So, without further rambling, Chapter Four. Hope you all enjoy!
--------------
"That's Harry's window," Belinda whispered, pointing at a lit pane half an hour later while she and Frederick sat in a cart they had filched from the royal stables. "After he's asleep, we'll sneak in and get the potions. The handsome prince glanced from the window to her determined face and grinned a little.
"What'll we do until then, eh?" he asked a little devilishly, leaning down to kiss the side of her neck. She couldn't help but giggle a little as she swatted at him gently with one hand.
"Oh, Frederick, I did so want you to love me for my mind..." she replied, mock-pouting. He cupped her chin in his hand, gazing into her eyes sincerely.
"Belle, I'll admit I haven't known you long enough to have discovered much about your mind," he replied honestly, draining all the teasing out of her with his well-placed words. "But I do know there's a spirit in you that's unlike anything I've ever seen in a woman before, and I fully intend to find out everything I can about you. You're much more than a pretty face," he finished, leaning down to kiss her lips.
Belinda was suddenly a whirlwind of emotions. She'd always relied on her good looks to flirt with men...and to have someone so wonderful be so sincere with her...to have someone tell her she was more than a pretty face...it was almost too much. She wasn't sure whether to run away as fast as her legs could carry her or to never leave his side. Still, as the kiss deepened, she had a feeling she would never be able to stay away from him for very long.
After a moment, she pulled away, smiling at him. "Belle?" she questioned, referring to the nickname she had suddenly been assigned, and he blinked.
"Well, if you'd rather not be called that, I understand..." he began, but she stopped him with a finger on his lips.
"I love it," she murmured, leaning in to kiss him again. However, he turned his head, and she ended up kissing his cheek, instead. "What is it?" she asked, slightly confused.
"The light's gone out," Frederick explained, gesturing towards the now-darkened window. "Come on, let's go." He got out of the cart, then helped her down as well, stopping to admire her in her peasant apparel. "You know, I've never seen a prettier kitchen maid," he commented, grinning. "Which is saying a lot, since I'm expected to flirt with all of them, being a prince and all."
"Well, I must admit, you don't make a half bad stable boy," she quipped, then grabbed his arm as he started towards the front of the pub. "This way. We'll go in through the back window."
Wordlessly, he followed her lead to a small window on the first floor, which was completely closed. "How are we going to get in?" he whispered, crouching down to examine the bottom of the window for any possible crack they could wedge something in to pry it open.
"Just watch. It's shut, but not locked," Belinda replied, and proceeded to press both hands firmly against the bottom part of the window. Slowly, she moved her hands upward; the force she was exerting kept her palms firmly against the glass, causing the window to rise up as she pushed. Once it was a few inches off the sill, she slipped her hands underneath the frame and pushed it the rest of the way up. "Give me a boost," she said, then stopped when she realized that Frederick was staring at her and grinning with admiration. "What?"
"You're some woman, Belle," he said, shaking his head as he helped her through the open window. She blushed a little, thankful that the darkness hid the color on her cheeks and wondering yet again how a man could make her feel so giggly and girlish.
"Here, the crate's underneath this table," she murmured. "I couldn't carry it out myself, but between the two of us, we should be able...to..." Shocked, she trailed off, watching as he hefted the heavy craft up by himself. "Or...you could do that, I suppose."
He grinned roguishly and headed towards the window again before she stopped him. "Out the front door. We just couldn't come in that way because I don't have my key," she explained, grabbing a few more potions to carry out by hand, since he obviously needed no help with the box.
"Lead the way, m'lady," he said, attempting to bow gallantly and nearly toppling over.
"Cut out the dramatics," she said dryly, unable to suppress a smile as they started through the front room of the pub. They had almost made it to the front door in the darkness before Frederick bumped into a table, knocking a chair that had been put up on it over. The chair bumped into Belinda's shoulder, causing her to drop one of the bottles she was carrying. The glass shattered with a deafening crash, almost loud enough to rival the roar that came from upstairs.
"Run!" Belinda shouted, tearing towards the door. Frederick didn't have to be told twice; the two of them got out of the pub just as Harry started down the stairs, and they were in the cart by the time he got to the door. All the pub owner could do was yell angrily as they drove off into the night.
The horses ran at a breakneck pace for a while with Frederick guiding them, until they were deep into the forest, deeper than Belinda ever remembered going before. "That was close," she remarked breathlessly, one hand on her chest as she struggled to catch her breath. To her surprise, Frederick started laughing. "What's so funny?"
"I've just never done anything like this, I guess," he exclaimed, just as breathless as she was. He jumped out of the cart and tied the horses to a tree, speaking as he did so. "I snatched the occasional pastry from the cook as a boy, but I never out and out stole something valuable from a business..."
"Well, if it makes you feel any better, it was just taking back what's rightfully mine," Belinda replied as he put his hands around her waist and helped her jump down from the cart.
"I don't mind being a thief for you," he replied, taking her hand and leading her over to a soft, mossy clearing a little ways off from the trail. He flopped down in a very unprincelike manner, lying on his back with his hands underneath his head. She sat down beside him, propped up by one hand, and followed his gaze to the stars shining above. He noticed where she was looking, and remarked, "Make a wish, Princess."
Startled, she looked down at him, frowning slightly. "I'm not a princess," she reminded. Realizing his mistake, he blushed a little and cleared his throat.
"I'm sorry, Belle, it's just that..."
"Just that you're accustomed to being with princesses," she finished for him, somewhat bitterly. He sat up, reaching to cup her chin in one hand and thus forcing her to look at him.
"Belle, listen to me. I don't care if you're a princess or a bar maid or a beggar. I..." He stopped, having a hard time with his words, and she waited expectantly. "I think I'm falling in love with you, Belle," he finished softly.
She didn't reply; even though she knew she was falling head over heels for the man, she wasn't yet ready to admit it out loud. Out of a combination of a sense of pride and a fear of being hurt, she seldom ever let her emotions out in the open. Instead, she smiled at him and leaned in to kiss him fully.
An awkward silence threatened to take over once the kiss ended; luckily, Belinda spied something through the trees as she looked past Frederick's shoulder deeper into the forest, and she pointed towards it. "What's that over there?"
"Oh! I was going to show you that...it's part of why I brought you this way," he exclaimed, getting to his feet and helping her up, as well. As eager as a child with a new toy, he led her through the brush until they stood on the edge of a large clearing with a small, cream colored cottage with a thatched roof nestled amongst some large trees. Frederick beamed as he gestured to it with one hand. "Well? What do you think?" he asked, seeming quite proud of himself for something.
"It's a lovely little place..." she began uncertainly, not really sure what he was getting at.
"It's yours, if you want it," he replied, still grinning. She looked startled, so he continued, "On the way to the pub, you were talking about wanting to open up a potion business all your own...well, if you think you would like to set up shop here, the place is all yours. It's a great location, too...right in between Far Away and Far Far Away. You'd get good business. If you want it, that is."
She stared at him for a moment, speechless; she had assumed that either she would succeed in winning her handsome prince, or she would fail, and the potion business would be her back up plan. Yet, here he was, apparently offering her the chance to have both, and smiling at her with those loving silver-blue eyes. "You...are you sure? Really?" she asked, still not quite believing him.
"Really really," he murmured in reply, putting his arms around her again and leaning down to rest his forehead against hers for a moment (which was a somewhat comical sight, given their difference in height) before nodding towards the cottage again. "Do you think you'll be all right out here by yourself tonight? Or would you rather come back to the castle and stay in one of the spare rooms?" he asked, a little doubtfully. She smiled at him, smirking somewhat suggestively.
"You could always...stay here, and keep me company?" she offered, moving to stand just the slightest bit closer to him. Something flickered in his eyes, as though he were considering the option, but, much to her disappointment, he shook his head.
"I...think it'd be best if we both go back to the castle and...get some sleep," he finished, still appearing somewhat troubled. "You know how it is with royal life....attend balls all night, sleep most of the day," he laughed. Her disappointment must have shown, because he tilted her chin up and kissed her soundly. "Of course, the night is still young..." he conceded in a tone that caused her to smile again.
"Then, by all means...let's make the most of it."
----
A/N (again): In case anyone's interested, the window-opening bit is something we actually use to get into the theatre building on my college campus when it's all locked up; there's one window in the design studio purposely left unlocked expressly for this purpose. Oh, and I blatantly stole a line from a musical and stuck it in this fic. Ten points to anyone who catches it! I'm sorry it's taken so long to update; the next chapter should be quicker in coming.