*sigh* I think if my gambit for peace had failed then I would be dead, not Maleficent. If I had been going to kill her, then I should have done it when she was weak from the fairy dust. I couldn’t kill her without trying to strike a peaceful resolution first, and I really couldn’t kill her when she was helpless. I know that’s very foolish, and that it gave Maleficent a chance to attack me first, but it just would have felt too much like murder.

That isn’t what you asked. The problem is I can’t see that I would ever have gone to see Maleficent with murder in mind. However, leaving aside how such a circumstance would arise, assuming that I had Maleficent at sword point, and the only way to secure Avonlea’s safety was her death, could I kill her? Yes, for Avonlea I would. The life of one villain, who sealed their own fate by murdering countless innocents, in exchange for the safety of everyone in my kingdom? That’s not even a question. Why should the innocent suffer so one person, and a murderer at that, can live?

If it had come to that, well there’s a saying – “Just because you’ve done right, doesn’t mean you have to feel right.” and killing someone should never be easy. If there had been no sleeping curse, do I think I could have met and fallen in love with Rumple? I don’t know how exactly, but I like to think that true love would eventually find a way, and that our paths would have crossed.

I realize this is just a thought experiment because it didn’t happen, and I can’t see how it would have done, but one thing I know for sure is that if it had, then Rumple wouldn’t have thought any less of me. He would have definitely still loved me because I would still be me. What we have to do doesn’t change who we are. Would I believe I was worthy of his love? I have no doubt that I would have felt horrible at having had to take a life, but life is messy and real.

Rumple has done things he’s not proud of, we’re both human. Besides you can’t be worthy of love. Love isn’t about deserving, love just is, no matter how flawed people are or how many mistakes they make.

Good question!

To be honest borrowing from 6.01 I imagine it wouldn’t wake her in the real world, but Belle would have woken under the curse. She would still be trapped in the dream world but she would be aware that’s where she was. Basically the true loves kiss would do half the job – wake her mind but not her body.

If this scenario had happened, once Rumple got past the initial NOT POSSIBLE shock. He would leave the dream world and kiss Belle awake completely. So the story would have played out much the same, except Rumple and Belle would have had a chance to talk before the confrontation with Maleficent and Belle’s loved ones.

Well *smiles* the ‘dark’ castle isn’t so dark anymore. Although I think I can see why Rumple kept them closed, the light streaming in really highlights the dust. There was one minor mishap, I got impatient, I’m not very good at waiting for others to do things. Rumple said he would take them down down with magic but … well, I fell off the ladder.

Rumple caught me, he always catches me when I fall. Do you know what I love the most though? He didn’t scream about my foolishness, he just rolled his eyes and grumbled that I should be more careful. I knew I’d scared him – I’d scared me as well – but he didn’t try and forbid me from doing such things in future. He always respects me *happy sigh* I really love him.

We’ve been getting out of the castle regularly, Rumple has been taking me all sorts of places. I never thought I would actually get to see the world, it’s a dream come true. I’ve even managed to make some friends. Rumple grouses that I can do better than a werewolf but I know he doesn’t really mean it. Besides, at least Ruby doesn’t look at Rumple like he’s a monster, she knows all too well what that feels like.

(There are two answers to this question. The in-universe answer which is probably what you want, and the out of character answer which I feel is important to explain.)

Belle: That is rather a personal question! I should just say I am perfectly satisfied and leave it at that. Given all the prejudice against Rumple I feel I should go further. To say I am satisfied is not enough. Even with the books I’d read, some of which would have scandalized my parents, I still wasn’t fully prepared.

I think perhaps because of the true love Rumple and I share, it made for a magical experience, not just a physical joining but something far more intimate than that. I loved being close to Rumple, and it was very pleasurable. An experience I’d like to repeat again … as often as possible.

Rumple: *cough* a gentleman doesn’t kiss and tell dearie, not even a beast. Suffice to say it was an experience I will never forget. If it just occurs once, I will treasure the memory for the rest of my days. After all, Belle’s curiosity will have been sated now, there’s no reason she’d want to repeat the experience.

*****

Right ok now the explanation that I want to add. This was a gift fic for Mayday Menagerie. I was a backup zookeeper so it’s already weeks behind when everyone else got their gift. My giftee ticked the box for smut and obviously this story didn’t have any. So while I’ve delivered a complete story, I failed at meeting that part of the brief. I still owe the smut.

Words have been difficult this month, and I have no idea really where the month has gone. I swear I blinked and the month of May has just disappeared. I made a post the other day saying that I was struggling particularly with smut, which is why I posted this story without the smut. I didn’t want my poor giftee to be waiting any longer for their gift.

So you wanted to know how the wedding night went – so do I! Because that’s what I was going to write for the smut. Hopefully you will see this in fic form in the not too distant future.

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.