The King

GIVE ME A CHANCE

Bell watches him wearily as they walk away from the dungeons. She doesn't even know where they're going but she follows him in silence nonetheless. 

Eventually he glances at her and catches her eyes. 

"I'm sure you're wondering why I called you" he starts, his voice tired. 

"actually I'm trying to decide if you need medical assistance" 

he looks ahead of him "I'm fine" he says then shakes his head softly "I shouldn't have called you" 

"...then why did you?" she can't help but ask 

"You can go Bell" he says and promptly walks away, leaving Bell frowning behind him. 

What the hell was that? She's worried about him. He doesn't and didn't look fine. She almost falters... is it the headache again? She wants to go back and ask if he's really okay but she doesn't of course. She swallows her urge to turn around and continues walking farther away from him. Going back to him is never the right choice. Never. She has to believe that. She needs to believe that. 

She walks in the institute and goes to see if there's any work she can do. 

"What are you doing here?!" Someone asks and Bell turns around sharply, her heart beating fast from the sudden noise. 

"I'm work-"

"The king has asked for you" the maid says 

"I know I just came back-"

"he asked for you again" 

Bell's browns furrow in confusion and she shakes her head "but I just-"

"Come now" she says "Now! you're late" 

She starts walking but Bell doesn't follow after her. She stays rooted on place. First Katia, then Arthur and now her? How many times will she be taken off guard today. 

"come!" she says

Bell almost rolls her eyes but she follows her. Honestly, she's getting annoyed. She's being moved around like a toy. Why the hell does Arthur want her now? She literally just came back from him and he had walked away, giving her a cold attitude. When they reach his room, Bell walks in with an annoyed look on her face. He's lying down on a couch when she walks in. He sits up, surprised. 

"you asked for me?" she says, standing in front of him 

he frowns "no I didn't" 

The annoyance fades instantly and fear takes over. She falters, looking alarmed. 

"but someone just asked me to come here..." 

"who?" he asks 

"I don't know... a maid or something..."

He smiles a cocky smile "if you wanted to see me, you can just say so. You don't have to come up with a story"

The alarm fades and is instantly replaced with annoyance again. She opens her mouth to snap something when a voice shocks them both 

"I called for her" 

Bell turns sharply around, looking at Katia. Bell's mouth drops opened slightly. 

Arthur shoots from the couch, his body rigid and his face hard. 

"give me one good reason why I shouldn't beat the crap out of you right now" he says slowly "and saying you're a woman is not a good enough reason" 

"My family came up with this" she says, ignoring his threats "And can you blame them? They know you weren't going to marry me on your own-"

"Like hell I'm ever marrying you after this shit you just pulled-"