Chapter Text
England, Island of Scilly－
An old woman doing laundry work right in the middle of the a long slide rocky road.
"Excuse me, do you know how to go to the Sahila Stonehenge?”
The old woman raise her head, meets the eyes of a classy English man.
The gentleman was wearing a suit, a little over-dress for a tourist, not to mention a pretty hot sunny day.
He bowed his head politely towards the old woman.
His face is calm and modest, with a kind of old fashion charm.
"I mean the ancient heritage with a rock hill." He said, supplemented.
"Oh, you mean the 'The One Lady Ancient Tomb’? "
"Exactly."
"Walk along the rocky road, and you will see."
"Thanks. And this is such a magnificent road." The gentleman replied with compliment.
"It was built by those Romans. Those are outdated like me."
The man smiled a bit shyly, saying thank you and ready to continue his journey.
"Wait!"
Before he head off, the old woman took down a piece of nearly-dry off white apron from the laundry line, and handed to the graceful Englishman.
"Take this along with you." The man puzzled.
"You are going to see the lady doctor, right? Without this, you will be blow off your head!"
The man somewhat accepted and thank her courteously.
The old woman back again to her laundry work, while murmured to herself, "If I was much younger, then I can be a help to her...."
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The man arrived Stonehenge, surprised to find there is some apparent heavy machine trail in the area. While he want to take a closer look at the stone, suddenly a gunshot loudly passed besides him.
“Hey hold your fire! It’s me, Gold! Dr Belle French! We are classmate in Oxford!” he rigorously waving the white apron and grateful to the kindly old woman in his mind.
“Oh…Rumple! Is that really you?” A beautiful, tough-lady appear behind a rock, where she is holding a rifle, walking closer cautiously.
Once she see the face of an old friend, she smile tenderly.
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They have tea outside a campsite which surrounded by the giant rocks, exchanging the recent status of each other.
“You know what Dr French, it is quite an impression to make since the first time I see you again after 6 years, with you shooting at me…”
“Hey, watch out your tongue, Dr Gold, be aware that I am still holding the rifle now.” She raise up the rifle threateningly.
They look at each other, both burst to laugh, happily.
“Of course it is not you that I am aimed at.” Dr French said quietly.
“It is Mr Gaston, the son of Baron, right?” Gold said, knowingly.
“So you know.”
“Yes. Will told me everything. He cares for you, still.” When mentioned of that name, Belle’s face dropped.
“Anyway, the Baron’s son is going to tear down this heritage tomorrow, nothing could help it.”
Belle told Gold that, while the old Baron promised her to let her do the research and launch an archaeological study towards the Sahila Stonehenge, his successor – the young Gaston go back on his father’s promise right after the old man passed away.
“So, tomorrow is the last day?” Gold asked, lost in thought after his own question.
“Yes…but hey, let’s talk about you. Are you really got divorce with Milah?” Gold suddenly feel very uneasy with the mention of the name.
But Belle ignored, pressed at the subject. “Why? I thought you like her, although you two seems contrary in personality, but she did changed you a bit, you are more outgoing now, right?”
Gold touched the back of his head, kind of old habit. “Well, it’s a bit complicated…”
“Have you tried to urge her back? Sometimes, woman just needed man to take the initiative, don’t you see?” Belle said in demanded tone.
“Well…I…” Gold stuttered.
“You are very excellent in academic, just a bit too soft and gentle sometimes, you should be more masculine, you know.”
“You are right, and I always think Will is braver than me.”
When mentioned the name, this time Belle backed off.
She changed the subject promptly. “Hey I apologized for scare you off previously. Actually the ‘bullet’ is making from some rock salt, so it will cause no real harm.” She displayed the rifle for Gold to see, and lead him approach the Stonehenge closer.
“The Baron’s family regarded this heritage as a sacred place and refused any research team approaching for nearly a decade, especially the cave over there” Belle pointed at a secret cave.
“A decade…that means there is a possibility that the cave will be a intact archaeological site? Judging from the outlook, is it a grave about thousand years ago?” Gold becoming more active and interest, when talking about Archaeology, he can talk all nights.
“Yes I assume so. But you know that bastard want to do what with this treasure?”
Suddenly, a big, annoying noise approaching.
Belle grabbed her rifle right away, defensively warning, “That he is!”
“Dr French!” Gold turned, and see a arrogant and willful man, with a group of construction worker and heavy bulldozer, approaching slowly like an army.
“Go away, Gaston, leave now!” Belle raised the rifle, pointed at the fellows men, threatening.
Despite standing with a large number of worker, the arrogant man raised both of his hand, and approaching slowly.
“Dr French. I come to make peace. You don’t have any rights over this territory which you are illegally conquering now, and pointing a rifle at its rightfully owner, didnt do you any good either.” Gaston announced like a champion.
“So what about you? The son who intended to destroy an ancient heritage, go against your father’s will, sounds like a much more serious crime to me!” Belle shouted back.
“Well if the heritage is so important, should the government or even the United Nations recognized its value and declared it as a world heritage by now. Is that right, Dr French?” Gaston said in a arrogantly mocking voice.
“Wouldn’t make it any respect as you intended to tear it down and turned it into a F1 formula circuit anyway.” Belle retorted.
“Do you know how much benefit it will bring to this land after the reconstruction? All you archaeologist concern is what some old dead fellows left in a thousand years ago, while the very privilege of the livings is being greatly exploited.”
“But why is the F1 circuit?” Gold interrupted suddenly.
The young Baron shot him a distasteful glance, then continuing without looking at him, “My great plan is turning this area into a F.I.M. recognised....”
“F.I.M.?”
Annoyed at being interrupted again, the young Baron answer it rudely.
“It’s the Fédération Internationale de Motocyclisme, don’t you know anything? Once they recognized the circuit, even a remote, desolated location like here, can be a spot with over a million visitors coming, and billion of benefit year after year….”
“All this things, have you earned your mother's agreement?” The young Baron displeased by the question from Belle, yet he answered it, “I know you have went to see my mother, but unfortunately, I AM the master of this Baron family now, so even mother have to listen to me as well.” The young Baron disregarded a fierce glare from Belle and continued, “Dr French, with all due respect, I really hope a beautiful lady like you will learn to obey male’s opinion and not go against it every time. If only you know how to behave, I am sure you could make a presentable fine missus, instead of ruined by futile endeavor of academic pursing…”
“Are you finished Gaston? Because I have important research work to do, than to engage in nonsense conversation.”
The young Baron is not happy with the implied repelling, but remained aloofness, patting off little dust on his own collar, and walk back to the constuction group.
“Tomorrow is the starting day. Nothing you can change! Remember!”
“Come as you want, I will be ready.” Belle shouted.
Nevertheless, after the construction group disappeared, Belle sit down helplessly, and frustrated.
“So, this is the last….” Belle whisper to herself, “how can human defeat the bulldozer? If only I have the wisdom of my mother facing the tank along in her age of 19, then it would be great…”
“the tank?” Gold noticed curiosly.
“Nothing. Although we are going to lose, there's still time until dawn!”
“What?” Gold puzzled.
“Come with me, Rumple, I need your help.”