||Beefsteak || DSMP ||

8. And with Every Passing Hour

Anita's POV
I froze.
Belle wasn't tall enough to hide me from view of the person at the door. Their face, though never seen by myself, was recognizable in an instant. I'd heard enough to know that this might be an issue.
"Hello..?" Belle asked.
"Hi." His head tilted, only his mouth visible. Covering the rest of his face was a white-
"Who are you?" Belle questioned sternly.
"I'm here on behalf of The Greater SMP. The king sends me."
"Alright.. why?" Belle held onto the door like a sheild.
"Are you the princess we've heard of?" He asked her.
"Why?" She reiterated, ignoring his question.
"His majesty wanted to be introduced to a separate kingdom. Business and whatnot."
Belle gripped the door tighter. "There is no kingdom anymore, but thank you, and I'm sorry to say the princess isn't permitted to meet other royalty until her 20th ring. It's tradition."
He stepped back, his lack of visibility unnerving Belle.
"Right.." his tone was reassuring. "Best wishes," he turned to look at me. "Princess."
He nodded his head and turned, walking down the steps.
Belle watched him walk down, her chest rising.

Belle's POV
I watched him leave, anger boiling in my chest and crawling up my throat.
"If anything even remotely malicious comes from you or your king, I'll make sure you know to stay away from the princess of Funtaura."
The faceless man stopped, barely tilting his head. "I'd never."
The intense, ice cold feeling flooded over me, and I slammed the door.
Livestock.
I felt as if a snake wrapped itself around me, tightening with every breath.
I fell to the floor, heaving.
Anita's chair slid out and she kneeled next to me, trying to help me up.
I gripped her shoulder as I stood, unable to catch my breath until her words finally reached my ears.
"It's over. You're safe."

"THE TOWN?! MY DAUGHTER! THE PRINCESS!" The king screamed as I bowed on my knees.
I was 13.
"SHE COULD HAVE DIED! AND YOU PERMITTED THIS TO HAPPEN!"
My head shot up. "Your majesty, Princess Amanita would have gone anyway. It's my job to keep her safe-"
A harsh slap bent my neck so hard my ears popped.
The burning sensation trickled in seconds after.
"MY DAUGHTER WILL END UP DEAD BECAUSE OF YOU! I CAN'T WAIT TO MOUNT YOUR HORNS ON MY WALL!"
The king leaned over, gripping my hand and pulling me into the air by it.
His cow genes granted him the height and strength to lift me off the ground with extreme ease.
My arms pulled on my ribs, the helplessness making my breath quicken.
I didn't come close to the ground, tears reaching my eyes.
"Pathetic." He boomed in my face, dropping me to the floor.

I took a deep breath as i returned to the familiar house, my mind's journey tiring me to exhaustion.
I had my back to Anita as she held me against her lap, stroking my hair as my breath steadied.
I shot up once I realized what had happened.
"Belle, please-"
"Princess. I'm sorry."
She paused as I bowed my head down at her.
A scoff echoed through the room.
"Belle. Like you said, our kingdom is gone. There is no princess. No palace. No crown."
I looked back up, argument still inside me.
"There's just two girls, a house, and a really big mushroom, Belle! Stop acting like my father's here and let me be there for you too!"

Anita's POV
I huffed as Belle's silent, wide eyed face stared at me.
"As long as that crown is on your head, I will protect you." She said slowly.
A tired sigh escaped my mouth.
"But I will be there in every way you need. I'll be there for you. How you want me to."
A weight lifted from my shoulders. "Promise?"
"Yes, princess."
I raised my eyebrows.
She sighed. "Yes, Anita." She cringed.
I smiled.
As soon as it came though, it dropped.
"That was him! That was Dream!"
"What?"
"He's the one that the boys fought! He has Tommy's disks!"
"That man that was-"
"And that king! Um... Eret! King Eret! He was the one who betrayed them in that war!"
"So were they trying to get more royalty on their side?"
"Maybe..." I started pacing. "Or they wanted to convince us of something."
"Probably assessing us. I had this.. cold feeling? Like a chill but continuous. I feel it when i know someone's being manipulative."
"Really? Is that why you freaked out?"
She nodded.
"Interesting..." I said. "All I know is that he didn't come here just for the king, he did it for him. And he gets what he wants."
Her posture straightened. "Not when it comes to us." She reassured. "Now would you like to help me make dinner?"
"Are you going to try and make beef again?"
"It's not that big of a deal-"
"It so is, Belle... it so is.."