Instead of letting her mind dwell on what was in store for her in this unlikely partnership, Belle wanted to urge Regina to give her some answers.
"So… what happened to Rumpelstiltskin?" Although unspoken, what did you do to him hung in the air.
"What I did to him? Rest assured this misfortune was none of my doing." The Queen's smile widened, the small perfect teeth contrasting with the deep red of her lipstick. Belle felt like her patience would snap any moment.
"Do you take me for a fool? You come here, to his home as he collapsed with no signs of life just after a fortnight, looking for something to steal and you want me to believe it's a coincidence? I want the truth, Regina, and if you do not care enough to stop those games of yours, I want you out of this Castle this very instant."
"My, my, aren't you a feisty one," the Evil Queen didn't appear to be put off by the girl's reaction although her amusement somewhat decreased. "I might just see what he could have fancied about you. Very well, my dear, you shall have it your way." Regina turned away and walked to the far side of the table, turning to glance over her shoulder to ensure Belle was following her. Reluctantly, the girl came after the woman but sat down as far from the witch as her manners permitted her. Regina crossed her legs and smoothed out her skirt before calmly looking up at Belle. It was almost surreal – an outsider could mistake them for two acquaintances enjoying a light morning chat. Except that Belle was talking to a woman, who told her to kill queen regent, kidnapped her and contributed to her love's near-death.
She gently placed a book she still clutched on the table and folded her hands in her lap, curling her fingers in fists until the dull ache of her nails sinking into the soft flesh of her palms, grounded her and reminded the girl that she needed to hear the other woman out if she ever wanted to see Rumpelstiltskin alive and well again.
"Aren't you going to offer me tea?" Regina asked sweetly and earned herself the hardest scornful glare her companion could muster.
"I am not a servant," Belle commented through her gritted teeth but that remark was waved off by the Queen's glowed hand as she magiked up a tea tray and poured them both the brew with effortless grace. She took her time, sipping the amber liquid before she spoke again.
"You know how Rumple used to brag about balance and how everything in this world was linked instead of residing in chaotic subsistence?" Belle nodded but Regina hardly needed her acknowledgement.
"Well, guess who forgot about that himself."
"I… I'm afraid I don't understand."
"Of course you wouldn't. He kept you here for his own perverted pleasure while with me he actually took time to teach me something."
Regina raised the cup to her lips to hide another smile but her heavily-lined eyes squinted gleefully and Belle wished the Queen would choke on the bloody tea; because otherwise the girl would take immense pleasure in strangling the witch herself and watching those mocking eyes widen with fear as her face turned blue.
"If you dare to once again say that…" The end of the sentence was cut off by Regina waving a hand over the book that glowed faint green for a second before becoming plain.
"Oh hush, so sensitive you are." The Queen flipped through the pages and pushed the open book back to Belle. "Here, I trust you can read?"
To Belle's exasperation, the markings in the book were no longer runes but ordinary letters. Trying to banish the thought away – perhaps, the woman was right; she learned so little from Rumpelstiltskin while the Queen's displays of magic were so natural and appeared to be of no cost to her – the girl focused on reading. She scanned the paragraph quickly and looked back up at the woman.
"It says that shadows are an inseparable part of a person. Like positive and negative energy, light and dark, night and day – one cannot exist without the other. Unless…"
"Unless you're quite a powerful practitioner who can afford the luxury of magically supporting yourself for a while. But no one is powerful enough to do that."
"But Rumpelstiltskin…"
"He overlooked. It's so easy to forget about technicalities when you are deemed immortal. That, and a little acceleration spell applied to his shadow did the trick, which resulted in this," Regina jerked her head in the direction where the sorcerer was lying but Belle didn't turn to look. She could feel the bile rise in her throat and hoped she wasn't going to lose the contents of her stomach – whatever remained there from dinner – right in front of the woman. How could this happen? Belle was against him separating his shadow from the very beginning, she asked him not to harm the Queen and after all this time, after so many hours spent looking for answers, looking for anything that could help, the clue – or, more like the absence of it – was right before their eyes.
"Rather ironic, if you look at it. The Dark One drowning in his own darkness. Strictly speaking, shadows aren't light magic but his seemed to be the aggregation of whatever positive energy he possessed." The Queen finished her tea, placing the cup on the saucer and looked at Belle expectantly.
"So," Belle's mind was racing as she tried to process what all of this meant, "if Rumpelstiltskin is alive, so is his shadow. And, I guess, you hold it captive. Once it returns to him, the equilibrium will be restored and he'll be conscious and well?" Belle spoke slowly, uncertain if she got it right but Regina confirmed her words with a slight nod.
"The question is – what does it take to convince you to release his shadow, Your Majesty."
"Oh no, my dear, you do not have to convince me," the Queen leaned over the table till her face was inches away from Belle's and her voice dropped to a whisper; yet the words she spoke were clear and well enunciated. "It's about what you can offer in return."
"What is it you require?" Belle returned the stare fearlessly. Whatever the price, she had already agreed to pay it.
"Doesn't matter, my sweet. Haven't you promised me anything?"
So she did.
Regina pulled away abruptly and stood up.
"Come," she beckoned to Belle as she rushed to the main doors.
"What? Wait!" The girl turned around to glance at Rumpelstiltskin. She couldn't leave him like that. What if someone stumbled around? The Castle was no longer protected and it wasn't safe to leave him alone. "Where are we going?"
"To my castle, of course," Regina snapped and turned when she didn't hear the girl's footsteps. "What is it now?"
"I cannot just… leave him," Bell protested and the Queen clucked her tongue in irritation.
"Would you prefer a stasis spell? Fine!"
"No!" Bell clutched the upraised arm before any spell was cast. She didn't trust that woman to do any good with her charms. "No, it's alright. But promise me no harm will come to him while I am away."
Regina narrowed her eyes as the mere idea of her being asked for anything was appalling. But then, she still needed something from Belle so didn't argue.
"I swear nothing will happen to him during your absence. Now, will you keep quiet and follow me?"
Belle nodded and grabbed the book off the table before speeding up her steps to keep up with the Queen. She wished she could have a private moment with Rumpelstiltskin, to whisper reassurance to him or even to find her ring – but she wasn't parting with him forever, was she? Surely she'd see him again soon, after she fulfilled her end with the bargain with Regina and saw his shadow being set free.
This time the Evil Queen chose to arrive in a modest carriage – there were only two horses instead of six and no plumage or sparkling decorations to be found. Belle climbed onto the seat opposite of the woman and they travelled in silence; Regina didn't spare her another glace and the girl tried reading the book. Not that it was very helpful as she learned nothing beyond what the Queen had already told her.
They arrived at the castle gates quickly – much faster than could be anticipated; Belle suspected it was due to magic but she neither wanted nor cared to enquire. The Queen jumped off the stairs of the carriage, ignoring the coachman who was about to offer her his help and hurried inside her mansion. With little choice of anything else to do, Belle followed the woman along grey stone corridors that seemed endless, twisting and turning until she felt like she was in the heart of a labyrinth.
"Where are you taking me?" she huffed impatiently, her breath quickened as she attempted to keep up with the Queen who seemed to walk faster than it was possible in those heeled shoes.
"You need to see someone before I reveal to you what your payment for Rumple's shadow will be," she replied without looking back or slowing down her stride.
"Oh." Belle didn't know what to think of it, so she kept quiet for the rest of the way, certain, that her questions would remain unanswered.
They stopped at the entrance of one of the chambers and Regina pulled the heavy doors open, inviting the girl to come in first. The room was a plain bedroom, furnished with a small table, soft carpet on the floor and a bookshelf – nothing like Belle imagined she would see. The room was occupied by a man on the bed; his shoulders were hunched and he stared at the wall opposite the bed. His hair was tousled and he wore a simple white shirt, open at the chest. He looked a little alien and lost in this room, especially when compared to the sophisticated expensive outfit of the Queen. The man paid no mind to the intrusion to his chambers and kept studying whatever there was in the bricks of the wall.
"Daniel," Regina's voice came out soft and soothing, as if she spoke to a dear friend from another life, where she was no evil witch and he was her equal. "I would like you to meet someone." She nudged the girl forward, making her take few steps towards the bed and the strange man. "This is Belle, she is our guest."
Belle was a little alarmed at how the Queen said our guest. As far as she knew, Regina was a widow, surely this man was no king and yet she could almost detect warmth in the way this person was spoken to.
"I… Um… Yes, hello, Daniel."
The man turned at the sound of her voice and she was stricken by how pained he looked. His eyes were large and blue, a little sunken in from poor nourishment but he seemed incredibly sad. He studied her, his gaze almost absent as if he couldn't truly see her.
"Wh-What's wrong with him?" Belle turned to Regina but received no reply. Swallowing hard, unnerved by the quietness and the man's weird behavior, she took several steps forward.
"Sir, are you alright?"
Before she could do anything else, Daniel lunged at her. With a shriek, Belle jumped back, except there was no use, he would still reach her and from the looks of it, he intended to snap her in two. Belle felt her back hit the wall and closed her eyes with fear; it happened too fast, it was no use. Even Regina's magic couldn't act so quickly.
There was a metal clink but nothing touched Belle. Opening her eyes, she discovered the man – his handsome features twisted with rage as his hands pawed at the air – reaching for her, his movements restricted by a chain that linked both of his ankles to the iron bedpost.
"Now you see why I have him restrained," Regina commented sadly and for the first time this day Belle saw a glimpse of a sincere person behind the mask of the Evil Queen. "Daniel is the reason I brought you here."
"We used to be in love when we were young. Now, I stole him from death but he's not quite himself." Belle's eyes widened but she found no power no interrupt Regina.
The story made her skin crawl and her eyes darted from the woman to the man, who looked insane, thrashing in his chains, grunting and trying to grasp her. When he couldn't do it, he howled, his fingers sliding through his hair and Belle thought she saw him pull some of it out. Then Daniel hit himself hard, beginning to weep at the first blow and landing more of them to the side of his head. He ceased hurting himself only when Regina gently told him to stop; he then climbed back onto the mattress, positioning himself in the corner of the bed and began rocking back and forth, humming under his breath, his eyes once again staring off into space blankly.
"He's been like that since he returned – either indifferent to the surroundings or aggressive."
"I am so sorry, Regina," Belle still trembled but she felt the sympathy creep up her chest; the Queen did not react to being called by her first name. "I truly am. It must be hell for you. But… I don't understand what I have to do with this."
Regina turned her misty gaze towards her and the Queen's eyes became hard and merciless again.
"You have everything to do with it, my dear."
"But how?.."
"You see, Daniel is like that because he doesn't remember me. Because he doesn't love me. But you… you can remedy that."
Belle's pulse quickened and she pressed against the wall harder.
"I can?"
"Oh yes, my dear. All he needs is to be able to love again. You can make him do it. By giving him your heart."
"My heart?" Belle gasped and her hands protectively flew to her chest, covering it over where her heart pounded against her ribs. She shot a look at Daniel and felt her blood chill. There were red scratch marks right over the left side of his breast, exposed by the deep-cut shirt.
"You have done this before," she whispered.
"Oh yes, I tried. But, you see, foreign hearts drive him crazy; he finds them maddening and tries to get rid off them."
"What makes you think mine would be different?" Belle's head was dizzy and she fought to stay upright. Gods, she wants to kill me. She wants to kill me and take my heart for her resurrected lover.
"You will make all the difference in the word," the Queen slowly approached her, trapping the girl between her slim body and the cold stone. "You heart is true. You love that abominable old dragon, do you not?" Regina hooked her finger under Belle chin, tugging the girl's head up sharply to study her eyes. "And you would sacrifice it willingly."
"What if it doesn't work?" Belle's body and mind was on fire; was it the end of her? Could she still escape?
"Oh, I know it will work but in either case I am ready to try."
I am going to die. She will rip my heart out of her chest to be reunited with this monster.
"What will happen to me after… after you take it?" she choked, but strangely, no tears came. Regina took a step back, shrugging.
"Oh I don't know. You may die, of course, or you may keep on living. You will either feel differently or see no change at all. I never cared enough for the donor to observe what happened to them afterwards; I always used older hearts of the people I didn't know. My mother had quite a collection of those."
Belle's vision swam and she closed her eyes briefly, trying to hold back the nausea. The woman made it sound so mundane, so casual; as if it wasn't her life and wellbeing that was at stake.
But then the girl remembered Rumpelstiltskin. Would it truly matter if she went on living without him, knowing she would never experience the pleasure of his touch, never see him smile? Perhaps she could survive this, return to his side. Was it the heart that had the feelings for him or was it her mind? Did some contracting muscle, merely a body part matter? Would her beloved sorcerer even notice the change?
"Do you guarantee then he will be safe? That Rumpelstiltskin will be well, unharmed and no consequences will befall him?" The girl hesitated not for the fear of her fate but for what consequences this sacrifice would have on her loved one. Was it, in a way, cruel of her to sentence him to the life where she would not be at his side? Was she selfish, passing the pain of her near-loss onto his shoulders?
"You have my word," the Queen smiled.
Belle wetted her dry lips, feeling a little relieved.
"I want to see his shadow. To know that it's freed and safe before you… before we do… this."
"Smart girl," Regina praised and led her away from the room and her lover to the other side of the castle.
The chamber they arrived at was empty except for numerous candles, forming strange intertwining patterns and lines on the floor. In the center of the room there was a ball of darkness, except… except that it wasn't quite that. Belle strained her eyes and the dark mass shifted and curled, growing bigger and taller, stretching and morphing into…
"Rumpelstiltskin," she breathed, both excited and mortified. There was no mistake to who the hawked nose, prominent in the shadows profile and the spiked boots belonged to.
The shadow turned to face her, its features blurring. It seemed to be made of ebony mist, but was thick enough so that Belle couldn't see through it. The girl forgot about everything; she no longer paid attention to Regina behind her or the fact she may die soon.
She carefully stepped over the line of candle flames, taking care not to ignite the hem of her dress. The shadows silvery eyes were so familiar, her heart throbbed. They were tender and sad, larger than one could expect; those were the eyes of the man she loved. The eyes of the man she would give up the world for.
"Rumpelstiltskin," she repeated, approaching the shadow that stretched its misty arms to her. Belle touched her palms to the shadow, feeling her flesh sink into its form a little. The shadow's body was a little slick but solid and she enjoyed the feel of it, having regained the feel of his touch. It was different but it was still him. "It is all true."
The shadow stared at her, unblinking while Belle drank in the sight of him. He was Rumpelstiltskin and he wasn't. That was a strange and unsettling but she did not experience any fright.
"You cannot talk, can you?"
The shadow shook his head and Belle involuntarily smiled at how familiar the gesture and the flying curls were. She reached for them, marveling at the unusual texture.
"I came to free you, my love. To make you whole again." She caressed the sides of the shadow's face, trying to carve them into her memory. It could be the last time she saw him, the last time she touched him. After all, should she survive this she may not remember the man nor feel anything for him.
She thought she saw worry and concern in the silver eyes as they darted towards the Evil Queen. Belle took the shadow's arms and placed them firmly around her waist. She felt a little jealous. It was their moment, there was no room for anybody else.
"It's alright, she's helping us." She tugged on the shadow's clothing - invisible but she could feel hard ridges and the texture of it - making it bend lower to whisper into its ear outside the hearing reach of Regina. "When you're back, tell him… Tell him that I love him," she said quietly and the shadow nodded.
Before she could think, she tiptoed and parted her lips for a kiss, sighing when she felt the shadow kiss her back. It was different from the kisses she was used to; it was cool and smooth and both familiar and wrong sat the same time. Yet in the way the shadow nibbled on her bottom lip and teasingly stroked along her tongue she recognized her Rumpelstiltskin. Belle closed her eyes and savoured the kiss; she didn't know how long it went on – a minute, an hour or a century. He was entirely hers and she would remember it for as long as she had time left to live.
She shut her eyes tightly, feeling the tears burn in them. She would not let the Queen enjoy her tears and let her know how scared she was.
When she had to come up for breath eventually, Belle didn't pull away. She opened her eyes only when she was certain her tears were contained. The shadow stared at her intently and she gave him what she hoped was a reassuring smile.
"How do I free him?" she asked, turning to Regina.
"Just blow out any of the candles in the pentagram and he will be allowed to leave."
"Do tell Rumpelstiltskin I love him," she pressed her lips softly against the shadow's cheek. "If you can, of course."
Belle bent down but before she could blow out the candles, the shadow tugged her back up.
"What?"
The shadow looked at her, then at the Queen and back at Belle.
"Oh, don't worry about it, love. The Queen and I have something to discuss and then I'll return right back to the Castle." The lie came unexpectedly easy and Belle thought even she could be convinced by how confident and cheerful her voice was. "Go, and don't you worry about anything."
She gave the shadow's fingers a reassuring squeeze and quickly extinguished the light of the nearest candles.
Belle felt a faint brush of the fingertips on her cheek and then the shadow was gone. She was alone in the room with the witch.
The girl no longer felt afraid. She turned to the Queen, calmly taking several steps to her.
"Will it hurt?'
"Yes, but only a moment." Regina replied frankly. "Then…" She shrugged and suddenly it was her who felt uncertain and out of place. "Do you still want to do this? Are you giving up your heart willingly?"
"Yes. Yes I am."
Belle thought she saw remorse and hesitance in the Queen's eyes but then she had no time to dwell on it. Belle gasped at the hot piercing pain in her chest.
The last thing she remembered was the gloating smirk on Regina's face. And then her world went blank and sank into darkness.
Miles away in his Castle Rumpelstiltskin bolted upright. His head hurt and his memory was fuzzy but he knew something was wrong. The terrible feel of doom and guilt gnawed on his insides, even though he didn't know what it had to do with.
"Belle," he choked; even though he still had not figured out what happened, he had to fix it. He ought to have screamed but his voice was too weak. And then he remembered. "Belle."
He was completely alone and the imposing silence of the Castle did not let his voice carry any further. He repeated the name as a prayer, as the declaration of hope, but there was no one to answer it.