Once Upon a Time The Beauty Underneath

The Beauty Underneath

_"One day someone is going to hug you so tight all your broken pieces fit back together."_

1.

Avonlea was burning.

In the far distance, where the castle grounds met the town, flames licked high in the air, lapping over the smooth stones walls and sending charring bit of rooftop into the atmosphere almost instantly transforming into ash and disappearing. In a single blink, the ravage had spread from one home to the next and soon the whole town would be aflame and the townsfolk of Avonlea would be homeless, their property and lives left in cinders.

Belle watched over her father's small kingdom with a hand balled up and pressed against her heart as she stood helpless to do anything, helpless to save those kind and innocent people. A tear rolled down her cheek as she tried to supress the pain and stood motionless in mourning unable to tear her eyes away. Belle had spent endless days down in the village away from the confines of the suffocating noble walls that now kept her safe, she had friends and those she considered family down there but now all she could do was watch the destruction of all she held dear after her father had forbade her from going down to help.

"Sir, with all due respect, we must come to a decision quickly." The vice chancellor urged, "There are no options left. The ogres are on our doorstep. We are going to lose!"

Sir Maurice, Belle's father stood poised over the map of the battlefield on the large table in the centre of the grand hall surrounded by his military advisors, his brow was furrowed and his heart heavy with the decision his must now make. It shouldn't have had to come for this but now there really were no other options. Sir Maurice stood up and glanced over to Belle at the window who looked over and gave him a weak smile before turning back to the window solemnly. How could he watch his daughter in such pain? Belle had a gentle and understanding heart; she was loved by the townsfolk and had been a source of wisdom in his indecisiveness in the past. Yes, he would do this for Belle, he couldn't lose her.

"Fine. Let it be done." Sir Maurice sighed looking back down at the surface of the table. "Call him."

"Please, please! Have mercy! I had nothing to do with it, I swear!" The old man begged as he scrambled around in the dirt trying to get up onto his knees and beg properly for forgiveness but instead he was once again kicked to the ground sharply onto his back and then the same foot that had pushed him harshly now stamped down onto his chest and a dark figure loomed over the top of him.

The Dark One, none other than Rumplestiltskin himself leered down at the old man, his wide menacing muddy green-brown pools that might once have been eyes were filled with hatred and menace. His lank and twisted hair fell around his face limply, barely covering his green pallor, darkened teeth and long nose.

"Oh, I think you did." Rumplestiltskin hissed whilst still keeping a wide grin on his face, "You might not remember me but I certainly remember you."

"I have no idea what you're talking about? I've never seen you in my life. I'm begging you Dark One, please spare my life." The man cowered and raised his arms to protect his face as Rumplestiltskin stamped his foot into the old man's chest again so hard that there might have been a crack this time. "Mercy! I beg of you."

Rumplestiltskin recoiled and swept around in his long coat pressing his fingers together and walking a few steps, "Mercy? I'm afraid I'm quite unfamiliar with this term dearie." He turned suddenly on the spot holding a finger in the air, "Oh wait a moment, there's something coming back to me now." He walked over quickly and kneeled at the old man's side who tried to pull away but Rumplestiltskin grabbed his shoulder and pulled him back to face him, "Yes I remember now, mercy, it's the thing I asked your father for when he was nearly beating my son to death over a loaf of bread." Rumplestiltskin said pointing a taloned finger at the old man's eye.

"Wh-what…I don't understand," The old man started to say but Rumplestiltskin cut him short.

"Don't play the dumb with me." Rumplestiltskin said in a sing song sort of fashion waving his finger to and fro like the ticking of a clock. "Your father was a baker, was he not?"

"Yes but-"

"And did he not…beat a young lad for apparently 'stealing' bread?" Rumplestiltskin leaned closer and he could see the old man's eyes flickering about all over his face wondering if he could get away with lying.

"I don't remember." The old man lied as best as he could, "I was very young and it was such a long time ago now. Perhaps the foolish act of some young lad that didn't know any better." Rumplestiltskin looked over the old man's face for quite some time before he pulled away and stood tall and ominous over him, his shadow stretched long across the ground, darkness invading the light. The old man thought that it was over, had the Dark One bought his lie, was he going to live?

"You dearie, are a terrible liar." Rumplestiltskin chided the man with a flourish of his arms and deadly look in his eyes, "You were back then when you tricked my son into your home under the pretence of a meal, and you certainly are now." Rumplestiltskin once again lashed out beating the man in the ribs continually whilst the man writhed and did as best he could to fight back, screaming and crying for mercy as he did, then Rumplestiltskin pulled away and stood to watch the old man writhe about bloodied and battered.

The old man finally stopped moving and just stared up at Rumplestiltskin with teary eyes hoping this would be the severity of his punishment but knowing it wouldn't. Rumplestiltskin, faster than you could blink, had lunged for the man and then returned to his previous position; in his hand he held a glowing heart, old and worn with age. Rumplestiltskin grinned at the old man and then waved with his other playfully before he crushed the old heart in his hand to dust and the forest fell silent.

"No one calls my boy a liar," Rumplestiltskin smiled wickedly staring down at the man's lifeless corpse. "And lives to tell the tale…"

Rumplestiltskin straightened out his long coat and resumed his poise giggling to himself in amusement and pride at the deed he'd just undertook. He'd waited an awfully long time to punish the baker's son for the humiliation and pain he'd put Baelfire through all those years long ago. Now he'd gotten his revenge, the memory of watching his beloved son kicked nearly half to death by the baker whilst he could only look on and do nothing would soon fade like all the other painful memories he'd erased with exacting justice on those who had wronged him.

Rumplestiltskin's reminiscing was soon broken by the flutter of wings approaching, he tilted his head towards the canopy of the trees and saw a bird flying in his direction, a beautiful white messenger pigeon, it fluttered down and landed on the chest of the old man's corpse shuffling around until Rumplestiltskin leaned over and took the tiny scroll from its leg and unfurled it in front of him.

_'Sir Maurice of Avonlea promptly requests your presence under the circumstances of the ogre invasion of his kingdom. You will be rewarded with a sizeable sum of gold.'_

Rumplestiltskin giggled in amusement again as he twisted his hand and the scroll set alight and vanished; so the noble lord of Avonlea had finally given in and wanted to make a deal, how delicious, Rumplestiltskin loved nothing better than people begging for his help and getting themselves stuck in one-sided deals where he would always come out of it with a better prize.

"I must say I don't like the attitude of this scroll though," Rumplestiltskin said to the white pigeon still cooing and strutting about on the corpse oblivious, "Yes, the word 'promptly' doesn't instil me with the greatest desire to set off right this minute." Rumplestiltskin's grin widened again showing his blackened teeth, "I think we'll let them burn a little while. I do enjoy watching a good bonfire." He giggled and then his eyes shot back to the pigeon, "Speaking of which. I think it's time for a spot of lunch." Rumplestiltskin leaned forward eyeing the pigeon with malevolence and hungry eyes.

_One Month Earlier_

Avonlea was in the height of summer and the longest day of the year had arrived, today it was the celebration of the summer solstice and the townsfolk were readying for the festivities. Colourful banners of blue and yellow lined the cobbled streets and children darted in and out of the crowds dressed in their best clothes eagerly trying to get to the front of the town square where a huge wooden stage and beautiful blue and yellow canopy had been erected for the arrival of the noble's.

There was a wonderful atmosphere to the town; everyone was equal today as all would be equally blessed with the sight of one person in particular, Belle, their noble leader, Sir Maurice's daughter. Belle was no ordinary noble's daughter, the townsfolk adored her, she was kind, pure and most important of all, she was one of them.

Belle's mother had been a wise lady, she had brought Belle up to understand that there is good in the hearts of all beings, even though sometimes it is hidden and hard to find. She taught her daughter that it was important to treat everyone as equals; no one was different no matter where they came from, manor or slum.

That sunny afternoon Belle had been amongst her people, helping them to prepare for the afternoon activities before she went to change into her noble attire and join her father up on the centre stage for the opening ceremony. She'd spent her time helping the local children to make banners, assisting with food preparation and generally just making sure that everyone was happy. Belle loved nothing more than being down her amongst all the excitement and joviality of the everyday life; her time in her father's home was boring and uneventful, she wanted more than to flounce around in expensive dresses and do nothing.

At the gates of the town, people were streaming in from the nearby kingdom's to join the festivities, carts were rattling in full of goods, men and women carrying baskets of offerings and sweet treats, children tugging at their parents around to hurry along and one cloaked figure sauntering along keeping watchful eyes on the people around him, looking for a glimmer of weakness in the hearts of these people.

Rumplestiltskin had come to Avonlea to try and strike up some deals. He'd had a quiet time recently, all seemed calm in the Enchanted Forest, nobody seemed like they needed his deals right now and he was itching to cause some mischief, Avonlea seemed like the perfect hunting ground with all these 'pure' hearts that were supposed to reside within the walls. Surely, there would be some here that he might be able to corrupt or trick, hearts weren't the most solid of things, and they were usually very easily swayed.

Belle was sitting under a tree in a little grove just out of the town square reading one of the books a local merchant had given her as an gesture of good will for helping an elderly man carry some heavy sacks he'd brought along to Avonlea for the festival. Books were very precious to Belle, she loved to learn about anything she could, in particular faraway places interested her the most, she wanted nothing more than to adventure far beyond her father's walls and see the world for herself. Today the book that had her so enthralled was a book on the realms of the Enchanted Forest filled with maps, it was by far the best book that she'd ever laid her hands on.

As she leaned against the trunk a slice of light came through the trees and shone down into her eyes dazzling and distracting her from her solitude, she raised her hand to cut out the light but it was no good, she couldn't read like this, she could hardly see. Belle sighed with a half-smile and closed the book, it was about time she should get back to her father to get changed, there were only a few hours before the opening ceremony now.

Belle stood up and carefully walked down the slope of the grove to the cobbled street, a flash of sunlight cut across her eyes again and blinded her and she felt her foot loose its hold as the sole of her shoe caught the last of the morning dew and she slipped tumbling forwards. Belle expected to hit the cobbled path any moment and her body would smash against the stone but instead she fell against something, no, someone and they landed together in a heap on the floor, whatever or whomever it was had broken her fall.

Rumplestiltskin hadn't been paying attention, he hadn't seen the girl up the grove until it had been too late and he had felt her tumbling into him and pulling him down on the floor harshly. Luckily, being the Dark One, he didn't feel any pain and he certainly never got hurt, still, this didn't stop him from becoming incredibly angry, he could feel his rage building up at the absolute humiliation of the situation and menace was rising in him like a tidal wave.

"Stupid girl!" Rumplestiltskin said pulling himself together and getting to his feet quickly, she would pay for this.

"Oh, I'm so so sorry, please forgive me, I didn't see you, I'm so embarrassed…" Belle said scrabbling around on the floor and getting to her knees looking up at the man above her.

Rumplestiltskin smoothed out his clothes and his cloak and looked down at the girl raising a hand ready to flounce it and turn her into the first thing that came to his mind but he stopped and faltered as he caught sight of her. The girl was beautiful, she looked up at him with bright blue eyes and a genuine look of regret and humiliation as she sat back on her knees and waiting for him to say something. Rumplestiltskin was lost for words for a moment before his mind started to tick over and gather this thoughts.

"Quite alright." Rumplestiltskin said shortly waving his hand in a circular motion, his eyes darting over her face as she smiled shyly at him. For a moment he felt a sort of twinge, no one had smiled like that at him in a long time, if ever, Mila certainly hadn't ever wore that expression even when they had first met. Then something clicked, could she see his face or was he still hooded? Rumplestiltskin slid a hand up and felt the hood still on his head, this girl obviously had no idea whom she was dealing with. Rumplestiltskin shot out a hand towards her before he had any time to think and the girl smiled again taking it gratefully and getting up.

"Thank you," Belle said trying to bend a little so that she might see the man's face, "I am very sorry, I'm usually more careful but I guess I was caught off guard this time."

"Yes," Rumplestiltskin said slowly, "I think I might have been too." He wanted to dismiss her and get away from this girl as quickly as he could, he had other more interesting and fruitful endeavours to pursue but he couldn't help but watch her. The girl was now looking anxiously around at the floor and he creased his brow and sneered, "What one earth are you doing?"

"My book, I've lost my book." Belle said frantically looking for it, she didn't want to lose it; it was the only thing linking her to the outside world.

Rumplestiltskin spotted the book not so far away and conjured it to his hand whilst she wasn't looking, "Is this the one?" Rumplestiltskin said waving it around until she turned around.

"Yes." Belle said with a sigh of relief and smiling happily, she didn't reach out to take the book but waited for the man to hand it over to her instead.

Belle looked over the man she had fallen into, he was tall wearing a long cloak and the hood pulled right forward over his face so she could only see the tip of his nose and his mouth and chin. He had an odd colour to his complexion almost like the skin of a toad, she wondered perhaps if this man were ill which was why he kept his hood up shielding his face. Belle watched the man as he brought the book up to his face and flicked through a few pages before letting out a bit of a giggle which made Belle smile widely, then he handed her the book.

"Thinking of doing a spot of travelling are you dearie?" Rumplestiltskin smirked as she took the book obligingly, "It's a dangerous world out there; make sure you're prepared for all it has to offer."

"Are you a traveller?" Belle said excitedly clutching the book and crouching to try and meet the stranger's eyes but he recoiled back, "Is that why you're here, to see all Avonlea has to offer?"

"Something like that." Rumplestiltskin said smugly. This girl wasn't any sort of threat, in fact there was something about her that raised his spirits a little, she was amusing. Rumplestiltskin looked her over more closely, she was wearing a simple plain blue dress ensemble with white lace detailing around the neck and cuffs, there were no signs of wear and tear to her outfit so she definitely wasn't a peasant. The girl's face, hands and shoes were free of any sort of dirt and her hair was rich burgundy in tresses of curls hooked over her shoulder. The most fascinating thing about her, however, were her eyes, startling blue but they looked at him without judgement.

"I'm Belle." Belle curtsied dipping down again to peer in his hood.

"Ru-"Rumplestiltskin started to say automatically flouncing his arms out and bowing back lowly, but he stopped and his mind worked quickly, "-Rufus." He finished tilting his head up to look at her and grin baring his blackened teeth, "Enjoy your book dearie." Rumplestiltskin said turning on his heel and striding off down the cobbled street.

Belle's heart sank, this man, this traveller, he might have had stories from around the world that he could share with her but now he was leaving and all she was left with was her book and dreams. Belle turned to go and her foot clattered into something on the floor, she looked down and saw something silver and gleaming wrapped up in an old brown rag, she knelt down and picked it up pulling the cloth back to reveal the beautiful and ornate hilt of a dagger. The man must have dropped it after they had bumped into each other; Belle looked up and saw him about to reach the end of the street.

"Wait Rufus!" Belle called after him and he stopped.

Rumplestiltskin stopped and closed his eyes breathing in deeply, what did she want now? He didn't have time for this and the whole thing had thrown him completely, so much that he'd lost sight of why he'd actually come to Avonlea in the first place. The girl, Belle, was a beautiful distraction and usually if he were distracted he would remove the cause but this time he just wanted to get her away from him, she'd not wronged him and she'd been duly regretful of their encounter. Rumplestiltskin turned around and saw Belle walking up to him quickly, when she reached him she was still smiling and held out the brown rag that was concealing his dagger.

"I think you dropped this when we accidently ran into each other." Belle said ushering it towards him still smiling with her head cocked to one side.

Rumplestiltskin didn't take the blade immediately, he was still stunned and confused looking to the girl and then to the dagger before he slipped it from her open hands. He could have lost everything, he could have been controlled or worse, he could have been killed, yet here was this bright eyed girl again returning his most important treasure openly and honestly without any ulterior motive.

"I'm in your debt it seems." Rumplestiltskin said cautiously. Belle's smile widened and he could see a glimmer in her eyes of excitement. "How shall I repay your kind favour?"

"Well," Belle said looking up from under her long lashes, "You might tell me a tale or two of your travels and accompany me for a stroll back to my home?"

Rumplestiltskin jerkily smiled, he hadn't been expecting this at all, he breathed in deeply his chest swelling from what was this, pride? Rumplestiltskin, the Dark One, the most feared, loathed and vile man of all the kingdoms of the Enchanted Forest, taking this beautiful woman for a stroll and regaling his sordid deeds for her amusement. This was ridiculous but at the same time all so wonderfully delectable, he'd wanted mischief and accompanying a woman around the town under the pretence of a mere traveller was too good to miss. Rumplestiltskin decided that at the end when they parted he would reveal himself and the girl would be horrified and break her poise and the act of being so pure and good to scorn him and then he would have her.

"It's a deal." Rumplestiltskin held out his muddy coloured hand and long nails to shake hers, he half expected her to recoil and sneer in disgust at it but she just carried on smiling, took it and pulled his arm out linking hers in his. Rumplestiltskin felt the twinge again at her actions and his cheek twitched at his awkward predicament.

"This way." Belle gestured in the opposite direction to where he'd been going and they set off at a leisurely pace, the beauty and the beast.

Belle and Rumplestiltskin had been walking for about half an hour, in which time he'd managed to twist enough tales around to make them worthy of telling to the young woman without her running and screaming for the hills. He'd watched as she'd hung on his every word with a faraway wondering look, almost desperate to see it for herself, if she'd had known half the truth she might not have been so eager.

"So you've been travelling an awfully long time." Belle said as they began to approach the top part of the town leading to the gates to her father's estate, she knew that their time together was now going to come to an end but she was happy, his tales had filled her with more desire to leave her father's kingdom and travel than before.

"Sometimes it feels like forever dearie." Rumplestiltskin grinned wickedly looking down at her besides him, he could get used to this, and as much as he wouldn't admit it he was lonely in that Dark Castle after Baelfire had gone.

"Maybe you should settle down, retire from your travelling days and stay here in Avonlea?" Belle suggested, perhaps she could sway the stranger to remain here, then even if she never got away from her closed fate marrying her betrothed fiancé Gaston then she might come down to the town and visit her new found friend and indulge in his tales.

"Nice idea," Rumplestiltskin said in a high tone, "But I don't think I would fit in." Then he giggled again and it made Belle laugh out loud. Rumplestiltskin eyed her warily still grinning and amused with himself, her smile was absolutely infectious and she was so beautiful, there had to be something wrong here, nobody was this lovely, everyone had a flaw, he would love to exploit her.

"Well, if you change your mind you're very much welcome in Avonlea." Belle said slipping her arm out of his and leaning back. "I've got to go now, my father will be angry seen as though I've taken longer than I should have. I really do hope that you change your mind, I'd love to see you again."

"Feeling's mutual." Rumplestiltskin said as Belle squeezed his arm in affection and then took hold of the iron gates next to them and pulled one open going inside and shutting it to.

"Thank you for keeping my dreams alive. Maybe one day I'll get out of here, maybe we'll see other lands together." Belle smiled one final time and then turned and walked on through her father's grounds back home.

Rumplestiltskin strode a couple of steps back to take in his surroundings and pulled his hood away to free himself, a huge smiled spread across his face when he noticed where he was, why hadn't he thought about it sooner? This was the home of the noble Lord Sir. Maurice with its huge grounds fully in bloom with roses. Rumplestiltskin had been here before many years ago to try and make a deal with the foolish man but the kindness and wisdom of his wife had brought the man to his senses and he'd left empty handed. Now everything fell into place, Belle was none other than his only daughter, his most prized possession.

"Well, well, well, this is an interesting outcome." Rumplestiltskin grinned rubbing his hands together, "Enjoy your day little Belle, I fear that unfortunately for you that we may will meet again one day. You may just get your wish."


End file.

Once Upon a Time, Hurt-Comfort, Romance