The Beauty and the Beast (1st book of Fantasy Series)

Chapter 43- Belle's POV

My cheeks turned red, and I nodded. "Oh, yes, yes, it is," I said and gestured for her to come into the room. "Everything is going well between us. I wouldn't have accepted his date request if it wasn't."

The female wolf furrowed her brows and slowly nodded while she stepped into the room. She didn't say a word, but I could tell that she was still confused and worried about what I had meant.

"Anyway, what is your name?" I asked, praying that she would change the subject. "And what have you brought for me?" I gestured to the dress in her arms, and she looked at it before she looked at me again, staying silent.

I bit back a small chuckle while I shook my head and closed my door. "Well?" I asked and raised an eyebrow in question before I moved in front of her again. "What is your name?" I cocked my head and studied her.

The wolf blinked and blinked again, and her eyes grew wide. "Oh," she said. She bowed and cleared her throat, and I had a feeling that her cheeks grew redder. "Eleanor, Your Highness," she said while she tucked her tail against her legs. "My name is Eleanor. It's nice to meet you."

"It's nice to meet you too," I said, trying but failing to hide a chuckle in my voice. "Please, call me Belle. I insist."

She hesitated before she slowly nodded. "Of course, Y- Belle," she said and cleared her throat while she looked away from me. "May I say that it might be hard for me to call you "Belle?"" she asked hesitantly while she looked at me with wide eyes. "Would you be upset?'

I chuckled before I shook my head no. "I won't," I said with a small promise in my voice. "It would be the same as His Majesty being mad at me."

She furrowed her brows and cocked her head while she slowly blinked. "What do you mean?" she asked before she paused and bowed her head. "Oh, if I may ask, of course."

"You can," I said and nodded, chuckling before I cleared my throat and shifted on my feet, growing serious. "Anyway, it's because I call His Majesty His Majesty instead of Reif like he wishes."

"He does?" Eleanor asked while she raised an eyebrow in question, and I nodded in confirmation. "Why?"

I shrugged, and my cheeks turned slightly red. "I don't know," I admitted before I cleared my throat and shifted on my feet, not able to meet her gaze. "Now, what do you have in your hands?" I asked while I cocked my head and studied her.

Eleanor blinked and blinked again before she looked at the dress in her arms. "Oh," she said and realization dawned in her eyes while she looked at me. "It's a dress," she said and held it toward me. "His Majesty wishes you to wear that for the date tonight."

My cheeks grew red while I looked at the dress closer.

It was a gold ball gown dress that looked like it was going to feel soft against my skin. It sparkled a little under the light of the room, and I had a feeling that it would sparkle more while I moved from side to side.

The dress was long and looked to have multiple layers on it, layers that I might need help with.

"Oh, Eleanor," I said, my voice barely above a whisper and I wanted to reach out to touch it but was too afraid to do so. "It's beautiful." I reached for it but stopped and instead moved my hand closer to my chest and clasped it there. "Who is it for?"

"It's for you, Your Highness," Eleanor said and held it out for me to take, but I didn't. "Would you like some help putting it on?" she asked while she cocked her head and studied me.

I hesitated but nodded. "Please," I said, my voice barely above a whisper. "I am going to need it."

Eleanor smiled before she nodded. "Then the first thing you need to do is take a bath or take a shower," she said while she walked further into the room, and I looked at her and started to follow her. "What are you going to do about your hair?"

"I was going to do a simple braid," I replied and gestured to the closet. "Do you want to put it in there while I get a shower?"

"Yes, Your Highness," Eleanor said and nodded. She cleared her throat and did what I asked her to do. "Are you sure that you want to do a simple braid though?" she asked from the closet. "If I may ask."

"Because that is what I am good at," I replied with a shrug. "Now, if you will excuse me, I am going to take a quick shower. Are you going to be staying here while I do so?"

"Yes, Your Highness," Eleanor said and nodded after she walked out of the closet. She paused and cleared her throat, and I had a feeling that she blushed. "If that is ok with you, of course."

I bit back a small chuckle. "It is," I said and nodded. "If I didn't think it would be fine, I wouldn't have said anything." I looked at her and winked, and she hesitated before she smiled. "Go ahead and sit on the bed. I will be out shortly."

"Yes, Your Highness," she said and nodded. She hesitated but did what I said and sat on my bed.

I bit back a small smile and shook my head before I made my way to the bathroom to take a shower, my heart pounding hard in my chest with excitement.

It's almost time... I thought while my smile grew, and my heart skipped a beat before it pounded harder.

And I cannot wait.