I own nothing.

"Well that was a bit of a let down."

She could remember the day those words appeared on her skin. She was fifteen at the time, a bit late for most, but it was exciting none the less. She wore nothing but long sleeves after that. Being the princess, it was important these words were kept secret. If someone with bad intentions said these words, she could fall to the allure of fate and let them rule Avalon with her. Luckily she was too smart for that, but it was best to be cautious.

Others her age, girls especially, would flaunt the new additions to their skin. True love makes people do strange things. But Belle tried to be level headed about all this, even when various lords tried to peak at her rising sleeves to know just what to say to her.

And the words that marked her were the same words that the Dark One spoke while sitting in her father's throne. For a moment she was startled as everyone else was, but realizing the impact those words had on her life and her kingdom made her freeze. If all it took to end the attacks was going with her soul mate then she'd gladly do so. Even if this wasn't the case, she'd do anything for her people. Being a caretaker was far from a death sentence. But what should she say? He had to have a similar message written on his arm, something that would make her stand out.

Maurice was sending him away, not wanting to sell his daughter to the Dark One. She gaped at him, this was their chance to stop the war. Her life would be a small price to pay for the hundreds of families to have peace of mind. Knowing what fate had in store made her brave in that moment.

"This isn't your decision," the Dark One simply said. "What's it going to be, dearie? Want to save your kingdom?" he asked her in a sing song voice.

"I will go with you," she said boldly. The court members gasped at this. The dark sorcerer froze for a moment, glancing from his arm to the princess.

"Belle, no!" her father protested.

"No one decides my fate but me, Papa."

"Well, not quite," Rumpelstiltskin said with a devilish grin on his face. He unclasped the leather cuff on his arm, pulled down his sleeve, and with a dramatic wave of his hand revealed a short phrase that ran down his speckled skin. "It seems fate has decided quite a bit for you," he teased.

"For both of us," she agreed. He raised an eyebrow at that.

"Enough of your tricks, beast," Gaston said. "The lady is engaged to me." He didn't want to believe this. His chance for the throne was slipping between his fingers.

"No tricks here," he promised.

"He's right," Belle said, she pulled at her own sleeve to reveal the first words the deal maker had said.

"You'd rather be saddled with this creature than-"

She cut off her betrothed, "This is out of your control, Gaston." She felt more confident telling him off now that there wasn't a reason to marry him.

"She's right you know," Rumpelstiltskin interjected. "The deal is struck," the finality of his voice was not to be questioned. "I suppose you and I have some catching up to do," he said through a cheeky grin. His hand went to the small of her back and they started towards the door. "Oh and congratulations on your little war!" he called out with a chilling chortle.

Rumpelstiltskin's POV

After so many years of solitude, Rumpelstiltskin was more than a little surprised to find these words on his arm. The letters were surprisingly even on his scaled wrist. At first he was convinced he was dreaming, but there were no other eery indications of that in his familiar bedroom. Perhaps he could have some fun with this, he mused. He had made a name of himself by asking for the firstborns of a few families over the years. Of course those occasions were rare, as he knew firsthand the pain of losing a child. But he also knew the sorrow of being unwanted in the family, so he'd spare those he knew would suffer as he did.

He had more or less forgotten about his fateful affliction when he was called to Avalon. The merchant village offered him gold for his services, "Now that won't do," he mused from the lord's throne. Even if it weren't his favorite pass-time, no sum of gold would be sufficient payment for saving so many lives from ogres.

"What I want is something a bit more... special. My price, is her," he pointed a blackened nail at the princess. She had been eyeing him strangely this whole time. Not that he was surprised, given his reputation, complexion, and their current situation.

He was immediately met with protests from the king's entourage. "I don't recall asking you. This isn't your decision. What's it going to be, dearie? Want to save your kingdom?" he asked with a high pitched giggle.

"I will go with you," she said simply.

His brows twitched downward for a moment. Those words held more power than he'd like to admit. She likely knew as much; his own words were imprinted on her after all.

"Belle, no!" her father protested. A lovely name, he thought.

"No one decides my fate but me, Papa," the girl argued.

"Well, not quite," Rumpelstiltskin pointed out. Adjusting his sleeve, he showed the court the binding words that tied him and the princess for more than his simple deal. "It seems fate has decided quite a bit for you," he teased.

"For both of us," she agreed. He raised an eyebrow at that, Tenacious little thing, that one.

"Enough of your tricks, beast," Gaston said. "The lady is engaged to me." He didn't want to believe this. His chance for the throne was slipping between his fingers.

"No tricks here," he promised. He kept his eyes locked with Belle's.

"He's right," she said before flashing her wrist the the entire room. It was then that he noticed her longer sleeves, Smart girl.

"You'd rather be saddled with this creature than-"

She didn't let him finish, "This is out of your control, Gaston."

"She's right you know," Rumpelstiltskin interjected. "The deal is struck," the finality of his voice was not to be questioned. "I suppose you and I have some catching up to do," he said through a cheeky grin. His hand went to the small of her back, gently guiding her towards the door. "Oh and congratulations on your little war!" he called out with a chilling chortle.