The Calc test was postponed so I hope you enjoy the next installment of Burned Books. The Prologue is located here. This is based off repeatinglitanies's prompt here.

Flames everywhere she could see, stretching far over her head. The suffocating smell of smoke. Screams. Children's screams. There was no stopping the noise. The entire building creaked, threatening to collapse. The menacing dark man patrolling the perimeter armed with guns. There was no escape. Belle looked around frantically for her mother. She was nowhere just more wreckage, more burning bodies, and more-

Someone was shaking her.

"Come on, Belle. It's not real. Wake up!"

And like that Belle was wide-awake, still trembling, but now at least it was easier to separate her memories from the reality. "It's getting worse, Ruby."

Ruby inched just slightly closer to her. After the fire, Belle had needed her old friend nearby. It wasn't hard to convince her father that she needed a new maid to help cope with the trauma of her mother's death. Of course, Maurice had no idea just how traumatized Belle truly was. She had gotten very good at covering her distress over the last five years by throwing herself head first into her work with the Society. It was only moments like this when she woke frantic in the middle of the night that she realized just how not fine she was.

"It's the anniversary. Too many people died that day. Mum and Aunt Colette would be proud of you."

Belle sighed at that. She felt selfish sometimes. She wasn't the only one who had lost her mother when Pan's Secret Service raided that night.

"Proud. What's there to be proud of?"

Ruby got up and lit the lamp on the other side of the bed. "I'd say we've made some progress over the last years, Clarisse." The emphasis on her title was teasing and Ruby tried to give her an encouraging smile.

"Stop that we can't talk like that here. Who knows who's listening?" Belle stretched her hands over her head. She needed to move she couldn't just keep sitting here. It was like the fire all over again, completely surrounded and so insignificant.

"He is getting rather paranoid."

"This is Pan we're talking about. He was beyond paranoid five years ago. I'm surprised we've gone this long without discovery."

"You're right," Ruby raised her hand apologetically. "It's just two in the morning. You try being a ball of encouraging sunshine at two in the morning."

Belle smiled at that before walking toward her wardrobe and pulling out a simple blue dress. It wasn't elegant by any means, but it was proper enough for an escape into the gardens in the middle of the night. She just needed to clear her head.

The war room of the palace was intricate and larger than any other section of the castle, except maybe the dungeons. It was basically the entire west wing of the castle. Mr. Gold had always felt comfortable there. He had basically grown up there.

Now he was awaiting orders from the only person who had any real control of him. Despite the fact that he was a grown man, meetings with the Emperor always made Gold nervous, even if the man was his own father (especially since the man was his father if he was truthful with himself.)

"The five year anniversary is in a week." Malcolm Gold was not one to mince words at least not to his underlings. Malcolm could baffle and befriend any politician or noble, but he did not sweeten his words for the likes of his "boys".

The Royal Service, Pan's boys, were loyal to the point of death. They had to be. Pan had "saved" them by separating them from their families. (The fact that their families were all sentenced to execution by the same man they served was often overlooked.) Malcolm Gold's own son lacked the complete devotion Malcolm valued. Still Mr. Gold was intelligent and it looked well with the general public to have him in a position of some authority. If it meant Malcolm could keep a closer eye on his offspring, all the better.

"They haven't done anything since then. There are only rumors that the community still exists in Avonlea." Gold pushed through several of the files on the desk in front of him.

"A rumor is too much. When will you understand that? We should know with certainty," the Emperor slammed his fist down on the papers. "This was the largest of the underground organizations. It's existed for as long as my administration despite worse raids. I want them gone."

Gold flipped through a thicker surveillance packet. "You still have no comments on the involvement of the noble family, Sir Maurice, the Late Lady Colette and their daughter."

Pan only smiled. "They are suspicious, but they know better than to play around with what is mine. Maurice has always been able to keep the ruffian out of the old university library. It's just that-"

"Colette died shortly after Operation Hound." Gold pointed to a statistic and read from the article. "Seriously ill but refused to send for a physician."

"As I said Suspicious." Pan gave his son a half smirk.

Gold braced himself. "So what is it that you want me to do?" He already dreaded the answer. He couldn't remember a single enjoyable mission off the top of his head.

"I thought it was obvious. You're going to watch for any suspicious activity." Malcolm twisted his hands. "It's not like you're worth anything here."

Gold merely sighed. This was going to be a long week.

It was almost two in the morning when Gold arrived in Avonlea. He would have been fine just staying in an inn, but Sir Maurice had been insistent on extending his generosity. Malcolm had been more than pleased by that. "You'll be able to watch their every mood."

Gold almost snorted. He couldn't imagine what this family could get up to. Maurice seemed like a simpleton to him. Only a simpleton could believe any of his Papa's promises.

The garden was silent, almost eerily so at night. The large hedges blocked out a good deal of moonlight. The mazelike structure was an advantage against intruders, but Gold was not in the mood. He had been invited and it had been a long day.

Gold had turned another corner when he saw it. By the light of her candle, he could see a girl nestled on a bench book in hand. She was dressed plainly and her hair was disheveled. He had thought his father's claims of open defiance of the law in the exaggeration were just another lie. Gold hadn't imagined he'd find evidence so early on.

He approached her hating the way his footsteps echoed on the stone.

Belle's first reaction to the footsteps was to run. Oh the man thought he was being sneaky, but she had dealt with worse. Belle was the leader of an illegal Society with a long history. She wasn't caught that easily.

But right now she wasn't Clarisse. She was simply Lady Belle and Lady Belle was not a visionary. Lady Belle was a young woman, who loved to read and was still trying to get over her mother's untimely death. Lady Belle had never done anything illegal in her life.

Although slightly silly, Belle had felt the need to categorize her life this way since she had taken up the mantle of the Society. She had to find a way to fake her innocence. She had known the society wouldn't be able to survive another raid.

She turned around to face her assailant head-on. She plastered a smile on her face. Lady Belle was a gracious host who was perfectly within her rights to read a book at night on her own property. "Can I help you, Sir?" He had to be someone important, someone not from Avonlea, otherwise he would have not have approached her.

"I'm," He paused just long enough for her to notice. "Gold."

Gold. Belle's thoughts flashed by at a mile a minute. She was found this was the end. It wasn't the emperor, but still the head of the Royal Service was here in her home. Belle hastily stood up and curtsied, "My apologies your majesty."

The man looked her directly in the eye as he stole the book from her hands. "Fairytales." Gold said the word matter-of-factly still staring at the woman. She was beautiful. Her face blushed for a second at his comment.

"My mother used to read them to me when I was younger. We would sit on this bench right here. They remind me of her," Belle chose her words carefully. This man was dangerous. He couldn't doubt her for a second otherwise everything was at risk.

"I see. You must be Lady Belle then." He took her hand and kissed the back of it ever so slightly. It was the textbook proper greeting between people of their station but Belle couldn't help her sharp intake of breath.

"For someone who's supposed to be all knowing. It sure did take you a while to recognize me." She covered her mouth with her hand as soon as the words had left her mouth. It was impertinent and she couldn't risk any more trouble.

To her surprise, he laughed. It was a quick deep laugh. Belle already craved it. "The early morning can dull anyone's observation skills."

"Of course sir. I didn't mean to imply anything."

"People have implied worse," his grin was infectious.

Belle blushed while at the same time scolding herself for actually enjoying the conversation with the man out for her head. "I can't imagine why."