star_kingdom | Deal 002 ❖ [Video]

Good! That was how it was meant, of course. [A little laugh here.] After all, one must be truthful!

Ah, truthful. Really? ( him? truthful? really? him? truthful? she's trying to process that one, actually. give her a moment. )

Really! [....yeah he can't not laugh at that either.] Though you do wound me, deary. I have always kept my word, my end of my bargains. I've only ever broken one deal in my life. [And that one informs every decision he's ever made, drives him, to try to make up for it.]

( she shakes her head ) Your deals and bargains are one thing, but you've remained more than mysterious on mostly every other aspect of your life. ( although, she had to admit that getting him to talk about himself even a little was something she was proud of and she did hope that it was all in truth. actually, he hadn't given her reason to think it was not and she had never thought it might not be. she still assumes it was all truth.

but she slows her pace, surprised. ) You... broke a deal?

I'm just enigmatic by nature, Belle. [A little giggle, and perhaps he's about to brush it off. But at her question he's quiet.

If anyone deserves answers, it's Belle. He knows that. Maybe he should explain the reason behind his fear of losing his powers, the vow he made that he can't break, the mistake he has to undo.] I did. Only once. The most important deal I ever made I broke.

I think you're just hiding. ( it's said nonchalantly, but there's a deeper meaning to her words that she's certain he can grasp. there's a reason he hides behind his powers, she just doesn't know what it might be.

honestly, she's surprised at his response to her question. she expected him to brush it off, joke about a deal with her for some answers. that he tells her so easily is interesting. a frown knits on her brow, though. ) The most important one? What deal did... ( she trails off, almost too worried to ask. )

Perhaps that too. [He admits with a bit of a giggle.

He's ready to deflect, let the matter drop, make some off handed comment about heaven only knows what. But well.. instead he nods.] Do you remember when you asked me about the boy's clothes in my manor?

( briefly her eyes widen. he's going to tell her about the boy? slowing her pace a bit more, she quietly walks at his side, giving a soft nod to him ) Of course I do... ( a deal with the boy? or the mother, perhaps? )

[This isn't his nature. He's secretive. He keeps this secret in particular close to the chest, for fear of it being used against him. And it has him a little on edge. But it's Belle. He holds up a finger.] Understand, deary, that I am not turning over a new leaf in telling you this. I won't be sharing or discussing or making friends over it.

I will tell you because I believe I should. I believe it's owed. And you will keep this information to yourself! Or I'll turn you into a canary and keep you in a cage for the rest of your days! [Don't mind that he's on the verge of a temper tantrum here. He knows that the threat is idle; he could never hurt Belle, no more than he's already done. He's actually, well, shaken up by the idea of divulging this particular secret.

But here he goes anyway.] The boy's name was Baelfire. He was... is my son. I made a deal with... a promise to him that I was too cowardly to keep. And I lost him. But I will find him again, make no mistake about that.

( more than well aware the threat was an empty one, Belle simply chose to remain quiet while he spoke for fear of anything that she might say to him may cause him to lose his nerve. Baelfire — a son, of course, it made sense that way. )

Oh no...

( she frowned. had he been anyone else, she might have reached her hand to touch at his arm in some form of comfort, but she wasn't entirely sure how Rumpelstiltskin might take something like that. Belle lowered her gaze, though. his unwillingness to let her break his curse seemed to come together in that moment. there would be no way she could ever try to get close to the man again if that were the case, Belle could never forgive herself if he lost his magic now. if that were the case, then he might not be able to look for his son. )

And... You need your magic to find him, don't you?

( cautiously, she moved to set her hand to his forearm anyway. comfort is comfort )

You'll find him... You have the most powerful magic I've ever seen. ( she smiles rather small ) ...can I help somehow?

[Well, now that is out. And he glances over her, strange almost reptilian eyes a bit wide at her question. But it shouldn't be a surprise. It's Belle. She's a clever girl, sharp and quick and far too smart for her own good.]

That's right. I need my magic. And I will find him, yes. [And then there's that moment of surprise once more.] Perhaps you can, deary. Perhaps you can at that.

( with it confirmed, she knows: that's why he didn't let her attempt to finish breaking the curse. she gives a soft nod and glancing off into the distance, frowns. )

So, then. We have to get you out of here. ( she's saying this almost in affirmation to herself ) Back home, so that you can keep looking.

[Rumpelstiltskin is keeping quiet now. He'll let her draw her own conclusions. He's sure she's figured out his reasoning. When she speaks he looks to her once more.]

Oh I'm still looking while I'm here, deary. After all, there are other worlds reachable from here. And that is what I'm looking for, another world, where Bae has gone.

Another world? ( she glances at him in shock. ) Your son went to another world?

( she shouldn't be so surprised, considering she's found herself in a new world alongside of him. but up until a few days past, she wasn't aware of worlds beyond her own existing all that much )

How... is that possible?

[A little nod at that.] Yes yes, a world without a shred of magic in it.

[Here his gaze darkens.] A fairy gave him a way. A small magic thing that was the last of its kind. So when I didn't-- well, I've been looking into this for quite a while now.

( a world with no magic, well, it certainly isn't this one then, is it? she frowns at the realization that it can't be this one for that reason. no parent should be without their child.

Belle is at a loss for words here. she can imagine what took place, but knows better than to voice said thoughts. lowering her head to stare at the ground as she slowly wanders alongside of him, the brunette reaches her hand out to grasp his own in small comfort )

I'm so, so sorry...

[His initial reaction is to pull away and shrug off her words. He doesn't need pity. He doesn't need pity.

But it's Belle. And she will always be an exception for him.

So instead his fingers curl about hers, just slightly.] I don't deserve your pity, deary.

It's like you said. I'm a cowardly thing. And because of that I'm left with nothing but regrets and broken things.

( she surprised that his grasp closes on hers, showing it by giving his hand a squeeze. gently, Belle gives a shake of her head at him. )

That was different. That was... Before I knew. ( a frown )

[Now his laugh is resurfacing, just as sharp and manic and wild as ever.] Oh no, Belle. You were quite right. It's what happened before. And again. And again.

[He smiles and now he's apparently ready to shrug out of the serious topic.] But I'm nothing if not clever. I'm certainly planning on setting things right. Or, well, righter than they are.

[No matter what he has to do or what he has to break to do so.]

( she frowns all the more. ) Rumpelstiltskin...

( she sighs softly, giving his hand another squeeze before pulling it back from his. does that mean more spells? more curses? more losing him further and further to dark magic? Belle wonders to herself if she can even really watch him put himself through something like that? ) What sort of plan might you be talking about, exactly...?

[Oh he recognizes that tone but he just laughs and prances a few steps ahead of her.] That remains to be seen. There is more than one way to open a door.

Though being in this place, that may change things as well!

( she turns her head, watching him perk up and move delightfully before herself. oh no, she knows what that means. rather than smile or be amused at his antics this time though, Belle just continues to frown. if he's going to do anything, though, she'd want to be there with him at his side, doing whatever she can to help with whatever he might need.

to be a caretaker, as it were. )

I might not be entitled to it, but... ( fingers nervously toying together before herself, she shifts somewhat nervously from one foot to the other ) Will you let me help you? I'll do whatever you may need me to...

[Rumpelstiltskin turns back to face her. And he considers for a long moment, half torn whether to brush this off.

He should. It's not safe for others to know his plans. It's not safe to let anyone in. Close.

But he holds out a hand towards her, grin splitting his face.] Are you offering a deal here, my dear? I'm afraid for you and me, there will be no more deals.

But if you want to stay, to help... then I'd gladly have you.

( chewing the inside of her cheek, Belle contemplates telling him it need be a deal. that way he might not go back on it so easily; but then again, given their previous one...

lowering her gaze to his hand, she shifts her feet once more and moves to take it into her own whether that was what he was offering or not. ) It need not be a deal.

It's an offer, one that will never go away. Should you ever want or need it, my help I mean, it will always be there for you.

[Rumpelstiltskin watches her expression.

He's touched. His face doesn't seem to know how to find the correct expression to show this though, so his lips twitch towards a smile, stop, try again before he just nods.]

Well. Then, good. That settles that.

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