Bella made it to the end of the corridor without any luck for a second time. How the children eluded her for so long, she had no idea. Were there really that many places to hide on a single hallway? Every now and again, she thought she heard soft laughter; however, she saw no one. Bella placed her hands on her hips and sighed, turning to face the length of the corridor. "Maybe we should have played Hide and Clap instead," She thought with rueful amusement.
Starting her third round, Bella headed into the nearest bedroom to check again for the children. She started by looking under the bed, then behind the drapes. To her left, there was a chair and table, atop which sat an antique tea set. She couldn't be certain at first, but she thought she saw something materialize just on the edge of her sight. When she turned her full attention to the tea set, the Monarch rested atop the teapot. Her copper eyes widened in surprise; it was strange to see the butterfly without Sofie nearby. Despite this, Bella smiled, if just a little wryly.
"Do you want to help me find Sofie?" The redhead asked rhetorically, knowing she would receive no answer. This happened only over the course of a moment; and as Bella reached for the handle of the closet door, the Monarch darted for the bedroom door. Bella paused, raising a brow, and smiled again. "Are you going to help me, after all?" She asked amused, following the butterfly into the hallway. It stopped, hovering near the wall. There was nothing there behind which a child could hide; there was nothing there at all except decorative wallpaper. Bella frowned, as it became apparent the Monarch was not going to be of any assistance. Then, there was a flash.
Bella covered her eyes and squeezed them shut to shield them from the blinding light. She opened them again slowly and carefully, and looked with bewilderment at the passage that was open in the wall where it was solid but a second before. Blinking, she rubbed her eyes, unable to believe them. She took a step forward and reached out, feeling only empty space where the wall used to be. So, it wasn't an illusion. Then what was it? As wary as she was of following the Monarch anywhere after the previous day's events, she stepped through the doorway. Whether it was curiosity or some unknown force, Bella felt as if she was being drawn in.
If not for the glowing of the butterfly, Bella would be hopelessly lost within the dark. The two went on for quite some time, the halls vast and long, leading up and down, every which way until finally coming to an end. Another flash. There was an opening. The Monarch had lead Bella to the east wing, at the very site she had found herself at the night before. The prince's study, vandalized by who but himself. It was clear he had continued his onslaught on the furniture even after they left him.
"She is of nobility." A voice began, "I found her playing the piano with the grace of an amateur. She hails from Valford." Jaron sat before his desk, facing the window, gazing at the wilderness. His skin was no longer pale, his eyes a soft blue. He appeared much more mellow and content than the night before. Even during the day, his study remained under cover of darkness. The prince sat perfectly still in thought, recalling the events that had lead to the reality he lived.
"You're a stubborn mess, and now you're an orphan too. Quite pathetic. May your cold heart forever find itself trapped in this place, alone. Nobody will find you here."
Jaron could see Bella drenched in rainwater, sitting on the cold floor all over again. Where had she come from? He had not been in the presence of a woman in nine long, long years. He would not think to see her coming, and had no chance to prepare himself. He looked back on all the yelling and screaming he did before her and almost began to feel embarrassed.
Why was he so enraged? There was something in Bella that terrified the prince, something he could not put a name to presently. Henry did not once mention the conditions that bound them to this place, conditions set by a man even more vile than the prince's worst day. He wondered what possibilities could be troubling the prince's thoughts. Upon reflection he too felt a little embarrassed. He could not think of what to do at the sight of Bella, and on instinct locked the girl away. He had forgotten that they in fact could benefit insurmountably thanks to Bella's presence, if things happened to turn out a certain way. It was something Henry could ignore no longer.
"She is young." He added hesitantly. "As young as you were before coming here."
The words sent a pang to Jaron's chest. That intense fear made itself felt, and the young man could not figure out why. Suddenly he was filled with a confusing rage, however, he was more capable of controlling himself after he drank. "Don't." Jaron clenched tightly onto the arms of his chair. "She would never. Not with me." Suddenly he stood up, his eyes still surveying nature. He turned sideways towards Henry. "We will speak of this later tonight."
Without warning, Tobias grabbed Bella by the hand. Sophia and the boy had followed Bella and the Monarch through the opening in the wall. The boy lead Bella away from the study and back into the secret passageway. "Imogen is looking for you." Tobias stated, not bothering to mention the curiosity of the passageways presence, as it was seemingly a mode of transportation they were all accustomed to. "Break time is over."
"What am I doing? The last time I followed that thing I wound up in a heap of trouble," Bella thought as she wordlessly followed the Monarch. The passage was a series of narrow corridors paved in stone, almost identical to the corridor under the stairs where Bella was previously imprisoned. The only real difference was that the corridor under the stairs had sconces with burning candles to provide some form of light to see by. This passageway was as inky black as a starless, moonless night in the woods. The only light was that provided by the golden glow of the Monarch.
"I still am in trouble," briefly crossed Bella's mind as she traversed the ever-winding path, the same fear and uncertainty from the previous day tying a knot in her throat. The path ended at a wall, a dead-end; however, this didn't last long. In another bright flash, this wall disappeared too, creating a doorway. Bella blinked and squinted against the stars and bubbles that invaded her vision due to the blinding light. She peered out, finding much to her dismay that the Monarch led her to the east wing, just outside the Prince's study. It wasn't like when she first saw it the day before, stately and regal; it was an absolute mess. A painting was on the floor rather than on the wall and the red and gold velvet rug that lined the floor was a mess. That wasn't even the half of it.
"You!" Bella whispered angrily at the Monarch, feeling as though it had tricked her. That would be the second time; and if so, shame on them both. She was distracted from her anger by a voice from within the study, a voice that belonged to none other than Henry. He was undoubtedly talking to the Prince. The stoic man was saying something about nobility and the piano. A creeping suspicion rose in Bella, confirmed when Henry mentioned Valford. Indeed, he was talking about her! But what did playing the piano or hailing from Valford have anything to do with her situation? Bella dared to lean farther out to get a better view of the study. She could just see the Prince; he looked quite different than before. His coloring was no longer ghostly and his eyes no longer red. He looked very much like his portrait that hung above the castle doors.
There was a moment of silence before either man spoke again. Bella pressed her back against the wall of the passageway, her mind reeling. How long ago had the Prince come to the castle? What would she never do? Questions swirled over her head in a cloud of confusion. She was so absorbed in her thoughts that she didn't notice Tobias or Sophia until Tobias grabbed her hand. Bella jerked with a start, sinking back against the wall in relief when she saw that it was only the children come to retrieve her. She nodded and walked back with them, no one mentioning the conversation she overheard or the secret passage.
After that, Bella was glad to go back to cleaning. It would distract her for at least a little while.
"No more wandering!" Imogen awkwardly asserted, as she was not accustomed to barking orders, especially towards a prisoner. "From now on I need to know where you are and what you're doing at all times. Please!" Immediately she regretted adding the please, as she did not think someone of authority would need to do so. She was out of place, and only hoped that she would soon be done with such a formality, and the two could get along together normal like, without all the bossiness. It really didn't suit the seemingly young woman.
The day pressed on in a humdrum manner as Bella and Imogen cleansed the castle thoroughly, starting with the prince's mess in the east wing and ending in the stables as the sun made its descent. They were just feeding the last of the horses when daylight vanished.
"Ah," Imogen sighed contently, "All in a days work." She glanced towards Bella, offering a smile. "I'd say we earned some grub, don't you?" The girl brushed herself off, organized the horse feed nice and proper, and lead Bella back towards the castle. She had given the girl a minor tour throughout the day so she could find her way around should she lose herself during some shenanigans with the children. As they entered the castle, the halls had already been illuminated with candles. They passed through the lobby towards the kitchen, where Landon had already began to prepare dinner.
"Hello, hello!" Landon greeted the two. Once more they had walked upon an uplifting aroma that engulfed the room. There were already two plates riddled with chicken, broccoli, some rice and a bowl of mushroom soup that awaited the two hardworking women of the castle. "Dinner's ready, help yourselves!" Imogen didn't hesitate to dive into Landon's cooking, she never did. Briskly she took a seat at the table as Landon served the others, leaving only Bella, Imogen, Landon and Sophia in the kitchen. The four sat together, said their graces, and began to eat. The meal was silent at first, as the three were adjusting to Bella's presence, something they were not at all accustomed to. The three of them glanced occasionally in her direction, simply out of curiosity and wonder. Sophia did most of the glaring, and if she met Bella's eyes, would offer a beaming smile before diving back into her plate.
"So, Bella." Landon began, "Tell us, what's it like back home for you? I hear you hail from Esterwell. How is it? Have you made any friends, met anyone interesting? Please, do tell." Landon, being the social butterfly he is, urged Bella to tell the three about herself. The man was also quite curious himself especially. He saw a lot of potential within Bella, and knew that her presence could only be a good thing in their case. He hoped things would turn out well between her and the others, especially the prince, considering their situation. "Any charming boys to be found within Esterwell?" He added gingerly, curious as to whether or not the young and dashing woman had eyes for another, and silently hoping she did not.
"S-sorry.." Bella was a bit surprised to be reprimanded when she returned from the east wing and felt a bit guilty for having wandered off. She could think of no explanation to give, but what was she supposed to say? It was doubtful the truth would be believed, not that it didn't sound incredibly silly. Following a seemingly magic butterfly through a hidden passageway that just magically appeared out of thin air? Not to mention, that she went to the east wing and eavesdropped on the Prince's conversation, as unintentional as it was. It made her wonder how she would explain all of this to her family, if and when she ever saw them again. She tried not to think of this either.
Much to Bella's discomfort, the cleaning began anew in the east wing where she and Imogen cleaned up after the Prince's tantrum. It became increasingly difficult not to think about what she overheard and she worked hard to not even look in the direction of the study. Never before had Bella cleaned so much. When she lived in Valford, there were maids who did all of that. They did their own cleaning of their new house in Esterwell; however, it was a lot smaller than the castle and they didn't have anywhere near as much furniture or other belongings as the castle had. She liked to think that the cleaning and chopping of wood she did had made her stronger than what she used to be.
The cleaning concluded with the stables where there resided a couple of horses. One was a sturdy chestnut mare with a white face and socks and a black mane and cropped tail, an obvious work horse; the other was a beautiful solid black stallion, lean and built for carrying royalty. Bella's eyes widened as she approached his stall and she offered some feed in the palm of her hand. She was petting the horse's nose when Imogen concluded their work and a little reluctantly returned with her to the castle. It was dark outside, the small courtyard they crossed was illuminated by thin starlight, the moon hidden behind a few stray clouds. Inside, the corridors were rosy with candlelight. The two were greeted by Landon and the wafting smells of a hot meal.
"Hello," Bella greeted with a smile, hungry as soon as she stepped through the door. She sat at the table there in the kitchen where a plate waited for her. Imogen and Sophia joined Landon and her there, unlike the previous night. The atmosphere was awkward due to Bella's presence and it didn't help that the three were staring at her. Sofie at least smiled at her when their eyes met. Then, finally, Landon broke the silence and a precarious peace replaced the tension in the air.
"Um.. Home is.. cozy." Bella hesitated a moment, searching for the right word with which to describe her home. "Well, we've only lived in Esterwell for a little over a month. I used to live in the city, up until a few months ago. The trip to Esterwell took almost six weeks..." She explained with a shrug. "I do like it there, though. Everyone is friendly, even if they don't know your name. The innkeeper, Lucinda, she's the one who wrote to Robby about the forge house being for sale. She's been really great." Bella paused at Landon's mention of boys and blushed. "Um, well, I don't really know much about that. I've never been one for meeting boys; that was always my sister. Um.. there is Ben; he's nice, I guess. He invited my family to dinner." Bella tried, pushing a piece of broccoli around her plate with her fork. This was a topic she rather struggled with.
"Ben?" Landon mused. Despite how charming and kind the girl was, he didn't expect there to be anyone of potential interest in her life. Or, to put it simply, he wasn't expecting any boy trouble from her, she just didn't seem the type after all. Even so, the mans intuition told him they need not worry about Ben, yet his gut feelings have lead him astray in the past. "Sounds charming. Well, do be careful with that heart of yours, wouldn't want to waste all that love." Albeit he was still quite curious, he didn't wish to pry too much for the girls sake. The subject seemed to make the girl a little tense and shy, and Landon quite admired that. She was genuine, a catch, and one they all hoped to reel in for the better.
Landon, being the social butterfly he is, began to talk of the lives they lived before and how he had served royalty all his life. "...And my father, and my father's father. It goes on. Our current generation has served royalty for as long as we can remember." He looked back on the memories fondly as he twisted his spoon upon the plate without a twinge of regret for the sake of the lives they currently lived. Imogen sighed and laughed softly. "We've known the prince since he was a child, and let me tell you, not much has changed."
She spoke out of spite, and was clearly tired from the days work. The two went on, entertaining Bella with funniest stories they had acquired together throughout their years in service to the kingdom, mostly consisting of festivals gone wrong and the many shenanigans that went on within castle walls. They made sure not to give too much about themselves away, focusing only on humoring the girl.
They had moved on to desert. Blueberry pie. As Landon took a bite, a gentle silence overtook the room as the lot indulged in their sweets. "Bella." He began, his tone a bit more serious now. "I do hope you realize the company before you." Landon realized there was an extent to their secrecy, and knew that with time everything would become clear to the girl, but there was no point in remaining reclusive with the obvious. "You are the prince's prisoner. The Prince of Carthya, you see."
Imogen glanced at Landon suspiciously, unsure of where he was going, considering whether or not they had already revealed too much. It was well known throughout the kingdom that the ruling family and their cousins had either been slaughtered or kidnapped just nine years ago. To this day they remain missing, and Landon did not expect Bella to take too long connecting the dots. He figured it would be best to be open with the girl, and feared no repercussions for doing so.
"I would love to tell you what we're all doing here, and why the prince himself remains here rather than the throne, but it is not for me to say. That you will find out here very, very soon. I only ask that you keep this place a secret, for our sake. Our situation is quite complex and extraordinary, but I know only good can come from you being here. Believe me. I know it may not seem like that's the case, but trust me." He smiled brightly, "Good things are coming. Just believe it."
"It's not like that. I only just met him a few days ago." Bella's blush brightened at Landon's words. There was, in her mind, a difference between finding someone charming and having a significant interest in them. He asked if there were any charming boys in Esterwell and she answered. Ben wasn't like the young men she was used to, like those back in Valford; however, he was charming in his own way. She contemplated this only briefly, telling herself that Ben was only just a friend and that Landon was just being silly. It was silly; they'd only just met, after all. Ben seemed practical, so surely he would think so, too.
There was relief when the conversation redirected to Landon, far away from Bella's social life. She was interested to hear of his family's long lineage of serving royalty and wondered why he wasn't serving the current ruler. Perhaps it was due to the mysterious circumstances under which he rose to power and the royal family fell? The details as Bella remembered them were sketchy. She was only a child at the time, about ten years old, and didn't learn of the grisly stories surrounding the change of power in Carthya until she was a little older. It was likely something her father wanted to shield her from, not that it really would have mattered to her at that time, anyway. The only things she paid attention to up until the age of fourteen were books, horses, and the piano. Bella forgot this quickly as Imogen spoke of the Prince.
"Wow, you've been with him for a long time." Bella said a little wistfully, not truly knowing just how long that had been. Imogen's spite wasn't lost on her, rather she felt she understood it. It was a wonder that she or any one of them stayed with the Prince for so long when he threw such terrible fits. Perhaps it was due to their long history with each other? Her statement was followed by stories that all proved to lighten the mood. This good-humored atmosphere didn't last long, though. Bella looked up at Landon curiously, his sudden serious tone enough to pull her away from the far-more-interesting piece of pie in front of her.
"Wait... what?" The redhead stared blankly at the blond man, not quite able to comprehend. She smiled at first, feeling as though she was being messed with. The expressions on their faces said otherwise, so her smiled faded. "No, it can't--! That's not--! You can't be serious. How is that even possible?" Bella stammered, recalling the stories she'd heard. Whether the remaining members of the royal family were murdered or if they'd been kidnapped had never been solved. The most-likely case was the former considering there were no bodies; or perhaps they'd been kidnapped and murdered. Surely if they were alive somewhere, they would come forward, right? ..Right? The more Bella thought about it, the more it made sense; however, there were still some holes in the story. Whatever the case, it wasn't likely to be good, and Bella was now caught up in it.
"Dear God! What have I gotten myself into?" Bella thought, her face paling like one ill. Her gaze was on the half-eaten piece of pie; her appetite was gone. "Right, good things." She said, unsure of what exactly to believe. She didn't say much else after that aside from bidding the others "good night" when she finished helping clean up the kitchen. As soon as she was done, Bella retreated to the princess's bedroom where she sat on the bed. Her mind was reeling with questions now and would doubtless keep her awake all night.
"Okay. Then it's settled. Bring her here." Henry gripped the arms of the chair he sat in. The man was in disbelief as he recalled the events in the past couple of days, or, rather, he was in disbelief of Bella. It was just too good to be true, but they had to try. The soldier briskly stood up and made for the door. Jaron sat in silence for a few moments, his mind wandering, his hand grazing his chin down to his neck in thought.
He made a mental note not to get carried away, as he often did for some reason. That intense fear remained prevalent, especially so when he thought of Bella. His eyes widened at the sound of wood cracking. He looked down, unaware of just how tight he had been gripping his chair whilst lost in thought. Jaron, pressing his fingers into his temples, breathed heavily and sighed. He had to control himself. The coming moments were pivotal to all of their futures. He had to remain calm, but above all rational.
The sound of doors closing echoed through the hall and sent a sharp pang to the prince's chest. It was time. Suddenly the prince stood up and turned towards the window, pressing his hands upon the glass pane. The night was calm and still, unlike he. There was a knock on the door. "Come in." Jaron said in a blank tone. He focused his gaze on the stillness of the trees outside, which he often did in an attempt to remain calm and rational. The door opened. Henry stepped inside, with Bella just behind her.
"Please, take a seat." Henry gestured towards the luxurious and now repaired chairs before Jaron's desk. Henry sat down himself just beside Bella, folding his hands upon his lap. There was an awkward moment of silence. Jaron refused to turn around. Even so, he didn't need to. He could see Bella's reflection in the window, and her his. He was staring at her, trying to find the words he and Henry had spent the last hour discussing.
"I've been thinking." Jaron began. "About you. About what to do about you." There were momentary lapses of silence between his sentences. Each one required him to take a steady breath. He was filled to the brim with anxiety, and completely self-conscious of himself. "There are a lot of secrets within this castle......A decades worth of them."
He stepped away from the window and turned around, avoiding Bella's gaze. Carefully, he took a seat, his eyes locked on a picture that sat on his desk of a mother, father and their son. "I know you meant no harm in coming here, I do. But I cannot allow you to leave, not yet. You see, we need your help, Bella. I need your help." The prince was clearly tense, and could not bring himself to continue speaking, his eyes remained planted on the photograph before him. Suddenly, the Monarch appeared from thin air upon Jaron's right hand, unbeknownst to both he and Henry, as if they could not see it for themselves, which they could not. It fluttered gently atop his pale skin, facing Bella.
Bella lay back on the bed, staring into the dusky pink folds of the luxurious silk canopy. The room was dark, lit only by moonlight and a few candles. The rosy flower pattern on the rug looked gray in the moonbeams; the pale pink blanket on the bed looked silver. This night was still, unlike the previous one when a storm shook the castle down to its foundation. It was calm, almost peaceful; however, Bella could find no peace. Landon's words echoed in her mind, letting her think of little else. She was a prisoner there, trapped, her fate in the hands of someone whose fate was just as uncertain as her own.
All was quiet, so much so that Bella knew Henry was coming before he got to the door due to his footsteps. She slid off the bed as the door opened, knowing that she would soon receive the answer to the question she posed the previous night. The walk to the Prince's study seemed to take twice as long as it had before. The silence pressed around so, if not for the noise of their passage, Bella might have thought she'd gone deaf. As they approached the door, Bella's heart began to beat very much faster. Henry knocked, and only once the Prince answered did he open the door. Bella followed him in, sitting down in the refurbished chair in front of the Prince's great desk. Henry sat in the other chair, which surprised her. Even sitting, the man was tall; it made her feel like a small child. Bella fidgeted uncomfortably and looked at her feet.
"I've been thinking," Jaron began after a moment, "About you. About what to do about you." The awkward silence shattered, Bella felt some of the tension in the air lift. She slowly brought her gaze up and across the desk to where Jaron stood staring into the night. With the darkness outside, Jaron's pale reflection showed on the glass almost as clearly as in a mirror; she could even make out her own reflection. It almost seemed as if he was looking at her when their gazes met on the window pane. No, he was. Bella averted her eyes as soon as she realized this. He continued, mentioning secrets. Yet again, what Landon said at dinner came to mind.
"Why so many secrets?" The redhead speculated to herself. Her thoughts were interrupted then by the Prince's next statement. "'Cannot?'" She choked out around the knot in her throat. Her voice sounded strange and foreign to her ears. "Oh... I see." Bella's hands shook in her lap, clenching the housekeeper's dress. The Prince's use of her name brought her teary amber gaze up from her shoes to focus on his face. His eyes were on the picture in front of him. "My help? With what? What is going on here?!" She asked, words growing more fervent with each syllable. "How -- Why are you even here? What does it have to do with me? Aren't you supposed to be dead?" Bella's eyes were drawn away from Jaron's then as something materialized on the edge of her sight. On his hand rested the Monarch, clearly looking at her.
Bella tensed, eyes wide, and leaned forward on the edge of her seat. Neither Jaron nor Henry seemed to notice it. Perhaps they couldn't see it? What was it doing there? What did it want at a time like this?
Without hesitation, the Monarch fluttered straight towards Jaron, landing on his neck, just above a scar on the side of his throat. Jaron stared at Bella with a seemingly deadpan expression. He could not think of any other way to handle the situation than just being completely straightforward. "Are you familiar with vampirism?"
Bella's amber gaze shifted with the Monarch's movement. It landed curiously on his neck, its golden glow shedding light on a scar. Her eyes widened still, if that was even possible, before connecting with Jaron's. "Like.. vampires?" She asked incredulously. "I've heard of it." Back in Valford, there was little talk of things like vampires. Magic was discreetly contained in witches with twinkles in their eyes who sold spells and potions for modest sums. It was the city-bred belief that the countryside was crawling with wizards and goblins. Vampires were not out of the realm of possibility.
Jaron pressed two fingers into his skin just below the scar, his hand glowing a radiant gold as the butterfly remained planted on the prince's neck as he spoke. The young man sat eerily still in this position, almost as if he were paralyzed and could not move. A red tint could suddenly be seen in his eyes. His skin grew ever more pale with every second. His mouth hung open, revealing his teeth, and if one sat close enough they would almost be able to see them grow sharper with every second. Jaron was literally transforming before Bella's eyes, something he was able to do at will, as his inhuman abilities remained somewhat dormant in his human form. Somewhat.
Henry shifted uncomfortably in his seat. Very, very rarely did he ever see the prince transform before his eyes. The way his skin was suddenly as white as paper was unsettling to the man, something he could never get used to. Even so, he remained ready and willing to protect the prince at all costs, be it against assassins or goblins and witches of the like, he would fight them to the death. There was no telling who or what would come after the prince. Carthya was under the impression their prince was dead, and with their location hidden from all after all, the years before them remained quiet and calm, or, rather too quiet and calm.
"I ought to be dead. Might as well be." He replied coldly. "But alas, Bella, for me to die is no simple matter. You see, years ago....."
Years and years ago, on a day rain engulfed all of Carthya itself, Jaron stood just before his dead mother who lay upon a table, a knife in her heart. The young man screamed as a man suddenly gripped his shoulders from behind and plunged his teeth into the side of his neck, injecting a serum into his bloodstream as he did so. The man seemed to possess inhuman strength, nothing Jaron did could remove himself from his vice grip. Slowly, Jaron began to transform just as he did before Bella. His teeth sharpened and grew, his skin became white, his eyes glowed blood red, all the while the young man screamed bloody murder.
"I am not dead. Quite the contrary, in fact. I am cursed with, I suppose, a circumstantial immortality. The lives of those that live within this castle are bound to mine by way of witchcraft. Should I die, everyone here will perish with me." It was much more complicated than that, but Jaron could not bring himself to get into detail. He would rather tell Bella what she needed to know and have it at that. "I must drink." He stated boldly, looking the girl directly in the eye, "Human blood. Every seventy-two hours. Should I go exactly three days without drink after the seventy-second hour, we all die." Both Jaron and Henry remained silent. They didn't want to scare Bella away, but there was no sneaking around the truth of the matter.
Again, Bella's eyes drifted to the Monarch, watching as Jaron's hand grazed it yet he took no notice of its presence. So, he truly didn't see it. Neither he nor Henry had any idea that it even existed; yet Sofie could as well as she. This thought niggled at the back of her mind, shoved aside for the much more important matter presently at hand. Gradually, there was a visible, noticeable change in the Prince's appearance that stirred Bella's sense of panic. She drew in a sharp breath as his eyes turned red and leaned back from the desk.
"My word.." Bella said, her words little more than a quavering whisper. She was not beyond the many stories about such creatures, the ones that told of vicious beings who ate people. She'd dismissed many of these tales after moving to the country and witnessing no goblins or wizards. This was difficult to do now that she faced a vampire. In spite of fear, Bella was overcome with sympathy by Jaron's tale, sympathy for him. It showed in her eyes, that is until mention of blood.
"You- You don't mean to.. eat me?" She asked, leaning back farther until her shoulders touched the back of the chair.
Jaron's cheeks blushed a fiery red in contrast to his paper white skin. "I.... no..... well," Bella's response was the very thing he wanted to avoid evoking within the girl. It was the stuff of nightmares, really. He never wanted anyone to believe he was some monster that ran around eating people in the night. He was not your traditional vampire. Better yet, he was no vampire at all, but the damned prince of Carthya!
"No!" He declared, nearly trembling, "I'm not going to eat you! I..."
"What the prince is trying to say," Henry intervened, bringing a bit of composure to the whole dilemma, "Is if you are to leave, Bella, we will need some of your blood just to keep the prince alive."
"Not some." He added, eyes shut, still somewhat shaking. The young man clasped his hands together, wringing them in anxiety as he spoke. "A steady supply. I've survived off of animal blood, but it is not nearly enough. I don't know why. It's just not the same. Imagine eating just a bowl of vegetables every three days for years upon years. I'm dreadfully weary, and have been for quite some time." Henry wondered if it was this very fact that contributed to the prince's violent mood swings, but he knew that alone was not the source. Stubbornness was to blame as well. That, and the agonizing passing of time they had all grown so accustom too.
"Your blood will rejuvenate me." He paused, not wanting to draw up anymore confusion. "I'm not going to plunge my fangs into your neck and suck the blood from your veins, if that's what you're thinking." There was just a hint of malice behind the prince's words, and where it was coming from who could know. Henry noticed this, and was quick to intervene once again.
"We have medical tools, an apparatus that could extract the blood. You'd hardly feel a thing." Technically she wouldn't even have to see Jaron face to face, but he felt that didn't need mentioning.
"You could go home." Jaron declared, looking the girl in the eye once more. It almost felt good, sharing this news after all the trouble the two had put the girl through these past couple of days. "We would just need you to return every few days. To extract blood." Henry added. "Bella." Henry began, "This is an extremely delicate situation. That much goes without saying. We don't want to keep you locked up here for eternity, we just need your help. We want to trust you, but all we can do is take your word for it, do you understand?"
"And should you give us your word, and go against it." Jaron began, "You and your family will suffer the consequences." The words were cold, almost lifeless. And yet, the prince did not look Bella in the eye as he said them. He felt quite ugly saying such things, but they had to be said, or at least he thought so. The Monarch continued to flutter just above Jaron's scar. "What do you think?" Henry asked.
"Pardon my ignorance." Embarrassed and flustered, Bella blushed scarlet, which clashed with her copper hair. It was silly to think that the Prince would do such a terrible thing now that she'd said it out loud. She felt foolish to have believed such bogey stories; although, in her defense she knew no better. Magic was a less-than-respectable area of study, thus Bella stayed away from any books about it that weren't fiction. Even if they weren't fictional, no two books agreed on any one aspect of magic. There was no telling what was true and what wasn't.
Bella turned her gaze to Henry, avoiding Jaron's. No matter how they worded it, providing blood still struck her as a grotesque idea. There was some relief to hear that the Prince didn't plan to bite her. Perhaps the process wouldn't be so gruesome then? His next statement forced her attention back onto him. Did he reallly just say..?
"I.. can go home?" Bella's eyes met Jaron's, glimmering with hope. Or perhaps it was the tears welling up within them that made them sparkle so. A few tears escaped and she swiped them away with the sleeve of the housekeeper's dress. "I know I needn't remind you of the value of my word, but I promise. I'll be here every third day." She affirmed with a smile. There was a bit of a jab at the Prince in those words, reminiscent of an earlier conversation. Butterflies of mixed emotions fluttered in her stomach; although, they were mostly happy.
The prince almost couldn't believe what he was hearing. Or, maybe he didn't want too. "You will?" It was as if a heavy weight had been lifted off of his shoulders after quite some time. He could feel his self relaxing, he could almost feel his very heart rate going calm. He took a deep breath before speaking again. "Well then. It's settled."
Henry, with his ever brute force, nearly slammed a small wooden box on the table. They were in a dark room somewhere in the basement, some kind of workshop. It had been poorly lit until the two of them had arrived, before Henry used his lantern to light several candles that hung off the walls surrounding them. "Sit." He gestured towards a chair that sat beside a table riddled with hammers, nails, wood and metal of the sort. He opened the box to reveal what at first glance seemed like a medical kit, but with a closer look was more of an extraction kit really. Syringes, small glass bottles and rubber tubes all sat at the top of the box, with an assortment of other tools buried beneath.
"You'll hardly feel a thing." He reassured Bella as he began to disinfect the tools before him. "Please, raise your sleeve." It was clear both Jaron and Henry's major priority was their supply of blood, as they didn't hesitate to begin the process. In truth, they could have absolutely kept the girl prisoner for the rest of her life, and extract the blood against her will, but that was not the way to go about such a delicate situation. It left no room for living, only survival.
Henry tied some rubber around Bella's arm and began to dab her forearm with a wet cloth. "After this." He began. "I'm taking you home." The man figured some good news would do well to ease the sharp but bearable pain that was to come. He attached a glass bottle to the top of the syringe and began to caress some of the girls veins with his thumb. "Take a deep breath." He suggested, just moments before slipping the tip of the needle into the most prominent vein on the girls arm. He filled three tiny glass bottles in under a minute, untied the rubber from the girls arm, wrapped gauze around her forearm, placed his tools back within the wooden box and closed the thing shut. "There. All done. Oh, one more thing." Rummaging through the box once more, he was quick to pull out a lollipop. "Here you are. Ready to go?"
That was that, so it seemed. There was nothing else to discuss, nothing left to do other than take care of the icky business at hand. Bella followed Henry to a rather dark room in the castle's underbelly. Given the circumstances, she would have been terrified to be down there; however, the thought that she was practically home gave her the courage she would have otherwise lacked. She sat in the chair, wary of it as she had been the chair before the Prince's desk. The table was riddled with tools and Bella wondered if this wasn't where the chair the Prince broke might have been fixed. She rolled up her sleeve and watched Henry with curiosity.
"Home!" A pang of longing ached in Bella's chest, but she took heart in the comfort it gave her. She drew in a breath to steady herself, though still winced as the needle pierced her skin. Glancing down, she visibly paled at the sight and looked away, feeling ill. Fortunately, it didn't last long; although she felt a little fuzzy afterward. Perhaps that was just her nerves. She stood, putting her sleeve back down, and paused as Henry presented the candy. A smile cracked Bella's lips and she burst into laughter. It seemed the stoic man had a sense of humor, after all.
"Ah, there's one more thing first." Bella managed as she caught her breath. She returned to the princess's bedroom where she changed out of the housekeeper's dress and back into her own, which was clean and dry. She left the housekeeper's dress folded neatly on the bed where it could be picked up when Imogen had a moment in her busy schedule. Subsequently, she met Henry at the door and they began the journey back into town. It was a quiet one, with Bella nearly shaking with pent up excitement. She could almost hardly believe it when the house came into view.
"I can go on from here. And you needn't worry about coming to retrieve me. I'll ride back on my horse." There were so many things that the redhead wanted to say, or rather felt she should say, but couldn't find the words. She started to head toward the dun-colored house, promptly stopped, and turned back to Henry. "Thank you." She smiled and took off running toward home. From that point, one could see down the small hill into the expanse of green behind the house where the stable and forge were. Robby was just coming around from the side of the stable, his arms piled high with firewood cuttings, when he saw Bella.
"Robby!" She called to him. Robby dropped the logs he was holding and jogged to meet her, throwing his arms around her. A moment later, the back door flung open and Celine ran out to them and threw her arms around her sister also. There was a bit of indecipherable commotion and they went into the house. There was much hugging, and crying on the girls' part, in the kitchen followed by even more hugging when her father returned home.
"So where have you been all this time?" Hugh asked from his chair across the parlor. Though it was late, the family still sat by the fire, enjoying the return of the lost lamb. Bella avoided his gaze, which roused her family's concern. She didn't know how to tell them of the strange situation in which she'd found herself. "Well, I...," She began with hesitation, "I went.. into the woods." The words cast over the house a silence so heavy, they could hear the forest breathe. "I'm sorry I disobeyed orders, but there was a - well - a butterfly." The faces of Bella's father, sister, and brother-in-law were bewildered, as if they couldn't quite comprehend what she'd just said.
Bella told them about the butterfly in the garden the day Ben ate lunch with them, about how it came to her while she was chopping wood and showed her the awful vision, the details of which she left out. She told them about seeing Sofie in the woods and trying to ask directions, about the castle and the people who lived there, and about how the Prince was a vampire. She even told them that the Prince was indeed the Prince of Carthya; although, they had to keep this secret. The silence lessened to an intense awkwardness as all of this set in. They weren't entirely sure they believed any of Bella's story for all its fantasy; however, they had little reason to believe that she would lie to them.
There was a bit of an argument about her running back and forth and giving blood to this Prince, but Bella refused to let them talk her out of it. They reluctantly acceded to her eventually, unable to understand her determination. It wasn't long after that, that they all went to bed.
Smoke rising from a small campfire beneath it greeted the morning, fading as it gradually ascended. Sunlight began to rise above the horizon. Benjamin Carthwright stood upon a plank placed in front of a small tent, pulling his overcoat that would brace the morning breeze over his shoulders. He would lightly stomp out the warm ash, ceasing the rise of smoke before assembling his tent and placing it into the small sized wagon a few yards away beside the dirt road. An auburn horse with a chestnut mane neighed softly, the sound of Ben disassembling his small camp waking the male from his upright slumber. Ben was off on the trail once more before the first few rays of sunshine began crawling over the horizon.
Carrying the weight of somber news made the whole trip from Oakridge very gloomy for Ben, who felt distraught his efforts were for nothing. Having just found a remedy for the humdrum day-to-day happenings or rather nothings of Esterwell, it stung to have that stripped away so soon. Not to mention it was a tragedy to see a family in shambles, a loved one gone missing never a good thing. He couldn't imagine how they felt as his own family was quite small and really only consisted of his father, who was never around these days. Other than that there were only colleagues, customers and business associates that made up Ben's social
circle, besides the bustle of commoners, Ben already becoming overly acquainted with more than he'd like.
He approached the Montagne house reluctantly about an hour before high noon, dismounting and knocking upon their front door thrice.
Bella rose quite late, opening her eyes only as the rays of morning light were fingering their way across the wooden floor boards of her attic room. The house was quiet, and she guessed that the others had already started the day's work. It felt almost too good to be true, waking in the comfort of her own bed at home with her family, after those two days spent in a miserly castle in the woods. Nay, it was almost as if those two days had been nothing but a bad dream; but the sorrow had been real and the fear had been real. The discomfort in her arm told her that it was most definitely real.
"Two days.." She breathed, amber gaze set upon the vaulted ceiling above her. The prince's dire words replayed in her mind as perfectly as if he stood beside her, speaking them to her now.
"And should you give us your word, and go against it...You and your family will suffer the consequences."
Bella frowned. She didn't want to think about it; she didn't want to think about him, not when she was here at home. "I'll think about it.. in two days." With a huff of finality she got out of bed and got dressed. There would be a lot of work to catch up on, having been gone for two days. It was late in the morning so she would need to get started right away in order to finish by dark.
Bella crept downstairs, where she sat on the bottom step to put on her boots. Halfway into lacing her second shoe, there came three knocks on the door. She looked up briefly. Who could it be in the middle of the work day? It wasn't even lunch time yet. She hastily finished, neatened her dress as she stood, and answered the door. She was greeted by a pair of solemn-looking gray eyes and a head of messy brown hair.
"Ben." She blinked, surprised. Behind her, she could hear movement in the kitchen. She promptly slid out the door and closed it behind her. "Is something the matter?" It didn't occur to her at that moment that he could be there about her. Surely he knew because Esterwell was a small town and word spread quickly in small towns. To think that he would have helped look for her was not even in the realm of possibility.
"Bella!"the young man stammered, nearly chocking on his own breath. He felt his chest pounding and had to collect himself for a moment, he appeared visibly anxious. "You're here!" He stated, feeling mesmerized and quite embarrassed for some odd reason. Ben gave an awfully confused sigh, scratching the back of his head briefly as he stared at the ground for a moment. "I-I was looking everywhere for you." He began, still gazing at the area surrounding Bella "Asking all around, I rode all the way to Oakridge." He had to observe Bella for a few seconds just to confirm he wasn't hallucinating. His mind was racing with a barrage of questions but he felt a line of questioning so abruptly would be inappropriate. Despite that, he did travel quite a distance after having nearly demanded he assist the Montagne family in finding Bella. His embarrassment was quick to vanish, in its place an ecstatic and almost warm feeling, the same feeling he had experienced upon their first encounter. The initial shock of Bella's sudden appearance sunk in, Ben was not eager to pry for details nor did he care much for them. He chuckled slightly and smiled, placing his hands on his chest. "I apologize, I just did not expect the very girl who went missing would answer the door. I came here the moment I heard of your disappearance, your family was in such dire straits, and being such kind and generous people, I could not simply stand idly by as they searched the ends of the earth for you, so I offered to help."
Ben began to adjust his tie and appeared suddenly composed and difficult to read, despite feeling somewhat embarrassed Bella caught his initial burst of shock. If only he had arrived just a bit later in the day, maybe someone else would have answered the door. "You seem to be in proper shape." He stated factually in his usual deadpan tone, placing his hands behind his back as he maintained a somewhat curious expression.
"You-- you were?" Bella was just as surprised as Ben upon hearing that he had been looking for her. Of course her family would have looked; they were her family, but Ben? They hardly knew each other. For him to throw himself wholeheartedly into helping her family, into helping her, was odd. Yet she found it very touching. Perhaps that was part of the charm of living in a small town, everyone being so open and friendly and willing to help out their neighbors. At first she smiled, then became as frazzled as the young man obviously was. Guilt washed over her at once and turned her cheeks scarlet. He had gone to the trouble of going as far as Oakridge to look for her - a two day trip! He must have been gone about as long as she was.
"No, you needn't apologize. On the contrary, I should be apologizing." She looked down at her feet, twisting her hands in the skirt of her dress. "I caused so much trouble... If I had just listened--!" Her breath caught in her throat. Rather than scold herself as she had already many times for so foolishly disobeying direct orders and going into the woods, she exhaled slowly and managed a smile.
"I'm sorry." Bella looked up finally, meeting Ben's gaze. "I, well, yes. I, um, I..." She was unsure of how to explain what happened without sounding completely neurotic. Then she couldn't quite bring herself to tell him that she got lost in the woods over something so whimsical as following a butterfly, and a magic one no less. "I wandered into the woods while gathering firewood. I wasn't really paying attention to how far I was going and before I knew it, I was thoroughly lost. I don't know how far I walked before I met a girl. I followed her back to her home and her family was kind enough to let me stay there until they could bring me home." The story was fabricated entirely on the fly, and Bella was (secretly) pleasantly surprised at her quickness to spin it. It still sounded a bit sketchy; however, there was no one to disprove it. If Ben trusted her at all, he would accept her explanation.
"I just got back last evening. I feel awful about it really. They were so good-natured about it." That last part was the largest lie of all. While some of them were more accepting of her presence at the castle than others, things were far from how she made them out to be. She was quiet for a moment.
"Thank you, Ben, for helping. It means a lot. Perhaps I can repay you?"
Ben listened attentively as Bella recapped what had occurred with more focus than his expression suggested. After admitting to himself the girl as beautiful as she was did not come off as too bright, there was nothing to suggest any dubious motives that would entail a prolonged disappearance. Well, that was the fiction he affirmed in his head. Really, he found himself lost in Bella's eyes and would have stood there listening all day if she hadn't suddenly proposed repaying him for his fruitless efforts. With that, he blinked several times, nearly day-dreaming in front of Bella. It was something he did to everybody in Esterwell really, seeing as there was truly no reason to socialize and make small talk if not for the sake of maintaining formalities, it was more so good for business than anything.
That was, however, not the case with Bella. It was after all Benjamin's secret motive to amass a secure amount of wealth gradually so as to never have to interact with common folk in such a hum-drum manner ever again. He thought it a shame to see a girl of nobility who hailed from Valford getting lost in the forest, chopping wood of all things especially! Such was the work of mindless nobodies, burly men with frazzled beards in need of trim and rough callouses that made up the palm of their hands. No, a lady of Valford was fated to marry into money, that which Ben found to be plentiful. He would see to it her family was well taken care of, moved far away from such a perilous forest into a house befitting a merchant keepers wife. It was obvious if Bella were to live the life she was born to, there would be no time left to waste and he would not allow her to slip away again.
"Well, I'm used to going out of town. It was really no inconvenience at all," The merchant observed his hand as he spoke, raising his forearm up just below eye level, so as to gaze at his fingers which he slightly closed. His hands were usually quite soft and delicate, however if one were to caress them they would feel dirt and coal, remnants of the campfire Ben had prepared the night before. "I even managed to secure a contract for my store while I was there, seeing as I was in the neighborhood. But, how about joining me for brunch?" He proposed solemnly, meeting Bella's glaze as he held his hands behind his back. "I've only just barely returned and, it would be nice to have some pleasant company. There is room for two on my wagon."
Ben would not necessarily refuse to take no for an answer, however he could not think how or why Bella or her family would not oblige with the request seeing as they were somewhat beyond formal acquaintances, if not Ben was persistent enough to see that they were. After the dinner some few or so nights ago they had welcomed Ben to the house anytime, he remembered that. There was quite some tension when he had arrived so suddenly upon hearing the news of Bella's disappearance but, seeing as she was home safe and sound, he could not think spending the afternoon in town would bode any cause for concern.
After all she would be with him and it was Ben who offered to look for her, so he would see to it she was not lost again after only just returning. If anything, he hoped they would consider him to be incentive for Bella to not wander off for so long, if at all. Not to mention it would be their first outing alone, together. The wagon ride to town was quiet and tranquil. Ben was not an awkward person in the slightest, interacting with customers, vendors and associates on a day-to-day basis. He was so used to talking he had become quite bored of it and being so immersed in work had even forgotten some things about himself, which his time with Bella brought to memory.
They would see deer and rabbit off the beaten path that linked the woods and Esterwell, Ben would tell of his experience hunting deer and rabbit with his father as a child and how his father was overseas until the coming winters pass. He could not think of anytime he spoke so lively of anything, even as a child. He could not help but think of how delightful the morning felt, especially after having made such a long journey under the impression he came bearing awful news.
They would enjoy a light breakfast at a bakery in the town market, sitting outside just half an hour before noon. Ben's coat and suit jacket lay atop his chair, a muffin and cup of orange juice sat on the table before him, hardly touched. He was more immersed with conversing, suddenly feeling as if he knew more about Esterwell and it's people more than he had assumed. He had loosened his tie and rolled up his sleeves, commenting on nearly everyone that walked by them, where they lived, their line of work, even the goods they purchased seeing as practically everyone in time were patrons in his store. Even the very ingredients used for the baked goods before them were purchased from his shop.
He mentioned how he had several opportunities time and time again to run a number of stores in town out of business, which was quite a rare feat for that time. He was, however, not a greedy capitalist, a trait of himself he had not fully realized up until that point. Ben was so enamored in the idea of making a good and respectable impression for Bella, he truly seemed to not care what anyone else thought of him other than her. "She must bring out the best in people" he pondered "I cannot think of anybody else that could."
Bella considered the young man's proposition a moment, sneaking a peak around the corner of the house. The wood pile was rather full, or full enough that she didn't need to replenish the stock just yet. She could always tend the stables later. With that, she agreed. As the ride to town was quiet, it was easy for Bella to focus on the scenery without being rude. Of course, it wasn't the fields or the flowers she was looking at; it was the woods. She found herself searching the tree line, as if expecting to see the little orange menace glowing in the darkness just beyond the first fringe of underbrush. Fortunately, the monarch did not grace her with its troublesome presence. The only things to see were deer and rabbits and horses and cows in fields of rolling green.
She was quite interested to hear about Ben's childhood. Hunting was something they were all new to, well, except for Robby. He had grown up near Esterwell and hunting was ingrained into him from a young age. His father's voyage reminded Bella very much of her father's tales of his voyages overseas. She recalled to him late afternoons at the ship yard, waiting for her father to finish working and watching the ocean. The winters in Valford were nothing like those in Esterwell. The coastal city never saw much snow if any at all.
Bella sat, cup of tea in hand, gazing across the town square. The china wasn't so fine as what many people had in Valford, but that was one of the charming things about this town. Those kinds of things didn't matter to most. The way Ben was able to name people and things about them reminded her of a girl her sister had been acquainted with back in the city. She was a real gossip, knowing almost every speck of dirt that might sully a person's good name. That wasn't to say she thought Ben was like that.
"Capitalism is what makes businesses thrive. You don't have to be greedy to be a capitalist and being a capitalist doesn't make you greedy." She said around a sip of tea. Bella might not have come off as very bright, but there was more than one light on in the attic. Book learning was something that many people, even the rich, thought of as more of a burden than anything else. Learning to read and write and count was really about all anyone felt they needed, even then they didn't read outside of necessity. Bella admittedly didn't partake of very much educational reading after she no longer had a governess to hound her. She was much more interested in fantastic stories and poems. This love for books was one thing she relayed to Ben in conversation; although, reading wasn't something she had much time for these days with working from sunrise to sunset.
"Ben.. have you ever been in the woods? Do you believe the stories?" She asked him quite offhandedly.
"Ah, that is quite true." Ben replied in regards to his business practice. He had to admit he would undercut competitor prices so often, it made him feel a bit guilty taking customers. He sort of told a somewhat white lie considering the few general stores that used to be around until his fathers intuitive tactics had been implemented, sending a couple away and leaving Ben to see that a couple more packed up shop. It was, after all, either them or himself. Such an ideology was what made the Carthwrights who they were presently, and what made Ben more than a suitable bachelor for a woman hailing from Valford. The topic of the woods near town was not so unusual seeing as Bella had just lost herself within them. "Stories?" He had heard countless tales exchanged between both commoners and nobility the like, all of which he simply chalked up to inexperienced or ignorant people dwelling where they should not be. "No, actually." He thought it quite odd how he could not recall a single instance in which he explored the woods beside the town. He was rather older when he moved to Esterwell and was thus pre-occupied with learning the family business, leaving no room for adolescent adventures. He had enough of those back home. "My parents separated when I was young, so I stayed with my mother for a while until I was old enough to start working in the shop." He explained in detail, something he hadn't bothered mentioning during their ride to town.
"I'm not really one for fairy tales anyways. When people are under a lot of stress, especially because of something they know nothing about, they tend to concoct illusions. So as to better understand, I suppose." The idea that goblins and wizards lingered in the woods was baffling, something he hadn't payed any mind to since he was a child, ideas he was rather quick to grow out of. "It would not be so absurd to think there are undocumented fauna that roam the wilderness. The King ought to set out an expedition to remedy such nonsense."
The King of Carthya was in fact no king at all but the prime regent, taking the absent Kings place considering his death had occurred nearly a decade ago. Seeing as the prime regent of Carthya was the very stuff of the so called fairy tales, no such expedition would occur. At least, not anywhere near Esterwell.
The church bell rung at exactly high noon. The town of Esterwell was certainly not as small as it seemed, with many houses and farms residing on the outskirts of town much like Bella's forge home. People from all walks of life made up the hustle and bustle of the town square, everyone more or less following some sort of schedule or another. Ben's horse and wagon remained in front of his shop, his coat, jacket and tie sat within. It was a typical afternoon, so much that Ben conjured the idea that a break from habit should be necessary. He lead Bella towards the local tailor with no intention of revealing to her their destination. A seemingly foreign man sat upon a stool singing and playing guitar, his hat lay before him. Ben dropped a few coins into his hat, landing atop a small pile of some pocket money he would spend later at the Perryweather Inn, as the man did every day.
The couple eventually began to hold hands as they walked side-by-side, coming to a slow halt as Ben lead Bella to the shop window, which held a few fine suits and dresses on display. "I propose" Ben began suddenly "A welcome back party! Tonight, I refuse to take no for an answer. The town was quite devastated to hear of what occurred, I have yet to even ask if you've seen Lucinda since your return, she was the one who told me of your disappearance." He gestured towards a blue dress with what appeared to be a silver necklace attached to a blue pendant. It did, however, seem a bit too big for the young lady. "I'm sure they can fit it to match your size." He added almost gingerly.
"Fairy tales make some of the best stories." Bella mused with a sideways smile. Some of the best books she read were what most called fairy tales. She could recall the many stories her mother told her, all fantastic tales of magic and adventures. One of her favorites was the story told in a lullaby she used to sing. The tune she remembered so vividly, she was sure she could play it by ear on the piano.
"Oh, I see." It came as a surprise to hear that Ben hadn't lived in Esterwell his entire life, as most everyone there had. It was something that she had just assumed, without ever wondering about where his parents were. She supposed that, though he mentioned his father was out of the country until spring, either his mother was deceased as hers was or she lived nearby and simply hadn't been mentioned because their conversations didn't call for it.
"Right.. the King.." A pall shrouded Bella's thoughts. The words brought back to the forefront of her mind the words Landon had spoken at dinner the last night she spent at the castle: "I would love to tell you what we're all doing here, and why the prince himself remains here rather than the throne, but it is not for me to say. That you will find out here very, very soon." The current ruler of Carthya had no business ruling; then again, no one even knew that the prince was alive. She frowned inwardly, directing her thoughts away from the prince, yet they didn't stray all that far.
Before Bella quite realized it, her hand was holding Ben's just as much as his was holding hers. When she did realize it, she wasn't quick to pull her hand away. The blond cook's voice echoed in her mind again: "Any charming boys to be found within Esterwell?" Frustration briefly passed over Bella's face, her cheeks flushing. Even now he was spoiling the pleasant atmosphere. The sight in the shop window brightened the pink flush to nearly scarlet.
"Ben, I- I can't accept that. It is a beautiful dress, but.. I just wouldn't feel right about it." She said, amber eyes never leaving the gorgeous blue and silver garment. The beaded embroidery on the bodice winked in the afternoon sun and cast soft bubbles of light on the window. It was reminiscent of dresses she wore to parties in the city, a formality she was most pleased to dispense with. Most of the fine gowns she and her sister owned were sold, and the ones they did keep weren't so fine as this one. They were nice dresses to be sure, ones saved for Sundays and special events such as the proposed party.
"I should probably go, anyhow. There's still work to be done.. before tonight." Bella smiled. Once again, everything inside her told her to run; although, she hesitated to turn away.
"I know I must be getting ahead of myself," the young man had to admit. He wasn't at all surprised that Bella wasn't ready to jump into the dress as soon as she could. She held herself to a sense of integrity and that was what made her different. "Believe me, I would have not offered if it posed an inconvenience, in fact it would please me to do so." He placed his hands in his pockets, admiring the dress. It was quite extravagant, especially as a present for a first date. He held up his hands as if to consent defeat. "Very well, I don't wish to make you uncomfortable. I'm sure you must have a Valford dress or two laying around somewhere. At least let me give you a ride home since I dragged you out here in the first place. I hope I've not taken up too much of your time."
He gave a warm smile as they arrived back at the forge house, and had informed Bella he would make preparations as soon as he was back in town and would send word an hour or two before the party was to begin. "Sorry if I was out of line earlier." He mentioned on the almost awkward ride back to the edge of the woods. "It is very rare people from the likes of Valford move here. I suppose I was only trying to invoke some sense of nostalgia. There is not much cause for festivity or celebration around here, although I imagine you must have become quite bored with all that" Ben turned to her, smirking almost mischievously.
"You seem very humble. I can see people of nobility and that would find it odd one would fancy fairy tales and magical stories." He then turned to the road, a glint in his eyes as if something had just clicked in his mind and slightly chuckled. He was not daft towards fiction and had come across more than his fair share in his time, having them read to him in his early years, his friends at the time all mesmerized by the magic just as Bella was "I can't promise wizards or vampires will be there, but I'll do my best to make sure we won't bore you to sleep."
As evening drew close and the sun began its descent, a delivery boy, or rather delivery man made his way by horse to the forge house, carrying with him a blue dress, necklace and an envelope. The dress and necklace were wrapped in a leather bag so as to protect it, the envelope remain tied to the flap. The delivery man was Bevin, Ben's associate who had joined them for dinner. He carried the bag gingerly towards the front door, knocking upon it thrice. The envelope held an invitation to the welcome back party that was to be held in the Perryweather Inn, which Ben had rented out for the night and had already begun preparations.
The invitation letter appeared to be something of a template and was neatly decorated so as to suggest it being something one could purchase in a store and fill out themselves. It stated the Montagne's were cordially invited, Bella being the guest of honor. At the bottom of the letter was note written in cursive:
No offense but Esterwell has better tailors, it's a humble touch you could say. I hope you don't mind. Welcome back home.
- Ben
Bella made it to the end of the corridor without any luck for a second time. How the children eluded her for so long, she had no idea. Were there really that many places to hide on a single hallway? Every now and again, she thought she heard soft laughter; however, she saw no one. Bella placed her hands on her hips and sighed, turning to face the length of the corridor. "Maybe we should have played Hide and Clap instead," She thought with rueful amusement. 
