Beast and Beatrice

Chapter fourteen- Gilbert

  Gilbert looked down into those pleading eyes, but all he saw were those sinister flames from long ago, devastating and deadly. If only it had been anything other than a fire. Just the thought of facing those deadly flames was enough to petrify him. When the young lad had come rushing up, shouting about the town being on fire, Gilbert hadn't really given it much thought. The town meant nothing to him. And after the men all rode off, Gilbert had only felt a sense of relief that they were gone. His only concern had been to check on Beatrice and make sure she was safe. Thank goodness she had discovered the make-shift door to the dark corridor on her own. He wasn't sure what the gruff Sheriff would have done if he'd found her inside the castle, but Gilbert was certain he would have been arrested without fail.

  She had wandered further down the corridor than he expected. Her explanation that she got lost made perfect sense. It was easy to get turned round in the darkness. But then she'd pounced on him, practically begging him to take her into town. Until she mentioned the danger to her family, he hadn't even considered the fact that she lived in the town. She was desperate for his assistance to rescue her family. But to do so, he would be forced to face another devastating fire.

  The old fear swelled up, doing its best to overwhelm him. His skin seemed to shrink over his bones, and persperation broke out, drenching him in cold sweat. He felt cold and hot all at once. His stomach started to whirl, and the world around him began to spin. The pounding in his skull and ringing in his ears escalated until he could hardly hear a word she was saying. And then she grabbed him, forcing him to look her directly in the eye, and she pleaded desperately.

"Please, Gilbert. They're just children."

  Children? The thought of vulnerable young children in danger snapped him back from the brink of terror. There was no way he could stand by and do nothing while innocent children suffered. Even if it meant facing his greatest fear. He threw back his shoulders, straightened to his full height, and took in a deep, fortifying breath. Letting it out slowly, he focused on calming his racing heart and reining in his fear.

  With a few more deep breaths, he managed to get himself under control. The fear was still there, still jangling just beneath the surface, but he muffled its voice with sheer force of will. As he regained control of his equilibrium, the room righted under his feet, and the pounding in his skull slowly receded. Resolved, he took Beatrice by the hand and started leading her up the corridor. At first, she tried to dig in her heels, no doubt, confused that he was continuing further into the darkness.

"But that's the wrong way." She cried, her voice shrill with frustration.

  Gilbert ignored her protest. He couldn't take the time to explain, even if he could make her understand. She would just have to trust that he knew this building better than she did and was leading them in the right direction. When the lantern light finally splashed upon the huge front doors, Beatrice gasped with surprised relief.

"Another entrance. I should have realized."

  Automatically, she accepted the lantern he handed her while he dealt with the latch, and in no time, he was pulling the door open. Fading sunlight washed into the room. It was getting late. Soon, the sun would be setting  and they would be traveling in darkness. Gilbert motioned for her to lead the way. She returned the lantern to him before scurrying through the door. He blew out the light and hung the lantern from the hook by the door before stepping through behind her. After making certain the door was braced, he again grasped her hand and started up the trail.

"It will be dark soon." She puffed breathlessly.

  A glance over his shoulder told him she was struggling to keep up with his pace. Mindful of her smaller size and stature, he shortened his stride. He knew if he didn't accommodate her, she would very likely have a relapse. After all, she had been very ill these past few days. Gilbert prayed he wouldn't have to carry her the whole way. Not that he couldn't. Just that it would slow them down considerably. The walk to town usually took him a little over an hour. He was hoping to arrive before full-on dark. If he did have to carry her, the trip would almost double. Although, he had to admit, she didn't seem weak or wobbly. The woman had surprising stamina. She followed him without complaint even though he could see she was beginning to tire. Her determination was truly admirable.