Exiled

A/AN: This prompt came to me today, and I just had to write about it. Enjoy!

It had all started four months ago when the residents of Storybrooke all decided to return to the Enchanted Forest. They'd used a magical bean Regina had procured from Hyde after he promised to dwell peacefully with them in their old land. The other characters from all of the untold stories tagged along too. When they arrived, Snow and Charming were given the chance to reign over the larger provinces, while Regina opted for the smaller ones. Emma and her pirate were also given a slice of land to do as they pleased with. A few residents had followed them, and the remaining royals returned to their previous kingdoms. All the Golds' wanted to do was return to the Dark Castle and shut out the rest of the world. The royals could have their parliaments and countryside estates, but all they wanted was peace. The monarchs didn't trust Rumpelstiltskin because he was still the Dark One, and they believed he would reek havoc throughout the land like he had in years past. They plotted to capture and imprison him for his crimes. Most of the regency wanted him to be executed except for a sparse few. The Charmings' put him back in his old prison cell much to Belle's dismay. The people she thought she could trust were the biggest hypocrites to walk the earth. Rumpelstiltskin had done nothing wrong upon returning to the Enchanted Forest except exist but to them that was punishment enough. Rumpelstiltskin had reunited Belle and her mother, Colette in the land of untold stories and her mother's kiss had been what had awoken her from the sleeping curse. Colette had opted to live in the Dark Castle with her daughter because she and Maurice would never be able to settle their differences. He'd been part of the reason she'd disappeared in the first place, and she'd never trust him again. Belle had given birth to a beautiful baby girl after her husband's imprisonment, and she would never forgive them for allowing him to miss such an important milestone in their lives.

Lucy Rose had never gazed upon her father, and she had no idea he even existed. Belle had bargained for his release many times by offering numerous magical artifacts in his collection but to no avail. She scoured the library day and night, attempting to find a spell to release him and then it happened ; the spell she discovered was one which would bind his magic forever. It involved fashioning a cuff which he would never be able to remove. Belle set to work weaving the spells together to fashion the talisman and then she went to the queen. Regina was more negotiable than the Charmings' and after much convincing, the queen decided to beseech the other monarchs on Belle's behalf. Rumpelstiltskin and Regina had a complicated relationship but making a child grow up without its father was cruel. Lucy needed her father, and Belle her husband. The Charmings' placed strong stipulations on his release which included never being able to leave the Dark Castle. He was to be exiled there permanently. When Belle seen him, there was a hollowness in his eyes which hadn't been there since he'd lost Baelfire. All the hope which remained in him had been extinguished. Belle casually explained the procedures of the cuff to him, and he hadn't objected. He held out his arm like an obedient dog. She placed it on him, and Regina had kindly magicked them back to the castle to live out the rest of their days in isolation. Belle hadn't been exiled but in her heart of hearts, it didn't make any difference. She wouldn't mingle with the people who'd brought them nothing but pain. They were all dead to her. She'd kept the dagger safely hidden away in the confines of the castle, but he hadn't asked for it. He would never be able to practice magic again. Their marriage became strained upon his arrival, and the things Belle hoped would return to normal didn't. Rumpelstiltskin used to fill his days with magic but now he filled them with Lucy. They hadn't reconnected, but she knew it would take time. He was a severely broken man and piecing him back together was something she hadn't quite figured out yet. His cursed appearance resurfaced, replacing the human face she'd grown accustomed to seeing in Storybrooke, but he didn't repulse her. There were some days she feared he believed that and wondered if it was the reason he'd barely touched her.

Belle stared absentmindedly out the library window of the Dark Castle. She licked her finger and turned another page in her novel. She sighed when she heard the shrill cries of her daughter. It had been two months since his return and she was now six months old.

Lucy was a docile child and didn't cry unless she needed to be changed or fed. Belle knew it must be about time for her feeding as she traipsed into the nursery, but she halted in her tracks as she took in the scene before her.

Rumpelstiltskin held Lucy in his arms, smiling down at her with fatherly affection. She seemed to bring him solace more than anything. Belle felt her heart swell and tears well in her eyes as she watched them. She and her husband hadn't spoken much since his release from prison. He usually kept to himself, opting to have separate bedchambers. He was overly guarded and had completely shut her out. It was like all that time they'd spent apart had transformed into another person, and she hated it.

Belle wasn't brave enough to inquire about the things he endured while incarcerated, but she knew it must have been horrible because sometimes she would hear him cry out during the night from his chamber violently. She longed to comfort him, but she didn't know how. She cursed a thousand deaths upon the Charmings for the pain they'd put her beloved through. She prayed the gods spared them no mercy for their sins.

"I suppose she wasn't hungry after all." she interjected catching him by surprise. He fixated his gaze on her, causing her heart to beat erratically. His amber orbs analyzed her, and she felt a pleasant shiver course through her from his intense gaze.

"She just wanted to be held." he half smiled before averting his attention back to the infant. Belle longed to ignite a conversation between them but the words died on her tongue like simmering embers. She cleared her throat awkwardly before turning to leave.

"It seems you've got everything under control here, so I believe I'm going to go draw a bath." she supplied, anxious to soak her body under the tepid water. She aspired to forget her troubles and drown them under mounds of bubbles.

"Belle I-" she paused when she heard him say her name and turned to face him. She locked her gaze with his, and he seemed to have the same trouble she did with conjuring up the right words to say. It had been weeks since he'd said her name, and she felt like she must be dreaming.

"What is it, Rumple?" she inquired, tucking an unbound lock of chestnut hair behind her ear. He held Lucy close to his chest as he took a few steps towards her. She leaned against the corridor when they were only a short breadth apart.

"I know this is probably hard for you to understand but when I was imprisoned, I never imagined I would be free again. I made up in my mind I was going to die there, so I gave up on us completely. They assured me that I'd never see you again, and I felt like a failure to you and when you came to free me, I didn't know what to think. The moment I saw you again caused a ray of hope I had tried so desperately to extinguish reappear. Seeing you with that magical cuff made me realize I'd give up every ounce of power if it meant I could bask in your presence once more. After we returned to the castle, I got a good look at myself in the mirror, and I seen nothing but a monster. There's no way you could want me like this Belle. I'm nothing but a hideous beast, and I don't deserve your love. They told me you wouldn't come, and I believed them because who could ever love me? I'm wretched!" he lamented with tears cascading down his cheeks. White hot rage burned inside her from her husband's declaration. Those bastards had lied to him! They'd told him she didn't love him and would never come.

"Rumple, I tried to come see you many times, but they wouldn't let me. They lied to you because I do love you. I fell in love with the beast long before I fell in love with the man. Your appearance doesn't startle or repulse me because underneath that shimmering gold skin is the man I'm still in love with." she expressed by cradling his face in her hands. She brushed away his remaining tears with the pads of her thumbs and smiled brokenly at him.

Lucy squirmed between them, and Belle smiled down lovingly at their child. "She deserves the best of us you know." she added before gazing back up at him.

"There's no way I'll be able to amend for my past mistakes." he sighed dejectedly, diverting his gaze to the cobblestone floor.

"I think we can both agree the best thing we can do is give her a life full of love she deserves. She's our new beginning." she remarked, pulling away from him slightly.

"You're right...I just want to make this work. I'm so afraid I'll wake up one morning in that dungeon and realize this was nothing more than a cruel dream." he respired, placing a snoozing Lucy back in her cradle.

Belle daringly pulled him by the lapels of his shirt towards her until she could feel his hot breath fanning against her face. She traced her nimble digits down his scaly cheeks. He seized her wrists firmly in his grasp, pinning her against the doorway before kissing her senselessly.

She moaned into his mouth, heat pooling in her belly as he pressed her firmly against the egress. He unbound her wrists, running his hands over her soft curves. She threw her arms around his shoulders and craned her neck to give him better access. He peppered her collarbone with kisses, hoisting her into his arms. She gasped in surprise but kept her arms fastened firmly around his neck as he carried her to her chamber.

He cradled her in his arms a moment before placing her gingerly on the bed. He hovered over her, his body barely brushing hers as he sought out her lips once more. She pulled at the lapels of his shirt, willing him to be free of it. She needed to touch him, to have his bare skin, beneath her fingertips. He stopped kissing her briefly to pull it over his head. He coaxed her to sit up and began undoing the stays on the back of her evening gown until she was free of it. He pulled it down and then began unloosening her corset until she left in nothing but her shift.

"Belle, are you sure you want this? I can understand if you wouldn't since I'm an imp again." he inquired, his amber eyes full of insecurity.

"I want this...I want all of you." she affirmed by pulling him in for another passionate kiss. He broke the kiss briefly enough to pull the shift over her head, leaving her fully exposed to him.

Tears gathered in her eyes as a broken sob tore loose from her throat. Did she dare to hope this was more than just another dream? She touched his face tenderly, and he sighed pleasantly, leaning into her touch. He undid his trousers and tossed them aside so there were no barriers left between them, his own moan echoing through the room as they were pressed flesh to flesh. "I love you, Rumplestiltskin," she whispered softly as he cradled her face in his large hands, their gazes locked with more than passion, more than need, but everlasting love. He pressed himself against her, and she shuddered in delight, relishing the fact they had found one another again.

"I love you too, Belle. I've missed this so much," he murmured, his voice reverberating in her ear as he joined himself to her. They fit together like two beautifully missing puzzle pieces. She shivered as he remained still, his fingers trailing a delicious path over the sensitive skin of her inner thigh. Her Rumple, her love. No man had nor would ever make her feel so cherished. Belle wrapped her legs around his waist and kissed him with all the emotion coursing through her. She'd never felt more complete in the prior months of their separation, as though a part of her were missing. He urgently returned her kisses as they moved together. He felt like the thirst in his soul was finally sated with the return of her loving touch. The revelation that she still wanted him in this atrocious form put his mind at ease.

He held her face delicately in his hands as her body quivered around him, welcoming him home and drawing every last drop of his essence into her warm center. He rolled over on the bed, pulling her flush against him, his arms a vise about her. He couldn't bear to let her go. She was his. She held his heart, his life, and his soul within her delicate hands. He buried his face in her hair, sighing contentedly, at peace for the first time in years. "Don't leave me, Belle. Stay here with me," he pleaded groggily fighting the sleep his body craved, but which would steal precious moments away from them.

She turned to face him, snuggling closer to his body for warmth. "I promise," she assured him before falling into a peaceful slumber.

~X~

Belle awoke what felt like hours later, his arms wrapped loosely around her waist. She untangled herself from him and reached for the robe she'd hung on the door. She prodded out of the room, her heart swelling with a love she never thought she'd feel again. She wandered into Lucy's nursery and lifted the tiny infant from her crib. Her cherub face broke into a babyish smile when she recognized her mother.

"Hello my precious...Are you hungry?" She inquired to her daughter who shoved her tiny fist into her mouth at the mention of food. Belle couldn't help but chortle at the babe's answer and undid her robe slightly. She placed Lucy to her breast, and the child latched onto her nipple, sucking contently. Rumpelstiltskin had woken up shortly after Belle had left and suspected she had gone to check on their child. He watched the maternal display in awe from the doorway, feeling more complete than he had in a long time.

Belle absentmindedly averted her gaze to the doorway, startled by his intrusion, " Rumple, I wasn't expecting you. I figured you'd still be asleep." she added, adjusting Lucy's position in her arms.

"When you left, I suppose I woke up." he shrugged, before settling down in a chair next to her.

Belle placed Lucy on her shoulder and began to pat her back in attempts to burp her. "You're welcome to sleep in my chamber tonight if you wish." she supplied, satisfied when she heard the baby hiccup.

"I can assure you I won't be sleeping anywhere else." he remarked, brushing a kiss against Lucy's forehead. She placed her back in her cradle before she dozed back off peacefully.

"Where do we go from here?" she inquired as she gazed out the window towards the horizon. The sun had began to set in the distance, signaling an end to another day. He wrapped his arms around her waist while resting his head on her shoulder.

"We simply take it one day at a time." he answered, and she nodded, gazing at the sunset. The sun would surely rise again tomorrow, and they'd be given another day to resolve their issues. She would cherish each day because she knew it wasn't promised and after all they'd been through, she didn't want to waste a single one of them. They'd been given another chance to start over and even if she didn't understand why, she was still grateful it had. It may have consisted of them living in exile but as long as they were together then nothing else mattered.

The years ticked by, and the couple grew back together. Colette continued to dwell with them, completely smitten with her Dark One son-in-law. It was quite amusing since her father hadn't felt the same. They hadn't spoken in years, and he refused to acknowledge his grandchild as if it were the spawn of hell. Being shunned by her father and the rest of the realm had put many things in perspective for her. The most important one being that the love of her husband, mother, and daughter would always be enough. One day a peculiar invitation arrived for young Prince Henry and Violet's upcoming nuptials. The invitation wasn't only addressed to her but her husband as well. Had those insolent Charmings forgot they'd exiled him? Rumpelstiltskin hadn't seen his grandson in years, and Belle felt like it was a premeditated trap. She ripped the parchment in two, discarding it. Another month passed before the reigning monarchs showed up at their door.

Belle had greeted them with a scowl."And what is it you want?" she demanded in her thick Avonlean accent.

"We were just wondering if you'd received our invitation. I'm sure Rumpelstiltskin would love to see his grandson again." Snow White singsonged in her sickly sweet voice.

"We did and won't be attending, or did you forget that you exiled us?" she scoffed, threatening to slam the door in their faces until David jammed his boot in the door to halt her.

"Listen Belle, the reason why were here is because we need Rumpelstiltskin's help. The Black Fairy, who was exiled long ago has returned. He's the only one powerful enough to defeat her." he expounded. She hadn't meant to laugh but an unladylike giggle came tumbling out of her mouth, turning into a high pitched howl.

"You two really are a pair of imbeciles, or have you forgotten my husband can no longer do magic? When you so kindly exiled him to this place, you made sure he would never be able to concoct another spell, and he hasn't. You've only called upon him when it suited you, and I'm afraid our interests aren't aligned anymore. Solve your own problems, dearies." she retorted, slamming the door in their faces.

As Belle walked down the corridor, she noted her husband standing there with an impish smirk playing upon his features, "Well done, dearie. I had no idea the Dark One's wife had so much bite." he giggled impishly.

"Should I be worried about this black fairy?" she inquired, quirking a brow.

"She and I made a deal not to get in each others way eons ago, and I never go back on a deal." he reminded, and she grinned, leaning in to kiss him.

"Let them clean up their own mess this time." she supplied, breaking the kiss briefly. He cradled her face in his hands, crushing his lips against hers as the world burned around them.

A/AN: I'm not even sad how I ended this fic. I want Belle to get to the point where she begins to understand her husband's reasoning and POV and that these people really don't care about her. Please review!