King Maurice and his guards hurried out the castle entrance and through the gates. If Belle really was escaping he knew exactly where to find her. What he didn't expect to find when he arrived was Rumplestiltskin holding Belle. "Release my daughter you monster!" he screamed.

Rumplestiltskin was just about to use magic to take Belle and him to safety when they heard the king's voice. They turned their heads at the same time to look at him. Belle gasped, "Papa!"

Rumplestiltskin slipped his hand into Belle's bag and removed the dagger without anyone taking notice. He released Belle and walked toward King Maurice. "Ah, your majesty, I was hoping to run into you."

The guards encircled Rumplestiltskin and all held their swords to his throat. Belle looked worried as she stood at the sideline. Rumplestiltskin grinned maliciously. Without even a flinch of a muscle each sword turned into a snake. The snakes hissed and attacked the guards causing them to fight back and lose all interest in Rumplestiltskin.

"I don't know how you escaped, but you will cease what you are doing and return to the dungeon," King Maurice commanded.

Rumplestiltskin held his index finger up and stepped closer to Maurice, "Ah…but you see your majesty, you are no longer in the position to be making demands…"

"If you haven't forgotten, you belong to me," King Maurice took his sword and pointed it at Rumplestiltskin's chest.

Rumplestiltskin swatted the sword away, "Not anymore." Rumplestiltskin held his hands out, one above the other with a space between them. The dagger appeared confirming King Maurice no longer had control.

Maurice's eyes went wide in horror, "No, it can't be!" He grabbed his side and pulled the key from his cloak, "But the key…"

"Is a fake!" Belle said stepping forward and holding up the real one, "We have the dagger now Papa! You can no longer force him to do things he doesn't want to!"

"Yes, and now," he slammed Maurice up against a tree, while magically retrieving the sword from the king's hands, "You can pay for all the horrible things you did!" He held the sword to King Maurice's throat. A drop of blood ran down the length of the sword.

Belle ran to their sides, trying to wedge herself between them. She could see the hint of evil in Rum's eyes returning, "Rumplestiltskin please stop! This isn't you anymore!"

Maurice smiled victoriously, "See Belle? He's proving to you he's the beast you don't want to believe he is."

"No he's not," she turned her attention to Rumplestiltskin, "Rum, please! You don't have to do this. You promised…please...!" She grabbed his arm again and could tell that caused him to calm a bit like it had earlier in the dungeon.

Rumplestiltskin threw down the sword, grabbed Maurice by the collar, moved inches from his face, and spoke through gritted teeth, "You can have your pathetic life, but stay away from me! Stay away from Belle!"

Maurice glared at him unfazed, "You will destroy Belle like you destroy everything else. Well I won't let that happen. She's not going with you!"

"She is!"

Belle stomped her foot, "ENOUGH! Both of you! No one chooses my fate but me!"

Rumplestiltskin loosened his grip on Maurice and turned to Belle. The anger was beginning to dissipate.

"Now I will go with you Rumplestiltskin, I love you, but if you break your promise, I will leave and you'll never see me again."

Rumplestiltskin could see in Belle's eyes she was determined and serious. The last thing he wanted was to lose Belle. He released Maurice completely and gathered Belle in his arms, "You have my word," he whispered in her ear.

With that purple smoke engulfed the two and they were whisked away leaving a screaming, angry Maurice behind.

When the purple smoke cleared, and Belle could see the world around her again, they were no longer standing outside the castle wall. Rumplestiltskin had sent them to a meadow far away. There were no houses, villages, or souls within sight. They were completely alone.

Belle was still cradled in Rumplestiltskin's arms. She looked up at him. The evil had almost completely faded. She was talking to Rumplestiltskin again, not the Dark One, and she could see sorrow in his features, "Thank you, for sparing my father. I know that was hard for you."

"There's not anything I wouldn't do for you, I love you."

Belle wrapped her arms around him and nuzzled her head in his neck, "I love you too," she began to cry.

"Are you ok Belle?"

"It's just…I didn't really get to say goodbye, and I'll never see him again. I know he's done some awful things, but he's still my father and I love him. I wish he would have understood," she bent back to gaze into his dark brown eyes, eyes she could see more clearly than ever before. She had never seen Rumplestiltskin in broad daylight before, outside of a window. His features were more pronounced; the color of his skin was more distinguishably gray/green and looked rougher than she thought. He seemed a little more reptilian. However, it didn't matter to her. She still saw him as a handsome man, and that would never change. He was perfect. She smiled at him, "But we're together now, and I wouldn't have it any other way."

Just as Belle had, Rumplestiltskin examined the beauty he held in his arms. The sunshine glistened brilliantly off her smooth, flawless, creamy skin. The light made her eyes seem bluer than he ever thought eyes could be. Her chestnut curls shaped her face impeccably. However, he didn't need any light to see the beauty that shone so bright from her soul. She was perfect.

Their lips interlocked in a brief, but deep, passionate kiss. When they pulled away Belle could see their was something that was still worrying Rumplestiltskin, "Rum what is it?"

Rumplestiltskin released her and held out his hands. The dagger appeared before her, "I want you to keep this, Belle."

Belle began to fret, "But Rum, I don't want to control you!"

"Yes, and that's exactly why you have to take it. I know you'll keep it safe no matter what. You'll keep the monster within me at bay."

After a moment's hesitation, Belle reached, with a trembling hand, toward the dagger laid forth in Rumplestiltskin's hands. Her fingers enclosed around the blade and she pulled it into her chest, "I promise, I shall never allow anyone to take it. I will keep it with me at all times. I may have your dagger Rum, but you are a free man. You can make your own decisions."

He reached up and stroked her cheek, "I'll try not to disappoint you."

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As soon as Belle and Rumplestiltskin disappeared from sight, Maurice collapsed on the ground in a fit of tears. 'My only daughter…gone…I'll never see her again…She'll be in the hands of that beast forever…'

Just as Belle and Rumplestiltskin had made their departure, Regina, Gaston, and the remaining guards made their appearance.

Gaston stared at the king and stood there looking flabbergasted. He had no idea what was going on.

Regina fell to her knees next to King Maurice, "Maurice what happened?"

"Too late…she's gone…that beast took her. He took my Belle."

"Belle? Who took Belle!?" Gaston shrieked as if he actually cared.

Regina ignored him, "But how…you have control!"

"They found the dagger and escaped!"

Regina looked away from Maurice so he couldn't see the look on her face. She was in utter shock. She knew Belle was running away, but she didn't know she had found the dagger. If she had known, the girl wouldn't have made it one step out of her room. Regina could have used her magic to overpower her before it was too late, but now it was too late.

However, there was still hope. Regina placed a comforting hand on Maurice's back, "Don't fear, we'll get your daughter back. I've been working on something for a long time and it's almost ready. Soon you'll have control again. Soon you will be able to get your revenge on that monster." The last part Regina kept to herself, 'And soon there will be no happily ever afters for anyone but me.'

xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx

Belle and Rumplestiltskin had been strolling, arm in arm, through the meadow for a while with an unclear destination, "So, do you have a home we could go to?" Belle asked.

"I do, but your father seized it when I was captured. It would be too dangerous to return there. He'll be looking for us, and I think it's best I keep away from him lest I break my promise."

Belle nodded in agreement, "Where do we go then?"

Rumplestiltskin stopped walking and faced her with a large joyful smile, "Why my Belle, we're off to find my son, and to see the world of course. I want to make your dreams come true."

Belle was baffled, "Your son? But I thought…"

"You thought he was dead?" he laughed gleefully, "My dearest Belle, I never said he died, only that I lost him. You only assumed he was dead."

Belle beamed, "Well that's wonderful! I'll do everything I can to help you."

Happy tears formed in the corners of Rum's eyes, "I know you will, and I know he'll love you."

"And us, what about our happy ending?"

"We can have that too…" he pointed a finger in the air and leaned into her face sideways with the most mischievous expression, "but first you'll have to marry me."

Belle looked at him ecstatically, "Is that your way of asking me?"

Rum straightened, put his hands behind his back, and made his facial features uniform, "Well I've never been one to do things traditionally…"

Belle bombarded him with a powerful hug and knocking them both to the ground, "Yes! I'll marry you!"

He sneered at her, "It's forever dearie!"

Belle cocked her head, and squinted her eyes at him for calling her the nickname she hated, but she smiled nevertheless because she knew he was teasing her, "Then forever it shall be." Belle kissed him with more force and urgency than ever before. She let all her love flow into him through that kiss and he did the same.

When Belle opened her eyes to look at him, she noticed that teasing impish gleam in his eyes. She gave him a half moon smile, "Rum…what are you thinking?"

He playfully tossed her over on her back where he was now on top of her, "I'm thinking we should finish what got so rudely interrupted last time!"

Belle burst out into laughter and they lost themselves in each other in the middle of the meadow. Belle was happier than she had ever been in her life. Neither one of them were no longer prisoners. She was finally with her true love, her one and only, the other half to her whole, and knew then that their adventures were only beginning.

a/n Ok so I decided to end the story here because they aren't prisoners anymore, but I am writing a sequel that will pretty much pick up where this one left off. I thought it would be better to separate them because the next story will go in a whole different direction. So if there is anything left unanswered from this story, it will eventually be answered in the next. I'm actually going to write 2 other stories, because the third one will change directions as well, so the Prisoner is just part one of three. The next story will have a lot of crossovers and the other characters in it, but I hope you'll like it. It may be a few days before I can get the first chapter up. I have school now, and I need to write a little on Beauty, the Beast, and Baelfire, so my updates may not be a frequent but I'll try to keep them to twice a week or more.

The name of the part 2 will be The Many Adventures of Rumple and Belle (ha Winnie the pooh lol) and here is the summary I have written:

Free from King Maurice, Rumplestiltskin and Belle set out to find Baelfire. As they travel to many different lands and worlds, they learn more about life, love, family, and each other. Can they find the path that will take them to the land without magic and be reunited with Bae once more? This story will contain many different crossovers/OUAT characters including Wonderland, Oz, Neverland, Dr. Who, and many more. Oh yeah and Milah's not dead.

Thanks everyone who read this story! I enjoyed reading your reviews! I hope I didn't disappoint.