Cursed

28. Belle's Unconditional Trust

28. Belle's Unconditional Trust

I glanced at the hidden painting before me, then back at Daurien who was urging me on. He really wanted me to see this, though he looked like he was ready to sprint in the other direction any second, given the right cue. The candle he was holding accented the uncontrollable quivering of his hand. I had never seen him so on edge.

I brought my attention back to the painting. What could possibly be so horrible about it that it had to be kept hidden in this way? What monstrous secret did it covet? Daurien was trusting me with his deepest secret. I had to be strong for him. I resolved that no matter what atrocity was hidden behind that black cloth, I would not run. I would not scream. Daurien was important to me and I refused to betray his trust.

I reached forward for the cloth and in one swift motion, tossed it aside. The painting was not what I expected. It was a simple portrait of a man from the shoulders up. Nothing about the portrait was remarkable. Except the man himself. I let out a gasp.

The man the portrait depicted was utterly and inconceivably gorgeous. I had never seen a man so beautiful. There was something wrong about him, however. His eyes brilliant blue eyes were blank and shallow,almost coldly empty. As if the world held nothing in it to which he was not totally indifferent. A chill ran down my spine despite feeling no cold.

It could have been an accident, a mistake made by the painter. I reached out to run my finger over the skilled brushstrokes around the eyes. No, it was no accident.

I looked back at Daurien who's bright blue eyes were trained on me,waiting on my reaction. They were the same color, the same shape,even the same intensity. But one difference made all the difference. They were warm, filled with emotion. In them I saw a mixture of concern and trepidation.

His hand was shaking so badly then that the candle fell right out of its holder. I picked it up from the floor as it was still burning and gestured for Daurien to hand me the holder. He practically fell to the loveseat as if unable to keep standing. I sat down beside him,taking the candleholder from his ever quivering paw and placing the candle back in it before setting them both aside on the floor.

"Do you know who that is?" he asked, his low growl of a voice was barely above a whisper.

"I know who he is not," I replied and Daurien wouldn't to look at me,"That's not you, Daurien. I've never seen that man in you and I have a feeling you haven't been him in a long time." He still refused to make eye contact.

 "Daurien,"I placed a palm on his furry cheek, "I don't care who he is," and he finally looked up at me, "I only care about who you are,"and my cheeks began to burn in according to my next words, "and who you have become to me."