Belle Adams' Butler

Belle looked around them, looking at one end of the river to another to see that Rower and Greed had indeed disappeared. They were nowhere to be seen and Barron said, "Catina, you can change time and see, can't you?" 

Catina looked around to make sure that there were no reapers who were looking at them, "Alright." 

Barron quickly moved near Belle, his limbs moving excitedly as he picked a stone from the ground and said, "Belle, check this one out." Belle saw Barron move his hand back before throwing the stone into the river. Before the stone could touch the surface of the water to sink down, it stopped mid-air. 

Belle frowned and turned back to look at the timekeeper who had stopped time. The water that had been softly moving to waver had stopped its movements. The creatures in the river looked frozen, leaves that were falling down from the trees had stopped midway, hanging in the air without any support. 

The timekeeper looked like any other passing reaper but with her hands up in the air, Belle could only tell that she was someone who was difficult to catch her. She had probably been here all the time, in the land of the dead and had never been spotted by the death reapers. With one swipe of her hand, the water started to move again and so did the stone that came back to settle on the ground. The reaper had frozen time all around her except for Belle and Barron. 

Catina stretched her fingers as if pausing when they saw Rower and Greed in the boat, "You seem to have a lot of company with you. I am guessing it was Rower who told you that I was here," she said. 

Moving her hand slowly, she also saw how Belle and Barron stood next to them. Another clone of their past self. It was strange for Belle to see her own self standing there, almost making her feel like Portia was back and things could be fixed to how they were. 

"There's someone I want to save, do you think you will be able to take me back in time??" Belle requested the timekeeper who turned her head. 

Barron who was looking at the stone turned and looked up at Belle, "I don't think it's a good idea, Belle," he said to her. 

"Why not?" Belle asked him. If she could avoid Portia in the mansion and distract her to do something else, maybe the Belle in the past would not welcome Portia with open arms. She would not have a corrupted body right now. 

Catina tsked, "It is because it will lead to another parallel effect. What we are doing here is viewing for an answer without touching anything to disturb it," said the timekeeper, "One action will repel around to other possibilities that might make it worse. Saving the already dead person is never a good idea." 

Belle pursed her lips, and said, "The butterfly effect."

"That is right. A tiny little butterfly can cause a storm or hurricane by flapping its wings," replied Catina. 

Her eyes went back to look at Rower and Greed who were still there before they disappeared in thin air. 

"What happened?" asked Belle. 

"Eh? Did they just disappear along with the boat?" only the disappearance of the Grims was understandable but here the boat too was missing.

Catina stared at the river, moving her hand again to repeat, to see where the boat had disappeared again. "Ah, I think I know what happened." She raised her boney hand, scratching the side of her boney face, "I overheard the reapers talking something about your rise in the bounty when I was sleeping. Therefore I turned back the time and lapsed it back to get the information as I have turned the signal off." 

"You are telling it was because of you that Rower and Greed are missing now?" questioned Barron, staring at the timekeeper with both his hands on his waist. 

Catina sighed, "It must have been the time-lapse. They should be somewhere in the river. In the future or in the past.�� 

Belle was more than impressed by the timekeeper's ability. 

"What are you waiting for?!" asked Barron, "Swipe your hands and bring them here." 

The timekeeper shook her head, "It won't work like that. If I try to fit them back from where they are right now, there will be another effect." The timekeeper moved her hands back, bringing the time back to where she had stopped. 

Belle heard water bubbling from her left side. She walked towards the place from where the sound was coming. More bubbles appeared on the surface, her eyebrows knitted together and finally, Lucas came out of it. Happy at the sight of him, Belle quickly bent down and gave her hand for Lucas to take and come back to stand on the land. 

He was in his mortal form and he looked up at the reaper who stood behind Barron, "You found her."

"Barron found her," Belle gave the credit to the rabbit as it was his bad mouthing that had caught Catina's attention.

Barron's chest puffed up at the praise, basking in with it, "That's right. Now she is all yours," he said to Lucas. The rabbit would have never thought that the timekeeper would decide to retire and to not return to work. 

Catina stared at Lucas and then shook her head, "I wonder how I missed seeing this," she murmured to herself, "It was surprising when they sent you to oblivion but I should have known. The smartest one out of the four Grims would have a plan. It was hard to believe at first when Barron said you were still around," and the timekeeper's head turned to look at Belle, "So she's the person."

Lucas smiled and then he pulled out a book that he hid in his robes. The sight of the book and the name on it had both Barron, as well as Catina, raise their eyebrows. 

"Is that the book?" asked Belle.

Lucas gave her a nod, "Yes. Vervus, the book of dead."