Smooth Sailing and Rough Waters
After spending a delightful evening entertaining Kara in their room, discussing the kingdom and answering all of her questions, they invited her to join them on their trip to Ireland. Kara was heading home the next day regardless and she was ecstatic to have royal companions. Most of the way from London to Liverpool she walked, taking well over a month to get home. She'd stop in various towns where old friends lived and picked up other supplies along the route. Being able to cut that trip down to a week, riding in style in a comfortable coach, and then not having to stow away in a dark, damp closet in the hull of a ship for another several days was the highlight of her life.
Despite their rocky start, Kara and Belle felt a powerful connection to one another, and stayed up much later than Beast, chatting away about books, and herbs, and life. Beast allowed for the door to the bedchamber to close so he could turn in early. He was cautious to keep his clothing on all night as opposed to sleeping in just his breeches as he had become accustomed to when the weather got so hot.
Belle still found the sight of his bare chest stirring, but she learned to temper the feelings, much like he had at seeing her in nothing but her shift. The two women talked so late into the night Belle insisted Kara stay and sleep on the couch in the attached parlor.
Beast woke first and sat on the floor watching Belle sleep for a long while. His heart swelled at seeing her beautiful features relaxed and uninhibited. That stray hair that always fell in her face was covering one eye, the rest of her hair splayed across the pillow with only a thin sheet covered her body. The thin cover was tucked under the front of her in a way that accentuated her curves beneath. For a few moments he gave into temptation, allowing himself to daydream of a day when he could lay next to her, wrapping his arms around her and resting his head on her back. His mind tried wandering to where his hands could roam when he suppressed a groan, threw on a clean shirt, grabbed his jacket, and as quietly as he could, left the room.
He was surprised to see Kara curled up on the sofa, asleep in her clothing without the corset, which she had thrown over a chair. She wasn't as revealing as Belle in just her shift, but with his animalistic feelings stirred, being met with her ample bosom half flowing out the top of her shirt, he quickly swiped the stone from the table he had left it on, keeping his eyes averted from her form. Shoving it in his pocket, he went down for a stroll in the fresh morning air, but not before sending up Jeremiah to guard the door. He wasn't about to leave the two women unprotected.
Beast returned a few hours later, arms full of delicious pastries and fruit. He had found a wonderful bakery near the hotel, and the bakers' wife fawned all over him, insisting he buy at least one of everything they had to offer. He graciously obliged, and she even threw in a basket to carry it all in.
It was challenging, adjusting to the way people—women in particular—saw him when he was out and about. He often forgot what he looked like to them, and so the fawning, blushing and sultry looks he kept passing were more than disconcerting to him. He imagined he would be full of arrogance and pride had he come of age knowing full well the effect his looks had on the fairer sex. But he hadn't, and the attention was so foreign to him, he didn't know how to deflect it. Instead, he just hurried his way back to the hotel, trying his best to ignore the stares.
On his way up to the room he requested some coffee and tea be sent up to compliment the vast assortment of goodies he brought with him. Jeremiah was sitting on the floor in front of the door reading a book when he approached.
"Are they still sleeping?" Beast asked, looking down on the boy. Jeremiah hopped to his feet, shutting his book. He straightened his now wrinkled shirt and vest, trying to make himself presentable to the Master.
"I'm not sure. I thought I heard someone stirring a little while ago, but I don't believe I've heard any voices. Then again, I was getting lost in the book Belle gave me. This Jack is a mighty brave fellow." Beast gave him a knowing grin, having enjoyed that book many times. Jeremiah opened the door for Beast, whose arms were full of delightful smelling sweets, and the two entered the room together.
Kara was up and in the process of braiding her long dark hair. She greeted the men with a brilliant smile, finished with her hair quickly and helped to arrange the abundant breakfast on the table.
"Is Belle awake?" Beast asked, looking towards the closed door.
"I don't believe she is yet," Kara replied while taking a bite out of a cream-filled concoction. The coffee and tea arrived just then and Jeremiah took it from the young maid who had brought it up, thanking her and giving her a kind smile, to which she blushed and scampered off. He brought it into the room, setting the tray next to the pastries.
"I should probably go wake her. We need to be off in about an hour if we're to keep to the timetable we set last night." Beast rubbed the back of his neck, trying to convince himself that he could keep his mind and body in check while he went in, seeing her displayed so sensually on the bed.
Both Kara and Jeremiah looked at him, waiting for him to proceed. Kara tried reading his expression, but had difficulty discerning exactly what was keeping his feet planted to the ground. After a sigh, he finally opened the door and entered the bedchamber, closing it behind him.
Belle let out a squeal at the door being opened. She was completely naked, using the water in the basin in the corner to wash up a little before putting on a clean shift and dress that were laid out on the bed. She grabbed the closest thing she could find to cover herself, which happened to be his shirt from the day before, and while it was long, it wasn't long enough to cover all of her, leaving her exposed from the knee down.
Beast should have immediately walked out, or at least turned around. His mind kept telling him he needed to, but his body refused to comply with the orders. He stood there, staring at her as a hunger washed over him like a fever.
"All right, you've made your point. You can turn away now!" Her voice broke through his trance. His face heated, and he spun around, resting his head on the closed door, clenching his eyes shut. She quickly grabbed her shift and slipped into it, then her corset, following it with a new pink dress they had purchased for her the day before, made of light linen.
She had difficulty lacing up the back, and after struggling with it for a few moments, sighed and asked for help. "I'm sorry to have to ask, but could you help me with this? I can't seem to lace this the rest of the way."
He let out a groan as he finally turned around, the hunger in his eyes still blazing. Belle felt the heat surge through her as he came closer.
She turned around, and one look at her shapely bottom through the tightly pulled dress sent Beast running from the room with a groan.
"Kara, Belle requires your assistance," he growled as he checked for the stone in his pocket. Finding it still there, he fled out the door and went for another walk.
Kara sat dumbfounded at his gruff attitude, and she exchanged a look with Jeremiah who was stifling a chuckle. "What's with him?" Kara mused aloud, but got up from her plate and walked into the bedroom to see what Belle needed. "You need me?" she asked. Belle was bright red, an embarrassed grin on her face, standing across the room with a half laced up dress. Kara came over and made quick work of the laces without saying another word.
It was obvious that an awkward situation had just occurred, and Kara could only assume it wasn't the first time. However, from the look on Belle's face, this might have been the worst. The ladies, now put together properly, took their seats at the table, and Belle insisted Jeremiah join them in enjoying breakfast. Belle's nerves eased as they sat discussing the weather, and Jeremiah told Kara about the wonderful book Belle had lent him. Belle and Kara hatched a plan that Kara would pose as Belle's maid for the journey, making it easy for her to obtain lodging with them and raise no suspicion.
It was well past the time they had planned on leaving before Beast returned from his second walk of the day. The large bustling city didn't lend itself well to what he truly needed—which was a brisk run through the woods to cool himself down, or better yet a swim, so he had to settle for roaming the streets, trying to distract his mind with watching all the people around him go about their day. The looks he got from passing women didn't help his current disposition, and although they were mostly flattering, it simply aided in stroking the flame he was desperately trying to dampen.
Upon his return, they had already loaded the coach, ready to go. Beast hesitated entering the coach, knowing he wasn't ready to sit so close to Belle, the image of her naked body still fresh on his mind. Every time he closed his eyes, it was there. Every moment his mind wasn't distracted by something else, it was there. This would be an eternal day.
"Kara, can you feel how long this stone will work for?" Beast asked as he approached the two women standing outside the coach waiting for him. Belle looked beautiful in the light pink gown. The lace trim around the collar drew his eyes to the crest of her breasts peeking out and he snapped his gaze back to Kara, trying to focus on her alone.
"I got a sense of it when I added the indicator spell. I don't think you have to worry about it anytime soon. Why?" Kara responded with a curious look on her face, noticing the concentration in his eyes to keep on her. His struggle rather amused her.
"I was thinking of riding up front with Jeremiah for a spell. But I don't want to risk it wearing off during a more important leg of the trip," Beast replied, keeping his gaze planted on Kara's face. But beyond her he could still see the radiant, knowing smile on Belle's.
"I don't see why that would be a problem. I'm sure if it ran low I could reinfuse it. Or provide you with something similar." That settled the matter, and Beast climbed up the front, forcing Jeremiah to scoot to the far side. The boy let out an exasperated sigh, but smiled at the Master. Belle giggled under her breath as she and Kara got into the coach, a slight flush to her cheeks knowing full well why he was reluctant to join them.
There was an obvious shift in Beast's demeanor for the next few days. He avoided being alone with Belle at all costs, shifting his attention to letter writing and reading. He was trying to educate himself on the proper running of a small kingdom, and was engrossed in history books, rural planning, and farming techniques. Much of it was boring enough to put him to sleep for long stretches of time as they made their way from London to Liverpool.
Belle hardly seemed to mind, having found an excellent companion in Kara. The two women were getting along famously, and it enthralled Belle learning about the different herbs and medicines Kara knew how to use. In the evenings when they stopped for the night, Kara and Belle shared a room, and Beast took the one next door. It was his idea, and while Belle understood him wanting to avoid another mishap, she was missing his company and the safety she felt having him close at hand. After the first day, Beast returned to riding in the coach, saving the stones use to checking in and out of the various inns. He even stopped venturing into the villages they passed.
Belle enjoyed a few brief excursions when they stopped to visit some of Kara's acquaintances. One of them in particular was a very sweet older woman, Madame Lana, whom Kara said had been her mentor when she first discovered her powers.
Kara was adopted by a loving couple after being abandoned at two years old, and the plump older woman had been her neighbor growing up. When she turned sixteen, and came into her powers, she didn't understand what was going on. She was about to ask her mother when the sweet neighbor pulled her aside and took her under her wing. It was their little secret. Madame Lana taught her all she knew about spells, potions, charms, healing and herbs.
Belle and Kara spent nearly half a day helping the aging woman with her small herb garden and encouraged her to pack up and join them. But Lana was set in her ways and preferred to live the remainder of her life in her peaceful little cottage. It was a tearful goodbye as Kara knew she wouldn't be back before the women took her last breath, and she thanked her for all she had given her. Upon parting, the old woman raised a hand and whispered a blessing upon them and their travels to Ireland.
Much to Belle's delight, the crossing to Ireland went smoother than any of them could have hoped for. They were able to secure a suite with two bedrooms and a private parlor aboard the ship. Beast shared with Jeremiah and Belle with Kara. They all took meals together in the suite's parlor. Beast kept to his room and the parlor so to limit the use of the stone, which was still glowing brightly.
Belle suffered minimal discomfort from the adjustment to the sea this time, partly because of the smooth waters, and partly from the herbal remedy Kara made her. Still, she was grateful it only took three days to complete the voyage, unheard of for the time of year.
It delighted her to enjoy the fresh breeze on deck as she and Kara would take their brief strolls together. Beast insisted on Jeremiah accompanying them each time, which limited the topics of conversation. The open sea was a prime arena for thieves and blaguard's, and he wasn't about to allow another unsavory situation, so Belle and Kara chose not to make a fuss about the escort.
However, once they reached Dublin, Kara was not about to be limited in her and Belle's movement any longer. There was so much she wanted to share with her new friend. Secret and private things, that with the constant hovering from Beast or Jeremiah, she hadn't been able to disclose yet. Even alone in their room at night, Kara held back, knowing Beast's keen ears could be listening. Belle too was feeling the stress of being watched at all times. She was used to having more freedom, and it had been two weeks since the unfortunate incident, without even the slightest hint of another mishap occurring.
Upon landing in Dublin they quickly purchased a new coach and horses, having sold the previous one before leaving. It wasn't worth the trouble to bring it along, when getting a new one was so simple. Jeremiah loaded up the coach with their belongings while Kara showed Belle around the busy city.
Beast, with the stone in his pocket once more, followed the women around from shop to shop, and the three of them dined at Kara's favorite pub. At one point, the ladies attempted to evade their escort when a group of women blocked his path to flirt with him. Kara and Belle ducked into what they thought was a shop, but turned out to be a gentlemen's club. They elicited so many hoots and hollers from the men who noticed them, that they quickly exited, Belle running directly into Beast, who was scowling at her for intentionally trying to discard his protection. Kara scoffed at him for being overly protective, and he growled at her that he wasn't allowing them out of his sight, and that was the end. Belle simply shook her head. The ladies made no further attempts to lose him.
Back on the road, Kara gave directions towards her home. It would take a few days to get there, so along the way Kara played guide, pointing out the unique features of her land, and once again making numerous stops to visit friends and share the supplies she had gone to London to acquire. She explained how her trip to London was a yearly excursion, and she would gather or purchase enough of the rare herbs and other plants necessary for both her personal supply and her friends.
As they visited each charmante along the way, Belle and Beast would give their brief speech, inviting them to join the kingdom. Many were excited by the prospect of not having to hide their magic any longer, while others couldn't imagine ever leaving Ireland.
The one night they needed to stop, they stayed with friends of Kara. It was a small cottage, far from the nearest village, with a little garden situated to the left of the house, and a rickety stable to the right. Jeremiah chose to sleep outside once more, and he and Beast even got to take a brisk run through the small wooded plot south of the house.
Beast had been brooding since leaving London, and the run was exactly what he needed to clear his clouded mind. He was back to his resolve that Belle deserved more than a man trapped in a beast's body, and he was determined to keep his distance, no matter the cost. He engaged in pleasant conversations with her and Kara in the close quarters of the coach, when he wasn't distracting himself with reading. The evenings he spent alone in his room sending off letters to Cogsworth, Lumière or Tobias with instructions or inquires as to what was happening back home.
Knowing the path they were taking made it easy to instruct where they could send their responses. Arriving in Dublin, Beast sent Jeremiah to the postmaster to collect any missives awaiting him. There had been one from both Cogsworth and Tobias, as well as one for Belle from Rosalind. The glow of happiness that shone on Belle's face at receiving word from her mother practically took his breath away, and he'd had to turn away and focus on what Cogsworth sent.
Belle shared her letter aloud in the coach once they got moving, as it was a list of all the new arrivals and how everyone was settling in. Tobias and his people had a mostly uneventful trip, with only minor mishaps such as broken wheels, and a brief encounter with highwaymen that Tobias himself made quick work of. Gertrude was ecstatic that an empty tavern was awaiting her, and she was busying herself getting it up to snuff. Gerard, the elf they met in Italy, found his cousin, and the two of them had just completed building a home for themselves on the outskirts of town. Apartments above the shops in the main square were filling with tenants, and the shops were also being occupied with those skilled in trades. So far they had a seamstress in Frau Henrietta, Gwendolyn the cousin of Rosalind's friend Adelise was a skilled baker, and Monsieur Levi re-established his bookshop.
Beast kept his letters to himself, claiming matters of state too boring for the ladies to be interested in, when the truth was that Tobias's letter was personal. His friend was trying to persuade him out of his current course of action, to give in and just tell Belle exactly how he felt, and what his decision was regarding remaining a Beast. Tobias had full confidence in Belle accepting him for who and what he was and assured the king that life would be so much happier if he would just be honest. Beast's mood soured further after reading the letter, and he shoved it into his baggage, rumpling it up in the process.
He was noticeably silent the rest of the day, stewing in his own self-inflicted misery. Now as he ran through the forest, free to just be him, he could block out all else and focus on the breeze blowing through his fur, and the ground beneath his feet. It was almost meditative how his troubles melted away when he exerted himself, and he had desperately needed this run.
He returned refreshed, a bit out of breath, planning to sleep under the stars, avoiding talking to anyone else tonight. But it wasn't to be. Belle heard him arrive back at the cottage and she stepped out looking for him.
"Did you enjoy your run?" she asked, sitting on the ground next to where he sprawled out on the lawn, her knees bent, tucking her skirt around her feet. His hands were behind his head, legs clad in black breeches stretched out in front of him, crossed at the ankle. His thin gray lawn shirt was open slightly at the neck blowing in the breeze. He looked the perfect image of contentment.
"I did," was his short reply. She sighed to herself, recognizing he was determined to keep the wall he built firmly in place. Beyond his over protectiveness, he had been extremely distant since leaving London. They never discussed what happened that morning, and she knew better than to broach the subject more than a week later. He made sure they hadn't had a moment alone since, a clear indication he was unwilling to talk about anything of a personal nature. But she was undeterred.
"Care to elaborate?" She raised a brow, looking down on his face, but it had no effect since his eyes were closed.
"Not really." Another minimal response. This would be more difficult than she first thought. She needed to have an actual conversation with him, one about them, and what exactly they were. It had been plaguing her, this up and down relationship they seemed to have, where one minute she knew he wanted her, could feel how much he cared, followed by weeks of stonewalling and forced polite conversation. Her intention was to gently guide him into a conversation, but his curt replies flared her temper.
"Is this what we've dissolved to? You barely talk to me, ignoring me at every turn, yet still ever present and not letting me out of your sight? It's downright confusing and I, for one, am tired of it! You can't have it both ways anymore. So before we get settled here, I need you to decide what you want. Either I'm free to go about my business as I please, and I won't interfere with or question you, or you're by my side and open and honest with me. I'll expect your answer in the morning. Goodnight." She heard a grumbling behind her as she stalked back into the house. She even thought she felt the earth shake beneath her feet just before she stepped inside, but she would not look back and see why.
Beast got very little sleep that night, so angry and annoyed at the ultimatum Belle threw at him. He knew what he should do, but actually telling her she was free to do whatever she wanted, and that he would stop being overprotective was another story. Letting her go was proving to be the most difficult thing he had ever done, and he just wasn't ready yet. It was easy enough when he was avoiding her, but as soon as he looked into those magnificent hazel eyes that seemed almost golden when the light hit them, his heart leapt and he forgot all the reasons he couldn't be with her.
Raking his hand through his mane as she exited the cottage—looking fresh and lovely in her green dress, her hair swept back in her typical fashion—he groaned internally at how he was helpless to stop his eyes from roaming over her body, still quite capable of conjuring the image of what lay beneath the flowing layers of her dress. In a panic, he made a quick turn and ran off into the woods. It was a cowardly thing to do, and he had no doubt she would be furious with him when he returned, but he couldn't force the words he needed to say out of his mouth. He needed more time. He prayed more time would ease the pain he felt already at the thought of slamming the door on the hope of being with her.