I’d like to turn the whole wretched lot of them into snails!

They don’t deserve Belle … but then neither do I. Thankfully for everyone Belle doesn’t see it that way. Their attitude hurts her but if something happened to them, that would hurt her more.

Completely ignoring them works best. If I can’t snail the ignorant, ungrateful *devolves into muttered insults* … as I was saying if I can’t give the miserable, pathetic *deep breath* … then I can help Belle by distracting her. She always wanted to see the world. So long as she stays out of sight while I’m dealing, she’s welcome to accompany me everywhere I go. I’ll take her to every realm within the reach of my power.

Life with me is hardly a prize, she has lost much, the least I can do is make one of her dreams come true.

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.

Unfortunately history is written by the victors.

Avonlea knew that Princess Belle had protected them against Maleficent but that only put questions in their mind. How had the princess managed such a feat when so many strong knights had failed? The reveal that her true love was the Dark One, and the official (and unofficial) comments from the palace, seemed to confirm their suspicions. Princess Belle had saved them but at what cost? She was irretrievably contaminated by darkness. They were thankful for their lives but they didn’t want her to return, for what might she bring with her?

So no Avonlea never rose up against Belle’s parents or Gaston. They believed what they were told. Some even thanked Gaston and Belle’s parents for their fortitude, as it’s always harder if the enemy is someone you know. Those that questioned the story, having known Belle and her goodness, were swiftly told of her corruption. The Dark One’s reputation grew even more as a new batch of stories were told to frighten children – that of the fallen princess and her dark husband.