Belle walked as fast as her overworked legs would carry her, teeth chattering as the snow landed and the cold seeped into her flesh, making her shake and the hairs on her body stand on end. It was dark outside, the darkness wrapping around her, the snow impairing her vision completely in combination with the night. She worried she would not be able to take the cold much longer, and hoped she would stumble across some shelter before it was too late.

She was thoroughly lost, after recently making a trip across the lands searching for someone who could help her stop the Ogres from invading her kingdom of Avonlea.

In the middle of the night, with but a letter to explain her absence, she left the castle she had known her entire life and snuck into the darkness to find a solution to the war that would devastate the kingdom if the Ogres were to come upon them. She knew that her papa, King Maurice, was going to be furious when she got home, and she could only hope he would understand her reasons for leaving. Still, imagining him in pain, worrying sick over her, brought a grimace to her face. But she kept on, knowing if she turned around now her journey would be for naught.

Her stomach growled; her last meal had been yesterday morning, when she had passed the village at the base of the mountain she was now hiking up, hoping a village was nearby. She was beyond fatigued, and if it were not for her sheer will to survive to help her kingdom she would have collapsed hours ago.

Her steps faltered as she thought she saw the faint outline of a manor of sorts, not far from where she stood. She squinted, trying to see through the flurry of snow about her and was pleasantly surprised the outline was not a mirage, created by her desire to find shelter, but an actual mansion. Peering sharply, she realized it was not just any place of refuge, but a castle!

She trudged along quicker, now that she had a destination to reach. The closer she got to the castle, the more in awe she was of its massive size. It was larger than any castle she had ever seen before, and her quaint castle at home did not compare to the one that stood before her.

Belle finally reached the main doors, staring up at their massive height. She surely felt she could talk to the owner of the castle and ask for shelter while the storm brewed. She would offer them her remaining gold, and would offer to help in any way she could.

She put her fist on the door and knocked with what little strength she had left. The knocking barely made a sound against the harsh flurry of wind and snow about her. She worried the occupants inside would be unable to hear her. Trying one more time, she glanced around. She could not put her finger on it, but the castle seemed… odd. Attempting to recall what it was, she realized it felt quiet and untouched. Even from the outside her castle at home looked welcoming and lived in, while this one looked cold and uninviting, which she did not think was due to the storm.

Finally getting tired of standing on the doorstep, she attempted to open the doors. To her astonishment, they opened before her with nary a creak.

She stepping inside, and warmth filled her insides. The castle was not warm by any means, but out of the wind and the cold it was all she could ask for.

"Hello?" She called out. "Is anyone here? I'm terribly sorry to intrude but I am desperate for shelter and no one heard my knocking."

She closed the door behind her, so as not to let the snow inside, and glanced at the room she was in.

It was a Great Hall, with random trinkets lining the walls of the room. The room consisted of reds and golds, from the carpet to the curtains and even the ceiling. She scanned the area to her right, which consisted of a knight's suit of armor, and something flat and tall, covered with a sheet. Her curiosity got the better of her, and she walked quietly over to the covered item and peered underneath. It was but a mirror with a dull gold trim that swirled and decorated the outside of the mirror. Placing the sheet back, she looked to the center of the room. There was a large simple table, going the length of the room, with one single chair facing away from where she was. To the left, she saw a fireplace, though the wood was cold and it appeared it had not been lit in a while.

In the far right corner of the room, something caught her eye. She tread over to it, and realized to her astonishment it was an old spinning wheel. She had seen these in books before, but never had she come across one herself in the castle she spent her time in. She rubbed the wood, studying the wheel and noticing it was heavy with use, and was antique. An heirloom she supposed.

She realized she was still in a stranger's home, without their permission, and she felt ashamed.

She tried shouting a bit louder, hoping she would be heard this time.

"Is the owner of this castle here? I would like to speak with them."

She waited, but not a sound responded to her call.

Belle started to worry. She fought with her thoughts, trying to decide if she should go back outside and face the cold or stay here for the night and hope the owner of the castle pitied her and accepted her gold as pay for intruding.

As tired as she was, she decided she would have to stay the night, as she did not have enough strength to leave and wander about in the frigid wind any longer.

She walked through the rooms, searching for some parchment, a quill and ink so that she could write a letter to the tenant of the place in case they returned before she awoke. She instead found a chamber that looked small and cozy, and she decided she would stay there for the night. She put her satchel down, and continued her search to write her letter.

Finally coming across what she was looking for, she began to write.

To the owner of this fine castle,

I am very sorry to have intruded upon you and take refuge in your establishment, but I fear I had no choice.

I have been walking through these mountains since yesterday morning, and when the snowstorm hit I feared I would not be able to fulfill my quest. I happened upon your home, and found it to be empty of people.

I only need shelter for a few days, and I am sure we can come to an agreement on the price of my stay, as well as any other inconvenience I have caused.

I hope you understand I am only doing this because I have to. I'll leave right after the storm brews down.

Thank you,

Belle of Avonlea

She decided to put the letter in a place that would quickly be spotted, so she left it on the table in the Great Hall. Trudging back to her room, her exhaustion finally caught up to her. She sat on the edge of the bed, looking around the room she took refuge in.

It was but a small room, and felt almost welcoming to her. Looking around, she noticed the open wardrobe in the corner. She walked over to take a closer look. She was startled to find they were peasant garb. Surely the owner of the castle was rich, and had no need for the cheap cloth. It looked heavily worn, and she rubbed her fingers across it. She could smell the sweat and dirt that came from the clothes, and she noticed they were small, as if for a child.

She began to feel awkward, sleeping in someone's chambers who lived here.

She was about to leave when she felt something in the folds of one of the shirts she was feeling. Reaching in to pull it out, she almost dropped it in her surprise.

Lifting it up, she saw that in her hand was a dagger.