Ogres and other monsters
"I don't know how much you know about Ogres, Rumplestiltskin. Someone like you has no reason to be afraid of them -- you're more powerful than even the mightiest of them, but... believe me, they are among the most terrifying creatures in all the realms." She lifts her chin, unafraid of him and unwilling to let him denigrate it all. Sacrifice, love -- they were not as terrible as he seems to think.
"If I hadn't come with you, we'd all have been dead probably within the week at the hands of those things. I've heard horror stories of people being eaten alive, brutalised, violated. Sometimes, they just take chunks and leave people to suffer. You're not nearly so bad as all that, you know."
"So pleased I come ahead of ogres in your estimation." Suddenly her touch burns him, and he steps away. Doesn't have a reason to know about ogres, does he? Nothing to fear from them? He, who can hear their cried of battle and the gnashing of their teeth as they rip at human flesh. He, who has seen their barbed weapons tear at the stomachs of children until their insides fall out. He, who has run from the yellow eyes and stain of blood.
Belle falters, a slight frown creasing her brow as he recoils from her. She's been too blunt, spoken out of turn, violated the terms of the delicate truce they have been building something like a friendship upon. "Don't be like that. You know how I meant it."
"You had every reason to fear the ogres. It almost makes taking on all of this," he made a sweeping gesture that included the room, but meant the whole life, "worth it."
"I didn't want to die -- that's perfectly understandable, I think. I didn't want my friends and family to suffer and die, either." Belle sighs, looking away from his mocking gesture. "When I came here, you were deliberately frightening -- am I to be held accountable for being frightened?" Her voice softens slightly. "I never thought to be content here."
It struck him, then, that she'd done just what he'd tried to do with Bae. She'd succeeded, though, where he had failed. His hands fell to his sides, suddenly purposeless. "The castle is your home. Your contentment is... good."
"If I hadn't come with you, we'd all have been dead probably within the week at the hands of those things. I've heard horror stories of people being eaten alive, brutalised, violated. Sometimes, they just take chunks and leave people to suffer. You're not nearly so bad as all that, you know."
"So pleased I come ahead of ogres in your estimation." Suddenly her touch burns him, and he steps away. Doesn't have a reason to know about ogres, does he? Nothing to fear from them? He, who can hear their cried of battle and the gnashing of their teeth as they rip at human flesh. He, who has seen their barbed weapons tear at the stomachs of children until their insides fall out. He, who has run from the yellow eyes and stain of blood.
Belle falters, a slight frown creasing her brow as he recoils from her. She's been too blunt, spoken out of turn, violated the terms of the delicate truce they have been building something like a friendship upon. "Don't be like that. You know how I meant it."
"You had every reason to fear the ogres. It almost makes taking on all of this," he made a sweeping gesture that included the room, but meant the whole life, "worth it."
"I didn't want to die -- that's perfectly understandable, I think. I didn't want my friends and family to suffer and die, either." Belle sighs, looking away from his mocking gesture. "When I came here, you were deliberately frightening -- am I to be held accountable for being frightened?" Her voice softens slightly. "I never thought to be content here."
It struck him, then, that she'd done just what he'd tried to do with Bae. She'd succeeded, though, where he had failed. His hands fell to his sides, suddenly purposeless. "The castle is your home. Your contentment is... good."