieve his whip. "Now darling, this is going to hurt you alot more than it's going to hurt me." He laughed as the first strike made Belle's cries ring out as it broke her skin.
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Rumplestiltskin swiftly and quietly sprinted through the castle, his eyes alert for any movement, Belle's scent was heavy behind a large door that opened up to stairs leading down, Rum followed them careful not to make a sound. the air turned much chillier and he geussed that it led to deep under the castle.
His ears perked up as he creeped down a dark corridor where he heard something. A cry perhaps, he couldn't tell till he got closer , but as he approached a door it became clear that it was the sound of a whip being used along with the mad sound of laughing.
Rumple closed his eyes, drawing on his power with all his might. An electric charge filled the air and shot out into the door in frount of him causing it to explode into splinters, revealing a very stunned Gaston and his Belle hanging limply as he had invisioned in his dream, Her blood dripped down her legs as she hung unconscious.
Gaston recovered quickly from his shock, turning from Belle he narrowed his eyes at the little intruder before him. "I don't know how you managed to do that but your about to be very sorry for comming in here."
"Am I?" Rumple made the reply calmly but he was shaking with rage on the inside. "I don't know what you came here for but you going to get a taste of this" Gaston bellowed as he swung his horse whip at the sorcerer.
Gaston gasped in surprise as the weapon did not do as he planned but jerked out of his hand and turning in mid swing to quickly wrap itself around his neck and squeeze. Gaston clawed at his throat as the whip wound tightly around, cutting off his air supply. He hit his knees and looked up at Rumplestiltskin in horror as the sorcerer calmly strolled up and leaned down in Gaston's face and spoke the last words he would ever hear,"I came here for the woman" he said confidently, then Rumple leaned even closer to whisper in his ear, "And your head." At that moment Rumplestiltskin snapped his fingers and the whip snapped Gaston's neck, the monster that had once been Belle's husband now lay dead at her feet.
With a wave of his hand to unbind her, Rumple caught Belle before she hit the ground. "Oh gods Belle" he cried as he fell to the floor with her tightly in his arms. "Speak to me love" he whispered as he pushed her hair that hung wet with sweat from her face, she moaned and opened her eyes weakly.
"Your here" she managed to speak. Her stregnth was gone, tears began to hit her cheeks but
Rumple was surprised to discover that they were not all hers.
"Oh Belle, why did you leave, I could have protected you" he cried as he held her close, trying not to hurt her. Belle reached up to touch his face, "I wanted to protect you" she spoke, barely above a whisper as she wiped away a tear from his cheek, "and our Baby."
"You..you know about the baby?" Rumple was in total shock at her revelation. "of couse, he's IN me, silly man" she managed a weak laugh. "He?" Rumple's voice cracked.
"Take us home, Rumplestiltskin."
Rumple didn't waste a moment, whisking them away to dark castle."
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I hope you all like this chapter! Thank you for all the reviews, I love reviews!