I truly apologize for the delay and really feel bad about it, but I really struggled to write this chapter. I had serious inspiring problems (apparently "marriage" is not the subject for me). Anyway, I hope you enjoy it.

Thank you for your always kind and motivating reviews: Queen of Light 17, EssenceOfEden (thought of it too, but found it too cruel), orthankg1, maizeblue7, I am Tiny, thedoctorsgirl42, AshRedDragon, megumisakura, Nami Swannn, BlueBenny, Grace5231973, Usio-Amamiya

I do not own Once Upon a Time

Chapter 65 – day 74: The Wedding

"You look truly beautiful." Snow's soft voice whispered as she smoothly combed the bride's long perfect curly locks.

Belle smiled instantly as she watched the young woman stare back at her from the mirror. The beauty was surprised of how much she looked like the memory of her mother and found it easy to agree with Snow's words. The woman was staring back at her with her father's bright blue eyes, but mother's looks, and she smiled. She was indeed truly beautiful. She smiled almost in tears and chuckles from her own emotions. Like all little princesses, Belle had dreamed about this day as a child. Dreamed of being married with a handsome and brave knight. One that would kill dragons and give her flowers. But when her father engaged her to Gaston, all her childhood dreams had drowned away. Gaston was, beyond doubt, the exponent of gallantry and knight's chivalry. All his deeds and back-story corresponded to her childhood's list for the perfect husband. Yet she had not been happy. Because Gaston didn't fullfil the most important thing of her list. He didn't love her. Just like she didn't love him. Despite Gaston's greatness, Belle had never been able to give her heart to him.

The beauty smiled inwardly. She never expected to find her true love in the form of a cripple peasant. But it had Rumpelstitlskin that, through his gentleness, had accidently stolen her heart. Ironically, he also ended up being the man bringing her flowers and slaying dragons. But even if he would never had done anything this impressive (and she truly wished he would never encounter this kind of dangers in the future) she knew she would always love him this deeply. Society loved the man that slew the dragon and lead the ogres to an ambush of wildfire. Belle loved the spinner with the soft voice, the warm eyes and the patient hands. She loved him for his essence, for who he was and not for what he did. And she knew he thought exactly the same about her. She knew he would always love her with all his heart even if she was nothing but a miserable poor woman possessing nothing. A thought alone that made her beam in happiness. And so, Belle counted down the hours for the moment they would be united.

Bram stood straight, tall and proud. He loved his outfit that was brought this morning to him, just like all the pampering that came along it. Bram never had felt handsome during his life (except when he looked into the depths of his wife's eyes) but now he felt pompous under the stare of dozens of nobles. His ego grew when he read the look of appreciation some female aristocrats were giving him. He winked at his children when their gazes met and suppressed a blush when he recognized Red Riding Hood looking absolutely stunning, sitting next to Hansel and Gretel. A subject he desperately needed to share with his best friend, as soon as possible.

Remembering his friend, Bram's eyes returned to the man standing next to him. Rumpelstitlskin, was wearing an expensive outfit, woven with great care, detail and skillfulness and it fit him like a glove. Bram had to admit. It suited the spinner and made him handsome. The woodcutter then studied the face of his best friend and forced himself to hide an amused grin. Rumpelstitlskin's stance looked perfectly calm and controlled, but it was nothing but deceiving. Bram had already noticed the unusual paleness in his friend's face when they met early in the morning. Now he read the edginess present in the nervous look of his eyes and in his slow but repetitive moving of his index on the tin ring. Once in a while, Rumpelstiltskin would cast a brief glance in the crow of guests, increasing his paleness and speeding of the movement around the ring. The muscles on his face were tense from the anxiety and would only melt into a smile when he switched accomplice stares with Baelfire. Bram found himself releasing small chuckles once in a while, as the spinner was tortured by the short minutes that seemed to stretch themselves like hours. Rumpelstiltskin gave him an irritated glare after the third chuckle Bram gave in less than a minute.

"If I knew you would be this annoying, I would never have asked you to be my best man!" He whispered in clenched teeth, causing a soft reproving grunt from the priest standing opposite him. Bram had to suppress the urge of laughing out loud, nerves starting to take hold of him too.

"It's just, I've haven't seen you this nervous in a long time." The woodcutter whispered back.

"Well, it's not every day you get to marry a princess and have thousands of eyes on top of you like hungry vultures."

"Ugh, how dramatically put." Bram teased, but was forced to silence after another louder reproving grunt from the priest, this time accompanied by an annoyed glare.

The spiritual leader made a sign with his head pointing behind them and both man turned. Rumpelstiltskin felt all the air leave his chest when saw Belle. The music started and he watched hypnotized, the beauty walking side by side her father, in small but decisive steps, slowly closing the distance between them. She was a true vision for his weary eyes and all the worries of the last days and hours were quickly drown as he let himself be engulfed by her splendor. Belle looked even more beautiful than he could ever imagine her to be. She wore a lovely pearl white dress, long and wide, with delicate flower patterns woven with shiny silver threads. Her hair was partly caught in the back, so some locks of curly brown hair hung in front of her shoulders. Her crystal jewels were simple but sparked in beauty just like she did. Her blue eyes were glinting like an ocean under the summer sun. Her smile was an ode to joy in its perfect form. And that smile was reserved only for him.

"Breathe." Bram discreetly whispered in his ear and Rumpelskitltskin filled his lungs with the air Belle had stolen from him.

He smiled widely, matching Belle's smile when he took her hand in his as her father (reluctantly) gave her away to the spinner. Rumpelstitlskin ignored the warning daggers the king's eyes were shooting at him, for his attention was solemnly focused in the lovely young woman standing opposite him. Both had to suppress laughter of happiness combined with the anxiety that accompanies such moments. And both were reluctant to break their gazes to turn to the priest who started the ceremony. Their fingers remained intertwined at all times in a gentle, but steady grip.

Words of love, loyalty and fate were spoken. Suppressed sobs escaped from some guest's lips while all ears hung in each word that was vowed between bride and groom. Vows of eternal affection, vows of unbreakable devotion, promises of trustworthiness and of reliability. Vows until always. Promises until the end of all times. Beyond now, tomorrow and all possible futures.

The tin rings were replaced by two golden ones, bearing Always in their interior. And then, the priest finally spoke the words the world so much desired to hear.

I declare you husband and wife.

A burst of cheers, laughter mixed with sobs and applauses filled the air of the ample sanctuary as Belle threw her arms around her husband (for her father's grief) and the couple pressed their lips (women and Charleston discreetly cleaning their tears from their eyes). Wide happy smiles and more kisses followed until they were hugging in a warm and tight embrace, forgetting the world existed for a moment.

"I love you." Rumpelstitlskin whispered softly in Belle's ear, making her want to laugh and cry at the same time. She choked when she repeated his words and relished the soft kiss he planted next to her ear. When the fresh married couple was reminded they had quite a public (there were still loud cheers and muffed sobs) they shyly departed. Unable to utter any word, instead the smiles, laughter and watery eyes said all that was needed to be said and beyond. Suddenly, Baelfire made a short run to his father and held him close in a tight hug.

"I love you guys!" The teenager spoke in a cracked voice and embraced the princess afterwards with the same affection, unable to hide his any of his emotions.

He was happy to see his father happy, to see him in love and being loved. He was happy for having won the most gracious and kindest stepmother he ever could wish for. For finally having the mother he dreamed of for years, for having the family he always deserved. He was happy for life finally making sense, for the world being a beautiful place of laughter and light instead of chaos, of war and of despair. The boy closed his eyes and relished the warmth the group hug emanated. Alas, Bram had the unfair task of bringing them back to reality. The guests were already outside waiting for the reception, which would be, later on, followed by dinner and the ball. So Baelfire, still beaming, detached himself from his family and followed the crow outside.

And so, the celebrations started.

The king was satisfied. Everything was going well. Regardless of the newly married couple overly warm response of congratulations and of the overwhelming hugs and kisses coming from the new family-in-law, the reception went perfectly well. Regardless of the untamed monkey from Agrabah, that insisted in stealing food from the different tables so Prince Aladdin would end up chasing the small beast through the room, the dinner was going well too. The mob outside had been ecstatic when the just married couple appeared earlier today on the balcony and showed no shyness in kissing in public. Just as the noblemen were now completely hypnotized by the opening of the waltz. Everything was going well. Yet the king couldn't stop himself from pouting now and then.

This was not the marriage he had planned for his special girl. Since her birth, he had foreseen an alliance with another kingdom's prince or a mighty knight like Gaston once was. Instead, Belle chose to marry a plebeian and condemn her father to deal the rest of his life with a stubborn spinner and his straightforward family. He sighed, while he watched more couples join Belle and Rumpelstiltskin in the ballroom, dancing in graceful movements and in beautiful colored gowns. He sighed, while he watched the newly married couple move slower and slower, while the rest of the dancers whirled around them, in a celebration of happiness and love. King Maurice suddenly blinked and stood slightly straight on his chair. His eyes had been focused in his daughter for a long time and he read the same overwhelming joy and love in her face he had first seen weeks ago, in the night he was released from his captivity in his own castle. But it had been something else that made him blink. For the first time today, he dared to shift his eyes from Belle to the spinner. His despise and loathe for his now son-in-law made him avoid looking at him at all times, mainly when he was with Belle. But as the couple slowly turned in a small circle, the king's eyes fell on the face of the man who stole his daughter's heart. He blinked and didn't know if he should be angry with fate of not. The king was confronted by the way Rumpelstitlskin looked at Belle. He saw the love irradiating from the same dark eyes he so often saw hiding suppressed hate. The king read in the soft brown orbs the love, care and pride Rumpelstiltskin felt for Belle. And so, King Maurice cursed internally and took a sip of his wine.

He realized.

This was exactly the marriage he wanted for his daughter. He hated Rumpelstiltskin, but the spinner loved his daughter like no man ever did. That look in his eyes was never present in Gaston's. King Maurice refilled his glass of wine and drank a bit too fast. It was he, Lord Maurice, the one who loved Gaston. Not Belle. It was he who loved Gaston for his bravery and status. For what he represented. But he had always known, deep down inside, the champion would never be able to love Belle. Gaston loved himself too much for that. King Maurice was quite convinced Belle had tried to love Gaston to please her father. But she failed. How could she love a man that could not give his heart to her, anyway?

This was the marriage he wished for his daughter. He wanted her to marry a man who would love her, protect her, take care of her. He emptied his glass of wine and finished his conclusion as he placed it on the table. The hell with it! He thought. If that dawn peasant will make my Belle happy, then I can do nothing but thank the gods for that. He stared at the couple with a half drunken smile. Belle deserves to be happy and loved. And he realized with a lump in his throat that was all that mattered.

Rumpelstiltskin and Belle hardly moved anymore. Their feet took small short steps, drawing a fixed circle. Belle had her eyes closed and rested her head on her husband's shoulder. She wondered when the muscles on her face would finally get tired from smiling. For she couldn't stop smiling. She smiled while she felt the warmth emanating from under his clothing, while she heard his heart beating rhythmically inside his chest. She loved feeling him breathe close to her hair, she loved his natural earthly scent mixed with some spicy cologne he was requested to wear today. Belle let herself drift away, sensing Rumpestiltskin gently caress her back, feeling his fingers carefully play with her hair, relishing the touch of his skin against her cheek when he planted silent kisses. Belle took a heavy, satisfied and relaxed sigh. Rumpelstiltskin lifted his head slightly and smiled at the sound.

"Happy?" He asked in a soft whisper.

"Mhmm." Belle lazily replied. "Can it ever get better than this?" Rumpelstiltskin smiled secretly and planted a kiss the corner of her mouth. Belle lifted her head slightly and blue eyes met brown. "What are you thinking?" She wondered, not missing the glint in his eyes and enigmatic smile. But he didn't answer. Instead his smile grew, his hand searched for hers and he led her on the new dance that had already started. "Looks like our new lordship has a new found talent." Belle commented as Rumpelstitlskin made the right moves and took the right steps.

"You would be surprised how much your new lordship struggled to learn all these choreographies and how many feet he stepped on." He teased, clearly proud with the results. It was much easier to dance with Belle and a room filled of couples waltzing around than the training sessions with some unknown woman and a hysterical teacher. Belle giggled at his comment and let herself be guided by her true love in a room filled with colors and music.

And wondered when the muscles on Rumpelstiltskin's face would get tired from smiling so much.

I did my best. I totally suck in the fluffy department and seem to find it easier to write about Rumple slaying a dragon than a marriage. Oh well...

I felt so bad about dealying this chapter (which I know you awaited with anticipation) that I decided to update a second chapter right away as compensation.

It will be rated M (figure out why) and please read the warning in the beginning of following chapter.

Please, review :)