Until You
A/N: Hey, guys. Finally, I'm updating! Before we get to the next chapter, I want to thank TrudiRose, shortstef, peachpaige and ClulessAngel for their reviews. Thanks so much, and I hope you keep reading! Now, onto Chapter Two…and please, do review!
Disclaimer: I do not own anything Beauty and the Beast, Disney does.
Chapter Two
Blue eyes and raven dark hair looked at her suspiciously for a full minute, trying to discern how she knew him. And then with a shrug, he bowed slightly.
"Bailey Corbin, at your service mademoiselle." He raised a heavy brow when her expression didn't change.
"If you don't close your mouth, you will catch flies." Not realizing that she had been staring, Caresse looked down at the floor. Cieux, he looked handsome! Able and dark haired, that's what his name meant. Well, he had proved to be more than able back in the woods. And he was certainly dark haired. That's what made him stand out. If Corbin was his last name, perhaps his dark hair ran in his family, she mused.
He tapped his foot and crossed his muscular arms. "Well?"
His question penetrated through the fog in her mind. He had asked for her name! What was she supposed to say? Think, think, think fast Caresse! she thought frantically.
"I'm, er, I'm…" she wracked her brain. "I'm…Iolanthe Raissa." Violet and rose. Her two favorite flowers.
She felt him step closer. She forced herself not to pull away when a finger lifted up her chin, forcing her to look him in the eye. He looked far into her soul, trying to find something, she felt. When he kept staring at her, she began to feel violated.
Summoning up all the snobbery that being royalty entitled her to, Caresse said in a haughty voice, "If you are done staring, cher, would you please tell me where I am?"
He prickled when she looked down her nose at him. Some horrible twist of fate had thrown her with the only boy that had ever made her heart race. She would have to be strong, and not succumb to the urge to brush away that lock of dark hair falling into his eyes.
She tapped her foot and crossed her arms, mocking him. "Well?"
She swore she saw steam coming out of his ears. Better to hate each other than respect each other. Anything other than hate and Caresse knew she would be a pool of water in his arms. She looked him straight in the eyes, trying to pretend disdain. Qualité, his eyes were amazing…
"I'll tell you where you are," he growled, coming towards her. "You are safe, unlike you were out there! What were you thinking? A young maiden out at night is bad enough, but out in the woods? You must be aliéné!"
"Do you care so little about your family, that you would risk your life? Mon dieu, is that fair to them? And I wonder, did you leave them with no idea where you are? Are you selfish enough to leave them behind because of your own foolish needs?"
Caresse blinked. No one had ever spoken to her that way before. Of course, they had gotten angry. But, they had never yelled, or been cruel and blunt with her. Except she had a feeling that the next time she saw her father, she just may get an earful, and then some. She blinked again. Something in his eyes told her that that rant had not only been about her. But, that was silly.
She raised her brow in defense. "Ah, svp! How do you know my family? I may not even have one, you bad tempered peacock!"
For a minute, her phrasing of insult made him pause, and he looked amused. But then he was walking towards her again…
"Assez! It does not matter right now. You need rest, you have been through a great ordeal." He went to lift her in his arms, and she stepped back.
What did he think she was? Some fragile, fainting female? Well, she wasn't! She didn't hide under a bed when danger came, she faced it. Forget that she had fainted. And forget that she didn't feel fine. In fact, she was rather sore. But, it was the fact of the matter! She wouldn't bow to some chauvinistic male! Never!
She was out here looking for what was missing in her life, what it was that left an empty hole in her heart when her life was so full. And she would not let anyone get in her way. Not even her parents. A twinge of guilt surged through her. She had run away in the cover of the night without their knowledge. She'd known how worried they would be, but she'd had to do it. Follow your heart, that's what she'd always been taught. Well, she was.
He gave her a wry look. "Stop this. You look ready to drop to the floor. And I do not believe you want to hit your head again. You were lucky I caught you before. You would have cracked your skull open otherwise."
The arrogance of him! She wanted to say no. She wanted to tell him she was just fine, and he could rot for all she cared. But, she was beginning to get dizzy. No one would ever know how much strength it took for her to yield. She was starting to not have to pretend dislike of him. He may be gorgeous, but his personality was something she could do without, thank-you very much.
"Fine. Yes. You win." This time, she added silently.
As he again came towards her to pick her up, she put up a halting hand.
"I can get there myself. I made it all this way, didn't I?" He conceded, but followed close by as she made her way back to the bed. Once she was tucked back under the covers, she looked up at him.
"Do you always hover?"
"Do you always whine when people try and help you?"
She glared at him, but made no reply. Caresse wanted to slap him when he laughed.
"Sleep, le petit. Tomorrow we will talk."
Small one, huh? she thought as she stared at his back. He didn't look much older than she, which would make him about seventeen. Of course, if he was referring to her size, that was quite a different story. Caresse was about 5'3" and he about 6'1" if she was correct. Her mother called her petite. She called herself tiny. She didn't like it. Her brown eyes and red-gold hair like her father's, were what made her a great beauty, or so she was told. She'd never really paid much attention.
He, on the other hand, seemed more than aware of his good looks. Well built body, as if he did hard labor everyday; silky hair that reached the middle of his neck; a chiseled chin; and those ocean blue eyes she could have drowned in, had she not been more sensible.
Caresse closed her eyes, and the last thing she thought about was Bailey Corbin.
A/n: Hey, so that's all. Let me know what you think! I'm looking forward to writing the next chapter!
Ah, and here's something I thought I'd better start adding, for those that may want it. Translator!
Mademoiselle: Miss
Cieux: The equivalent of 'Heavens!'
Cher: Dear
Qualité: The equivalent of 'Goodness!'
Aliéné: Insane
Mon dieu: My God!
Ah, svp: Oh, please!
Assez: Enough!
Le petit: Small one
If there's anything I missed, please let me know. Until next time, adieu!
-Rory4