A/N: Before the story continues, I just want to thank TrudiRose for all her WONDERFUL patience :-) This chapter is the single one that has gone through the most revision of all my stories until it met satisfaction, and I owe all the wonderful advice and opinions to make it rock to Trudi! Thanks a million! Enjoy! :-)

Chapter Five

Sunrise strummed its brightest chord precisely at the earliest hour it dared when the spring ruled the countryside. It was right on schedule, just as it had been for the past eleven years and before. Lazily, as the light touched her eyes, Lina groaned as she reached for her pillow, but bolted awake as she only felt straw. Sitting up slowly, the girl rubbed her eyes and tried to collect her thoughts…

Girl, indeed; she was hardly a girl anymore, she thought with a smirk. A mere week before she had finally reached the ripe old age of sixteen. At last, she was a woman of the world! Life was good…

If she could figure out what she was doing in the stable lofts, it would have been better, but the sounds of the stable hands put her memory into place quickly. Peering over the edge of the loft, remembering the previous night, she watched her current beau, René, and the others with a smile, reminding herself to return his coat when she decided to climb down.

As she quickly brushed the straw from her hair and skirts, Lina could not lose the grin that dwindled about her lips, thinking of how many horrendously displeased looks she would get if anyone knew she was there. If she had to hear one more "be a good girl" speech from anyone, she would go mad. It had to have been recited constantly, daily even, since she was thirteen. "Love is only given to the man you will marry…" et cetera and so forth.

Lina shook her head with a knowing smile. Let everyone believe what they would; she knew better than most gave her credit for. No, she had never gone as far as…that, but she was determined to enjoy life a bit. After all, leaving them wanting more was the whole point.

A whistle from the ground below drew her back to the loft's edge as René called, "All clear!"

Making her way to the ladder in haste, quite literally sliding instead of climbing down, Lina turned the coat once again into the hands of its owner. "I think this belongs to you."

"It looks familiar," René smiled, leaning in close, but stopping meager inches from a kiss as her finger halted his lips.

"Hold that thought," Lina replied, promise hidden within her words. "You know how they are if I am not within walking distance of my room in the morning."

"But you know how they will be if any man is within walking distance of you any time," he argued, attempting his actions again.

She still refused him. "And that would be tenfold if Maman tells Papa to come out here and find me."

René sighed. "Touché; as always, you win."

"I know, it's my job," Lina laughed, taking his hand and dragging him along as they made their way to the massive front doors of the palace. Crossing herself subtly and muttering a two second prayer of hope, she pulled on the door…it opened with a loud creak.

Praise the Lord for Chip being in charge of them! Cogsworth had requested that he be next in line as head of the household as soon as retirement was necessary. The request was gladly approved, and the young man began apprenticing immediately. Hence, he was forced out of bed as early as Cogsworth was every day, and his first duty was to unlock the doors promptly at dawn. Lina was constantly indebted to him for that alone.

Inside, the front hall was thankfully still on the dark, quiet side; it would not be busy until cleaning time in another few hours. After both were certain they were alone, Lina allowed René to accept his kiss.

"You will be there…at the tavern tonight?" he asked in-between. "You will not forget?"

"Of course not," she breathed. "You know nothing will keep me away…"

"Almost nothing," he laughed. "We will miss you if they decide to lock you up and throw away the key."

Lina smiled and drew him close. "I would still find a way to escape…"

As the kiss resumed, René dared to let his hands travel her back and his lips to wander, allowing her a glance over his shoulder. Fortunately for him, or unfortunately, Lina could not decide. She froze, stiff as a board, as she saw a candelabra on a nearby table lit…waiting for her...

"What is it?" he asked, almost apologetic as he turned to follow her gaze, her eyes haunted with the look of death. His own grew wide with fear in result, and with only a whispered farewell, René bolted for the door, anxious to return to the safety of the stables as quickly as he could.

Waiting until the door was closed, Lina turned a scowl on the helpless candelabra, storming towards where it sat on the table. She reached for the flames, gathered them in her bare hands, and doused them in her fists.

"Are you happy now? You did what you came to do," she growled. Nothing happened, as would be expected when talking to an inanimate object. It took all her strength not to shout, thus her words came in a hiss instead. "Do not play games! Show yourself!"

"It could have been worse; that could have actually been your father."

Lina immediately turned around to see her mother seated on the stairs, and frowned, blushing slightly. "You did this? I look like a complete idiot because of a prank?"

Babette did not show any regret. "Yes, I did, and no you do not. Looking like an idiot would require someone else to see you be one."

Lina folded her arms angrily. "I know what you are thinking…"

"No you don't," Babette interrupted.

"Yes I do! I know what everyone thinks of me, and they are wrong!"

Babette scowled at her. "I am not dragging you to your room by the ear, only because I doubt your father would want to know about this. Do not make me think twice about my decision. Now please, come sit down; we have to talk."

"Which speech is it going to be this time?" Lina groaned as she moved to take her usual place of judgment beside her mother.

"Whatever one it takes for your conscience to help you think straight."

Lina rolled her eyes and nodded decisively. "The usual."

"Chandellina…"

Lina took a deep breath before she spoke again. "I know what everyone thinks I am. I see the looks, I hear the whispers, but I do not care. I know I am not doing anything wrong; isn't that what matters?"

Babette sighed, pulling her close. "Yes, and no. I know what you mean…"

"You always say that," Lina interrupted. "You could not possibly have any idea what I am talking about"

Babette took her hand. "Come with me."

Lina reluctantly followed her. There was a small sitting room in the servants' wing, far enough from the bedrooms for a decently private conversation. As Babette sat down, Lina sat beside her feet on the floor, resting her head on her lap comfortably.

Babette smiled, stroking her hair gently. "You have not sat like that in such a long time. Not since you were little…"

"Some things you never grow too old for."

"So true." She paused, leaning back against her chair. "Feels nice, doesn't it?"

"What does?"

"When a man holds you like that?"

And we're off! Lina thought as she rolled her eyes. "I refuse to answer that."

"Why?"

"Because I know my answer will be held against me."

"I swear, this is between you and me."

Lina sighed, still hesitant on honesty. "It is incredible."

Babette nodded. "It feels like nothing else in the world when a man adores you like that. But, if you are not more cautious…"

"Then you will regret it in the end, I know," Lina finished impatiently.

Babette sighed. "You are not listening."

"I've heard this before!"

"This time try comprehending what I say!" Babette took her shoulders, forcing her up to look her directly in the eyes. "I have tried to tell you over and over, and right now I want you to not just hear but actually listen. You are playing a very dangerous game, heading straight towards a road that I know you are not ready to take."

"But I am not doing anything that can hurt me! It is harmless flirtation."

"What I saw was not harmless, Lina; would you have been so afraid when you saw that candle burning if it was? You know that boy as little as you knew any of the others I have caught you with. Do you know if you can trust him if you do take things further?"

"It will not go as far as that," Lina groaned angrily.

Babette shook her head. "That is not always possible. After a certain point, there is no turning back! Even if you want to stop, you can not guarantee that he will!"

Lina sighed; this was everything she had heard before. "I said it then, and I will say it now. You really do not understand."

"If I did not, would your father and I try so hard to talk common sense into you?"

"If you did understand, you would leave my life in my hands!"

Babette sat down again to breathe calmly, her frustration mounting quickly. "Lina, sit down."

"Maman, really…"

"Sit. Down," Babette ordered with such authority, the girl obeyed on instinct alone. "There is only one way to make you realize that I do understand, and I want you to listen this time. I prayed that I would never have to tell you this, but you really leave me with no choice."

Lina had never in her life heard her mother's tone grow so quiet and serious, and quite frankly, it frightened her deeply.

"I am beyond grateful that you did not know me when I was your age. I was exactly like you. I had the same needs and desires, flaunted what I felt I had been blessed with. I was taught 'let them see, but not touch' just like every other girl, and completely ignored it. I allowed men to enjoy themselves when I stole precious seconds alone with them, but held my virtue in tact. For the longest time, it seemed a perfect way of life, but all it took was one man to not stop when I asked him to change it around."

"Not Papa…?" Lina asked, concerned.

"No, not Papa. But after that, I kept my distance from all men, until I met your father." Babette smiled a little, absent-mindedly. "He was so alike, yet so different from a typical man. He could sweet talk and romance any woman he wanted, but he respected them. Mon Dieu, I wanted to hate him like the rest, but I could not. After refusing him countless times, I surrendered to his charms, and became my old self again. By that time, the enchantment was placed on the castle, I told you about that, but those few years brought us closer together. When it was over, we were inseparable. We never left each other's side…literally never…and one night…"

She did not even have to finish the sentence. "Before you were married?" Lina asked, curiously shocked.

Babette nodded. "We did not think about anyone but ourselves…"

"You were in love; that is understandable."

"But we should have," Babette tried to swallow her nerves. "I became very ill some time after that, I can not remember how long, but when a doctor was sent for, he told me…I was not ill per se…"

When she paused, it took Lina a moment to realize what she meant. "You…were expecting." There was another moment of silence. "Then I was the only reason Papa married you?"

"No, not at all. He was thrilled when he found out I was going to have you, and wanted nothing but the best for the both of us."

"But if you were not, he would not have proposed."

"Lina, that is not true," Babette enforced. "If that were the only reason, you would know it, trust me. My parents were unwed when my mother found out that she had conceived me, and my father abandoned her when she told him. He could be alive today and I would not know him. Fortunately, I was lucky enough to have a decent, honorable man who cared enough about you and I to not only keep us from shame, but to love us more than his own life." She took a deep breath. "That is why I can not stop warning you to change your ways before it is too late. Give your love to the man you know will be there for you. Make a respectable reputation for yourself, and find a man like your father. That is not so much to ask."

While Babette could see in her daughter's eyes that she had struck a chord, it was not enough. After a moment to collect her thoughts, Lina replied, "I am still meeting René tonight."

Babette closed her eyes in disgust, and stood prepared to leave. "I wish I knew what happened to the daughter I raised, but as you tell me, your life belongs in your hands. You want to believe that nothing can happen to you? You want to shrug your life away? Fine, so be it. But mark my words, little girl…you have no idea of what a mistake you have made with such choices. You may not care what others think of you, but you forget, what they think determines how they respect you. Without respect, you will be lost. No one will befriend you, no reputable man will give you a second glance!" With no response this time, she concluded darkly, "I dare not tell your father. He does not deserve to hear what the child he has given everything for is letting herself become."