The Catalyst

Year 1883–

There was price for every action, and Belle learned the lesson when she was still young. Her family had been the warmest soul and people around her, she loves them dearly as she knew how they hold her deeply in their heart as well.

She remembered it was when she was but a seven year old child when she and her older sister who was elder by five years over her walking toward the river. The decision Belle made at that time was one, to save the cat. She learned it later that making that decision come with a price.

After saving the cat, she didn’t manage to save it completely as it was born weak. A week after Belle had saved the cat, she had to bury it for its life had exhausted.

She nursed the sadness of losing the little cat for more than a month. 

Her elder sister, Rachel told her a very memorable words, “Belle, when one tries to save the other person’s life they have to see it through until the ends if it means death, we will have to be responsible and see them until they meet death. But death doesn’t always mean a bad thing, some times it is a resting place for those who feel tired. What you have to do now is to make peace with its death and remember the cat.”

“Remember?” Was the response Belle had asked.

“Yes, my dear, the worse fear of a person who died is to be forgotten. I wouldn’t want to be forgotten by you as well,” said Rachel with a beautiful smile, Belle had always remembered her sister to be a very beautiful lady, always. She shines like no others and Belle was proud to be her younger sister. 

Like how Rachel was, Belle promised that she would do anything for the happiness of her sister, her siblings and her parents, seeing her smile was her greatest happiness. 

Belle opened her eyes when she heard the sound of the curtain being pulled. She rubbed her eyes, seeing the young maid who popped beside her, a smile on the girl who was younger by a year than her but had gotten married not early by this Summer.

“Good morning, Lady Belle, would you like a cup of tea?” Her maid, Orpha asked.

Belle shook her head, she had just woken up, her golden hair appeared like a wild bird nest with the amount of friction it accumulated through the turning and tossing she did the entire night but a wide smile adorned her pink lips.

But there was a reason for her happiness. “Is Rachel awake now?”

Orpha, being Belle’s favorite maid shared the same happiness, nodding her head. 

“I can’t believe this day finally come for Rachel to get married. She looked so happy last night. I assume she must be lacking of sleep now,” Belle made her way to the water bin to wash her face. Orpha held the jar filled with warm water.

“One day everyone will get married, Lady Belle. It’s a woman’s happiness to get married and built a home,” answered Orpha and Belle turn to take the towel with a little frown on her forehead.

“I wonder why it isn’t a man’s happiness to get married as well? Not only do they get a wife, they get a family, ultimately it isn’t our honor but their honor,” said Belle sheepishly as a small yawn escaped her lips.

Orpha looked at her as if she was horrified by what she said, “Milady, it would be better if you don’t say those words. If Madam heard your words...”

Belle waved her hand as if she is tired. “Mother always hear everything I say. Why do I have to shy away? I will only get an earful of scolding from her, nothing new or something I have to be worried of. When ghost appear to your for the millionth time, I am sure even the scare had been taken away.”

Belle made her way to the bath that had been filled while she continue talking until she had finished her bath and dressed herself with a little or Orpha’s help. When she came back and sat on the dressing table, she looked at herself, “I think all women deserve the right to speak. Don’t you feel angry that all the works are given to men? We are not less than them.”

“Milady... people will think that you are allergic to men with your words,” Orpha warned.

“I am not allergic to men, I am allergic to the blockhead fools who think they are better than me when I could hunt better than them. I think tying my hair up is better,” Belle instructed.

Orpha sighed, “Is this because of Mr. Denton, milady?”

Belle remembered the man’s face and her frown deepened, “That lump of meat who called himself as a proud man said that I should accompany him as his wife where I could stay at home doing nothing but giving birth to his children. How can these people expect me to stand there hearing their words? I was on the verge of planting a hand print on his face.”

As Belle had gotten ready, she excitedly made her way out of her room. Her blue eyes glittered while her brownish golden hair had been tied into a bun, decorated by sparkling hairpins.

“But milady, you should not say those words to Mr. Denton. No one would marry you if they knew.”

“So be it,” Belle said, appearing miffed, “I can live happily on my own.”

“Heated conversation, Belle!” a brimming voice came from the front, across the floor. 

Belle looked up to see her brother. Making her way, she held his arm and airily kissed both sides of his cheeks, “I was talking about Mr. Denton.”

“Oh that bastard,” said her brother with a roll of his eyes, “Don’t worry. I will make a good talk with him.”

“But not today, Damian,” Belle offered her brother a smile of his caring response. “Today is Rachel’s big wedding, as her younger sister I would like you to prevent yourself from punching the light out of the man.”

“That would be a very interesting gift if I have to say for myself. We can show Dante an example of what would happen if he dares to mistreat Rachel on his marriage,” chuckled Damian as if he had already on his mind on what to do upon meeting both Mr. Denton and Dante who would soon become a family to the Carperly.

While their family had a rank of a baron, they were also wealthy and her sister had gotten herself matched with one of the most sought bachelor of their town, Dante Easton, the family who had a rank higher than them.

“So where is she?” Belle had stood in front of the door of Rachel’s room with her eyes looking around. “Mother isn’t here.”

“She says she is busy with whatever things she says,” Damian whispered, “I didn’t pay much attention to her words. She had been nagging me all day long and best way to ignore it is by shutting my ears.”

“It must be the carriages,” said Belle as she turned around to the window, finding that on the front of their house, her mother who had been dressed in her most proud gown held her hands on her hips, looking at the coachman with annoyance. 

Belle decided to leave the matters on the hands of her mother while looking toward the door. She was too curious to stand around and getting the best of her curiosity, she made her way to the door, turning the knob. “Sister? Can I come in?”

Belle didn’t receive an answer even though her sister would have answered all calls she made. She frowned, questioning why the need to lock the doors.

“What is happening?” Belle turned to look at Rachel's trusted maid.

“I-I don’t know, Lady Belle. I was here in the morning but Lady Rachel hadn’t responded when I was knocking the doors.”

Damian took a step forward, “Then why haven’t you called for anyone? Call the butler now!”

Belle had a bad feeling as well as her brother did. The butler was old and waiting for him to come and fetch the key would take another half an hour. Belle took it upon herself by pulling the hairpin from her hair and begin to pick the lock. Since Young, Belle had been one of the girls who cannot stay at one place and she had made many prohibited journeys which she learned out of interest.  

It succeeded after her second try. She and Damian immediately entered the room as they noticed something odd had transpired as Rachel hadn’t opened the door for her beautiful day she had been waiting for.

From the side of the bed Belle witness her sister’s feet uncovered by the white duvet. She smiled, “Oh, she must be lacking sleep from being too excited about her wedding,” she spoke as she made her way around the bed but when she stopped by the foot of the bed, Belle caught something gleaming that had her eyes narrow.

She quickly made her way toward the bed, followed by Damian who had thought it was a false alarm. But when the curtain of the bed was pulled, they were horrified by what they seen.

Rachel’s brown hair strew over the pillows. White feathers that had filled the pillow now scattered around her, some was turning red as it sat over Rachel’s stomach. 

A green large dagger pierced through the middle of her chest. The rolling red color turned all the sheets, pillow, and Rachel’s sleeping dress into red. She appeared almost like a bride, except what was on her hands weren’t bouquet and rather daggers and her blood.

Unable to contain what she saw, a loud scream erupted from Belle who had never seen a dead body before. Especially not the ones that had been murdered.

In a twisted way, she had earned her first experience by seeing her sister stabbed to death.