by Lindsay Mead
He looked up, meeting her eyes. A smile quirked his lips and Belle couldn’t prevent herself from smiling in return. “I would be lying if I didn’t say that I was eager to hear what you thought of our great library. I would have given anything to have been with you when you first saw it.”
“I wish you had been there.” Belle walked over, laying her hands gently on the globe’s wooden frame. “Glorious, your Royal Highness. There is no other word for it.” She looked into his eyes, trying to convey the full wonder of what she felt. “I’ve never seen anything like it.”
“My Offentlig Rådgiver had said you were awestruck, that you had no words.” Aleksander said, using Laramie’s official title.
“Oh, I was.” Turning away, Belle cast her gaze back around the library taking in every bit of its majesty. “But this entire castle makes me feel that way. Everything in Contefées is much smaller in comparison. Only the mountains and the cathedral even come close to the grandeur that is everywhere here.”
“And what word would you use to describe Ms. Tops?” He came around the globe, keeping just feet away from her.
“Shocking,” was her gut reaction.
“That she is.” He still smiled as he gazed intently upon her.
Thinking of the woman’s confidence and pert manner, Belle added, “And wonderful.”
Aleksander laughed, its sound was hearty, from deep in his chest. “I knew you’d like her.”
“Oh I did. Very much.” Belle turned around to face him, her skirts ruffling around her movement. Pressing her chest out slightly, she added playfully. “Perhaps I shall start adorning men’s fashions.”
He looked down at her, his voice came out like warm honey. “And what a sight you would be.”
Belle looked away as a heavy blush filled her cheeks. She put a hand on her chest, attempting the calm the sudden excitement there. “Your Royal Highness—”
“Mademoiselle,” he cut off whatever nervous reply she was about to mutter. He stepped even closer, reaching out like he almost meant to reach for her, and said softly, “I’d like very much for you to call me by my name from now on.”
Feeling a warmth mingle with the strange nervousness that Aleksander brought out of her, she dropped her hand and clasped them at her front. “Then you shall call me, Belle, from now on.”
He nodded and looked at her with unguarded eyes. Their openness tugged at her, wanting to pull her in. Not for the first time since the garden, Belle wondered at the unfamiliar way he made her feel. But this time, she also wondered at how he felt about her.
Fingers taking hold of the polished banister, Belle started down the long staircase leading to the library’s bottom floor. Ms. Tops hadn’t made an appearance the entire afternoon that Belle had been there. It made no difference though. She’d found the shelves on Norse Mythology that Ms. Tops had taken her to yesterday. In her arms, Belle now carried a small stack of volumes she had yet to read through.
The sound of footsteps drew Belle’s eyes up as she neared the bottom. A young man approached with purpose. He watched Belle with confident and curious eyes. At the base of the staircase, he met her.
“My sister did not exaggerate when she spoke of your beauty.” He reached out, taking Belle’s books. “And she would know, being the pinnacle of beauty herself.”
“Is it Lady Liv Calland that you speak of?” Belle asked, taking his cue to be forward. The man was of noble birth, or at least wealthy, judging solely upon his fine clothing.
“It is.” Supporting the books in one arm, he snatched up Belle’s hand and pressed his lips to her glove. “Lord Audun Calland, at your service.”
Calculating eyes stared through dark lashes at her. The man was handsome, there was no doubt. He had a slimmer frame than Aleksander or Gastone. His hair was also kept short, every strand in its proper place. He straightened, smiling at her with dashing white teeth. But his eyes held Belle’s attention. His body language, his voice, was kind, but the coldness in his eyes ruined the facade.
“What brings you to the library, your Lordship?” Belle asked, trying to ignore the uneasy feeling he cast upon her.
“You.” He started toward the hearth, carrying the books with ease. “The servants said you were using the library and I thought I’d come meet you.”
“And you are not required to have guards at all times.” Belle inquired as she followed him. “Especially when around me?”
The moment they came within the fireplace’s radius, the heat from it was tangible. As expected, the hearth was larger than normal. One could stand on the opposite side of the library and see the enormous blaze from across the room. The fireplace was elegant in its design with a gold and white frame. At the crown of the frame was the torso of an armored angel. She was fierce and beautiful. Her large white wings were spread out, fading into the woodwork.
Audun set her books upon a small table next to a high-backed, velvet red chair. It was precisely where Belle had intended to do her reading.
“I am not as delicate as my dear sister.” He faced her again, patting a jewel encrusted dagger at his hip. “I see you are in fact researching the curse as the servants have been saying. Any luck?”
“None so far. The Crowned Prince has been very thorough in his own research and I’ve uncovered nothing that he hasn’t already.” She frowned, unable to deny her own disappointment in this.
“Well, I’m not surprised. What could a commoner uncover that our king-to-be cannot?” Audun leaned against one of the chairs, not batting an eye at his statement.
“I am not just a commoner, your Lordship.” Belle bristled, fighting to answer respectfully. “I stand on the opposite side of this curse and, therefore, see it in a different light. I believe that is why your king-to-be has given me this task.”
“Ah, that’s right. You’re a—what did they call you—a Hunter.” Audun stood back up, taking a new interest in her. “You’re a killer.” He chuckled, sliding his eyes up and down her body. “Nothing common about that.”
“Protector is more accurate,” she responded, her body tensing to his leer.
He waved a dismissive hand. “Clearly you aren’t like other women, so I won’t waste your time with idle flirting. Shall we?”
Belle crinkled her eyebrows at him. “Excusez-moi?”
“A dalliance, my dear.” He reached out, running his fingers along her arm. “Some maids actually think that by striking up a romance with me, they’ll have a chance at bettering their situation. But I am a noble, deserving of a noble wife and barrens. You’re clearly intelligent for someone of your station, so you likely already know this. It could be a very freeing experience for the both of us.”
“It’s time for you to leave, your Lordship.” Belle stepped away from him, bumping into the chair behind her. Not once had his gaze left her chest and only now did he meet her eyes. Determinedly, she added, “Insult me no further and I will choose to forget this ever happened.”
“You’re actually refusing me?”
Belle raised her chin in answer.
Audun’s chest filled with air, the muscles in his jaw flexed from the gritting of his teeth. This was not the reaction he had expected from her. His eyes racked up her frame again. This time it was a criticizing gesture. “You know the soldiers talk about your legs? They said when you arrived that you had your dress hiked up like some French prostitute.”
“If you will not leave, than I will.” She made to do just that, but Audun stepped in her path.
“Show me what the soldiers saw?” He motioned with a thrust of his head, staring down at her billowing skirts.
Belle gasped. “I will certainly not!”
Now, more than ever, she wanted her revolvers. She wouldn’t even need to draw them. The very sight of them at her side would be enough to dissuade him.
“Never has a woman refused me.” He glared at her in pure shock.
“Apparently, it is time that one did.”
His nostrils flared, his fists clenched,
and his eyes went back to her skirts. Belle knew what he was going to do the second he decided to do it. Her body tensed in anticipation.
“I will not let some filthy commoner belittle me.” Audun lunged for her skirts.
As his hands went for her dress, Belle grabbed his dagger. He clawed at her legs, attempting to drag up the layers of fabric. Swiftly, she drew the knife and brought the blade to his throat. She applied pressure, making sure he felt it. His hands stilled as a hiss slipped through his teeth.
“I have killed more men, women, and children with this one hand over the span of one night than you will in your entire, privileged life. Do not mistake me for some common trollop. Now back up,” she ordered.
“You whore,” he spat and carefully stepped back.
Belle was really getting tired of men calling her that. A droplet of blood ran down the dagger’s blade. “Well, this is one whore who won’t be giving you a complimentary peep show.”
“When I’m done with you, you’ll wish you had.” He sneered, eyes bulging with anger. How could she have thought he was handsome before? “What do you think will happen when I say that you pulled a knife on me? The word of Lord Calland’s heir or that of the French intruder; who will they believe?”
Belle glared, but before she could reply, a massive tome appeared over Audun. It came down suddenly, slamming heavily into his head. He wobbled, his eyes rolled, and down he went. From Audun’s unconscious form on the floor, Belle looked at her rescuer.
Ms. Tops nodded to Belle, still grasping the large book in her hands. A thin strand of silver hair had come loose from her bun. “I’ve had quite enough of his noise in my library.”
Belle laughed, relieved to see the woman. “What book is that?”
“The Complete Collection Of Greek Gods And Their Myths.” Ms. Tops heaved the book up and carried it over to one of the side tables. It thudded when she released it. “Lord Gaubert thought he could romance the widowed Lady Ostrem with a few select readings of Aphrodite’s exploits. I don’t know if he was successful, but he did manage to spill wine on it. Thankfully, I was able to save it.”
“Yes, thankfully, indeed.” An idea then fell into Belle’s mind, like it had been dropped from the heavens. “Ms. Tops, has Aleksander ever read any books about Greek Mythology?”
The Librarian adjusted her glasses thoughtfully. “Not since his youth, when it was part of his studies. Why?”
“It was a norn that created the curse. According to Norse Mythology, a norn is a controller of fate.” Stepping over Audun, Belle went excitedly to Ms. Tops. “In Greek Mythology there are beings that control fate as well, but they’re not called norns. They’re actually called fates. Still, what if these beings are the same? And what if the Greeks wrote something about them that the Norse did not?”
Ms. Tops looked at her approvingly. “We have exactly three books dedicated to fate lore and four-hundred and eighty-one which mention them.”
Belle teasingly pretended to think on it, then nodded. “Let’s start with the three first, I think.”
“Of course, mademoiselle.” Ms. Tops pointed to Audun. “Help me get his Lordship into the chair first?”
“Oh yes.” Belle had already forgotten about the awful man in her excitement. She walked over to grab his hands while the Librarian took his legs. “What will you do about him?”
“Let him sleep his anger off here.” Ms. Tops grunted as they lifted him up and dropped him ungracefully into one of the armchairs. “You need not worry about him accusing you. He’d never admit that two women got the best of him.”
“What about you though?” Belle stuffed his dagger back into his belt loop. “I’d hate to leave you here with the brute.”
“Belle, Dear, worry not,” she began with a smile. Belle raised an eyebrow at the use of her first name. Ms. Tops used it as formally as she did Aleksander’s. “I’ll simply step out when he awakens and he’ll leave with no further harm done.” Ms. Tops moved around Belle and headed toward the other side of the library. “Now let’s get you those books, so you can impress Aleksander.”
Belle followed and was about to deny wanting to impress the Prince, but then decided, since the Librarian used her formal name that she would ask something else. “Ms. Tops, what should I call you from now on?”
She glanced back only briefly. “Call me Ms. Tops, Dear.”
Belle frowned.
After receiving the three books on Greek fates, Belle was escorted back to her room. As she swept through the thick white doors, she was greeted by the aroma of roasted goose. Edvina was assisting another servant in setting a small dinner table.
Immediately she came over to take the books from Belle’s arms. “You’re just in time, Dear. Any luck today?”
“Perhaps.” Belle took a seat at the table and the other servant laid an ivory napkin over her lap. “I don’t wish to get any hopes up, but I may have at least found an area that the Crowned Prince hasn’t covered yet.”
“Wonderful!” Though her voice was bright, the excitement didn’t really reach Edvina’s face. Being stuck in this castle for so long likely made it difficult to get excited too soon.
The woman came over, taking her seat opposite Belle. As she did, Belle asked about Edvina’s day. Here the woman truly brightened. She talked about the latest castle gossip, her day-to-day overseeing the rooms in her charge, her husband needing an inch added to his waistband, and the latest public fight between Lord and Lady Dahling in one of the drawing rooms.
They waded through the meal and indulged in the wine. Edvina’s enthusiastic storytelling had Belle forgetting her own dramatic event in the library. After dinner, Belle curled up in front of the fire to begin reading one of the books she’d brought from the library. Edvina had the dishes cleared and the table removed, then she went off to check on her rooms.
When she returned it was time to ready Belle for bed, and by then the Hunter had already read several chapters. Standing in front of the mirror, Edvina helped remove the fancy purple and white gown Belle had been given today.
“Oh, my dear, what happened?” Edvina’s fingers, leathery from hard work, glanced across the red marks on Belle’s thigh. Belle was surprised to see them, she hadn’t thought Audun had been able to grab her so roughly. “Please tell me you haven’t taken up with one of the guards? I had high hopes for you and Prince Aleksander.”
Shocked, Belle waved away the woman’s hand. “Of course not! My God, Edvina, really.”
The older woman shrugged.
“Even us career women need love.” Then she turned an accusatory eye on Belle, reminding her of her own mother when she’d caught Belle trouble making. “If it wasn’t from a love affair, then how did you get it?”
Belle crossed her arms, unable to not turn her eyes away. It was bad enough that she’d had to go through it, did she really have to talk about it? Knowing that Edvina would not let up, she said, “It was Lord Audun Calland. He…propositioned me and didn’t like that I refused him.”
Edvina’s hand shot to her mouth, stifling a gasp. “He tried to force you?”
“No, I don’t think he intended to take it that far. I think he just wanted to humiliate me.” Belle dropped her hands, raising her chin. “But he underestimated me and I made sure he knew it.”
Smiling, Edvina slapped Belle’s shoulder. “Good for you, Child. Some of these soft-handed lords need a lesson in class.”
“Well, he got one.” Belle blushed some under the woman’s praise.
Gentle hands grasped Belle’s shoulders, causing her to look up into the mirror; into Edvina’s eyes. “But you’ll have to tell his Royal Highness.”
Belle’s stomach dropped, hating the idea of repeating the story to Aleksander. “I knew I’d have to tell someone. If I didn’t, Audun might do worse to some girl who couldn’t defend herself. But I thought I’d tell Monsieur Petit.”
With sympathetic eyes, Edvina shook her head. “No, Dear. You’re the Prince’s charge. Under his protectio
n. If you go to anyone else with this, it’ll show a lack of confidence in him.”
“But that’s absurd! I have full confidence in him.”
“It won’t matter. That’s how others will see it. That’s how the Prince will see it.” She squeezed Belle’s shoulders. “They put on a lot of airs, but don’t be fooled, men are very sensitive creatures. You wouldn’t want to stop your romance before it even started, would you?”
Belle spun around, scowling down at the short woman. “What is this you keep going on about? Me and Prince Aleksander?”
“What?” She looked around the room, as if she could find what caused Belle’s confusion. “Is the Crowned Prince not handsome enough for you?”
“Well of course he is. The man is beautiful.” She stepped around Edvina, moving over by the fire. “But he is a Prince—who is soon-to-be king—and I am a hunter—no, a peasant.”
“So?”
Belle wheeled on Edvina. “So! Royalty marries royalty. No matter what old fairytales say, there is no hope of a happily ever after for the Crowned Prince and I.”
The idea was absurd. Belle didn’t mean to have a temper with Edvina, but the silliness of this whole conversation was vexing. It just wasn’t done. It would be so easy for her to fall for the Prince, but it wasn’t as though he would reciprocate. Really, what would be the point if he did?
“Oh, my dear.” Edvina sighed, her eyes softening in a way that immediately calmed Belle’s anger. She gently took Belle by the arms and guided her back toward the mirror to look at herself. She reached up and began pulling the many hairpins from Belle’s hair. Softly, the curls started to fall free, to bounce at her shoulders. Edvina spoke as she worked. “Better to have a grand love that is fleeting, than one that is ordinary and lasts till death.” Pulling out the last pins, she added. “As a woman bound for an early grave, wouldn’t you agree?”
Feeling her heart double its pace, Belle realized that she did.
