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boushh2187 · 11 years ago

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Fic: The Lady of the Castle

Title: The Lady of the Castle

Rating: G

Prompt: FTL once they danced together

Word Count: 3,867

Author's Notes: Rumbelle Secret Santa gift for calamithyjane. It was fun writing this. It's been a loooong time since I've written any sort of fanfic, so here goes nothing! :) Hope you enjoy it!

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Rumplestiltskin’s boots crunched the snow-covered ground of the village square, leaving the local tavern behind him. The Shady Lady was often a place that held desperate souls looking to make a deal. Like the young man who traded the object he held in his hand for a love potion, even though Rumplestiltskin had warned him that the love would not be real.

He grasped the object in his palm. It was safely covered in a handkerchief. This object could bring him to his boy, if the tales were true. He would have to take it to his workroom, and put it through some spells of his own before he could attempt using it. Realm jumping was not an easy thing to come by, and this ring could very well be something else entirely. It held magic, yes. That much was obvious to his senses. However, he tried not to let himself hope that this could help him in his quest.

He was lost in thought when a boy bumped into him, making him stagger back a step and skid in the snow. Rumplestiltskin looked down at the overlong, tousled hair of the boy. The shabbily dressed boy bent to pick up the parchment pieces that he had dropped all over the snowy ground. “I’m so sorry, sir.” The boy glanced up at Rumplestiltskin with wide, and fearful eyes, and quickly averted them. “I mean, Dark One,” he amended.

Rumplestiltskin scowled down at him, but he did not feel any true anger or annoyance. Truth be told, the boy's threadbare clothing and slight frame, reminded him of Baelfire. “It’s no matter, boy. You best be on your way. There is a storm coming.”

The boy nodded, and gathered his parchment. He bowed slightly, and held out a piece of parchment for Rumplestiltskin. “For you, sir.”

Rumplestiltskin took it without a word, and the boy ran off. He must be a messenger boy hired by the local tradesmen to deliver notices, and anything else light to carry. He unrolled the parchment. A drawing of a well-dressed couple was placed prominently on the parchment, which was an invitation to the Winter festival at the nearby castle. The boy must be on his way to delivering them to all the families of noble birth, or perhaps taking them to other messengers to deliver on horseback. The boy surely couldn’t deliver very many of the invitations on foot. Rumplestiltskin stared at the drawing of the woman in a ball gown for a moment, then rolled up the parchment and stuffed it in his pocket, along with the pouch containing his payment for the day.

-----

The Dark One entered his castle, his boots and trousers muddy from the trip. He had decided to walk part of the way, braving the cold and the snow. He had wanted to clear his mind, and walking in the crisp, Winter air seemed like the way to do it. He hadn’t succeeded. His thoughts were full of Bae, and inexplicably his young maid, as well. He stalked to his chamber and changed his clothing. He felt somewhat guilty for leaving muddy footprints all over the castle. He could have transported himself to his chamber via magic and saved Belle the trouble of cleaning up after him. He shook his head. She was his maid. That’s what she was there to do. Clean the castle, cook the meals, do his laundry… He bunched up his clothes and brought them down the lower level laundry area, and threw them in the small pile there. There was a tub of soapy water in the center of the room, and the nearby fireplace was lit. It was warm and cozy for a washroom. Good. Belle must be getting ready to launder my clothes, he thought to himself with a huff. He wondered if she’d noticed the muddy footprints. He managed a half-hearted giggle at the thought of her being exasperated at his ability to create more work for her, and left the room.

-----

The laboratory where he did most of his potions work was freshly aired out, and smelled faintly of pine and candle wax. Belle must have been in here cleaning earlier. As usual, Rumplestiltskin hoped she hadn’t accidentally gotten into trouble. It didn’t happen often, but cleaning the lab could sometimes cause problems for his maid. Those problems were always his to mend. They were mostly amusing little magical mishaps, but the potential for something greater was always there. He had thought of asking her to leave this room alone, more than once, purely to save him the trouble of fixing her messes, of course.

He inspected the various bottles and measuring scales. Everything looked in order. He went over to his workbench, intent on beginning a more thorough examination of his recent acquisition. He reached into his pocket only to discover that the ring was gone. The magical, supposed realm-jumping ring was gone. He stopped himself from panicking for a moment, and attempted to retrace his steps. Had he misplaced the ring? Left the ring elsewhere? He snapped his fingers, remembering that he had changed clothes. The ring was in a different pocket… in a pair of trousers that were about to get washed in the laundry room. Now he did feel panic… well perhaps not panic. Concern. Who knows what could happen if that ring was tampered with… or if Belle decided to try it on, admiring it’s pretty glittering stone, like most young ladies would.

He fled down the stairs, hoping that his maid had gotten distracted while reading, which did happen occasionally. He bolted through several rooms before skidding to a halt and realizing what a complete fool he was for not using magic. He materialized in the laundry room a moment later. The purple smoke dissipated around him, and he glanced around. Belle was nowhere to be seen. The fire still crackled, and the tub of soapy water was still there… except now there were several items of clothing soaking within it. Perhaps Belle hadn’t checked the pockets and the ring was still there. There was a flicker of reflected light and Rumplestiltskin cursed under his breath. The ring was there on a table, next to a handful of his freshly laundered shirts, hanging nearby. It glistened in the firelight, even while half covered by the handkerchief.

“Belle!” he shouted. She had to be here somewhere. He carefully picked up the ring through the handkerchief, and folded it up inside. “Belle!” he shouted again.

No answer. She couldn’t have touched the ring and gotten sent away, could she? Surely the ring would have gone with her. She had to be near. He moved through the rooms and shouted her name once more, his heart pounding in his chest. What if she was gone? Gone through to another land, just like Bae? He forced himself not to think of that possibility and how much it would affect him.

He was breathing heavily by the time he reached the trophy room. There she was, looking out the window, her shape silhouetted by the mid-afternoon light. He held back the sigh of relief that threatened to escape him. He stared at her a moment. She looked pensive, and lovely. He caught himself staring, and shook himself out of it. He managed a gruff tone before speaking. “Belle!”

She turned, momentarily startled by his voice. She seemed to gather herself quickly, and smiled at him. It seemed a rather sad smile and Rumplestiltskin couldn’t help but ask, “Are you all right?”

“Yes, of course.” She seemed to take in his appearance, and Rumplestiltskin realized he was still breathing a bit quickly. “Are you all right?”

“Yes, yes.” He brushed off her comment with a wave of his hand. “You left the laundry—“

“Oh, I was letting the clothes soak. They were so muddy. I don’t know what you were up to this morning to get so messy.” She said the words in an absentminded fashion, and then Rumplestiltskin noticed the wrinkled parchment in her hand.

“I had business in town.”

“Is that where you picked this up? I’m so sorry. I didn’t mean to pry, but I saw the illustration and I was curious.” Of course she was. Her parents should have given her a name meaning “curious”. She certainly was that. However, her true name did suit her, he had to admit.

Rumplestiltskin nodded. He decided to hazard a guess about her thoughtful expression. “I’d forgotten about it. I suppose you wish you were going along with the other ladies of the court.” He casually walked over to his favorite chair and slid his hands along the top of the back.

“No… well maybe just a little bit,” she said as she walked closer and leaned against the table, facing him. She glanced down at the parchment. “My father and I used to attend a ball like this one this time of year.” The nostalgia she must have felt at seeing the parchment worked its way into her tone of voice.

“And did you enjoy the festivities?” Rumplestiltskin asked, hoping to gather more information about her feelings on the matter. His maid might be the curious sort, but he found himself just as curious when it came to her, although he tried not to let her know it too often.

Belle smiled back at him. “Well I did enjoy some things, yes. I enjoyed the music, and even the dancing. I didn’t much enjoy the conversations.”

“Oh?” That time he couldn’t avoid the curiosity to creep into his tone.

“There was a distinct lack of good conversation partners, let’s put it that way. At least while dancing, I could pretend I was trying to concentrate on the steps to avoid a dull conversation. If my partner even wanted to converse at all that is. There were times I felt put on display, or as if I was the evening meal. Just there to look pretty while the beasts gathered,” Belle said with a laugh and a shake of her head.

“Perhaps, the young gentlemen of the ball were just taken with you,” Rumplestiltskin suggested. She shrugged, and he wondered if she included her fiancé when she spoke of dull conversationalists. The young man he met briefly didn’t seem very bright.

“Perhaps. I just didn’t often find them that interesting, I suppose. As I said, I enjoyed the music, the dancing, and occasionally the food. I like trying new things,” she said.

“As long as you aren’t the meal for those beast-like young men,” he teased.

“Well, I guess it would depend on the beast,” she teased back, and he blinked. It was times like these when he’d wonder if she was flirting with him, and he would brush the thoughts aside, not willing to dwell on something that was unlikely at best.

“Do you wish you could go?” he asked.

“What?”

“To the festival. Do you wish you could go?”

“No, of course not. Besides, I can’t leave this castle. We have a deal,” she reminded him, as if he needed reminding.

“True. We have a deal. You don’t wish to go?” he asked for the third time, and she shook her head. He stared at her. She could have pressed him. Could have asked if he would let her go to the festival if she wanted to, but she didn’t. A thought struck him then, and he smiled broadly at her. “Take the rest of the day off then.”

“What do you mean? I have quite some work left to do, after your muddy excursion.” She was being playful, as she seemed to be more and more these recent days.

“Think nothing more of work. Enjoy some reading. Do whatever you wish. All I ask is that you retire to your room shortly before the evening meal.”

“I don’t understand. Who is going to do the cooking? Set the table?” He raised a hand and she stopped.

“Think nothing more of work,” he repeated. “Do as I say. Now off with you!”

She nodded quietly, and approached him, the parchment held out in her hand. He flicked his eyes toward the table, and she left it there for him. He watched her as she swiftly left the room, noticing that she glanced back at him with a small smile before she left his sight. He grinned. He had a surprise for his little maid.

------

Belle retired to her room and decided to spend some time reading, though she spent most of the time thinking about the master of the castle. She wasn’t quite sure what had gotten into Rumplestiltskin. He never let her out of her duties. Perhaps he felt sorry for her? She didn’t think she made too much out of missing the festival. She didn’t really miss it that much, truly. She just saw the lovely illustration of the dancing couple and she grew a little nostalgic of her old life. Oh she wouldn’t change what she did for her family and village. Not at all. However, there were some things she missed occasionally, like a change in scenery.

The castle was so large and quiet much of the time, especially when Rumplestiltskin was away. She didn’t mind it really, as she enjoyed the quiet for reading, but some more life in the castle on occasion would be nice, for her and for Rumplestiltskin. He seemed like such a lonely soul, closed off, even though he was out and about often enough. She had managed to at least get Rumplestiltskin to leave the curtains open, so it was much brighter and cheerier than it had been. She thought he sorely needed some light in his life. Though truthfully, for a place referred to as The Dark Castle, it wasn’t nearly as dark and frightening as one would think.

She passed the time alternating between reading and daydreaming. Before long she could see the changing colors of the sky out her window. She put her book down and stopped by the window to admire the setting sun. She wondered what Rumplestiltskin had planned. He had shooed her away with mischief in his eyes. She didn’t think he’d have something unpleasant planned. Perhaps they’d simply share a quiet meal. That might be wishful thinking. She chuckled and turned back to find a new item in her room. Hanging near her wardrobe was a new dress. She gaped at it for a moment. She didn’t have to wonder how it got there. She was, after all, living in a magical castle, and with a powerful sorcerer.

She touched the shimmering, yellow/gold material of the dress. It was similar in style to her old dress that was now mostly ruined after wearing it while cleaning, and traipsing around the forest with Rumplestiltskin. This one had far more intricate work on the bodice, however, and if she was not mistaken, the design was made entirely of finely spun gold. Perhaps, he had more in mind for this evening than she had previously considered.

-----

Belle walked into the dining room, lifting her new dress slightly so she could walk more swiftly. She tried not to show too much excitement. After all, she didn’t know what Rumplestiltskin had planned. She looked around for him, but he was nowhere to be seen. The table was set. The candles upon it flickered, and seemed to invite her closer with their warm glow. She approached the table and realized that not only was it set, but it was also set for one person. The first course of the meal was already served.

She looked around once again for Rumplestiltskin, but there was not a hint of his presence. The food was still warm. She sat down and picked up her fork. She might as well eat. Perhaps he would appear soon.

The music started up as she began to eat quietly. It was a soft tune, suitable for the occasion. She smiled, as she realized what Rumplestiltskin had put together with his magic. He was creating the elements of the festival that she said she enjoyed. When she finished the first course, the plates disappeared, and within a moment the next course was magically served.

By the time dessert arrived, a very flavorful tart with custard, she was well and truly frustrated at Rumplestiltskin remaining hidden. She put down her fork after just one or two bites of the tart, and decided to try to draw him out. “Rumplestiltskin!” she called, her voice loud enough to carry over the music. “Rumplestiltskin, come out here so I can at least thank you properly, and without shouting!” Nothing. She frowned. If he didn’t appear soon, she was going to go search the entire castle for him.

“You called?” he asked, from directly behind her. Belle jumped in her chair.

“There you are!” She turned, as he made his way around to the head of the table, while she herself sat at the place setting to his left. He was dressed impeccably, in warm colors, and soft fabrics. No dragon hide tonight. “Why have you kept away? This is so lovely, but it would have been much more enjoyable with some company.”

“I thought you didn’t relish the company at such gatherings, so I took the liberty of not providing you with any,” he stated simply.

“It really depends on the company. I sometimes do enjoy your company, you know.”

He raised an eyebrow at her.

“It’s true! Now will you at least join me for dessert and a drink?” she asked, gently.

Rumplestiltskin watched her intently for a moment, considering her request, no doubt. He was such a curious thing, the way he pondered such a simple request. He waved a hand in the air and two goblets of wine appeared. Hers was set on the table before her, while his appeared directly in his hand. “A drink then,” she said with a smile. “Would you like to make a toast?” she asked with a tilt of her head.

“A toast,” he said with a nod as he lifted his glass toward her. “To the lady of the castle.”

Belle blinked up at him. “May I remind you, that I’m actually the maid of the castle?”

“Tonight you are the lady of the castle,” he said, firmly, and with a hint of a smile. He took a sip of his wine and she did the same. They were quiet for a few long moments, simply enjoying each other’s company, listening to the music, and drinking their wine.

Belle had admitted to herself more than once that she did enjoy his company. She enjoyed it far more than she ever enjoyed the company of the young men at these gatherings. She watched him as he stared down at his wine, swirling the remainder of the liquid inside the goblet.

“Everything was lovely, Rumplestiltskin. Thank you. The music and the meal were wonderful. I can’t even find the words to express how exquisite this dress is,” she said, sincerely. “There is just one thing missing.” She looked at him pointedly and hoped that he would take the hint. For some reason she had the desire for him to ask her to dance. She wanted that quite a lot, in fact. Perhaps it was the wine, making her feel quite bold.

Rumplestiltskin tapped his wine goblet and didn’t look up at her. She wondered if she had overstepped her bounds. After what seemed to be ages, he raised the goblet and drained the contents in one go. He placed it on the table, and took a few steps toward her and bowed deeply. He offered his hand and asked, “If the lady of the castle wishes to dance, then perhaps she would care to dance with me?” He sounded so hopeful; she couldn’t help but grin and stand up with barely contained glee.

“Yes! Yes, of course,” she said, taking his hand without hesitation. He seemed to stiffen at her touch for a moment. He often seemed a bit surprised if she got too close to him. She had noticed that. At first, she thought she imagined it, but after the first time she realized that it was possible he hardly ever got close to anyone. She certainly hadn’t seen any visitors in his home. His surprise was momentary, and he raised himself up and tugged her closer, gently.

“I hope I prove to be a satisfactory partner. It has been some time,” he said, quietly, as the music changed.

“I’m sorry. I should have asked if you knew how… I just assumed…” she stammered a bit, as she found herself quite close to him now.

“I do indeed,” he said with a small smile.

“I can help you along, if you get lost,” she said, brightly.

He then led her around the dining room floor, quite deftly for someone who claimed to be out of practice. Belle was impressed. She didn’t seem to have to help him at all. In fact, they seemed to move almost perfectly together. For a moment she wondered if any magic was involved, or if they were simply well suited dance partners.

The music changed to a different tune, and they continued on. They barely spoke. For Belle’s part, she enjoyed simply being there, moving along to the music with him. He was slowly becoming much like a friend to her, even though that could never truly be the case. She hoped that he enjoyed her company, as much as she enjoyed his. She hoped that she made some part of him happy. She didn’t know why she felt this way, considering she was likely just part of another deal for him. She just wanted it to be so.

It was nearing midnight, she knew. Belle was reluctant to bring up that fact. She was enjoying this evening so much. The music slowed, and she found herself drawing closer to Rumplestiltskin. Without giving it much thought, she placed her head on his shoulder as they danced. She could hear his breath hitch for a moment, and then it was as if nothing had changed. If she concentrated she could feel his heartbeat.

They were swaying to the music and no longer truly dancing. She didn’t know how long they stayed that way. His breath moved the curls in her hair. His arms were draped around her. He was so gentle. One wouldn’t normally think that the Dark One could be gentle, but he was. He was gentle with her, even if he wasn’t that way at first. She liked to think that this gentle Rumplestiltskin was his true self. She often did more than think it. She believed it too.

The clock struck midnight. The music continued. “Belle… it’s midnight,” he said quietly, near her ear. His breath against her skin gave her goose bumps.

“Yes, it is,” she replied, and continued moving along with him.

She heard him sigh, and he sounded content. They continued their dance into the early morning hours. Until the morning light, she was still the lady of the castle, and he was still granting her wishes for the night.

#calamithyjane #rumbelle secret santa #rumbelle #go easy on me #i haven't written fanfic in years #lol #my stuff #ouat #once upon a time

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