ⅲ - [Xion & Belle] - dated to the morning of the 22nd

[mnementomori]

[the ocean was in her dreams again, but the waves were rough, wind-tossed, a storm brewing. They dragged at her ankles, pulling her deeper into the freezing water, her body going numb. She couldn't move, her limbs felt like lead, she couldn't breathe--]

[Xion scrambles awake with a gasp, shivering. This is an empty house, sure, but not the one she fell asleep in. The Garden playing tricks again. She rubs her face with the heels of both hands, as if to make sure she's really awake. Tugs her hood securely around her ears, trying to keep the warmth in. The room is silent save for the howl of the wind outside, and her own hasty breathing in her ears. And one other thing...]

[There's someone else here. Wide blue eyes fix on the young woman from under her hood, and she draws her arms up to her chest, realizing with bewilderment that she recognizes this person.]

[it's the girl from the Beast's Castle. Belle. The one she overheard the servants always talking about. But why is she here? The Queen kidnapped her, too? Strange. But Sora--Sora is in the Gardens. It's not so far-fetched.]

[Xion realizes she's staring and takes another look around the room instead, letting their surroundings sink in. Just what was going on?]

Comments

[elbowpower.livejournal.com]

[Belle would be shivering herself after that, hands on her upper arms to fight off the cold. She has no coat of her own - just a long blue gown.]

It looks like you're right. Does it look very bad out there?

[mnementomori]

There's snow everywhere...I couldn't see much.

[her gaze flicks to the only other thing in the room. She's never seen a sleeping bag before, but it's not too difficult to figure out what it's for.]

[she hesitates, then points to it.]

Maybe you should use that to stay warm.

[elbowpower.livejournal.com]

Are you sure?

[She certainly doesn't mind, but Xion seems smaller than her, which leads Belle to thinking she's younger. She's starting to think that maybe she should be taking care of her, in this situation.]

[mnementomori]

[her recently acquired scarf seems to have gone missing...probably because she was using it as a pillow last, not wearing it. But at least she has the extra layer under her coat the red-haired Sora helped her find.]

I'll be fine. You look cold.

[it's just hard to appear convincingly authoritative when you're under five feet tall.]