"Promises, promises"

[rodlox.livejournal.com]

Title: Promises, promises.
Author: Keenir.
Rating: PG-13.
Summary: When Belle goes out to field test her newfound powers, Abigail and Charming must say what they would give for their loves and for each other. The bad news is that King Arthur has arisen.
Part of the Exclamation universe.
Characters: Rumplestiltskin, Belle, Abigail, Prince Charming, Regina, Huntsman, King George, Frederick, and King Arthur. (mention made of Lancelot)
Disclaimer: I own none of the characters.
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"All curses can be broken," Charming assured Abigail. "Have you tried True Love's Kiss?"

Had he asked some other time, her response might have been withering. But right now, so close to Frederick, and proudly speaking of him, Abigail sadly said, "Until my lips bled."

"The gold got in the way. Still, there must be a way."

"Oh there is," said a man whom Charming had held hopes to never hear from again.

"Rumplestiltskin," Charming said, turning swiftly, one hand reaching for a sword.

~~~~~
Minutes earlier...

"All you need do, is picture what you want," Rumplestiltskin whispered in Belle's ear.

"Simple as that?" she asked.

He smiled. "Hold out your hand."

Belle complied, still unused to seeing the tint her hands had become.

"Now, are you hungry?"

"I -" she began to say, but was shushed - both by Rumplestiltskin placing a finger against her lips...and a second later, by the blushing-colored apple which appeared in her outstretched hand.

"Simple as that," Rumplestiltskin agreed. "Would you like me to cut it for you, to assuage any lingering doubts?"

She considered doing that, and staying in until a cure was found - another kiss? - or to continue with learning while she was like this. But that made her think... "Are there limits to what I can do now?"

"A few," Rumplestiltskin said, stepping around to be in front of her, looking her in the eyes. "The dead stay dead - not the fairies nor the Dark One can make them live again. That's the biggest one... and half the people who've summoned me and asked for my help, wanted me to bring back a loved one who died.

"Also, traveling in time is one-way," Rumplestiltskin said. "What we're doing right this second, is all we can do."

"Living our lives, second to second, minute to minute?" Belle asked.

He nodded.

"That's all?" Belle asked, surprised that there weren't more limits on such power.

"Those're two of the three biggest. The third is simpler," Rumplestiltskin said. "No gifts. At least, none larger than an apple. You can do anything you want for yourself, even flatten mountains and drain oceans."

"I thought all magic had a price."

Rumplestiltskin smiled. Very good. "Oh it does. The Dark One within you pays the price, leaving you unaffected."

So to speak, Belle thought.

"But with anyone else, an agreement is required. Contractual obligation, if you like," Rumplestiltskin said.

"Can you give me an example?" Belle asked.

He nodded. "Gladly. Two men came to me and begged me for weapons they could use to slay a beast which had been unkillable by everyone else who had tried it. They both promised to pay whatever I asked them for - so I asked one for his shoes, and the other for the thing he loved the most."

"Please don't tell me you still have the horse," Belle said.

"Only the shoes. What the other man loved most, was the adoration he received for killing the beast."

"So he had to leave, instead of being praised."

"Made it quite awkward, what with the parade and everything."

"So you're telling me that it doesn't matter how small or insignificant a thing I can ask for, the important thing is that there's an exchange," Belle said.

"Now you're learning," Rumplestiltskin said proudly.

"Can we go try?" she asked him.

"I beg your pardon?" he asked, and then understood: "You want to go and make your first deal?" Promising. Here I had thought I would have to ease her into it, seeing if her first mission would be to undo some of the deals I had made. Her and that Jiminy would certainly get along splendidly.

Belle nodded. "I'd like for you to come."

"Gladly," and held out his hand. I’ll mention afterwards that King Arthur and his Round Table are no longer in suspended animation -- a state they’ve occupied since before Zoso was the Dark One -- and are alive in the world once again.

Belle placed hers atop Rumplestiltskin’s, and he said, "Now, think, who needs help? Who is in a miserable plight?"

They vanished in a puff of purple-black smoke.

~~~~~

"All curses can be broken," Charming assured Abigail. "Have you tried True Love's Kiss?"

Had he asked some other time, her response might have been withering. But right now, so close to Frederick, and proudly speaking of him, Abigail sadly said, "Until my lips bled."

"The gold got in the way. Still, there must be a way."

"Oh there is," said a man whom Charming had held hopes to never hear from again.

"Rumplestiltskin," Charming said, turning swiftly, one hand reaching for a sword.

"So nice to be remembered," Rumplestiltskin said. "Though, who said we were here to help you?"

Charming frowned at his use of the plural, then noticed that Rumplestiltskin was not the only one in a cloak whose hood let the face fall into shadow.

"Of course, you don't have to let us help," Rumplestiltskin said. "There's always the healing waters of Lake Nostos - assuming you can get past the siren, dearie."

"Rumplestiltskin?" Abigail repeated what Charming had said. "What makes you believe you could help?"

"Right, not much call for my services in your father's kingdom," Rumplestilstkin granted her. "But not even your father's curse is an obstacle for the Dark One."

"That's him," Charming said to Abigail. To Rumplestiltskin, Charming demanded to know, "And what would you want in return for undoing the golden touch now covering Frederick?"

"Are you offering?"

"What do you want?" Abigail asked Rumplestiltskin.

Plllease don't make me an offer of gold. "First, it must be ascertained exactly who would be paying," Rumplestiltskin said.

Charming had a feeling that that statement wasn't entirely for their benefit. On a hunch, he rushed at Rumplestiltskin, drawing and pointing his sword directly at the beast's --

His sword's blade wilted, Charming stopped a few feet short of Rumplestiltskin.

Abigail had seen it all, and she had seen Rumplestiltskin move not at all... while the other cloaked figure had raised an arm - an arm with a greenish hand, purple haze moving over the palm and under the fingers.

"Thank you," Rumplestiltskin said to Belle. To Charming, "Don't feel bad, dearie, it happens to lots of men. Actually, no, that doesn't."

"Regardless," Abigail said, "we should be dealing with your friend here. Not with you, Rumplestiltskin."

He nodded his head the once. "Very well," and turned just enough for his gaze to include Belle once more.

Belle hesitated, then drew strength to herself and said, "Rumplestiltskin's question was a good one. Who's going to be paying."

Dropping his sword, Charming took a step away from Rumplestiltskin, putting himself between Belle and Abigail. "Undo the curse, and I'll pay it," Charming said.

"A moment, then," Belle said to them, and motioned Rumplestiltskin to come to her side, which he did. In a whisper to him, Belle asked, "I can ask for anything?"

"Anything he can give," Rumplestiltskin said quietly. "A trifle, a kiss, the undertaking of a quest. Then said, "There is another option: accept the promise of payment in the future - be it an act of valor, a baby's shoe, a necklace, or whatever you later decide will be adequate."

"Then that's what it will be," Belle said.

Rumplestiltskin stood aside so she could address the two of them.

To Charming, Belle said, "Do you promise to owe me a favor that I may collect at any time henceforth?"

Charming nodded.

Belle snapped her fingers, and a whisp of purple smoke rose from that finger and thumb, zooming towards Frederick and enveloping him. When the smoke cleared, Frederick was once more naught but flesh and bone and armor. Armor which fell off him as soon as he was no longer golden.

Frederick and Abigail embraced promptly, which drew a smile from Charming and Belle, and an impressed look from Rumplestiltskin.

The hug ended, Abigail said while she and Frederick each had an arm around the other, "Then I have something to ask of you as well," Abigail said to Belle. "End this feud between Charming and King George - without the death of either of them."

Well that makes it a bit more challenging, Rumplestiltskin thought.

"I offer you my hair," Abigail said. "For it is that which has always been most precious to me."

"And is solid gold," Belle said. You're King Midas' only daughter. Your hair is all that couldn't be changed back. "No."

"No?" Abigail asked.

"No," Belle said. "I want you to invite both King George and this prince to the wedding of yourself and Frederick."

Multiple payments, towards a common end - you're learning faster than I did, Rumplestiltskin mused proudly. "Mind, you might want to embellish this little scene," Rumplestiltskin advised Abigail.

“You will not take offence?” Abigail asked.

“We have thick skin,” Rumplestiltskin said neutrally.

Nobody moved, nobody left.

“May they go now?” he asked Belle humbly.

“I’m not stopping them,” Belle said. Wait, they were waiting on - waiting for me? Once Charming and Abigail had left, Belle said to Rumplestiltskin, “I didn’t think -”

“Learning curve,” Rumplestiltskin said. “I mayyyyy have grabbed people and held them in mid-air, saying “I wasn’t finished talking” …once or twice.”

“And they think I’m the same because I’m the Dark One now.”

“They don’t know any better. They don’t know you.”

“Then that changes.”

Showing up in their homes will assuredly convince them that you aren’t me. Granted, also won’t have the reaction you desire, Rumplestiltskin thought as Belle walked over to him and held his hand.

A short encircling of cloud later, the two of them were back in his castle. Her castle.

Belle was reluctantly and slowly drawing her fingers away from his hand, when she stopped, her facial expression telling Rumplestiltskin that she was wondering about something.

“Why did you tell them to embellish?” Belle asked him.

“Because the audience must be kept in mind.”

“Audience?”

“To paraphrase a famous poet, everybody talks,” Rumplestiltskin said. “For the most part, anyway. And to comply with their half of the deals, they have to spread the word.”

“To Kings Midas and George,” Belle said.

“Yes.”

"I thought -" Belle started to say.

"Which sounds nobler and more worthy of setting aside grievances?" Rumplestiltskin asked her gently. "That they made a deal and ended their problems, like that," with a snap of his fingers. "Or that there was a journey and a beast defeated and heroism all around?"

Belle flopped into a nearby chair. "Now I'm wondering about those tales I heard as a child."

Ah yes, the bravery stories. “Never fear, Belle,” Rumplestilstskin said to (re)assure her. “There are always those (people) who will prefer to throw themselves into harms’ way. Either they won’t ask for your help, or they’ll ask you to make things harder (for them). Or they’ll tell you who really needs your help.” Speaking of which…

“Thank you,” Belle said. Her stomach rumbled. She looked down at it, then at Rumplestiltskin. “I didn’t think I needed to eat. You know, now that I’m…”

~~~
ONE DAY LATER:

King George sat in his throne and remembered well those words of Rumplestiltskin: ‘And am I not a man of my word?’ True to their agreement, the financial problems of the kingdom were no longer around, and twice over at that. Which creates a problem, George knew. With a single gesture to one of his soldiers, the throne room door was opened, and Prince James’ replacement walked in…with an understandable hesitancy and wariness.

“You asked to see me?” the once-prince asked when he was at the normal distance which commoners stood from the throne.

“I did,” King George said. “King Midas has spoken to me of your recent bravery and personal sacrifice on behalf of his daughter and one of his personal guard. As a result of what you have now done, Midas is once more willing to consider a union of the kingdoms.”

Charming closed his eyes. Here we go again.

“There is a difference this time,” King George said. “Midas will remain king of his kingdom, with his daughter and her future husband to inherit his throne after him. I will remain king of my kingdom, with you once more to inherit my throne after me. The wedding of our kingdoms will be between your child and Princess Abigail’s.”

“Except that neither she nor I have a child,” Charming said.

George just looked at him.

“Yet,” Charming said, realizing what was being asked of him. “Does this mean you are no longer angry at me, King George?”

“Oh I am incensed. But our kingdom is more important to me than my feelings.”

Charming frowned. “But then…?”

“When you ran, Midas was no longer obligated to rescue my kingdom from collapse. And no-one else who could help, wished to do so. And then Queen Regina White offered her assistance.”

Snow’s stepmother, Charming knew. “And her price?”

“Snow White, alive and well.” And that I continue my pursuit of you. At the time, I never wondered why she required that as well.

“Is that where she is now?” Charming asked.

“I let the girl free once she had persuaded you to let her go.”

When Snow told me she didn’t love me. “Then you broke your agreement as surely as I had,” Charming said.

“I let her go as a reward for her assistance with you,” King George said.

“And you planned to hand her over, if she ever was recaptured by your soldiers. So why tell me this? Guilt?”

“I am done making deals,” King George said. “I am asking for your help in presenting a united front against Queen Regina White.”

Charming nodded, seeing the logic here. “You think she’ll take offence at you no longer needing her help.”

“That, she isn’t likely to care about. But she will certainly learn that I am not about to hand over Snow White, no matter how soon or for what reason the girl sets foot in my castle again.”

“Thank you. I should find her and let her know it’s safe here for her.”

~~~
MEANWHILE:

“I suspect we will be hearing the drums soon,” Arthur said, looking out from where he stood on the balcony. Drums of war, instructing the troops when to attack and where to move. Some aspects of battlefields change not at all.

“Probably,” the Huntsman said. “But we’ll be ready.” When are we not ready to kick butt?

“You have few allies, Queen,” said King Arthur. “Fewer still able to come to stand by our side in this coming battle against those indebted to the Dark One.” Fighting to work off their debt, because they were tricked, and because some of them believe that the Dark One will make this an easy win. Arthur’s grip on the stone tightened.

And you have even fewer who are still alive. But you know that, as do I and my Huntsman. Regina said, “In this coming battle, that’s true. But they’ll be here later, when they’re needed. Besides, if we outnumbered them, it would be easy to be brave.”

Ten against one is hardly the definition of courage. “True,” he granted her. Arthur was under no illusions about where this queen stood on a moral compass. But from what he had seen of the world in this new time, this new age, Queen Regina was one of the few forces powerful enough to stand against the insidious might of the Dark One (the Ogres were more powerful than she, but Arthur had no intention of siding with those). One can only guess what Lancelot is doing, now that he is no longer part of the Round Table.

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The end.