Beauty Meets her Beast Ch. 06

The tears in my eyes gushed out, blurring my vision and blocking out everything. I sniveled and my body shook with the wracking sobs that overtook me. I should leave, but I could barely see or stand. From utter happiness to utter agony in the span of an hour! I had been deceived by Lord August again. Would I never learn? Did the man have no morals at all, to lie with such abandon? I felt like a pawn in his game, some confusing and twisted entertainment that I didn't understand. He was forcing me to play without ever telling me the rules or even the goal. Perhaps it was mere sport for him, some sick amusement to see how many hapless young girls he could get to fall for him and then break their hearts. He was a monster, and I'd fallen for him. Rubbing the tears from my eyes, I stood. There was nothing left for me here.

I crossed the room to the doors, turning back for one last look. I would not forget the lessons I had learned at the hands of Lord August. As if summoned by my thoughts, he appeared around the corner.

"Belle! Where are you going? Come, we have much to discuss." He smiled at me, as though no nothing was wrong.

"I'm leaving. I was a fool to come back here to you." My voice wavered, still thick from crying.

"What's wrong?" His smile began to fade, and he shook his head, crossing the room to me. "Have you been crying? What is it, what is the matter?" He extended a hand toward me, and I shrank back against the door.

"Don't touch me! Your touch is as much a liar as you!"

"Liar? What do you mean? I thought we had gotten past that, Belle. I am so sorry for not telling you about my wife."

"And the baby?" I hissed.

"Baby? What baby?" he laughed. "What baby are you talking about? I've never had children."

"Not yet. But you will."

"With you, yes I hope so. You'll be a wonderful mother."

"With Regina." I spat the name out as if it was bile. His brows furrowed together and his mouth turned down.

"Never with her. What has gotten into you? If I'd had children by Regina I think you'd be well aware of them by now."

"I know that she's with child! Stop the lies," I cried. "Please, just stop." He froze, staring at me.

"Regina is with child?"

"Don't pretend you are ignorant of the fact!" Suddenly he reached out and grabbed my wrists, pulling me away from the door. "Let me go!" I tried to pull away from him, but he was far too strong.

"No, Belle, not this time. You're going to sit and hear this out." He pushed me firmly down onto the settee, still holding my wrists. "You will stay here, do you understand? If you run, I will chase you down, and tie you up if necessary, but you WILL sit and listen to this. Do you understand?" I nodded, and he released me, turning to the door. "REGINA!" he bellowed. "REGINA! Get down here! NOW!"

"I'm really not interested in hearing more of your lies," I began, but was silenced by his stony glare. Fine. I would hear his latest story and then leave. I crossed my arms over my chest and sat back sullenly, refusing to make eye contact with him. He stood over me, eliminating even the slightest chance that I might make an escape. The clack of heels in the hall declared that Regina was drawing near. She rounded the corner of the doorway, her rose perfume wafting over to me even from there, cloying and repugnant to me now.

"Adam, darling, did you call for me?"Her coy smile was not entirely successful in hiding her irritation.

"What did you tell Belle?" he demanded.

"Belle? Oh, you mean this wretched thing." She indicated me. "I haven't the foggiest notion what you mean."

"Did you tell her you were with child?" Lord August still stood over me, next to the little table. He made no move to go near Regina, who lingered in the doorway.

"Well, yes, of course. I thought she might like to hear the happy news." She flashed her dazzling fake smile at me.

"Then you are in fact with child? You weren't making it up?" he asked.

"Oh yes." Her hands went to her stomach, splaying over it. "Isn't it wonderful, darling?" Her tone was acidic.

"Did you tell her it was mine?" Lord August persisted. There was a short silence, then Regina spoke again.

"Well, no, I never said it was yours darling, I would think that would be implied." Her smile didn't fade, though it did appear slightly toned down.

"Despite the fact that we have never, NEVER, been together as a man and wife?" Lord August's voice echoed off the stone walls, and my breath caught. Never?

"I fail to see why that matters. The child will be presumed to be yours by all, so why should it matter if if is or not?" She jutted her chin out, raising an eyebrow as if daring him to argue otherwise.

"I will not take responsibility for your bastard, Regina. We are getting divorced."

"Oh, you don't mean that." She laughed, shaking her hair back. "Think of the scandal. What would your mother and father think if they could see you now? The disgrace would be too much for them to bear!" Lord August flinched at the mention of his parents.

"It is a mercy, then, that they died before they saw me saddled with a whore of a wife, pregnant with another man's bastard!" he said. Regina's smile finally faded, her face twisting into a look of sheer hatred.

"You wouldn't dare." she said. Her eyes blazed with anger

"Try me." Lord August turned from her, back to me. "Belle. Do you believe me now?" My mind was whirling, but I was certain now that it had been Regina who was full of lies, not Adam.

"Yes," I said softly. I looked up and met his eyes. "I'm sorry for doubting you." The beginnings of a smile started on his face.

What happened next seemed to occur so slowly, yet at the same time at breakneck speed, impossible to stop. Adam started to smile at me, and from the corner of my eye I saw Regina pick up one of the heavy potted plants from the stand near the doorway. Wielding it with both hands, she rushed at Adam, clearly intending to hurl it at him, possibly his head. My mouth opened to warn him, to tell her to stop, but she was already across the room, mere feet from Adam. He must have seen her, for he took a quick sidestep to avoid her. She noticed and corrected her course with a quick sidestep of her own. That step proved fatal. She tripped over her foot, in her haste, the weight of the planter throwing her balance off, and then she was falling forward. There was a sickening smack as her head struck the corner of the table, and then her body was on the ground, her eyes blankly staring upward. I was frozen in shock, but Adam immediately dropped to his knees, his hands on her neck, feeling for a pulse.

"Regina? Regina, are you with us?" He shook her. "Regina! Wake up! Damn, damn," he swore. "MRS. DELVERS! MRS. DELVERS!" he turned to me. "She'll know what to do. I must ride for the doctor, at once. She's with child!" I nodded that I understood, finally unfreezing my limb and kneeling on the floor beside Regina's too-still body. Adam ran out, yelling for the page boy to saddle his horse. I hoped he could fetch the doctor int time. Regina may have been full of venom, but her unborn child was an innocent and deserved a chance at life. Mrs. Delvers came huffing and puffing around the corner, her eyes growing wide at the scene before her.

"What have you done!?" She ran across the room, shoving me back and away from Regina. "My Lady? My Lady, what has happened to you?" She took Regina's head into her lap, fat tears streaming down her cheeks. "No, My lady..." she sobbed, cradling Regina's head.

"She fell, it - it was an accident." Though I didn't care for Mrs. Delvers, her naked grief was painful to witness.

"This is all your fault! None of this would have happened if you hadn't come back!" I bit my lip. She was right, in a way. "Oh, my lady..." she cried.

"Lord August has gone to fetch the doctor," I offered. "Perhaps he will be able to help." Mrs. Delvers looked up at me, hatred etched across her face.

"There is no help? Do you not see my lady? She's dead! Dead, and it's all your fault!" She gingerly lowered Regina's head to the floor and stood. "Dead, dead, my poor beautiful lady." Her eyes took on an unnatural shine, her face going slack.

"Mrs. Delvers? Are you alright?" I asked. She ignored me and walked to the fireplace.

"Yes," she said softly, to herself. "Yes, it can all die. All of it." She reached into the fire grasping the end of a burning piece of wood. If it was hot, she showed no reaction, but walked to the nearest hanging tapestry and held the flame up to it.

"Mrs. Delvers!" I cried out, but too late. The elaborately embroidered tapestry was up in flames, and she was already moving on to the next one. "Wait, stop! You'll kill us all!" I pleaded. She gave no indication that she could hear me, but walked further into the hall, setting more hangings ablaze. The room was growing warmer by the minute. She was going to set everything on fire! I had to escape. I looked at the still form of Regina. I did not know if she was alive or dead, not without a doctor. Obviously Mrs. Delvers was not in her right mind. There was no way I could carry Regina, but perhaps I could drag her to the door. I leaned down and grasped her wrists, sliding her along the floor as I walked backwards toward the door.

"Don't touch her!" Mrs. Delvers came running at me, her make-shift torch waving in my face. Startled, I dropped Regina's arms and backed off.

"Please Mrs. Delvers, let me just take her outside. We'll know more when the doctor gets here. She might live yet." I bent to to take Regina's wrists again but Mrs. Delvers brandished her fire at me again, forcing me backward. She pursued me across the hall, and as I stood on the rug at the door, she set the rug ablaze.

"Burn, slut" she hissed, the wildness in her eyes gleaming. I opened the door and ran outside. Perhaps if she moved off long enough I could run back in and retrieve Regina. Over the flame I could see Mrs. Delvers setting things on fire. The smoke was pouring out thickly and I backed away, coughing. Would I be able to go back in and get her ladyship? I could no longer see inside, through the flames and smoke. I tried to stick my head in, but the acrid burning in my lungs and eyes quickly drove me back. It was impossible for me to get in. I fervently hoped that if Regina still lived, she perished from the smoke inhalation long before the flames touched her.

I stood outside the doors of the great castle as the windows burst and more smoke poured out, helpless to do anything but watch flames ravage the inside of Adam's home, and what could have been mine as well.