As Rumple moved, it became clear he was suddenly inside of a maze, with mirrors all around him. He frowned, doing his best to navigate through the tunnels. It was clear he couldn't use his magic- he had already tried. The cauldron was stronger than he was at that moment, draining his magic away bit by bit. He wasn't going to be able to over-power the thing, that was for sure.

He paused a moment to look at his reflection in one of the mirrors. Though his crocodile-skinned costume was still the same as ever, he no longer had the signature gold skin of his former Dark One self. Now he looked human. More than that, he looked pale. Weakened. The shirt under his jacket was stained a deep red from his blood, which he was sure had been trailing behind him in a small splatter trail as it dripped off of him. He frowned, staring at himself. It was everything he had feared for so long- dying, weak and helpless. And yet, he didn't have time to really let it bother him. He still needed to find the cauldron. There was hope, there. Hope that he would be able to save Belle, and perhaps even himself.

But it seemed he was oddly propelled forward by his thoughts of rescuing his silly maid! How strange- perhaps another effect of the cauldron's magic?

He turned from the image in the mirror, progressing through the maze once more. "Belle?!" He called, "where is she, Horned King?! I did nothing to you, except keep you from getting in my way! You trapped yourself in the cauldron- your arrogance had nothing to do with me!"

'And you,' boomed a malicious voice from everywhere and nowhere, that both Rumple and Belle could hear, 'ensured I could not escape again. Your interference stopped my resurrection, and I have been trapped here ever since. Now you, Rumplestiltskin, will suffer my wrath. Not only will I take your power, I will take your heart. This precious Belle of yours will stay with me. My darkness will influence her. She will become loyal to me- and she will hate you. I will turn the only thing you seem to care about against you. I will destroy your happiness. And then, when her hated has driven you to madness, I will have her end your life. Won't that be fun? Now you continue to wander that endless maze. There is no escape from there until I allow it.'

Rumple slammed his fist into one of the mirrors, which shattered in response. As the glass clattered on the darkened ground, Rumple started to run, desperately searching for the exit. Meanwhile, the darkness swirled around Belle, threatening to turn her thoughts against Rumple- to make her hate him for everything he had done to her. For taking her from her home and forcing her to live a life of servitude. For robbing her of any chance of ever exploring the world, as she had always wanted to. It told her that Rumple had taken everything from her, and she should not forgive him for it.

---

Belle French

Belle stopped screaming Rumple's name or even trying to escape because suddenly she felt coldness inside of her, inside of her heart. She didn't like it and it wasn't part of her, but she was feeling it anyway. The coldness engulfed her heart and dark thoughts entered her mind. Rumple...why was she trying to help him? He wasn't a good man...he wasn't even a man...he was the Dark One and he just ruined people's lifes with his dark magic and contracts...the same way he ruined her life.

Belle remembered her life before Rumple, sure, her mother was dead and she was sad, but her father loved her and she had been happy to live with him, in her house with the rest of her family and friends. But, no. Rumple one day arrived and took everything away from her, making her miserable. Now, she was living in that Dark Castle, in a cell, crying every night, forced to obey the Dark One because he had made a contract that she had had to accept. She'd do anything to save her family.

However...she had to live with him for the rest of her life. She couldn't explore the world, she couldn't do anything because of that man...no...monster. Belle felt trapped because of him, she felt a lot of things and those things weren't nice at all. The darkness let her go and Bella stood up, she was serious and less scared, she was cold as the darkness could be. She didn't even try to escape, she knew that Rumple was coming, the maze in front of her was changing, allowing Rumple to face her.

In fact, the maze changed its form to create a path that led Rumple to Belle. It could seem strange, but Rumple was going to face another of his fears. Belle started walking into the path, getting close to Rumple, near enough to speak to him "You know...what you are trying to do now is not enough. You've ruined my life, you ruin everyone's life. I wish I kept the dagger with me" she said with a cold tone "We can't escape from her because of you and your evil soul...you don't even have a soul anymore...you're a monster" Belle's expression was showing all her disgust.

Rumplestiltskin  

Rumple continued to wander through the maze, until it seemed the walls shifted to allow him a chance to escape. He growled to himself, annoyed that he was being led, and charged up the path to get himself away from the mirrors. His journey were interrupted, though, when he saw Belle coming towards him. At first, he was happy to see that Belle was alright, though it soon became apparent that he wasn't completely correct in that assumption. There was something different about her- something in the way she approached him.

He looked at her, not sure what he ought to do with himself as she got up in front of him. "Belle... are you alright?" He asked, his voice trying to come across as more curious than concerned and failing terribly.

When she spoke, his heart sank a little, though he would never admit it. This was what the Cauldron had been talking about- about turning Belle against him. But he wasn't ready to believe that he was in love with her. Or rather, that she could love him in return. This was all some kind of crazy trick by the Horned King to try and weaken him further. It couldn't have been real though, right? Belle hadn't loved him in the first place, so he didn't need to be upset that she was mad at him now.

Even though it seemed to burn.

"Of course I ruined your life, dearie," he replied with a sharp tone, "that was the deal- you came to my palace to save your kingdom, nothing more. And those were terms you agreed to whole-heartedly. So I'm afraid I can't take all the blame, now can I?" He chuckled and grinned at her, acting like the same Rumple as always, even though he didn't have his crocodile skin to hide behind at that moment. "I am a monster, you're right about that," he said, his tone lower now, "but I'm also still going to get you out of here." He looked around, frowning. He moved his hands in front of him, summoning as much of his magic power as he had left. Closing his eyes, he cast a spell, pushing back the darkness and revealing the location of the cauldron. It was sitting not far from them, a black goo bubbling ominously inside of it. Rumple frowned, looking from Belle, to the cauldron. "That's what's making you talk like this, my dear, and I'm going to put an end to it."

---

Belle French

"You could have asked for something else!!" Belle screamed in Rumple's face with all the rage that she could have in herself. She was going to say something else about Rumple being a monster, but then he did something and all the darkness fade away to reveal where the cauldron was, even the room seemed more like a normal room now. The walls were completely visible such as the roof, the door wasn't so far away either, still completely black, but there. The torches weren't necessary anymore because there wasn't enough darkness to make impossible to see. Because all the darkness went to Rumple.

"You disgust me" Belle replied after Rumple's 'magic trick' "All that darkness, in you, it's...disgusting" and she meant more by that, disgusting meant so much more "You are rotten, even your heart is rotten because only a rotten heart can contain the darkness" Belle positioned herself in front of the cauldron "I mean what I'm saying, Dark One" this was the first time that she called him that way and with that disgusted tone "I never told you these things because I was afraid to die, but you know...what I'm living is not life so kill me, I don't care anymore, you dried out all the life that was in me!"

Belle didn't move away from the cauldron, she was breathing faster and her expression was showing all the hate she was feeling for Rumple. Sure, the cauldron was making her feel it, but the emotion was real "What? You want to put an end to it? What end? There is no end!!" Belle cried out "This is also my fear" yes she had understood that the room was using their fears "Being trapped forever with...you! Because of you!" Belle kept crying out and now actual tears were falling down from her cheeks. The heat and desperation were real because the cauldron was making her feel those emotions for real.

"I don't care about this room or the cauldron! I just want to be free! Please...Rumple...let me go!!" she started crying, her sobbing was loud and was echoing in the room "You make me suffer everyday!! That's why I cry everynight!!" she kept crying "But you don't care! Why should you care??! You are a monster and monsters don't care!! You care only about your power because without it you are just a little pathetic coward man!!" Belle walked forward towards Rumple and now she was in front of him. Belle looked at him for a second then she slapped him on the face.

Rumplestiltskin

Rumple didn't like seeing Belle expressing her anger towards him, even if he was playing it cool in front of her. Of course he was a very good actor- he always played games and hid how he was really feeling. That was how he lived. But it was harder to do things normally this time, when he was honestly displeased with what was happening. Not only did it hurt to hear what she was saying to him, it also made him angry to see what the cauldron had done to her. He wanted to stop it- to save her.

And he had no idea why he did. He wasn't supposed to CARE about anyone. She was just a maid, wasn't she? Why did it bother him so much to have her looking at him like he was the monster he knew himself to be? Like he expected her to see more of him.

Was the cauldron right- did he feel love for this woman? No, that was absurd. It couldn't have been love. There had to be another reason for it.

He frowned, watching Belle in front of him. "You don't mean any of this," he told her lowly, "you're being controlled. I won't let this stand- I'll get you back to normal, and if you still feel the same way, then I'll let you go, alright? That seems like a pretty fair deal. I don't even get anything from it." He smiled at her again, trying his best to look the same as ever. But his heart ached- he wanted to see her laughing at his jokes again. Telling him that she didn't think he was as evil as he claimed to be. Showing him that there was more to life.

He wanted so much from her, and he knew he had to destroy the cauldron to get it back. The cauldron wanted to break him, but he wasn't going to let that happen.

When Belle started to cry, however, he felt his heart shatter. Though he knew it was all a trick, he felt compassion for her. He could only watch as she moved towards him, unable to stop her when she slapped him across the face. He moved a hand to his cheek. With the magic draining from him, that had actually stung quite a bit. Looking back at her, he moved his hand from his cheek, to hers, running his thumb over her fair skin. "Okay Belle," he said softly, "okay. I'll set you free, okay? You just... You just have to get of my way. Please."

---

Belle French

Belle had had the intention to reply, but she couldn't say a word after Rumple caressed her cheek. He was being so nice to her even after all the hate...her hate. Why? Then he really cared? Or...was he just trying to find a way to make her move away? Mhh, no. He could find other ways to do it. Belle looked at Rumple into his eyes for few seconds, having a thousand thoughts. Her heart started beating too fast and her hate was starting to fade away "Okay, okay...I trust you. Don't make me regret it" saying this she stepped back. She had liked Rumple's hand on her cheek. 

The cauldron now was there, but that strange man made of darkness appeared once again in front of it "I can't let you pass" the King was using that strange man as last defense, but that man wasn't real, it was just another one of the King's tricks. Belle was watching all of this, she could only be a witness because she didn't have magic powers to defend herself...and the King knew it.

The man, under King's orders, stretched out his arm towards Belle. Nothing seemed happening for few seconds, but then Belle started chocking. The air was running out from her lungs and her throat felt like it was being crushed by a ton of rocks. She couldn't even move and she was starting to not feel anything, but the pain of air loss. Her cheeks were marked by tears again, but for another reason this time.

"Let's be clear: you kill me and she dies too" the King said, the man still chocking Belle "Let me go and she lives" the King added and the man moved his hand a little bit. Belle fell on the ground, coughing for air. She looked at Rumple for a second before starting coughing again. Belle was without defences, or better, her only hope was Rumple.

Rumplestiltskin

Rumple watched as she seemed to break the thrall of the cauldron, though it wasn't something the Horned King wanted to see. He watched at the being of darkness cast a spell on Belle, making it so she couldn't breathe. He growled, watching the man.

"You're wrong about that," Rumple replied easily enough when he said she would die if he killed the Horned King, "besides, I don't plan on killing you, I'll let the cauldron do that!"

He vanished into thin air, reappearing next to the cauldron itself. He knew he couldn't kill the Horned King- not when he wasn't actually there. He was a spirit who had become connected to the cauldron, and though he had been strong enough to keep his sense of self and even use the powers of the cauldron to his benefit, he was still bound to the magical item. That meant that he wasn't actually alive in the first place, only tethered.

And Rumple could break that tether. He looked into the black goo that bubbled within the cauldron. It felt like he was looking into the lost souls of hundreds of dark beings who had come looking for the cauldron's power in the past. It churned with their agony, bleak and encompassing. Once again, Rumple removed his dagger from his coat, gripping it tightly. "Don't worry Belle," he called to the woman on the floor, "I'm going to save you!" With that, he plunged the dagger into the black goo, using his power to connect with the darkness that had killed so many before him. He yelled in agony, power coursing through him. Horrible, black power far worse than his dagger. It was toxic and vial, like a horrible poison decaying the body. It felt like his frame was on fire.

"ARGH!" He roared, the black goo working its way up his arm. The cauldron wanted him- and to have him, it released its hold on the host it had previously conquered- the Horned King. It unceremoniously released his spirit, breaking his hold on the world of the living and finally sending him off to the Underworld where he belonged. It made the man the Horned King had summoned through the cauldron's power vanish, as well as the magic on Belle. The room, too, returned to normal, nothing more than a normal room deep beneath the castle, with four walls and the cauldron in the middle. But Rumple was still in front of the cauldron, and the black evil was still moving up his arm. He was screaming in agony, utterly tortured by the what was passing through him.

---

Belle French

Belle couldn't hear or listen to anything at the moment for a simple reason: she was going to pass out soon. But then, suddenly, she started feeling better and all that she could hear was Rumple's cries of pain. She was on the floor so she stood up worried sick...what was happening to Rumple? Why was he screaming like that?! It just took to look at Rumple to understand why and it was horrifying because he was in so much due to the darkness. Belle didn't even notice the change in the room because too worried for Rumple. She ran towards him and then stopped for a second thinking of what to do...then she looked down at the cauldron..the darkness was coming from it. Perhaps it wasn't going to work, but Belle wanted to try anyway. So, with all her strength, Belle kicked the cauldron down on the floor hoping to destroy it or at least damage it. Hoping to help Rumple.

tags: Rumplestiltskin notes:// Table by BRY of W&&R and ADOX

Rumple couldn't say anything as Belle attempted to help him by kicking the cauldron. Of course the object he had kept there because he couldn't destroy it had taken no damage from the attempt to knock it over. Still, it falling to the floor had at least been enough to break it's contact with Rumple, the Dark One pulling his dagger out of the black goo and freeing himself from its grasp. He collapsed over backwards, gasping heavily for a moment while sitting on his butt.

The cauldron bubbled and hissed while it sat on the floor, though now that it's former host was gone and Rumple had broken connection with it, it soon settled down again. Without a host, it was simply dark magic brewing in an even, indestructible cauldron.

The Dark One let out a heavy, sigh, getting his breathing back under control. His skin had returned to its scaly, golden color, and his injuries had all been healed. Likewise, any wounds on Belle would also have healed now that the darkness that had been controlling the room had been stopped.

Slowly, Rumple got to his feet, a little unsteady but still able to stand. He looked at Belle, frowning thoughtfully at her for a moment. A part of him wanted to ask her if she was alright, but he still had his appearances to keep up.

"Now you see why I told you not to come into this room! I hope you're proud of yourself!" He barked at her.

---

Belle French

Belle smiled when she saw that Rumple was okay, she even giggled when he barked at her. Everything was the same again. She was happy to see that he was fine, the extra darkness didn't damage him it seemed. She didn't even notice that her own wounds were gone, she was just too happy that everything was fine now. Surely, she was still his maid, but she wasn't even thinking about that and besides she didn't mean what he had said to him...ok, maybe she meant something of it, she was trapped in here after all. Belle looked at him for few seconds then she ran towards him and hugged him smiling "Thank you" she thanked the dark wizard, she kept hugging him for awhile then she let him go. Belle looked up at him and took a step back waiting for something, like a punishment or whatever. She had disobeied him and they had been in trouble becuase of her disobedience.

tags: Rumplestiltskin notes: // Table by BRY of W&&R and ADOX

Rumple rarely found himself at a loss for words, but whenever Belle hugged him, everything seemed to shut itself off inside his brain. All he could do was sit there as she hugged him, his eyes wide like he had just been slapped in the face. Getting a hug from her felt a heck of a lot better than getting yelled at by her. He could still hear her voice in his mind, reminding him what a monster he was. How much he had hurt her.

He had known all that to be true already, of course. Why should he really be that upset about it? Why did it bother him so much to hear those things from her?

The man watched as she took a step back from him, still in something of a daze.

After a moment, he cleared his throat. "Yes, well," he muttered, motioning for her to move out of the room, "let's get out of here so I can seal this place AGAIN and make sure no one comes sniffing around where they shouldn't!" He sighed and moved to leave the room. He was still feeling the effects of all that darkness swelling through him. All the magic he had used. It was certainly more than he had used in a long time.

"You had better make sure you make me a nice dinner after all of this!" He told her. Having her cook probably didn't seem like much of a punishment, but he really didn't have it in him to hurt her more after what had happened.

---

Belle French

Belle nodded when he said to move out from the room. So, she stepped out and waited for Rumple to close the room. However, Belle was surprised at Rumple's next words...just dinner? That wasn't a punishment at all because making him dinner was something that she had to do anyways. Also, she didn't notice Rumple's behaviour after she had hugged her, too many emotions inside of her too. Confusion, mostly. Making dinner was not a punishment...did Rumple have something else in mind? Something worse. But, then she smiled. She arrived at the conclusion that Rumple didn't want to punish her, there was good in him and Belle knew it. Belle smiled at him "Yes, I'm going now" after saying this she started walking towards the kitchen to make him dinner.

tags: Rumplestiltskin notes: // Table by BRY of W&&R and ADOX

Once they were outside the room, Rumple closed the door behind them, taking his dagger and holding it in front of the door. He raised a hand, giving it a small cut, just enough to drop a couple dribbles of blood to the floor in front of the frame. The blood glowed and a barrier spread up from the floor to the top of the door, vanishing after a moment though still in effect.

There- blood magic ought to keep things safe.

"Now only the people who are related to me can get in there," he huffed in irritation, before turning to look at Belle once more. She was already leaving to get his dinner for him, and the Dark One let out a tired sigh. After all the magic he had used, he was feeling a little under the weather. Perhaps it was just one of the side effects from being connected to the cauldron.

Still, as he watched Belle, he couldn't help but smile- at least she was safe now, and back to doing what she ought to be. Slowly, he followed after her, feeling strangely content despite knowing that he probably should have been furious with her instead. She had definitely caused him a lot of trouble.

Anyone else would have been killed for defying him. Never Belle, though. Sometimes he wondered who was really in charge.

---

Belle French