Belle woke up to find that she was not asleep on her pallet. She was in a soft bed, blankets tucked all the way up to her chin and the faint scent of lavender was in the air. She heard the chirp of the birds and felt a gently breeze from behind her. Turning her body so that she faced the breeze head-on she saw that she was looking out onto an open balcony over a beautiful garden. She smiled as the the sun streamed through the doors. Filled with recognition, she giggled and lept from the bed. Pulling the purple robe around her shoulders and sliding the slippers onto her feet, she ran to the balcony and looked out upon the landscape below.
She sniffed gently and knew the scent to be from the lavender bushes that grew. The sun streamed onto her face, splashing her with its radiant rays. She saw the gardener and the workers. Squinting her eyes to movement in the distance, she nearly reeled. A knight was riding forward on his beautifully golden steed. He was dressed in navy blue embellished in gold twine. His handsome face looked sturdily ahead. "Gaston," she whispered his name. It was true then. Somehow she had made it back home. She was here. In her bedroom. Home...
SHE WAS HOME! Somehow she had escaped that horrid monster and had made it back to the castle. She squealed with joy and ran to the door of her bedroom. Opening it, she ran into the hall. It was empty, which she inwardly was gladdened at. In her state of dress, it was probably for the best. She ran down the hall as fast as she could towards her father's room. "Father! Father!" She shouted as she burst through the door into his room.
She stopped abruptly when she noticed that his room was dark and she instantly blinked hard to adjust her eyes. She gently crept towards the bed as she saw a large, huddled mass laying on the bed. "Father?" She asked as she approached closer. What was wrong with him? Is he sick? She thought for a split second of calling for help but she shook the thought from her head and continued to get closer.
"Papa? Please, papa, wake up. Papa!" She reached out a shaking hand and grasped his shoulder. Ir was soft to the touch. His robe. Slowly, she turned him onto his back to face her. She screamed as her hand flew back and the robe was replaced by dragon-skin leather.
"What is the matter, dearie?" The being sneered. It was not her father. The Dark One.
"What have you done with my father?" Belle demanded to notice as she began to shake.
The Dark One got up off of the bed and slowly began to approach her, "I did nothing, dearie." He reached out a finger and stroked her cheek. His finger was surprisingly soft as he smiled at her. But she did not like the smile. It was menacing and made her squirm.
"Get off of me!" She tried to push his arm away but he held her firmly and clenched his finger upon her skin. His long nail scratched through her skin and she knew that she was bleeding.
He laughed with mockery, "What is wrong? What is wrong?"
Belle screamed again as she felt herself become enveloped in purple smoke.
Papa! Belle sat straight up and shouted in fright. She shook hard as she sought to remember where she was. The prison. She was still in that dungeon. She had not made it home. Unclenching her hands, she reached up to her cheek and caressed it softly. There was no scratch. "It was just a dream, Belle. Just a dream."
She jumped as she heard the loud boom of a door as it was closed. He is coming. Belle curled her knees up to her chest and tried to wind herself into a tight ball. She felt safer that way, more protected. Soon enough, she saw the prison door open and she was filled with dread of the day to come. But more than the dread of work, was the fear that rose into her throat as she laid eyes on him. He stared hard back at her, his lips curled in a feral sneer. The same sneer that he had worn in her dream. She averted her eyes from his and wrapped her arms closer around her. "What are you going to do to me?"
He chuckled. "I'm not going to punish you, if that's what you're worrying about." Belle visibly relaxed but the menace in his eyes put her on her guard. "At least," he raised a finger in the air, "No punishment in the form of corporal." Standing up straight and gesturing to the door, he smirked, "Consider you're work load doubled."
Belle refused to stand up as she raised an eyebrow. She tried to steady her breathing, "Doubled? But I can barely do the work you already have for me." Her voice cracked in the end and her spirit broke as he merely squealed in delight. Hadn't last night affected him at all? Hadn't it hurt him just as much as it had her? It certainly did not seem so.
"I suppose that is you're problem, dearie. But consider as of today, you're work to be heavier. At least until you can learn to give me some respect."
Belle chuckled mirthlessly and it seemed her old self had returned, "If you wanted respect, perhaps you picked the wrong girl to bring here."
The Dark snickered at her. "Perhaps." He flourished his hands. "But perhaps I wanted a horse I could tame."
Belle opened her mouth at the thought of being compared to an animal. Indeed. But I think it is you who needs to be tamed, she thought bitterly but wisely kept quiet.
Her master nodded at her silence, seemingly pleased, and grabbed her roughly by the arms, "Very well then, dearie, to work we go."
Belle tried not to squeal as his nails dug into her skin. She would certainly have bruises by morning. They turned a sharp corner and she could not help but moan as his hands tugged at her flesh. She opened her closed eyes when they finally stopped and saw to her amazement, the largest staircase she had ever seen.
Her master broke her thoughts. "This staircase leads to the second floor. And there is an identical one which leads to the third. You are to wash them until they shine. I want to see my reflection in them." He coughed at the thought of seeing his ugly features in the polished stone. Glancing at his servant, he knew her too to be thinking of the same thing. Shaking his head of the thought, he sniffed. He glared at her hard. "I am giving you full access to this castle, Belle." He wagged a finger in front of her, "But you are not to enter any of the rooms on the West Wing. The East Wing is for you to explore. You will be allowed to clean the rooms there."
Belle gasped at him and was about to express her thanks when he smirked and the momentary softness was gone. "But I doubt you will be able to do that today. You have two staircases to clean. Better get to work." Belle hesitated and he nearly shouted at her. "That would mean NOW!"
Belle hurriedly ran to the marble stairs and noticed a large bucket filled with water along with several rags. She looked upon the stairs and sighed. Glancing behind her, she saw that the beast was gone. The stairs were so large, how could he ever hope for her to clean both in one day. The thought made her shiver in fear of what he would do should she not fulfill the task. This was enough motivation for her to pick up a rag, dip it into the water, and begin cleaning the incredibly dusty staircase.
XxxxXXxxXXxx
It was nearing two in the afternoon, when the beauty reached the top stair of her first staircase. Letting out a deep breath of exhaustion, she finished her swipe and turned to look at her work. Pleased, her face lit into a triumphant smile. Surely, he would have no complaint with how clean his marble shone. And then her lips sunk into a frown as she realized she still had a whole other staircase to clean. How would she ever do it in the few hours she had left before dinner?
Wincing, she looked down at the next matter. Her hands. The skin was red and raw. Her palm was beginning to peel. Her fingers were wrinkled and pruning. "Oww..." She moaned as she took one of her rags and wrapped it around her one hand. She found that the task was too difficult for her to do with the other palm and she sighed and finally gave up with trying. Standing up, she nearly screamed as her legs burned from kneeling for so long. Her knees nearly buckled underneath her and she reached out her hands to balance herself.
"Beast..." she whispered under her breath. Even after all she had done yesterday, she didn't deserve such a punishment, did she?
Picking up the bucket and wad of rags she began to haul the already filthy water to the next stairway. Looking up, she noticed with dismay that it was just as large as the previous. She knelt down and began to wipe the first marble stone, when a glint of light caught her eyes and she saw a door slightly ajar. Looking around her, she wondered if he was in there.
Inching closer to the door, she reached out a hand to open the door but then stopped herself as if she had been burned. Am I allowed to go in there? Well, this is the East Wing. He only forbade me the West Wing. Her hand reached out again but then stopped. But I do have so much work left to do. Her curiosity eventually won the battle. I guess I could use a quick break. Just a couple seconds.
She slowly opened the door and sighed with relief when she found that it did not creak ominously. Peering around the sunlit room, she searched for any signs of her master but there was none. Seeing that it was safe, Belle entered the room and began to look around. It looked to be a small sitting room. It was surprisingly clean, as if the Dark One came here often. But what drew her attention most was the balcony that stood against the right wall.
Remembering her dream faintly, she opened the door to look out upon the beautiful, forbidden landscape. She saw the white of the snow, the glistening ice crystals that hang from the trees. Beautiful. She approached the railing and leaned out over the edge. She felt the cold piercing her skin and breathed in the refreshing winter air. Her hands slipped on the icy rail and she nearly fell over the edge. Catching herself just in time, she breathed out a sigh of relief.
"Don't fall, dearie." She heard the all-to familiar voice behind her and startled. How had he managed to sneak up on her? She quickly turned on her heels, prepared to give her apologies, when her foot slipped on the slick marble. She felt her back slide over the rail and her arms flailed wildly around for support. But there was none. She slipped farther over the edge. It was happening so fast, nearly the blink of an eye and her life would be gone.
But just before her legs fell from the rail, she felt strong arms wrap around her waist and pull her up so that she was sitting on the rail. "Careful, dearie," she heard a soft voice near her neck. His breath tickled her ear, "Wouldn't want to fall, now would you?"
Belle knew not what to do except wrap her arms around his neck as she shivered from both the cold and the fright. She felt him tense underneath her but he did not release her. Wait. Him! He had saved me. He rescued me from my death. Belle was momentarily stunned as the thought hit her. He had not let her die like she would suspect.
Letting out a deep breath, she whispered into his shoulder, "Thank you, Master." He again tensed but he held her firmly.
"I will never let you fall." He drew back from her to look in her eyes. He made an impish face and squealed, "I can't be losing my caretaker!"
"You could always get another one," Belle mumbled as she averted her gaze.
The Dark One remained quiet, stunned that she had remained in his arms this long. He leaned forward once more to embrace her quivering and frightened form. "You're alright, aren't you?" He didn't know why he would ask, but he felt like he should. Poor thing. Was nearly scared out of her skin.
Belle nodded against his shoulder, too distracted by the feeling of his nose digging through her hair, his cheek pressed against her cheek. His flesh warming her through. It had the pulse of a man, and was warm as a man's flesh is warm. So caught up in her thought was she, that she did not hear what he said next. "Hmm, master?" She questioned.
"Rumpelstiltskin," he responded in a barely audible voice as he forced himself to release her and walk her into the safety of the Dark Castle. "My name is Rumpelstiltskin."
Belle smiled softly at him, "Well, then. It's a pleasure to meet you, Rumpelstiltskin." She walked past him to get back to her work. And for the first time, Belle considered the idea that perhaps this monster was more of a man than she had originally thought. A wonder in and of itself.