New surroundings.

After a days journey we reached the dark castle. He lead me inside. “Where are you taking me?” I asked him. “lets call it you’re room.” he said as he lead me trough a large room with a table and various things among them a sword , a spinning wheel and two scary wooden dolls. Soon we reached what looked like a prison cell. “my room?” I asked. “well it sounds a lot nicer than dungeon.” he said as he pushed me in and locket the door. I started making a fuss. “you cant just leave me here.” I said. “hello.” but I heard no answer. A day ore so later he came back.
“forgive me for the manner to whits you have been accommodated, I have finished you're room.”
“an even less taste full room.” I snapped. “ of course not. If you are to be my care taker you should be able to sleep well.” he said. He sounded almost human. I would even go as far as say almost careing. He took me trough the big room we crossed when I got here. He lead me in to this amazing room. “this where you will sleep dearie.” he said “thank you dark one sir.” I said uncomfortable.
“seeing you will stay here a long time you can call me by my name.” he said. The dark one has a name? Who knew. “and what is you’re name may I ask?” I said. “yes, yes of course dearie. My name is Rumplestilskin.” he said. Odd name I thought. And why would he even have a first name? “it is late. You should get some sleep.” he said more gentle than I thought he could. “yes, how late do you want me to start?” I asked him. “i will wake you.” he said. Strange when he was in large crowds he was dark and mean. But like this alone just him and me he was gentle even caring. Serena would have loved to hear that. The dark one having a soft side. I fell asleep fast. The next morning I was awoken with a soft tap on my door. “wake up dearie.” I heard Rumplestilskin say. “i am coming sir.” I said as I got dressed in my uncomfortable golden dress. In the main room I found him sitting at the table. “i would like some tea.” was all he said. I nodded and left to find the kitchen. I brought him his tea. “you will serve me my meals. You will launder my clothing.” he said. “i understand.” I answered trying to take in all I was supposed to do. “you will clean the dark castle and dust my collection.” I nodded. “oh and you will skin the children I haunt for there pelt.” he said I dropped the cup I was holding. Did he just say that? “that one was a quip. Not serious.” he explained. “right.” I said relieved and went to pick up the cup I ad dropped. It was chipped my heart sunk. What would he do he shore would be very angry with me. “oh I am so sorry its chipped.” I said. “you can hardly see it.” I added looking at him scared. “well its just a cup.” he said. I was relieved at his reaction and I got up. “do you want me to trow it out?” I asked him. “no need. We can always use it on guests you ore I don’t like.” he said followed by his signature cackle. I smiled. “i should start on my tasks.” I said “yes by all means.” he said. I excused myself and started working on cleaning the kitchen, my bed room , his bed room what strangely was less wow than mine I wondered why. After I finished the bed rooms it was time to start on dinner. I had made enough for two so I could dine in the kitchen as a proper maid was supposed to, that was what Serena had thought me when I asked her why she never ate with us. “No miss Belle.” she had said. “that is not proper for a maid to do unless her master wishes it.” I was only a child at the time 6 ore 7 years old. But as long as I could remember Serena was there. She had been a mother for me. I wondered how she was doing. I wondered it as I brought Rumplestilskin his meal. “you’re dinner sir.” I said. Before I was able to leave the table he grabbed my hand. An electric charge of I think fear went trough me. “why do you leave dearie. If you so wish you can have dinner with me.” he said. I nodded. “i would like that.” I said. “will you excuse me than for a moment so I can fetch myself a plate.” I said. He looked at me with a mischievous smile. “no need for that dearie.”he said and he pointed to the table. In a purple smoke my plate was on the table with the rest of the food already there. “please sit. This is you’re house now to.” he had said. After dinner I cleaned the dishes and from that moment I had free time. “Belle.” I heard Rumplestilskin say. “yes?” I asked. “what do you like to do?” I looked at him. “ I love to read.” I confessed. “ I know that that is not lady like ore popper for a princess but I just like it.” he smiled. “You are not a princess here, if you so wish you can read in you’re free time to yore hearts content.” he moved his hand up and down and by the downward movement the purple smoke appeared in his hand and he was holding a book. “i don’t know if it is yore taste but here.” he said. “i have many more you can take a look at day time tomorrow.” he said. “you would let me read?” I asked him unbelieving. “in yore free time if you have everything done that you are supposed to. Yes.” I hugged him. “thank you Rumplestilskin thank you.” I backed away after I realized what I just did. “i am sorry.” I said. “ no matter you were exited I forgive you.” he said.
I sat down by the fire place on to the floor while he sat down next to me in his chair. When ever so often I looked up at him from my page he looked in to the fire deep in thought. His eyes looking far away with an almost sad expression. What was he thinking about I wondered. Why was this man this so called dark soul sad? My father had always thought me that evil and dark souls could not feel emotion. But why did he look sad than. Was his soul not truly dark? He was a mystery to me. A mystery I would like to uncover. “you are a fast reader.” he suddenly said. “what?. Oh yes.” I said realizing I had already finished half of the book within a few hours. He looked at his hour glass “i am sorry I did not notice the time. We should retire.” he said as he magically put out the fire. “yes I think so.” I said yawning I hadn’t noticed that the hours of the day had gone by so fast.
“good night Belle.” Rumple said. “good night.” I said back to him. He really was a mystery. To me he was kind gentle and occasionally teasing. but what I had seen in my fathers castle he could also be dark and demanding. A strange man he was. But he intrigued me much like the men in my books.
The next morning I was yet again awoken by my master. Again I had to spend the day in this golden dress I never liked. After breakfast he said I had some free time. I sat again down by the fire place where a fire was roaring comfortable. Opened the book he had given me and started reading again. “it is ripped.” I heard Rumplestilskin say. “excuse me what?” I asked him. “yore dress Dearie, its torn.” I looked down at my golden dress and indeed there was a tare in the fabric of my skirt. “i can fix that.” I said.”nonsense, you need more sensible clothing I will have my tailor come over.” he said. I laughed. “what is so funny?” “you have a tailor?” I said. “well yes these clothes don’t make them selves.” he said.”i will have him make a dress for you.” he said. “without measuring me? Unless you would like to.” o my god I was flirting what was I doing? “i am sorry.” he laughed. “well we are even now for the mean little joke I told you yesterday.” he said. I smiled “yes.” I was glad he thought it had been a joke and not serious. What was I thinking? “but to go back to being serious Belle. I will have him come over to take you're sizes at his earliest convenient and if I say his I mean mine.” he said. He made me smile when he was this way. Funny almost human. The only thing that showed me he wasn’t when I was around him alone was his skin. The tailor was in the dark castle round noon. The change in Rumplestilskin was noticeable we were no longer alone. “what would you like dark one? “ the man asked. “simple I want a dress for Belle. A simple dress she can work in.” he said. “doe she need a cloak with that. “perhaps. Yes. Yes I think that would be wise.” he said. I didn’t dare to push it but I needed something to sleep in. I slept now in an old sheet I had found washed and than altered so it would be a sleeping gown. But it wasn't lady like. “how about other things sir? “what ever the lady needs.” he said. I told the man what I needed and he took my sizes and left. It seemed he didn’t want to be here a moment longer than he had to be. “explain to me Rumplestilskin.”i said. “what?” he said. “you strike fear in to every one's heart. But with me you are almost human.” he looked at me. “i am not human.” he said. “but to me you are friendly.” I said. “well I have to don’t I ore you wont do what I wish.” he said. But his face turned slightly red. “oh so that’s it.” I said pretending I believed him. I didn’t but I didn’t want him to become unfriendly to me. “i promised you. You could see my books.” he said to me and he lead me out of the Living room. We passed a long corridor and 2 stair cases until we reached a door. “i tell you what, I don’t read. You can have all the books in here you want.”he said. “what is the price?” I asked. “that you clean in here once a month.” he said. “deal.” I said to him. He opened the door and I saw the most amazing book collection I had ever seen. “all yours dearie.” he said. Again it made my curiosity spike. He was so nice to me. Why was he that nice to me?