Belle's sleep was dreamless and peaceful – never had she ever slept as well as she did that night on the lumpy mattress at the Inn. For the first time in days Belle did not have the nightmares of her heart being ripped out, or getting lost in hedge mazes.
She wasn't sure if it was the several mugs of Mead she had the night before, or if it was because was finally away from the Dark Castle and experiencing things she always wanted to experience, or perhaps it was the fact that she wasn't sleeping alone that lulled her into the best sleep of the year.
Belle slowly awoke to the sound of birds chirping outside the window; the early morning light just barely reaching through the thin linen curtains and stretching across the well worn sheets Belle had burrowed herself into. Belle found herself lying on her side facing in toward the window and she smiled when she spied a beautiful blue bird chirping on the ledge of the well loved windowsill.
She rubbed the sleep from her eyes, and was very glad that her heavy drinking didn't seem to affect her the way she thought it would. She definitely remembered reading about the side effects of drinking too much and waking up with splitting headaches, nausea and sensitivity to light. She even remembered mornings after Galas and Balls that Rosalind and Josette's had attended, both girls either stating their illness and taking breakfast in bed, or angrily ordering servants to cover the drapes as they winced in the happy daylight.
'For God's sake Belle, would you keep your voice down?' Rosalind had cried once over breakfast after a particularly strenuous coming out party for one of the neighboring Duke's daughters, her long pale fingers pinching the bridge of her nose in a similar way Rumpelstiltskin sometimes did when he really didn't want to deal with another irritating matter, or if Belle was asking far too many questions.
Smiling Belle rolled over onto her other side and drowsily looked around the dimly lit room. She had expected to see Rumpelstiltskin still occupying the chair by the fireplace, however she was surprised to find that he was instead fast asleep sitting on the floor by the side of the bed, his head rolled slightly to the left and resting against the side of the feather mattress.
Belle smiled drowsily at the peaceful look upon his face and she lowered her head back to the pillow so that she was now at the same level as his face. Seeing Rumple in such a state of pure tranquility was novel to Belle who had become used to his overly expressive ways and crinkled forehead. The Dark one was larger than life, but in this moment Rumpelstiltskin was just a man sleeping away.
Rumple stirred and Belle couldn't help her amused grin when his eyes sleepily blinked open before he inhaled sharply, and started abruptly, his hands fluttering at his side, as if surprised he had fallen asleep at all.
"I thought you said you never sleep?" Belle teased, earning her a glare from Rumpelstiltskin before he jumped to standing position.
"I wasn't asleep." He snapped before waving his hand and magically changing his outfit from the night before into something a bit darker and more covered in scales. Belle sat up slowly and stretched, while admiring the dark leather jerkin he decided to wear that day. The man did know how to dress…
"Oh I see," she continued, tucking her knees up to her chest and nodding knowingly, "You were just resting your eyes then." Belle laughed at the look of contempt Rumpelstiltskin quickly shot her way before he plopped down in the chair by the fire.
Belle looked down at her wrinkled dress in dismay, suddenly wishing she could just snap her fingers like Rumpelstiltskin and magic a freshly pressed dress. As it was she was limited in resources and decided she needed to change the old fashioned way. Standing from the bed, Belle walked over to where a simple ivory change screen sat in the corner creating a private space for her to dress, dragging her leather bag that contained her other dress along with her.
Before disappearing completely behind the screen, Belle peeked her head from around the corner and narrowed her eyes at Rumpelstiltskin who had followed her movements with his eyes at his place by the fire, which had sprang to life and began to fill the chilly room with a refreshing warmth that removed the goose bumps that formed upon Belle's skin.
"Do you mind turning your head? I would be more comfortable knowing you're not staring intently at this screen while I get naked behind it." She asked, while fighting the slight tug at the side of her mouth, knowing that her wording was sure to embarrass the man (he was too easy to embarrass really).
As predicted, Rumpelstiltskin appeared flustered at her request and Belle had to stifle a bit of a laugh at the noticeable coloring of his cheeks and nervous flutter of his hands. He opened his mouth as if to protest but appeared to decide against such action and instead picked up his chair and turned it around so that his back was to Belle.
"That works too…" she murmured with a broad grin and ducked her head back behind the screen. She made quick work of her ties and shimmied out of last night's dress and quickly threw on the green travel dress she had packed, shivering again with the cold spring morning. The new dress wasn't nearly as wrinkled as her other dress so it would do for the time being.
The small flower from last night dropped from where it had been resting in the bodice of her corset, still completely intact and not crushed in the night. It fluttered prettily to the ground and Belle smiled softly at the flower before bending down and picking it up. It really was not as deteriorated as she had expected it to be and Belle was glad of it. Perhaps the fairy magic had something to do with its longevity?
Once Belle was sure that she was appropriately covered she came out from behind the screen, the purple flower twirling between her fingertips.
Rumpelstiltskin was still slouched in the wooden chair, his arms crossed over his chest and Belle quietly walked over and sat down in the chair opposite, reaching down and picking up her book on gardening that she brought and had placed near the chair the previous night.
"You may turn around now, I'm decent." Belle sang, turning the pages of the book to find the very center. Rumpelstiltskin peeked over his shoulder at Belle and watched as she placed the purple flower in the crease of her book and closed it, artfully pressing the delicate flower between the pages.
"I'm beginning to think that this trip was not the best idea I've ever had," Rumple grumbled with an accusatory glare at Belle, "Its making you too…"
"Cheeky?" Belle supplied with a grin. Rumpelstiltskin deadpanned and came to standing with Belle following suit, tucking the book securely under her armpit.
"I was going to say too comfortable, but I suppose cheeky," he sang sarcastically, "is another apt term. Your boldness may cost you one day." He warned.
"Rumple, stop." Belle sighed before walking over to her satchel and gently depositing her book inside, "You're not fooling anyone. I know you are not as dark as you seem as I've said again and again. Actions speak louder than words."
Belle looked over her shoulder and gave Rumpelstiltskin what she hoped was a reassuring look before leaning toward him with a sly smirk,
"If it makes you feel any better, in public I will be the epitome of fearful servant."
Rumpelstiltskin rolled his eyes and stalked over to the door.
"Were behind schedule." He stated peevishly, "I want to be in the Frontlands by the afternoon if at all possible, lest I miss my appointment there."
"And what appointment would that be?" Belle asked while gathering up her wrinkled clothing and neatly folding them into her bag.
"The none-of-your-business appointment." He replied before yanking open the door and heading down the stairs.
Belle sighed again and quickly closed the clasp on her bag before throwing her cloak around her shoulders and following Rumpelstiltskin down the stairs.
"Are we not going to stay for breakfast?" Belle asked quietly while they crossed the still sleepy Inn. Belle glanced toward the Tavern part of the Inn and smiled at the small group of friends she had made the night previous, all of them snoring loudly in drunken sleep, still surrounding the hearth where the fire had long died. She could see the slight wisps of their breath as it hit the cold air and she had to stifle a giggle when she noticed Moody stir and roll over only to spoon the young Monk that was visiting from a nearby monastery. He would have an interesting morning for sure she bet.
Belle hoped to have been able to catch Josephine so that she could say goodbye but when she looked to the bar she only saw a small woman sleepily wiping down the counter.
"It's too early for breakfast. Besides as I said before, I don't wish to be late." was Rumpelstiltskin's curt reply as they left the dwarf tavern and stepped out into the chilly early morning. Belle nodded her head sadly and wrapped her cloak tighter around her body.
The carriage was swiftly brought around from the back of the Inn, a different boy this time passing the carriage off to Rumpelstiltskin who tossed a large gold coin in the boy's direction.
Belle wondered briefly if the boy would question the fact that the carriage had no driver, but it was clear he was much too tired to really care or notice.
Rumpelstiltskin once again took the bag from Belle's hand and placed it on the seat inside the carriage, before turning to Belle and holding out his hand to help her up. She smiled gratefully at him and was glad to see him give her a tiny smile in return.
Unlike Rumple, Belle felt that this trip was actually pushing them into a more positive direction, and she felt a sort of thrill in knowing that she was finally beginning to get through to the inner workings of Rumpelstiltskin. Sure, he was still prickly and abrasive at times, but he had stopped threatening her life (a positive step forward) and he had also stopped trying to actively terrify her or turn his castle against her. In fact she even thought that perhaps he was beginning to actually enjoy her company; all the signs pointed in that direction.
As the carriage pulled away from the Dwarf tavern and hustled past the tall mountains where fairy dust was mined, Belle watched Rumpelstiltskin's face and the shadows from the awakening day dance across his sharp features and idly wondered when she had stopped seeing the beast and instead began seeing the man underneath.
"What's in the Frontlands?" Belle asked as the carriage rocked onwards through the mountains and toward the flatter planes of the Southern Kingdom.
"I wish to see a man about a specific magical item he has in his possession." Rumpelstiltskin replied.
"Why can we not travel there by magic?" she asked, curious as to the seemingly meaningless trip. Was it for her benefit that they were taking the long way to the Frontlands? Why take her along at all?
Rumpelstiltskin smiled fondly out the window before looking her way,
"It's protected. No one can travel to the Frontlands by magic, as per the protection agreement."
"Protected by whom?" she asked while leaning forward in her seat, curious to know what Rumpelstiltskin knew.
"Protected by myself, actually." He replied with his usual impish laugh.
Belle's eyes went wide and she sat back in surprise.
"Whatever for?"
"A deal. It's always a deal with me, Dearie. You should know that better than anyone by now."
Belle bit her lip and nodded her head in contemplation, "And what did you get in exchange?"
Rumpelstiltskin furrowed his brow slightly at the question and turned back to the window,
"I'm not too sure anymore…" he murmured as he gazed unblinkingly out the window.
The carriage became solemn in that moment and Belle couldn't shake the feeling that there was much more to the story than that, but for once she felt it was not right of her to pry.
Belle turned to her own window and watched as field upon field of wheat farms passed by. The houses became more spread out and humble, less showy like the ones from where Belle had grown up. It would seem that the people in this part of the world were mostly humble farmers, spending their days laboring under a hot sun and blue skies. It was milder in this part of the world and Belle wondered if her cloak would be needed for much longer. But as they moved further and further South Belle noticed that the houses again grew closer together. The roads looked to be well travelled and Belle could spot a patch of blue in the distance which she excitedly figured must have been the Ocean. Indeed, by the time they had made it into Southead Belle was on the edge of her seat and eying what was most definitely the Ocean spread out before the small harbor town.
It was a small yet quaint little fishing village located just west of the edge of a white stone cliff and spreading downwards toward the Southead harbor where Belle could spot at least a dozen or so small boats and at least three large ships anchored.
The air smelled of salt and fish and the town was brimming with busy people moving here and there around the street and paying no mind to the black carriage containing a mysterious dark stranger and his female companion.
"And were here." Rumpelstiltskin said in a loud voice making Belle jump in her seat.
Rumpelstiltskin gave her a mischievous smirk before pulling his hood overhead and jumping out the carriage. Belle slid across her plush seat toward the door and looked out at the bustling life around her. If she had felt overwhelmed by the crowd at the Tavern then the village of Southead made her feel even more shy and overwhelmed.
Rumpelstiltskin's hand came from under his cloak and extended toward Belle and she looked over at his face. Seeing the quiet reassurance there Belle smiled slowly and placed her hand in his and let him gently lead her down the two steps and onto the muddy cobbles. With swift movements Rumpelstiltskin scooped up Belle's hood and placed it over her head, obscuring her features like he did his own.
Not wanting to be carried away in the sea of people, Belle immediately placed her hand through the crook of Rumpelstiltskin's elbow and let him escort her away from the carriage, which had immediately been led away from a nearby stable hand. They moved slowly toward the bustling market place at the center of the town and Belle felt her excitement build greater and greater, her hand clutching tightly to her protectors arm.
Stalls with various fruits, vegetables and wares surrounded the area, and in the center of the Market square a medium sized circular fountain made from the same red stone as the rest of the houses sat. It featured four spouts pouring out clear water and clearly it was the very heart of the entire Village.
Women chatted around the fountain with their buckets of water in hand; children threw balls and chased wandering sheep around the market place while mothers followed close behind. No one paid any attention to the pair of them as they made their way around the outside of the market place. They were not exactly outside the crowd but not really a part of it either.
"I understand that the point of having our hoods up is discretion," Belle began while they casually moved around the Market, "But isn't it more conspicuous to have two hooded figures moving through a crowd where no one is hiding their faces?"
She looked up and could see the grin on Rumpelstiltskin's face beneath the shade of his hood as they walked up to one of the booths selling spools of string. A small woman with frizzy blonde hair sat up from her workbench and strutted over to where Belle and Rumpelstiltskin were standing and she smiled a wide and nearly toothless smile at them, nodding her head quickly and gesturing to the spools with her overly calloused hands.
"Ah my Lady, my Lord, that there is the best thread in the Frontlands. Strong thread, and in all sorts of sizes and colours, except blue." She said with a heavy accent. Belle smiled warmly at the woman who did not even seem to notice the way their faces were partially shielded.
"Ah well, then it's a good thing were not in the market for blue then." Rumpelstiltskin commented with a wolfish grin and Belle had to actively stop herself from narrowing her eyes, wondering what his game was.
Swiftly, Rumpelstiltskin pulled out a heavy purse that had definitely not been there before, and opened it up to reveal shining silver and gold pieces. He reached in and flipped a gold coin in the air and Belle watched in amazement as the woman quickly reached out and caught the coin before it hit the counter of her booth.
"One spool of the red," Rumpelstiltskin began in an authoritative voice, his high impish trill no longer in use (much to Belle's delight) and the woman nodded briskly and began collecting the spools of thread as Rumpelstiltskin named them off. He grabbed two of the green, one of the thick braided brown and three of the fine yellow thread. Belle had absolutely no idea what Rumpelstiltskin would want with all that thread, for she knew he could very well make it himself, but she dared not say a thing and merely stood by as the items were gathered. Rumpelstiltskin placed another gold coin followed by silver in the palm of the woman's small hand when his order was complete, and with a beaming smile the woman placed all the items in a woven basket, immediately handing it off to Belle who took it with a smile.
"A pleasure doing business My Lady," the woman nodded to Belle before turning back to Rumpelstiltskin, "My Lord."
Rumpelstiltskin nodded back and immediately placed Belle's free hand back into the crook of his elbow and they walked away, the basket of thread swinging at Belle's side.
"And what do you need thread for, might I ask?" Belle grinned with a raised eyebrow and leaning into Rumpelstiltskin's side.
"No need whatsoever, just proving a point. Nobody here cares if our faces are covered, not really. These people have nothing to fear. Not anymore."
"Then why cover them at all?" she asked
"Just because nobody in the village cares who we are, doesn't mean I want them to see us." He replied and giving her a look that said she should know better. They passed a few more stalls; each of them carrying a different thing, from fish to fresh fruits, and not a single person paid them any mind and merely continued on with their day.
Rumpelstiltskin turned a corner and led Belle down toward the Trader's gate and she eagerly glanced at each of the store windows, delighting in the various crafts offered in the town, from Taxidermy to Blacksmiths. Rumpelstiltskin had to pull her along when she became enraptured by what looked to be a small bookstore just off the roadway near to the Town Hall.
Rumpelstiltskin leaned downward and continued to speak in low towns into Belle's ear as they moved to less busy areas of the village, "To them we are merely upper class visitors looking to purchase wares and perhaps enjoy the fresh sea air. They have no worries, no fears. No magic user can enter here except me and so what's there to be suspicious about? Of course, there are plenty here who are not from the village, who may recognize me and try and bother me into making a deal which I am in no mood to do. For your own personal safety, I would prefer if you also would stay anonymous."
He smiled softly and gave Belle a small wink before pulling back. Belle couldn't help the small smile and slight blush on her face and she reluctantly tore her gaze away from the man at her side and back to the surrounding village.
Why are you blushing, stop it this minute! She screamed at herself as they finally left the busier parts of town and walked down a side street toward the harbor front. Though the street was not nearly as populous as the others, there still were enough people bustling around, going from one storefront to another, to make Belle feel just a little bit dizzy and she was suddenly very glad she was not trying to make her way around on her own, with her size she would be swallowed up in the crowd for sure, never to be seen again.
"Now, I'm going to have to leave you on your own for a short while…"
Rumpelstiltskin's words made Belle start,
"On my own? But why?" she asked, feeling curiously disappointed and a bit nervous, her fear of being lost in the crowd now becoming closer to a reality. What had happened to her while she had been at the castle? She never had such anxiety around people before. Her mind traitorously supplied the last time she was in a crowd at the Winter Ball, dancing with Gaston... "I thought you said you needed my assistance?" she continued directing a look of displeasure Rumple's way and fighting down the anxious feeling at the pit of her stomach.
"You're not coming with me to make this deal. You will be perfectly fine out here on your own." He bristled impatiently and Belle felt like a scolded child. He looked at Belle from out the corner of his eye and sighed gently before continuing. "If you do find yourself in trouble, I will be able to find you. Just remember, do not tell anyone your name."
"You keep saying that. What does it matter if anyone knows my name?"
Rumpelstiltskin merely shrugged his shoulders, "Names have power…"
"Yes, you've said that. But how do they have power?" Belle interrupted impatiently.
Rumpelstiltskin appeared to mull over his answer, his eyes narrowed and focused on the people around him, as if they held the answer to his question.
"You can do many things with names," he began, "They are magic in and of themselves. The minute I know a name, I hold a certain power over them. I can use that name to bind a contract or to cast a curse, or even to enchant an object to see exactly where that person is."
Belle thought back to the mirrors in the castle and she thought about what he had said, "I don't like to be watched…"
"Like a mirror?" she mused out loud and Rumpelstiltskin's mouth curved up into a slight smile.
"Exactly like a mirror, mirrors are excellent portals into seeing what another person is up to. I always knew you were quick. Perhaps I should have insisted on you being my apprentice rather than my maid." He pondered with a wink and Belle grinned despite herself before wrinkling her nose in distaste.
"I don't think I would be a good magician, though it's nice to have for certain basic things…" Belle thought about the tall ladders and changing her dresses with a snap of her fingers. No, she really didn't have much use for any magic outside what Rumpelstiltskin and the Dark Castle already provided. "Anyway, that's what I have you for." Belle teased and Rumple only grinned back before clearing his throat and continuing on.
"As I was saying, mirrors are good conductors. A good sorcerer would merely need to speak the name of their intended into a mirror then, wherever that person is, the sorcerer would be able to see, as if they were right there with them. You can also find ways to spy through mirrors located in the vicinity of a certain area, but I find that personally a tedious thing."
"You don't do mirror magic?" Belle asked curiously.
"It's not really my style. That's the sort of magic Cora's daughter prefers to use…" Rumple trailed off with a casual wave of his hand before his mouth tightened into a tight line. Belle knew something was bothering him and she immediately figured it had to have something to do with Cora's daughter.
They moved along in silence away from the more populous areas of the town and headed toward the edge of the village where it dipped lower toward the docks. A tavern sat at the edge between the roadway leading downwards to the docks and a small path leading up to the cliffs edge. Rumpelstiltskin stopped at the fork in the road and turned to Belle with a stern look on his face.
"Now, you stay right here. Don't give out your name and don't wander. This town may be protected by my magic but that doesn't mean you should go gallivanting off with some random handsome stranger who decides to smile your way." He said with an impish glint in his eye and emphasizing each command with point of his long finger to which Belle merely pursed her lips at him and frowned.
"I've never gallivanted in my life." She replied matter of factly before crossing her arms over her chest. "And how long am I supposed to just stand here and wait for you?"
Rumpelstiltskin hummed thoughtfully tapped a blackened nail against his chin,
"Give me an hour, maybe two."
Rumpelstiltskin smiled when Belle dropped her arms and looked at him incredulously.
"Two hours? What am I going to do for two hours?" she asked with a breathless laugh. Her thoughts turned to the bookstore in the village but she immediately dismissed that notion remembering the crowds. If she were persistent enough she was sure she could rope Rumpelstiltskin into escorting her that way. She sighed inwardly at her ridiculous fears, when had she become such a coward?
Rumpelstiltskin waved his hand and produced a book from thin air, the same one he had given her to read for the journey.
"Something to pass the time." He sang as he tossed her the book. Belle sighed and gave him a smile as she shook her head,
"Well, go on then." She ordered before looking around for a bench or a spot of grass to sit on in wait.
Rumpelstiltskin surprised her when he reached out and grasped her free hand in his. His mouth curved up into an almost roguish grin as he brought her knuckles up to his face and placed a gentle kiss on top. Belle couldn't help the slight blush creeping up to her cheeks as she looked into his eyes. Pleasant shivers ran from her knuckles and down her arm and she could feel her abdomen flutter curiously. Then, just as Belle was about to suggest she come along instead of wait outside, Rumpelstiltskin let go of her hand and sauntered off in the direction of the Tavern which was filled with people, even though it was merely midday.
Belle pulled her hand up to her chest and idly ran her thumb along the ridge of her knuckles where his lips brushed her skin, watching as the door closed behind Rumpelstiltskin.
Once more she felt completely conflicted in her feelings toward Rumpelstiltskin and she wandered away from the tavern and up towards the deserted cliff edge where the grass was long and dancing gently in the breeze while deep in thought.
He had become surprisingly attentive over the last few months, and after Cora had made her presence known to Belle, he had become even more accepting of Belle's presence and slight touches. She always was a fairly affectionate person, and guiltily she admitted that at first her touches were used as a way to make Rumpelstiltskin uncomfortable – a small sort of power to keep her sanity in check whilst in her confinement – but somehow that had all changed and the tables reversed. Now she was the one blushing and getting nervous when he returned her gestures, though for some reason his touches felt much more intimate than her hugs and brushing of fingers.
When did she start to feel affection for the man underneath the layers of dark magic and beastly snarls? Was it when she was presented with the Library and healed her hands? Was it after she learned of the son he had lost?
Belle slowly walked up the steep hill and finally made it to the top, where the ground was completely overgrown with long grass and sprouts of wild flowers were sprinkled here and there. The wind was stronger up on the hill, the breeze coming off the ocean cold and salty, and Belle quickly drew the fabric of her cloak tighter around her in an attempt to keep the cold out.
Her hair whipped around her face and she had to pull the hood back in order to straighten the loose curls that covered her eyes. The toe of her boot hit a hard rock that was hidden by long grass and Belle looked down at the stone and her eyes widened in surprise when she saw that it was not a hard rock, but rather a stone marker, grey and worn by time.
There where letters on the marker that were nearly flattened and Belle crouched down to wipe away the grass and loose dirt from the tablet as she tried to read the inscription. She cocked her head in curiosity when she realized that it was just a single name, though only the first half was evident as the stone had at some point cracked in half, the other half lost. Morraine was the name and with a possible surname starting with the letter R but the rest of course was missing.
Belle straightened quickly and frowned down at her find and slowly backed up closer to the edge of the cliff where the heel of her boot made contact with another stone slab.
This one was bigger than the first and was in much better shape, though the grass and mud had completely covered the entirety of it, only leaving out a small corner to be eaten away by time. With gentle hands Belle slowly wiped away the dirt and uncovered a single name and small inscription etched into the stone.
Baelfire, Beloved Son.
It was then that Belle realized what she was really looking at and she glanced upwards at the large expanse of hill, finally noticing a few jutting stones here and there as well as what was once a stone wall tracing around the area.
Her breath caught in her throat and she looked down at the grave marker at her feet. How long had they been sleeping here on this hill? The graves looked to be completely forgotten and Belle found herself feeling oddly heartbroken. Belle spotted a few wild flowers peering over the edge of the cliff and she made her way through the long grass, gingerly stepping over a few random slabs of stone and some slight bumps of earth that Belle figured were shallow graves, and she quietly gathered a few of the flowers. She looked out over the side of the cliff and across the deep expanse of ocean, the white rocks of the cliff contrasting beautifully with the deep blues of the sea.
It was a beautiful sight and she understood why a graveyard would have been placed up here in the first place.
She returned to the grave of Morraine and placed a handful of flowers on top of the broken stone and she sent a silent prayer upwards to whatever God was overlooking these souls before she moved back onto Baelfire and placed the last of her flowers on the slab. She remained crouched there over the grave marker, her hand idly tracing the lines of beloved son and began creating a life story for the forgotten person – He grew up somewhere on the outskirts of the town, in a little farm overlooking the yellow wheat fields where he worked alongside his several siblings and loving parents… or perhaps Baelfire wasn't a farmer but was a sailor working hard on the unforgiving sea, his hands strong and firm from pulling up net upon net of fish all day long before retiring to loud laughter at the Tavern along with the rest of his friends.
Belle was so caught up with her imaginary life that almost didn't see the shadow of a man cast over the white slab of cold stone.