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Beauty and the Beast (Kolath and Candira)

As promised there was someone nearby in a heavy robe that was waiting for her requests and ready to answer any of her questions. The figure stood there saying nothing not reacting as if he knew something had just happened to her just waiting for the orders of someone he was to serve.

Somewhere far off the prince came out of a different passageway into his own rooms. Something felt different, he could feel that something had changed in him since he had raped that girl something had gone back to the way it was. He was starting to regret what he did but the beast in him was still too much in control. The sun was almost down and the prince pulled some clothes on with a heavy cloak that was used by the others here that were still tame. He would see the father and would make arrangements for his daughter to stay here, because he still desired her.
 
Belle came to the figure and sighed heavily. It was clear that a weight was on her shoulders. "I wonder...would it be possible to be given a place to sleep? I'm afraid...I'm afraid that I haven't been feeling well and the bath has made me tired. And perhaps something soft to sleep in?" Her voice rasped and she cleared her throat. "Something to drink as well, please." If she was going to go through an ordeal, she wasn't going to feel badly for troubling these strange people anymore.

Nel had thoroughly enjoyed his bath and was just coming to his daughter. She looked very weary and her requests only confirmed his suspicions. The girl had gotten too much sun in their travels. She was too tired to go on. He smiled and put his arms around her. "My girl. Have you tired of the waking world already?" he teased. Normally Belle would have smiled, but now, all she could do was hug him, and cling there for his support.
 
The man nodded and showed Belle down the hallway. â??You are welcome to use any of the guest rooms since no one else is going to be using them.â? He opened a door onto a large well furnished room with a high canopy bed. The sheets looked comfortable and soft just the thing to take the memory of the rape from her. â??I will see about something to sleep in.â? as he walked away another came up and bowed deeply. â??Sir Nel, the prince has agreed to see you your audience is in one hour, please do not keep the prince waiting.â?
 
Nel nodded, and smiled happily clapping a hand on the man's shoulder. "Thank you so much! I knew he was a good man." He smiled and kissed his daughter's forehead. Something was troubling her, he knew, but he thought it was only that she was over tired. "Come now, Isabelle, don't be sad. You just need some rest. Get some sleep my darling girl. You'll be just fine when you wake up." He smiled and sat her down on the edge of the bed. "You just wait here until they get back, alright? I've got to get ready--practice my speech again." With that, her father left her alone.

Belle slid out of her shoes and looked around her. The room was nice and it felt rather luxurious. Still...she wanted to be home. The bed would do for now. She wanted to take her mind off of it all for now, and this was the best she could do. So she curled up and hugged her knees to her chest, waiting.
 
The hour passed and a servant showed up to escort Nel to the throne room. Shockingly this servant wasnâ??t in a hood and cloak instead she was in the normal clothes of the area looking very normal and in fact rather kind.

The throne room was wide and long and nearly all of it was well lit, only the area around the throne was not well lit cast in deep shadows. Nel would just be able to make out the form of a tall strong looking man seated in a large throne but his face and any details were hidden. â??Come forward and make your request.â?
 
Belle had searched a bit and found an old silk nightgown in a drawer. She put it on, finding that it fit her perfectly for sleep. Little did she know that it belonged to the queen who had cursed this castle. The queen she was descended from. Isabelle crawled into bed and under the covers her body exhausted. She fell asleep in no time, her girls down and sprawled out over the pillow as she slept.

Nel happily followed after the woman. Perhaps, he thought, the people in the prince's homelands were sensitive to the sun and needed protection. That would explain the cloaks. Pleased with himself, he made his way to the prince's chamber. He got on his knee and bowed, cheefully rising. "Hello good prince. I have come to ask you for permission to host a festival. A festival to bring your people together to rejoice in their unity under your name. Of course, I would hope for your attendance, my lord. And I will be happy to go over any and all plans with you."
 
The prince was silent for a long moment seeming to think it over and then he stood. â??I am not sure about that but feel free to lay your plans out. And I think it would be best that your daughter stay here to help work out the details, as well as help my image in your village picking someone from your village as a member of my court would do just that.â?
 
"What an honor! Thank you sir! I will make sure she knows of my plans at all times," he said with a smile. "But my daughter has never been away from home, sire. And I have never really been able to get along well without her. Her mother is dead, you see. Would it be alright if I stayed with her? I'm afraid I simply cannot function without my Isabelle."
 
The prince stopped thinking about it. he had plans for this manâ??s daughter that the father would defiantly not approve of and having him around could just get in the way of it. At the same time his rational and human side said that it would be a good thing to have the father here because it would make her more comfortable. Finally he decided on a compromise. â??There is a small workshop off the side of the court yard, if you can get it up and running again it is yours.â?
 
"R-really, your majesty? Thank you for this honor! It will do my heart good to know that I may visit my daughter and she can come to me. And I'll do my very best for you, your highness. I'll have to go and get our things, but I know she'll be welcome here while I am away. I shall leave in the morning and return the next day." He smiled and bowed deeply, glad for the opportunity. "The people of our village will be so pleased." And it will quash some rumors, he thought.
 
The prince stood and waved. â??You are dismissed.â? He walked out of the throne room back to his personal chambers. He sat down and rested his hand on his head sighing. Something was changing inside him something felt like it was turning back on after years of being off. He groaned softly shaking his head trying his best to clear it but this was not something that he could clear, his humanity was coming back.
 
Nel rushed to tell his daughter of their good fortune, quickly coming to her room. Though she was sleeping peacefully, he woke her to tell her all of his news. Belle was barely awake when she heard it all, and so none of it really registered until he shook her excitedly and told her again. She smiled at her father's success, but gasped when she was told that she was now a member of the prince's court. Did that mean she would have to live here? With that thing wandering about? Flashes of the very thing she'd been trying to forget ran through her mind and she quickly turned pale. Thinking that it must have been the thought of leaving home, Nel reassured his daughter. "I'll be in the castle with you, silly lark. I'll be working in a workshop here--possibly sleeping there. But you'll never have to be too far from my side." He went on to explain the advantages of living in such a castle, but something didn't quite sit right with Belle. The hooded figures, the mysterious prince, and that strange creature....they were all connected, she was sure of it. And she didn't want to stay in a place where she didn't feel safe. But how could she tell her father now, after it had all been done without her knowledge or her consent?
 
The night passed with nothing more happening and the next day came the sun pouring in the high windows in Belleâ??s room. There was a lot of hustle and bustle going on in the hallways. It had been a long time since the servants had been able to serve anyone but their prince. The castle was a flutter and everyone put more zeal into their jobs seeing everything was perfect.

Rumors were flying every which way and even now in the early morning hours two serving girls stood chatting about the goings on. â??Did you hear? The prince said thank you!? I canâ??t believe it it has been years since he said that. Poor Melody just stood there in shock after hearing that.â?
 
Belle woke up the next morning feeling incredibly sore. The bath she'd taken after the rude taking of her maidenhood hadn't helped nearly as much as warmer water would have. Still, she sat up and shielded her face from the daylight. Was this place her new home? She sat up and let her hair fall over her shoulders, looking around the room. Faintly, she could hear voices in the hall. Everything seemed so much busier than the day before. It was making her head hurt. Slowly, the beauty made her way out of bed and let the gown she'd wore fall around her. Her tired feet carried her to the vanity in her room. Taking the brush from the stand, she sat down and began to comb her hair, wanting to look somewhat presentable before she poked her head outside of her room and asked for someone to help her.
 
The girls continued to talk about things that were going on even romances that were happening in the castle. For the first time in years many of the servants felt like this was a real castle again, not one cursed for all time. Of course they knew it wasnâ??t for all time but it sure felt like it was going to be, the prince would have to get someone to love himâ?¦and that was easier said than done. Though this new change in his attitude today had everyone wondering.
 
Belle overheard a good deal of their conversation before she got up and went to the door and opened it a bit, peeking out into the hall. She saw the two robed servants and smiled softly. "Umm, excuse me, but could someone please help me? I...I don't have any clean clothes, and I'm not exactly sure what I should be doing..." she frowned and watched them. She felt bad for them having to serve her, but she wasn't entirely sure of what to do. At the very least, she would say please and thank you.
 
They both curtsied as she walked in, rather deeply it seemed. It had been so long since there had been anyone in the castle they had to show respect too beside the prince that they had forgotten the different levels. â??Milady we will be glad to see about finding you some clothes, or we can have the castle tailor come and make you some if you prefer.â?
 
"Thank you very much. But you don't have to curtsy to me. No one's ever done it before, and it's a little strange for me to see," she said with a smile. "If you could just find me some clothes...I'm sure my father will be back soon, so there's no need to make new ones if you can find some." She smiled softly and then heard her stomach grumble. "Is it too late for breakfast?" Belle asked, looking out the window.
 
â??Not at all milady I will have cook and a servant send something right of for you.â? One of the girls curtsied again, despite what was said, and heads out to the kitchen. The other seemed to think for a moment then with a gloved hand gently took Belleâ??s â??I think I have just the thing for you milady.â? She led Belle through some rooms into another one that looked very much like her own. â??This was the queenâ??s rooms, she always said that she would want her clothes to be used by someone else if she ever died. I think it would be fighting seeing you are the first guest we have had here since the war.â?
 
Belle thanked the servant before she curtsied and left. She turned to the other servant who'd taken her hand and followed her into the former queen's chambers. Somehow, she felt safe in this room...empowered. "She sounds like she must have been a good woman. Not that the prince isn't, you see. But...there's a certain practicality in that command, isn't there?" she smiled weakly, hoping that she hadn't offended anyone. "Are you sure it's alright for me to wear her clothes? It won't upset anyone? I'm sorry. I'm terribly out of sorts. I don't know how to be a part of the court...I'm sure you know what to do...could you tell me what the etiquette is?"
 
â?? Yes Iâ??m sure the queen made it clear her wishes and no one in the castle will mind.â? She thought for a moment as she asked about the etiquette looking farther down so her face was even more hidden. â??Well mostly court will not happen except at night so sleeping part of the day would be wise. So you are not falling asleep in the middle of court. Other than thatâ?¦come with the prince calls. There is little else to it right now.â? How could she explain the problems of the court when the curse was something that no one talked about.
 
Belle nodded. "I suppose he has been rather busy..." she swallowed and smiled. "So, what might I borrow from the queen?" she asked, tilting her head to the side. She wondered if it would be wise to just go back to sleep at this point, but she figured that she could transition into it a bit more easily. Besides, she had the perfect visions to help keep her awake. Visions of her body being ravaged by that beast...
 
â??Anything milady they are all to be used, you can consider this your personal wardrobe if you wish. Or as I said before you can always ask for new clothes to be made for you.â? The girl was looking a little unsure about something, but it seemed to be something that had little or nothing to do with Belle just based on the way she was acting told her that.
 
Belle nodded and went to the wardrobe. It was filled with beautiful dresses and things that would look beautiful on Belle. All were to her taste and would suit her well..."Thank you..." she said softly. "Say...I don't mean to pry, but is something bothering you?" she asked as she picked one of the simpler elegant dresses. It was a deep blue and gold that would fit Belle like a glove until it came to the top of her hips, where the rich material would flow out.
 
The maid came over and would help Belle put the dress on. she would pull the laces tight enough to stay on and make it clear all the beautiful curves of the lady but not so tight that Belle couldnâ??t breathe. â??Oh nothing maâ??am, I just am thinking about things that areâ?¦well changing in the castle of late. Nothing for you to worry about. There now, would you like me to do your hair maâ??am?â?
 
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