"Sir, news from the battlefield Avalonea has fallen," the news stated by the squire sent fear though the War council room. The ogres were practically on their doorstep. Belle felt a jolt of fear at the news

"If only he had come..." said Gaston her fiancée. It seemed if there was any bright spot to be found in this whole disaster it was that the ogres would probably kill them before her father had a chance to drag her up the aisle to marry the brutish knight.

"Well he didn't did he? Ogres are not men." said her father sitting down heavily in his throne.

Deciding not to point out that it had been Gaston's torturing of a young ogre child that had helped inflame this mess, Belle swept from her fiancée's side and knelt beside her father determined not to give up hope.

"He could be on his way right now Papa."

"It's too late my girl. It's just too late." sighed her father. Suddenly there was a loud banging on the doors.

"That's him! That has to be him!" exclaimed Belle as they all stood and moved towards the doors.

"How could he get back the walls?" Belle held back a sigh. She loved her Papa but he could be dense. The Dark One was a sorcerer of immense power. A little thing like walls weren't going to stop him.

"Open it!" her father ordered. The great double doors were unbarred and swung open only to have no one standing there. Then a high pitched voice spoke from behind them.

"Well that was a bit of a let down!" Belle whipped around to see a man or what appeared to be a man sitting on her father's throne his legs over the arms. It was the Dark One.

His skin was oddly tinted a greenish gold the texture almost like scales. His finger nails were blackened similar to claws. He had large amber eyes and was dressed in a dramatic dragon skin coat with a brown vest tight leather pants and high brown boots.

He didn't look particularly large or intimidating in the physical manner Gaston was but he exuded an aura of power that made it clear who was in control. And he utterly fascinated Belle.

"You sent me a message something about Help! Help! We're dying! Can you save us?" Gaston had his sword out and Belle held back a groan. That's right, threaten the man who you are attempting to convince to save your lives.

The Dark One stood and batted away Gaston's sword as if it were a mere nuisance.

"The answer is yes. For a price."

"We sent you a promise of gold," stated her father defensively and unable to contain her exasperation Belle rolled her eyes. Had her father heard none of the stories of the man who could spin straw into gold? They might as well have offered him a pile of stones.

The Dark One seemed to share her exasperation because he smirked and said in an even higher voice as if explaining a complicated concept to a child.

"You see...I ah...make gold." Belle felt her lips briefly twitch upward in amusement at his tone. "What I want is something a bit more special." He turned and pointed at Belle.

"My price...is her." Belle's eyes widened. Surely she had misheard. Whatever could he want with her. To her own surprise she also felt no revulsion at the proposal merely confusion and slight wariness. Regardless this resulted in a cry of outrage around the room.

"The lady is engaged. To me." said Gaston pushing Belle behind him. Belle knew she should feel protected but only felt frustration. She knew it was not out of affection but possesiveness. She wasn't some damsel in distress. No deal had yet been struck so it was unlikely the Dark One was going to carry her off.

The Dark One rolled his eyes. And even looked slightly offended at the clear implication that he had less than honorable intentions towards her.

"I didn't ask if she was engaged. I'm not looking for love." He said this last bit in an exaggerated manner then turned his eyes back to Belle who suddenly realized that though his words addressed her father the Dark One wasn't making a deal with her father. He was making one with her.

"I'm looking for a caretaker for my rather large estate. Its her or no deal." Belle held the Dark Ones gaze. She believed him when he said he wanted a caretaker that he would not treat her as...well something else she'd prefer not to contemplate.

"Get out!" barked Belle's father. The Dark one shrugged and turned beginning to walk towards the door. Belle knew that their kingdoms only chance was walking out the door. And after all what was one life compared to the hundreds of men, women, and children that would be slaughtered if she didn't go.

"No, Wait!" she called struggling out from behind Gaston. The Dark One turned and raised an eyebrow. "I will go with him."

"I forbid it Belle!" snarled Gaston who probably could not have said anything that would have convinced her further in her course.

"Nobody decides my fate but me!" snapped Belle sharply before turning back to the Dark One. "I shall go."

"It's forever dearie," he said in his high pitched tone. Yet she saw that it was a genuine warning to her not to strike the bargain if she wasn't certain. Well, she was going to nail out the details.

"My family, friends, and people...they will live?" The Dark One bowed his head.

"You have my word." Belle held her head high.

"Then you have mine. I will go with you. Forever."

"Deal!" cried the Dark One clapping his hands like a child and adding a high pitched giggle at the end.

"Belle...Belle...you cannot do this! You cannot go with this...Beast." said her father. The Dark One pressed a hand to his chest adopting a look of mock hurt that would have been amusing had the situation been less severe.

"Father...Gaston...it's been decided."

The Dark One leaned over her shoulder and said in a cheerful tone.

"You know...she's right. The deal is struck!" Belle stepped closer and he placed his hand on her lower back in a gentlemanly manner. Just as they past the threshold he called over his shoulder.

"Oh congratulations on your little war!"

OUAT

Rumpelstiltskin hadn't really been all that interested by the plea from Avalonea. For one thing the idiots offered him gold. As if he didn't have enough of it and the kingdom was fairly average holding no real items of great value.

Nonetheless he found that when ogre's were concerned it was at least worth a visit.

From the moment he appeared in the throne room she had caught his eye. A chestnut-haired beauty in a golden off the shoulder ballgown.

While the rest stared at him in disgust her bright blue eyes instead held curiosity and intrigue.

Goodness, the girl even rolled her eyes at her father's proposition of gold. Clearly at least one person in the room had an intellect that rose above that of your average sheep. He even thought he detected a smile at his antics.

This girl was more than a beauty. She was an enigma. And in an instant he knew his price.

"My price is her." The rest of the people in the room were predictably in uproar however Rumpelstiltskin kept his gaze on the beauty gaging her reaction. However instead of the utter disgust he was expecting she merely appeared surprised. His view of the young woman was then blocked by the oafish knight who had threatened him with the sword earlier as he stepped in front of her.

"The lady is engaged. To me." Ah yes and she looks positively thrilled about that doesn't she dearie? Rumpelstiltskin observed internally, noting the look of irritation that crossed the brunette's woman's face.

He was also well aware that from scandalous looks on the men's faces they were all presuming he wanted her as some sort of whore. Why else would the oaf feel the need to announce his romantic attachment?

The idea disgusted Rumpelstiltskin. He had done many morally questionable things in his long life but taking a lady without her consent was a particular line he had no intention of ever crossing. That said it wasn't surprising considering they saw him as a monster and what else would one expect of such a creature?

Nonetheless he felt a strange need to reassure the young woman. He just had to do so without appearing weak so he fell back on his old tool of sarcasm.

"I didn't ask if she was engaged. I'm not looking for love." He paused for dramatic effect. "I'm looking for a caretaker for my rather large estate. Its her or no deal."

He largely ignored the predictable cries of outrage from her family and friends in favor of studying the girl. He watched as she held his gaze for a moment before her eyes flitted towards her father and then down to the war map showing their woefully hopeless situation. She was evidently analyzing the situation.

"Get out!" shouted her father and Rumpelstiltskin turned casually beginning to leave.

"As you wish." he told them. He had nearly reached the door when a female voice called out.

"No! Wait!" He turned on the spot to see the young noblewoman move out from the possessive grasp of her fiancee and step forward to face him head high. "I will go with him."

"I forbid it Belle!" shouted the oaf and Rumplestiltskin held back a snort. He already got the sense that nobody could forbid this woman to do anything and he was indeed proven right as Belle snapped back.

"Nobody decides my fate but me!" she then returned to their staring match. "I will go with him."

"It's forever dearie," Rumpelstiltskin warned her. He was pleased she seemed willing to accept the bargain but he wouldn't have anyone saying he hadn't clearly laid out his terms. Belle seemed of a similar mind as she instead countered with a confirmation of his side of the deal.

"My family, friends, and people...they will all live?"

"You have my word." said Rumpelstiltskin. Belle bowed her head.

"Then you have mine. I will go with you. Forever."

"Deal!" cried Rumpelstiltskin with a giggle.

"Belle...Belle...you cannot do this! You cannot go with this...Beast." said King Maurice and Rumpelstiltskin faked a look of great offense. Beast was really the best the man could come up with?

"Father, Gaston, it's been decided," stated the young woman firmly. Rumpelstiltskin leaned over her shoulder and added

"You know...she's right. The deal is struck!" He placed his hand on her lower back and guided her out the door. As they left he called out.

"Oh congratulations on your little war!"

Author's Note: And so begins my Rumbelle series. I hope to be consistent in my updates (usually weekly or so) but I can't make any exact promises other than not to abandon it. It's a large project that I intend probably to stretch into 3 books covering from seasons 1-3 (Because that's were thing started to go downhill for the show and everything actually can be nicely tied up.) There will be some major and minor canon divergence as time goes on as I intend to make Belle a slightly bigger player and make some changes to things in the show I disagree with or think could have been done better. However the same general plot will apply. I do ask if you like the story please leave your thoughts in comments it really does help with motivation.