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Chapter 19: Jacqueline

Jacqueline walked back to the castle in a daze. Her eyes never saw where her feet were going yet somehow they managed to remain on course.

Inside was a torrent mixture of emotions. She felt relief, freedom even, and joyful. Yet she also felt hurt, rejected and angry. It would take years for the full impact of the decision she had just made to hit her, and for her to reconcile her feeling both good and bad on the subject. But right now despite all her excitement at her new found freedom she also couldn't help a slight longing for her former cage.

She was afraid, though she didn't understand it then. She was afraid of the complete unknown and endless possibilities her life now held. She was in control of her destiny, and she was scared.

Horrible as they may have been she had just relinquished any hold on the only family she had ever had. And no one should be alone.

As she saw the Castle come into view her confusion began to lift as she gained a sense of coming home. To someplace safe, to people who cared.

No sooner had she walked into the grand foyer then a smiling Monsieur Lumiere came rushing down the staircase to greet her.

"Mademoiselle Jacqueline, I am so glad you are here!"

"What is it?"

"It's the Master, he is asking for you."

Laying her cloak hastily on a table she began to climb the stairs.

She found him in the drawing room with the chess set. He smiled at her as she entered, the skin around his eyes crinkling and his bushy beard hiding most of his face. He sat in a wheelchair and still looked extremely pale and tired. His hand as always clutching his chest over his heart, and even while sitting his shoulders slumped forward in pain. But he was there and he was waiting to see her.

Jacqueline felt herself being overcome with relief at the sight of him. She hadn't realized until then just how afraid she had been that he might die, and the sight of seeing him sitting there with a loving fatherly smile on her face brought tears to her eyes. Tears that for once she did nothing to try and halt.

Racing across the floor she fell to her knees in front of the wheel chair and hugged him tightly like a little child.

The Prince let out a grunt of pain but using his free arm hugged her as well. Feeling his protective embrace the dam on her emotions burst and Jacqueline's tears flowed freely. Tears for her grandfather, mother, herself, and for the Prince who through cruel fate had been separated from the one he loved. She wept for them all.

He did not push her away, he didn't try to silence her tears, he just held her as the frightened little girl cried.

When at last her tears had ceased he gave her a handkerchief to dry her eyes and once more smiled with fatherly affection.

"Don't be sad Jacqueline, you have everything ahead of you. You will be alright."

For someone who didn't know the cause of her tears he had managed to say exactly the right thing and he knew it from the radiant smile that spread across her beautiful face.

"Now," he said patting her on the shoulder "I have a gift for you."

Curiosity leapt into her purple eyes and the Prince chuckled at her excitement.

"What is it?"

The Prince rang a bell that sat on the table beside the chess set and the door opened. Still kneeling on the floor Jacqueline turned to see who had entered.

In walked a servant carrying a lovely little Cavalier King Charles Spaniel puppy with a large pink ribbon tied around her neck.

The Prince watched her face change from curiosity to astonishment and then excitement. She reached out to take the pup from the servant. The happy little dog immediately began to lick her face and Jacqueline laughed with delight.

"She's for you."

"Really! Is she really mine?"

(Chuckle) "Yes, she's all yours."

"Oh THANK YOU, THANK YOU, THANK YOU!"

Jacqueline happily kissed him on the cheek before cuddling the little dog to her chest. The animal seemed just as taken with its new owner and once again began to assault her face with licks from its tiny pink tongue.

He laughed heartily at the sight but it quickly turned into a cough which wracked his body with pain. Jacqueline looked at him with concern but he waved a hand.

"I-I am alright. (shaky breath) So, what are you going to name her?"

Her brow crinkled as she thought about it.

"I don't know."

"Well why not look through some of the books in the library, you're sure to find something in there."

"I doubt that." She said as she playfully allowed the puppy to chew on her fingers.

He watched her perplexed.

"Why do you say that?"

Jacqueline look up with no trace of shame on her face.

"Because I can't read."

He felt like he had been hit by a ton of bricks.

How can the daughter of Belle not know how to read!

"HOW IS THAT POSSIBLE?"

Jacqueline blinked in surprise at his conviction.

"What do you mean, I never learned."

"But what about your mother?"

Now it was Jacqueline's turn to look hopelessly confused.

"She never taught me. Well she tried once, but I suppose she just never got around to it again. I don't understand what the fuss is about. I don't even see the need for it really, I have done just fine so far."

Prince Adam picked up the little bell and rang it furiously until the servant reappeared bowing low with a worried look on his face, clearly he was afraid he had been summoned because the Prince had a relapse. Imagine his surprise to see him instead looking determined with more color in his cheeks then he had seen in years.

"I need you to push my chair. Come Jacqueline we are going to the library."

"Why?"

"I am going to teach you to read."

She walked beside the wheelchair holding the squirming puppy in her arms. The prince gripping his heart, commanding determination in his eyes.

Don't worry Belle, I'll teach her, I'll take care of your girl.

For months the two labored over Jacqueline's reading lessons, she was a quick study and soon devoured every scrap of the written world she could get her hands on. The Prince watched with pride as he saw whole new worlds open up before her where she hadn't even realized there had been doors before. Jacqueline may have gained her independence in facing Gaston, but in books she found her freedom.

Unfortunately for the puppy finding a name proved a difficult task for Jacqueline couldn't imagine finding just one name in one story that she favored above all others. That is until one day she pulled a dusty copy of Shakespeare from the shelf and found the beautiful words of Romeo and Juliet. The tragedy of the tale touched her heart and sparked her imagination. So a name had been found at last for her little Spaniel and Juliet seemed quite pleased with her new name, and never happier was the young woman named Jacqueline.