Between A Rose And Its Thorns (ON HOLD)

Be. Our. Guests!

Lucinda's point of view

I stare at the door, holding my breath as I listen to the sound of the beast's retreating feet. Only when I can no longer hear him do I relax, letting out a sigh. I close my eyes. My bark is much worse than my bite. If the beast had gotten inside, I don't think I would have been able to protect Isabelle or myself.

"Lucinda?" I hear Isabelle mumble, her fingers clenching tightly around my arm. I open my eyes and glance at her.

"We have to get out of here," I whisper and walk back to the pile of blankets. I pick up where I left off, continuing to tie the ends of the blankets together.

"Do you really think this will work?" She asks as she approaches me.

I glance up at her then look back down at my work. "If we do this right..." I murmur as I tie the two covers together.

"When will we depart?" She questions, looking to the sun still high in the sky. I squint at the sky. It is most likely near noon now, however, it might be later since the Beast had asked us to join him for dinner. Either way, it will not be safe to leave now.

I pull on the two ends, checking it's strength. "At dusk, we leave. The dark night will be our cover, we will be safe at home before they even knew we were gone." I say confidently.

A smile spreads across her face. "Let's get out of here." She grins and joins me, helping me tie the rest of the blankets together to make our new rope.

~~~

I watch as the sun slowly drifts toward the forest floor. "Any moment, now." I sigh.

I look over my shoulder, smiling softly as I stare at Isabelle sleeping on the bed. I stand and start to walk toward her to wake her when I hear a knock on the door. Why is he back? Is he going to make good on his word and drag us to dinner? I gulp and grab my hair at the thought.

Isabelle yawns behind me. Flipping over in her sleep.

Come on, Lucinda. If it is that monster, you need to protect your sister. There is no time to worry about your hair!

"I thought I told you no!" I snap and glare at the door, I take a step forward, standing in front of my sleeping sister. Just in case...

"Calm yourself, mademoiselle! It is I! Domain! I took you and your sister on a tour of the castle...?" I hear Domain shout through the door. "May I come in?"

My eyes widen, looking over my shoulder at the tied blankets. I run across the small room and grab our foreign rope, I hide it under the bed.

"Mademoiselle?" I hear him call out.

"Yes!" I shout back. "I'm here, uh.." I glance at the blankets sticking out from under the bed. I kick the blankets, trying to make them go under the bed.

"I'm coming in!" He warns, I gulp.

I bite back a groan, the rope still very much visible if one was looking for it. The door opens. I gasp and watch as the lit candelabra floats inside the room. I clasp my hands in front of me, standing in front of the blankets still poking out. I try to force a smile onto my face.

"Good evening, mademoiselle!" He says loudly, I shush him and point at my still sleeping sister. "Oh! My apologies, Mademoiselle!" He whispers as he enters.

"I do not mean to be rude, sir, but... what are you doing here?" I ask.

"Well..." my mouth drops open wide as a cart rolls inside the room, a tray was set on it, the lid hiding what was on it. "I thought perhaps you and your sister might be hungry."