I was thinking about Belle and the fact that I generally tag posts about her as Belle French/Belle Gold/Belle French-Gold, because I can’t bring myself to pick only one of these options. Most importantly, I was trying to understand why do I love so much to call her Belle Gold (aside from the obvious fact that I’m Rumbelle trash), when I really wouldn’t like to change my surname after marriage. It’s just not a thing where I live, and it feels like an unnecessary complication. Plus my name, my full name, is how I’ve known myself my entire life; it would feel so weird to start calling myself something else. Now, back to Belle: would a woman like her, who cherishes her independence and self-determination, change her surname after marriage?
Surprisingly, my answer was yes. “French” means nothing to her. It’s not even her cursed name, it’s her father’s cursed name. It’s a leftover from a curse under which she basically didn’t exist, a reminder of over 28 years spent in a tiny, cold cell. But Gold? Gold, albeit just as fake as French, is a name that has a meaning to it. By taking the surname Gold, Belle is giving importance to the man and the life she chose.
I’m still gonna use all three tags, but I really like this little explanation I found for Belle Gold.
I think how she felt about it might’ve also depended on where she was in her relationship with Rumple. She might’ve loved it more when they were together vs. estranged for example.
Rush's tumblr archive 