Beauty and the Beast: Chapter III

C H A P T E R ~ I I I

T H E ~ H O S T

Light pressed against her eyelids uncomfortably, forcing her into some degree of consciousness. Really, Father should know better than to light candles at this time of night. She rubbed her fingers against the blanket covering her, hmm, smooth. She wondered when Estelle had found the time to get such fine fabric from drapers. But how could they afford this? She brought the cloth to her face, silk?

Reality washed over her like a wave of cold water. Her eyes reluctantly opened; candles crowded the room in which she lay, giving it the impression of day, despite the blackness that pressed against the windows. She lay on a four poster bed with a lacy white canopy floating above it and trailing down the poles like a heavy mist. She sat up, the silk blanket sliding off her shoulders, the room in which she was housed was almost twice the size of the cottage and at least a thousand times as grand.

Red wood walls gleamed gently in the candlelight, thick cream and burgundy colored rugs sat all around the room in a tasteful arrangement. Her feet hit ground, her toes sunk pleasantly into a rug. Part of her couldn't help enjoying the luxury, while the other part of her shouted that she was a prisoner in this place. Albeit a very nice place to be imprisoned.

When she stood up she realized she was no longer in her pale green homespun gown, but rather in a gaudy silk nightdress. She shuddered to think of how she had been changed. At the foot of the large bed was a bench and over the bench an elegant but simple dark blue gown. She looked at it distastefully for a moment; she did not wish to accept gifts from the thing that was forcing her presence. Then she noticed that sitting next to the dress was her little bag from home.

She picked up the bag, noticing that it somehow seemed emptier. Upon opening it she realized that her two dresses had been removed, only her books and her mother's ring remained. With a slight glower at the dress she at last submitted to wearing it.

As she changed, she surveyed her room. It was round, paneled entirely of cherry wood, with the occasional tapestry hung. To the left of the bed was a pink sandstone hearth with a low burning fire lit in it. In front of it were two ivory toned love seats with a low table between them which held a lithe glass vase containing a flush of fragrant lilacs. It, despite its grandeur, had a homey, relaxing feel.

She peeked at herself at the single mirror in the room, which hid behind a large wardrobe. Her hair was still bedraggled and her eyes still shadowed by weariness, but she had to admit it was a lovely dress. It was flowing and light, not too tight, but not by any means baggy, not too extravagant, but not plain. Just simply elegant.

She went over to the door and gently nudged it open. Cool air flowed over her and slipped into the cozy room. Outside the doors was dim, lit only by a few sconces along the walls. She slid out of the room, not fully opening the doors, as though she was sneaking out. She smiled lightly at that thought, ha, if only she could sneak. If this place was truly magical, sneaking would be utterly useless.

The hall was not very wide, just wide enough she could reach out with both arms and not quite be able to touch either of the stone walls. For a long time the hall went on unwaveringly, straight and doorless. Then, after seemly a long hour had passed, the hall opened onto a broad balcony that looked over parlor. She warily took slow steady steps forward to the railing and looked down.

The entire room was lit only by the fire that crackled in the grand fireplace sending flickering shadows across the floor. As in her room there was furniture arranged around the fire, one couch and a wingback chair. She almost dismissed the room as empty and walked away when she noticed a slight movement from the shadow in the wingback chair. She looked more closely, her eyes straining against the poor light. The shadow moved again, towards her, two eyes suddenly became visible. A startled gasp escaped her lips. The catlike eyes blinked. "I startled you again." The rumbling tone was apologetic.

Color drained from her face. Being brave was so much easier at a distance. The shadow spoke again, "Come down." She trembled all over, she couldn't quite figure out why she was so terrified of the beast. Perhaps it was his wrongness, or maybe simply just his size. Even her brief encounter with him in front of the palace had been enough to see he was very large. Steeling herself, she moved to the staircase that leaned against the wall next to the balcony. Clutching onto the railing she descended into the parlor, into the flickering darkness.

She stopped just outside of the firelight, keeping good distance from the beast. "Come into the light," as he spoke he began to stand up. As he rose the shadow slithered off of him, revealing him plainly. She swallowed her fear and took three steps forward, she kept her eyes carefully on the ground. "What is your name?" She could feel him studying her like a bug under a looking glass.

"Bellden Moulian," she answered softly, peering up at his face. It was so high up it startled her, but what startled her more was that she could not read what was on his face. He may have been showing disgust or pride, she could not tell, his face was so utterly different. So... beastial.

"Bellden? It means beautiful valley does it not?" for a moment she did not know what to say. She shook herself, "Yes, yes it does." He strode over to the fire, casting a long shadow across the room, "You must be hungry." He said this while gesturing with a slight lift of his hand to a plate of cheeses and grapes that sat on a table between the couch and the chair. She glanced at his back, then at the food, then back at him. She started inching her way toward the platter, not taking her wary eyes off of him.

"You need not fear me," he didn't turn around, "I mean you no harm."

Without thinking Bellden scoffed. The moment the sound escaped her throat she regretted it. She froze, hand hovering over the cheese. He turned around slowly, and if she didn't know better, she would've sworn one eyebrow like thing was raised higher than the other. "What?" his voice was low and incredibly dangerous. She looked down quickly and snatched the piece of cheese, "Nothing." She popped the cheese into her mouth hastily. He returned to his seat and was once more sheathed in darkness.

"Sit," he bade her gruffly. She perched on the edge of the couch ever so reluctantly. Silent minutes ticked by, she nibbled on the sweet grapes and sharp cheeses, looking at her host ever so often till she could take it no longer. "Why did you want my father to return?" He looked up as though surprised to hear her speak. He looked intently at her for a long moment, "He stole from me, after I gave him shelter. And I am lonely."

She forced any trace of bitter sarcasm out of her voice when she spoke, "So you thought to punish the thief and quench your loneliness at the same time?" Truly his pettiness disgusted her, her father had picked only a rose. "Essentially," he paused, "I did not expect him to send a daughter."

"He did not plan on sending a daughter."

"Oh?"

"He planned on coming back, but he was far too ill to make another journey so soon."

"I hope he did not kill his horse."

"Pardon?" she asked, puzzled.

"The way he left last time, the speed at which he was riding that horse, it would easily have driven the animal into exhaustion."

For some reason she felt like crying, she was so worried for her father, he had looked so frail. And here was this... animal worrying after her father's horse. "His horse was fine, I believe."

"Don't snap at me." She hadn't realized the anger that had seeped through her words. His growled rebuke quickly re-instilled the fear she had felt on the balcony.

She rose abruptly, walking up the stairs she said over her shoulder in a brief moment when her anger overcame her fear, she let the title he had become in her mind slip out. "Goodnight Beast."

She felt foolish as all get out the moment she left the room. It's afternoon, she leaned against wall, it's afternoon, she peeked out from her hair out at the balcony. Damn, damn, damn, damn, it's afternoon! I said "Goodnight"! Its not even late afternoon! Some distant, insane, part of her wanted to laugh. Maybe she was delirious.

She bolted down the hall. She didn't try to remember which way she went, she didn't think, she just ran for the pure simple joy of it. It relieved some of her pent up anxiety. She ran out of the narrow halls and into wider ones that had huge double doors and sometimes she came across staircases. When this happened she would run up two flights then continue her exploration of the maze-like castle. She occasionally came across a rundown section of rooming run over with cobwebs and the paint cracking and thick dust floating everywhere.

She had ran out of breath and was meandering at a leisurely pace when the wall of the hall to her left suddenly broke away, leaving only low dark wood railing that looked over the entry room into the castle. It was huge, she walked forward until her knees bumped against the railing and looked out.

The ceiling rushed on above her in gold and white while beneath dropped into deep browns and thoughtful shades of red. The doors on the other side of which she had passed out on, were crowned about eight feet above it by a grand stained glass window. The window didn't depict anything in particular, just cool blue glass that was shattered by shards of red glass. The dark wood floor was covered by a slim red carpet that started at the doors and trailed to the left of the room where a great stair stood imposingly.

She was happily drinking in all this beauty when she got the uncomfortable sensation that someone was watching her. There, in the shadow of the stairs, walking with the grace of a cat was the Beast. She let out a sharp gasp that echoed across the empty room. She heard what might've been a soft chuckle. He climbed the stairs, leaving his back to her, he looked back once then went left where the staircase split off. Leaving her once again alone.

She trudged back the way she had came, in hopes of somehow refinding her bedroom. She passed a window, the world outside was now cloaked in cool blues of night. She smiled bitterly, "Goodnight Beast."

It took her many a long hour to fall asleep that night. In fact it took her many a long hour to find her way through the narrow maze-like hallways. She had been about to give up and cry and sleep in the hall when she finally stumbled upon her door. She'd pushed it open and rushed over the grand carpets without a thought and leapt onto her bed. She had expected to fall asleep instantly. As you know, that was not the case.

~

Her still weary eyes blinked open, above her was a transparent square of white canopy. Through the fabric she could see the painted ceiling, it was gilded in golden swirls that wove through the midnight and white dotted ceiling. It was a mystical night sky.

How could something so disgusting live with such beauty? He was so, well, not pleasant, she'd of thought that some of his nastiness would've rubbed off onto his surroundings. Beast, yes that was a very appropriate title. Perhaps she would just keep calling him that.

She wrinkled her nose at the ceiling, she supposed she really ought to get up. She didn't have to though and when in bed life just seems lighter.

A knocking on the door startled her. She clenched at her blanket, the monster wouldn't come here. Would he? No, no, he wouldn't. She slid out of the warm bed and and walked cautiously toward the door. "Hello?" no answer, "Hello?" she rested her hand against the cool wood of the door. "Is anyone there?" nothing. She sighed and pulled open the door with a quiet creak. She stuck her head into the hall and looked either way, only to find it as empty as she had ever seen it.

She almost dismissed the whole thing to temporary insanity and shut the door when a bit of white caught her eye. Nailed to the door was a small square of paper. Curious she reached out and tore away the paper, written on it in ornate red scroll was this message:

Bellden

You are invited to join the master of
the house for breakfast. Directions
to the dining hall are provided on the
other side.

She frowned at the paper, it looked like a woman's hand writing. Looking back, she realized another thing, it must be near impossible for the Beast to write. His hands were massive. And clawed. Really long claws.

She closed the door slowly, her face scrunched in thought. She really shouldn't go, he was holding her prisoner. She looked up from the note at her room. Okay so he was holding her prisoner in a not so ugly cell. But he had been so rude! She let out a small groan of frustration. Well, she thought, if I am to be stuck here for the rest of my days I ought to get used to him.

She walked over to where she had found the dress she was currently wearing. In the same place, folded in exactly the same fashion, was a deep russet velvet gown. She picked it up, it fell from it's folding, revealing delicate touches of gold and pale streaks of cream. She arched an eyebrow, whoever made these dresses was a bit of a artist, and had a liking for tasteful flair.

She looked forlornly at the door, dread weighing heavy in her stomach. "I'm such a martyr," she mumbled mockingly to herself as went to change.