Leaving the Jolly Roger was an easy task, heading to Avonlea was something else altogether.
Belle made it to Agrahbah a week later catching the first ship she found bound for Avonlea. Due to being in a hurry, Belle had little time to bribe the captain in order to give her a passage without attracting attention. This meant she needed to sail 4387km from Agrahbah to the port city of Greenhaven disguised as another sailor on board earning her keep by swabbing the deck and making the ship was in working order. All she brought from leaving the Jolly Roger needed to be carefully hidden on the lower deck towards the back as it would not be noticed with all the goods transported from different ports which also became a place for her to sleep whenever she needed to have complete privacy. The rest of the crew occasionally made conversation with Belle but she would politely decline small talk for a long period of time in which several asked her if she was transition from a boy to a man because of her voice having bouts of a high pitch. Each time Belle would go up on deck at night, she always worried about the Jolly Roger being spotted for its usual routine of pillaging unsuspecting merchant ships. She made it to Greenhaven after nearly 9 months of voyage along with taking another month to Avonlea through horseback, tired and determined to make it back to her childhood for both a pardon and long restitution with her family.
Sadly this never occurred.
Within the first few days arriving in the city limits, Belle discovered her father and stepmother had gained new members of the family after she left in the form of twin girls whose names she found to be Carlotta and Rosamunde both five years of age along with her half-brother Samuel now eleven years. Using some of her gold to bribe one of the cooks, Belle managed to masquerade herself as a maid for a few weeks to get a better sense at what she was seeing in the family. She soon discovered most of the staff had not been working there long where many of the ones who came when Lucinda moved in still stayed on but the rest started within the last six years, many of the portraits which she still remembered contained her and Killian were completely gone where as far as some of the staff knew, the heir and twins were the only children of Lord Maurice. It seemed the mistakes of Killian had not effected the family as Sir Maurice continue to keep his wealth and lands which were prospering in ways she was not able to comprehend.
The kingdom of Avonlea had done well in her absence and Maurice learned to be a father with his daughters Belle constantly observed him playing with the girls, never raising a voice even showing displays of affections in which she never remembered gaining. He looked at them with pride and happiness as she was always shown to be an inconvenient at best and an embarrassment at worse. She went back to the inn were after spending nearly a year holding all her emotions back to think of the next day ahead, a tired and disillusioned Belle covered herself in the sheets and cried.
Belle cried until she had exhausted herself into sleep on a pillow drenched with tears and sweat. She woke up the next morning with a massive headache and saw all her large bags containing all of the items she possessed in the world. Frantic, Belle ran into the larger bags containing some of the gold and personal items throwing items on the floor until she found black leather bound journal she kept during her first days of travelling with Killian. Opening the journal, one of her mother's drawings came out showing Killian and her as children standing in a small cottage towards the lake; she looked at the inscription in the back of the drawing which read Somerset Cottage.
Oh course why didn't think of going there? Papa hated it and Killian probably thinks I'm dead at this point. I just hope the place still exists.
It took a few days to find the best routes in heading towards the lake several hours away from a small village but after an exhausting trip, Belle made it to her destination. The cottage had look in exact detail from the light pink paint to the picket fence gate surrounded by a hedge of vines.
From the state of the cottage, it was apparent no one had used it in years as the yard was covered in weeds and vines, the paint was chipping where Belle needed to break in using a rock on the dusty window to open the door. She walked in finding the cottage as a relic from the past with moss, dust and cobwebs being it's only inhabitants quickly opening some of the windows as she continued coughing through her way into the cottage. All items were left as it where with some parts now damaged due to the lack of care including a few chairs and several knickknacks. She went upstairs towards the larger bedroom to find it as dusty as the rest of the cottage, although everything was covered which gave her a piece of mind when it came to restoration. The room itself would need much cleaning but the saving grace became in the form of a large window with a view of the lake.
It may not be much, but its home for now…
During the next four years, Belle lived in the Somerset Cottage away from the outside world. She spent the first seven months restoring the cottage from collecting new furniture to replace the ones which were destroyed from time, giving the walls and fence a fresh coat of paint to pulling the weeds creating a small vegetable garden with a rose hedge facing the main bedroom. Towards the cottage there lay a stable Belle used for her horse's new home as well having a few chickens and goat roaming living there. Only going into town once a week to sell some of her vegetables in which the villagers hardly paid much attention to her being another face in the crowd.
The winters were spent staying in the cottage whilst keeping the stable closed off so the animals were warm. Due to Killian's insistence of always moving down south during the colder climate, Belle had forgotten how harsh the winters were in Avonlea resulting on a two weeks becoming bedridden and only surviving on what crops had already been harvested and kept from the previous month.
Despite being isolated from the world, Belle left the confines of the countryside to go towards the royal city on the anniversary of her mother death. The two day trip usually meant she would need to go into disguise with looser clothing and headscarves to give the impression she looked older than her twenty-one years as she walked towards the cathedral where her mother's tomb lay in a coffin made of white marble. As always, she went towards the alter laying a bouquet of Calais lilies on the vase of her tomb. She places her hand towards the coffin touching the marble hands which were bound together holding a bouquet of lilies doing her best to hold back the tears seeing the likeness of her mother carved in stone with a small plaque made of gold posted towards the end of the coffin on the tip of her feet.
Colette Lacey House of MacSeoin
Serene Lady of Avonlea
"Hello mama, it's been a while since we last spoke. Right now I have gotten so many chickens due to freaking out about population that I needed to get extra help at the cottage as of last month, currently this young couple rents out some of rooms and they do spare work. They are good company whenever I interact with them. You probably are thinking I am always alone but don't worry I have my books and keep myself occupied as much as I can so don't worry about me. I miss you mama and watch out for papa and Killian even if they tend to be stupid at times. Goodbye for now." Belle places a kiss on the marble hands looking at it once again before she slowly heads out of the cathedral with the sun beaming on her eyes causing Belle to walk towards the park to enjoy the remaining afternoon sun.
Later in the evening, Belle found a pub to which to her luck had a room available before would head back to her peaceful routine. She gave the innkeeper enough money to buy herself a bit of privacy for a corner room as she scarfed down her meat pies with rapid speed while trying not to choke on the ale. It even became obvious to a few patrons watching her she was eating too fast in which she started drinking down the ale too fast it began to slowly affect her vision. She went to the bar to ask for a lighter drink but the barman was too busy interacting with two other men both large in stature who were filled with enough weapons to start a war. Her eyes had not been blurred as of yet when she noticed the men's uniform of her father's army causing her to nearly lose her balance which to her luck not a person a saw.
"…another report, the total now comes to 80 children from the Marshlands have gone missing with now 85 from the children reported last night." One of the men said.
The barman passed the solider their drinks, "With war finally being over, you would think there would be some type of peace instead now children are disappearing. It would seem this is the punishment of the Dark One because no one was worshipping him after the war ended."
"They say Lord Rumpelstiltskin's son was the first to disappear. Perhaps this is his way for torturing all of us."
That name caused Belle to sober up instantly. Lord what? Maybe it's another person they are talking about but Rumpelstiltskin isn't a common name…She raised her hand catching the barman's attention giving her another drink as she began to voice the thoughts she now regretted having. "Excuse me sorry but I couldn't help but overhear but what is this about missing children? I have a nephew I will be seeing tomorrow and things such as these always tend to have me worried" The men looked at Belle with her innocent face and drunken expression causing everyone to feel at ease with one of the soldiers smirking back at her.
"For the past few months children have gone missing in the western parts. Some say it's from an unearthly sound causing 'em to follow a demon into the underworld. Another rumor seems more believable is the children are the Dark One's price for ceasing the Ogre Wars."
Throughout her trips into town, Belle did catch the occasional gossip and news about the world where she had heard the Ogre Wars were becoming so severe children as young as 14 were now being required to fight then all of a sudden five months ago the wars suddenly stopped although various reports have varied were any have stated a demon was involved. For as long as Belle could remember, the Dark One was a folklore her nannies would say as a method for scaring children into being obedient. It was possible he could exist but she never heard of anything regarding the Dark One as anything more than a servant of war.
"It seems the former coward of the Frontlands whom was called Rumpelstiltskin sold his soul to the Dark One can became the creature himself stopping the war but lost his son shortly afterwards then the children of the area started to go missing. Many believe it's his way of retaliating revenge against those who did not worship him after the war ended while others say it's our punishment. Now children are disappearing after midnight, if I were you missy lock your doors tonight and make sure your nephew doesn't get out of your sight."
To thank the men for their tale, Belle paid for their drinks wished them a good night then left the inn. The cold air kept her in touch with her surroundings as Belle contemplated her thoughts on the story the soldiers told her. She couldn't believe it was possible for her old her friend to have become a demon let alone be responsible for the disappearance of children in the region but at the same time she knew first hand people can change depending on their circumstances. His sad brown eyes pleading to Killian for Milah's return always haunted her, sometimes turning at her with malice in her dreams demanding a fight where she sometimes lost or would have had to plunge a dagger through his heart.
When Belle reached the cemetery, she soon heard a strange sound. At first she thought it to be the wind howling towards the trees to play tricks on her when the sound turned into a melody both demanding and comforting. She felt as though everything was going to be fine, there was a land waiting for her filled with happiness, love and the promise of being free. Unable to pull herself, she followed the music giving her the chance to let her guard down and smile as she started skipping down the road seeing the streets completely dark with few lamps. Skipping and dancing towards the source, Belle had no worries of any kind; she let the sound put her at ease to where she tripped on a sidewalk on the cobblestone landing on a puddle.
She looked into her reflection with some mud on her face realizing the effects of the music had worn causing Belle to realize what had happened to her. A few second later, Belle heard a noise causing her to run towards an ally hoping someone might have seen what was going on until she saw several children walking the direction she was heading skipping and smiling without a care in the world. The children were of different age ranges, both genders with different hair colors all in their nightgowns in their own mindset. One child however caught Belle's attention; the boy looked to be eleven years of age, short blonde hair, her height, big blue eyes, narrow nose and rosy cheeks. Blinking her eyes again to be absolutely sure, Belle ran towards the kids getting blocked by a few giving her the impression they were multiplying with each second.
"Samuel, Samuel!" she yelled hoping he would hear her but the children were too many causing Belle to push her way into the crowd finding Samuel as she noticed they just left the city and were heading towards the forest. She grabs Samuel by the collar of his nightgown completely unaware what is happening with Belle hearing Samuel's laughter. He is still humming as Belle continued to get his attention only then she uses her flask and pores water over his face causing the boy to start coughing. Both Samuel and Belle are horrified over what happened but he looks into Belle's eyes seeing her face as she began to weep causing them to hug. "Oh Sammy, I'm so sorry but I didn't know how else to wake you."
"It's okay, I'm just glad to see you. But what happened to you? Mother said you were dead"
She placed her coat on him adjusting the ties several times. "Well your mother tends to say a lot of things, sometimes they are true. What were you doing with those children?"
The boy became cold even with the cloak causing him to not pay attention to Belle, she hugged him again. "I don't know, the man came to my window promised to take me to a place with waterfalls where I could play with the other children. He tried to play his flute to me then got mad but handed me a flower cup with something sweet in it and then I remember seeing you"
"This man, what did he look like?"
"A bit tall, brown hair, dressed in green, he-he-he looked like a fairy. Please can I go back?"
She knew her life was over now that she needed to return him but Samuel's welfare was Belle's priority. "Yes sweetie, you will go home. Come on"
The pair made it towards the castle where she pushed Samuel towards the front giving attention to the guards who noticed the boy when he pulled the hood down. The guards called for Sir Maurice and Lady Lucinda who ran from the grand hall in their robes hugging and kissing Samuel wondering where he had gone.
"I don't know, I was in my room one minute then Belle found me in the forest and she brought me back." He looked at the back to find Belle was nowhere to be seen, looking back at his mother who had a shocked expression causing her eyebrows to rise and Maurice to start coughing.
"What are you talking about?" asked the lord
"Belle saved me and I didn't get to thank her. Can we find her so I can thank her properly?" the boy smiled again causing the parent to smile back at him
Sir Maurice looked around but there was nothing he can see and his guards were all saying there was no one around. "Sure we will find her don't worry, let's get you inside." The family went inside the castle hearing Samuel ask if he could have a helping of sweet rolls.
Meanwhile Belle ran with quick speed unable to look back. She ran all the way to the stables were Phillippe had been all day stopping to catch her breath as her knees started to wobble from the stress of running. She looked at her horse who was now alert as Belle opened the stable door letting him out.
"Alright Philippe, let's go home" she got on the horse and they rode off with Belle looking back at her place of birth one last time remembering the description Samuel gave her.
A bit tall, brown hair, dressed in green, he-he-he looked like a fairy
"First I am going to take you home then I will go and get the Dark One to answer my questions."