Belle Adams' Butler

Belle was relieved to hear Barron's voice even though he appeared to be panicking. The white light continued to come from the ground that lit up the room she and the mighoul were in. 

"I need your help!" said Belle and Barron who stood on the other side quickly got through the bars of the cell to reach the ragged identical rabbit. 

"Did you get stuck in the rabbit too?" asked Barron in a thoughtful tone, "I thought you were in Valeria with Lucas. Where is Lucas? Wait! Did you know Lucas has a hellhound?! He fucking almost tore and ripped me to pieces. My arms lost cotton and my neck came off!" Barron complained knowing now that he had someone who cared who would listen to him more attentively unlike Greed who was barely bothered with the hellhound until the hellhound chomped on Greed's hand. 

Belle tried to get in the information that Barron gave her before she heard some shuffling sound and heard Greed's voice,

"Are you stuck in the doll?"

"Hey, who are you calling a doll when it looks like me!" came Barron's voice again. 

She doubted there was any easier way to break the news and she said, "I think I died." For a few seconds, she heard no voice and she wondered if the connection between the land of the dead and living had been broken because of the silence she received. 

"What do you mean you think you died?" asked Barron, "You either are alive or dead. Are you dreaming?" 

"No, I died," and Belle explained before Barron would continue his questions, "I fell asleep and Portia, my reflection caught me in the land of the dead. She said something about how she was the reason I was entering this place and she killed me."

"Well, isn't that a short story," commented Barron, "This is-OW! What was that for you fucker?!" 

"Where is Lucas?" came the voice of Greed. 

"In the land of the living, at least that is what his bird said to me. He already knows which was why the bird sought me out," answered Belle. 

She could hear some kind of whispering going on between Barron and Greed.

Greed said, "He must have taken a liking towards the other girl. Dead attracts dead." 

"What is he doing in the living when she's in the land of the dead?!" exclaimed Barron. 

"I am still here," Belle reminded them as they were speaking to themselves, "Do you know how I can come out from here? I am not able to get back."

Barron responded to her words by saying, "That's because the evil witch has taken your body and you have no vessel to come back to immediately."

"What am I supposed to do then?" asked Belle, "I need to leave this place."

"How long has it been since you ended up there?" asked Greed. 

Belle didn't know. She didn't know how to count the hours and days in this land of the living, "I was out for a few hours before I found myself in the cave."

"Cave?" asked Barron, completely distracted who wanted to hear more details. 

"I was caught by a mighoul who has been wanting to eat me since I stepped into the land of the dead," she replied.

"Are you safe now? There are hellhounds that have been unleashed not only in the land of the living to hunt us but also in the land of the dead," Barron said and Belle nodded her head. 

"The mighoul is with me. Don't worry about it," Barron, who was on the other side pulled both his ears.

"Did I hear that right?" whispered Barron.

"The mighoul must be keeping her as temporary food," Greed replied to Barron.

"Don't joke about it!" Barron scolded. 

"Her soul appears to be fine," Greed rolled his eyes before asking Belle, "Ask the mighoul if it knows what time it has been since it took you from the forest."

Belle didn't have to repeat the question as the mighoul had turned to look at her, "Me has been with you for nine hours."

"Nine hours and I must have been there unconscious for I don't know how many hours," Belle sighed. Barron and Greed appeared to be whispering something which Belle couldn't hear. She said, "I need to swap places with the rabbit."

"How does that work?" asked Greed. 

"I don't know," she closed her eyes. It wasn't that every day she died and had an experience in this, "I might also need my body."

"Why not try apparating back to the place from where she passed out?" asked Barron, "It is the easiest way. If Belle died in the land of the dead and not in the mortal world, she should still be able to get back, isn't it?"

"Without a vessel to return to, she will only end up in the list of lost souls," commented Greed. 

Every time Belle had entered the land of the dead, she had always successfully been able to return back to the land of the living, to her body easily without Lucas' or anyone's help. She had hoped this would be the same but with her body already occupied she had nowhere to go to. 

What if the rabbit was not the way to swap places and it was just a medium to get information? Thought Belle to herself. Whilst everyone was busy thinking, Belle heard some sound come from below. Like something fell. 

"I think someone's here in the mansion," she said looking away from the portal that was emitting light, "If Lucas returns, let him know where I am," and she left the cell to see where the sound came from. 

Belle left the room behind, making her way out of the dark cold corridor. She cautiously moved her footsteps on the ground as she made her way down the stairs to see someone unexpected. The person looked obviously confused at first but then her face turned to rage before finding Belle standing at the stairs. 

"Welcome back home, Portia," greeted Belle. 

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