(Untitled)

[loves_abeast]

I love you, Belle. You made me stronger.

Having those as his last words should have made it hurt less. Knowing that he had done the right thing--the brave thing--in great part because of her love should have made it easier to accept his sacrifice

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[faramir_hurin]

I do not know the young lady I see, though it is obvious that she is upset. It is a very short war with myself that ends as I knew it would before I speak.

"My lady, is there anything I can do to help?"

[loves_abeast]

It's been a rather long time since Belle's been called my lady by anyone, but the turn of phrase still makes her think of home, wondering if perhaps she's not the only one, if something went wrong with Regina's spell and some of them got scattered. It wouldn't be out of the realm of possibility, really.

She sniffs quietly, licking her lip before clearing her throat to speak.

"I don't suppose there is, unless you know dark magic," her laugh is bitter, especially for her. "But...it would be good to know where we are."

[faramir_hurin]

"Oh, I do not know how to do magic at all." Long Sight does not count.

"As to where we are, it is a village called Haurvatat. From your question I might guess that you have just arrived." Is that why she is upset?

"My name is Faramir and I arrived in the village from my own home of Gondor some time ago."

[loves_abeast]

Gondor. That's something Belle might recognize from her hours organizing the library, if she had the mind to think of it right now. But for the moment, she just knows he's not from home.

"Nor do I," she said softly, wanting to put off any worries she might be a sorceress herself. She worried at her lip again,

"Yes, I...I was in Storybrooke, and then I...wasn't." It was almost as unsettling as waking up from the Dark Curse. At least this time, she knew who she was.

"Who brought us here?"

[faramir_hurin]

"We all just arrive here like that." So I hope that calms her a little.

"As far as I know, no one has ever found who brought us or why. Some say we have to learn something before we can return home." I'm more uncertain about that than ever.

"For a strange village, we are provided for quite well. There is a hotel where we all stay."

AFK

[loves_abeast]

Belle blinked, her confusion and curiosity nearly overriding the pain in her heart. Nearly.

"The village means to teach us something?" she almost laughed; at the moment, the only 'lesson' she could think of was one she'd already learned too well: love doesn't always last forever.

She shoo her head, "Well. That certainly makes Storybrooke seem a little more normal," she wished desperately someone from the Enchanted Forest were here for that. "Where is this hotel?"

[faramir_hurin]

"Some people believe it means to teach us something, yes."

How unusual that the strangeness of the village seems to make her feel better.

"The hotel is not far. I can show you, or simply tell you how to get there. It is the largest building in the village." I give her what I hope is an encouraging smile.

"I've met any number of people newly arrived here and I never know what they want to hear about first, or if they'd rather just be alone. I can try to answer questions or leave you be if that's what you'd prefer." Though I do hope she at least lets me accompany her to the hotel. "It is safe enough for you to be on your own."

[loves_abeast]

Belle nodded, trying to take it all in. It wasn't easy, with her mind still spinning with Pan and the fog of magic and Rumple; she knew he hadn't said much, but it was difficult to get herself to follow more than a few words at a time.

"I..." she bit her lip, thinking. She didn't want strangers soaking in her grief, but at the same time, this wasn't home. And she knew Rumple wouldn't have wanted her alone if she was hurting; he'd been worried enough about her leaving the house alone her first days in Storybrooke.

The thought of his worry was enough. She force a bit of a smile, "I'd...appreciate the company, thank you...Faramir. I'm Belle, by the way."

[faramir_hurin]

"I am pleased to meet you, Belle, though I regret it is under difficult circumstances for you." The next inner war is won and I should not ask about why she is upset--I can hope it is arriving here unless she should say otherwise.

I offer my arm.

"The hotel is this way, and not far." I'm repeating myself. "The village sees to our care and does not require payment for it, or for food and other necessities."

Not right at first, but one thing at a time.

"You may well find some of your own things in your room when you get there. Somehow they know we're coming and a room is ready. I had clothing and some personal items waiting for me."

[loves_abeast]

"Thank you. It...well, I'm sure I'm not the only one who's arrived here at a rather difficult time, if this place is really meant to teach us something."

After all, she was sure that if the curse hadn't been about to drag her back to the Enchanted Forest, she would have found herself back in Rumple's Storybrooe home, lingering over his things, dreaming of what might have beenShe wondered if it could be that simple, if she was meant to--move on, here. She wasn't quite sure she wanted to

[faramir_hurin]

"We are expected to find work, after a time, to pay for our keep. Some people wait longer than others, but I've never heard of anyone made to leave the hotel." Glaurnaneth has no work.

"I used to work at the library, but now I'm a teacher. At home I'm a soldier--we're not expected to do the same things here as at home."

At least there is magic where she comes from. So much in this place seems like magic and it can be difficult for those who can't believe in it.

"My things were in perfect condition."

[loves_abeast]

Belle was grateful to hear that--that it wasn't like the Forest, where she would have been expected to...well, sit and do nothing. Work would be good. She'd have preferred to be somewhere with at least some of Rumple's texts, searching for some way to get him back--there hadn't been a body, after all--but this would be something.

The mention of a library made a smile flicker across her face for a brief moment. "I...in the world I just left, I was restoring the library. It's a shame I never had the chance to properly open it, with everything going on." But there was a possibility, at least. A place with books and quiet, where she could help people without exposing her own pain.

Thinking of others made her hesitate, before asking, "...this place, it seems rather large. Is there...an efficient way of finding out if there are others from our own worlds here?"

[faramir_hurin]

"The best way to find out if anyone you know is here is to check the register at the hotel." Best and fastest.

"Many find the village small. Where I come from it would be considered a large village." Her home must not be so large either.

"I know not who runs the library now, but should you wish to work there, I don't imagine they'd say no." Why would they?

[loves_abeast]

Belle nodded thoughtfully. "All right, I'll...do that," she laughed, despite everything, because once more she was feeling so foreign, although at least here she supposed that was normal. "Storybrooke only had a small inn, and we never really had visitors. I don't even remember Granny bothering to have me sign the night I stayed." Of course, there had been extenuating circumstances at the time.

"I...would like that, although...I'm sure I'd have even more to catch up on than I did in Storybrooke. This place...it doesn't look much like either place I've called home." She wasn't sure how to feel about that. She'd longed for adventure and travelling, once--still did, but the desire was smothered by the pain of knowing she'd be doing it alone.

"...how long have you been here?"

[faramir_hurin]

"Haurvatat is nothing like my home either, and the hotel is much larger than any inn I've ever seen, nor could have imagined." With so many wonders.

"I've been here longer than most, Lady Belle." I don't want to say but she did ask. "Years, in fact. But I know that I will return home at the same time I left--I do not neglect my duty while I am here."

That's important for her to know.

"No time will pass at home while you are here, for good or ill."

[loves_abeast]

"No time..." Belle shook her head, brow furrowed in confusion again. She knew, from Emma and Snow's words, that hadn't been how the Dark Curse had worked--Storybrooke might have been frozen, but the Forest hadn't been.

"How...how is possible for people to know that for sure?" she wasn't sure if she was hoping it was possible he was wrong or not. She was too close to what was happening back home to know how she'd feel if she went right back to that very moment after weeks or months away.