Unwelcome visitors, unwelcome truths

Things were getting very close to the end, and all he needed to kick start the final events was a royal, or someone with influence on the royals, to manipulate into 'giving something up' at a later date. If he could find one who would refuse to give up their child, he would be set. Belle was about ready to go out into the world on his deals; he would be the one making them, but he felt it important she see the final few steps, and have her magic close at hand. He'd had her search the lands for a childless royal in a desperate situation, but she had found none save for Snow White, who had her own uses. She had, however, found an unmarried royal (by the name of Thomas) and a whole list of young women who were in desperate situations, just waiting to be promoted to a royal status. Few were fair enough to demand a royal's attention, few smart enough to ask for help when they needed it (not from him, but he hoped from Snow and her husband, possibly Prince James, that was unknown at the moment), and even fewer likely to befriend, or be befriended by, the aforementioned Princess. In fact there was only one who fit the bill, and she had a fairy godmother to boot. A very irritating woman, nicknamed 'bop' by her peers, who he was sure very few would miss. She was terribly overbearing, obnoxious and loud. And she hummed. Really, really tunelessly.

It was a few days before he planned to ambush this 'Cinderella' (he planned to deal for her child the day of Prince Thomas' upcoming ball) when he heard the front door sweep open and loud footsteps outside the hall. He immediately instructed Belle with his mind (they had been practicing that a lot, and she barely flinched at the contact or commands anymore) to turn herself, and her books, invisible. She complied, and out of the corner of his eye he watched her continue to read her book, this one her own and for relaxation. He had forbidden her early on from making herself invisible to him. She 'vanished' just in time, for bare moments later none other than Regina barged through the doors, in another ridiculous dress of hers. "Flimsy locks." Her voice was high and mocking, and she gave a sing-song-y laugh. From the corner of his eye he saw Belle blanch, and flinch. It seemed her mistress had returned, and she didn't want to speak with her. "I have a deal to discuss." Dammit. Why couldn't people leave him alone? He was trying to work up the courage to get Belle to go with him to visit Cinderella, and all these interruptions were making it harder! "A certain... mermaid..." Dammit woman, get your hands off that tea set! She was far too close to Belle, who was shaking in her seat and biting her lip to stop herself from making a sound. What had Regina done to her little minion that had her so afraid?

"I'm not dealing today." He was so tired, and not in the mood to leap around like a maniac. The magic Belle had shrouded him in was weak, since she lacked the strength for a stronger illusion, and too much movement or bother would disrupt it. And he was really busy. Get out of my castle already! "Are you angry with me?" He was always angry with her. "What is it this time?" She was pouring tea now, and he couldn't help himself. A threat to her and a threat to Belle, both at the same time, and neither would cross him again. "Your little deception failed. You'll never be more powerful than me. You can keep trying, dearie, but you're never gonna beat me." He was staring at her in all his falsely-scaled glory, a thinly veiled threat laid out on the table, but still she crept towards him with a smile like the cat that got the canary. "Ohh, is this about that girl I met on the road?" A pout did not look good on her. She laughed a cruel chuckle, and stalked back over to the table where Belle remained quaking in her seat. "What was her name? Margie? Verna?" Like her name could ever be so plain! She was "Belle", beautiful.

"Right." The voice from her nightmares was sharp, unpleasant as ever. "Well you can rest assured I had nothing to do with that tragedy." She heard Rumple turn from where she was sat, unable to see him through the high backed chair, and afraid to look back lest he see the darkness in her eyes. She was shaking in her chair, and it was all she could do not to lash out and crush the witch's trachea, or break her neck or gauge out her eyes. Her blood would be warm on her hands, and that dark light in her eyes would dim as she looked on surprised and- "What. Tragedy?" Rumple's voice was clipped and to the point, no roundabout riddles for Regina now. He's stalked forwards, and she could sense him just behind her chair. She was tempted to take the scales away, and see how long it took Regina to kill him. "You don't know?" Her expression was condescending, and she just wanted to rip it off.

"Huh. Well, after she got home..." I never made it home you witch. Not to my Papa. "...her fiance had gone missing..." Well that's a shame. With any luck the moron is dead. "...and after her stay here, her association with you..." She made it sound like a bad thing. She was a hero! "No one would want her of course." They'd want me more than they'd want you, you hag. Except for your head on a spike. We all want that. Blood dripping onto the floor... "Her father shunned her. Cut her off, shut her out." My father would never throw me out! But I'll bet yours is ashamed to call you his daughter! "So she needs.. a home?" Why was he even playing along? Rumple looked so lost, like a little puppy. She wanted to reach out to him, but was afraid to give herself away. "He was cruel to her." Regina was having entirely too much fun. "He locked her in a tower and set in clerics to cleanse her soul with scourges and flaying. But she escaped and ran, and he sent his men after her. Soon enough though she came to a cliff. Fell off the side." That was your fault you vile woman! I wish I'd dragged you down with me. The world would be a much better place. "She died." That last part was sharp, designed to hurt, and she could see Rumple flinch beside her.

"You're lying."Why did the woman even try to be better than him? "Am I?" Yes. Now go away! "We're done." He had Belle open the doors, and strode towards them. "Fine. I have other calls to make." Yes, he thought, go and get your head bitten off by Maleficent. "The place is looking dusty Rumple. You should get a new girl." The doors closed heavily behind her, and he took a deep breath. He turned to Belle, who was hyperventilating in her chair. "You really weren't working with Regina, were you?" She shook her head at him, whimpering a little from the pain she had caused herself by biting her lip. Even with a tooth missing the damage she could do was massive. "Did you ever make it home to your father?" She shook her head again, working up the courage to speak. "I was on my way back here when I fell." "Fell?" "Off the cliff." Her voice was subdued and he gazed at her a moment, his expression incredulous. "Why would you come back?" She frowned, and looked at him like it was obvious. "Because I love you."

His face instantly darkened, his eyes harder and colder than stone once more. He stood, moving up from his crouch, and she felt like punching him in the throat. And she would have done so, except he told her to go back to the dungeon. And stay there. She called the smoke to attention around her, and transported herself back to her cell. The walls were cold and the floor damp, and the window with its steel bars didn't let any light in. She had long since been forbidden from altering the interior or the exterior of her cell, mainly because she kept trying to make it bigger, warmer, or more comfortable. She sighed, blinked back the tears that threatened to fall. At some point he was going to have to start believing what she said to him.