Disclaimer: All publicly recognizable characters, settings, etc. are the property of their respective owners. The original characters and plot are the property of the author. The author is in no way associated with the owners, creators, or producers of any media franchise. No copyright infringement is intended.
"Am not!
"Are to!"
"Am not!
"Are to!"
Belle's eyes snapped open at the sound of two high-pitched voices arguing. Rubbing her eyes, Belle left the library and wandered downstairs to where the noise was coming from. The arguing got louder when she got to main hall, but she didn't see anyone until she walked around the table. There, just in front of the door, stood two children no older than five.
"Am not!
"Are to!"
"Stop it both of you!"
The two stopped arguing and looked up at her. Belle gasped when she saw the boy's face. This skin on his face and hands was a deep gold color.
"Rumpelstiltskin? Is that you?"
"Oh course it is," snapped the girl beside him before he could answer. Her black hair was down and braided, and she wore a black dress. "Do you know anyone else that's this ugly?"
"Rumpel glared at her. "Shut it, Reggie! Why are you even here?"
"As I told you before, I can't go back to my palace looking like this," she said, gesturing to her current form. "If Snow White and her little prince found out, she'd use it to her advantage and kill me. Not even my guards would take me seriously, and don't call me Reggie!"
The imp-child crossed his arms. "Well, you can't stay here!"
"You're the one who got us into this mess in the first place!" Regina yelled, point her finger at him.
Rumpel stepped up to her until they were face to face only now Regina was taller than him by a few inches. "I'm not the one who tried to rip wings off of a fairy!"
"No. All you did was try to still its wand. I had things perfectly under control until you showed up."
He snickered. "Sure you did. That's why the little bugger was flying circles around you when I got there."
The mini-Evil Queen glared at him. She then crossed her arms and took a seat on the floor. "I doesn't matter what happened or how. What matters is that she turned us into children, and we have to wait for it to wear off."
Rumpel flicked his hands and the doors opened. "Well, you can wait somewhere while I am going to eat. Don't let the door hit you on the way out when you finally regain your senses." With that, he turned to Belle and grinned up at her. "What are we having for dinner, dearie?'
Belle had to stare at him for a moment. He still looked the same as before he'd left only now he barely reached her knee. After a moment, she got over her shock and formed a reply.
"I-I had planned on making that stew you like for dinner."
"Excellent! Best get start then. It takes a while to cook, you know, but I'll help you."
Belle stared at the grinning child another moment before grabbing him around the waist and picking him up. Rumpel squirmed in her grasp but could not escape.
"Stop that before I drop you," she threatened before carrying the mini-Dark One to the kitchen.
"Be careful with that knife, Rum."
Rumpelstiltskin looked up at Belle from where he was chopping carrots.
"I know how to use a knife, dearie. I'm not a child." Both females looked at him; one glared at him while the other was holding back laughter. "Oh, right."
"Why don't you two go outside and play? I can finish up here."
Regina gave an unladylike snort from her seat at the table. "Just because we look like children does not mean—"
"Tag, you're it!" Rumpelstiltskin took off running through the kitchen door. Regina glared after him but soon took off behind him.
A few hours later, Belle sat in the library reading with a small smile. On either end of the settee were Rumpelstiltskin and Regina. Both had tired themselves out, eaten their fill, and then tired themselves out again. Draco had been wary of Regina at first but relaxed a bit when he realized she was less dangerous than before. That did not stop him, however, from burning the tip of her lead to another argument that only stopped when Belle called them for dinner.
It had amazed Belle how much the two argued. It was as if they'd actually grown up a siblings. Rumpel hadn't told her himself, but it was obvious that the two had a long history with each other. Seeing him both asleep like this reminded Belle that Rumpel at one time along with Regina were human. That meant that they both had to have been children with parents at some point. Belle smiled at the thought and looked at them both before returning to her book. A few more minutes passed before she too dozed off. While she slept, both sorcerers awoke due to the familiar tingling of magic before they turned back to their normal age.
"We are never speaking of this again," said a now full-sized Regina, smoothing out her skirt.
Rumpelstiltskin nodded. "Agreed."
TBC
The winter finale is once again upon us but don't worry. I will still be posting every Sunday. For those you who need an extra Rumbelle fix, check out my other works and answer the poll on my profile if you can.