Beautiful Beast (Chapter 2)

During the rest of our voyage, I grew more accustomed to Liam’s presence. Ever since the incident with the wine, Liam had been trying not to drink before bed. However, it made him more irritable in the mornings. Once we got off the boat and started our travels, I could see it taking its toll on his mind towards the end of the nights. Eventually I told him to have a drink if it would make him feel better, and once he had a little wine in him, he was back to his smiley, snarky self. It made me cringe to realize how alcohol had that effect on him. The man, for whatever reason, needed that damned liquid. The next morning he seemed disappointed with himself. I reassured him that he could have a drink here and there, just not so much on a regular basis.

“Alright… Sophia, I’m sorry. I didn’t wanna worry you or nothin’, I just didn’t wanna make you upset with the drinkin’.”

“Don’t worry, Liam. If you want a drink, have one, but remember moderation.”

That’s where our alcohol disputes seemed to end for the time being. I had no idea what I expected. Liam was not my ideal man, he was not a Henry. How could I expect him to be anything like that sweet stable boy? How could I expect him to make me as happy as Henry, or have the same habits? Of course I couldn’t, so I figured getting used to the change was my best bet. It was unfair to try and force these expectations on a different person anyway.

After days of traveling through the Deep West’s countryside, I noticed some beautiful things about it. There were the most exotic flowers and such hearty, yet sparsely planted palm trees near the ocean. The further inland we went, the more pine trees and small shrubs I saw. Most of these areas had cities that made it difficult for any real forests to appear. None of it ever compared to Hinden’s forests and valleys, but it was definitely something. There was life here even if it wasn’t as abundant as I was used to.

When we reached the border of Merlanje, the life started to disappear. More rock replaced the trees, and eventually we came to a city of quaint stone houses and huge mountains off on the horizon. Women walked the street in their tight dresses, either alone or with their arms linked through those of a man. Reds, oranges and yellows were the frequent colors in their dress. Men all wore black pants with some purple, black, brown or blue vest and a white shirt. People of various skin tones walked the streets and it sparked a new excitement within me. In Hinden, there weren’t many people with different skin tones, but those with different shades in their skin were friendly and happy within our communities. Hinden prided themselves on their equality and I hoped other countries like Merlanje would follow by example. However, as our carriage drove by them, I noticed their suspicious eyes tracking us, their glares burning into our skulls. They dressed differently than those who immigrated to Hinden. These people were wrapped in all sorts of vibrant colors, but the fabrics seemed a little tattered. The women had their hair wrapped up in a faded bandana that came in a variety of colors and they wore simple silver or gold jewelry in their ears and around their neck. Around their shoulders was a patterned shawl and they wore long, flowing skirts unlike the other women in town. Their shoes were simple black ones that looked old, and some women had their infants held to their back with a soft wrap. The men wore long pants and loose colorful tunics, along with golden jewelry in their ears and thick leather belts where they kept their pouches. These people were from the continent of Arak’jun that lied south of the Deep East’s mainland.

I contemplated the difference of cultures. The people of other skin tones in Hinden often came from Kiranu, Arillo or Shihke. Kiranuans wore long robes that tied around the waist and had nature patterns on them or simple tunics with black pants and sandals, and the women often had flowers in their hair. Shihkeits had fashion that was slightly less colorful than those of Arak’jun, their dresses were often strapless and very long and flowing. People of Arillo had vibrant makeup and intricate hairstyles that many natives in Hinden adored. Women wore short, bright dresses and large sun hats most of the time, while men wore simple pants and bright blouses. I loved seeing the different cultures in Hinden where they appeared and so did all others. We appreciated difference and took the opportunity to explore what most couldn’t afford to see by traveling. Their languages were different, but beautiful, and they were happy to share them with Hinderians as well as learn our language. I smiled without realizing it. Hinden was such a happy place.

“What’re you smilin’ for?” Liam raised an eyebrow at me and I snapped out of my thoughts.

“I was just thinking of the different cultures back home.”

“Eh?”

“We have people of various skin tones, too. They have really beautiful cultures and the immigrants in Hinden love to share them with us. We love learning about them too. It’s really wonderful, getting to learn so much of another person’s native life. They seem to enjoy our life too, with all our forests and small towns.”

“Culture? You Hinderians care ‘bout that sort o’ stuff?”

“Well, yes,” I sat confused. “How could you not? It’s such an interesting part of a person. You can learn all about a group of people without having to travel all over the place and spend money you might not have.”

“Hmph. There’s no time to focus on culture n’ customs, there’s work to do.”

“But…” I kept looking outside at the Arak’juns. They were beautiful, just like all other people. Liam grunted,

“But what? What’re you lookin’ at, them Arakies? Why would you ever be interested in them? They’re nothin’ but beggars and vendors for their lil’ charms n’ potions. Scam artists.”

“What do you mean? They’re a beautiful, noble people. I read books on their civilizations and customs. They’re distant relatives of the Shihkeites and they’re a very large intellectual power in the Deep East. The Arak’juns spend a lot of time studying science and philosophy. We owe them for a lot of the world’s medical knowledge, did you know that?”

“Bah,” Liam rolled his eyes, “They’re beggars and witch doctors.”

“Liam!” I glared at him, angered by his ignorance. “How can you say that? You don’t know a single thing about them!”

“I know they like to sell whatever scraps o’ things they can find and try to leech off all the respectable people in town.”

“Well, why don’t they work in the coal mines or get jobs with the rest of the Merlanjians?”

“Are you jokin’?” He gave me a flat look, “They’d muss up everythin’ we do. You can’t trust ‘em to do anythin’.”

“And you know from experience?” I was losing my temper with him, quickly.

“You looked at ‘em! There’s no way they’d know how to do a single thing right, they just sit there doin’ squat and holdin’ their hands out for money. They ain’t like us.”

“You can teach them how to work, just like you would anyone else! They’re people!”

“Bah, no use arguin’ with you. They ain’t good for anythin’, I’m sure of it.”

I rubbed my temples and closed my eyes. This man gave me the smallest glimpse of Merlanjian views towards other cultures, or at least rich Merlanjian views. It made me sick. We spent the rest of the carriage ride in tense silence and when we finally rode up a steep hill to his home, I couldn’t help my flat expression. What I saw was a gaudy marble mansion with gold designs, a huge garden and a menacing iron gate surrounding the property. There were a good few steps up to the two huge doors and there were multiple naked sculptures and a water fountain lining the path. The whole building was probably twice the size of my old home.

Wasteful, was what it was.

It irked me to no end to see such frivolous use of wealth. No one needed a home like this, the money and effort required to make it could go towards the needy. Even my house was more on the luxurious side, but this? Ridiculous.

I did my best to keep my temper as the carriage came to a stop. Liam got out, then extended a hand to help me out. Our bags were placed down on the ground and servants ran from the front doors, scurrying down the steps to take them for us. With his hand again on the small of my back, Liam led me up the steps and inside the mansion. The interior was worse than the exterior. Red plushy carpets sad on cold marble floors, deep red sofas with gold patterns surrounding a glass and mahogany table towards the right. The lamps were a golden color, they stretched up high and burned brightly from the kerosene. Near the fireplace I noticed a bear pelt rug and sighed in annoyance. That poor creature, killed for its skin. Waste.

Such waste.

The further we moved, the gaudier the house became. Golden statues sat on pedestals in certain rooms, paintings of predecessors hung in every hallway. The chandeliers were huge and hung from the high ceilings, the crystals glittering in the light. The drapes on the windows were deep red like the carpets and laced with a golden trim, and the stairs were all made of warm mahogany. Red, gold and mahogany were constant reoccurring themes. There was too much red. Too much gold, too. It was too bold. Tacky, even.

I was taken up to a corridor that was lit with quite a few kerosene lamps, the wallpaper an off white color with golden leaf designs. The door was made of that same mahogany, thick and bold. He opened the door by the little brass handle and let me inside,

“This is your room ‘til we’re married. Mum doesn’t want us sleepin’ in the same room just yet, y’know?”

I nodded quickly. That was just fine with me. The room was already lit with soft lamps by the bedside table, the carpet also a deep red along with the bed’s covers and the canopy. The pillows were white and fluffy. I looked at the walls, relieved that they were the same off white color with golden leaf designs as the corridors. That, I somewhat enjoyed. The deep mahogany furniture sat almost menacingly on the opposite side of the bed, a big mirror on the main dresser and a little stool underneath it. There was also a small desk near a large window, which had curtains the same shade of red as everything else. They were tied back with golden colored tassels and had golden trim along the edges. I noticed that the window opened to a balcony that overlooked more of the garden.

“Do you like it?”

I nodded and lied, “It’s beautiful.” It would never be like my old room with the light blue walls and quaint oak furniture. This felt too bold, too mature. I liked the more free and innocent styles, not this seductive color. Within moments, two servants came up with my bags. Once they put them all in the room and left, Liam looked at me and smiled,

“Try n’ get your things sorted out, I’ll come get you when dinner’s ready, alright?”

“Alright,” I politely smiled back, taking the biggest of my bags down to the floor and opening it. He walked out without another word, the door closing softly behind him. I started taking my petticoats and skirts from my bag, placing them neatly in the large dresser drawers. My pants, bloomers and blouses went neatly folded with them. As for my dresses, I hung them in the wardrobe in the far corner of the room. There was a lot of space, but as I unpacked my biggest suitcase, it looked more and more complete. I made it halfway through my smaller bag of smaller accessories, hats, jewelry, socks and gloves when there was a knock at my door. I sprung up from the floor to answer. Liam stood there smiling, and it comforted me, if only a little.

“Dinner.”

He offered me his arm and with an internal sigh, I took it. We wandered down the corridors again, this time going a different route to the dining room. I attempted to start conversation,

“So, does your mother do any cooking?”

Liam gave me a flat look, “Ma? Cook? Never. That’s ‘servant work’. You’d be lucky to catch her doin’ anythin’ more than shinin’ her damn jewelry.”

I blinked at him and whispered, “Oh.”

“Don’t worry, Sophia. Just try n' keep your temper. She’s very… old fashioned.”

I felt my expression crease into one of exhaustion and anxiety. These people were beyond my understanding and I’d only been in the damn country for a couple hours at most. When we made it downstairs, my eyes nearly popped out of my head.

On the table was enough food to feed half a town! There was roasted turkey, mashed potatoes, peas and carrots with fried onions, sausage links, red cabbage with apple, lamb chops, breaded veal, gravy, corn, steamed broccoli and several baskets of bread rolls, but it only filled half the table. The other half was filled with desserts like chocolate cake and cheesecake, different kinds of fruit tarts and pies, fruit salad, pudding, chocolate mousse, chocolate candies and caramel apples.

My voice was caught in my throat. I hesitated to breathe in, but when I did, the scent of the food overwhelmed me. It all smelled so wonderful. Once I stopped eying the food, I saw my future in-laws and nearly shuddered. The mother had black hair with a single silver strip in the front of her bangs, all of which was neatly tied up in a bun. Her wrinkles were slight, but clearly there and she wore a low cut, black dress. She was very slim and her bones seemed to jut from her skin. Her husband was a man with slick black hair, a bit of stubble on a hard jaw, and more wrinkles. He wore a black suit with a red tie. They both eyed me coldly, with a fake smile plastered on their faces. Liam and I sat down to their right. His mother kept that fake smile up and drawled,

“Welcome home. I do hope your trip was alright. Did you have trouble with th’ boat ride? Liam’s always complainin’ about gettin’ sea sick.”

Welcome home. I kept back a shiver and smiled as politely as I could, “No, the traveling was just fine. I’d never seen the ocean before, it was beautiful.”

“Good, good!” The sickly sweetness dripped from her voice and everyone knew she was faking herself. She was trying too hard to be an accepting mother to a stranger. “Tell me, what’s your name?”

“Sophia Wolfe.”

“My, what a strong name for such a lil’ lady,” her gaze was almost disapproving, “My name’s Elyra, n’ this is my husband Jon.” After my short nod, she smiled widely and gestured to the food, “Please dear, help yourself. There’s plenty t’ go around.”

I gazed around at the food and took a piece of veal from its platter, along with red cabbage and a piece of bread. Picking up the gravy ladle, I poured it all over the veal and was pleased to find mushrooms in it as well. It had the faint scent of horseradish. I took a bite of the veal and fell in love with its tenderness mixed with the crunch of the breadcrumbs and the tang of the gravy. Although the thought of killing young calves for such meat made me sad, it was too delicious for me to avoid. It made me feel like a ravenous monster the way I wolfed it down and continued to the rest of my food. The red cabbage was sweet and juicy, and the bread was fresh and warm, crispy on the outside but soft on the inside. Once I finished, I noticed Liam’s mother giving me a disapproving look.

“It’s improper for a young lady t’ wolf down her food like that, girl.”

“Ah-um… I apologize, Mrs. Gill.”

“Please, call me mum.” Her fake smile stretched over her lips again. Despite the sickness rising in my throat at the thought of calling her a mother in any sense, I nodded and looked back down at my plate. I felt a blush of embarrassment crept to my face as I thought about my eating. Honestly, I always ate that way and never saw a problem with it. I loved everything about food, preparing it, cooking it, eating it, the culture behind it, the different types of flavors and textures, it was all beautiful. I got carried away when eating and most times ate a little too much. Looking around at all the desserts, the woman’s words quickly evaporated from my mind and I reached for a slice of cheesecake and a strawberry tart.

Cheesecake was by far my favorite cake. This one was light and creamy, with a hint of lemon and a delicious breadcrumb crust. It was pure bliss. The scraping of everyone’s forks against their plate droned on in my mind, but I paid no mind. All that was in the world was me, and this piece of cheesecake.

And that strawberry tart.

After the cheesecake was gone, I had to restrain myself from pouncing on the tart. Its crust was crisp and light, its filling deliciously creamy and the strawberries perfectly sweet and sour. That too was gone quickly. There was no helping myself, I simply loved to eat the way I ate and couldn’t change my habit, but I could feel Elyra’s eyes on me regardless.

“So, Sophia,” she started, “The preparations for your dress begin tomorrow. You’ll need t’ be up bright n’ early so the seamstress can measure you, she’s comin’ all the way here from the countryside.”

“Tomorrow?” I knew my eyes were bugging out of my head but could do nothing to stop them. Elyra lifted an eyebrow,

“’Course. We only got a week to make sure everythin’s perfect for the weddin’.”

I looked over to Liam, who only gave me a slight shrug and otherwise tried to avoid responding to me. Dress fitting was not what I had in mind on my second day in Merlanje. Elyra continued on about the dress as a sort of lump developed in my throat. It grew bigger and bigger with every second until I thought I might suffocate.

For the rest of the dinner I sat in complete silence, listening to Elyra’s details. The dress was to be red, which she told me was Liam’s favorite color. I thought about the ridiculous red dress he made me wear on the day of my leaving and held back a sigh. On top of the color, the dress was to be a tight fitting dress with an open back and low cut front. My head was spinning. For my wedding, I’d always imagined a beautiful white ball gown with long sleeves, a modest neckline and a long flowing veil, but this sounded like something a Hinderian woman would possibly wear to a formal event.

When dinner was finally over, Liam helped me up and we left saying little more than thanks for the food. As we walked up the stairs, Liam squeezed my hand,

“You alright?”

“Yes, I just…” I shook my head and sighed, “the dress isn’t what I had in mind.”

“What did you want?” Liam seemed to genuinely care, so I thought about that dress I dreamed of as a small girl,

“Well, I wanted a white ball gown with long sleeves and a higher neckline than what your mother was talking about… And a long white veil. One that flows around my shoulders. My mother wore something like that when she married my father.”

I noticed Liam force a smile, “It sounds lovely n’ all, but I do prefer what we have for you. Speakin’ of your mum, I didn’t get to meet her. Is she alright?”

“She’s dead, Liam.”

“Oh, um, I’m sorry.” He blinked at my frank response and I just shrugged,

“It’s alright.”

The conversation died soon after. Liam found nothing to say to me, he just led me back to my room and smiled in the doorway,

“G’night, Sophia.”

“Goodnight, Liam.”

Once he left, I finished unpacking my things. When everything was organized properly, I got dressed for bed and threw myself under the fluffy covers without a second thought. I had no will to do anything related to marriage. The thought of going through a dress fitting, and going through the actual wedding, made me feel sick. I decided to simply push the thoughts away and focus on sleep, which eventually came after some time lying there in the dark.

I sat in my favorite field, gazing up at the stars. They twinkled like little gems in the sun. Smiling, I turned to face someone, but found no one there. Looking around, I realized I was alone in the field. The wind blew by and chilled my bones.

“You’re so close…”

The voice seemed to be coming from within my own mind and there was a slight twinge in his voice that I couldn’t quite place, an accent I’d never heard before, but I stared around for someone, anyone. There was no one. Just the field and the stars and myself.

“What are you? You’re so close, I can feel it…” The voice was deep and smooth, almost seductive, but there was something about it that seemed dangerous. Panic swelled in me within seconds.

“What do you want?” I shouted into the field, “Where are you?!”

“You weren’t here before. You never had a face until now. Let me see your face.” In the whispers was a sense of urgency that I couldn’t even begin to understand.

Frightened, I scrambled to my feet and started to run out of the field. The voice was still gently whispering in my head, a voice I recognized as male,

“Don’t run from me, please.”

That’s when I saw it. The black figure from my last dream, the man. He stood watching me from the trees with eyes that glowed a ghastly white color. I couldn’t see much else besides his eyes and the pale outline of his face. He had no lips, or nose, just black hair that blended with the shadows and a body shrouded with black mist. I saw him and stopped running, turning the other way as quickly as I could, but when I turned around he was there in front of me. All I could focus on were his eyes. After studying me for a while, his voice whispered again in my mind in a soft tone,

“You’re beautiful…”

“What?”

“What are you?”

My voice froze in my throat, and two large black bird wings appeared from his back. When I opened my mouth to speak, no sound came out.

“Speak, tell me what you are.”

“A human, what else?” The words finally ripped themselves from my throat. He tilted his head and stared me down,

“You can’t be.”

“I’m sorry?”

The man approached me, the mist around his body swirling forward. When a single tendril of smoke reached out and touched my face, I yelped. The touch was cold as the grave.

“There’s something about you that I want. I don’t know what, but know this; I will find you, if it’s the last thing I do.”

“What? Who are you?” I demanded, “Who are you coming into my dreams like this? What about you?”

Those wings stretched far out from his back and his eyes glowed even more fiercely,

“I am the Raven.”

My dreams ended there and I felt this hot, prickling feeling on my scalp before I opened my eyes. I knew this feeling, and soon after a ringing noise pierced mind. My eyes stayed shut, and the prickling only intensified before finally stopping. The ringing stopped as well. I kept my eyes shut anyway, afraid of what tricks they might play on me if I opened them. The man’s words echoed in my head,

“I am the Raven.”

What could that possibly mean?

Slowly, I opened my eyes and peered around the room. There was nothing to see in the darkness and there was no sign of anything odd. With a sigh, I rolled onto my left side and closed my eyes again, hoping for a restful slip without any “ravens”.