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Post by Belle on Feb 24, 2008 14:22:56 GMT -5
"Thank you! Thank you very much!"
*She grinned brightly at him, then turned back to the shelves. After browsing for a while, she unconsciously began humming softly. She was a Disney princess. She couldn't help it.*
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Post by Graf von Krolock on Feb 24, 2008 14:35:49 GMT -5
"You're very welcome, my dear."
*Giving her some space, he moved along the shelf, observing her without making it obvious that he was. He'd gotten a lot of practice with that, and he was good at it. She reminded him of Sarah--not a look-alike or anything like that, more along the lines of her presence, her outlook. The spirit.*
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Post by Belle on Feb 24, 2008 14:42:51 GMT -5
*After a while, she found something that grabbed her interest, and took it to one of many chairs placed methodically around the room. Tucking her feet underneath her, she began to read.*
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Post by Graf von Krolock on Feb 24, 2008 15:36:06 GMT -5
*He kept a sort of silent watch over her, afraid to leave her alone here lest she later stumble across far less pleasant things than books in the castle*
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Post by Belle on Feb 24, 2008 20:11:06 GMT -5
*After what felt like hours, Belle closed the book, and marked her place with her finger. She got up, gingerly stretching stiff muscles, and crept towards the door.*
"Hello?" *she called, half-hoping no one would answer. The opportunity to explore a place like this would be wonderful.*
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Post by Graf von Krolock on Feb 24, 2008 20:50:52 GMT -5
*Krolock, having gotten bored, had wandered off elsewhere into the library to sit down with a book of his own. He'd gotten so absorbed in it that he hadn't notice Belle get up and wander toward the door*
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Post by Belle on Feb 24, 2008 21:14:01 GMT -5
*Satisfied that he was gone, she tiptoed out of the room, looking around the rooms with wonder as she passed. The hallways twisted and turned, and she found herself getting completely and utterly lost.
Eventually, she came upon an ominous-looking set of stairs heading down in the basement, and with a mixture of apprehension and curiosity, followed them.
She wasn't prepared for the sight at the bottom- coffins. Rows and rows of them... She assumed that is must be a crypt, but then she saw with horror that they were all open. And empty. She dropped her book and pressed a hand to her mouth to stifle a gasp.*
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Post by Graf von Krolock on Feb 24, 2008 21:54:43 GMT -5
*The library was still. Far stiller than it should be with a living, breathing person in it. His brow furrowed a bit, he set his book aside and went over to see how Belle was doing.
She was gone, the library door hanging open. With a sinking feeling, he headed out of the library, sensing the direction she'd gone and getting more and more agitated as he realized where the trail was heading. The cellars. Of all the places in the castles for her to wander into...
At last, he found her at the bottom of the cellar stairs, confirming that it was indeed a worse-case scenario--she'd found the coffins.*
"Belle," he said, his deep voice rolling with echoes in the vast chamber. "You should not be here."
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Post by Belle on Feb 24, 2008 21:59:15 GMT -5
*She whirled around with an audible gasp of terror, and hurriedly backed up, knocking into one of the coffins. With a sick feeling in the pit of her stomach, she steadied herself on the cold stone of it.*
"What is this?" *she asked breathlessly.*
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Post by Graf von Krolock on Feb 24, 2008 22:33:16 GMT -5
*He glanced down at the coffins before meeting Belle's eyes again*
"You do not want to know. It would be best if you simply leave this place now."
*He kept his voice even. There was no reason to get upset with her--he hadn't told her where she could and could not go*
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Post by Belle on Feb 24, 2008 22:43:23 GMT -5
*Though she was naturally still terrified, she met his gaze with a demanding glare.*
"I'm not going anywhere if you don't tell me," *she said, crossing her arms defiantly.*
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Post by Graf von Krolock on Feb 24, 2008 22:49:55 GMT -5
*He had to admire her unflinching reaction*
"The coffins used to be occupied. By vampires."
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Post by Belle on Feb 24, 2008 23:00:12 GMT -5
"Vampires?"
*They only existed in stories, didn't they? The man was clearly insane. She gaped slightly, edging towards the stairs. Only... he was in the way.*
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Post by Graf von Krolock on Feb 24, 2008 23:04:23 GMT -5
*He didn't move out of the way*
"Yes. I don't want to have to prove it to you, but I will if I must."
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Post by Belle on Feb 24, 2008 23:08:36 GMT -5
*Now she was really starting to get worried. If what he was saying was true...*
"No, that really won't be necessary..."
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