The words settled into my gut like a stone, quickly taking on the form of butterflies as I glanced at her gentle smile. This time Belle was the one to hold out her hand as I climbed the stairs taking it, only to wince as my wrist screamed in pain. Belle frowned looking at it and mumbling something about needing to clean it and bandage it. A part of me wished to grumble and tell her my servants would do it – I could even see the medical box hiding behind a stone pillar – but instead I simply nodded and followed her to her room.
It was oddly warmer than I remembered it to be. Then again I hadn't been to this side of the castle in years. She seemed to keep it tidy as well as toasty, the fire crackling and spreading a glow about the room. Books were stacked along the coffee table, making her singular bookshelf look empty and abandoned. I smirked, looking at them as Belle moved across the room in search of a bowl of water and a rag before commanding me to sit in the reading chair beside the fire.
Again I obliged without any rebellion, my anger buried as my curiosity poured out, watching as she carefully set things around her. Gently she reached for my arm as I winced, her smile allowing me to relax some. "Now this will sting some," she breathed as she dabbed the rag into the bow and then pressed it against my wound. I hissed, yanking my arm back and holding it against my body.
"That burns!" I snapped as Belle scowled, pursing her lips as I found myself wishing they were that way for a different reason.
"Well I have to clean it! Stop being such a spoiled child!"
"Me? A spoiled child?" I growled, waiting for her to back down as all of my servants had in the past. But she remained; back straight, hands on hips, as we seemed to battle between who was the most stubborn.
"Yes, you scowl and grumble whenever you don't get your way and when you do you only wish for more!" I growled, my face moving towards hers but she only shifted closer, daring me to act. But instead I grumbled and sat back, holding my arm out for her again as she nodded and continued to clean it. Again I winced but kept myself still as I looked towards the books on the table.
An uncomfortable silence settled between us – at least that's how I felt; she seemed very focused on my wounds as she asked for some bandages. I chewed on my lip before clearing my throat as if it would start some sort of conversation. All it did, though, was draw her attention to my uneasiness, which she seemed to smirk at. I frowned, snapping my head away and back to her selection of books with a frustrated huff.
"So…are these the books you wish to read?" Belle looked up and then back to my arm as she began to wrap the white cloth around it.
"Those are the ones that I have finished," she stated it so matter-of-factly I found myself stunned. "I'm sure I'll read them all again by the end of the week," again her response was casual as I turned to look at her. A small piece of hair had fallen from behind her ear, brushing against her temple. I reached over to fix it but she had already raised her hand. Our finger collided and the pair of us paused as I watched a fain blush burn against her cheeks, my own heat starting in my face. Belle's eyes remained focused on my arm as I dropped my hand, allowing her to fix the pesky strand as silence settled between us once more.
But, oddly enough, it was a more comfortable silence in which I was entertained by my curiosity, looking over her frame and her careful work. And when she finished I couldn't help but give a small smile at her proud face. "Tell me if it is too tight," she asked as I flexed my hand, testing the bandage before shaking my head.
"Feels perfect," she sat up and I found my eyes falling on her shoulder. "What about you?" I gestured to it and she reached up as if to hide it, giving a weak smile.
"It's fine, somewhat stiff but it didn't do much damage." Silence again.
"I-"
"Th-" we stumbled over one another, giving nervous smiles before she shook her head and gestured to me.
"I'm sorry for what I did and how I acted," I breathed, the words seemingly shocking her as she looked towards her lap, shaking her head. She had an odd way of showing emotion. Some times it seemed almost impossible for her to hide how she was feeling and others she just looked so…unreadable. They were times where I wasn't sure if I was to be sorry or sad.
Her eyes turned back up, a slightly glassy shine to them as her teeth pulled on her lower lip, breaking into a smile. "Nothing to worry of, it's in the past. And you've now saved my life, so…consider us equal."
Equal. A word I hadn't heard referred to me in a long time.
COMMENTS: Hey, just wanted to say sorry about making the "daily" updates more into "weekly" ones. Schools been a bit crazy and I've been spending my free time asleep. Don't take this as me not being interested in this anymore. Do not fear. I still have plenty of ideas tumbling around in my head. As for those of you that want something a little...under the covers, do not fear, it isn't far off.