Chapter 9: Souhaits

Belle stirred, and as she did so, she felt a warm hand press her shoulder.

"Wake up, now. Goodness, how much can a girl sleep?"

The voice was feminine and familiar. She cracked an eye open and found a dark, plump woman watching her impatiently.

"Amara?"

Amara smiled in satisfaction.

"There." she said, "There is nothing wrong with you. That fool boy would do well to listen to me…"

"What happened?" Belle asked, feeling disoriented and confused. "Alitash- Alitash attacked me…and I was- I was dead, I thought."

Amara clucked her tongue.

"Do not be ridiculous." she said, "You are fine."

"But where is Alitash?" Belle asked worriedly. "And Misrak, where is he?" She sat up and took notice of her surroundings; they were darker and colder than her room, more reminiscent of the day chambers that the female lions had. The bed she was on was hard, and the blanket over her, thin.

"They are tending their own affairs." Amara replied, adding kindling to a crude fireplace in the gray stone wall. "They cannot spend all of their day taking care of you, whether you are a prisoner of this place or not."

"I- I just expected…"

" That Misrak would tend you?" Amara finished amusedly.

"No!" Belle cried, blushing darkly.

"Well then, what did you expect?" She perched herself on the edge of the bed, as though genuinely interested.

Belle, if anything, turned darker.

"I just…" she mumbled, feeling foolish, "thought that he might show the briefest concern…and I thought that she would come back and try to kill me. I didn't think she would be willing to let me go." she began lacing her fingers together and unlacing them to distract her from looking at Amara.

The woman gently put two hands on either side of her face, making her look at her. Belle was trapped by her intense yellow stare.

"He is concerned; take of that what you will. And she would indeed have killed you- and yet, I think she feels some remorse. Another thing which you will have to decide its meaning."

"Her remorse would have been for nothing if I was dead. Unless she feels remorse that I am not dead." Belle heard the bitterness in her voice and didn't bother to hide it.

"Shush." Amara said, slapping her cheek lightly. "You were seducing her brother."

"What!" Belle shouted, sitting straight up. "No I was not! Ask Misrak! He knows-"

"I know, my child, I know." Amara said, taking her hands from Belle's face, "But it was how it appeared."

"And for that, she would have killed me?"

At this, Amara frowned slightly.

"It is unlike her." she said, "Though she is passionate and angers quickly, her actions are cool and deliberate. It is indeed strange."

After a long silence, Belle asked, hesitatingly,

"Where am I?"

"You are in a prison chamber." Amara replied, "It was nearer than your chamber was."

Some movement was heard outside the door, and Amara stood. Opening the door revealed Misrak, and Belle felt embarrassed at being caught in bed. With a struggle, she managed to escape from the thin sheet that had somehow entangled her legs and began making the bed.

"I told you," Amara said, "she is fine."

"Thank you." he said, talking to Amara, but staring at Belle, "You were right."

Amara left, and after she did, Belle stared up at Misrak.

"How is Alitash?" she asked, her voice sounding stiff even in her own ears.

"I am sorry that she did that." he sighed, "I wish I could-"

"I wish," she interrupted, "That I could leave. I wish only for peace."

"I promise you, she will no longer bother you." Misrak said quickly, "If I must stay with you always, she will not-"

"You should not have to watch me!" she exploded hotly, "I should not have to be here."

"Can you make no attempt to like it here?"

"How can I, when your sister is so firmly set upon my demise? Though Amara says otherwise, I know the truth, and I admit that it frightens me."

Misrak looked at her mournfully, and she looked away, regretting her behavior. He touched a hand to her shoulder.

"I wish only that you could be happy." he sighed. She looked up at him in surprise.

"There's many things we wish, I think." he continued, "It is a shame that not all of our wishes can be granted."

Belle studied him, seeing his vulnerability clearly. Sadness was etched on his young face, and she saw a creature trapped in a gilded cage. She reached out her own hand and took his.

"I wish you could be happy as well." she sighed, all anger evaporating, her heart filled with pity. "I do not think you or your mother deserved your plights. Even your people, and your sister, you did not deserve this."

"You truly feel that way, after all that my sister has done to you?"

"Yes."

It was true. At that moment, her pity so consumed her that she even forgot her anger towards the fiery lioness.

"I- You-" Misrak seemed so surprised that he did not know what to say. Finally, he bent down and unexpectedly kissed her gently on the lips. She returned the kiss, but it was fleeting; it lasted no more than a few seconds, and it seemed more a kiss of gratitude than anything. When he withdrew, she knew her cheeks were red.

"I- I must go." He said, a grin on his face. "It is almost dawn."

Quickly he was gone, and Belle was completely alone. She forgot at that moment that she was in a prison chamber, and that she was being held against her will in the castle. She also forgot that she had almost been killed by Misrak's sister. She could only think, wildly, that it was her first kiss, and how foreign and strange it was. She had not thought that she had feelings for Misrak, but now, her heart that had been filled with pity now felt warm. She ran her fingers over her lips and sighed. Things would certainly be more complicated after this.

It was then that she heard the piercing sound of screams reverberating through the castle.

The next night, after she had slept some more, she sat on the bed in the room, utterly bored. She had decided to wait for someone to come back and help her find her way back into her room. She had no idea where in the castle the prison chamber was, and for some reason, the door would not open for her. As it was a regular door, she figured that it must be part of the magic in the castle, designed to only allow members of the court free passage through the door. She stared up at the ceiling, tracing the cracks in the stone with her mind.

The door opened, and she looked up, hoping and dreading that it was Misrak. She tried to restrain her disappointment when she saw that it was Samson, bedecked in purple floor length robes with silver trim. When he saw her, he smiled somewhat coldly.

"Hello, ma chere." he said.

She stared, feeling slightly nervous as she remembered the story that Misrak had told her. Samson seemed not to notice.

" I came to tell you that I have news of your family."

Belle struggled to stay calm. She prayed that it was not bad.

"Your sister, in a month's time, is to be married. I know not to who." He added, as Belle opened her mouth to ask, "Yet I know he is a prominent figure in your village, and they are to have a great feast."

"Why do you tell me this?"

"Why, Belle." he said, smiling, "I thought you would have figured it out. I am allowing you to leave. You may go home."

Belle gawked in disbelief. Finally, she stuttered,

"F-For how long?"

"Forever, my dear. I know of your distress, and I would never have kept you here had I known."

A frown permeated Belle's expression.

"But you did know." She protested, "I told you."

"Shush. Would you prefer that I make you stay in this chamber forever?"

She ceased her talking and watched him, waiting with bated breath to hear more.

"You will leave tonight."

"Will I- will I be able to tell Misrak and Amara and Bibi goodbye?" she asked hesitantly, thinking for the first time how she might regret telling them how she was leaving.

"No. I will tell them why you have gone, and they will understand."

"I don't understand why-"

"You do not understand anything!" He shouted suddenly, anger contorting his features, making him look demonic. "You are a foolish young girl, idiotic enough to think that you mean something to people you hardly know!"

As quickly as his outburst had come, he resumed utter calm. A smile returned to his face, though it seemed out of place and menacing.

"I shall take you now. I have a horse for you, and your things are packed as well."

She nodded, and followed him out as he opened the door and left.

They took a way that she had never seen before, dimly lit and cold. Though they floors were still lined with marble, the walls were undecorated and the rare occurrence of sconces with torches in them became more and more noticeable as they plunged further into darkness. For a few moments, she worried where the moody man was really taking her, but then they reached a more warmly lit hallway and they could hear the voices of people in the Great Hall. Belle noticed that he was careful not to lead her right past the hall.

They eventually reached the golden grilles, and Belle knew then that she was truly leaving. She nodded goodbye to Samson and obligingly kissed his cheeks, then fled. She saw that the horse was a wild black one, well groomed and built for sped. She clambered upon it, and they were soon on her way through the forest.

But instead of being glad of leaving, she was remembering the kiss….

"She WHAT!"

"Indeed, dear boy. She has slipped through our fingers and left."

Samson stood before Misrak in the throne room, calmly telling him how Belle had run away. Alitash lurked in the back, watching her brother and father with calculating eyes.

"But I thought that she- She seemed-"

"Happy? Do not be naïve my son, she was miserable here."

Alitash came forward slowly, shrugging her green clad shoulders.

"It is because of me, most likely." she said quietly. She was sure to be demure, but her eyes glowed brightly.

"No." Misrak said, turning to face her, "I talked to her last night, and she said-"

"She fed you lies, Misrak." Alitash replied, "It is what all pale people do. Do not mourn her loss."

"I thought that you felt remorse." Misrak hissed.

Alitash shrugged again.

"It was she who decided to leave, was it not?" She asked simply. Misrak gave her a look of disgust and turned back to his father.

"I do not believe you." Misrak snarled at his him, edging closer to the door. "I do not believe that she left of her own accord." He turned and practically ran from the room.

"It is cruel how you toy with us, Father." Alitash said after he had left the throne room.

"I hardly know what you are talking about." Samson said, smiling. "I told the truth. I have no idea how she got out of the prison chamber."

"Believe what you will Father, but I know that you know as well as I that there was something happening between Misrak and that girl."

"Why you attacked her I suppose?"

"Indeed. Not intending to kill her."

"Believe what you will, Alitash."

"I shall. And meanwhile, I ask only why you lie to him. He is, after all, your son."

"Hardly." Samson said coldly, "I shudder when I think that you pathetic souls are of my flesh."

Alitash left the room then, her face emotionless.

As usual, I love reviews and feedback (which should never be mutually exclusive) and thank everybody who has left such lovely ones, as well as thanking those in advance that are planning on doing so (reviewing, that is). Here are my replies to those wonderful reviews!

Sheyana- Thank you! I don't think I left it on such a cliffie today. Did you really think Collete was OOC? I know she was a bit different than we've seen her before, but that is the beauty of personality facets. Some of the most conceited people can actually do some selfless things (or I'd like to think so). As for Alitash: I hope this chapter shed a little light on it. Alitash was acting out a bit, but it was her being protective (just wait till she found out Belle and Misrak kissed!) and Samson honestly doesn't care what happens to Belle. He's just loopy. More on him later.

MoonPixie86- Thank you! I'm glad that I could clear that up a bit :)

v-Thank you! I sort of agree with you.But Colette is human, and she does have redeeming traits.

Philippa- You have no idea how flattered I felt after I read your review. I officially love you!