Updated a bit later than intended…My apologies

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Chapter 35 – Days 27 and 28: The Escape

Belle, Abigail and James sat together in the princess chamber for nearly two hours. They needed a good plan for Belle and Gaston to escape, and to think well about the next moves for Armithils' rescue.

"It's going to be difficult to defeat the Ogres in Armithil if Maleficent is truly behind this." Prince James worriedly said. "Especially if Queen Regina is involved."

"Queen Regina told her original plan was to use the ogres to invade Snowland through Armithil." Belle said "She killed King Leopold and manipulated things to put the blame in an innocent man. And Regina hates Snow. She sent her to her death! I can't understand why. Snow White would never hurt anybody!"

"Your friend is in the run." Abigail said to comfort the worried princess. "There is a price for her head, I'm afraid. But no one knows where she is. I don't believe she will be found that easily."

James nodded in agreement. For a princess, Snow was a real kick-ass. He knew, for he had gone through some trouble to get his mother's ring back. He could still hear Snow's response to his question why the queen hated her so much. She had answered the queen blamed her for destroying her life. James was surprised to hear from Snow she had indeed ruined Queen Regina's life. How, he failed to know. Snow was not doubt tough, but he had seen through her strong walls. Behind her sturdy façade lay a kind and loving heart. Like Belle had stated, she would never want to hurt anybody.

"I will ask my father to help Armithil. We have strong armies and experienced men in combat against monsters such as trolls and dragons." Abigail said. Even if she would refuse to marry James, she knew her father would not turn down her request. Not after what he did to Frederick, even if it was an accident.

"Well, that's settled than." Prince James said as he got up. "Wait for my signal when it's dark."

Belle nodded. She was relieved this kind couple was willing to take risks in saving her from this hell. She could not thank them enough, so she hugged them warmly, before they left. Then Abigail suddenly remembered.

"James, didn't you say you had something to give her?"

"Oh, right! I had completely forgotten!"

Belle looked a bit curious. What could this man, who she just met today, have brought her? She watched him take a small linen cloth from his waistcoat. James hesitated. He had received the item wrapped and not dared to open it to see what it was.

"Ehm…I was told to give you this." He handed the linen cloth.

Belle accepted it and opened it curiously. She gasped marveled and immediately tears of joy came to her eyes. James and Abigail stared a bit in wonder. Inside the linen cloth lay a small and delicate red rose in the initial stadium of fading, due to the days that had passed by. The princess stared at James, a beautiful kind of joy imprinted in her teary eyes.

"How is he? Is he okay?"

James truly didn't expect anything like this. Rumpelstiltskin had been rather secretive about his request. After he confirmed James was heading to King George's castle, the cripple had left him with Baelfire, only to come back some minutes later with the linen cloth. James had not asked what it hid but didn't miss the look of appreciation on the teenager's eyes. "Please, give this to Princess Belle, when you arrive there." He had asked. James would have sworn the look in the man's eyes were of sorrow and regret mixed with the fire of hope.

"He said to tell you he and his son are well, thanks to you. He also said he was almost at home."

Belle smiled and couldn't help the tears from rolling down her face. She caressed lovingly the soft petals with her thumb. The beauty had lived days of fear and bitterness in her distress. She had often thought of him and wondered if Rumpelstiltskin still cared for her, still thought of her. She had cried her heart out believing she would never be his, doomed to live a lie with King George. Now that she was about to be freed from George's clutches, a new hope was born. The rose was the proof he had forgiven her just like she had forgiven him. It was the symbol of their unspoken love.

"Thank you." Belle whispered sincerely. James dismissed embarrassed, realizing this small present from the peasant meant a great deal for the princess. He realized Rumpelstiltskin and Belle were in love.

"How did you meet?" He asked amused.

"When I run from my father's castle, in the day of the invasion; I stumbled across him by accident. He took care of me during my travel to Snowland."

"I understand now better your reluctance in marrying King George." James said smilingly. "You already gave your heart away." Belle nodded.

Suddenly everything made sense for Abigail. She finally understood what the rose meant. She wondered who this man was, who sent Belle such a simple but sweet gift. She sensed what Belle and this man felt was love in its purest form. True love. The one she had learned to know, not so long ago. The one she lost, not so long ago. The princess of the Golden City was too familiar with the pain of separation. She truly wished Belle would be rejoined with her true love. Abigail knew Belle would, in time, refuse Gaston in marriage too. She would refuse anybody, just to be with the man she loved. Nobody should be forced to marry somebody they don't love. James words from earlier returned to her memory. He had spoken them with such passion and conviction that Abigail realized this was the way things should be. Midas' daughter decided she would not marry James. As kind-hearted as he was, nobody could ever replace Frederic. Abigail decided, if she could not be together with her true love, then she would spend the rest of her life alone, for she knew, she could never give her heart away to someone new.

Gaston sat on the cold dark cell. He watched miserably a rat eat a piece of hardened bread. He felt cold and hurt. His muscles were sore and some cuts were badly inflamed. Nothing time wouldn't heal, though. But what truly upset him, what truly pierced his soul was the fact he failed again. He failed protecting Princess Belle for a second time. He was starting to doubt his abilities as knight and throne successor. How was he ever going to rule a country, if he couldn't even protect its princess and future sovereign? Was there still a land to rule? Was he ever going to survive King George's wrath? These were some of the many questions that tormented the spirit of the once indomitable knight.

Days passed by vaguely, time had lost its sense in the darkness of the dungeons. Only silence ruled this depressed world. A silence only broken by the screams of other desperate prisoners. King George had visited him once. He had been cruel with his words. He promised Gaston would watch Belle wed him. And then he told him how he would tame the strong-willed princess in his bed. How he would be fierce and dominant, like a king should be, how he would break her spirit by taking her body and subdue her to all his wishes and desires. How he would exhibit her to his allies and enemies as a trophy. Gaston had felt the fire in him burn. He didn't love Belle. He was well aware of his feelings for the princess. But he still cared about her. He had befriended with the beauty and taken his life mission in protecting her and making sure she would be safe. But he failed her. And she was the one paying for his failure.

His thoughts were broken by a sound coming from the end of the dungeon. He watched uninterested a yellow light draw near his cell. But his eyes widened when he saw one of the guards collapse dead on the floor. Suddenly, all his numb senses started awakening. The knight stood up expectantly and watched another knight approach him, fresh blood dripping from his sword.

"Lord Gaston?" Armithil's hero nodded, fire returning to his dark eyes. "I'm Prince James. I'm here on the behalf of Princess Belle." Gaston gave a rare smirk. So she was behind this. Belle had somehow found the solution for this impossible problem. He was starting to believe she wouldn't stop surprising him.

Prince James opened the cell and gave back Gaston's sword, he had found by the guards. They ran together in silence along the dim illuminated corridors. Any man that would cross paths with them would feel the cold steel pierce their flesh and life leave their body. A new adrenaline burned through Gaston's veins, making all earlier pains vanish. He still could save her. He still could make up for his faults. James led him outside. They ran invisible and silent in the darkness of the night across the courtyard. They made it to the wall where Belle's balcony was. James whistled, imitating a night bird. At once the shadows of two women appeared before the balcony. Despite the fact they could not read their faces, Belle and Gaston switched smiles. They were both happy to see each other after the last days' ordeals. A rope was sent down below, and Belle descended it carefully, in the same dress she had brought from Snowland. The red-blood dress lay now in her chamber's floor, ripped and smashed, so no woman would ever be forced to use the dreadful thing again. She reached the floor with the help of the men. Belle waved goodbye to Abigail, for no words could be switched. They made their last run to the gates with racing hearts. Some of Abigail's men stood by it, waiting with Gaston's horse.

"There are some provisions too." James said as he indicated the extra package on the back of the horse. Ride away to Snowland. Don't stop until you reached there."

"What about you?" Gaston asked, realizing the son of the cruel king was endangering himself with their rescue.

"Do not worry about me. I can take care of myself." He said confident. Gaston nodded and helped Belle on the horse.

"Thank you so much." Belle said.

"Remember. You must ride to where Snowland and Armithil meet. Your soldiers are fighting there, but they need hope. Wait for Abigail's message. And most of all…be safe." James told Belle.

And at this, Belle and Gaston rode away in the blackness of the night, following the starts. They rode as fast as the wind, their hearts filled with hope again. They still had many miles to go, but they would have a good head start. Nothing was lost. Armithil had still a chance. They might have lost alliance with Snowland and Leostille, but had two new important allies: Prince James and Princess Abigail. And Belle knew they would not let her down. She smiled, welcoming the freshness of the night.

She was free again.

King George screamed and cursed and shouted at his guards. His beautiful prisoner, his breathtaking wife to become, had escaped. No guard lived to tell how Gaston got his sword and his horse back. Just like no guard heard any noise or rumble in Belle's room. Actually, Abigail had paid the guards by Belle's room a generous fee for their silence. They had seen her enter and leave the princess room in the late hours of the night, unsuspecting what was going on. Now they were too scared of the sovereign to let the truth slip out.

King George paced from one side to the other. He was wild. He was possessed. How was it possible for two prisoners escape the fortified and guarded castle walls without anybody noticing? Unless…

"Bring me Prince James and Princess Abigail, right NOW!" He screamed in pure fury, his rough voice echoing through the room. The guards, terrified with the sovereign's wrath, quickly followed his command and no time the couple stood before him.

"You!" King George pointed accusingly at the prince and princess. "You two were the last people to see Belle." He paced around them, studying their expressions, trying to see any facial line that would denounce their crime. He was like a wild animal, trying to breathe the prey's scent of fear. But both stood firm and confident, not revealing a hint of nerves. The king grunted frustrated. "Belle and Gaston were helped and I cannot imagine anybody else that would be interested in helping the girl escape." The couple remained silent, the lord of Leostille still pacing around them. "I find the timing of their escape also very coincidental with your arrival." His last words were like venom and he looked in James eyes with certainty. The lion had found its prey and would soon devour it cruelly.

"My lord, it was I who assisted Princess Belle in her escape." Abigail suddenly spoke, her voice clear and deprived of fear. The king and the prince both stared shocked at the woman's statement. The blond princess stood tall and confident, her eyes staring fearless into the cold orbs of the king.

"You come here as my guest, as my future daughter-in-law, and you commit a crime in my own castle?" King George said his teeth clenched.

"With all respect, my Lord, but the only one who was committing a crime was you, King George. You imprisoned Belle, your ally. You hid her from the world to force her into a marriage she did not wish, one that not was approved by Armithil's court and council. Not to mention, you imprisoned her legitimate betrothed in inhuman conditions, a knight of the High-Class."

"You will pay for this!" The king hissed furiously.

"I understand you do not approve my actions, but as a woman, I could not allow this false marriage go on."

"Guards!" The king shouted, losing his head completely.

"Must I remind you about your alliance with my father? Hurt me and King Midas will move against you with all his might and anger. So I advise you to forget this whole incident. Nobody else knows about this anyway, since you never made your marriage public."

King George became livid of fury. He felt humiliated by this woman, who threatened him in his own castle. Her words were implacable. She was right and he could not make any move against her. King George had no choice. He had to swallow the crushing words of the powerful woman. James couldn't hide a smirk. Abigail had sensed when he was about to give himself in, but the princess was faster and took the blame upon herself, confronting the king valiantly and saving him from the sovereign's punishment. He realized, perhaps in another life, he could have loved her and been happy with Abigail. She was strong, determined, brave and possessed high moral principles; which he admired and respected. But, by each minute that passed, his heart longed for someone else. Snow White had taken his heart unintentionally. And now, he did nothing else but think about the woman with raven hair and pale features.

Nobody should be forced to marry someone they don't love.

Abigail is my heroin in this chapter!

So, I guess some of your questions were answered in this chapter. Were your expectations fulfilled?

Review

PS: can´t wait for the new OUaT episode!