Chapter 9

Rumple wandered around aimlessly, trying not to blame himself for Belle's sudden disappearance. Trying, and failing. He was close to utter hopelessness, for he had no idea where to even start looking for her.

He wanted desperately to use magic, for how hard would it be to use a simple locator spell? He had plenty of her things back on the horses. He could find her easily that way. But he didn't dare.

Rumple didn't like feeling powerless, but that is how this unknown wizard was making him feel. He was unsure of what the wizard could do, so he was afraid to use his own magic. He didn't want to draw attention to himself and risk ruining their chances of getting the wizard to help them. But what else could he do?

As he walked along the stream, Rumple struggled with feeling both guilty and angry. Why had he let her walk away? Why hadn't he followed her immediately, to make sure she was okay? He couldn't answer that, and it frustrated him all the more. As he walked along the sandy bank of the stream, he forced himself to focus on the task at hand. He kept calling out her name, hoping she'd hear him and come back.

"Belle?" He repeated her name until he lost count of the number of times he'd said it. "Belle, where are you?"

Eventually Rumple hit a turn in the stream, and, not knowing what else to do, he considered turning back. If Belle had gotten lost, maybe she'd gone back to their campsite? She was smart, and that would be the smartest thing to do. If she had gone back, it wouldn't help if she went there and he was nowhere in sight. He knew going back was the logical thing to do, but he didn't want to give up searching for her, for that would mean admitting defeat.

She'll come back, he told himself, she always does. Wandering aimlessly won't accomplish anything. Reluctantly, and with one more call of her name, Rumple turned around and slowly made his way back to the campsite.

By the time he reached the campsite, he had convinced himself she'd be there waiting for him. As he walked up the bank and came within view of the horses, the sun was already starting to dip behind the trees. "Belle," he said, convinced she'd be there. "I'm so sorry, Darling. Can we talk?"

He got no response. Rumple quickened his pace and covered the last bit of ground left between him and the spot where they had eaten lunch, and was dismayed to find it empty of all but the horses. Belle's purse was lying on the ground where he had dropped it, and with slumped shoulders he walked over and picked it up. Gently wiping the dirt off it, Rumple ignored the tears in his eyes as he gingerly strapped it onto Nadia's saddle.

Rumple stroked the horse's mane, smiling through his tears as he remembered Belle's girlish blushing as she picked out names for their horses the day before. The more he thought of her, the angrier he became with himself, and he buried his head in the horse's mane.

He couldn't keep the unwanted thoughts out of his head. What if he'd truly lost her this time? What if something had happened to her, and she didn't come back? And it was all his fault! He couldn't even bear the thought of that, knew he wouldn't be able to live with himself, knowing she had run away because of him, never knowing what really happened to her.

He'd lost everyone he'd ever loved, and many times it had been his fault. He thought losing Bae was the worst thing that could ever happen to him, but now, as he stood there contemplating losing his Belle, he couldn't take it. Rumple suddenly lost control, and gave in to his tears. He'd really messed it up this time, and now it was too late to do anything about it.

As if to tell him to get it together, Nadia snorted and began stomping her feet. Rumple looked up, and, wiping away his tears, tried to pull himself together.

Then he heard it. It was as if the wind had picked up, but it had an eerie sound to it. B the horses were snorting and pulling at their ties, clearly agitated. Worried, but also intrigued, Rumple looked around.

He recognized the sound, and it wasn't a welcome one. It rang through the trees, rustling the leaves, challenging Rumple to do something about it. Someone was practicing magic. Angry, Rumple yelled, "Show yourself!"

"Looking for her?" A voice said from behind him, and Rumple spun around.

"Belle!" He yelled, seeing her lying on the ground and immediately running toward her/

"Oh, don't bother," the voice said, coming now from the opposite direction.

Rumple spun back around and yelled, "What did you do to her?! Who are you?!"

"You don't know who I am?" The old man said, and then added, "I know who you are, Dark One." He said the title with a sneer, as if it was more of a joke than a name.

Rumple stared at him with hatred in his eyes, and then decided he didn't matter. Turning back to where Belle was lying, he covered the last few feet between them and picked her head up, sitting down and cradling her head in his lap. She was breathing, that was a good sign.

Rumple murmured, "Belle, it's me. It's Rumple. I'm so sorry Belle, can you hear me? I'm so sorry…"

"No, she can't here you."

Rumple had forgotten that the man was even there. Turning toward him he yelled "Who are you?!" glaring at the man with murder in his eyes.

The old man simply chuckled. "I'm the man you've been searching for," he said, and smiled menacingly when Rumple looked at him in shock. "My name is Merlin."

"You're the wizard in Henry's book," Rumple said, more to himself than to the mysterious figure before him.

"Yes, that's what the book calls me," he said sarcastically. "But I prefer magician. And I know all about your little quest to find me. Well, here I am, Dark One. What do you want?"

Rumple looked at him in shock, trying to figure out how his plans had gone so incredibly wrong. "H-how do you know about my 'quest'?"

Merlin simply shrugged, then glanced down at the girl Rumple held in his arms. "She told me."

Rumple's rage came bubbling to the surface again and he repeated angrily, "What did you do to her?" Then, "Why did you go after her? Why not just come to me?"

Merlin looked at him like he was dumb. "Because you're the Dark One," he said simply, like it was the most obvious thing in the world. "And you care about her. Judging by that ring on her finger, you really care about her. And she doesn't have magic. She was a much easier target."

"TARGET!?" Rumple yelled, and would have leapt to his feet and strangled the man if he hadn't had Belle in his arms. He was reluctant to let her go, found it hard to put her down.

"Yes," Merlin said in an annoyingly matter-of-fact way. "I needed to make sure you were, how to say it, receptive to me when I came to talk to you. As for your other question, I put her under a sleeping curse. I'm sure you know how to break it. She'll be fine."

Rumple sighed heavily with relief, and looked down at his beautiful sleeping wife. "I'm so sorry Belle," he whispered again, before taking off his coat and balling it up. He put the balled-up coat down on the ground and gently laid Belle's head on it before he got up and approached the man.

"So you came to talk to me," he said, forcing himself to get his emotions under control. "Why? I am the one seeking your help."

Merlin nodded. "Yes, in a most noble cause, to bring back the son who gave his life to save you. The Dark One is reformed," he laughed sarcastically.

Rumple wanted to kill him, but remembered that he needed this man's help. Not trusting himself to keep from giving in to his anger, he waited for Merlin to continue talking, wishing Belle were awake to help him. He always found it easier to control himself when she was there with him.

"I've been living in this realm for a while now, Rumplestiltskin," he said, "And I've heard a lot about you. People are afraid of you, they say you control everything that happens here. Yet, no one has seen you in a very long time. What did you do, run away to a secluded island with your wife the maid?" His voice was dripping with sarcasm, and Rumple couldn't contain himself any longer.

"She's not a maid!" He yelled, "She was a princess! She sacrificed herself to save her people!"

"Yes, that's right," Merlin laughed, amused. "She was a princess, until you came into her life, and ruined it."

Rumple lunged at him then, unable to control the burning fury inside him. Forgetting that Merlin had magic, he found himself grasping at air.

Behind him, Merlin laughed. "You should know better than that, Dark One," he chided, only angering Rumple more.

"What do you want from me?" He yelled, forgetting for the time being that this man was his only hope of saving Baelfire.

Merlin smiled. "Where were you the last few decades, Rumplestiltskin?"

Rumple glared at him, sighed angrily, and, seeing no other option, decided on the truth. "I was in another realm. I built the curse the Queen cast on this land so that I could go there and find my son. Now, are you going to tell me why you sought me out?"

"And look where that got you," Merlin laughed. "You found your beloved son, only to lose him again. And now you need my help to save him."

Rumple sighed, trying to get control of his anger. Closing his eyes, he said, "Yes, I need your help. So why are you here?"

"Because I need something from you." At that, Rumple opened his eyes and stared at Merlin, waiting for him to continue. "I need you to retrieve something for me. It requires magic to get it, and not the kind of magic I can do," he admitted.

"So what is it?" Rumple asked, forgetting about his anger, intrigued now.

"It's a book," he said, and watched as Rumple tried to figure out what he meant. Going on, he said, "A book that is hidden inside the realm's largest library, the one the Queen put all the books of the realm inside."

Rumple was nodding. "All the books she took from the people. They're in her castle. That's why you were there." Merlin nodded, so Rumple asked, "Why can't you get it yourself?"

"Because, as I said, my magic denies me access to this particular book."

Rumple nodded again. "Okay, simple enough. We will go to the castle with you and get this book. Then will you help me save my son?"

Merlin smiled mischievously. "You'll have to wait and see."

Rumple shook his head. "That's not a deal, dearie," he said threateningly.

"Well," Merlin shrugged, "It's my deal. Take it or leave it."

Rumple didn't want to agree to this, but he had no choice. Besides, how hard could it be to get a book out of a library? "Fine," he spat angrily. "I'll take your deal."

"Good!" Merlin smiled. "Oh," he said quickly, with a mischievous smile that Rumple didn't like at all. "There's a catch. Getting the book requires light magic, and, you don't have that, do you?" He smiled, amused with himself. "But," he said, looking at Belle, "She can. Teach her magic, and then I'll be back." And with that he was gone.

Rumple stood there in shock. Teach Belle magic? How could he do that? All he wanted was to protect her from the dangers of magic, and look where he was now. Now, he had to teach her? And teach her to use light magic? He didn't even know how to use light magic? How could he teach her?

Worried, he ran back to where she was still lying on the ground, and looked at her. He stroked her hair out of her face, gently caressing her cheek as he struggled with what he should do. "I'm so sorry Belle…." He said again, and then picked her head up and hugged her to him, willing her to wake up.

"Come back to me, Belle," he pleaded, "I need you. I don't know what to do. I need you Belle…" But his pleas drifted off into the dusk sky, unheard, and unanswered.