Tarnished Crown

It took a few days for Belle to recover, only for Lucian to catch her cold right after. The poor little boy couldn't handle being confined to his room, and demanded that either Lily, Alec, or Belle be there with them. Belle took care of him in the mornings, Lily in the afternoons, and Alec in the evenings, but even with company, he was completely miserable. It didn't help that he couldn't see Caspian, either. In a way, Belle found herself disappointed too. It had become part of her routine at that point and it felt strange without it.

She sat by his bedside and stroked her fingers through his black curls where he laid his head in her lap, sniffling, coughing, and acting as if it was the end of the world. He had been whining non-stop, too weak to have any control of his paintbrush and completely uninterested in his toys, saying they were too babyish.

"When you were a baby, you ate something that made you very, very sick," Belle told him. "I was so afraid, but you were strong enough to make it through."

"I know," he groaned. "You told me this story a million billion times."

"A million billion times?" Belle laughed. "What kind of a number is that?"

"A really big one," he answered. "I'm bored. I want to go outside."

"It's cold outside," Belle told him. "You'll get worse."

"I'm bored," he complained.

Belle sighed, thinking for a moment. "How about I get you something from that toy maker in town. Would you like that?"

"Not another baby toy," he sniffed.

"No, a big boy toy," Belle promised. "Would you like that?"

He nodded, giving her big puppy eyes as she tucked him back into bed. She switched positions with Lily before Lucian threw a tantrum from being lonely, grabbing her cloak from her room on the way.

"Are you sure you don't want to send someone else?" Lily asked her. "You've only just gotten better yourself."

"I wouldn't mind the fresh air," Belle shrugged.

"It looks like it might rain," Lily pointed out. "At least take a carriage."

"I'll be back before the rain starts," she promised.

Lily sighed and let her go, but not before tightening the tie around her warm cloak for her. Belle tried to be quick on her way into town, heading towards the old toy maker who had the beautiful store Lucian always begged to go into but wasn't allowed in. It was getting cloudy, but she didn't mind. She didn't often get to stroll through town anymore, and she dressed modestly to keep her title and status hidden. On her way, she heard a couple familiar voices, looking over to see Caspian, his mother, and another man she assumed was his brother, Oskar. They were standing by an elegant carriage, but it was waiting while they discussed something. Caspian seemed to be annoyed with his mother lecturing him on something, and Oskar was trying (and failing) to put a watch on with one hand. She couldn't hear what they were saying, but eventually they walked away, leaving Caspian behind. Belle had never seen him with anything other than a somewhat overconfident smile on his face, and seeing him with such a look of frustration was almost reassuring to Belle, in a strange way. He wasn't perfect, after all. Caspian watched his mother and brother until they were gone, then seemed to notice Belle. That charming smile was right back on his face as they walked towards each other.

"Aren't you going with them?" Belle asked.

"Ah, no," he said, shaking his head. "There was a misunderstanding with the carriage. Only room for two. I offered to walk home."

"Are you lying to me?" Belle asked, raising a brow."

"What?" he frowned, caught off guard. "Why?"

"There's room for three of you in that carriage," Belle said.

"I suppose you're right," he said, speaking to her in the same tone he spoke to Lucian when he was humoring the child. "Darn. I guess it's too late to catch up to them. Maybe next time."

Belle rolled her eyes, starting back on her way and taking Caspian's arm when he offered to walk her wherever she was going. She was a bit surprised with the sudden formality, but didn't question it. She liked nice Caspian more than shameless, boundary-less Caspian.

"I admit, I was upset when I received your message about Lucian," he said. "I look forward to getting out of the house and seeing that boy."

"He was upset, too," Belle said. "Poor little thing has been absolutely agonized all day. I was actually going to the toy shop to get him something. Something that'll occupy him long enough for him to get better. Spoiled little thing says none of his toys are good enough, but I can't say no to those eyes. He looks exactly like Alec when he was a boy. Except he actually has respect for me. Alec didn't even like to admit he had a sister, until he was older and we were alone. He and his friends once told me that if I could climb up to the top of an oak tree, they'd let me play ball with them. I got a few branches high, but I got scared. When I looked for them to get help back down, those twerps had already run away. I was stranded there until sundown, when Alec came home without me and started acting like he didn't know who 'Belle' was."

"He and his friends seemed like a rambunctious lot," Caspian laughed.

"Alec was the mean one," Belle pointed out. "Evan was more concerned with impressing others to worry about unimportant things like me. Daniel played along for the most part, but when Alec and Evan weren't there to witness it, he was the only one who was nice to me."

"Daniel," Caspian repeated. "General Withers' son, right?"

"Right," Belle said, tone softening. "He was a good son. A good man in general. He was constantly making sacrifices for others. So many sacrifices."

Evan noticed the change in her tone, and changed the subject, pointing to the toy store up ahead.

"I'll be honest, I've always wanted an excuse to go in there," he said. "It's so bright and colorful, but a grown man can't walk in there without a child and not look suspicious."

"Well then you're lucky I'm here," Belle said, grinning as he held the door open for her and dipped into a deep, dramatic bow.

Belle admired the bright colors in the store and the beautiful handmade toys on display for a few minutes with Caspian before the toy maker emerged from his workshop, greeting them both. He had paint streaking his apron and a bright smile on his face.

"Well, hello there!" he said happily. "What can I do for you two?"

"I'm looking for something for a boy who is almost six years old," Belle said, grateful that the man didn't recognize her and leaving out the part where the child was the single heir to the Aegaeran throne. "Something that would keep him occupied for a few days."

"Very good," he said, gesturing for them to follow. "I have several lovely toys for the lovely child of a lovely couple."

Belle frowned, blinking a few times in surprise. "Oh, we're not-"

However, the man had already disappeared, leaving both Caspian and Belle a bright shade of scarlet. He returned with several toys, showing each one to Belle and Caspian. In the end, neither of them could decide what was best. They were having too much fun, themselves. Eventually, they Belle bought the boy more than one or two things, like she’d promised. A whole sack full, actually.

“And you two are going to carry this out yourselves?” the toymaker asked as Belle handed him his payment.

She and Caspian both turned sort of pale, realizing there was no way they could carry it. The toymaker chuckled, nodding and calling someone from the other room. A lanky young man appeared from the workshop, eyeing them, then looking to the bag.

“You just give him the address, and he’ll have it delivered,” the toymaker said.

“The palace, I presume,” the apprentice said, with a slight bow. “You’ve graced us with your presence, Princess Isabelle.”

“Princess?” the toymaker frowned.

“That’s the princess,” the apprentice whispered. “You bowed to her, right?”

The toymaker’s eyes widened and he quickly dipped into a bow, making Belle blush.

“Please, none of that,” Belle said quickly. “Though I’d be very grateful if you’d have these delivered straight to Prince Lucian.”

“Of course,” the toymaker promised. “Can we give you a lift back in the carriage, as well?”

“We’ll walk,” Belle said. “Thank you, again.”

She quickly ushered Caspian out of the shop as he laughed, taking back to the streets.

“Why didn’t you just let them bow down to you?” he asked.

“I’m not a princess,” she said. “Never was. I can never get used to that kind of respect.”

Caspian shrugged, offering her his arm again. “I wouldn’t mind respect.”

“Your family is respected,” Belle said. “I’ve heard big things about your father. And your mother and brother-”

“They’re not my mother and brother,” he said, a little too quickly. “Stepmother and half-brother.”

“Oh… right,” Belle said slowly, caught slightly off guard by the sort of aggressive response.

“It’s going to rain,” Caspian said, changing the subject.

Almost as if the weather was obeying him directly, a drop of rainwater landed on Belle’s nose. Then another. Then another. It didn’t take long before a full downpour was raining over their heads, soaking them to the bone. Caspian insisted on walking Belle back, seemingly unfazed by the rain. Belle, on the other hand, felt like a grumpy wet cat. Caspian stayed quiet for the most part, knowing better than to try and annoy her while she was like that, but at one point accidentally splashed her when he walked through a puddle, getting her shoes and skirt muddy. He looked sort of apologetic and nervous when her eyes darted up to him, staring him down for a few moments, but Belle didn’t yell or scream at him. Instead, she reached down and grabbed a handful of mud, flinging it at him. It splattered all over the front of his jacket. Belle laughed and he stared at her in shock, a sly look in his eyes as he scooped up some mud off the ground.

“So that’s how it’s going to be,” he said, splattering the mud all over her white skirt.

She shrieked and kicked muddy puddle water at him, as he chased her down the street, while they both got each other so filthy and muddy that they were a far cry from their noble titles, looking instead like penniless beggars covered in mud. Belle laughed as she wiped her muddy hand on Caspian’s face, leaving a streak across his cheek. He grabbed her wrist and pulled her forward, wrapping an arm around her waist to hold her still while she was laughing hysterically and trying to squirm away, doing the same to her cheek.

They very slowly made it back to the palace, covered head to toe in mud, but completely having forgotten the rain or the cold. Belle felt a warm feeling inside her that she hadn’t felt in a long, long time, and for the first in a long time, she felt completely happy.

“We could give you a change of clothes,” she said, once they were at the gates.

“No need, I’ll just go home,” he said. “I may as well. It’s quite close.”

“You’ll track mud into the house,” she reminded him.

“I hope I do,” he grinned.

They were silent for a moment, but then Caspian took her face, bending down and kissing her. It had been years since Belle had been shown any kind of romantic affection, and it didn’t take much for her to melt into the kiss and let him hold her tightly. The last time she’d been held like that was with… Daniel. She pulled away, feeling her heart sink. Caspian seemed unsure of what he was doing as well. Clearly, this wasn’t a decision he’d thought out thoroughly. He let go of Belle, clearing his throat and taking a step back.

“I apologize,” he said quietly. “That was a nice dress. I hope the mud comes out. And the shoes. Nice shoes.”

“Same to you,” Belle said, sort of breathless. “But, uh, with the jacket. Because you’re not wearing a dress. But that’s obvious, and I don’t know why I said that.”

“We’re rambling,” he said. “I should go before I embarrass myself further. Have a good evening.”

“You too,” Belle said quietly. “I’ll still see you at the lake at the end of the week?”

“The lake?” he asked, backing up slowly. “Oh, yes. The lake. Yes, of course. I will see you there. I mean, not just you, Lucian too.”

“Yes, Lucian will be there,” she said quickly.

“Good kid.”

“Yes, lovely boy.”

“Until then,” he said, an awkward and embarrassed smile on his face as he gave her a slight bow, disappearing off into the rainy night.