The tavern is crowded but she finally spots Tinkerbell and waves her hand in the air to get the fairy's attention. The blonde nearly bounces up and down with excitement when she hurries towards the girl.
"Tinkerbell, did that man you were talking to have a hook?" Belle asks anxiously. Not a conventional start to a conversation but his dark looks and the presence of a hook worried her more than following etiquette.
"Oh! Yes he did," the fairy answers with ease. "But don't look so concerned; he's actually nice."
"Are you two… um…" cannot help wondering as it seems they have had some kind of history together.
Tinkerbell blinks, lost as to what her friend implies but then Belle raises her eye brows and her meaningful glare makes the woman understand. "What? Me and him? Bleh! Isabelle, no!" she protests as her cheeks flush a pale pink at the idea. "Don't you know what pirates do to each other during long sea journeys?"
"I don't," Belle replies with genuine curiosity. "What do they do?"
"Erm… Never you mind. I'll tell you some other time. Maybe." Tinkerbelle stares at her feet, suddenly embarrassed but then promptly changes the subject. "What about you, Isabelle? You've… changed. Have you found, you know," she lowers her voice conspiratorially, "Blue?"
"Come on, let's get outside." Isabelle takes hold of Tink's elbow as they make their way to the yard. The fairy stops dead in her tracks when they turn the corner and insistently pulls Belle back.
"Wait! Let's go back, it's not safe here."
"What are you taking about?" The grounds are deserted except for the two of them and the kelpie.
"See that monster?"
"Where?" Belle really sees no reason for the fairy to be worried all of a sudden, but then she follows her gaze and understands. "Oh. You mean the kelpie?"
"You know what it is?" Tinkerbell seems surprised but no less alarmed. "Okay, good. Now let's get as far from it as possible."
"Of course I know who he is. He's with me." Paying no mind to the fairy's warning shout, the girl approaches the kelpie and gently strokes his shiny side. Tinkerbell watches her with wide eyes.
"But… they eat humans. They carry them on their backs and drown people in the lake to feast on their flesh later."
"Why does everyone keep telling me that?"
"Um… possibly because it's true?" Tinkerbell puts in sardonically.
"Have you ever tried to befriend one?"
The fairy shakes her head. "Befriend a kelpie? And who would be reckless or stupid enough to attempt it?"
"I guess, I would. Nevertheless, to answer your question… Yes, I did find her - the Blue Fairy," Belle scowls and the fairy giggles, taking a few nervous steps closer. "Her help and advice almost got me killed. But he saved me," she strokes his neck lovingly and the kelpie closes his eyes in pleasure.
"He? So you're not crazy enough to give the stallion a name, eh?" the blonde teases and Belle does feel silly.
"Everyone should have a name. I just… was too busy with my own problems." She turns to the horse, studying his muzzle to find a clue as to what his name could be. "What should we call you, boy? Triton? Shadow?"
"Llyr," the fairy prompts. "You know, the sea god. I think it's fitting." She carefully makes another step. "Does he bite?"
"I've been told so, but only when you insult him," Isabelle jokes but her friend takes it seriously.
"Alright. I'll pass then. So, Blue. What did she advise you to do?"
"Follow a magicked ball of yarn which was supposed to lead me to my destiny."
"Sounds totally like something Blue would say. And did it?"
Belle frowns. On one hand, she got lost in the woods and almost drowned, on the other…
"In the long run, it did, but I didn't appreciate the trouble in-between. I found my True Love yet I have another problem. He doesn't remember me." "Who doesn't?"
"Rumpelstiltskin. He…"
"What?" Tinkerbelle shrieks. "Who did you say your True Love was? You bloody wished to get your heart back to be with the bloody Dark One?"
"Dear gods, can you please not shout?" Belle's face gets heated. She didn't intend that detail to slip. "I, uh…"
"We are talking about the Dark One here, Isabelle. For Blue's sake, when you mentioned being in love, I thought you meant some prince charming, not the ancient insidious imp!"
"He's not like that!"
"Not ancient? Or not insidious? You cannot argue the imp part," she gestures in the air wildly, shocked and appalled. "Are you trying to tell me he's sweet as honey and goes around handing food to the poor and giving a home to stray puppies?"
"Well, no, but… Hold on, Tinkerbell, is that your idea of a perfect man?"
They look at each other before bursting out laughing, their combined giggles earning them anaccusatory look from Llyr.
"Are you judging me, Tinkerbell?" the girl asks, her teeth worrying her bottom lip after the laughter died away. "I know what everyone thinks of him, but he has always been so sweet and caring and generous…"
Tinkerbell sighs. "I really don't know. I mean, what you're saying is impossible and goes against everything I've heard about the Dark One. It's just strange. Why would people lie about him then?"
"Because people are afraid of what they don't know," Isabelle replies with sadness. "And once they make up the legend to scare others, they no longer care to see anything behind it."
Tinkerbell says nothing, twisting the hem of her moss-coloured shirt and the silence stretches.
"Does he treat you well, at least?" the fairy sighs and Belle feels grateful that she didn't try to prove her wrong or lecture her on the dangers and consequences of accepting the Dark One as your soul mate.
"He's not too bad. He didn't incinerate me on the spot, although that wasn't for lack of trying," the girl jokes but immediately regrets it as Tinkerbell's eyes widen to the size of saucers.
"He did what?" "Nothing! Sorry, that was a bad joke. He does behave differently, but nevertheless when I look at him, it's the same man I love." The fairy gives her shoulder a reassuring pat and it is such a relief - finally having someone to share it with without holding back, someone who listens and understands and tries to help. "Still, I do want to bring his memory back. Do you know if it could be done?"
"The only thing that comes to mind is the Remembrance potion. It helps for most types of memory loss - caused by spells, curses or any magic as well as trauma-induced. Do you think you could brew one?"
"Uh like he'd let me anywhere near a cauldron or his precious ingredients," Belle chews on her bottom lip. Would sneaking into his turret be the same as conscious suicide? After all, they are on thin ice and he'd get really mad at her doing something behind his back. "I doubt he'd believe me if I batted my lashes innocently and suggested I had no idea where two pounds of forget-me-nots and an ounce of dragon blood disappeared."
"The potion doesn't use dragon blood," Tinkerbell points out reasonably. "It's pure acid and would kill the unfortunate soul careless enough to taste it sooner than he'd say "I remember!".
"Do you think I could buy it?"
"What, dragon blood? It's so rare…"
"No, the potion."
"Frankly, you could. But I'd rather not see you take any chance with some charlatan. It's miles and miles before you can find a real magic practitioner," the blonde taps her index finger on her chin, frowning slightly as she thinks the matter over. "Although, it's not hopeless. I believe I could find someone to brew it or even do it myself, provided you give me the recipe."
"Would you, really?" Belle flings her arms around the petite woman and pulls her in a crushing embrace. "Oh thank you, thank you so much!" She lets go and sobers up. "Gods, I'm being so selfish. Won't it hurt your fairy reputation because you indirectly helped Rumpelstiltskin?"
"I'm helping you, not the Dark One," Tinkerbell corrects her. "I hardly deserve wings when I may be of assistance but chose to do nothing, right?"
Belle reaches for her hand, squeezing it between her palms affectionately. "How could I ever repay you for everything you've done?"
"Oh it's simple. Ask your Dark One to cease the mass murder of fairies." Isabelle gasps in horror, making her companion giggle. "Ha, don't you like the taste of your own humor?"
Belle almost sticks her tongue out at the jokester. "Wait for me, please, I'll be right back."
Tinkerbell nods and the girl hurries back in, bounding up the stairs two at a time. Being in the room is strange, as she does have her memories of the two nights she spent here with Rumpelstiltskin but now she understands his anxiety and reluctance, as well as his anger and doubts.
She grabs her bag, shoving the little possessions she held in it and noting that the small pouch of gold the sorcerer supplied her with remained untouched. Belle throws the last glance at the room to make sure she didn't leave anything important behind and rushes to the yard.
The fairy and the kelpie hold a staring contest, but neither is upset by the girl's interruption.
"Here," Isabelle hands out the money pouch. "It's the least I can do. I hope it holds enough to cover the ingredients and whatever else might be needed."
She is insistent and Tinkerbell gives up, taking the gold. They slowly walk to the stables, Llyr following them in their footsteps silently. "I'll send you the potion instructions as soon as I get them. I'm pretty sure there must be a book on advanced potion making in his library."
Phillipe greets her with a soft neigh, but absolutely refuses to make a step out of his stall.
"Come on, boy, what's the matter?" Isabelle pulls on his bridle harder but she may as well try to move a mountain. "Phillipe! Go!"
His ears twitch at the sound of her voice but he remains exactly where he stood.
"It's your kelpie, Belle. I think Phillipe is afraid of Llyr."
"Oh great," the girl murmurs. "How can I get both of them in the Castle separately?"
After a few tries she gives up. The animal won't move but she cannot simply leave him at the stables. Abandoning Llyr is not an option either, as he is the only reason Rumpelstiltskin let her stay with him.
"I may look after Phillipe, if you like," Tinkerbelle offers.
"Dear gods, you are a life saver! Are you sure he won't be much of a burden?"
"Of course not. I'm certain we'll become good friends."
The girl fidgets a little, considering whether she should ask the next question. "Tinkerbell. Do you… uh… believe in fate?"
"I absolutely do!" comes the cheerful reply. "Why?"
"Because I cannot help thinking that…" She swallows the lump in her throat before continuing. "That since there are so many obstacles and we keep being set apart, perhaps we just… You know…" She cannot bring herself to say that Rumpelstiltskin and she were not meant to be together, but the poisonous thought lingers in the back of her mind.
Tinkerbell's eyes are sympathetic and she gathers what her friend is trying to say. "Do you want me to look for your future and tell you for sure?"
It's tempting; she could put an end to her doubts and fears that she's committing some crime against destiny's plan. Yet nothing in the world could be as natural to her as loving Rumpelstiltskin is. "No," she shakes her head. "Sorry, that was a moment of weakness."
Belle hugs the fairy again when they part, her eyes moist with the overwhelming gratitude she feels.
"I wish I had something to give back to you. If you ever need something, please don't hesitate to ask me. I mean it," she says seriously and Tinkerbell looks both pleased and embarrassed.
"It's just a potion," she whispers shyly and gives the girl the widest smile she's ever seen. "Fate is not everything and you shouldn't underestimate the power of choice. Be safe, Isabelle, I'll hear from you soon. And good luck with your Dark One."
Belle is grateful for Llyr's agility because she's back at the Castle in a matter or minutes. Yet instead of going to her hardly-comfortable-but-appealing bed and slipping into dreamland, the girl heads to the library.
"I can't believe you took the kelpie away!"
The shriek wakes her up and Belle suppresses a yawn and rubs the sleep out of her eyes before she realizes where she is. She fell asleep on a cot in the library, a book on her lap and another one open on the floor.
"Good morning to you too, Rumpelstiltskin," she grumbles. "What harm was in it?"
"What harm? You tried to trick me!"
"Did I? Then where's Llyr now?"
"Oh so you named the wretched nag," Rumpelstiltskin's voice is mocking now. "Your precious man-eating demon is in the yard."
"See. No harm."
"He's soiled my grounds!" the man jabs a finger at her as if that mishap was her fault.
"Did you expect him to use the privy?" Belle asks sardonically. "It's bad when he's not on your grounds and worse when he's there?" Rumpelstiltskin opens his mouth but closes it again, at a loss for words.
"You'll go clean up after him," he snaps in a minute.
"But you could do it with magic, could you not?"
"Your pet is your responsibility."
Belle doesn't want to remind him that it was the sorcerer who wanted the kelpie. The girl's body protests as she tries to stretch before trying to stand up and the book falls to the floor.
"Why are you even here? Why are you touching my books?" the man demands and bends down to pick up the volume. It brings his face so close to hers that Belle cannot help staring. She studies the fine embroidery on his bright-green vest and the delicate lace of his beige cravat before raising her eyes to his stern face.
"What? Quit ogling and go do your dooty," he sneers and the girl almost rolls her eyes.
"You definitely know how to set the right mood," she murmurs as her fingers reach out to touch the ends of his neck tie.
The man's hand curls around her wrist to push her away.
"Stop it. What do you want with it?" he snaps with irritation and Belle gives him a suggesting glare as to explain what she wants.
His tongue darts out to wet the seam of his mouth and Rumpelstiltskin leans over to give her a quick peck on the cheek. "There. Satisfied, dearie?"
"Not quite, but I appreciate your initiative." Belle's fingers curl around the cravat and she yanks on it gently, bringing him closer. Before the imp has time to object, her right hand curls around the back of his head, pushing him towards her lips. They are slightly dry and chapped but he doesn't protest and almost stops breathing altogether when her teeth graze his bottom lip.
Rumpelstiltskin is quickly losing his ability to think with her lips molding against his mouth. He's bewitched, frozen in time and place where nothing else but her matters. Acting on an instinct, he reaches out for Belle's face, cupping her cheek in his palm. She's so soft and warm, her skin smooth and flawless under the pads of his fingers and he is drunk in that proximity, of this permissiveness, of being able to touch her like that. He runs his thumb over her cheek in circles, over and over, as if trying to set the rhythm of their kiss.
The first brush of her tongue against his sends a jolt of sharp pleasure down his spine. She tastes sweet, like summer and tea, and he tries to seek out more of it, getting bolder and a bit rougher as his pulse quickens. Desire and adrenaline rush through his system, making him a bit dizzy and he presses closer into her welcoming curves, almost half-sprawled on top of the girl.
Rumpelstiltskin hears a low rumbling moan and he doesn't recognize it as his own at first. The sound of his voice makes him snap out of it and he jerks back, wincing as Belle's fingers get caught in his wavy hair. Horrified, he looks at her flushed face and dreamy eyes, wondering how she could trick him into feeling all this and how far he could go if she let him. Not that he'll ever find it out, of course.
"I should go," he says flatly and straightens up. He pulls his vest down and re-adjusts his cravat to give his hands, still burning from touching her, something to do.
"Of course." Apart from looking slightly debauched, the girl seems less bothered and concerned about what has just happened. "And Rumpelstiltskin?" she pauses and continues only when he meets her clear eyes. "Please don't beat yourself up over this. I wanted it and enjoyed the kiss as much as you did."
It may be the strangest statement he has heard in the last decade. Belle is serious, neither her eyes nor her voice giving it away was an attempt to mock him and the man has no idea what to say to that. So he nods with a frown and exits the library, his back straighter than usual.
Their interaction is awkward and nothing he could foresee most of the time, but Rumpelstiltskin knows he is looking forward to the evening.