Love, love, love these comments ya'll!
Sorry I've been taking sooooo long school and shit has been in the way….for real.
I saw the Miller's Daughter promo.
Seeing young Cora with Rumpelstiltskin I'm like -_-
Deadddd
But, I watched the Paleyfest 2013!
It was fucking awesome! I loved when they teased about the upcoming "Racy Lacey" episode with Belle's cursed personality coming out.
I hope she isn't a whore.
Although…I do hope she throws the pussy at Gold's stiff ass and blows his mind! (Because that is exactly what I would do) ;)
Anyways…I'm tryning keep it coming at ya'll!
Ya'll are brilliant and patient Oncer's!
Chapter 19
"Indefinite business to the South.
R."
Belle's hand trembled as she read the five meaningless words Rumpelstiltskin had scrawled out in messy black ink on cracked yellow parchment with long curling swoops and spider-like dips.
She couldn't think of anything bad enough to call him.
Except….
"Coward."
"Here he is your majesty." Henry announced as he opened the heavy double doors.
Regina stormed in angrily as usual; dressed in all black riding attire with leather breeches so tight they might have been painted on her long legs ending with knee high boots Rumpelstiltskin immediately recognized as pure Dragon hide.
He grinned lazy and cat-like from her chaise in front of the fireplace.
She looked to Henry and placed her hands on her hips as one perfectly arched raven brow shot up questioningly.
"You interrupted my ride for this?"
The words glided from her deep plum lips in an affectionate insult and her hand waved dismissively in his direction.
He slapped the dragon-hide covered area over his heart.
"You wound me."
"Nothing would give me more pleasure." She purred as she pulled her riding gloves from her delicate hands, the singular aspect about her one would consider delicate, and slapped them along with her leather crop into her father's waiting hands.
Henry did not look at Rumpelstiltskin.
And the Dark One could not help but notice….
"Hello Henry my dear old friend!" the imp smiled warmly, "You haven't changed a bit from the day I first met you! Still emptying your daughter's chamber pot?"
Henry beseechingly looked to Regina.
Rumpelstiltskin had always frightened him.
Ever since the beginning….
"Leave us."
She waved him away dismissively but added softly over her shoulder, "Please."
A ghost of a smile crept across Henry's whiskered face before he bowed his head and scurried out to leave his daughter alone with the Dark One.
Just as he had left his wife so many years before…
"Goodbye Henry!" Rumplestiltskin called to his retreating figure, "We really must catch up some other time old friend!"
Regina rolled her kohl-rimmed eyes and barked out, "What are you doing here?"
Rumplestiltskin toyed with the fringed edges of an afghan draped under him.
"Just paying a friendly call on my old pupil."
He smiled at her sweetly.
"Any harm in that dearie?"
"When have you ever been, friendly?" She scoffed as she stalked towards him, trying with every bone in her body to look as menacing he did now lying casually across the divine with a demonic grin painted on his high face.
"Well just look at you trying to be intimidating!"
He pointed to her overly-confident sway as she crawled towards him.
She seemed to melt into the blacks and greys of her room.
He suppressed a laugh but still managed to stammer out, "Just like your mother!"
Regina stopped abruptly and frowned.
"What do you want imp?"
He rubbed his chin in bewilderment, "Why does everyone think when I pay a call that it must mean I want something?"
"Well, reputation is everything…..dearie."
Regina smirked and took several more steps closer to her former teacher.
"Ha. Ha."
"I thought we were done?"
One corner of her perfect mouth curled up in an evil smirk.
"Is that not how you put it the last time we were in each other's company?"
He needed something from her…
"Did I say that dearie?" he squeaked skeptically.
Badly….
"Don't tell me you've forgotten Rumple?"
Regina leaned against the chaise and smiled down on him, "I thought the Dark One never forgot anything."
"Yes well you caught me on an off day dearie, happens to the best of us you know."
"Or the worst…"
"You would know all about that wouldn't you?"
"I only know what you taught me."
She grinned at him then, flashing her prefect white teeth carnivorously.
Regina narrowed her ebony eyes at him uncertainly as she mentally tried to determine what he needed bad enough to actually make him come to her of his own volition.
She was fighting the urge to demand a reason.
But, she also wanted to hear her him ask her.
To know that she had something he desired….
No matter how trivial…
Just that fact that he had to come to her with no other choice because he knew he needed her made her shine inside with pride.
Pride was something that had always been so rare for her….
"Do you not want to know why I'm here Regina?" he said finally.
Regina's mouth twitched with a smile but she quickly stifled it and forced her usual stony glare to wash back over her face.
"I know your curiosity is about to eat you alive."
His glowing eyes shot up to her expectantly but all he could make out on her face was indifference.
"You've already ruined my ride and now you tell me you have come to ask me for something," her eyes dart to him and then back at the roaring fire, "how can this day get any better?"
"Well you're not at the top of my list either dearie."
"Get on with it Rumple, what do you want?"
He opened his mouth to slap her with offense but closed it when the image of Belle heavy with child flashed through his mind.
No….
He cleared his throat and jumped up from the divine, "Do you recall certain….potion you took once upon a time that had abortive properties?"
His hands darted and leapt with life as he pranced lightly around her slumped figure.
"Please," she scoffed, "don't tell me you have gotten someone with child."
"Well dearie as you recall it has been known to happen before…"
Her eyes followed him as he circled her trying to detect any little mannerism or gesture that would herald guilt; but she saw none.
She knew very well that Rumplestiltskin had sired a son back when he was human, but of course that was millions of years ago…
"I am dealing with a young lady who is, shall we say, expecting and she does not want whatever is growing inside of her." Rumplestiltskin paused and ran his fingers across the grooves of her ornate mantel piece, "I told her I knew of a potion that could eliminate her pregnancy completely—"
"For a price?" she purred over her shoulder.
He smiled thinly and came to stand behind her, "You of all people can identify with this poor girl's plight Regina."
"I thought we were never to speak of that again." She snapped viciously.
He brushed a loose tendril of shining black hair away from her neck and placed his claw soothingly on her shoulder, "I need your help majesty, you know I never break deals and if I cannot eliminate this poor child's unwanted pregnancy I will be breaking it. Will you not help me?"
He could be so persuasive….
But, it really wasn't him…It had never been him…
Regina looked up at him through thick, midnight lashes and he couldn't help but catch that old familiar flicker of the impressionable, precious, heart-sick sixteen year old girl that he had ruined once upon a time.
"Are you asking me to procure this potion for you?"
"Well, I'd get it myself but she and I aren't exactly on friendly terms."
He chuckled lightly, "Haven't been for the last two centuries."
"Imagine that." She said sarcastically as she looked down to the gray stone floor.
"You are positive that no one else knows how to make this potion?"
Regina looked again to her former teacher, "Not even you?"
"There is some magic so dark; even I cannot tame it."
"Very well." She sighed, "When do you need it?"
"Today would be lovely."
"I'm sure it would be." she half-laughed as she pushed herself from her post and touched a long hand protectively to her elaborate coif.
"What if she refuses to see me? It's happened before you know."
Rumpestiltskin rolled his eyes and huffed, "Well if I remember her correctly, she has always been a sucker for a gift."
Regina turned with a start and eyed him questioningly.
"Take her something pretty or trade her something!" he threw his hands up in exasperation, "Give whatever you must to get me that potion!"
Regina stared at him stupidly then stormed over to the long red bell pull that hung beside of her bed.
She yanked it and almost immediately Henry came slipping meekly through the doors.
"Ready my carriage."
"Yes, your majesty."
Henry bowed humbly and scurried out, careful not to slam the doors behind him.
"You forgot to mention one thing Rumple."
She placed one finger in the air and smiled crookedly.
"And what's that dearie?"
"What do I get in return for helping you?"
Regina crossed her arms and arched her eyebrow at the imp who thoughtfully rubbed his pointed chin between gray-gold fingers.
'When you stand like that you look exactly like her."
Her smug smile fell and her full lips deflated into a thin maroon line.
"What. Do. I. Get?" she hissed, pronouncing each syllable harshly.
"Name your price."
Her eyes simmered like hot tar and her wide grin pulled her lips over her teeth in an almost primal snarl.
"Tell me where Hook is."
Rumplestiltskin smiled amiably at his wicked little protégée.
The Bitch.
How the fuck did she know about Hook…..he couldn't possibly tell her-
Belle.
"Never."
"Fine. No deal." She scowled and turned her back on him in one swift motion, but he caught her wrist with his scaled claw.
She looked down at his offending hand in horror but his trusting smile made her muscles relax under his firm grip.
"Never."
He repeated the word slowly to Regina with her narrowing eyes and nodded lightly when he saw comprehension reflected back in them.
He hadn't really came out and told her where Hook was exactly…but she caught the jest of what he was saying.
Not like she could even get to Neverland with Jefferson in "hiding" and magic beans an extinct memory.
Realm jumping was now a thing of the past.
Crocodile….
Regina pulled her wrist from his grip and rubbed it, "I'll have to burn this blouse now that you've touched it."
"I can't believe that I am actually doing you a favor…"
She fidgeted with the idly with the blouse and then looked sourly at him.
"Will there be anything else?" she clipped.
"No, not particularly." He beamed.
"Then why are you still here?"
"Oh, I'm going to stay right here and wait for you."
He walked over to her vanity and sat down gracefully.
"You don't trust me?"
Rumplestiltskin picked up a fragile bottle of perfume and sniffed it, "Not with all the tea in China my love."
He hummed in approval and Regina rolled her eyes at his forthrightness.
"Gods!" she huffed as she crossed to him and wrenched the bottle from his claws, "You know it hate it when you talk in riddles."
"You should ready yourself. Henry is walking down the corridor as I breathe."
"Unfortunately."
"Tut-tut!"
He wagged an overly-long finger at her in chastisement, "Is that anyway to talk to the one who gave you all of this?"
He opened his arms and gestured at the dank, dark surroundings.
"Yes, you gave me so much, let me just get down on my knees and worship you."
"As long as you give credit where credit is due my dear…"
"Right."