WHO: Rumpelstiltskin and Belle WHAT: The big, mean pirate upset her, so the Dark One has whisked his love away for some romance. WHEN: Right now! WHERE: The south of France, a small town near the Riviera. RATING: TBD, but rated for epic Rumbelle cuteness. STATUS: In Progress
The words from the pirate hadn't bothered him in the slightest. Rumple knew the man was petty and consumed by his hatred of him, and refused to care about it, was even faintly amused by it if he was completely honest. It was Belle being upset that got to him though. His love had dealt with too much pain in her life and his every instinct was to protect her from suffering any more. His instinctive reaction was almost to find the pirate and slowly gut him for causing her hurt, and before she had appeared in his life he probably would have done something along those lines. But she had changed him, had made him see that the darkness that was inside him didn't have to utterly define who he was. He could be the Dark One and still capable of love, a fact he was determined to show to her.
She had asked for some time just the two of them, and facilitating such things when one was extremely powerful in many forms of magic was really quite easy. The way he spun gold meant that money was never something he needed to worry about, and teleportation was really quite simple. It was a quick trip to the bank to get some Euros and a brief phonecall to ensure a place to stay and off they went, appearing in a cottage he had rented for them. The owner had been more than happy to not question the short notice when he had offered her several times her asking price for a few days of holiday.
The town was small, picturesque, streets lined with fresh bakeries and local produce, the bright waters of the French Riviera within view. The sunshine was warm, though the air fresh thanks to the nearby seas.
He hoped it would serve as a romantic distraction from the upsetting issues of Lawrence, Kansas.
And, as promised, there had been a book shop, with the rich scent of leather and paper coming from volumes about local history dating back centuries. Much of it in French, of course, but a couple of English editions, and even a few in Latin.
"Happy, my love?" Rumple smiled, though there was a faint hint of nerves in his voice as he waited for her answer and he handed her a warm croissant.