His gaze slightly softened as those azure orbs shut, a warm palm caressing the back of his neck. For a moment, his eyes went to half-mast, darkening ever so subtly as Rumpelstiltskin swallowed. Oh, there was clearly much to be discussed, but however would he be able to think when all he could feel was her warmth and touch and light surrounding him, practically felt her wish of protection through every fiber of his being, in the very magic that still lay in the air? Rumpelstiltskin took in a deep breath, trying to regain as much of his control as possible. Curious Belle still wished to know how he knew all this, how the Dark One could remain so confident in the face of a world that none of them had ever even seen...
"The shield," he replied softly. "The barrier that keeps us in also preserves the magic that I hold. If it hadn't, well, I certainly would have felt it." It was something he had discovered when he partnered with Jefferson, long, long ago. Travelling to Victor's realm itself proved an eye-opener, when the Dark One discovered limits to his own magic, the very power of his own Sight slightly blocked by the feeble influence of the world's own magic. Here, however, this quite powerful spell cast around the town's line preserved the conditions of their own world quite well... "The moment the shield breaks, any magic left in the town would be affected by the laws of this realm." At least, so far as he had seen...