Just the word 'abusing' set his nerves afire. Abuse. Belle may have not been the target, as she claimed; it may indeed all be a show of principle, another show of the unhinged strength that flowed from her, but the imp had lived long and hard, had seen the cycle of events from realm to realm to realm. He knew the fruits of such defiance, as brave and noble as it might be. Belle may not have been the target of the measures only briefly mentioned to him upon his arrival, she may not have been the 'magic things' they so openly distrusted, but for her to show such support of 'them' would certainly make her this government's enemies. And no matter how small this Madison Valley might have been, such an organization should not be doubted. Not even by a clever Lady with a heart larger than the form it dwelt in.
Yet, before he could even hope to protest, that little shrug, the silent plea in her voice called to him. And nothing could have lured him more... His amber gaze softened as she stared up at him, immediately noting the same helplessness in her gaze. Four years. It had been four years since he had seen her face and heard her voice, her true voice, before him. And even then...when had he ever touched her, caressed her, held her in his arms save for the most blessed of dreams in that dark and cold bedchamber? When could have done more than hope incessantly for just one moment, just one, to have her as his?
And now...here it was.
"Then, by all means..." His hand gestured to the unnaturally straight, smooth roads, glittering in the sun's rays. "Lead the way, love." His heart fluttered. Oh Gods, how perfect it felt to say that, to name her what she...what she truly was. His love.