Lost In Time

Chapter 6: Beauty Has a Beast

I step outside and immediately the smell of baked goods hits me. We were in the middle of a small village and further to the east, through the woods, there was a stone castle. A young woman with an apron ran past us, carrying a basket of biscuits. Three blondes around the corner were giggling, watching. Dalton stepped out next to me and the three girls noticed. They began to bat their eyes and fawn quite irritatingly.

"Let's go," I hooked my arm around his and pulled him out to explore the village. We stopped at the bakers and got some roles before dropping into each store on the street. We were just leaving a store full of beautiful tapestries when a girl on a white horse, led and followed by two black horses, stopped in front of the library.

"Your highness, let me," a plump man came to help the girl off of her horse.

"Thank you, Marty," she took his hand and slid down. The people around here sounded French but the girl was definitely English. She had curly brown hair, like mine, and was about my height. I felt out of place, wearing jeans and a sweater while she, and everyone else, wore clothes that dated back to most likely the sixteenth century. Her simple blue dress did not make her seem like she was of royalty, but more like one of the villagers.

"Princess Isabelle of New old France," Dalton whispered to me.

"New old?" I asked.

"When the French spread through the universe and came here, to Ursan, they decided to go back to the old style. It was simpler for them to settle. But don't worry, they kept air conditioning." I'd been told the French are weird, but really?

Princess Isabelle turned and saw Dalton. A very wide smile grew upon her face and she ran to us. "My Lord Dalton, it's been years!" she curtsied and continued to smile.

"Princess," he bowed to her, "how long has it been?"

She blushed, "My Lord, how many times must I ask you to call me Belle?"

"At least one more time, Princess," he smiled. My stomach churned.

"Well, it's been five years, to be exact."

"Ah! Nineteen! What a glorious age!"

'My age, to be exact,' I mocked her in my thoughts.

"Not yet. She'll be nineteen in three days," a tall man with greased back hair and a tight red top came to stand behind her. "Who are you?"

"Sir Jerome, please, this is Lord Dalton, of Dallas," The princess kept staring at Dalton.

"Not him," Jerome's eyes bore down on me, a look in his eyes I hadn't seen since Jesy's brother got drunk and started to hit on me. "Her." the rest of his face stayed solemn.

"This," Dalton took a protective step closer to me, "Is mistress Waters, of London."

I curtsied awkwardly, "Please, call me Alaya."

"Well, Misstress Alaya, Lord Dalton, I was just going to stop into the library, but would you like to join me for some tea?" Isabelle smiled sweetly.

"We'd love to," Dalton took my hand and the three of us went to the library. It wasn't much, but it was very nice. I decided to look around and ended up in the fantasy section. I reached up, and another hand went to grab the same book.

"Oh, sorry, I just love this one," I looked to see Isabelle holding the book. she flipped the pages and opened to a certain page, "this is where she falls in love with him but she-."

"Doesn't find out it's him until chapter 23," I smiled.

"You've read it?" she grinned.

"It's my favorite," I smiled back.

"Princess, it's almost sundown, we must get back," Jerome boomed from across the room. She looked at me and I followed her out the door.

*****

I sat with Dalton at a long mahogany table. The evening sun began to set behind the high windows. The princess sat at one end and Jerome at the other.

"So Dalton," all formality was lost, and Isabelle spoke to him like the long time friends they were, "you never told me how long it had been for you."

"Ninety three years, I think," his American accent stuck out awkwardly from ours.

A side smile glanced across her face but immediately hid, "what a long time! I guess you've had many adventures?"

He stole a look at me, "quite the few."

"Please, tell me of the places you've seen!" Isabelle inquired eagerly.

Before Dalton could speak, Jerome stood from his seat, "excuse me, but it is late. I must leave. Princess, I assume you will be able to show your guests their rooms." and with that, he was out the door. By now, the sun had set and the moon had risen.

"Yes, sir, I can take I from here. Miss? My lord? May I take you to your rooms?" Dalton and I stood. We were led through a pair of wooden doors in the back of the room, then up a winding staircase. Isabelle lead us down the hall and there were two guest rooms side by side. I opened one door and immediately chose it as my room.

There was a silver, black, and emerald green color scheme and it was beautiful. The curtains were white lace with silver edges and the comforter was a rich green velvet. I jumped onto the bed and found myself immersed in memory foam. Dalton and Belle went into the room to my left.

I'm sorry, but if you went off on an adventure with an attractive guy, and some girl goes into a bedroom with him, wouldn't you get jealous? So I eavesdropped. I shut my door and put my ear to the wall.

Isabelle: I'm so glad you are here.

Dalton: Actually Alaya chose the destination.

Isabelle: I mean that we need you.

Dalton: it seems you're running the kingdom just fine?

Isabelle: No my love, the kingdom is fine. But we're all in danger.

Dalton: how come?

Isabelle: there has been sightings of a large beast. Stock has gone missing, as well as some villagers. Strange noises have been heard in the middle of the night.

Dalton: Oh, Belle, it sounds like it's just a wolf.

I heard shuffling.

Isabelle: Dalton this is serious, the evidence is much to frightening to be a-

The room was suddenly freezing but I felt a very hot draft on my back.

"Don't Move"

***********

A/N: I feel like that was horrible and not worth that horrible wait.