Black Magic ▸ Prince Adam

III

CELESTE IS STUBBORN

"SO, I'M THINKING about running away." Celeste told Belle as she sat on the steps to the cottage.

"You're always thinking that, Celeste." Belle reminded her friend as she tended to her garden.

"I'm serious this time."

Both girls looked up when they heard the familiar snort. Philippe was trotting to the gate. Without Maurice.

"Philippe," Belle said, quickly getting up and meeting the horse. "What are you doing here?" She asked as she gently patted his snout. "Where's Papa? Where is he?!" She grew more frantic when she saw the torn straps of the harness and the tattered reins.

Celeste quickly got up from the step and ran over to Belle." What do you want me to do?"

"Stay here!" Belle told her, putting the saddle on Philippe's back.

"You can't expect me to just sit around!"

"Please," Belle gave her friend a pleasing look. "If Papa comes back I don't want him to be alone."

Celeste wanted to argue and go with Belle, but decided against it. "Fine. But if you're not back by tomorrow morning then I'm searching for you."

"Hopefully it won't come to that." Belle said as she mounted the horse. She gave Celeste one final look before kicking Philippe forward.

Celeste knew she had two options. She could wait like she said she would, or she could go after Belle and help her find Maurice. She chose the latter of the two.

Celeste rushed inside the cottage and switched her worn flats for a pair of Belle's brown boots. When she finished lacing the shoes up she ran back to her home. Part of her was hoping she knew where Maurice was, though the chances were slim.

"Mama!" Celeste ran into the home, practically running into Agathe as she tried to stop. "Mama, something is wrong." She rushed out, surprised at how it still sounded like a coherent statement.

"What?" Agathe asked her daughter, concern in her tone and on her face. "What's wrong?"

"Maurice left for the market yesterday. Philippe came back without him. Belle went to look for them." She said, taking a deep breath after quickly speaking. "She wants me wait for him to return."

"Maybe you should listen to Belle, dear." Agathe suggested, taking her daughter's hands. It was something that always managed to calm the girl, but not this time. "Belle is a smart girl."

Celeste looked at her mother in disbelief. "I can't just sit around when Maurice is missing and Belle is out there by herself!"

"I know, Celeste. But just wait until tomorrow morning." Agathe told her daughter. "If you leave now you will not get far before sundown, especially on foot."

"I don't care!" Celeste argued, throwing her hands up in frustration. "I need to go find them!"

"And you will!" Agathe almost shouted over her daughter, squeezing Celeste's hands. "But I will not allow you going into the woods when there are wolves."

"What if I borrow someone's horse?" Celeste suggested.

"It's still dangerous."

"I don't care, I just want my friends back."

Agathe sighed and pulled her daughter into her arms. "Are you absolutely sure about this?"

"They would do the same for me." Celeste replied without hesitation, her voice confident.