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Beauty and the Beast (Kolath and Candira)

"Well, I don't have my things to do it with, but if the queen might not mind us borrowing her things, I'd very much like that. What style do you think would look nice?" she asked, hoping to help keep the servant comfortable by keeping her mind occupied with less important things. She smiled softly and looked at herself in the mirror. Despite the horrors she'd suffered through, she was still the same person she had been before. Still just as beautiful and kind as before, though she felt a bit lesser. Here, though, she felt a bit more at peace.
 
â??Iâ??m sure she wouldnâ??t mind milady.â? The girl moved over to the chair in front of the vanity, pulling it out for her to sit down. The girl started to pull out the different items that would be needed to work Belleâ??s hair. She looked up at Belle the shadows still falling enough to hide her face but her eyes could be seen shining out in pleasure at being able to serve again.
 
Belle smiled and sat down, trying to make the servant more calm. It was clear that the girl was happy; her eyes shone with it. But the new courtier couldn't imagine what horrors had really befallen the servant who was now readying the items needed to do her hair. She couldn't have known what a good dose of normalcy would have done for the staff. If she had, she might have more freely asked for things. She smiled and sat in front of the mirror. "What do you think would look nice with this dress? I've never worn anything so fine before," she said with a chuckle.
 
The poor serving girl was almost beside herself. She had been one of the queenâ??s private maids and she now had a lady to wait on again it was almost too good to be true. â??Oh my lady with your hair color I would think that adding in a few curls at the end with the rest of it being left perfectly straight and flowing down your back would just be lovely. Though you would need to take a bath for me to make sure that it was well done, if you want the queen had her own private bath here in her room.â? At that there was a knock at the door and the girl that had be chatting with the one now doing her hair came in, carrying a tray of food of all kinds. â??The cook apologizes that there is so little if given a little more time he will be able to prepare more for you.â?
 
Belle smiled at the girl and nodded. "I think that would look very nice. And a bath sounds like a good idea...If it's not too much to ask...would you mind waiting just inside the door in case I fall?" she asked. And then the girl with the tray came in with an assortment of delicious-looking food. "Nonsense. Tell the cook that this is a feast. I'm not sure I'll be able to finish it all," she said with a smile, not used to such service. "Please, take something as well. Just a bit of fruit, if nothing else. I'm sure it will help you keep your energy. I'm not used to sleeping in the day just yet...so I might need to call on you again."
 
Both of the girls giggled a little and then started to make things ready for her bath. It wouldnâ??t be hard for them to keep up with her and they wouldnâ??t want to deprive her of the food prepared for her, so they left it alone. They got her the hot water and got soap together for her. â??If you wish my lady we can stay and help you batheâ?¦it was always our pleasure and honor to do so for the queen.â?
 
Belle shrugged at their refusal to eat her food so she ate a grand breakfast, tasting a bit of everything, though she couldn't finish everything. When the bath was finished she smiled, glad to be in the presence of other women. It was nice to have someone to talk to about how to do her hair and what to wear. Her father didn't really know much about it, and it was really his job to tell her she was pretty, even if she wasn't. "If you would help me, I would appreciate it," she said, glad to have an excuse for the women to be with her. Perhaps she was being foolish, but she was still afraid to bathe alone after last time. Besides, they sounded like they wanted to help her.
 
Both the serving girls moved to help her undress their gloved hands undoing her dress and helping her put her hair up in the proper way so that getting wet and drying again it would set it in place for several hours. They were both so giggly and happy to be doing this sort of thing again they start sharing stories of their time with the queen and other noble women from the area. Many of them were of mistakes made during the night and how funny it was when things just didnâ??t go right. Like soap getting lost till the duchess of narrowhaven stepped out of the tub slipping on it. and such other stories.
 
Belle listened to the two of them with a smile. She liked hearing stories like this. Hopefully, she would still get to hear them when she'd had more time to get used to her situation here. It seemed as though these women would be her friends, and by the looks of it, her only friends for some time. She let them help her bathe...or rather, let them do it altogether. When she was finished, she felt much better about life in general. "Thank you ladies. Oh, I feel so strange saying that. Would it be alright if I asked your names? Or is that sort of thing not done here?"
 
Both the girls paused and one of them looked out the window to see where the sun was. It was still early afternoon. They looked at each other and then back to her. â??Iâ??m Cara and this is Jocelyn though with these hoodsâ?¦.we will be glad to introduce ourselves again later my lady.â?
 
She smiled softly at the names and nodded. "Thank you." Though she was tempted to ask about the hoods, she bit her tongue. There was something about the situation that seemed...improper. At the very least, she considered it to be a bit insensitive to the girls who were taking such good care of her. Cara and Jocelyn. She committed the names to her memory and smiled, standing up and out of the water. "Well then. Let's get me out of the tub and back into clothes, shall we?"
 
The girls giggled a little and grabbing towels helped her out of the tub and helped her to dry herself before one of them went to gather the clothes she had picked out. It was quiet a process to get her dressed but with two pairs of helping hands it was a lot easier than normal and her dress was even more elegant then she normally wornâ?¦it was honestly one that was meant to be put on by someone else rather than the person wearing it. they helped her with her hair and slowly uncurled it from the way they had it up and it was holding in beautiful rings down her back and around her shoulders the rest of it long and soft.
 
Belle smiled, glad for their assistance. It really was troublesome to have to wear something so ornate and intricate, but the overall effect was stunning. Very much worth the effort that had been needed. She blushed as she looked at herself in the mirror, the final product looking more like a queen than a lady of the court. Then again, she was wearing her clothes. "Oh...I've never seen myself like this before," she said as the last curl was finished. She truly was a thing of beauty. And her body was still shown off rather nicely. "Thank you so much," she said, smiling back at them. Oddly cloaked as they might be, they were lovely girls, and she was growing rather fond of them. With a smile and a bit of grace, she stood up from her chair and turned to them. "What do you think?" she asked, turning around slowly for them.
 
They both were giggling as they watched clapping happily please both with their handiwork and with how she so easily took to being dressed like that. There was no question about it she looked like the queen from years ago never had the seen a woman so beautiful. â??You look lovely.â?

The prince was now just waking up from a late night roaming the castle it was all he could do not to go visit his new lady of the court and have his way with her again. But his human half held him back knowing that things would not go over well but his animal part was starting to win slowly given enough time it would win.
 
Belle smiled sweetly and thanked them again for all of their help. "I wonder. Would you mind showing me the castle? I can usually remember my way around once I know where I am, but I haven't seen much of this place, and if I'm going to live here, I'd like to know it well." She folded her hands like a lady and waited for an answer, hoping that they would show her around the place.
 
The girls willingly showed her around telling her all about the different rooms and even sharing history about different rooms. The best was one where Cara told about the time Jocelyn was nearly seduced by a young noble in the library. The other girl tried to get her to shut up and laughing having a great time.

Time passed the three girls enjoying their time together. When the sun set both the girls pushed back their hoods showing one blond and the other brown hair, Cara and Jocelyn respectively. It wasnâ??t too long after the sun set that a guard came and found them. â??Lady Belle the prince asks for you presence in the court.â?
 
Belle had a wonderful time on her tour, listening and laughing with the girls. She smiled when the girls lowered their hoods, glad to see their faces after a day of anonymity. She turned her head and then her body as the guard came to them. She took a deep breath and nodded, smiling and saying farewell to the women. "Let us go then," she said, turning with him and walking toward the throne room for the Prince's court. She was nervous, but a little excited...who was this strange character her village had grown to both fear and gossip about.
 
As with her father the night before the throne room was dark and shadowed. The shadows hid any good vision of the prince or what he looked like. Most everyone was not in cloaks tonight as they had been the night before with her father. In fact except for the dim lighting it almost seemed like any normal court with al the finery around. Almost every noble in the castle came over to her and wanted to talk about everything it seemed like they had been unable to leave the castle for a long time, at least that is what their questions made her feel like.
 
Belle was a bit overwhelmed. She wasn't used to being treated with such respect and reverence. Nor was she used to people asking her quite so many questions about her life and the outside world. Then again, they might not have been able to leave that castle for a rather long time because the prince needed their help. After all, he was really just beginning his reign in terms of rebuilding the infrastructure of his government. It would take him some time to really be known in the outside world. So she answered all the questions she was able to patiently and calmly, but after a moment, she had to excuse herself for some air. with some reluctance the others left her alone.
 
As she pulled away from the group of nobles a guard came over to her. â??The prince as asked for your presence.â? He turned and expecting her to follow he led her to a balcony overlooking a garden that had seen better days. On the balcony stood a man in the same robes that she had been seeing the people wear all day. His back was to her and he clearly wouldnâ??t be able to see her with the hood up.
 
Belle followed after him and took a deep breath. She was finally going to meet the prince. Nervous, she stepped onto the balcony, frowning at the sad state of the garden. Perhaps she could do something to help with that. But now was not the time to think of fertilizer and the like. "Your Majesty," she said, the title sounding more like a question than a statement. "You sent for me?"
 
He never even turned around as he spoke addressing her. â??You are Belle whom your father speaks so highly of. I can tell how proud he is of you. Well I need your services Belle, I need you to help me make this castle alive again.â? He turned around looking at her though his face was hidden. The moment he saw her he couldnâ??t help but be attracted to her and the animal need rose in him again as he looked over what had to be a vision of the long dead queen that had cursed him and the people of the castle. Growling softly he shook his head slightly. â??This castle has fallen into disrepair since the queen died and I need your help to lighten up the interior and make it welcoming again.â?
 
The young woman was taken aback as he turned to her. Though she couldn't see his face anyway, she lowered her lovely eyes, giving him the respect royalty deserved. "I...I'm honored, your majesty. I will do my best to help you. But if I might ask...why choose me?" she took a chance and glanced up at him, hoping that he wouldn't be offended. It was painfully clear that she had never been anything but a commoner, though she had been raised to carry herself like a proper lady.
 
No matter how simple her actions were her grace and elegance, that seemed to be nothing less than a natural talent, showed through. He couldnâ??t help but desire her the same way that he had desired the queen but there was something slightly different this time and he wasnâ??t sure what it was. I only have two reasons lady Belle, one your father is right that I need to extend out into the people nearest my home castle, and two you are here with him. and I feel you have a good grasp of how to do what I ask yes?â?
 
She looked back down and nodded, "Yes, your majesty. Thank you," she said looking now to the garden in its sad state. How sad and lonely it looked without someone to care for it now. She wondered what the prince did all day. Surely he was always doing something important, but she hadn't even caught a glimpse of him all day on her tour. "Umm....I don't mean to offend by asking sir...but I was wondering....why do the people here wear cloaks during the day? Is it a custom in your land?" She blinked and mentally kicked herself for having asked in the first place. "You don't need to tell me, your majesty. Please forgive me for my rudeness."
 
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