#rumbelle regency

[kelyon]

For Your Consideration

Hello, Rumbellers! The Chipped Cup Awards are upon us, so I wanted to organize my output into an internet-friendly numbered list. This also works as a handy Year In Review, since I’m offering up all the fics I wrote in 2022. 

And the possible nominees are...

Dark Mistress: Rumpelstiltskin is a poor spinner who told the Dark One that he would do anything to keep his son safe. Belle realizes she loves her spinner only after she did something to him that she considers unforgivable. Bae tries to hold on to a normal life while his father is getting mixed up in dark forces.

Obviously I’m gunning for Best Dark One Belle. I’d also like to offer up Best Baelfire. He is absolutely the third protagonist of the story. This fic would technically work for the Smut Kink/BDSM category, but there’s so much here that isn’t kink, I feel weird advertising it as a sexy good time. I would say it could work as Best Drama or Best Unexpected Twist.

Hot Cocoa and Stolen Kisses: Lacey French discovers that her landlord really likes hot chocolate, and she uses this knowledge to try to get closer to him.

This was my RSS fic, so it could go into the category of Best RSS 2022. It could also fit for Best Golden Lace, Best Lacey, Best Courtship or Best Comedy   

Live Wire: Belle is a ghost, haunting the electricity of the house where Gold and Bae just moved in.  

Currently this fic is unfinished. Belle and Gold haven’t met yet, which makes it awkward to nominate for the Rumbelle awards. But I could put in another nomination for Best Bae. It could be considered for Best Supernatural/Sci-Fi/Horror or Best Creature. (I really do love writing Belle as a creature.)

None of my Showdown fics feel substantial enough to offer up for specific nominations, but they should be counted as part of my work for the past year. If you think they’re worth nominating, please go ahead.

Child’s Play: In the Dark Castle, Rumpelstiltskin accidentally turns himself into a child, and Belle has to take care of him until the spell wears off.

Rain, Ruin, Roses: An isolated scene from a Regency Romance I have no intention of writing.

 Gold at the Silver Screen: Gold usually goes to the movies alone, until another audience member starts heckling an adaptation of her favorite book.

[ladystrallan]

Once Upon a Time season 6A thoughts

I’m rewatching OUAT and I wanted to share some of my opinions on each season!

- This is all your fault Jafar…

- ‘Away, peasant!’

- Another saviour??? Okay

- Ooh captainswan makeout

- That boat/blimp is cool

- Why is Mr Hyde ridiculously overpowered???

- What is this music lol

- Omg I’m gonna cry

- They’re back in the dark one castle

- Where they first fell in love

- “I’ll make her fall in love with me again” aaaaaaaaaaa

- I missed rumbelle so much

- The beauty and the beast song…

- This is so cute

- “I blame you” WTF REGINA

- She literally treats Zelena so terribly because of robin dying

- Like it wasn’t her fault

- And she lost her true love too

- She had to kill him herself which is arguably more traumatic

- Omg yassss rumbelle kiss

- Wait noooo

- Wtf the guy is their unborn son???

- That’s kinda weird

- Noooo I hate this

- “Robin is at peace” lol he was obliterated

- OMG THE EVIL QUEEN

- “What’s a jukebox???” Love the background acting

- Woah regency era

- The count of monte cristo lol

- They ran out of fairytales and they were like um… I guess we’ll do this?

- Wtf is Regina doing there???

- Why is she wearing a mouche??? This is regency not rococo

- Literally 60% of the drama in this show is caused by Regina

- The town line is back…

- Why is he sniffing her???

- Ewwwww why is EQ flirting with rumple

- Disgusting

- How does no one notice him slowly pouring poison into the wine?

- Ooh he couldn’t kill her

- Does she remind him of his dead fiancée???

- “Hi sweetie, mommy’s back” lol

- The way she enchanted Henry’s phone

- Ooh she killed him

- “We do like it rough don’t we” nooooo

- She did a little dance

- “Oh I’m not here because of your daddy issues” lol

- The mouse running on the ‘O’ lol

- Ooh she’s marrying the footman

- I love Ashley tbh

- “I’m trying to save you” YOU LITERALLY SAID YOU BLAMED HER FOR ROBIN BEING OBLITERATED

- “You look like a trash bin and have the education of my cat” omg lol

- NOOOOO

- Not the stepmother with the gun

- “You filthy little rat” I can’t—

- Omg she stabbed her

- YASSSSS DR WHALE

- Ooh they’re moving in together

- His accent!!!

- Ew why does the EQ keep flirting with rumple

- Yasssss dark one choke him

- Wait what

- You can’t kill a half personality???

- Love this dramatic violin music

- “Technically it’s a serum” lol

- RUMPLE

- He is literally everywhere

- Every single story he is involved

- Me when I eat something spicy

- Not the rumbelle marital problems… Please just be in love

- The iconic ouat villain theme

- I HATE RUMPLE’S NEW HAIRCUT

- The long hair looked so much better

- “RISE AND SHINE” lol rumple

- OHHHH THEY KISS (Hyde and Mary)

- Yassss Rumple

- Wait wtf

- Why is Hyde unkillable… way too op

- Ohhhhh he switched the vials

- Omg did they fuck???

- “I will never love you. You are weak” OHHHHH ROASTED

- HE PUSHED HER OUT THE WINDOW OMG

- Okay Jekyll actually sucks

- Slay belle

- Omg he got impaled

- Of course they both die

- Okay just kill Regina then

- “Why did you do it?” “You” omg

- ITS JASMINE

- She was my favourite princess when I was a kid

- Love this evil sister spa day

- HE KEPT THE SHEARS

- “There will be no scurvy here” lol

- Not the step dad angst

- OMG ITS THE BROTHER

- NO NO NO NO

- Belle is going to walk in on EQ kissing Rumple…

- I can’t

- Ok good she just dropped off the pics

- Its from the underworld…

- I miss Hades :(

- EWWWWWWW Rumple x EQ/Regina

- Not this…

- DISGUSTING

- She’s turning green again!

- Omg is this the curse where one of them is always asleep???

- This could literally be the plot of a romcom

- I like how Aladdin has replaced Robin as the resident thief

- ITS THE DRAGON

- Omg he turned into a dragon

- I can’t do this anymore… Rumple x EQ is VILE

- NO DON’T KILL GIRLBOSS ZELENA

- He’s lying he still loves belle I know it

- Lol they’re trying to make us believe that EQ is more powerful than Zelena

- YASSSSS hopefully this is the beginning of a rumple redemption arc

- Why is she still blaming Zelena… omg

- Rumple has the worst most evil genes possible… pan + the dark fairy

- My prediction is that it wasn’t Rumple who used the magic on Belle

- I hate EQ

- So creepy and predatory

- “Call Jeremy” who’s Jeremy???

- AUGUST! I honestly love him

- Omg hook is all old and fat

- Not pile of bones Belle…

- Ugh that’s so stupid

- If they’re going to bring anyone back it should be Hades

- Wait how is august grown up in storybrooke??? Didn’t blue turn him back into a little boy like max 3 years ago???

How I feel about the characters this season

Love: Zelena

Like: Rumple, Belle, Hyde, Hook, August, Jasmine, Aladdin

Neutral: Emma, Snow, David, Henry

Dislike: Regina, Blue

Hate: Jekyll, The Evil Queen, Gideon

Season rating: 4/10

I kind of didn’t like this season. I did not like Regina blaming Zelena for Robin’s death, Rumbelle being broken up, or the whole Gideon plot. There were some good moments but mostly me being frustrated. I did kind of like the land of untold stories plot line though.

[bookwormchocaholic]

Ship Meme

Tag 9 people you want to get to know better. Or however many. Whatever.

I was tagged by @professionalfangrrl... thank you, sissy!

Three ships: Rumbelle (OUAT), Belle and Beast (Beauty and the Beast), Curious Archer (OUAT)

First ever ship: Anya and Dimitri from "Anastasia" 1997. I was obsessed; I adored the movie, played with the dolls, listened to the soundtrack, read and wrote fanfiction, did a ton of research on the Romanov family. I still have a soft spot for this movie and ship. If I hear "Once Upon a December" I get tears in my eyes.

Last song: "Leaning on the Everlasting Arms," by Iris Dement.

Last movie: "Emily." It's a "retelling" of Emily Bronte's life. It was...something.

Currently reading: Published fiction: "Queen Charlotte," by Julia Quinn and Shonda Rhimes. I won a copy off of Goodreads. I've read some of the Bridgerton books, this one surpasses it. I'm sure it's not historically accurate, but I'm really enjoying it.

Fanfic: "The Magic of Ordinary Days," and "You Should See Me in a Crown," by @professionalfangrrl. And I often return to "Away to Me," by @spottytonguedog.

Currently watching: I just finished, "Everybody Hates Chris," doing a rewatch of "Frasier," and I'm watching Regency House Party on Youtube.

Currently consuming: I'm about to have breakfast...so cherrios.

Currently craving: The coffee my sister made, but I shouldn't drink it. I had covid a few weeks back and whenever I drink coffee now, there are weird side affects.

Tagging: @kelyon, @emberlumen, @beastlycheese, @jackabelle73, @heywhereisperry

I only tagged five, who I believe will really do this. Everyone is welcome though.

[phoenixwrites]

Favorite fic: Song of the Siren 😭

Oh my gosh! One of the ancient tomes!

I really love writing that one. Regency AU smut for Rumbelle and a proper pirate AU for Swanfire, which feels like a beautiful fuck you to CS.

I love that it’s your favorite!

[abovethemists]

Hi there! It’s Santa!

How are you doing?

Your prompt has given me some food for thought and while I have no concrete idea yet it made me think of something.

I have seen your blog a while back when you were mentioning Bridgerton with Penelope and Colin as your favourites. Would you like for them to make a cameo? I know it is a rumbelle story but personally I think it’s nice to have favourite characters meet somewhere in a universe.

Which brings me to the next question, do you want your world to be in any specific setting? Where you thinking Storybrooke, Enchanted Forest, historical ( Regency perhaps 😉) ?

The heartache makes me think you want some angst. What is a trope there that you like?

I am excited to start brainstorming some more!

Till next time!

Hello, Santa! It’s so nice to hear from you!

I’m doing fairly well. My real life is extremely hectic right now so I’m wondering if I made a terrible mistake signing up for RSS. But it’s tradition, so I have to do it.

I would be fine with cameos from other fandoms if you so choose, as long as they remain cameos and not like a full crossover fic. I’m actually not that fond of crossovers in general though there’s certainly exceptions. (Anyelle for one).

I was definitely thinking more historical when I made the prompt, but honestly it could be used for Enchanted Forest or modern day as well. I know not everyone is comfortable writing historical fiction and I certainly don’t want you to feel like you have to do research or anything for this. If you wanted to do a regency fic though, I certainly wouldn’t say no!

Angst is my bread and butter. I love a little misunderstanding, some pining, thinking love is unrequited when it’s really not. I love when my OTP is torn apart by circumstance only to find each other again later (probably what attracted me to rumbelle in the first place. He spent 30 years thinking she was dead!). That said, I also live for a happy ending. I can weather any angst as long as I know it’ll be worth it in the end.

Thanks for reaching out, Santa! I can’t wait to see what you come up with.

(I’m going to tag this as ‘raven’s Santa’ for you to easily find!)

[deliriumsdelight7]

What’s a fic trope, plot bunny, or character variation that you want someone to write for Rumbelle, but no one ever has?

Ooh, good question!

So, the intersect of the Venn diagram of “Rumbelle shippers” and “people who watch Dimension 20” is probably very small. But I recently watched the “A Court of Fay and Flowers” campaign, and I think that setting would suit Rumbelle incredibly well. It’s basically fairy worldbuilding in a Regency setting - where things like etiquette, rumors, and scandals can make or break one’s reputation. Rumpelstiltskin would be either Goblin Court or the Court of Mischief. Belle’s Court is harder to determine. But it would make for a great story or some awesome art!

[b-does-the-write-thing]

The Demon Earl’s Deal, A Rumbelle Big Bang Fic

With the fate of Avonlea in the balance, Belle French will do anything to save her village, including making a deal with the Demon Earl of Lonsdale himself.

This story is part of @rumbellebigbang . A huge thank you to the runners of this great program as well as to my partner @rumpledspinster . She was a wonderful partner throughout the process and continually surprised and delighted me with her scene interpretations, fresh ideas and supported me every step of the journey. You can see her artwork for this story here.

Chapter One

Wales, March 1810

Everyone in Avonlea knew the story of the Demon Earl.

Robert Gold had first appeared at Askham Hall as a young child to everyone’s surprise, including his father, Lord Malcolm Gold, Lord of Lonsdale. There was no use denying the parentage; the young boy was Malcolm’s spitting image.

The surprising series of events was chalked up to youthful indiscretions and the boy was promptly shipped off to boarding schools. Avonlea almost forgot about the Lord of Lonsdale’s bastard son entirely until the day when he had returned to Askham Hall as a wedded man with a bride on his arm.

The Demon Earl lasted less than a year before he decamped back to London. He left his young wife in Wales with her father-in-law and her new mother-in-law, a lady younger than she was.

Stories leaked out from Askham Hall about the devious debauchery Lord Robert engaged in while he was in London. Servants often noticed the ladies of the house in tears, and the Lord of Lonsdale in fits of rage over the reports in the paper about his son cutting a swath through every boudoir of London.

He ordered his errant son back home but less than a year later...Lord Malcolm Gold and his daughter-in-law were dead. Robert Gold disappeared the very same night and had not been heard from in four years.

Until today.

Standing along the path overlooking the valley, Belle French gazed out at Askham Hall. Smoke curled up from the chimneys which meant the rumors were true; after four years, the Lord of Lonsdale had finally come home.

No one had known where he had gone. There had been no word, no whisper, not even a mention of the errant lord in the society papers. So, of course, in his absence, speculation had run rampant throughout Avonlea.

Some said the new Lord Lonsdale had pledged his soul to the devil and had since been off cavorting with demons. Others whispered he had gone off to profit from Napoleon’s bloody war on the Continent, while the bolder among them insisted he had gone to sell secrets to the dictator himself in exchange for refuge in France.

Rumors varied from source to source but everyone agreed upon one thing: Lord Robert Gold, was capable of anything.

Which was why, despite all the horrific rumors, Belle was on her way to Askham Hall.

--

Gold had been home for less than twenty-four hours and he already felt buried alive. His solicitor, Sidney Glass, had been firm that he could not put this off any longer, so Gold had returned to Askham Hall to put an end to this chapter of his life, once and for all. If he was truly going to be free of his past, he had to sever the last tie, the matter of the estate.

The halls were too quiet. The few remaining servants avoided him, scurrying out of his way less he curse them. He had heard the whispers, he knew the rumors. If he occasionally began to mutter something under his breath in Greek, just to watch a maid hurry away in terror, it was only for a moment’s respite from the eyes following him from room to room.

The head of house was the sole exception. “My lord,” Dove announced as he swung open the bedroom’s door, uninvited and unannounced. “I’ve brought you up the tea you requested.”

Turning from the window, Gold frowned. “I don’t recall requesting anything, Dove.”

The older man bowed. “My apologies,” he said as he left the tray on the table. HIs eyes flickered in disapproval around the guest bedroom. “We’ve finished airing out the state chambers,” he declared. “Perhaps those would be more suitable?”

Gold flinched. He had no interest in using his father’s rooms. He would rather barricade the door entirely then so much as take a step inside. As for his old rooms, it had merely taken one look at his bed for the memories of Milah to return.

These past four years, he had managed to banish her from his mind but her ghost had been awaiting him in their marriage bed. So, he had retreated to a guest room on the other side of the manor.

Let the household gossip about his choice of rooms. It did not matter to him. He was only here long enough to break the trust, to sell these cursed stones and leave the ghosts to some other poor sod.

The head of house lingered, clearly about to make his case on why a lord should not be staying in these lesser rooms. Uninterested in a lecture, Gold brushed past Dove towards the door. “I’ll be in my study,” he grumbled.

Arriving in the study, Gold tried and failed to find something to occupy his time when a flash of amber caught his eye. A bottle of brandy had been left out with a tumbler nearby. He stared at it for a long moment, debating.

Finally, figuring he had nothing else to do, and facing down a long afternoon of boredom and painful memories, he uncapped the brandy and poured himself a tall glass. It may not be the answer, but it was a solution.

--

Despite growing up in Avonlea, Belle had never actually been this close to Askham Hall. The great stone facade sprawled in every direction against the horizon of the sky, the dark stone glistening in the spring sun as if alive.

Belle lingered upon the stairs, mustering her courage. She had no experience with lords or great houses, but there was no helping that now. Steeling her spine, she stepped to the knocker, raised up to indicate the master of the house was at home and knocked.

It reverberated in the inner caverns of the great house. Belle pulled self-consciously on her sleeve and reached up to fix her bonnet. She had taken time to arrange her appearance just so, but now that she was actually here, she felt undressed. It did not take long for the door to open to reveal a somber fellow, whom Belle recognized at once as Askham Hall’s head of house, Dove.

Everyone in Avonlea knew the skeleton staff still employed by the errant lord; they were fortunate compared to the rest of Avonlea, with steady pay and lodgings while the rest of Avonlea had declined in the years that had followed the tragedies.

“Good afternoon,” Belle greeted. “I’m here to speak to Lord Lonsdale.”

The head of house recognized her as well. Being the town’s schoolmistress lent her a certain air of notoriety. “Miss French,” he said, though he did not open the door. “I don’t believe his lordship is receiving anyone today.”

She had not expected to be turned away at the door. She felt a bit silly that she had not considered that possibility. She plastered her best smile upon her face. “It’s a simple matter,” she said, which was not exactly true. “Perhaps Lord Lonsdale has just a moment?”

Dove wavered but with a slight tilt of his head, he gestured for her to follow after him. The hall was as great as Belle had expected. It was white marble with a great chandelier hanging overhead, glistening in the early spring sunlight but there was an unearthly stillness as if the hall was awaiting something.

Dove escorted Belle down a long corridor. Every room they passed showed signs of neglect and age, cluttered and crammed with furnishings. It was a shame to see such a beautiful house brought low but if the rumors were to be believed, this house had seen terrible things and perhaps it was for the best.

Caught up in staring at her surroundings, Belle almost walked straight into Dove when he stopped to open the library door. “Miss Belle French to see you, my lord,” Dove announced without so much as a look back at her.

Belle did not give the earl a chance to refuse to admit her. Seizing her courage, she walked straight past Dove into the library.- only to falter at the sight before her.

She hadn’t known what she expected the Demon Earl to look like, but it was not this. The earl was standing at a window, clad only in his shirt sleeves. The sun cut through the thin fabric to show the planes and lines of his frame beneath the muslin.

He was not a particularly physically intimidating man but there was a stillness about him, an air of power, that proved that this was indeed the man who had spawned so many legends in Avonlea. He was not a typically handsome man but there was something about him that drew the eye, invited one to look closer.

The door closed behind her as Dove departed. Jolted out of her reverie, Belle turned back to the door, rather wishing the head of house had lingered. Belle had never spoken to a member of the peerage before and suddenly felt wrong-footed, uncertain where to start.

When she did not speak, the earl lifted an eyebrow at her. “And who would you be?”

“Belle French, my lord.”

He waved his arm, the glass in his hand catching the sunlight. “Yes, I know that, Miss French, as you were just announced mere seconds ago. I meant who are you to me? It is considered the highest of impropriety for a lady to call upon a lord unaccompanied without so much as an introduction.”

Biting back an angry retort, she managed, “I’m the schoolmistress in Avonlea.”

“Ah.” Gold waved his hand and turned back to the window. “Barely home a day and already they come knocking,” he muttered to himself before saying loudly for her benefit,” I assume you are here seeking funds for a worthy cause. I’d advise you to have your husband or father apply to my steward in the future rather than inconveniencing me. Good day, Miss French.”

At his curt dismissal, Belle’s temper flickered and caught. “I am unwed and my father has been dead and buried ten years this August. Besides, this is not some simple matter for your steward, my lord.”

“It never is,” he said over his shoulder. He strolled over a decanter-covered cabinet and refilled the glass in his hand. “Everyone thinks their matters are too important for a steward. I wonder what I pay him for. ”

“Lord Lonsdale,” Belle said, starting again. ”I’m here because the people of Avonlea are suffering, and you are the only one in a position to help them. It will cost you little in time or money.”

“I don’t care how little it costs,” Gold snapped. “I don’t want anything to do with your village or the people in it. Which includes you.” He gestured toward the door. “So, I suggest you leave before things get uncivil.”

From her perspective, things were already uncivil, so Belle did not see that as a reason to leave. She gave up on any niceties, planting her hands on her hips. “I am not asking for your help, I am demanding it as your role of lord requires of you. Now, shall I explain now or wait for you in the parlor until you are sober?”

Lord Gold lowered his glass. “I wouldn’t speak to me like that if I were you,” he warned as he took a step closer. “Last I checked, you were in my home. Have a care how you speak to me.”

Belle had prepared for a certain level of antagonism and had meant to meet it with a calm, level head but as usual, her temper was starting to get a hold of her. “Your father was a good man,” Belle reminded him. “He did a great deal for the people of Avonlea. The poor fund, the chapel-”

“I am not my father.”

She had touched a nerve. Belle crossed her arms and blustered, “No, it appears the apple has fallen rather far from the tree. Since you have inherited, you haven’t done a thing for the estate or the village.”

“Nor do I intend to,” he picked his drink back up and finished it in one swallow.

He meant it too.

“How can you say such a thing?” she asked him. “No one is that heartless.”

Gold smiled. “Miss French, your innocence is touching.” He leaned against the edge of his table and crossed his arms. “You had best depart before I shatter any of your other dearly beloved illusions.”

She gaped at him. “Don’t you care that people are suffering?”

Gold thought for a moment. “No.”

“What would change your mind?” Belle pressed him. She had not come all this way to just give up

Gold waved his hand. “My help is not available for any price you would be willing to pay.”

“How can I know that unless you name your price?”

This caught his attention. He stilled and the air in the room shifted. “You want to make a deal?” he drawled, taking a step closer to her. He crooked a finger and beckoned her closer. “And what exactly do you have to offer, Miss French?”

Too late, Belle realized what could be insinuated from her reckless words. A flush spread across her face but she tried not to avert her eyes from his smug countenance as he sat upon the desk.

When she could not find her voice, Gold stood, victorious. “I fail to see why I should spend my time and energy when there is nothing in it for me.” He retrieved his glass and poured himself another glass of brandy, returning to the other side of the desk. “Close the door on your way out, Miss French.”

Belle was tempted to do just that, but she had to try one last time, not for her sake but for the sake of Avonlea. “I will not leave until you have named a price for your aid.”

The Demon Earl stared back at her, his face an impassive mask. ‘You will not like my answer.”

No, she rather thought she wouldn’t. Still. “At least name your cost.”

A shadow crossed his face, calculating and triumphant. “I’ll name my price, but it’s one I’m confident that you will refuse to pay.”

“What is it?” she asked warily.

“What I want,” he paused for a deep drink of brandy, “is you.”

Read the rest on A03

[scalesandredroses]

I finally watched Emma, my first Regency movie. I still can't appreciate one lick of the fashion of this period, but am dearly regretting letting that prevent my enjoyment of this genre. The delicate social interactions! The angst of rigid classism! The struggle between wooing for love vs for future! The unfathomable distance of not even kissing before an engagement!

This feels like a right of passage.

[worryinglyinnocent]

Fic: The Measure of a Man

Rated: G

The Measure of a Man

“My dear, have you heard the latest news!”

Lady Colette French looked up from her embroidery as her husband raced into the room as fast as his slightly gouty legs could take him. Lord French was not the kind of man to get excited about anything, so she knew that his giddiness was down to one thing and one thing only. A new man had arrived in the neighbourhood. A new rich man. A new rich man without a wife.

“Storybrooke Chase has been sold! It’s been taken by a young naval captain, Jones by name. He’s highly thought of in all the proper circles – his mother was one of the Dufresne girls you know, the youngest – Alice, was it? Anyway, apparently, the tales of his seafaring bravery in the defence of our fine nation are the talk of London. He even lost a hand protecting His Majesty himself from pirates!”

Yes, Colette had indeed been correct. She put down her needlework and listened obediently as her husband continued pontificating, ending, of course, with the phrase ‘and he’d be a perfect match for our Isabelle’. Lady French didn’t know where the stereotype that mothers were the ones obsessed with making marriages for their daughters came from. Getting Belle betrothed had been Maurice’s only aim from the day she’d been born.

“Can you imagine it? Our Isabelle, mistress of Storybrooke Chase!”

“Yes, dear, it’s a very pretty picture. You know, you weren’t this enthusiastic when the Lodge was finally occupied, and Sir Gold is a perfect gentleman.”

“I know, my dear, but the Lodge is only a quarter of the size of Storybrooke Chase and we have no idea who this Sir Gold is. It’s all very well making one’s money in trade and becoming very rich from… What was it? Cotton?”

“Silk, dear,” Colette corrected calmly.

“Yes, that, well, as I say, it’s all very well making one’s fortune in trade and yes, I know he’s a knight of the realm but my dear, things have to come from somewhere. Marchlands has been in my family for generations; the title, the money, we know where they’ve been. When one gets one’s money from silk and one’s title from a king’s sword, then there’s no knowing, is there? His father might have been a drunken delinquent for all we know.”

“Your father was a drunken delinquent,” Colette pointed out. “Only everyone politely looked the other way because he had money.”

“Exactly! Wait, you weren’t intending to agree with me, were you?”

Colette smiled benignly. “Maurice, darling, I don’t care if he’s had his money for five generations or five minutes. All I care about is that he will continue to have that money in the future so that he can support our daughter. Sir Gold is a quiet and steady gentleman. You know what these military types are like for profligate gambling and besides, as far as my own intelligence concerning Captain Jones goes, he’s far more interested in ladies who already have husbands.”

Maurice looked ruffled. “Well, I’ve never heard anything against him of that sort.”

“You’re probably conversing with the wrong husbands,” Colette said dryly. “Still, if it will please you, dear, do go over and make the necessary introductions when he arrives.”

Mollified by this, Maurice proceeded to fall asleep, and Colette went over to the window. Belle was out in the garden reading, and she waved to Sir Gold as he rode past the fence. He gave a polite nod, but he did not stop. Colette sighed. She was certain that he was the man for Belle. She had seen the looks in both of their eyes when they were at the same society functions. Gold did not dance, due to an old injury that he would not discuss, but he watched Belle with every step she took, and most of the time, Belle’s eyes were on him rather than on any of her many partners.

Really, Belle could have had the pick of the men in their neighbourhood, but it was clear that she had time only for one. If only they could actually say more than two words together to each other rather than Gold running away all the time. For a man who walked with a cane, he was exceedingly good at pulling vanishing acts when he wanted to. Still. Time would tell.

Captain Jones arrived with all the correct amount of hullaballoo in the neighbourhood to support his reputation. As Maurice had foretold, he was indeed a dashing military man who charmed everyone on meeting them. As Colette had foretold, he was also extremely fond of cards.

Belle, for her part, found no attraction in him despite his frequent presence at Marchlands as Lord French tried to cultivate their acquaintance. Her heart had long since belonged to another.

If only Sir Gold would not shy away from her all the time. They’d shared a wonderful evening in Marchlands’ ballroom once, just after he had arrived in town. He had been so open with her, talking freely about his work, his house, his son (Sir Gold was a widower) and, after much pressing on Belle’s part, his knighthood.

Since that day, though, he had grown distant, and Belle knew why. It was no secret that she was a lady, and no secret that his was new and self-made money. It was whispered that he had come from extreme poverty and he was the illegitimate son of a crook. Given his unease in society, Belle thought it likely that he had come from a place far from it, but she had no idea which of the rumours might be true. Put bluntly, although Belle did not care one bit for his past, Sir Gold considered himself beneath her, and did not dare to pay her court. Belle only hoped that she could persuade him to change his mind.

It was at Storybrooke Chase that things turned in Colette and Belle’s favour. At the urging of Belle’s father, Captain Jones had given a ball to announce his arrival in the neighbourhood, and all the necessary people of any merit had been invited, including Sir Gold.

Maurice had purposefully corralled Belle and Captain Jones into a corner together, and whilst Belle was trying to persuade Jones to see to his other guests, it happened. Jones suddenly went as white as a sheet.

“Oh, good lord. It’s him. Why did no one tell me he was coming?”

Belle was rather alarmed as Jones tried to hide behind the ballroom curtains, and she turned to see her father leading Sir Gold over to their host.

“I… Captain Jones? Erm, Captain Jones, I’d like you to meet Sir Andrew Gold; he owns the Lodge and has been a significant figure in our booming textile industry for years.”

“Oh, Captain Jones and I are already acquainted,” Sir Gold said, his voice cold as ice. There was something in his eyes that Belle had never seen there before, and she startled when she recognised it as blinding hatred. “Or rather, he was intimately acquainted with my late wife. If I recall events correctly, he was planning to run away with her to the Americas at one point. It was only the discovery of her illness that prevented him. He was quite content to keep hold of the two thousand pounds she’d taken from my coffers to sweeten the deal for him, though.”

Jones had come out of the curtains, and Belle could almost see the cogs turning in his mind. He was no longer on his ship; he was in polite society where running off the to the Americas with other people’s wives and taking the other people’s money with him was rather frowned upon.

“Lord French, I shall take my leave now. I have no wish to create an unpleasant atmosphere for our host.” Sir Gold turned on his heel and left, leaving Maurice and Jones speechless. Belle considered her position for a moment before running after Sir Gold.

“Sir Gold! Wait! Please!”

She caught up to him outside before he could get into his carriage. Out of the corner of her eye, Belle could see that her mother was watching from the shadows of the front door, but she didn’t care.

“Sir, Gold, please wait. I’m so sorry about your wife. And your money.”

“It’s in the past, God rest her soul.” He let out a sharp bark of humourless laughter. “Just shows the coward that I am. I should have demanded satisfaction then, and I should have done it now. Instead, I slink away like the bastard thief in the night that I am.”

“Stop it.” Belle didn’t think that she had ever been so firm with anyone, especially not a man and especially not one she cared for. “Don’t you dare speak that way about yourself. You are all the more noble for sparing him, no matter what the circumstances of your birth. You are a good man, Sir Gold. I knew that from our first conversation. You are a good man, and a good father, and I don’t understand why you don’t think that you’re good enough for me.”

“Lady Isabelle… Surely you must see. I am nothing. I have no family, no antecedents, nothing to recommend me. I have nothing to offer you except monetary value.”

“You could come from a shoebox for all I care. And there is so much you can offer me - I only want one thing.”

“What is that, Lady Isabelle?” His voice was soft, almost cracked.

“You. Just you.”

“My lady…”

“Belle. Please call me Belle.”

“My lady,” Sir Gold repeated firmly. “I… I don’t know what to say.”

“Say you’ll dine with us tomorrow.”

Belle startled at her mother’s voice carrying across the drive as she came towards them.

“Sir Gold,” Lady French continued. “We would be happy to receive you. I’m sure that Captain Jones will no longer find himself welcome at our table. Or anyone else’s for that matter. It is not where you come from that defines you, but what you do.”

Gold bowed low. “Thank you, Lady French. I would be honoured to accept your invitation. I shall you see you tomorrow. Good night, Lady French, Lady Isabelle. Belle.”

Belle smiled, keeping on waving long after the carriage had disappeared down the drive. Inside the house, it sounded like an argument had struck up.

“Maybe we ought to absent ourselves as well,” Lady French mused. Belle just hugged her tightly.

“Thank you, Mama.”

“Any time, darling. There’s true love at stake, after all.”

They went towards their carriage, both in happy anticipation of the day to come.

[grace52373]

Charlotte Ashmore’s Regency Rumbelle series!

Rumbellers you would enjoy this au. It is Rumbelle at it’s steamienst and yes it is like a Harlequin romance but much better. The Rumbelle one is Eclairs and Chocolate kisses followed by Secrets and Chocolate Cream which had another name previously which focuses on Emma/Jeff and does have Rumbelle in it. There is to be a third one with Killian in it but he is not the Hook we all know and despise in this series. The women are seductive and clever and the men are sexy and a touch wild without being misogynists. if you enjoy romances, you will love this!

[suchadearie]

A Game of Hearts and Steel (14/?)

A/N: *throws glitter* Hello again I’m back how have y’all been... This time it’s been just 8 months since the last update, so I’m calling this progress!

Summary:  When her father, Lord Avon, gambles away Lady Belle’s virginity, she’s not amused. and Lord Gold, winner of this rather indignant prize, finds himself thrown out at a rapier’s point. But when it turns out that the shipping company he’s set his eyes on only comes with Lady Belle’s hand in marriage, he decides to overcome his hurt pride to obtain said company. But his attempts of courting Lady Belle are not as successful as he’d like them to be…

Rating: NC-17  (overall)

[Masterlist][Recent Updates]

Read on AO3

Thanks to @maplesyrupao3 for looking it over for me!

Belle had hardly been gone for an hour when a boy delivered a letter to Gold's doorstep. He was still in his room, looking out onto the garden while remembering her softness beneath his lips. Those five kisses had been the best kisses of his life, and if he never was to have another kiss of hers, he could still be happy to have had as much. When Dove knocked and brought him the envelope made of creamy paper, his name scrawled onto it in her unmistakable hand, his heart lurched into his throat.

"She can't be without my help for even five minutes, can she?" he quipped, trying to hide the wild beat of his pulse as he picked the letter up from the tray. Dove only raised his eyebrows, and Gold waved him away. He wanted to open her letter in privacy, free from Dove's judging scrutiny. Turning towards the window again, he waited for the click of the door that indicated Dove's exit, tipping the envelope against his lips and inhaling its scent. Much like a fool in love, he had to admit.

The feeling dissipated like a wisp of smoke in a strong breeze after reading the first sentence, and by the end of it, the letter was shaking so hard in his grip that the writing blurred before his eyes. He crumpled the paper in his fist.

"Dove!" he roared.

The door opened almost immediately, as if Dove had been lurking outside, waiting to be called. "Yes?"

"Call for the carriage."

Dove frowned and Gold raised the fist with the balled up letter and growled, "Now!"

"Is everything alright, my Lord?" The man still didn't move, as if he were deaf.

Gold started pacing. "Do I look like everything is alright? Apparently Lady Belle didn't know any better than to run home to Papa and announce her engagement!"

"Oh. I'm sorry that your plans to marry the girl have been thwarted— "

"No, Dove, she announced her engagement to me!" He threw the letter against Dove's chest, from where it tumbled to the floor like a slain bird. Dove followed the letter's fall with a puzzled look in his face.

"I don't understand. I thought you wanted to marry her?"

"But without being asked? She just up and confronted me with it!"

"Yes, I can't imagine how that must feel," Dove said with a slight head shake. He bent down and picked up the letter, smoothing it out and skimming over the scribbled lines.

"I did everything so she wouldn't be forced into such a situation! I did not want to force myself on her. I —"

"You wanted her to choose you."

Gold glared at Dove. "I wanted her to be free," he stated with as much dignity as he could muster.

"Ah, yes. Anyone with eyes could see that you gambled for her body, bought shares of her company and schemed your pretty net around her because you wanted her to be free."

"You are supposed to be on my side."

Dove raised his bulging brows, the corners of his mouth twitching. "I am," he said dryly, "but it appears that you don't know what you want. Only a few months ago you decided that the only way to get that shipping company was by marriage. Well, you did it. She's going to marry you."

Gold exhaled, blowing air through his teeth. "Yes, but why? I offered her every way out."

Dove observed the letter in his hand, wrinkling his nose. "Ask her."

"I would, but I'm still waiting for the carriage!"

With a subtle roll of his eyes, Dove turned, placing the letter on a sideboard by the door before he left, his silence speaking of his exasperation. Gold picked up the letter once more, rereading it. It made no sense and a slight edge of unease crept into him, piercing the dark cloud of his anger.

"My Lord,

I could no longer keep the secret of our engagement to myself. I informed my father of our plans. Your presence is required here to bring light to this matter and make an official announcement.

Yours, Belle"

This time, he folded the letter more carefully and slipped it into the inner pocket of his jacket, adamant to demand an explanation for every single word of it. Then he headed downstairs and out to the waiting carriage.

***

At Avon's town house, he was not only awaited by Lady Belle and her father, but also by Lady Leopold and a Mr. Humbert, Bow Street Runner.

Lady Belle shot him a silent, pleading look upon his entrance, as if he needed more than one short look at her panic-stricken face to realize the reason for this turn of events. They'd been caught after all.

Gold hurried across the salon to where Belle sat on the same sofa she’d occupied when rejecting him, pulling her hands into his in a blatant display of affection. Out of the corner of his eyes, he observed Lady Leopold watching with a stony expression as he kissed Belle's knuckles. He let go of her hands and turned to face the rest of them.

"Lady Leopold. What a surprise. To what do we owe the pleasure?"

"It's not a pleasure for me, my Lord. My step daughter, the murderer of my dear husband, has been freed."

"That's quite tragic, but it has hardly anything to do with Lady Belle, has it?"

"Lady Belle housed the vile creature! Who says she didn't help her escape? I demand that the house be searched."

"Now you're reaching. How would the delicate Lady Belle be capable of helping a criminal like your daughter? It makes no sense."

Lady Leopold scowled, baring her teeth. "She wasn’t home when my step daughter escaped, and she was nowhere to be found all night. Even you must admit that looks suspicious."

Gold glanced down. Belle's face was pasty, her eyes fixed on her hands in her lap, her lips pressed into a thin line that did little to stop her trembling.

"Not at all,” he said. “It’s hardly suspicious for a member of the upper class to spend the night away from home. However, my fiancée has been with me."

Lord Avon, who'd been quiet till then, whimpered.

"It's interesting, dare I say convenient, that no one has heard of this engagement yet, isn't it?" Impatience brimmed in Lady Leopold's voice. She stood from her chair, taking a step towards them, the air around her almost crackling with menace.

"Not at all. Considering the… circumstances, we wished to keep it quiet. I'm sure you understand."

"Oh, I understand perfectly." She tossed her head back, her lips forming a cruel snarl. "You took the filly for a ride and enjoyed it enough to buy up the whole stable. The story of how you won her… attention is all over London, my Lord."

Belle winced. Gold stepped in front of her, planting himself smoothly between her and Lady Leopold.

"You see, my Lady," he said, his voice low and full of menace, "some of us value integrity and pedigree. Not everyone is willing to stoop to carrying on with servants or Bow Street Runners."

Lady Leopold blanched. She narrowed her eyes at him, but Gold offered nothing more than a thin smile, refusing to let on what he truly knew and didn’t know. Without another word, Lady Leopold swept past him and headed for the doors, leaving the salon in a rustle of silk. Mr. Humbert followed her more slowly, pausing at the door.

"I'm sorry for causing such upset, my Lord. I think we're done now. Seems like Lady Blanchard was helped by the greed of her guards." He bowed, and Gold acknowledged it with a nod. He waited until Mr. Humbert had left before turning around and facing Belle.

"How dare you," he growled, completely ignoring the presence of Lord Avon. If possible, Belle turned even paler.

"I accepted your proposal, my Lord. I thought that's what you wanted."

"You didn't accept anything. You faced a perilous situation and saved yourself by throwing me to the wolves!"

"So you don't want to marry me anymore?"

"What the hell are you two talking about?" Avon interjected, but neither Gold nor Belle paid him any mind.

"I didn't want to be presented with a fait accompli!"

Belle stood, smoothing out her skirts with a somber look in her eyes. "Well, I'm sorry that you had to experience something as upsetting as that, my Lord. Since you no longer desire my hand in marriage, I suggest we announce the retraction of our engagement."

"There hasn't even been an official announcement of our engagement yet!” He pinched the bridge of his nose. “Besides, this would ruin what’s left of your reputation, you know that. You'd be persona non grata once and for all."

Belle lifted her chin. "I have been a pariah before. And it's not like I have been eager to lose control of all my assets to my husband. You're doing me a favor, really." Her voice was taut, close to breaking, and it turned his insides upside down.

"Lady Leopold won't keep quiet about our indiscretion. This is different from breaking someone's nose."

"I understand that no one would want to marry me anymore. Since I don't wish to marry either, it’s not the worst thing that could happen."

"Certainly. But no one would want to do business with you anymore, and that, I imagine, is the worst thing that could happen.” He paused, waiting for the meaning of his words to sink in. “The ton is already squeamish about being associated with trade. How do you imagine them to react to the idea of trading with a loose woman such as yourself? You might as well open up a brothel.”

Lord Avon gasped, and Belle straightened, her eyes gleaming unnaturally bright. Red blotches crept onto her cheeks. He'd hurt her but he couldn't care less. After all, she had brought them into this situation, and after backing him into a corner and forcing them into a marriage she obviously didn't want, she didn't get to play offended.

"What does it matter to you? My ruin doesn't affect you at all! You can pretend that I was the one to break things off, and you'll appear the victim of this unfortunate affair."

"That's because I am the victim! You left me no choice in all of this!"

Belle took a step towards him, her hands balled to fists at her sides.

"I cannot believe this. You tried everything to trap me into marriage, and now that you finally succeed, you no longer want me? After all we went through? After —" She stopped herself, flushing darker, and Avon's eyes widened as his eyes flicked back and forth between them.

"Belle! You really… Did he —"

Gold inhaled sharply, but Belle was quick to shut down her father. "You don't get to act so shocked, Father. You gave him my virginity, remember? In front of witnesses?" She'd turned to her father, who shrank back as he had to face her wrath.

When it wasn't directed at him, her temperament was a glorious thing to behold, and Gold's stupid heart gave a little flutter. He wasn't quick enough to hide his smile as she turned back, and she frowned.

"And you! There's no reason to look so smug! You gambled for my body and threatened to take me right then on the table in front of everyone!"

"It was an idle threat. I thought we left that behind us, after everything we went through…"

"You might shrug it off, but the peerage is going to remember. You heard Lady Leopold. You ruined me right that moment, without ever touching me."

Gold stepped back, faltering. He was everything wrong with her life, and now she had to marry him, not because she wanted, but because she had no other choice. It was only just that she had left him no other choice either. He was nothing more but means to an end, a solution saving her from a sentence as an accomplice and a murderer. They would be each other’s means to different ends.

"I regret that, believe me," he murmured, then turned and headed for the door.

"Where are you going?"

Gold paused at the door, taking a deep breath before he looked back at her. "I'm going to purchase a special license. You should start planning for our wedding."

Belle dropped onto the sofa like he'd pulled the rug out from under her. "Oh. But — why so fast?"

"What, getting cold feet after all? Lady Leopold won't keep this to herself. By evening, all of London will know that you're a fallen woman. I'd rather get it over with than subject you to weeks and weeks of cruelty at the hands of the ton. Not that it's going to be any better like this, but at least we're free to leave town then until the worst is over."

Belle nodded wordlessly, the color drained from her face. With a nod, Gold started leaving once again.

"Wait," Belle called. It was getting ridiculous, but with a deep sigh, Gold turned, tilting his head.

"What now? Everything's decided, or not?"

"What about my ships? My company?" Her voice shook, and she had her eyes firmly fixed on her knotted hands in her lap.

"We all have a price to pay, I suppose. As my wife, your assets will belong to me. I will take good care of the company you created." There was steel in his voice, and he didn't try to hide it. He'd wanted control over her ships from the very beginning, before he ever knew her or her father, and he wasn't going to give up the one thing he'd pursued relentlessly just because he came to like her. She'd known that her ships were the price she had to pay for her safety, and she'd sacrificed them willingly. Gold wasn't going to turn soft or forget the one thing that kept him alive after his son had died his cruel death.

As he turned and left the room, a sob broke from her lips, piercing him to the bones. He ignored it.

***

The wedding was a plain and quick ceremony only a few days later, witnessed only by Lord Avon, Belle's friend Lady Abigail, and Dove. Belle's eyes were red-rimmed, and she didn't manage to look at him, not even when he put the ring onto her finger. When it was her turn to give him his ring, her fingers trembled so much that she dropped it.

Gold stared straight ahead as she fell to her knees in a cloud of powder-blue silk and satin and frantically searched for the ring, while the clergyman, parish clerk, and their witnesses gaped in horror. At last she found it, and Gold extended his hand to help her up again. She was shaking like an aspen leaf, but this time she managed to put the ring onto his finger. As they wrote the lines, her writing was even more of a scrawl than usually, and Gold had never been more relieved for something to be over than when she had received the copy of their marriage lines and they left the church and climbed into his waiting carriage. There wouldn't be a breakfast with their guests, and they were heading straight for his house, from where they would depart for their wedding trip the following day.

But first, they had a night to spend.

Gold didn't want to think about the night. Belle sat opposite him in the carriage, her white-knuckled hands clawing at her skirts, from time to time turning the ring around her finger. She didn't look at him.

After a while, he couldn't take the silence any longer. They would reach his house in only a few minutes, but damn him if he didn't have the guts to talk to his wife. They'd never been locked in silence like this before. "How do you feel?" he asked, making his voice gentle. It sounded forced and strained instead.

"I'm sorry about the ring. It just slipped out of my fingers…"

"No matter. Any bride would be nervous on her wedding day."

"You weren't nervous." For the first time, she lifted her gaze and looked at him.

He quirked his lips. "I'm not a bride. Besides, this wasn't my first wedding."

"Oh. I didn't know you were married before. What happened?"

Gold cursed himself for his loose tongue, but just then they reached his house and the carriage rattled to a halt. "We're here! Welcome to your new home, my Lady."

She narrowed her eyes but didn't say another thing, as Dove opened the carriage door. Gold climbed out, then helped her. Her hand was cold in his and he tightened his grip, not letting go immediately when her feet touched the ground and she’d straightened her skirts out.

"I'm safe now, you can let go of me," she murmured, avoiding his gaze.

"I know. You don't need my help, but maybe I enjoy holding the hand of my new wife."

She pressed her lips into a thin line and looked at the house where Dove waited. She still couldn't look at him.

"Let me show you inside then, my Lady. Dove has prepared you a suite."

She inhaled sharply, her eyes flicking up for the shortest moment. "We're not going to share a bedroom?"

"Not unless you want to. However, I hope we still might take some time to sate your… curiosity."

She blushed furiously and jerked her hand away.

"What? No longer curious? Or did you hope this marriage would be just a ploy to give you cover? I'm sorry to inform you that this isn't what I had in mind."

"But why not? You got everything you wanted! You stole my ships, and took my everything from me!" Her voice cracked, and she stepped back and kneaded her hands, as if she needed to exorcise the memory of his touch from her skin.

"Just because I wanted your ships the most doesn't mean I don't want you as well. And judging by your curiosity, you like me well enough as well. I can give you new things to care for. Children, for example. Most women are perfectly happy caring for a family."

She stepped even farther away, as if his words exuded poison, and tears welled up in her eyes. "I had everything I ever wanted," she whispered.

"Too bad. Maybe you should have fled on one of your ships then, instead of pressing me into marriage. Now, let's go inside and I'll show you to your room." He closed the distance between them and took her arm, leading her inside and ignoring her resistance. After a short moment of fighting his lead, she gave up, following him like a lamb to the slaughter.

Blackness roiled inside him, and for a moment he wondered if the loss of her affection was too steep a price to pay for finally getting his revenge. Then he remembered the broken body of his boy, and decided that there was nothing he wouldn't give to make his son's killer pay. Belle's heart was just collateral.

[ryik-the-writer]

Rumbelle fic: A Regency Affair

RCIJ prompt: “REGENCY PERIOD, WEDDING NIGHT, MISUNDERSTANDINGS”

Okay, so I knew next to nothing short of Jane Austen’s works and a few really dated romance novels from my Great-grandmama, so I spent the last month researching and trying to piece something together but failed miserably *-_-

Thus, I tried something a little different and did my best with it.

For the amazing @thatravenclawedbitch ALL HAIL THE QUEEN!!!

A03

-,-,-,-,-,-,-

Since the Black Fairy’s defeat roughly three months prior, Storybrooke had entered an unnerving period of peace, devoid of curses or new enemies. Many of the citizens who had been living each day waiting for the next crisis now had the opportunity to move forward, to travel and start families. For the Charmings, who had found the need to celebrate each victory with elaborate parties, had sent invites all over town for Storybrooke’s first “Ball”. The shindig was to be held at the Sorcer’s mansion which was being transformed into a community house of sorts, and was to be Regency Period themed of all things. Little informational packets filled with what to wear, how to speak and so forth had been sent with each invitation.

Belle, who was the biggest Jane Austen fan on the east coast, was throwing herself into the preparations. Rumplestiltskin was happy to see her so involved with the community again, and was more than happy to take care of Gideon while she enjoyed herself. Still, the preparations often left his wife exhausted when she came home, having just enough energy to have her nightly ritual with Gideon and kiss her husband’s cheek before she knocked out and began the whole process again.

While Rumplestiltskin was far from dissatisfied with his one-on-one time with his son (he may or may not be measuring the boy for three-piece suits), he still missed his wife terribly, and would open a bottle of his most prized spirit the day the whole fiasco ended.

Other than nodding absently on Belle’s choice color scheme and menu, he hadn’t contributed to the set-up of the party since he had no plans on going to the event. Belle hadn’t been too pleased of his proclamation but gave him no other beef about it since he was staying home to look after the baby.

If she wasn’t busy enough, four days before the ball was to take place, Ruby and her love Dorothy Gale had crash-landed smackdab in the middle of Main street (adding a subsequent amount of damage to his shop windows Rumplestiltskin would add). The subject of marriage was mentioned and the Regency period ball was doubled into a wedding party for the couple.

Rumplestiltskin didn’t bat an eye at the change and was already picking out which onesie Gideon would be wearing after his bath that night when Belle burst into the nursery, her frazzled appearance forcing him to stop everything he was doing.

“Darling, what’s wrong?”

“I’m a bloody idiot! That’s what’s wrong!”

“Tone.” Rumple whispered, nodding to the crib where their bundle of joy was snoozing gently.

Belle nodded and Rumple grabbed a monitor before closing the door and leading her to the kitchen where he poured her a generous glass of wine.

“Now, why are you questioning your intelligence?”

Belle took the offered glass and took a long sip before she answered.

“I didn’t make my costume.” Belle said, covering her eyes in defeated humiliation. “I did hours of research on food and mannerisms and forks of all things but I didn’t make my own costume!”

Rumple went behind Belle to massage her shoulders, eyes widening at the tight knots under her skin.

“You’re stressing too much over this sweetheart.” Rumple cooed. “Have you told Snow White? Perhaps she has something you can borrow.”

“She’s too busy.” Belle mocked in a sing-song voice that sent chills of déjà vu up her husband’s spine. “Wait…no I shouldn’t say that...ugh I want to hit her but I don’t…I’m so tired.”

Rumple blinked and moved her wine glass out of reach.

“How much longer until the party?”

Belle grabbed one of his hands off her shoulders and brought it down so that she could look at his wristwatch.

“23 hours.” She moaned, releasing his wrist and burying her face in her arms.

Rumple patted her shoulder. Despite how little he cared for the ball, he knew it meant the world to Belle, and he couldn’t bear to see her in distress.

“Come with me.” He sighed.

Belle lifted her head, glaring at him. “Why?”

“Because in our attic may be the solution to your problem.”

Belle tilted her head in curiosity and sat up, following her husband.

“Wow.” Belle commented as they shifted through the boxes and chests. “I can’t believe I never explored this place.”

“My curious maid, who explored every nook, cranny, and hole of the Dark Castle skipped a room?”

Belle giggled, rising from a chest filled with old dishes to lock her arms around his neck. “Well, I was kept quite busy when I first came here.”

“Ah, I recall.” Rumple mused as he rubbed up her sides, meeting her lips. Belle’s nails inched through his hair, scratching his scalp in a way that made his legs go weak. He locked his arms around her waist to stabilize her and lent her against a large chest.

“Whoa.” Belle laughed, pulling from his lips. “That’s not why we’re up here.”

“Is it?” Rumple panted.

Belle regrettably crawled back. “If you wanted to seduce my problems away, you would have taken me on the table or the couch at least.”

“Well…I haven’t taken you in here…”

Belle gave him “the look” and he pulled away with a sigh.

“Very well. Hop up, you’re on the chest I need.”

Belle did as he said and watched as he opened the chest, gasping in wonder as her husband pulled out a beautiful blue and white dress.

“Rumple…where…”

“Let’s just say I did a lot of business in Dr. Frankenstein’s realm. They’re forever stuck a kind of Victorian-Regency time loop.”

Belle took the dress from him, holding it to her chest. Due to her sped-up pregnancy, Belle hadn’t had any size increases in her waist or breasts, but the front of the dress would still have to be adjusted.

“I’ll have to get your measurements.” Gold stated as he pulled out a tape measurer. “See where I need to adjust it.”

Belle saw the lustful glint in his eye. “The things you do to get me out of my clothes.”

“Caught me again. Now if you would…”

Belle began to undo the buttons on her blouse. “If I must…”

A cackle from the baby monitored paused the couple’s ministrations. One long second later Gideon’s powerful cry echoed through and the couple sighed in defeat.

“Rain check?”

“Indeed. Would you get him a bottle why I take all this to the sowing room? I’ll handle his bath.”

“Of course darling.” Belle said with a kiss, leaving her husband to salvage her a dress.

-,-,-,-

Rumplestiltskin worked through the night (one of the few benefits of being the Dark One) and had Belle a Regency Period dress ready by the time she brought Gideon down for his 8 a.m. feeding.

“Rumple it’s gorgeous!” Belle gushed as she held the garment to her chest.

Rumple smiled with a sense of pride as he fed their son. “Try it on.”

Belle scurried to the hall bathroom. “I wish you’d change your mind about coming tonight!” she called.

Rumple moved closer to the hall so that Gideon wouldn’t have to hear him shout. “If I wanted to put on tight leather breeches I’d go back to the Enchanted Forest.”

Belle stuck her head out the doorway, her hair mused from taking off her nightgown.

“Zelena won’t be there.” Belle said quietly, carefully. “She and Dorothy still have bad blood between them.”

Rumple nodded, feeling a sense of relief that he wasn’t the only one who still didn’t bow to the wicked witch’s “redeemed” persona.

“As comforting as that is, I still rather stay home.”

Belle soothed out her slip before responding. “You haven’t really been out much since Gideon was born…”

Rumple forced a chuckle. “Shouldn’t I be saying that to you?”

Belle rolled her eyes and stepped into her dress. “I’m serious. We promised we would be honest with each other. If something’s wrong I want to know.”

Rumple shook his head, determined to cast away any doubt. “I just don’t want to go Belle. This is your scene…they’re your friends. I just would feel more comfortable here.”

Belle stepped out of the bathroom to reveal her dress, powder blue with gold lacings and loose from not being properly laced. Rumplestiltskin’s mouth when dry and his instincts sparked with pleasure. Belle however didn’t catch the change in his mood.

“They’re your friends too Rumple…”

“When they want something.” Rumple thought, keeping his tongue still lest he upset his wife.

“I just think you’d have a better time if you didn’t have the entire town staring at you.”

“Of course they’ll be staring at me!” Belle exclaimed, striding up to her husband and wrapping her arms around his neck. “I have the most handsome man in all the realms on my arm.”

The Dark One smiled lovingly, not believing her words but appreciating her love and admiration of him. He leant over and gave her lips a quick peck.

“I want you to go to the ball and enjoy yourself and not worry about me or the baby. Have ten glasses of wine and help your friend enjoy her last night as a single woman. I want you to do this Belle.”

Belle still wasn’t entirely pleased that she wasn’t able to convince him to come, but decided to allow him to have his way. Perhaps having separate activities would be good for them. Absence was supposed to make the heart grow stronger after all.

“I’ll go Rumple, but I’ll be thinking about coming home to you.”

“I think that’s a compromise I can agree with.” He agreed, his fingertips gliding over the loose, soft material of her dress.

“Do you want me to lace you up?”

Belle’s eyelids fluttered. “You’ll just have to undo them.”

Rumplestiltskin smirked, catching the naughtiness under her tone. “I don’t see a problem with that…”

The baby gurgled, reminding the couple that they were not alone anymore.

“Rain check?” Belle inquired.

“Yes dear. You get the coffee started why I change our son and give him a talking to about quality time…”

-,-,-,-,-

Within a few hours, Belle was sipping a glass of lemonade from a crystal glass, a drink the planners decided was the safest choice for he mixed crowd (though there was a rumor that dwarves had smuggled in something to spike it.

She looked out to the crowd and wondered if she truly had fallen into an enchanted Jane Austen novel. Some of the unmarried girls were sitting on a bench near the dancefloor waiting for someone to ask them for a dance (as, Belle recalled, was customary), while several men wandered about, gazing at the bench. A few others who couldn’t or didn’t want to dance had set up card games, or “billards” in an adjacent room. Everyone had done their best to stay within the party’s theme with their wardrobe. The women were decked out in the simple gowns and bonnets, the men in their tailcoats and breeches and other various accessories popular for the times.

Belle spared a moment to think of her husband’s attire. In both realms he was always decked out in multiple layers no matter the season nor occasion; he’d fit perfectly at this party.

She sighed and made another circle around the refreshment table. Despite being surrounded by nearly the entire town, she felt so alone. She wished Rumple was by her side, whispering quips and not-too-friendly remarks about how some of the people at the party.

“Evening fair lady.”

Belle turned and burst into a smile at the sight of Ruby curtseying before her. She sat her glass down and returned the gesture. “Your ladyship.”

Ruby chuckled and leaned against the table, a gesture that would have been frowned upon during Regency times.

“Should you not be with your bride to be?”

“I was, but I could see you frowning across the roomI don’t have to be a werewolf to sense that something’s wrong.”

Belle shrugged, hiding her frown behind her glass.

Ruby nudged her with her sharp elbow. “Speak softly to me Lady Belle. Lay your troubles upon my…I don’t know…bosom?”

Belle softly. “I think you’re getting mixed up with the Shakespearen era.”

“Three glasses of “lemonade: and you would too. Now come on.”

Belle shook her head. “Nothing. It’s your engagement party. Go enjoy it.”

“I can’t enjoy kissing champagne from my fiancé’s lips if you’re not in the spirit to cheer me on. Spill or else I’ll tell Leroy and he’ll pronounce it to the whole ball and you won’t get a moment’s peace.”

The predatorial look in the werewolf’s told Belle she better spill.

“I just wish Rumple was here is all.” Belle admitted.

Ruby nodded in sympathy for her friend. Though she and the Dark One were far from friends, she knew Belle loved him with all her heart and wanted them to be happy. And, unrelatedly, she may have called dibs on secondary godmother status for Gideon.

“Why didn’t he want to come?”

“I suppose he’s more interested in reveling in fatherhood again.”

“He’s had three months for that. Come on, what else?”

Belle tapped at the lip of her glass. “He said he didn’t want to be around all these people.”

Ruby chuckled humorlessly. “That figures, Mr. Gold—the cursed one that is—was a total social pariah. No one ever saw him unless he was collecting rent.”

Belle thought on that. During her days at the Dark Castle, he was always around unless on a deal. Now that she thought about it, she had never really seen him socialize with anyone on a friendly level other than her. The Charmings and the rest of the town kept their distance unless there was a catastrophe brewing.

“Maybe I should call him?” Belle inquired to her friend.

“That kind of goes against the theme does it…” Ruby eyes suddenly strayed, a grin spreading over lips a second later.

Belle followed her gaze curiously and gasped at the sight of her husband sauntering towards her, decked in full regency ware: breeches made of fine wool, a decorated vest Belle recognized from one of his Dark One ensembles, heeled boots, and his signature cane that Belle was certain she’d never see again.

“Rumple…”

Rumplestiltskin bowed exaggeratedly, taking her hand and kissing it delicately.

“It would be a great honor if your ladyship would bestow upon me a dance.”

Belle bit her lip to hold back a pleased squeal. She took a deep breath and returned the gesture. “I’d love too.”

He took her hand and led her to the dancefloor where dozens upon dozens of eyes were watching them, some supportive, some disapproving as they always would be no matter how the Dark One tried to mend his ways.

Their hands joined as they spun slowly, their instincts taking over as they danced.

“I wonder who our son will take after in the dancing department?” Rumple pondered, spinning her out and then back to him.

“Speaking of our son, did you bring him or…”

“Let’s just say Henry was looking to line his pockets for future dates with Miss Violet.”

“Under the guise that he wanted to spend some extra time with his uncle?” Belle smirked.

“There was an undertone.” He said as he twirled her gracefully.

“Why my dear husband, you’re a regular Fitzwilliam Darcy.”

Rumplestiltskin’s nose crinkled. “That widgeon whey-face? I should hope not!”

Belle surprised a snort. “He had his charm, and his redemption is the highlight of the whole story.”

Rumple huffed. “He changed solely so that Elizabeth would marry him.”

Belle allowed him to tip her back but clenched his shoulders to hold him over her.

“He recognized his faults and fought to change them; only when he felt he was worthy did he approach Elizabeth again. He even fought for her sister’s reputation.”

Rumple lifted her back up, holding her closely. “Only you would want to discuss fictional Regency characters whilst at a Regency-themed ball.”

“But of course.” Belle giggled, kissing his jaw and catching a whiff of his smoky scent. “I’m so glad you’re here. What changed your mind?”

“I just missed you.” He said, hands caressing her waist. “I was being selfish earlier. These are the kind of events a husband goes to with his wife and I wasn’t willing to play along.”

“You weren’t being self Rumple.” Belle assured. “We aren’t going to always want to do the same things and there’s nothing wrong with that. I don’t want you to go to parties or events with me if you aren’t going to have a good time.”

“Does that mean I’ve excluded from our boy’s plays and award ceremonies?”

Belle gave him “the look” once more and Rumplestiltskin grinned. “Kidding.”

The music stopped and the dancers broke apart to applaud the band. Rumple led Belle to a chair to rest, but Belle stayed by his side.

“You know,” Belle whispered into his nape, “I recall making up several guestrooms for the unfortunate couple who may become too partied-out to travel home.”

“Oh.” Rumple mused, the hand supporting her back sliding lower. “How considerate of you.”

“Perhaps I should show you to where they are just in case.”

“I believe that would be quite hospitable of you.”

The two broke from their passionate embrace, staring at their feet to avoid the looks they were receiving. They slunk innocently to the refreshment table, making a show at sipping the lemonade and eating the tiny cakes for a moment to ward off any suspicion as they waited for the eyes on them to stray elsewhere.

Across the room Rumple spotted Snow White sipping on a beverage too bubbly to be lemonade. Judging by the way the former princess was leaning on Regina in order to not fall into a piano, it wasn’t her first glass. He smiled mischievously, and with a slight flick of his finger, the liquid in her glass bubbling over. The former princess quickly turned to throw the glass on the table, causing several people to turn to watch the ordeal as David quickly fetched his wife a handkerchief.

“Rumple!” Belle hissed. “That’s cruel!”

“Well it was cruel of her to put most of the arrangements for this party on you.”

Belle crossed her arms. “Do you always have to get even after every little confrontation?”

“Only when my wife is smitted. Besides it serves her right, putting so much pressure on you. Sometimes I wonder who’s really running this town.”

Belle ducked her head to hide a small smile. No need to encourage his unsavory behavior.

“Now, while the masses are distracted, would you like to show me that fainting room?”

Belle smiled naughtily, turning from her husband. “I believe you’ve lost the privilege, Mr. Gold.”

Gold’s hands snaked to her waist. “Allow me to earn it back, Mrs. Gold?”

Belle let out a breathy laugh, unable to keep a temper with him. “Move quickly then.” She said as she took his arm and led him to the stairway. The made their way up as quickly and casually as they could but Snow White’s fiasco was just about over and attention was starting to stray. Rumple stopped Belle, wrapping a hand around her waist and before Belle could blink they were standing in the hall of guestrooms.

“I suppose we have our pick.” Rumple whispered.

Belle placed a finger to her lips. “Not quite.” She whispered back. “The one at the end is the ‘honeymoon’ suit.” Belle said with a wink.

Rumplestiltskin crinkled his nose, not liking the idea of over hearing the shewolf and her soon-to-be-wife’s wedding night. “Perhaps I should just take us home?” he inquired with a light flourish.

“Not a chance. Heaven knows what they’ll do next to these rooms once the party is over. I want to have a few memories in at least one of them.”

“As the lady insists.”

They traveled to the second to last door, pressing against the fine wood to listen for occupants. Hearing silence, they eased the door open. Finding room empty, they hurried inside, wasting no time with intertwining, feeling up and down each other’s clothing, looking for laces and buttons as Rumple leaned his cane against the wall.

“I should have made this a tear-away.” Rumplestiltskin growled against Belle’s neck.

Belle gasped lowly at a hard bite, teething her lips as her hands adventured under his jacket. “H-here.” She moaned as she turned on her stomach to give him access to her laces.

“Why Mrs. Gold.” Rumple husked as he pulled at one lace. “You would have me believe you are quite the wanton instead of a doting, modest wife.”

“Oh I’m certainly doting.” Belle said as she relaxed to the loosening of her dress and her husband’s gentle fingers gazing along her spine. “But my modesty has starting to crumble considering I’ve hardly been with my husband since the birth of my son.” She yelped when Rumple suddenly turned her on her back, fingers trailing to wrist to sooth the soft skin there.

“And how would your husband feel about such behavior?” Rumple inquired in a tone that made a chill run up Belle’s spine. Though there were times throughout their relationship that Belle loathed the darkness inside her husband’s soul, there were also moments when she loved the contrast from his gentler side, and he could be the lover that would ravish and thoroughly fuck her.

“I think he likes it as much as I do.”

Rumple’s hands tightened around her wrists and his lips seared to hers, sliding down when he had her utterly breathless.

“I do Belle.” He husked as he pulled down her dress enough to get to her perky breasts, mouth the creamy mounds. “So much. I’ve missed us.”

Belle’s back arched with a cry, desire pooling at her core and making the silk fabric cling uncomfortably to her skin.

“Rumple…”

The Dark One recognized the need in her groan and released her wrists, trailing them down to her waist to fight with the end of her dress all that was underneath.

Belle gasped when his fingers trailed over her shaking thighs, teasing her with his fluttering touches but not giving her the direct pleasure she sought.

“I see…you skipped the…chapter…AH…on etiquette…dear!”

In response, Rumplestiltskin cleaved Belle netherlips with his tongue, coating the silky flesh in her arousal.

“Ah! Yes don’t stop!”

“Not this time.” He husked, delving deeper into her depths. He and his wife had been denied for too long, and he was determined to bring her to the height of pleasure as many times as she could.

Belle’s hands gripped his hair, one stroking his locks lovingly, the other holding his head where she needed it. With a few more flicks of his tongue she was moaning over the edge, turning her head to muffle her hollering against one of the pillows.

Rumple emerged from her skirts, Belle’s hands sliding from his hair. He watched in awe at her heaving bosoms and scarlet cheeks as he licked her musk from his lips.

“Wa…you…”

Rumplestiltskin kissed her hungrily as his hand undid the brass buttons of his breeches, twisting from them just enough to release himself.

Belle wrapped a leg around one of his calves, gasping when she felt him press just against her pubic bone.

“Don’t stop.” She groaned.

“Never.” He husked, lining them up. Just as he was about to thrust in and make them one, the door burst open and Ruby and Dorothy came stumbling in.

Rumplestiltskin reacted more quickly than Belle, rolling off his wife and covering them both from the waist down. Luckily the two newlyweds were so focused on prepping for their wedding night that they didn’t notice the startled couple.

Now semi-modest, they waited for the awkward meeting that was to come, but instead found theirselves watching as Ruby pressed Dorothy into the wall.

“Oh dear.” Belle whispered. “Should we...”

Rumple cleared his throat, causing the couple to jump and turn to them.

“Ruby!” Dorothy exclaimed. “You got the four-way we talked about? Sweet!”

“Oh my Gods.” Belle muttered, hiding her face. Rumple patted his wife’s hip, managing to contain his smirk.

“Belle, Mr. Gold,” Ruby began cautiously, averting her eyes to the bedpost. “Sorry to break it to you but this is the honeymoon suit.”

“That’s where you’re wrong dearie.” Rumple affirmed much too smugly. “That would be the room next door.”

Ruby’s face turned as scarlet as her dress as she balanced her tipsy bride and looked out the hall to confirm the Dark One’s confirmation.  

“Hey! Are you two having sex?” Dorothy slurred. “That’s great! We’re having sex too!”

“Good for you.” Rumple said, leaning on his arm.

“Wow!” Dorothy pointed at Belle. “You have great boobs!”

Belle quickly covered her wares, sending a look to Rumple as he choked with laughter. “Thank you, Dorothy.”

“I mean, Wolfie’s are my favorite but…”

“Okay Kansas,” Ruby said quickly as she wrapped an arm around her bride. “I think you’ve traumatized them enough…and vise versa. ‘Night guys!”

“So glad we could make this a memorable night for you both!” Rumple called out as Ruby closed the door.

Belle swatted him on the shoulder and fell back to the bed with a frustrated groan.

Rumple allow the humor for the situation to die out before he joined her, his mood for sex unfortunately long died down.

“We’re never going to have sex again, are we?” Belle sighed, staring up at the bleak ceiling.

“Probably not.” Rumplestiltskin shrugged.

Belle turned on her side. “Want to go home and see what’s on TCM?”

“Maybe we can find something semi-exotic before Gideon demands his 9 p.m. feeding.”

Belle snorted with laughter and kissed her husband hard.

[timelordthirteen]

TEA For Your Consideration

So, after much anxiety, I made a thing. I did not put any of my stuff in for Best Fic, or myself for Best Author or Lifetime Movie of the Week Achievement. If you want to, please do. I feel weird enough doing any of this as it is. I’m also hoping that putting some of this out there for the masses may provoke my muse into buckling down and writing.

PWP - In the Dark and Wicked Hours - At night, the Dark One watches. This is my attempt at a “dark fic” which is a genre I don’t normally write or read. It’s purely PWP, but with an undercurrent of a possible plot and a darker bend on the Rumbelle relationship.

BDSM - Returning - Dearest Persephone, do not fear, for you are queen and mistress here. A Rumbelle Hades/Persephone AU. A Rumbelle Hades x Persephone AU. It’s not overly in any one category of BDSM, and is more subtle and emotional than other offerings. I still plan to write a follow up, I promise.

Hurts so good - Night Shift - You got a nine to five, so I'll take the night shift, and I'll never see you again if I can help it. Inspired by one of my favorite Golden Lace-centric songs Night Shift by Lucy Dacus. I had been waiting ages to write this fic, and I’m glad I finally started. Gold and Lacey were in a relationship, things got...messy, Gold screwed up royally, and as a result, to avoid having to see him, Lacey took the night shift at Granny’s. At the beginning of the story, the two haven’t seen each other in many months.

Best One-Shot - Star-Crossed - Belle is putting the finishing touches on the library's Christmas tree. Luckily Mr. Gold is there to help. A little Christmas-y one-shot with our favorite couple and a Skin Deep callback.

Best Drabble - In Death - This was for a writer’s month prompt in August, and while there is major character death, it’s completely canon compliant with S7 of OUAT, and I promise it’s actually got a happy ending.

Best AU - In All Things - When Lord Maurice is unable to pay the King's taxes, his debts begin to pile up, and the only recourse is to accept an arranged marriage for his daughter, the Lady Belle. After a failed betrothal to Sir Gaston, broken by the reveal of a personal secret of Belle's, the enigmatic and powerful Lord Gold swoops in to solve all their problems. He will marry Lady Belle and pay off Maurice's debts. The only catch is that Gold doesn't seem to want a wife at all. AKA My Rumbelle arranged marriage AU that could. Set in some non-magical, defined Regency period-esque Enchanted Forest, it’s packed with every trope I can manage, bonus Jefferson, and the slooooowest of burns. These two aren’t smooching for at least 25 chapters.

Best Series - The Between Verse - A purely PWP series with both canon compliant Rumbelle, AU Gold and Belle, and whatever else I come up with. The only theme tying them together is the porn and the Between titles.

Best Holiday Fic - Alabama, Arkansas - Alabama, Arkansas, I do love my ma and pa, not that way that I do love you. With a title taken from the song Home by Edward Sharpe & The Magnetic Zeros, this fic is a series of Christmas and winter scenes throughout Gold and Belle’s relationship, centered around the ultimate holiday theme of home.

Best Woven Beauty - Killing Time - A Woven Beauty Law & Order-ish AU. One part murder thriller, two parts angsty divorced Weaver and Belle, they learn to work together, while trying to bring two serial killers to justice, in the process rekindle their relationship under the worst possible circumstances. (Warning: contains a lot of potentially triggering themes, please note the tags and chapter specific notes.)

Best Detective Weaver - Killing Time - (see above summary) This Weaver is the classic grumpy, rule bending homicide detective with a squishy center and unending adoration for his (ex) wife. There’s still a fair bit of his personal backstory to get out, but I really love how he fleshed out on the page and became what I like to think three more seasons of a cursed Hyperion Heights could have given us.

Best Graphic Art (GIFs) - 365 Days of Rumbelle, Day 365 - A year long labor of love.

[amuseoffyre]

Writing Meme!

I was tagged by @ashfae, because she enjoys causing me pain :P

Author name: Fyre :) Have been using that as my SN since 2001-ish.

Fandoms You Write For: Ahahahahaha. To be making a laughing sound. Anything. Everything. Right now, Good Omens is my main one, but I’ve been ficcing for 20 years and have toe-dipped in around 100 fandoms at last count. I also love a plausible crossover. If I can cross something, I will :D Did briefly make BNF status in HP fandom, around 2002. Very confusing experience, since I don’t generally interact with people, I just throw fic at them.

Where you post: Previously, I had my own sites and used to post on the Pit of Voles. Now, I post on tumblr and AO3 exclusively. Mostly because I’m too lazy to post everywhere else.

Most popular one-shot: Unexpectedly, based on kudos alone, it’s Five Times North Star Assistance Helped The English Guy. It was one of two fics I wrote for Sleepy Hollow during season one. Then season two happened and I never wrote for it again.

Most popular multi-chapter story: No shock that it’s one of my MCU stories: Training Buddies. It was meant to be a one-shot set after CA:TWS, when Matt Murdock accidentally befriends the on-the-run ex-Winter Soldier. Only because it’s me, it got big and I accidentally correctly wrote the events of Civil War the year before the film came out. A few people screeched at me about that.

Favourite story you wrote: Don’t have one. Seriously, dude. Seriously. How can you ask this question? I have over 300 works on AO3 alone and that’s just my stuff I’ve posted since 2008. Asking me to pick one is like… I don’t even know what it’s like! Doesn’t help that I rarely remember what I’ve written until I unexpectedly get comments or kudos for it and go “wait, which one was that?” Fic is just me pulling my brain-words out, splatting them on a keyboard and throwing them at the internet. I don’t really have much of an emotional attachment. (However, if you insult any of my babies, I KEEL YOU)

Story you were nervous to post: First ever, ever, ever fic. That was terrifying. I can’t even remember which one it was now, but it was October 1999. I found a website of an artist who also wrote fic and I made a small fic and tentatively held it out for this Wise Sage Experienced fan’s appraisal. 20 years down the line, I’m still friends with her, I’ve lived with her for a spell, she got me a job and I own a metric ton of her art.

How do you choose your titles? I have no sodding clue. Sometimes they just show up in my brain.

Do you outline? OH LORD. No. No, no, no, no. I keyboard smash. That’s all I ever do. I don’t know what’s coming. Some part of my brain does, but I certainly do not.

Complete: …I did mention I’ve been doing this for 20 years, right? I’ll give you a few of my biggest ones: The Eighth Weasley (Buffy/HP crossover – 412k - started in 2001. Please excuse the writing quality. I was a learner), An Inward Treasure (Once Upon a Time Rumbelle Regency AU - 100k), Avalanche (Peggy Carter as the Winter Soldier AU – 82k), Thaw and Glacier (CA:TWS Sorta-Honey-Trap AU from two POVs – also one of my writing challenges to myself with fixed word counts per chapter), Burning with a Deadly Heat (CA:TWS Cold War AU – 82k), Inverse Omens (Good Omens reverse role AU – 61k + expanded missing scenes of around 60+k as well, because I’m lame). I also did a whole slew of full season 1 rewrites of Once Upon a Time, because why not? :D

In progress: AHAHAHAHAHHAAHAH SHUT UP. Main two at the moment as the Hunger series and Crossing Paths, which have no ending in sight because I’m having way too much fun with them.

Coming soon/not started yet: Me no know.

Do you accept prompts? You can lob them at me. Can’t guarantee I’ll use them.

Upcoming story you are most excited to write: It’s a novel :D Another one! As well as 275k of fic on AO3 in the past 11 years, I’ve also had six novels, a novella and 7 short stories published. I am a busy bee.

I won’t tag, for mercy’s sake. Feel free to meme if you like.

[luthienebonyx]

Author interview

Tagged by: @seaspiritwrites

Name: Luthien. My real name also starts with L. I answer to L as well, so then I don’t have to think about which me I’m meant to be at any given moment.

Fandoms: At the moment, Game of Thrones/A Song of Ice and Fire, in the sense that I’m glancing at it sideways while the torrent of words continues. In the past, many others.

Where you post: AO3, these days.

Most popular oneshot: In this fandom, As Sunlight Drinketh Dew, which is probably the most explicit thing I’ve written for this pairing, and was also my first attempt at writing Jaime POV.

Across all the fandoms I’ve written in, and keeping in mind that a good chunk of my fanfic pre-dates the AO3 so this answer is really only in relation to the stories I’ve posted since around 2010, my most popular oneshot is, surprisingly, A Night to Remember. This is a Phryne/Jack Miss Fisher’s Murder Mysteries fic, which is also on the explicit side. (I think I’m sensing a pattern.) It’s one of those stories that just doesn’t die. I can never pick which ones those are going to be.

Most popular multi-chapter story: In this fandom, More Than a Memory. This was the first story I wrote for this fandom, apart from a couple of drabbles years and years ago, and it just came pouring out of me after the finale aired. I was very surprised that it had any real following at all, because I was a completely unknown writer in this fandom and the story is canon compliant right up to the end of Season 8, with everything that that means for this pairing.

In my fandoms on AO3 overall, the most popular multi-parter is A Fine Romance, which is an unfinished Fantastic Beasts and Where to Find Them newtina fic. I had to stop writing it for a while because my health crashed in mid-2017, and then the second movie pretty comprehensively jossed my plans for the rest of the story, but I think it captured the fandom vibe at the time it was being posted.

Favorite story you wrote: Right now, it’s probably Beloved, part of my After Everything fix-it universe (written partly to make up for writing More Than a Memory) because it’s a very ‘me’ story, and also because even though I finished it a few days ago, it’s still hanging around in my head. Once I get back to working on my Regency AU, You I Know, that will be the favourite, because that’s the story I’ve wanted to write for YEARS.

So far as past fandoms go, I’m still very fond of my Once Upon a Time rumbelle AU Plain Jane. That’s another one of those ‘me’ stories.

Story you were nervous to post: I feel as if I should say More Than a Memory, because I really honestly expected that hardly anyone would read it, but it was one of those stories that wouldn’t let me NOT write it, so it wasn’t like I had a choice about it. I just threw it out there.

I think probably As Sunlight Drinketh Dew was the one I was actually most nervous about, because it was my first time trying out Jaime POV, and that sort of thing is always nerve-racking.

As for stories from past fandoms... I can’t really remember? Except that I always HATE my stories right before I post them, so in that sense they all make me nervous.

How you choose your titles: On a wing and a prayer? Titles are the bane of my existence. Sometimes, if I’m really lucky, the title will come to me very early on, which is a huge relief. Other times, I’ll have a story finished and edited and ready to go - except that I don’t know what it’s called. Then I get out my big book of quotations, and google lyrics, and just hope to god that something jumps out at me. 

Weirdly, I haven’t had my usual titling trouble for most of the stories I’ve written in this fandom, but that might be more just my attitude. A vaguely appropriate title will cross my mind and I’ll just seize it and decide that “That’ll do!” It’s nice not to have to deal with these little title-related stress-outs.

Do you outline: Hahaha. I’ve TRIED to outline in the past. I just end up with scene drafts instead. 

My usual approach is to have a list of bullet points of the main plot beats, plus any other reminders to myself of details that I’m going to need further down the line. For my longer stories, I think of my list of bullet points as making up the skeleton, and then the flesh and blood of detail happens as I write. But no, I really wouldn’t dignify any of that with the description of ‘outline’. Outlining is something that happens to other people, I’m afraid.

Complete: In this fandom, 23. However, 18 of those complete stories belong to series that are still on-going, so their storylines are not yet complete even though the stories themselves are.

Overall? I have 122 complete works on the AO3, but that doesn’t include every fic I’ve ever written, so the actual answer is... I don’t know?

In-progress: In this fandom, two actual stories and two series. I need to get back to my Regency AU, You I Know, very soon. It’s currently at Chapter 8 of... many. I’m also partway through writing the second and last chapter of the latest Aussie Coffee ‘verse fic, On the first day of Christmas (my true love gave to me). In terms of series, obviously Aussie Coffee is still not finished - I still have another five (hopefully) short instalments to write once the Christmas fic is done - and After Everything still has at least one more story to go (which I’m currently working on).

In other fandoms... I think I’ll just sweep a few stories under the rug and pretend that they don’t exist.

Coming soon/not yet started: Coming soon: A Sansa bystander POV fic from right at the beginning of After Everything, when the ‘after’ bit hasn’t started yet - I’m not writing that series in chronological order. Also, the rest of the Christmas Day fic from Aussie Coffee, and FINALLY a new chapter of the Regency AU.

Not yet started: I have an idea for a musician AU kicking around in the back of my head, but it’s right at the bottom of the priority list, and probably will be for some time.

Do you accept prompts: I do sometimes, if I’m in the mood, or if I don’t have anything more pressing to write. (So yeah, not so much with the prompts right at the moment!) Usually only drabble prompts, though. I have two writing modes: drabbles of exactly 100 words, no more and no less, and “who the hell knows how long this thing will be?” I’d rather not get into anything in the second category by accident.

Upcoming story you are most excited to write: Regency, Regency, Regency!!!! I have SO MUCH planned for this story. I’m going to stuff every last Regency detail and plot point that I can think of into it - and I’ve been reading about and researching this period for decades, so I can think of A LOT. I’ve wanted to write a novel-length Regency AU through several fandoms, but I’ve never been well enough to commit to it before. But now, for some reason, I am well enough to just keep writing most days, and so I’m not losing writing momentum, and things like this are finally possible. AND I AM SO EXCITED ABOUT EVERYTHING ABOUT IT!!!!!

But the rest of the Aussie Coffee ‘verse is also going to be fun to write. The path it’s going to take isn’t the one that might seem most likely right now...

Tagging: @nire-the-mithridatist @woodelf68 @firesign23 @it-may-be-dull-but-im-determined @ladyem-fandom and anyone else who wants to do it.

[abovethemists]

My Year in Fic - 2020

I barely wrote anything this year what with a pandemic and all, but here is what I did write. I hope I have more time to write in 2021. 

Total words written: 52,930 

Goals for 2020: Reach 1,000,000 words on AO3. (Same as last year), Finish at least 3 WIPs, write more one shots 

Total WIPs finished: 0

Total One Shots written: 5

Total multi chapter fics started: 2

Itemized beneath the cut

January

I’m So Done With This, My Love (Rushacey) 

Chapter 5

En Pointe (Woven Beauty) 

Chapter 8 

February 

Nothing 

March 

The Wingman (Rumbelle) 

Presumption (Dark Castle Rumbelle) 

Rushacey, scotch 

Rumbelle, reunion, dancing 

Rushacey + highlighter/glasses

April 

A Sharp and Glorious Thorn (Rumbelle Season 1 AU) 

Chapter 4

May 

Fuck all

June 

Whispers in the Dark (Rumbelle Regency AU)

Chapter 1

Chapter 2

July 

Whispers in the Dark 

Chapter 3

Never Let Me Go (Golden Lace)

Chapter 1

August 

Whispers in the Dark

Chapter 4

September 

Never Let Me Go

Chapter 2 

En Pointe 

Chapter 9 

October 

Whispers in the Dark 

Chapter 5

November 

Whispers in the Dark 

Chapter 6

December 

En Pointe 

Chapter 10