From then on, Rumplestiltskin focused on gaining power and using his magic to create deals with the people of Fairy Tale Land. Deals which always came out in his favor. One of these deals was to protect the lands of Sir Maurice in exchange for his daughter Belle's service as his housemaid. Belle agreed to the deal to save her people. After a time, the two grew close. Despite Rumplestiltskin's beastly exterior and attitude toward the lives of others, Belle found a trace of the good man he once was within him. She fell in love. In a chance encounter, The Evil Queen convinced Belle to tell Rumplestiltskin how she felt and to kiss him. Belle did, and for a moment it seemed as though True Love's Kiss would break the curse on Rumple and strip his powers away. Sensing what was happening, Rumplestiltskin became enraged, convinced that Belle had planned all along to rob him of his power. He cast her out in a fury. Later, The Queen lied to Rumplestiltskin, telling him that Belle had been shunned by her people for living with him and had died. Rumple was heartbroken.