Cursed

16. Belle's Courage

16. Belle's Courage

I couldn't speak. I had gained one answer as well as countless new questions. There was a date to the end of my imprisonment. A release date, I chuckled to myself humorlessly. It gave the whole captivity situation a new perspective.

I was here for a reason. I didn't know what that reason was but I believed the beast when he said it wasn't weird in the sick sense. I didn't know why I believed him but I did. Maybe it was the way he humbled to the floor and told me he just wanted to get to know me. Speaking of which, it was taking me far too long to answer the simple question he had laid before me.

"I..." I began but I didn't know how to continue. As much as I hated to admit it, I was terrified. Of this mansion, the beasts waiting just outside of it, the beast living inside it. I was terrified of what would become of me in the sinister place, of what would become of my father without me, of the world going on without me. I hated feeling scared. I always saw myself as the girl who did what she wanted, when she wanted and now here I was, held captive in this horrible place.

How could I just get to know him? How could this beast just expect me to forgive him for stealing me away from my father, from my life and try to get to know him? It was a ridiculous notion. And yet... curiosity always seemed to get the better of me. It even tended to win over fear.

The beast let out a wary sigh and dug his claws into the fur on his left arm somewhat delicately. It wasn't the first time I had seen him do that, or so I was almost positive. The action just seemed so familiar. A nervous tick? I would have to keep an eye out for it.

"Forget it," he growled suddenly. He stood to his full seven feet tall and stormed from the dining room. I was conflicted. On one hand, the last thing I wanted was to befriend my captor but on the other hand, I had a year to kill in this place. Was I really so determined to stay miserable? My father's voice from just a few days ago rang loud and clear in my memory. Why are you so determined to stay miserable?he had asked. Why was I so determined to stay miserable? The situation was what it was and it was now time to make the best of it.

So maybe we wouldn't be friends. That would be just plain weird. Hey Dad, meet my friend, Daurien. He's the beast who has been keeping me prisoner all year. Yeah... No. But we could be acquaintances and at least it wouldn't be a year spent alone in this mansion crying every night.

Now what? I had come to a conclusion but how was I to make it happen. I felt my mouth set itself into a thin line involuntarily. I would have to apologize. It went against everything I felt but I knew it was the right thing to do. It was the only thing that could break the barrier. He'd humbled himself before me and now I had to swallow my pride and do the same.

I needed to find him. I pushed myself up from the ground, brushed myself off and rubbed my behind, sore from my fall from the chair. Candleholder was eying me warily.

"What?"

"You affect him," he said as if it were obvious, "whether you accept him, how you react to him, it matters to him."

"Why?"

"Why did he risk his life to save you?"

"I... I don't know."

"He has a soft spot for you."

"He doesn't even know me."

"But he wants to." That brought me to silence. Yes, I knew that.

"Do you know where he might have gone? I need to find him."

"The West Wing."

"I can't go in there," surely I wasn't stupid enough to try that again.