True Love's Kiss (and less of a disaster)
When Belle got back she informed him that the False Prince had been caught by King George whilst Snow remained free. A couple of days later she informed him that Charming had become Regina's prisoner. It was unfortunate nobody informed Snow of the development, since she broke into George's castle to save him. Apparently, and Belle enjoyed the telling of this far too much, Snow's stepmother had offered her an ultimatum: eat a poisoned apple and fall under a Sleeping Curse, or Charming will die. Snow White, of course, ate the apple. He wondered how Regina got her hands on a Sleeping Curse, no doubt Maleficent's, and hoped she hadn't traded his Dark Curse away for it. He'd put a lot of effort into that. Anyway. A couple of days after the runaway Princess was placed under the Sleeping Curse, her Prince escaped the Queen's prisons.
He'd been sat at the table in the Great Hall, long since mended, drinking tea out of his chipped cup when Belle informed him of an important development. Something had put her in a sour mood of late, and she'd made a habit of glaring at him. It was making him incredibly nervous. So whilst they were drinking tea, he was trying to ignore the way Belle glared at him when suddenly something only she could see distracted her. She snapped out of it a moment later, happy to inform him the false Prince was lost in the Infinite Forest. He shook his head at her enthusiasm, and motioned for her to take them there. And he had so been enjoying his tea.
When they arrived in the forest, emerald green all over the place, Rumple sat down on a log and waited. He had her change his outfit from a gold silk shirt and black leather pants to a black scaled waistcoat with a crimson shirt, brown leather pants, black knee high boots and Charming's now-tattered cloak. It was all very regal. When the Prince made his way back into the clearing, as he was bound to do eventually, she made Rumple visible just as he called out to him. The Prince whirled 'round, but did not seem surprised to find the supposed Dark One before him. Probably bored of all his meddling. He tried to leave but Rumple lured him back with the ring Belle had 'poofed' from the pouch he kept it in. Then Rumple had her enchant it, so that Charming could find his love. The man immediately drew his sword, however, proclaiming "No more deals!" Rumple dodged the first swing and caught the second, and she transported him away from the third.
Rumple was, of course, surprised to find himself a good few paces behind the Prince, but just because he didn't want her anymore didn't mean she was going to let him die. Their fighting became more frenzied, the swords clashing and elbows flying into guts. With an almighty shove Charming got Rumple away from him, and slashed him across the cheek. Belle leaned forwards, desperate to reveal herself and protect him, but knew she couldn't. She watched instead as Rumple grimaced and chuckled, swiping a hand over his cheek. That was her cue to heal him, and she did. Growing bored of this rage she threw the Prince against a tree and gave Rumple the man's sword, hoping to end the pointless fight. Eventually the Prince stood up and gestured for Rumple to talk. Finally.
On cue Belle summoned the vial of potion he had created from Snow and Charming's hair. He had allowed it to ferment a while, and now instead of two hairs entwined he had a bubbling mass of purple goo. The Prince went to take it but he drew it back. "Ah! Careful, this is all I have left." Not that he couldn't easily make more of it. It wasn't like Snow White was in any position to stop him snatching all her hair. "What do you know of True Love?" Why do all you royals have to be so condescending and insulting? You aren't even royal! "Well not as much as you perhaps, but not so little as you might think!" He snapped back. The Prince was smirking, like he'd make a joke. The woman he loved was behind the man and ready to snap his neck. He really aught to be careful. "You. You loved someone?" He blinked. Why was he still talking? "It was a brief flicker of light amidst an ocean of darkness..." His eyes wondered and found Belle, who blinked at him owlishly. "What happened?" The Prince snapped him back to the present. "I did something that changed her, and I don't think she can forgive me for that." He looked away from Belle, too much of a coward to see the confirmation in her eyes. "That's the the thing about True Love you see. It slips away easily. It's the most powerful magic, the only magic powerful enough to break any curse. It must be protected at all costs." Charming distracted him again, a distraction he was thankful for, and he ended the conversation with a giggle as he threw a golden egg, now containing the vial of True Love, at Charming's stomach.
They waited on the beach after transporting Charming to Maleficent's castle, listening to the beastly roars sounding from within. Fire flickered periodically before the stained glass windows as they watched, trying to ignore the growing tension between them. When a shape burst through the windows, followed by a stream of bright fire, they both leaped to their feet. As Charming swam to sure, slowly and about as gracefully as a dog, Belle leaned to whisper in Rumple's ear. "I forgive you." It threw him off for the whole conversation with Charming. Finally though he managed to hand over the ring, and Belle cleaned the man up for his big moment.
And so the, if you had looked, you would have seen a man dressed in an embroidered cloak of deep red, and a waistcoat decorated with lace, urging his horse faster across the narrow stretch of road. The man's black boots, mostly covered by black breeches, squeezing the grey sides of his steed. Words of encouragement falling softly from chapped lips. Blue eyes blinking back the tears that the biting wind forces on him, but he keeps on riding, the sea air whipping past his face.
Behind and around the man lies the coast and before him, the forest. The trees, pine, grow thick and tall, backed by the mountains and blanketed in snow. The sun moves behind the rock as the man and his horse enter the forest, leaping over log and branch, racing toward their goal. The emerald of the forest surrounds them now, and no direction is certain to be the right one, for no landmarks offer guidance.
Though not obvious, every few moments, as he ducks beneath low hanging branches, the blonde man will direct his gaze to his smallest finger. Around that finger is a band of silver topped by a glistening green gem. With each stride the gem glows brighter, glowing not from the light of the sun but rather from the magic within.
Some time later, indeterminable (but the horse is flagging), snow begins to fall. It is light, lending a soft dusting to the already inches-thick layer on many of the upper branches. The man continues to ride, oblivious to the cold, and as he comes upon a clearing, his horse kicks up muddied slush. Upon seeing the group already collected in the clearing (a group of seven men), the man dismounts his noble steed and rushes forwards, breathing heavily. But then one of the men, equally as short as his brethren, turns and says "You're too late." Then he turns his red-capped head back, to face the glass coffin once more. The blonde man's gaze reaches the coffin too, and horror passes upon his face at the sight within.
It is a young woman with long dark hair and skin whiter than snow, a delicate smile even when sleeping, and eyes a clear hazel when open. She was dead. "No..." A whisper, nothing more, is muffled by the falling snow. "No!" Repeated, it becomes a yell. The silver embroidery of his waistcoat shifts as he gazes upon her, fingers gently brushing the glass of the coffin. "Open it." The short men gaze at him in sorrow, and a darkly bearded one is the next to speak. "I'm sorry; she's gone." The man beside him releases a tear as the taller man looks up with shining eyes to say "At least let me say goodbye."
The thickset men share a look before drawing back and removing the delicate lid of the coffin from the woman's prone form. A single flake falls upon her porcelain cheek to mirror a tear, and the princely man kneels before his love to give her a final kiss. But the moment their lips are joined a bright light leaps forth and encompasses the trees. Birdsong can be heard faintly in the background, where before there had been none, as the young woman takes a breath, her chest heaving. She blinks, and focuses on the man above her.
"You... you found me..." Her grin, an expression of pure love, lights up her face, and she reaches out to cup her palm around the face of her savior. His grin matches her own as he caresses her arm and speaks "Did you ever doubt I would?" He helps the woman rise as she answers him. "Truthfully? The glass coffin gave me pause." A slight chuckle is given in return.
"Well you never have to worry. I will always find you."
Rumplestiltskin scowled as the light pulsed over him. Always so dramatic.