The sanctuary of Magicae [ENGLISH]

Chapter 6:

Cries erupted throughout the castle. An argument broke out, Rumple trying to calm his girlfriend down.
  
"Listen Belle... I didn't lie to you!" the man protested.
  
"Sorry ? So why did I hear you say that you... created a world to kill the Savior?" Belle asked, annoyed.
  
"You misheard honey, it's just..."
  
Rumple got ready to take Belle's hand but she pulled back, a sad look on her face.
  
"I heard very well, Rumple..."
  
Belle stared at the man, a frustrated look on her face. She sat down in a chair and sighed.
  
"How come you have to kill the... Savior when..." started Belle.
  
She raised her face to Rumple.
  
"Are you the Savior?" finished the young woman.
  
Rumple sighed, fear and the urge to hide everything from him.
  
"I repeat, honey: you misheard... I must not kill the Savior, of course not, since it is me!" Rumple exclaimed, a fake laugh.
  
He cursed himself for screaming so loudly. The fact that Belle had discovered everything was going to be difficult to execute her plan...
  
"You're lying to me Rumpl ... tell me the truth, please!"
  
The man did not answer.
  
"Tell me the truth, please," Belle repeated.
  
"I cannot."
  
"Rumple! So is this our relationship now? Are you going to lie to me until I find out the truth?"
  
Belle sighed.
  
"I thought you loved me..." whispered the woman.
  
"But I love you, honey!" reassured Rumplestiltskin.
  
"If you loved me, you would tell me everything!" the woman exclaimed.
  
Silence fell between the two people.
  
"Alright, fine, I'll explain everything to you," Rumple said regretfully.

{ In the forest }

After resting, Snow White launched herself again through the trees and ran as fast as she could.
   
The forest was immense which made it difficult to get out of it. Snow White paused and looked for the umpteenth time or so, if the bean was still in her purse. Breathless, she took a few steps but suddenly a net surrounded her and lifted her into the air.
  
"No! No no!" cried Snow.
  
Several guards approached her, sneering.
  
"We got her, now let's take her to the Queen," one of the men said.
  
Blanche, shook the net, exasperated.
  
"You thought you were slipping away? Escape from the most powerful Queen in this world?" another asked, laughing.
  
"I thought love made me more powerful," Snow White informed her.
  
One of the guards laughed again and cut the rope holding the hunter. The net fell and the five guards approached the young woman.
  
Snow White stood up, tried to run away but one of the guards hit her in the stomach and she fell to the ground in pain. All of the men grabbed one of her limbs and before she could move, one of the guards approached her whispering:
  
"Love makes you weak."
  
And something hit her scalp that made her unconscious.

{ In the home of the Dark One and Belle }

Belle wore a puzzled expression at Rumplestiltskin's speech.
  
"... and I sent them here, being careful to erase their memory. Now no one remembers what happened in Storybrooke and everyone here believes that they have lived in this world forever..."
  
"So... you erased my memory too?" Belle asked, stunned.
  
"What? No of course not!" Rumple lied.
  
"Why don't I remember Storybrooke then?"
  
"Because you've never been to this town. And now, if you love me, if you want to save me, help me," replied Rumplestiltskin.
  
His girlfriend didn't say anything, not knowing whether to believe him.
  
"It's true, I still have not been the Savior, there was a Savior, a long time ago and since I am losing my power and that I risk dying... I brought the old Savior here  to kill her. Her friends don't remember her so it leaves me free to reclaim her power, or more specifically, kill her. No one will come looking for her," the man explained.
  
Rumple hadn't lied to him after all... pretty much.  He had just lied to her about who he really was. He had never been the Savior, he had only, been the Dark One, endowed with far more evil powers than he appears.
  
« But that's out of the question to say » Rumple thought.
  
"You are the Savior, Rumple, you would never kill anyone!" Belle exclaimed, puzzled.
  
"Exact. That's why, you'll do it, " he replied.
  
"What?"
  
"Yes, it's you who is going to kill the Savior to save me, you have a good heart, you can kill her. Only people with goodness in them can kill another," informed Rumplestiltskin.
  
"What do you mean? You are the Savior Rumple, you have goodness in you!" Belle exclaimed.
  
"Apparently not. But you do. So, if you love me, if you have goodness in you, if you want to save me... kill the Savior. Tear out his heart and reduce it to ashes... and thanks to you, I will live."
  
Belle's eyes widened, terrified.
  
"But... I have to kill a person for that... I don't want to! I don't want to kill someone to save you!"
  
"Really?" Rumplestiltskin whispered, annoyed.
  
He understood that Belle didn't want to kill the Savior but still... his girlfriend would rather let him die than save him! This broke Rumple's heart even if he understood her choice.
  
"And by the way... what is the price?l Belle asked.
  
"What price?" Rumple asked in turn.
  
"Rumple, when you use magic, there is always a price to pay! You know that as well as I do," Belle replied.
  
The man sighed.
  
"If you kill her, you... plunge into darkness but the Savior dies and I survive. But don't worry, I'll find a way to save you from this terrifying darkness!" the man confessed.
  
"How can you be sure?"
  
"Trust me. I promise I will save you but first save me," he replied.
  
After a moment's thought, Belle said regretfully:
  
"No."
  
"No?" Rumplestiltskin whispered, annoyed.
  
"I'm not going to kill someone to save you! It would be the first step before plunging definitively into darkness..."
  
"Would you rather let me die than take the risk of plunging into the dark?" Rumplestiltskin asked aggressively.
  
"Yes.  I'm sorry. We'll find another way!" Belle reassured.
  
"There are not any ! You are my only hope, Belle!" cried her boyfriend.
  
"Well, I'm sorry! But I can promise you we'll find another way for you to live. A way that does not encourage one of us to plunge into darkness. You are the Savior, Rumple. Remember who you are," Belle said.
  
The young woman squeezed the man's hands, a sad look on her face.
  
"You are meant to do good, Rumple. You're meant to lead all these people here in the right way, you're meant to be a Hero," she added.
  
Rumple said nothing and left the room under Belle's sigh.

{ In the Evil Queen's castle }

Snow White woke up in a dungeon. Her hands were held in chains and the purse hanging from her belt was gone. Immediately, the young woman struggled when a familiar voice rang out:
  
"My dear Snow, I'm glad to see you again. After so many years chasing you... I finally find you."
  
"Regina ... please let me go, you hurt me enough like that..."
  
"Not quite," Regina replied.
  
The Queen held in her hand the magic bean that the hunter had had before.
  
"He's beautiful, isn't he? So what is its use already? I have a short memory..." Regina said, a smile stretching her lips.
  
"Give it to me now," Snow White ordered, in a threatening voice.
  
"Oh! That's right, with you, impossible to argue... fine. I will answer it. This magic bean is used to travel between worlds. It takes you to where, you most want to be in the world... I guess the place you are looking for is a world far removed from me, a world where there are no rules, no laws, no death and... no queen sowing fear in the whole kingdom... am I not right, my dear?"
  
But Snow White didn't answer, continuing to struggle.
  
"It would be a shame if that bean were... to disappear, don't you think so?" Regina continued.
  
Suddenly, the bean was reduced to ashes, by the flame spouting from the hand of the Queen.
  
"No no no!" cried Snow, devastated.
  
"I'm so sorry, I didn't do it on purpose!" the Queen joked, smiling.
  
"No... no..." whispered the prisoner.
  
"What a pity... that was your only way to escape! As I told you before, you will never win," continued the Queen.
  
"You are a monster!" cried Snow White, tears rolling down her cheeks.
  
Her last hope of escape had slipped away. It was too late, unfortunately...
  
"It's your fault, you know? If you hadn't told my mother, if you had kept it a secret, I wouldn't have become the monster I am now."
  
Snow White sighed.
    
"So you are still there? Can't turn the page? Things are changing Regina, you have to know how to move on! And in my defense, I was just a child, you know that!" the young woman exclaimed.
  
"You made me a promise which you immediately broke! You sentenced Daniel to die! If you hadn't said anything, he would still be here!" Regina cried.
  
The Evil Queen regained her composure and brushed aside, tears forming at the corners of her eyes.
   
"We're both in the same situation, Regina... you lost Daniel and your mother and I, I lost David and my mother... we are ultimately the same," Snow White said.
  
"We are not the same and we never will be."
  
Regina was about to leave when her prisoner called out to her:
  
"It's high time for a change, Regina... to see the good in this world and no, the bad!"
  
And the Evil Queen came out of the dungeon without a word.

{ In the home of the Dark One and Belle }

The Dark One walked into the room, startling Emma.
  
"So? Did you find a solution to kill me?" Emma asked, exasperated.
  
"Yes indeed. The story is going as planned and after the death of your dear mother, I will mainly take care of you," replied the Dark One.
  
"To think that Belle believes in this whole story... you, who had lied to her many times!"
  
"She doesn't see that behind the man, there is also a beast..." Rumplestiltskin whispered, smiling.
  
"I cannot believe that you will succeed in..."
  
But Emma didn't have time to finish her sentence when an explosion sounded throughout the castle.