Time turner ⚜️prince Adam ⚜️

Helping hand

I scream falling backwards onto the cold tile entry. There is no one around. "Who's there?!" I reach for the candlelight with shaky hands but the flame sputters and dies plunging the room into darkness.

"I'm the master of this castle. I can not help you. I have nothing. Go now." The voice almost growls. It's up in the second stair case. Disturbing the shadows far beyond my sight.

"I'll be going then. I'm sorry I disturbed you." I reach out searching for something to pull myself up with and shuffle back towards the door almost forgetting my pack by the empty fireplace.

I stop at the door, in between the small sliver of light from the snowy prison outside. I set the box of matches on the ground in the light for the person in the shadows to see and close the door.

An uneasy feeling settles over me as I ride back to the village. The  sun is setting, casting monsters across the field as I ride across it. I slow to a trot back into the stables not to raise suspicions and curl up in the hay of Florence stall. I don't want to deal with my mother right now. I'll talk to her later. Now I fall asleep, my dreams taking me through the frozen castle again with a beast taunting me from the shadows.

The early sun wakes me. The first rays sending streaks across the town, highlighting the bright colours of the market and the store signs. Rising slowly I unlatch the stall and creep out running right into a familiar face.

Belle smiles weakly. Horrible reds and purples highlight her eyes and darken her arms and cheek. "Belle! What happened?" I ask frantically embracing her. "I hate him. He's despicable. He's a monster." She seethes angrily. Glaring at her house. "Then why are you marrying him?" I ask her. "To save my father. Gaston threatens to throw him into a mad house." Belle explains. I scrunch my nose. "If I could do something, anything belle tell me." I hold her small shoulders. She shakes her head. "There's nothing to be done. Not everyone can be helped." She sighs. I look down.

Suddenly the castle and the mysterious master with nothing fills my thoughts. Not everyone could be helped but some can. An idea pops into my head and a smile splits my lips. Belle and I part ways. She heads for the church for a new book and i for the market with my pack.

I barter with the baker and the grocer. Working my way from stall to stall until I fill my pack with fresh food and limp for home. Ma would be gone for a few hours, today she was doing laundry.

I change into a simple blue dress, the front shorter and ruffled showing off my stoking and strap my brace on. Carefully washing all the scrapes and cuts off my body before I leave I take a bottle of milk and some packets of tea and put them in my pack as well.

Florence is up and rearing to get going when I come down to him. We dash off through the meadow and race down narrow paths and other trails until the sun is high and the noon bells fade into the clear air.

When we reach the mysterious fork, the path seems much easier to see and turn down. Florence follows the path in a canter. The fog no longer flooding the path but the snow still stings my skin leaving goosebumps. The garden is beautiful, almost incased in glass. The sun makes ripples across the ground, beautiful patterns through the crystal ice captivating me. The area is breathtaking.

When I reach the long front stairs I feel nervous and stupid. I walk up the stairs taking each step one at a time. At the large door I notice light dancing through the stained windows. I knock loudly. Hearing the knockers loud bang echo through the castle I wait a minute before opening the door just far enough to get through and set the pack down in front of the stairs. I feel the heat of the fire roaring in the hearth and smile knowing my matches had provided him heat.

The feeling of someone's heavy gaze settling on my back does not chill me as I walk out. I know the master had seen me and hope he accepts my attempt to help.

I almost slip walking down the steps back to Florence. We ride through the forest it's peaceful. Animals call to one another through the trees. The sun radiates heat through the air and warms the snow boundary.

A sense of capability fills me. The master of the frozen castle must have his reasons to not be able to get his own supplies. He has his disability I have mine but that doesn't stop me from helping him with what he needs.

Guiding Florence into his stall quickly.  I walk up into the house. Ma is in the kitchen again, folding sheets and fabric. "Do you believe you can hold your tongue in the presence of authority?" She asks without turning. "Yes. Ma." I mumble picking up my trunk. "Good. Wash up for lunch." My Ma doesn't look up from the laundry. I nod. Ma isn't an angry person but this calm will pass and when it does she will lash out at me.