The Story Of Rumbelle

Shame Of Himself

A month later, they were back in The Dark Castle. Belle was in the library, wiping the dust.

Mirror: So... Did you two have fun?
Belle: Yes, it was wonderful. It's so calming to live in the forest, you know. You can only hear nature and the animals that live there. I can't wait to go there again.
Mirror: I'm well pleased that you enjoyed it. By the way, congratulations!
Belle: *giggles* Thank you.

   As they talked, she took down a painting from the wall to clean it better. When she turned the painting over, she noticed while dusting it that it had something like a paper of the same color on its back. That was stuck only to one edge of the paper, and as she removed the paper upwards there was something written there.

Belle: Mirror! Mirror, look!
Mirror: What? *she shows him* What's that?
Belle: I don't know. It's like a hidden secret message, or spell. I've lived here for so long and I haven't noticed it until now...
Mirror: What does it say there?
Belle:
"Read  aloud,  you  will  discover
A  thing  you  wanted  to  recover.
Under  this  place,  not  another...
The past remains here, locked it rather."

   As she said this out loud, a small part of the floor just below where the painting was, was slowly opened. When she got closer, she noticed that there was a box inside, so she took it in her hands, then approached the mirror.

Mirror: So it is a spell...
Belle: Yeah... Should I open it?
Mirror: Don't ask me, ask your husband.
Belle: I do believe he wouldn't let me.  Otherwise this wouldn't have been hidden.

  And as a silence appeared, she decided to open it, removing the lid. When she saw what was inside she was about to fall off her feet. Her face suddenly darkened, remaining shocked.

Mirror: What's inside?
Belle: *lifts it* A magic gauntlet, from Camelot...
Mirror: Why would Rumple hide a glove?
Belle: Remember when he saved my life from the three witches by giving them a magical thing in exchange for me? That's it...
Mirror: But how come he still has it?
Belle: He probably went to take it back... I really thought he gave something precious to him for me, but I was wrong...
Mirror: Belle... You're okay?
Belle: Yeah... Yeah, I am.

And after saying this, she hurried out of the room. She didn't go to Rumple, she needed to think, so she went outside and sat on the bench in the pavilion. She stayed for several hours with her face on the ground. After a while, Rumple had approached.

Rumple: Belle! Here you are... Come back in the castle, it's getting chilly outside.
Belle: I'm fine...
Rumple: You're okay?
Belle: Mhm...
Rumple: *approaches* May I?

She moves aside, sign that he can sit next to her. And so he does. He looked at her, confused by her facial expression.

Rumple: You're not okay. Talk to me.
Belle: I-I found something today. Something I wish you had told me...
Rumple: *thinks she realized he was dying* Belle... I'm sorry. I really didn't know how to tell you... But how did you find out?
Belle: I was cleaning in the library and found the rhymes behind a painting...
Rumple: Wait, what? What rhymes?
Belle: The ones that open the secret hiding place... to this. *take off the gauntlet from behind*
Rumple: *relieved* Oh, yeah, right.
Belle: Why didn't you tell me?
Rumple: Because...I'm ashamed... of myself. In the past I had many acts of cowardice. I am ashamed of what I did... and what I was...Because of me I was about to lose you forever... To lose my ability to love ever again.
Belle: Wh-Why?
Rumple: I...I made a deal with someone, and that person gave me a potion that could split me in two. The good and the bad part. I was starting to realize the feelings for you and I couldn't bear it, believing that love is a weakness. So... I wanted to kill my good side.
*his voice trembled* I'm so sorry Belle...
Belle: Oh, Rumple... And... why didn't you drink it after all?
Rumple: Loving you was the only thing that felt right. Which made me smile for no reason... *she smiles* I can't imagine what would've happened if I had drunk that. None of this would've happened... We wouldn't happend...

   Okay, those words cut deep, but he was right. We can see the regret he had, and maybe a tear running down his face... and maybe she saw it too.

Belle: *sights* You know, I'm not mad at you. I'd appreciate it if it wasn't for me to find it, but for you to tell me. Tho, I understand the reason. You were broken inside. And I'm glad that I could be the one who helped you.
Rumple: *smiles back* And I'm more than grateful for that. I'm sorry I wasn't brave enough to confess to you.
Belle: *puts her hand over his* It's okay...
Rumple: Look, let me fix this. *He takes the glove and stands up* I will go and give them this thing back.
Belle: *She gets up and blocks his way* No. Perhaps it's better that way. I don't wanna think what they will do if they own this.
Rumple: Yeah, you're right. *makes a funny voice* They will rule the world. *she giggles* Let's go inside, shall we?

   She nods, takes his hand and go inside.
   It was midnight. She was sleeping while Rumple's eyes were open, thinking. Suddenly, he hears whispers. He turned his head and saw that she was talking in her sleep. "No!","Please, don't!" Only that was heard. She was breathing fast and was starting to worry Rumple. She had started to cry, so he tried to wake her up. After a while, she finally wakes up, leaning on her hands.

Belle: *still breathing often and loudly, panicking, her eyes being full of tears* Rumple?
Rumple: *takes her in his arms, resting his chin on her head* Hey, it's okay. It's okay... I'm here. It was just a nightmare, nothing more. You don't have to be afraid anymore. No harm will come after you, I'm here now...

He could feel her heart racing as she hiccupped. He grabbed her head, wiping away her tears.

Rumple: Tell me what happend.
Belle: I-I was talking to you... and, suddenly, I saw that something hurts you... You put your hand on your heart... and then you disappeared.... You turned into dust... I-I think you died.
Rumple: *his face almost fell off* That's... That's a really strange dream...
Belle: I know, right? I mean, if you were dying of heart then you would know... Is your heart okay? I mean, when you showed it to me, it only had a red spot.
Rumple: Oh, yeah. It's the same. Nothing changed.
Belle: Oh, good news.
Rumple: Yeah... Well, go back to sleep.
Belle: Yes, uh, sorry for waking you up.
Rumple: No, it's okay, I wasn't sleeping actually.
Belle: You can't? You want me to stay with you?
Rumple: Oh, no. Sleep, really. No bad dreams will come again. I killed them all.
Belle: Huh, you did?
Rumple: Yes. *She puts her head back on the pillow and he covers her better* Good night again.
Belle: *smiles* Good night.

He also smiles at her as he approaches and kisses her on the forehead, then he looks into her eyes and ends up gently pressing her lips, enjoying their sweet taste. They both go to bed, and early in the morning Rumple wakes up ahead, taking her memory from last night by magic.

Rumple: I'm sorry, Belle... I can't let you suspect something. Until my last moments you will be happy, and I will try to be the man you deserved from the beginning. I love you...