The Dying Rose (Completed)

Chapter 21: We Have a Problem

The rest of our last week together flew by much too quickly. Beast became comfortable with me calling him Galien all the time, though only at my insistence. All of my cuts and scratches were completely healed, except the one on my forehead.

And then, dawned Beast's final sunrise.

All day long I had a knot in my stomach. Chandler, who I had barely seen in months, found me at breakfast.

"Miss Belle! I did it!" he cried out. I hadn't even known he was in the room.

"Did what?" I asked, after nearly jumping out of my skin.

"You don't remember? I finished the ballroom. It is fit for a king. Tonight, you shall have your ball."

I sighed, morosely. "Oh, Chandler, I appreciate it so much. But, tonight, well, tonight is Galien's 21st birthday. I had rather wanted to let him spend the evening-

"But, Miss Belle! I have already spoken with him, and he had agreed. I was just to tell you to be ready by sun down. You haven't much time tonight." His voice broke at the end, and I was sure he was sniffling.

"I'll be ready." I said.

"Very well. I must go, I have much still to coordinate," he said, his voice heading towards the door.

The rest of my day was quiet. Galien was nowhere to be found, and it worried me. My mind was buzzing with a million questions, and there was no calming it. He knows he's about to die. What if he does something stupid? Why hasn't he come down? Where can he be? Is he frightened? Why does he want to be alone? Would I want to be alone, if I knew it was the end?

I was pacing the entrance foyer walking in circles, my mind spinning.

In less than a day, my whole life is going to change. The man who has become such a dear friend to me will be dead. I will have to return to Thanona, which is the bleakest thing I can imagine...

How do I explain where I've been all this time? No one will believe me.

I know terrible things about the man my sister has married. Can I help her? Better yet, what are people going to say about Oriabelle, for marrying my fiancé? At least I won't have to marry him though.

Maybe I should just go to the city... No. That's running away, and I'm tired of doing that.

What will I do without Galien?

Finally, Galien came down stairs. It was nearly sunset, and it was all I could do not to run to him.

The first thing he said was "I'm sorry, Belle. I just needed some time to think. I shouldn't have left you to worry, though. Forgive me?"

"Forgive you? There's nothing to forgive. How do you know I was worried?" I asked.

He gave a feeble attempt at a smile. "Your face shows it, and you're not dressed for dinner. Didn't Chandler tell you to be ready by sunset?"

My hands flew to my face. I had forgotten. "Oh goodness. It slipped my mind."

His smile this time was genuine, though still small. "That's alright. I'm sure someone can help you get dressed quickly."

I ran up to my room, and rang the bell. It took only a brief moment, and Jacqueline came in. She helped me into the dress of my choice, which happened to be the first one I ever wore in the castle. The laces seemed to take forever, even though her hands were flying so quickly she kept knocking them into my back.

I was nearly running when I left my room, my dress hiked up above my ankles. The bustle made it harder to maneuver, but I had picked this dress because it made me feel like a princess, even back when I was confined to one room in the castle. My bare feet slid across the cold stone, and I felt like a little girl, running to my next adventure, and at the same time terrified of what it could be.