Those that knew Belle, like the servants at the palace, thought that she was an odd girl. She was always buried in a book and she was utterly unafraid of getting her hands dirty. Noble ladies should be polite, and demure, seen to look lovely but not heard. Belle was strong-willed and wasn’t quiet about her opinions. There was once a small fire in the kitchen. Two visiting ladies took to their beds in shock, Belle was seen to be helping fetch water and tend to wounds, uncaring of how it ruined her gown.

Belle wasn’t allowed out of the palace much, she often had to sneak out to go to the village. Those that knew her there, knew her to be kind. She was always willing to listen, and she didn’t look down her nose at them. She would give them whatever coin she had, but she’d give them her time. Such as sitting with the children and telling them stories. The villagers loved her but at the same time they knew it wasn’t normal behavior for a princess.

Nobody thought Belle had inherent darkness until the whispers started. Then all these previous events were cast into a different light. For example, Belle tended to wounds because she was fascinated by the suffering, not because she wanted to help. Belle had never fit with their expectations – an odd girl that Belle – and people don’t like things that are different.

Once her association with the Dark One was known. Even those that refused to believe she was dark before, and had thought her pure, now thought she was dark. To take up with such a beast, to profess to love him … I suppose some might have blamed Rumple for poisoning her but Belle had always been odd. There was enough doubt, and conflicting stories, that nobody felt they should rescue her. What was done, was done.