Sleep didn't come easily to Belle that night. She sat hunched in a an arm chair, wrapped in a soft blanket with the glow of the roaring fire bringing light to the dark room.
She sat waiting for news of the King's recovery or to be arrested and sentenced to death upon his passing. She could fight, insist she was innocent, it hadn't been her idea alone to go for a ride and she certainly hadn't planned for the king's horse to spook and injure it's rider. But no one would believe her, who was she? Just a simple governess.
Still she felt like in a way it was her fault, she may have not been the one to suggest going on the small adventure but she had surely encouraged it.
The brunet dared not even blink since Mrs Potts had ushered her into the arm chair and wrapped another warm blanket around her chilled bones. Every time she even thought about closing her eyes she could see was his face, pale, cold and stained with flecks of his blood and dirt. It made her stomach turn and eyes water.
Why did it effect her so much? Did she effect him too? Something was about to happen before the horse got spooked, the way he was about to hold her, look at her and what was he about to say?
Belle's fingers touched her lips, tingling of the what could have been. Shaking her head, she couldn't do that, she wouldn't. Not when he was hurt, when the future was so unsure and she felt like it was all her fault. She was sure that when he woke he would ask her to leave and she would go, even though the idea made her sad.
she'd grown to love Emma and the Nolan's and was so thank full for all they had done for her. Them being such close friends to the King and the royal household she was sure that they would have to dismiss her. The sick feeling in her stomach returned once again she'd have to go back to her father.
He'd insist she was old maid and in his words, to not add shame to the French name, she should get married and fast, then Gaston would appear at the front door as if by magic and her father would once again remind her that the young man in question quite unattached. Once again Gaston would propose and under her father's hopeful gaze she would decline. He'd call her selfish and uncaring of what would happen to him when he reached a ripe old age, who would look after him, how would they be support and god forbid he never have a grandson.
She would once again hide in her room or in the garden, sit on the small bench behind the rose bushes and read, get swept into a different land, with daring sword fights and a prince in disguise. The Nolan's had helped her leave that life, she couldn't believe she would be back to it again.
Looking around the dimly lit room she new packing wouldn't take long, she would start the minute she knew he was ok. despite how much she didn't want to, she really didn't want to.
A chill sent Goosebumps up her arms, the storm still raged outside, the rain spitting in anger at the window. The hour had now grown late, the early afternoon sun had long gone, leaving nothing but darkness and sorrow in it's wake.
Getting up from the chair, the young women wrapped the blanket closer around her, fighting off the cold, she hobbled over to the vanity table, her still damp and muddy boots squelching against the hard wood floor.
She plopped down onto the velvet covered stool and looked at her reflection. Her hair had all but fallen out of the bun it had been in this morning, her eyes were tired, her face was covered in small flecks of dirt.
Pulling out the hair pins with a wince of pain, Belle grabbed her brush and began to brush out the curls so it would come under some sort of control. it wasn't usual for her to feel at home somewhere so quickly, it had barely been a week and she had already grown used to the Prince, Mrs Potts and the other people here, not to forget the King.
She couldn't help but think she'd seen a side to him that not many people had, he'd shown her somewhere that was deep in his heart, it was something he felt like he could share with her , if she did have to leave at least she'd have that one memory to treasure for whatever her life had in store for her. Looking back at herself in the mirror, a sad smile graced her face, perhaps one sliver of light amongst an ocean of darkness was all that she needed.
...C\_'/...
A gasp echoed in the dark. In the large bed the king continued to toss and turn, stuck it in a nightmare he felt he would never wake from.
Doctor Whale continued to dab the sweat from the king's forehead , well what he could reach with the large head bandage in the way. The large oak door to the bedroom opened with a squeak and in walked a rather dishevelled looking Lord Hatter.
"How is he?" he asked, having spent the last ten minutes giving himself a talking to and drinking alot of his cousin's fine whisky.
Jefferson knew it was his fault, despite everyone else blaming Miss French for leading the King to harm, but he'd been the one who knew how his friend wanted to get away and had helped him do so, letting him go without guards or anyone to oversee what happened.
"It looks worse than it is" the doctor assured "The wound to the head was more of just broken flesh but he twisted his ankle , aggravating that riding injury from a few years back" he continued.
"Will he be able to walk?" Jefferson asked, remembering the accident vividly . He's gone out riding after an argument with Milah. When he'd returned with a broken leg, she'd told him she'd wished he'd died, better that than having to have a husband with a limp. He was sure those words echoed in his head for years, even after Milah left with the pirate.
"Eventually" the Dr's voice bought Jefferson back to the present "Perhaps with a stick at first" he sighed "I will stay the night but I'm sure he will wake up in an hour or two" he continued before heading to the door.
"I'll have Cogsworth show you to your room" Jefferson motioned to the butler who was standing by the fire next to captain Graham. Cogsworth nodded before walking out of the room, guiding the doctor with him.
"So what are we going to do?" Graham asked Jefferson once they were alone.
"About what?" Jefferson responded, confused as to what the Army man was talking about.
"About Miss French" Graham stated, making the other man feel sick to his stomach "She must be made an example of, Glass and the other council members agree that she should be punished for her crimes".
"What crimes?" Jefferson bellowed, all forgetting the sleeping king in the room, forgetting that he may wake at any moment, that he needed his rest.
"She led the King to danger and encouraged him to skip his guards" the head of the army responded with as much fire as the Lord.
"Miss French has done nothing" Jefferson stressed "Is it so wrong that the King wanted a moment alone with a lady, to get to know her as herself and not as how she should act around others?" he asked "Glass and all the other members want the King to marry, well letting him have time with Miss French could lead to that" he suggested, knowing how often Graham sided and agreed with the council.
"Glass is sorting that business out, the King must not worry" Graham confessed.
"What do you mean Glass has it sorted out?" Jefferson was furious, it was bad enough that his cousin had been forced to marry Milah but now they planned to force him to marry again someone of their choosing, the council truly did just see the King as their play thing, someone to control to get what they wanted when they wanted.
"It doesn't matter" Graham brushed off Jefferson's concern "What matters is that Prince Baelfire isn't of age yet and with the King unable to make decisions it falls to you as the Lord Protector to make the decision on what action we should take against the governess" he explained.
When he'd accepted his charge as 'Lord Protector', Jefferson had convinced himself that it would never actually come to a time when he would have to make any sort of decision and yet there he stood, looking in the mirror on the wall, he took a breath, "We do nothing, let her be, she's suffered enough" he said almost through gritted teeth.
"As you wish" Graham nodded and gave a small bow, no matter how much he didn't agree with the lord he would respect his decision "If you don't mind I'll retire for the evening in my quarters, I trust you'll send for me when the King wakes?" he asked over his shoulder.
"Of course" Jefferson nodded, letting the other man leave the room before throwing himself down in the armchair by the fireplace, a bottle of fine whisky was well within reach, from which he took a couple of very needed sips.
Hatter looked over at the King to lay stiff in his bed, he felt for the man, he'd hoped that after the scandal with Milah his cousin would be in for some good times but instead it looked like there were choppy waters ahead. He had to find out what Glass was up to and find away to prove it to the King without the council knowing it. He just didn't know how.
...C\_'/...
"WHAT DO YOU MEAN HE WAS WITH HER?" Lady Mills voice echoed through the halls of the house that was far to grand for she and her oldest daughter.
"I...It's like I said" Glass' voice shook "Miss French arrived two hours ago with the King on horseback, he's been injured" he explained.
"Will he make it?" Cora growled as she paced the dimly lit room, going from the fireplace to the armchair where Glass sat and back again.
Zelena sat observing her mother and the man she knew to be the King's highest adviser, she put her head in her hands, the hour was getting late and she'd spent the whole day traipsing behind her mother. She felt like it was all she'd ever done.
"Yes, it was just a small head wound" Glass assured "The Dr has informed me that he should make a full recovery"
"This is good" Cora nodded as once again she began to pace making Zelena feel dizzy once again. "You tell me the minute he wakes up" the Lady grinned "And Zelena will be there for him and he'll see what a wonderful bride she would make" she cooed at her daughter who sent her mother a fake smile.
"Now what of Miss French, is she gone yet?" Cora asked, spinning on her heels.
"She'll be gone by the week's end" Glass hoped more than knew.
"Buuugh" Zelena began to talk until Cora went to her daughter and lifted her chin.
"Don't worry my darling, you'll have your King" Cora assured in such a sickly sweet tone before it changed dark "You won't end up like Regina" she snarled.
Oh how Zelena envied her younger sister, her mother saw it as dishonouring the family name but Zelena saw Regina choosing the man she loved over anything else. She hoped her sister was happy running the tavern with Robin. All Zelena wanted was to love and be loved and she doubted very much she'd get that from the King, but then being a Queen did sound rather fun, she thought with a little giggle, and who deserved it more than she?
...C\_'/...
