Chapter Sixteen
The first thing his mind registered as Rumple came out of the darkness was he was alive. He knew he had been stabbed in the heart. He had felt his heart shutter then nothing. He then remembered feeling Belle inside him. Her soul called out to his and he felt her love moving closer. Her love covered him like a warm blanket and all his fears, doubts, pain and regrets were gone. His love for her came forward then blended with hers and his soul was finally free from the darkness.
"Rumple?" a familiar voice asked while he tried to focus on the voice and moved the fingers of his right hand. He felt soft fingers moving through his hair then soft lips kissing his forehead and he barely smiled. His eyelids slowly fluttered open as he felt someone stroking the top of his head and he blinked until his vision cleared. He saw the green canopy overhead while looking at the gold swirl pattern when he sighed and Belle's face appeared. He looked at her when he parted his lips, but she placed her left index finger against his lips and hushed him. "No, don't talk."
"Thirsty," he barely whispered. He watched her pour some water into the wooden cup when she carefully lifted his head and helped him sip on the cool water. She placed his head against the pillow as he sighed and slightly smiled. He slowly moved his left hand up when he gently rubbed his chest and Belle placed her hand on top of his hand.
"Does your chest hurt?" she asked and he saw concern in her eyes. He could just feel his heart moving, but there was no pain or fluttering and he slowly shook his head. Belle patted the top of his hand and he took her hand, kissing her knuckles.
"Belle," he said softly as she smiled and brushed the hair from his eyes.
"What did I just say? I don't want you to talk," she scolded and he gave her sad eyes. "No, don't give me those sad eyes. I am very angry with you. I understand you felt guilty for what happened at the ball, but to up and leave like that…."
"It was…"
"No, you weren't the reason for what happened. Gaston was a brute and a monster. I would never have married him even if it meant my father losing his kingdom."
"You didn't…?"
"No, I didn't marry him. In fact, Father had placed him in the dungeon for striking me."
"Did you…?"
"Did I marry someone else? No, I decided not to marry."
"I see," he said then closed his eyes and she saw the sad look on his face.
"Are you married?" she asked and he opened his eyes. He couldn't understand how her love filled him and drew him out of the darkness then she asks him if he had married someone else.
"No, I never married."
"But it's been ten years. Surely you have had someone to take care of you."
"No, I was alone," he said and she felt her heart cracking. He saw the tears in her eyes when he sighed and reached out his left hand to wipe the tears away. "There's no need for tears."
"Of course there is. I had hoped you had finally found someone and had the family you said you always wanted," she said through bitter tears and he gave her a small smile.
"I had found someone," he said and she gave him a puzzled look. "The only problem was she was beyond my station. She is lovely, caring and very smart. She can hold herself in an argument. She doesn't give bullies power over her. And she is a wonderful dancer."
"Wait, are you talking about me?"
"Of course," he said and she smiled. "Didn't you know I loved you?"
"No, did you know I loved you as well?"
"I thought you did, but never had the courage to ask."
"Then we have both been fools."
"I guess we are," he said as he felt a small pain in his chest and she placed her fingers against his lips after he winced.
"That's enough talking," she said in a stern tone and he admitted he felt like an ill child. He wanted to talk some more, but he was too tired and she softly stroked his cheek. The door opened when Mrs. Potts came in the room with a silver tray in her hands, but she stopped when Rumple looked at her.
"By the gods, you're awake," she said while walking closer and placed the silver tray on the floor. Belle stood up while Mrs. Potts sat on the edge of the bed when she took his hand and wrapped their fingers together. "How are you feeling, My Dear?"
"I'm tired," he said and she brushed the hair out of his eyes.
"Will you stay with him while I fetch the healer?" Belle asked, looking at her.
"Of course," Mrs. Potts said and Belle left the room. Mrs. Potts lifted the silver tray off the floor when she placed the silver tray on his lap and he looked at the china bowl and was surprised to see the chipped china teacup.
"It's chipped," he said, pointing to the chipped china teacup.
"Yes, but it's just a little chip. Do you want me to get another one?"
"No," he said with a small smile. A few minutes later Belle returned with a medium size woman with long brown hair and dark brown eyes and she was wearing a gray linen dress with a white linen apron tied around her waist and leather pouches of herbs and medicine were in the pockets of the apron. Her hair was tied back in a braid and she had black slippers on her feet. They walked to the bed as he looked at the healer and she made a little bow.
"Greetings, Sir," she said and Rumple nodded. He watched Mrs. Potts stand up while the healer sat down and examined him. She looked at Belle when she smiled, stood up and patted Rumple's hand. "He has vastly improved."
"So he will be out of bed soon?" Mrs. Potts asked.
"I estimate him being up and around in a month or two," the healer said, smiling down at Rumple and he smiled back. "But he will have to take it slow. In a day or so, I recommend you try sitting him up with pillows behind him. If he can handle that, we'll try him sitting up in a chair placed near the bed."
"Thank you," Belle said. The healer made a small bow then she and Mrs. Potts left the room and Belle sat down on the edge of the bed. She picked up the china bowl while Rumple watched her and she started feeding him some of the clear broth. He felt so helpless, but softly laughed when she kissed his lips and a small blush moved over his cheeks. After feeding him, she moved the blankets up as he closed his eyes and she took his left hand, watching him slowly drift off into a dreamless sleep.
Three days later
Rumple sat with pillows piled behind his back as he watched Belle shaving him and gently smiled at him. They had talked about things, but had danced around where he had been and he noticed the worried look in her eyes.
"Is there something wrong, Dearie?" he asked and she placed the straight razor on a towel sitting on the night table. She wiped his face with the towel as she sighed and placed her hands in her lap.
"Do you wish to talk about what happened to you after I was assaulted?" she asked and he sighed, looking up at the canopy. He studied the green pattern for a few minutes as he tried to collect his thoughts then looked at her, pressing his lips into a thin line.
"I remember getting on the cart and leaving."
"Chip wanted to go with you."
"I'm glad he didn't," he said and she saw the anger in his eyes. Merlin had placed new memories in his mind, but Rumple didn't like thinking about them and lowered his head, looking at his hands. "I really don't understand why, but I had the cart driver leave me off near the forest and headed into the bushes. I didn't have any direction in mind so I just kept going. After sleeping the night away, I headed for this glade and met this…well…I guess you could call him a man. It turned out to be a demon called the Dark One."
"I have heard of him."
"Against my better judgement, I agreed to eat with him and told him my tale. What I didn't know was he required a price for his company."
"What did he want?"
"I asked him that. It turned out I was to be his slave," he said and she gasped, placing her hand against her mouth.
"You mean you have been serving that monster for the last ten years?"
"Yes," he said with a nod. "As long as I obeyed him, he was a generous master."
"Did he ever beat you?"
"No, but that was because I gave him no reason to."
"Did you tell him about me?"
"Yes, and he offered to remove memories of you from my mind. I refused and told him those memories were what kept me sane. Without them, I would have no reason to live," he said and she took his right hand, wrapping their fingers together.
"Did he ever let you leave the castle?"
"No, but he did let me make him clothing and we would have long conversations when he wasn't out doing whatever it was he does," he said when he sighed, lowering his head. She lifted his chin when she moved closer and lightly kissed his lips. He blushed as she placed her hand against his chest and felt the rise and fall of his breathing.
"What did you do when he was away? Surely you could have escaped."
"How far could I have gotten with my leg being as it is?" he asked and she looked at his right leg. She knew he was right as he placed his hand on top of hers and she could just feel the beating of his heart.
"I need to tell you something," she said and he saw the sadness in her eyes. "It has to do with your aunts."
"Are they dead?"
"Yes," she said and he blinked the tears from his eyes. She wiped the tears away then gently kissed the tip of his nose and he sadly smiled. "Do you remember how you became ill?"
"It's a little fuzzy, but I remember someone attacking him. At some point, I must have been stabbed in the chest, but I don't really remember how," he said while moving his hand away and she opened the top of the white linen nightshirt he was wearing. She could just see the scar on his chest as she moved her finger over his soft skin and a cool shiver moved through him. She moved closer then barely kissed his chest and he sighed, smiling at her. She buttoned the white linen nightshirt when he yawned and rubbed his face with his hands. "I do apologize."
"No, you're still ill," she said while helping him go onto his back and she placed the pillows behind his head. She covered him with the bedding when she sat back down and he looked at her with half closed eyes. She stroked the top of his head as he closed his eyes and enjoyed the feeling of her fingers moving through his hair.
"I know it is not proper, but will you lie with me until I fall asleep?" he asked. He felt the bed moving when he opened his eyes and watched her walk around to the other side of the bed. Removing her shoes, she climbed onto the bed when she snuggled down next to him and placed her head on the center of his chest. He placed his arms around her while they closed their eyes and the gently beating of his heart caused Belle to drift off to sleep. Watching her face relax, Rumple closed his eyes as he silently thanks the gods for sending him home and followed her into sleep.
Two and a half months later
"Will you slow down," Belle teased while Rumple headed down the hallway and the tip of the black wood cane clicked on the marble floor. She was amazed with how quickly Rumple recovered from his illness and he smiled, going faster down the hallway.
He had gone back to wearing a simple tan linen tunic, brown linen trousers and soft deerskin slippers, but used the black wood cane instead of a brown wooden staff. Belle watched as he stopped, turned then arched an eyebrow while giving her a blank look and she tried hard not to laugh. She wasn't sure why, but seeing him giving her that look seemed familiar and she glared at him, folding her arms over her chest.
"Are you telling me what to do, Dearie," he asked, leaning his hands on the gold handle of the black wood cane. "Need I remind you who is in charge around here?"
"That would be my father, Dearie," Belle said with a smug look while walking closer and gently tapped the tip of his nose with the tip of her finger.
"I stand corrected," he said with a small bow and she moved closer, wrapping her arms around him. Looking deeply into her shining blue eyes, Rumple smiled as he kissed her lips and held the back of her head in his right hand. She wrapped her arms around his neck as the kiss deepened and he made a content sigh through his nose. They were a little breathless when they moved back with their foreheads touching and she brushed some hair behind his ears. A small cough made them move apart when they saw Maurice standing at the top of the stairs and he folded his arms across his chest.
"Is there something you need, Father?" Belle asked. Maurice walked closer when he looked from Belle to Rumple and tried hard not to smile. Like Belle, he was gladdened by Rumple's quick recovery, but he also knew the rules of courtship. Public displays of affections were frowned upon, but seeing the love between the two of them warmed his heart.
"I was coming to see you," he said while looking at Rumple and Rumple frowned.
"What may I do for you, Milaird?" he asked with a small bow and Maurice shook his head. Having learned about his enslavement made the anger burn in his chest and Maurice wondered if Rumple would ever feel at home again.
"There is no need to be so formal," Maurice said. "I just need you to come with me."
"Father, is everything alright?" Belle asked and he saw the worried look in her eyes.
"Come and find out," Maurice said. Shrugging, Rumple took her hand as they headed down the hallway and Belle gently squeezed his fingers. A few minutes later they came to a large wooden door when Rumple let go of Belle's hand and looked at the door. He placed his hand on the wood when the door opened and he nearly fell forward. Chip braced him upright as Rumple smiled and Chip gave him a worried look.
"I do apologize, Master Gold. I didn't know you were there," he said and Rumple softly laughed.
"That's alright," he said, shaking his head. Moving by him, Rumple entered the room as he looked at the clean wood flooring and windows, the dusted and polished work tables and storage shelves, the boxes of supplies, cloth and spindles of threads, ribbons and yarn, the clean curtains and pots of small flowers sitting on the windowsills. He also looked at the dressing dummies and wooden heads used for making hoods, hats or caps. The corners and rafters were dust and cobweb free and two spinning wheels sat in front of the windows. He slowly headed for the spinning wheel to his right when he placed his left hand on the wheel and moved the wheel back and forth.
"Seven hells," he whispered, feeling the tears in the corners of his eyes.
"I take it you like my surprise?" Maurice asked while he, Belle and Chip walked closer and Rumple sat down on the seat, placing the black wood cane on the floor.
"I am overwhelmed," Rumple said. "Belle told me no one had been in here since I disappeared, but I never expected this."
"Mother had the staff cleaning for weeks," Chip sad with a small smile.
"Please give her and the others my thanks."
"Yes, Master Gold," he said when Rumple picked up the black wood cane, got up and headed for him.
"There will be no more of that. You are my apprentice not my servant. I am no one's master," he said and Chip nodded his head.
"Would it…? Would it be alright if my friend, Jefferson, came to help out? His father is good at making caps, hoods and hats and has taught him how."
"I would have to see his work before deciding. Will you go get him? Rumple asked. Nodding, Chip ran out of the room as Rumple smiled and held the gold handle of the black wood cane tightly in his right hand.
"Well, I guess Belle and I will leave you to your work," Maurice said with a nod.
"No, wait, there is something I need to do first," Rumple said while headed toward Belle and slid her hand into his, wrapping their fingers together. "If it is alright with you, I would ask for Belle's hand in marriage."
"My Dear Friend, I have already sent out the invitations to your engagement ball," Maurice said with a sly smile and Rumple's eyes widened. Belle squeezed his fingers as Rumple lifted her hand and kissed her knuckles.
"I guess you want me to design and make the clothing for the ball?" he asked, looking at Maurice.
"Yes, but I will have someone make an outfit for you."
"If it's all the same to you, Father, I know what outfit I want him to wear," Belle said.
"I see," Maurice said as Chip and a tall lad with curly black hair and gray eyes came in the room and Chip led the lad to Rumple. Jefferson had a round face with a small nose and thin lips and he was wearing a tan linen tunic, tan linen trousers held up with a rope belt and black leather boots which ended at his knees.
"This is Jefferson, Mas…Rumple," Chip said.
"It is a pleasure to meet you, Sir," Jefferson said with a small bow. Rumple moved closer when he limped around Jefferson and looked him up and down with his eyes. He stopped in front of the lad when he held the gold handle of the black wood cane in his hands and Jefferson swallowed hard.
"Chip tells me you know the art of hat making," Rumple said with a stern look.
"Yes, Sir, my father taught me how."
"Well, before I decide if I am making you an apprentice, I would like to see your work," Rumple said, looking at the wooden heads. "I wish to see a cap made of leather and a fleece hood."
"Yes, Sir," Jefferson said when he and Chip ran to the boxes and looked through them. Watching Chip and Jefferson get to work, Rumple sat down on the small wooden stool as he smiled and Belle softly closed the door after she and Maurice left the room.
The Dark Castle
Merlin sat with one leg over the high back chair while he listened to the ticking of the small mantle clock and strummed his fingers together. He was dressed in a copper silk shirt, a rust colored leather vest, tight rust colored leather trousers and black leather boots which ended just above his knees. He never knew how busy Rumple was during his tenure as the Dark One or how frightened many of those who asked his help were and he puffed out a breath of air.
"Why did he even help them? They are nothing, but trouble," he grumbled, flicking his hands in the air.
"Maybe it's because he still had love inside him," the small voice in his head said then giggled.
"Love is a weakness."
"Only for those who don't know how to love or have given up on ever finding it," the small voice said. "Or, like in your case, have tossed it away." He moved his right hand in the air like he was swatting a fly as the small voice giggled and he frowned. "That will do you no good. I'm in your head."
"Then shut up!" Merlin growled and frowned. His head jerked up when he heard someone calling his name when he stood up, snapped his fingers as a cape with a hood appeared around his shoulder then sighed and vanished in a puff of black smoke.
The Enchanted Forest
Regina stood near the edge of the forest when the puff of black smoke appeared and she looked at Merlin. The hood was up as he looked at her and folded his arms across his chest.
"Are you the one who summoned me?" he asked.
"Yes," Regina said, glaring at him. He knew why she had called him, but with Rumple dead, he had changed his mind in regard to the price.
"What can I do for you? Better make sure it is worth my time or I will never answer your summon ever again," he said then giggled.
"I need your assistance in getting back my mother's kingdom from my sister."
"Ah, yes, I have heard of her. Are you sure you want it back? She's turned it into a den of thieves and miscreants," he said, moving his hands side to side.
"That will change once I have regained the throne."
"But why would you give up all this?!" he asked as he motioned with his raised arms toward the forest. "You are the Outlaw Queen!"
"As much as I love my husband….," she said and he snorted a laugh.
"Oh dearie, dearie dear, don't you know that love has killed more people than any disease?"
"That is not true!" Regina growled and he smiled.
"Well, if you wish my help, I will require one thing," he said as he held up his right index finger.
"What do you want?" she asked, folding her arms under her breasts.
"Oh, it is nothing really," he said then moved closer until his lips were near her ear. "I want your son!"
"Are you insane?" she demanded then drew her sword and he backed away with his hands up in surrender. "You come anywhere near my son and I will destroy you!"
"Then I will be taking my leave," he said with a bow and vanished in a puff of black smoke. Calming her heart, Regina placed the sword away then walked away and the sunlight sparkled off the leaves.