Chapter 11…

Scarlett's POV…

I woke up to someone shaking me, "Scarlett, wake up!" they whispered, "Scarlett! Get—"

I opened my eyes, "What is it?"

"Come on we have to go," Audrey said quickly.

"What?" I asked confused, "Audrey what are you—"

"If we want to get out before anyone notices we have to go, now."

I slowly got up, "What time is it?"

"Early, now get dressed and come on!"

I stood up, "Why do we have to go right this second?"

"Because… I heard our fathers talking and they said that my father would be going to the village today, in other words, we have to get there before him."

"Fine, fine," I said going to change my clothes.

Audrey nodded and went downstairs and outside to get the horses ready.

Within a few minutes I was out to the stables, "It's about time," Audrey said jumping on her horse.

I rolled my eyes putting on my cloak and went to my horse; I immediately started riding for the gate.

"Hey wait up!" Audrey said coming up behind me.

I smirked, "I thought you wanted to get there fast!"

"Well, yes fast but not that fast," she teased catching up to me.

When we arrived at the outskirts of the village, Audrey stopped and looked to me as we jumped down from our horses, "Okay, so what's the plan?"

"The plan?"

"You know, how are we going to find him."

"I ran into him both times in the town square so…"

"To the town square," she said tying her horse to the bridge while I did the same.

We entered the small town to find it booming with life, as usual.

"So you said you saw him by the fountain and the market right?"

"Uh huh," I said.

"Maybe if we just walk around for a bit we can—"

"Scarlett!" I heard a voice say.

I whipped around to try and find who it was… I couldn't find the voice.

"What is it?" Audrey asked.

"Did you hear that?"

"Scarlett!" they yelled again.

"Hear what?" Audrey asked.

"Someone calling my name," I said still looking around.

"Scarlett is a common name, I hear voices calling my name all the time and do I look for them no, why because I'm sane. Now you on the other hand are starting to scare me a little and—"

I spotted him! I went as fast as I could, "Lyle! Lyle!"

Audrey tried to keep up with me.

Lyle made his way to me, "Scarlett."

"I can't believe it. Hi!" I said. Real smooth move… I thought to myself.

"You can't believe what?" Audrey said coming up behind me then realizing I was talking to someone. She saw him and looked at me with a face that read, what the heck? ... Wait a second, Lyle?

"Lyle this is Audrey, she's a good friend of mine back at home."

Lyle smiled and shook Audrey's hand, she could not speak, she just looked at me, then at Lyle then back at me.

"And Audrey this is Lyle, the one I was telling you about."

"Pleasure to meet you Audrey," Lyle said.

She smiled and nodded.

"So what brings you to our small town?" Lyle asked.

"Just decided to get outside, you know, it's a beautiful day and we don't get to come down here much," I smiled.

"That's kind of funny, because I was about to start wondering if I'd ever see you again, I mean—"

"No, no it's okay, I was starting to wonder the same about you."

"It was very nice meeting you Lyle, I think I'm going to go to the bookshop, I'll se you later Scarlett," Audrey said leaving.

"She seems nice," Lyle laughed as we began walking.

"She's like a sister to me," I laughed, "Thank you again for helping me the other day."

"Oh, no problem. I'm just surprised Chandler didn't," he laughed.

"But I thought you said he did that a lot?"

"Well, he does, it's just… usually, when he bumps into a girl who's as beautiful as you he won't let them out of his sight."

"Oh really," I laughed, "A girl as beautiful as me?" I said sarcastically.

"Chandler's the guy in town all the girls are swooning over," he joked, "A lot since we came here."

"How long have you been here?"

"A few weeks."

"Oh, where were you before?"

"We've moved around a lot since I was a child. For as long as I can remember, we've only lived in the same place for maybe two or months before. All over France."

"How exciting," I said.

"You would think so, but it got old after awhile. I never was able to keep a friend since we moved so much. That's why I help with Allison, my little sister you met. She's the closest I've got."

"That's so sweet, I know a lot of older brothers would never wont anything to do with their little sisters."

It was then that Lyle that Lyle's face changed, he looked scared, like he'd seen something or someone. He started acting awkward, "Yes, um, I'm very sorry but I just remembered that I have to… to go get Allison. I promised I would… take her to the lake."

"Okay," I smiled not knowing why he so suddenly needed to leave.

"Scarlett, there's a bridge on the outskirts of town, near the forest."

"Uh huh."

"Meet me there, tonight. I want to talk to you again," he smiled.

"Of course," I smiled.

He smiled and with that he was off into the crowd of people.

I let out a sigh, yep; he's perfect… and continued off towards the bookshop to find Audrey.

It wasn't long before she ran up to me," Scarlett! Tell me everything!"

I laughed, "Oh Audrey it was wonderful, we walked and talked and he told me how his family just came here. He's lived all over France Audrey, ALL OVER FRANCE!"

"What? That's incredible!"

"I know! Then he suddenly remembered he had to take his sister to the lake because he promised her."

"Awww, that's so sweet!"

"That's what I said!"

"Then what?"

"Well… he asked me to meet him on the bridge tonight because he wanted to talked to again!"

At this point we were jumping up and down happily not caring what the people passing by thought.

"Are you going to go?" Audrey asked.

"Of course!"

"Good, oh Scarlett this is amazing!"

"I know!" I then remembered something, "One question for you Audrey."

"Uh huh."

"What do we do if we run into your father?"

"Why?"

"Because here he comes…"

"What do you—" she spotted him coming towards us from the forest where we were headed, "Uh oh, run!"

"We can't run now he already saw us! Just stay calm."

Lumiere came up to us, "Audrey? Scarlett? What are you doing here?"

"The better question is what you are doing here," Audrey said immediately regretting it.

"Audrey Clarisse, that is for me to know and you to find out. Now tell me why you are here."

"Ummmm," Audrey and I exchanged a look, "We we—re… getting a few new books."

"A few new books?" he asked.

"Yep," she nodded.

He crossed his arms, "When there's an entire library at the castle?"

I stepped in, "I wanted something new to get my mother for her birthday. I just wanted Audrey to come with me for safety, we left early so we could get back without her noticing."

"Alright then," Lumiere said, "You better hurry, when I left she was beginning to wonder where you were."

"Of course," I said.

"Yes," Audrey said.

"We were just heading back home," I said.

"Exactly," Audrey said.

"Goodbye girls," he said as we went to the bridge where our horses were.

Lumiere thought to himself as he watched us run away to the bridge where our horses were, they said they came for a book, well they didn't have any books and they were heading back to the castle. I'll have to keep a close eye on them…