He immediately went to see if those magical beings were hidden deep within the forest just as Lady Belle had asked. He saw many of her servants, and guards come out of the forest, just to be safe he put a protective shield around the forest. He couldn't be bared to think of how upset Lady Belle would be if anything happened. Now he needed to find out exactly what Rheul Ghorm, and her fairies wanted with precious Lady Belle. He willed his magic to make him appear in the shadows into the throne room, hidden from everyone. He could see Lady Belle, upon her throne, her body language stiff, but it relaxed only the slightest, as if she could sense he was near. Rheul was too engrossed in what she was saying to her to notice that dark magic had entered the air around them. She had two others with her. One was in a pink dress that looked slightly like hers, while the other was in green. It appeared as if they were arguing, but about what he wasn't sure of yet.
"By the laws of magic, I cannot permit you to continue down this path. I sense something dark has taken root in your life, something not human. If you proceed down this way, I will be forced to take action." Rumpel wanted to growl; Rheul always thought she was doing the right thing; protecting people. When all she did was cause grief to overwhelm everyone she "helped."
"You will not be forced to do anything, you know this. Every since you heard of my gift, you have wanted to take it away or use it for what you deem good. I am here to tell you, Rheul Ghorm that you will not touch my creatures because you cannot. You think just because you have the oldest magic, makes you the most wise, makes you the leader of all things magical. You believe in order to fight darkness you must inflict pain. There is darkness in the purest of hearts and there is light in the darkest of souls." Lady Belle had now risen, angered that Rheul had the audacity to come and try to steal away something that truly didn't even belong to Lady Belle.
"I am doing what is right! I am only trying to keep you from surrounding yourself with darkness because it will consume you and then what will you have left? An empty heart!" Rheul tried to continue but Lady Belle, put her hand up to silence her.
"What is wrong with a bit of darkness? Who says I will let it cloud my thoughts? You assume, but yet, you do not know. You cannot come in here, threaten me, threaten those creatures and then believe you will come out the hero. I do not need someone to save me, because I do not need saving. I love those creatures, and they have built a trust with me because I have given them a chance to. I let them live here so they have some place they do not have to be feared they will be hunted or killed. They are here on their own free will. They are fed, given shelter and shown affection, no matter how dark you see them as or anyone else, because I see them as creatures who are not given a chance." She did not raise her voice. She kept a calm tone, yet you could hear the passion in voice. You could hear the love she had for her beasts. "I ask you to leave now; you are welcomed back if only you can see that those animals are not leaving anytime soon, unless on their own accord."
"Those creatures need to be locked up! What happens one day when they decide not to follow you anymore? When they want to fight back?! I cannot stand aside and watch you kill yourself for demons! Those creatures will never be good!" Rheul was continuing to raise her voice, the anger upon her face very clear to everyone.
"That is the day then, that I have failed them. That I have shown them anything but love, and trust. Just because you are blinded by your own definition of good, does not mean that I am." Rumpel was amazed at how calm, yet feisty she was. He could tell she would not back down.
There was now a duel between Lady Belle and Rhuel Ghorm, but it wasn't a real one, more between their eyes. Lady Belle was not going to back down, and she was not scared of the fairy dressed in blue, in fact; she felt a sort of pity for her. Pity that she could not see the warmth the creatures had, only the darkness she assumed they had.
"Queen Belle—" Rheul tried to start but that is when Rumpel revealed himself, coming to stand by Lady Belle, lifting her hand to bring to his lips, which caused a smile to grace her features.
"What is he doing here?!" All the fairies looked startled and horrified.
"I am her guest, but that matters not, dearies. I believe she asked you to leave." He did not release her hand, and it seemed she was not going to let him. If it was possible, smoke would be coming out of that insolent creature's ears, the thought made Rumpel grin widely. Rheul and Rumpel at no time saw eye to eye, and they never will. He agreed with Lady Belle when she said Rheul saw the world as black and white. She ruins others and it praised for it, saying she is ridding the world of evil when she is simply adding darkness to her own heart.
"You are aligning yourself with him? The darkest, foulest creature of them all? He is the dark one! He didn't get that name by doing good for the world!" Rheul was now yelling at them, the two fairies behind her staring at her as if she had lost her mind, which the Dark One thought she had. She took a step near Lady Belle and like earlier; Rumpel stepped in the way, refusing to let her touch Lady Belle. His need to protect her was strong, and he had no control over the way his body moved to stand in Rheuls way.
"It is not your business for whome I deal with or who I associate myself with. Leave my castle, now." Lady Belle kept her voice strong, not once wavering. Her tone was commanding, and the fairies began to fly out of the room when Rheul, turned and stopped to speak. "This is not over." She then left, taking her annoying winged beings with her. Lady Belle wasted no time, quickly walking to check on her creatures. She saw no sight of them and was slightly relieved. Rumpel had followed her, knowing exactly what she was planning on doing. He released the protective spell around the forest that kept the animals safe. The young queen look relieved to know that her creatures were safe and with the help of her servants, guards and even Rumpel himself, they ushered the creatures out of the forest and back to the very large area they stayed in. Lady Belle's estate was huge; she had many, many acres to her name. The animals could freely roam as far as they wanted, which was good because she had many animals. Sometimes they would venture off or visit somewhere new, but they always came back and Lady Belle welcomed them graciously. After they finished with the animals, Rumpel and Lady Belle went to go have their afternoon meal. It was then did he ask what plagued him for a while now.
"Why did she want your creatures?" Lady Belle looked as if she was waiting for him to ask her that, she slowly sat down goblet of water she was drinking, carefully. She smoothed out the small wrinkles in her dress before meeting his gaze and answering his question.
"She has been after them ever since she found out about my gift. Magic cannot control these creatures, because the magic already insides them blocks it off, acting almost as a shield. Rheul Ghorm believes she can control anyone and was furious when she realized the deadliest things were out of her control and in the hands of a child. Many times she tried to take away my gift, but the magic just bounced back, and hit her instead. She offered me many deals, trying to get me to command the creatures to follow her, but I will not take their will away. Never have I commanded them to do something, I only ask, and they listen. I believe that is why I have my gift, because I do not wish to control anyone, I only wish to guide them and help them, keep them safe when I can, let them have peace." Her voice carried something sweet, and he felt it touch him in his core. Power does not make her blind with greed, but passionate with love knowing she can do good for the world. They continued talking as they ate, but nothing as serious as before. Lady Belle told him of her favorite books, and he in return told her of some of the deals he made, he saw the fascinated look in her eyes. Never once did she crinkle her nose in disgust at some of the deadlier deals, she simply nodded and asked for him to continue. Sitting here now, and telling her of some of the deals she has done made him think of how awful he was. His soul was corrupted, that much he knew, there some small flicker of hope that maybe she could help him; as if he wanted to be better, for her at least. He began to feel as though he wanted to know everything about her; her wishes, dreams, fears, those she loves, childhood memories. There was a part of him that almost craved it, he merely thought it was because he had gone without company so long. Company that he actually wanted.
"Come, I want to show you something." She said, breaking him out of his thoughts. They both stood up; he held out his arm for her, and she took it. She led them out of the dining room, taking him down a hallway and towards the front of the castle and out the doors. They continued walking until they reached her gardens. There were so many flowers but mostly roses, in all different colors. They had talked for so long the sun began to set behind the hills, leaving the sky an orange and pink color.
"What are you showing me?" He tried to ask, but Belle put a finger over her lips to silence him and continued to walk through the garden. She finally slowed down where the path ends, leaving them surrounded by the flowers. She turned to him with a radiant smile on her face before whistling a sweet tune, only three or four notes. Nothing happened afterwards and it was just as he was about to ask, a dragon, black as night with bright green eyes landed on the field behind the garden. She carefully stepped around the flowers, and he did the same. She walked straight up to the dragon with no fear of it hurting her, but he was hesitant not wanting to startle the beast. It lowered its head for her to stroke. She held out her hand for him to take, and he did, coming closer. The dragon huffed through its nostrils, but she reassured it with her gentle strokes.
"Her name is Farrah." She said, but didn't take her eyes off the creature. He could see the dragon physically relax at her touches. It laid down completely on the grass, eyes closing. He then realized that it was the same dragon, he saw leave with the guards the first night he stayed here. There was something special there between them, it was a bond that went deep; he could sense it.
"Why Farrah?" He asks, not being able to take his eyes off of Lady Belle who sat down on the grass.
"It means 'delightful', but otherwise I am not sure. The creatures name themselves, when I gain their trust, it's suddenly like they are able to tell me things, without actually speaking. I just know." She had turned her eyes to meet his, and there was something special in them. "She was the first creature I ever came across. I was running through the fields when I was only six, laughing and playing. I saw her, laying upon the ground, no bigger than I was. She was hurt and so I asked my papa if we could help her. He was against it, but my mother saw something in me; she could sense my gift. She convinced him to heal her. She was my best friend, but papa didn't want her to harm me by accident, and he had sent it away when I was busy with my studies. I was so mad, that I ran off and landed in a forest. Men saw me and came after me, but she saved me. She brought me home safe, and that's how I figured out about my gift. I began to communicate with her. She is my best friend." The creature wrapped its tail around Lady Belle and her own body. The love she had for this creature was amazing, but he was still curious.
"Why did you show her to me?" The words left his lips so softly, he was afraid she didn't hear, but she did.
"Three reasons; I know you won't hurt her; I wanted to show you something that meant much to me and to other's eyes, she looks dangerous, doesn't she?" She waited for her to nod, before she continued. "She has a dark soul, part of her animal instincts telling her to rip things apart, yet her heart is pure. It may have dark spots, but I do not love her any to a lesser degree. Just as she does not love me any less even though darkness has found its way in me. It is not what is on the outside that counts; It's what is on the inside that does. Her soul is just one part of her; her heart is the other part." Lady Belle relaxed against the dragon, letting Farrah act as her protector. He could hear her whisper that he wouldn't hurt her, but he understood. Farrah could sense the darkness, but it seemed Lady Belle could sense the good. He sat down on the grass, trying to show the creature, he meant no harm, and it made Lady Belle smile.
"Lady Belle-" She cut him off before he could finish.
"Call me Belle, there is no need for the formalities, Rumpel." She said with a small laugh and a smile.
"Then, Belle, why are you afraid Rheul will harm your animals?" He asks her and he could sense her mood change. So did her dragon for it wrapped its tail tighter around itself.
"I began ruling when I was sixteen, my mother had died when I was ten and then my father had been taken by a disease that plagued my land. It was hard, but my animals helped me. More and more started coming when I began ruling, it helped fill the hole in my heart. Rheul grew jealous; she hated that I had power where she didn't. She killed the mother animals, had men slaughter them since magic could do nothing. She was hoping that the father animals would fight against me, blaming me for the slaughter, but Farrah saw Rheul leaving the grounds after the animals had died, a smug look upon her face. The animals didn't even think of harming me, and after I told them what happened, their hatred for the fairies grew as mine did. I promised them she would never harm them again, and I intend to keep that promise."
A/N: I hope you all enjoyed this chapter, it was very interesting to write. Thank you to all who have either reviewed, followed or favorited my story.