Chapter Three: Mother
As the war pressed on, I spent most of my time inside the castle with Mother. We spent our time in the library. We read dozens of books, absorbing any information that could help the men on the front. We read about ogres and magical creatures. We read about past wars. The only thing we learned that long ago an unnamed force swept the land and defeated the ogres.
"If only we could find out what that force was," I said frustrated.
"Belle, darling," Mother said softly. "There is a reason why this force is unnamed. Unknown. Only mentioned."
"But it could help us," I said.
"At what cost?" Mother asked.
"The lives of our people," I answered.
"But will it be in life or in death."
Mother was wise. I had to think of all the possibilities like she did.
The months quickly passed and still, even with the Legume army, our men were losing. The ogres kept coming, pressing into our land. Many of our people abandoned our kingdom for safer lands. Village after village was destroyed. No merchants came and the farms were left unmanaged. Food became scarce and the money was depleting.
"We need to recruit younger," Gaston pleaded with my father.
"I will not send children off to die," Father said forcefully.
"They are dying anyway," Gaston said. "They can at least do it in battle."
"That is not true," Mother said.
"We need the men," Gaston said ignoring my mother.
My fiancé didn't have a high opinion of women.
"They are not men, they are boys," Father said.
"Then who do we send, the women?" Gaston said with a laugh.
"Soon, it will not matter," Mother said.
"Colette, my love," Father said hearing Mother. "What do you mean?"
"The people are leaving," she said. "They're looking for safer, peaceful land and I do not blame them."
"Then they are traitors," Gaston said harshly. "They need to be dealt with. We need to…"
"Keep the men on the front," said Father. "Not bring them home to face frightened villagers."
"Do what you please," Gaston said scornfully. "I know how to keep MY people in line. I will send word to my father and he WILL send me more men and BOYS as well."
I closed my eyes and took a deep breath. I hoped that when I opened them again Gaston would have just been a nightmare. Our land and my hand safe. But when I opened my eyes, Gaston was still standing opposite of Father, his face red with anger.
From that day forward, Father and Gaston never saw eye to eye with the war. But I still had to marry him.
True to his word, Gaston did write to his father and more men and boys were sent to fight the ogres. Still, all efforts were for naught. The ogres still ravaged our land.
Another month passed before the ogres were in the castle. We tried to salvage all we could before we were completely overrun. Mother and I were in the library gathering as many books as we could carry.
"Darling, we must leave, quickly," Mother called to me. "Where are you?"
"I'm right here, Mother," I said running from behind some bookcases. "I'm sorry, but I'm… I couldn't leave without this…"
I showed her the book I was holding, 'Her Handsome Hero'.
"It's the first story you ever read to me, remember? It's what made me fall in love with books."
"Of course, I remember, my Belle," Mother said gently cupping my face. "Quickly, we must flee before…"
She did not finish her sentence. A loud banging interrupted her words. The whole room shook.
"They're here," I said.
"We will hide 'til they pass," Mother said and I nodded.
We quickly hid beneath one of the larger tables in the library. The ogres kept banging against the solid doors trying to get in.
Frightened, we waited and waited, praying that the ogres would pass. Our prayers went unanswered. One ogre got in. Mother hushed me. She held me close as the ogre searched the room.
"It's going to be alright," she whispered to me.
But it wasn't alright. The ogre threw the table away, leaving us vulnerable. Mother put herself between me and the ogre. The last thing I remembered was feeling a pain in my head. Then nothing.
I awoke in my bed confused, wondering how I got there. I called for my mother as I remembered being with her last. There was a bandaged wound on my arm. I had no idea of how I got it. I scrambled out of bed and grabbed some shoes to wear and went looking for my mother and father. I had to know if they were safe. I had to know what had happened after I blacked out. I already guessed that the ogres were pushed back somehow. They obviously did not seize the castle.
I made my way to the great hall. Many people were gathered there. They were all dressed in black, the color of mourning. Father spotted me and came to me.
"Belle," he said softly. "Why aren't you in bed?"
"What happened, Father," I asked. "Where's Mother?"
"You mean, you don't remember?" he asked surprised.
"Remember what? Father?"
I looked passed him and saw the coffin. I gasped as I realized who was in the coffin. My mother.
I cried in my father's arms.
For three entire weeks, I grieved for my mother. I wore my mourning clothes every day. I spent time at her grave, reading 'Her Handsome Hero'. I spent my nights sobbing and wishing I could remember what had happened to her.
Father was patient with me. He too wore his mourning clothes. He sat with me while I read and held me when I cried. He was the strength I needed.
Gaston was not a strength. He hated watching me mourn. Not because he couldn't bear to see me cry. No, because he thought it pointless and a waste of time. I disliked him a little bit more and was glad when he became tired of my grieving because he left me alone. He found the company of one of the maids more appealing. I didn't care.
After the third week, I decided I had enough of simple grieving. Not remembering what happened the day my mother died bothered me too much. I gathered some books in my room and began my research. I had to find a way to remember.
"It's late," Father said one night, checking on me. "You should be in bed."
"How can I possibly sleep when I can't even remember what happened to mother?"
"Perhaps that's for the best," Father said.
"No," I said. "I need to know what happened to her after I blacked out."
"You won't find the answers you seek in the pages of a book."
"But I already have Father," I told him. "According to this, there are creatures who can restore memories that have been lost. If we journey to them, maybe they can help me remember what happened to mother."
"I can't allow you to do that," Father forbade.
I didn't understand.
"Why not?" I asked.
"Because there's something this book doesn't tell you," he said. "Magic always comes with a price. And whatever that price is, I don't want you to have to pay it."
I was crestfallen. Father's words were final.
"I'm sorry, Belle. I've already lost your mother to this infernal ogres' war, I can't lose you too."
"But Father," I tried to argue.
"You heard me," his voice boomed causing me to jump. He slammed the book shut. "Forget this nonsense. You are not to leave this chamber until the doctors say you are better."
He stormed out of my room.
Once my door shut, I pulled out the map I had hidden under the book.
"I'm sorry, father," I said knowing he could not hear me. "But I need to know where I'll find the answer."
I studied the map of Arendelle and made plans on how I was to escape my own bedchamber.
END OF CH. 3