~*~*~*~ Forget the Past ~*~*~*~
Disclaimer: I think we know the drill by now… This is the last time I'm gonna write it-it makes me more depressed every time. ;) Kapesh?
A/N: Hmmm-got major writer's block… Yikes!! As always, ideas and criticism are welcome and greatly appreciated! Oh yes, changed the pen name cuz there were too many 'starlets'!!! Grrr. (Promise not to change it again! …maybe…) If you want me to e-mail you when I update again (hopefully soon…) just tell me and leave me an email address.
Chapter Ten: That Small Show of Backbone…
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(BELLE'S POV)
The silence in Belle's chamber was thick enough to cut with a knife.
Numair and Raoul had left a long time ago, but she hadn't really noticed, as her mind was still fogged with her current dilemma. She could faintly recall them saying something about coming back to check on her, and the tall mage sitting on the bed beside her feeble form, asking if she were all right. There was no memory of giving them an answer, only her father's harsh words ringing over and over in her mind…and the endless flood of worries bombarding her, each like a pellet of ice cruelly piercing her fragile emotional skin.
But suddenly, reasoning flew back into Belle's mind as easily as it had been chased away.
Taking deep, shuddering breaths, Belle shoved herself into a sitting position, trying to ignore the razor-edged pain slashing through her. Apparently, the potion Margaret had given her wasn't working very well. Gritting her teeth, Belle swung her legs over the edge of the bed, and winced as her feet hit the cold stone floor; jolting her. Slowly, shakily, she stood up, and, as if taunting her, more white agony rocketed through her body.
Goddess help me, this might be harder than I thought, she commented wearily to herself.
Deciding that dwelling on her bodily hurts would only hold her back, Belle steadied herself once before grabbing the drab gown that lay at the foot of her abandoned bed, and donned it. Lacing the bodice with finality, she slid on her shoes, tottered her way to the door, and slipped out.
But she didn't see the dusky form that followed her, appearing out of some distant pocket of shadow, and stealing down the passageway with less a than friendly demeanor…
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(DAINE'S POV)
Daine burst into the front hall of Castle Ravensloft, starling several maids that were tidying up in the aftermath of the banquet. Without even sparing them a passing glance, she swept into the gloomy corridor to her left that led to Belle's chambers.
As she had been absentmindedly petting and visiting with the other horses in the stables, Daine had made up her mind. And it was at that instant that she felt a tug, an urgency, to get the official business over and done with. She had no clue why she felt that way-and the fact that it had popped up out of nowhere did not serve as any kind of a hint…
Horse Lords, I really don't like feeling like this… I hope Belle's father doesn't go back to her… What if Belle doesn't get better-what if she got worse??
The frenzied thoughts stampeded through her brain, until halfway down the hallway, she saw a door ajar, with light spilling out of it. Again, being over-exhausted and a little crazed, Daine's mind went wild with the possibilities, almost all of them horrible.
Why is the door open? And why is the light on?? Goddess, I can't trust Numair with anything these days!! (A/N: Teehee. ^_^) Belle's supposed to be asleep! What if Lord Jared came back? If she doesn't sleep, she'll-
But the thought was cut short as Daine burst in the door and found the chamber empty, the bedsheets shoved back as if someone was in a hurry to get out of them. Daine whirled on her heel and dashed out of the room and down on the hall.
Where would Belle go if she was frightened? she asked herself, trying to rationalize the delirium of thoughts raging through her head. Assuming that Lord Jared hasn't gotten a hold of her… the nasty little voice in the back of her head commented. Ignoring it, Daine suddenly remembered-the stable! I hope she's not saddling up Demon… Goddess, if this is how parents feel than I never want to have kids-I could never handle it. Wait, then how am I supposed to be a guar-
But it was then that Daine ran into a wall. Wait, not a wall, someone's rock-solid chest-and the owner was laughing at her. It only infuriated her further, and she ducked around him, but was stopped by an arm. She finally looked up with a glare that could peel paint. It was Raoul, with Numair standing just behind him, trying unsuccessfully to hide a grin.
"Is something wrong, dearest?" That was Numair, not Raoul.
"Yes, something is wrong!" she hadn't meant to explode at them, but her frustration had been bottling up for the past hour.
A little startled at her outburst, the two men just stared at her.
"Oh for Goddess' sake, just come with me and be quick about it!" Daine snapped, sounding harsher than she intended to. She slipped in between them, and continued down to the stables at a run.
They weren't even ten feet from the large open foyer of the main stable when an enormous ebony blur leapt out at them, and the three humans leapt to the side to avoid being trampled. Daine rolled to the side and dazedly looked up in time to see a frenzied flash of cerulean blue eyes before their owner whipped her golden hair around, and kicked her stallion toward the forest.
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(A/N: Should I stop it there? *ducks to avoid various objects thrown at her head* No I'm that mean… =p)
(BELLE'S POV)
When she and her beloved stallion were finally under the protective green cover of the thick forest, Belle stopped sitting so rigidly in the saddle, sat back, and took several deep breaths. When she'd seen Daine, Numair, and Raoul appear in front of the stable, she had no doubt panicked, and roughly kicked Demon into a gallop, almost running them over.
Next time you decide to run away, these few words were said with obvious disdain,do you think you could warn me? Or at least try to retain a little restraint, and refrain from kicking at my delicate sides… I might just dump you next time. Demon commented innocently.
Belle grinned tiredly. Her lovely stallion never failed to make her smile.
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(DAINE'S POV)
"Owwwww…" Daine hadn't had to throw herself out of the way of a rampaging horse in a long time, and her body was protesting loudly. Her two companions obviously felt the same way, because suddenly she heard the groans from them as well.
"Mithros… I'm getting too old for this…" Raoul did not seem the least bit happy, and Numair was lying beside him, seemingly trying to untangle his gangly arms and legs. (A/N: *evil grin* ^.^)
"Daine, was there any particular reason that you didn't call to Demon and tell him to stop? Daine could tell Numair was trying not to sound exasperated.
"You didn't see what was in the stable anteroom did you?" Daine asked the two men.
Two head shakes. And Numair felt compelled to murmur, "I was too busy trying to avoid being flattened into the ground to look anywhere else…"
After giving him a slight glare, Daine continued, "She packed for her…um…trip. There are saddlebags in the stable."
The two men's faces lit up with revelation.
"She'll come back. I guess we could go after her, but then she's going to fight us. If we let her come back on her own, it'll probably be a lot easier on all of us."
But she better not get hurt in the process… Daine muttered to herself.
And behind them, in that large open foyer of the main stable, Belle's forgotten saddlebags shifted, and something small and dark skittered back into the hay-scented shadows.
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(BELLE'S POV)
Belle was actually beginning to think that her plan had gone well, when she suddenly felt as though her heart had plunged into her stomach. Goddess help her, she had been so anxious to get away from Ravensloft, that she left her saddlebags packed with all her necessities in the stable!
Was she supposed to go back? She hadn't really been scared when she and Demon had dashed out of the stable, with the adrenaline rushing, but now apprehension was setting in like a thick, formidable fog. Belle didn't know anything about surviving in the wilderness, with or without provisions. And then there was the subject of wild animals…
By the way, where are your saddlebags, Belle dearest? Demon asked nonchalantly, almost as if he sought to annoy her.
"I forgot them." she answered sourly, after a moment's hesitation. "And I'd appreciate it if you wouldn't comm-"
Well that wasn't very smart of you was it? The stallion sounded almost smug to Belle!
"I was distracted." She replied evenly.
How do you plan on surviving out here, then? Demon asked just as smoothly.
"Don't you mean we?"
Oh no, I mean you. I will do just fine grazing, thank you very much.
"Well…I gu-"
I've heard two-leggers find grass and such disgusting. And if I can find some cherry bark, that will make a fine meal for me, but-
"All right, fine!" Belle said rather loudly, as she wheeled Demon around, "We'll go back-if you promise to stop doing that."
Doing what, Belle dearest? the horse answered back, trying his best to look innocent.
Innocent, my foot. Belle snorted silently as they headed back to Ravensloft.
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(DAINE'S POV)
"Ow, ow, ow, ow, ow…." Numair clutched at his neck and groaned in fake pain, and then looked over at Daine for a reaction, trying not to be obvious, but failing horribly.
Even though this had been going on for the past twenty minutes, Daine still found it funny. She glanced over at Raoul and saw him shaking his head.
Men. Daine mused to herself. There was no more thought needed.
Suddenly she sensed an animal coming near… It was undoubtedly Demon, carrying a certain golden-haired, sapphire-eyed girl. Daine pushed herself up onto her elbows, and looked toward the path coming out of the forest. Sure enough, a high-stepping horse sauntered out of the cover of the trees, with a slender form atop him.
Daine and the two men stood up, Daine with the saddlebags she had retrieved from the stable earlier.
When she reached them-if you could call it that, as she was a good ten feet away from them, as if shielding herself from them-Daine strode forward and smiled up at Belle. It was met with a frown.
Daine ignored Belle's sour attitude, and tried for humor, saying with a grin, "Did you forget something?". She held up the saddlebags.
Another scowl. Searching Belle's face, Daine saw past the mask of anger, to the fatigue and distress beneath. But her blue eyes were spitting sparks…
A strange contrast. Daine mused.
Glaring down at the three people watching her with amusement, Belle dismounted with a little trouble, due to her gown. When her feet hit the ground, she let out a groan, but tried to stifle it with her hand. Daine heard it, but decided this wasn't the time to talk about that.
"All right, since you obviously don't want to talk about your little…trip, " Daine observed with a smile, "Let's talk about something else. What do you plan to do now for living arrangements?"
Belle was obviously startled by her blunt question, but said nothing.
Daine took a step closer, and Belle took a step back, bumping into her stallion. Demon, on the other hand, shoved his nose into his mistress' back and pushed her forward so that she was right in front of Daine.
Trying to be friendly, Daine raised her arm to drape it around the younger girl's shoulders, but when she did so, Belle flinched the tiniest bit, and scooted back several feet.
After a moment of confusion, revelation hit her.
She thought I was going to strike her! Daine realized with amazement.
"Belle," she said soothingly, "I want to tell you something right now."
Fear flickered across the girl's features for a moment, and then was replaced by the bitter scowl from a moment ago.
"I'm going to try and make this as easy as possible for you…" Daine started, trying to think of a way not to completely alarm the girl. Looking at the expression on Belle's face, common sense told Daine to say it and get it over with. But at the moment, Belle looked like a cornered doe. Numair and Raoul were standing behind her, forgotten for the moment.
After almost a moment of silence, common sense won out.
"Listen, I the law says that until you turn eighteen, you have to have a legal guardian, family or other. And after that episode with your father, you, obviously don't have one anymore."
Again, Daine's only answer was silence.
Horse Lords, this is disconcerting. Daine felt like wringing her hands.
"We," Daine gestured back to Numair and Raoul, "were thinking that one of us could be your guardian… You could travel with us on the Great Progress and I could teach you how to use your Wild Magic and-"
Daine immediately broke off because Belle suddenly looked like she was paying attention.
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(BELLE'S POV)
Belle wasn't paying the least bit attention to what the Wildmage was saying. The moment Daine had said something about a "guardian", she had completely lost herself. It was rude, she knew, but she had more important things to think about.
Oooooh my goodness… Goddess help me, what am I supposed to do?! I can't deal with this… I can't leave with them-not with the Wildmage! Not when she wants to teach me Wild Magic!
But wait-I can't live here anymore. If I go with them, it will only be for two years. I can just keep putting off learning the magic until I can go out on my own! Yes, that should work very well.
Pleased with herself, Belle forced herself to look up at Daine. But when she did so, she saw Daine, Numair and Raoul all observing her with such intensity that she felt like burying her face in Demon's mane.
"Uuum…"
The three must have realized they were making her uncomfortable-probably by the hot blush stealing into her cheeks-and the two men adverted their gazes.
"Go on." Diane urged gently.
Belle tried to say something, so she wouldn't seem like a complete incompetent, but distress was strangling her so bad she couldn't even force the words out.
Just say it!!
"Yes."
Daine beamed, and the two men grinned, and Belle suddenly wondered apprehensively if she had gotten herself in over her head.
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A/N: Whew! 14 pages! Yea for me! ^.^ I really don't know where Alanna ran off to in this chapter, but I hope she'll find her way back in the next one. This chapter was really hard to write, because I didn't know how to make Belle react-I don't really like this one like I do some of the others. But oh well… pleeeze pleeze pleeeze review! I think I'm going to be evil and ask for at least 11 reviews for another chapter. ^^
P.S. Remember the little shadow thingie? The "something" that was following Belle, and the thing in her saddlebags? Cookies to anyone who guesses what it is-or what it represents. I'll tell ya next chappie!
P.P.S. Wait! One more! WHO DO YOU WANT BELLE'S GUARDIAN TO BE???
Thanx to:
BraveSirRobin ran away: Yes, Jared is just awful. Some of the reviewers and I were thinking about starting an "I Hate Lord Jared Club". ^.^ Thanx for the review! Keep reading!!
Free2BMe: Lolz!! I love what you said about Numair-I think I did a good job of making him…um…annoying in this chappie!! ^_^ Thanx for the suggestions-you're probably right about Daine, too. =D Keep reading!!
Wildmage Fina d'Avaera: Wow! Thank you!! ^_^ I'm so sorry about the delays, but I had like major writer's block and my teachers seem to love giving out this horrible thing called "homework". *sigh* =p Thanx for reading!
Black Rose: I'm so sorry about the long wait!! *wails dramatically* *ahem* ^.^ But I have had a LOT of homework lately…grrr to my EVIL teachers. I have no clue who is gonna be Daine's guardian….yet. *evil grin* Thanx for the review! I really really really promise to try and not be so lazy with the next chapter!! Lolz.
M'cha Araem: Yes, I know, I know, I had some bad writer's block…and *whispers* I was being kinda lazy…enjoying everybody else's fics. Lolz. ^.^ I'm so glad you like my fic!! *giggle* *ahem* Demon is my fav character, I think… =) Thanx for reading!!
Chibi-Chingo: I know somebody who goes to an all girls school, and she says she loves it, so I dunno. I would probably go nuts, but hey… I'm a freak. =) Thanx for the review!! Keep reading!!
Lady Arianna: Hehe!! Guess what?! I don't know where it's going either!! Lolz. Keep reading!
Keziah: Oh I loved your chapter on Jewel!! It's such a good fic!! Don't worry, I'm obsessed with Harry Potter too…sadly. ^.^ Lolz. Don't worry! Demon's coming! I would never leave my pooooor little sweetie behind!! =) Good luck with your new horse!! Which, by the way, I hate you for, cuzI don't have one!!! *wails* Hehe j/k. Thanx for reading!!!
Hyper Gal: Oooh I love your pen name!! Hehehe. *giggle* That's ok-evil thoughts can be veeeery fun sometimes… *insane smile* Lolz. Thanx for the review!
Keita: *hides from Keita* *wails* I'm soooooorrrry!!!!! Lolz. I know I was being evil because I didn't update…bad me!! *slaps own hand* =) Thanx for the review!!!!
Hugs,
~IrishEyes