Thoughts/Telepathic Communication between characters
Animals/Animal Spirits Speaking Human Tongue
Normal Text
9years, 9months and 9days later
"Lou, Belle, wake up," Marie bounced onto her sisters bed, crawling over them, "Wake up."
"Noo," Louata groaned, burying her head into her pillow and under her blanket, "Let me sleep."
"I'm up, Marie," Belle moaned with a yawn, "Come on, Lou."
"It's time to wake up, Lou," Marie said, trying to dig her sister out from her blanket, "The sun is up! Which means Pere Robert will be up. We need to return to Romeo and Juliet."
Louata grumbled at her little sister as Belle got up to get dressed.
"She's right you know," Belle chuckled at her.
Marie giggled as she tried to get Louata up before she was suddenly wrapped in the blanket and being tickled by her older sister, making her laugh, "Louy! Stop!"
Belle laughed at her sisters playing as she got dressed before brushing her hair, "Alright, Lou its time to get ready for the day."
"Okay," Louata chuckled as she wrapped Marie into a blanket cocoon. With Marie trapped Louata got out of bed and got ready for the day. The older girls chuckled as Marie tried to wiggle her way out of the blanket.
"Come Marie we're almost ready," Belle chuckled. Louata finished getting dressed and went to the kitchen to warm up some toast and bacon for them.
"Freedom," Marie cheered as she got out of the blanket. She climbed off the bed and fix her dress. Then joined Belle and Louata in the kitchen for their small breakfast. Belle finished her food first so she began braiding Marie's hair while Louata gathered up their things.
Afterwards they left for the market as the shops and booths began to open up for the day. Marie carried the books they were going to return to the church, Belle had her basket and the shopping list, while Louata carried a crate of soaps for the general store and a few clocks that Maurice had repaired for the small inn and the tavern.
"Where are we going to first," Marie asked as they left the house.
"First Pere Robert and the book merchant," Belle answered, "Then we need to get a few things for Mama and Papa before they leave for the city."
"And we have a few delivers to make," Louata added as they crossed the small stone bridge.
"Do they have to go," Marie whined to them.
"Yes they do," Belle stroked her little sisters cheek, "Papa has to deliver his pieces for his s."
"Not to mention the Inventors Fair as well," Louata smiled, "Gives Papa a chance to advertise his skills and sell his smaller pieces. So he'll need Mama's help with."
"Why can't we go this year," Marie asked.
"Some one has to stay behind to watch the house and chickens," Belle replied.
"And prepare for the colder weather," Louata added, "So it'll be nice coming back to a warm house with all the chores prepared."
Marie frowned with a sad sigh as she followed her sisters, "I still like it when we get to go too."
"Next time, pup," Belle kissed her little sisters head, "Now lets get started, we have a lot to do."
Marie gave a nod as Louata patted her shoulder with a small smile. The three continued to the small town church. Inside the small building, Pere Robert was speaking with the traveling merchant Jean, over a box of new hymn books, as well as news pamphlets from Paris and the nearby cities.
"Pere Robert, Monsieur Jean," Marie cheered as she skipped into the building, "Good morning!"
The men turned to greet her as her sisters came in behind her, but more at a steady walk.
"Good morning Petiet Marie," Jean smiled to her, then to her sisters, "And to you Mademoiselles."
"If it isn't the only book worms in town," Pere Robert smiled at them, "Did we have a nice trip."
"Indeed," Belle nodded, helping Marie put the books back on the small shelf at the back of the church.
"Where did you three travel to this time," Jean asked.
"We sailed the seas with the Greeks and Heracles, then to a city in Verona," Marie cheered as she gave the books to Belle to put away. But frowned as she looked back at Pere Robert, "I didn't like the ending very much."
"Well lets hope your next trip is better," Robert smiled back to her as he began unpacking the hymn books.
"Anything new," Belle asked the two men.
"Just hymns and news pamphlets," Jean replied with a small frown.
"But you're welcome to your favorites," Robert gestured to the small shelf of books.
Marie peered over the shelf as best she could, to pick out a new book for them. While she and Belle picked out their next book, Louata gave a wave as she left to make the deliveries for the day. From the general goods store to the Potters, before meeting her sisters at the center of the market to get the grocers.
As she arrived Marie was helping carry the books they had borrowed while Belle carried the groceries in her basket.
"That was fast," Louata chuckled at them.
"We got apple butter and jams," Marie cheered to her older sister.
"My favorite," Louata cheered clapping her hands then looking back at Belle, "Anything else we need to get before heading home?"
"Madame Floure has Mama's order ready for her," Belle replied as she adjusted her basket in her arms, "Kinda need you for those."
"Say no more," Louata smiled, "Best we get those so they can dry."
"Exactly," Belle nodded. The three then made their way over to the flower stand the was surrounded in rainbow of flowers, though they were slowly fading as the seasons moved closer to it's end. While Belle and Louata spoke with the merchant, Marie looked at the other flowers.
"Marie," Belle called out to her sister.
Marie turned to her sister but ran into Gaston, stumbling back at the wall of a man, clutching the books tightly to her chest as she looked up at him.
"Good morning Marie," Gaston gave her a forced smile. Marie began to shake a little before rushing back to her sisters to hide behind Louata and Belle. Louata stroked her sisters head when she hide behind her skirt. Gaston came over to them, a more natural smile on his face at the two woman, "Good morning, Belle, Louata."
"Good morning, Gaston," Bell politely replied. Louata stayed quite, not even looking at Gaston.
"Such a pleasure to run into you," Gaston smiled stepping closer to Belle.
"Can't say the same," Louata muttered as she moved closer to Belle. Marie held tighter to Louata's skirt.
"Are those for your mother," he asked pointing to the flowers.
"Yes they are," Bell nodded.
"Then these are for you," he held out a larger bouquet of mixed flowers, "For your dinner table. Shall I join you later?"
"Belle come on," Louata called out as she began walking away from the flower stand, Marie still held tightly to her sister's skirt, trying to hide from Gaston, "We still have things to prepare at the house before they leave at noon."
Belle shook her head at Gaston before going to join her sisters heading back to their cottage. Gaston watched them leave with a slight annoyed look on his face.
"You'd think he'd take the hint by now," Louata grumbled as they walked away.
"You'd think," Bell shuddered, "He makes me feel so queasy. I still can't believe he has the whole town fooled."
"Mostly," Louata chuckled, making Marie giggle before looking back at Belle, "Bell, why does Gaston keep trying to give you odd gifts every time he sees you?"
"Because his thick head and giant ego can't take a hint," Belle replied.
"Doesn't help his brain is likely the size of a chickens," Louata giggled as they arrived back home. Once inside they began to set down their huals from the market.
"Hello girls," Luna cheered as she came up from the cellar workshop with a box of small carved soaps and bottles of perfumes, "How was the market today?"
"We picked up your flowers," Marie cheered showing her mother the flowers.
"Wonderful," Luna smiled setting down the box by the door, "I can have these prepared to dry before your father and I leave later."
"It wasn't too bad," Louata replied as she set down her own basket.
"Anything new," Luna asked as she separated the flowers to dry them.
"Not really," Belle replied, " Same as the day before.
"Towns kind of boring," Marie huffed as she climbed onto a kitchen chair to watch Belle as she unloaded her basket.
"Boring but safe, little flower," Maurice said as he walked into the kitchen, giving his youngest daughter a kiss on the cheek. Belle and Louata smiled at their father as he then gave both of them a kiss as well.
"Is everything loaded into the cart, Papa," Belle asked, preparing her parents lunch and travel meals.
"Just a few more boxes," Maurice answered, "I'm going to get Philip hooked up as we load the last of the boxes."
"I'll help you," Louata offered picking up the box her mother had set down.
"Thank you dear," Luna smiled, "I'll get the last of the commissions as well."
Louata took the boxes out to the small barn beside the house to he waiting loaded cart. Philip was grazing on the near by grassy field. As Louata set the boxes into the cart as Luna came out with a wooden tube, setting it beside the boxes before going to Philip.
Come along now. Time to get you hooked up.
Philip stopped grazing as Luna came over to him looking back at her, "Alright. I can finish my snack as you hook me up."
Louata gave a small chuckle at him as he walked over to the front of the cart. Still chewing on a mouthful of grass as Luna and Louata hooked him up.
"There," Luna sighed as she checked his harness once more, "All set."
Louata stroked Philips nose, "You ready?"
"As I'll ever be for these trips," Philip snorted with a nod.
With that the two went back inside to finish the last of the preparations. Marie helped Belle make their parents lunches for the journey. Once those were finished, Maurice helped his wife onto the drivers bench before climbing up himself. Belle handed him the reins.
"What would you like us to bring you back," Maurice asked his daughters.
"Boots," Marie said, "Mine are starting to squish my toes."
"Very well, sweetheart," Maurice smiled to his youngest.
"Just a rose," Belle replied.
"Just a new sharpening stone," Louata replied.
"You ask for that every time," Maurice looked back at Belle.
"And every time you bring me back one," she smiled up at him. Luna smiled down at her daughters, blowing each of them a kiss as Maurice nodded back to them before snapping the reins making Phillip start to trot forward down the road. The three girls waved to their parents as they left the village. When they disappeared behind the forest line they began on them day's chores.