Chapter 4
I knew the morning had come, and yet I lingered in that state between being awake and asleep. A whisper of a memory reminded me that some horrible change had occurred in my life, and I did not want to wake to meet it. The morning sun blinded my closed eyes, so my awake self covered my head with the blanket. I was plunged into a deeper sleep brought on by the blessed darkness.
I dreamt I was in the ballroom, dancing with an invisible partner. I didn't know the steps, and I stumbled. My partner, disgusted, pushed me to the ground. I heard his angry footsteps echo throughout the brilliantly lighted ballroom, and the door slammed as he left.
A tear dropped down my cheek, in reality as well as in my sleeping world. I stood up, and brushed myself off. I was angry at myself, for not pleasing him, which was something I desperately wanted to do. And I was angry at him, for being such a selfish pig.
My awake self wondered who this invisible partner was, and why I wanted to please him. But my sleep self brushed away these questions impatiently.
I walked out of the ballroom, and it the lights went out as I closed the door. I leaned against the door, tired and sad, wondering what to do next.
And then the barest whisper of voices broke the silence of the castle. I looked down the immense hallway, straining my ears.
It seemed to be coming from the first place I had met the Beast, near the front hall. My sleeping self walked through the corridors confidently, while my awake self had no idea where I was. But soon I came to the place where Beauty had first met Beast.
I walked into the room; the fire was burning merrily behind the screen decorated with iron roses.
The voices were louder now, coming from a small door, barely large enough for the Beast to fit through it.
I put my hand on the knob, and turned it slowly. The voices stopped, as if in surprise.
"GET OUT! YOU CANNOT FULLFILL THE PROPHECY! HE WILL DIE IN HIS MISERY UNLESS THE GIRL WHO WAS CHOSEN COMES FORTH! LEAVE!" the voices screamed.
The force of the voices picked me up, and tossed me into the air. I looked down, and saw that I was going to fall on a bed of thorns and roses. I screamed…
"Beauty?" there was a knock on my door.
I gasped, sitting upright and breathing hard. Sweat trickled past my eye. Remnants of the dream still flashed through my mind, but were becoming dimmer and dimmer. After a few moments I could hardly remember it at all.
"Yes?" I answered, out of breath. I threw off my tangled sheets and jumped to the ground.
The Beast, his voice muffled by the door, said, "Are you alright? I heard a scream."
"I-I think I just had a nightmare." I replied. I could tell it was not a dream I wanted to recall, so I forced the last traces of it from my mind.
"Well, if you're sure. When you are ready, I will be waiting here." the Beast said.
A thudding headache was beginning in the back of my head, and my eyes felt swollen from all the crying I had done the night before. But when I washed my face in the gold wash basin, all traces I had been crying disappeared, and my headache melted away.
Magic, I thought. Even if it does make me feel better, I don't trust it. Especially after that nightmare… whatever it was about.
A dark green dress floated up to me. It was rich velvet, with a sprinkling of emeralds across the bodice. It came with a small silver chain with a few emeralds.
I took off my nightgown and was helped into my dress. The servants also pulled up my hair, so it was a mass of curls on the top of my head. I glanced in the mirror as I clasped my necklace on, and was startled by the reflection staring back at me. For a split second, I thought I saw a trace of Beauty in my face. I blinked, and it disappeared. What was left was the plain girl I had always known, looking as if she had been caught trying on the Queen's clothing. I quickly turned away.
I opened the door. The Beast was standing in front of the window, and I was reminded of how incredibly large he was.
"Good morning, Beauty." he said, turning towards me.
"Good morning Beast." I replied.
"I was hoping you would join me for breakfast in the gardens." He said stiffly.
"I am hungry." I replied, smiling a little.
He held out his gigantic arm, and I paused. Not from fear, but from uncertainty. Where do I put my hand, on his forearm, or in his hand?
I looked into his face, and saw sudden sadness in his eyes. Pity swelled within my heart. I quickly put my hand on his arm, resisting the strong urge to draw back. I comforted myself with the thought that if he wanted to hurt me, he would have done it long ago. But my eyes were continually drawn to those sharp claws that extended form his paws like fingernails.
He took me down a few hallways, onto a balcony over shadowing a beautiful courtyard. I followed him down the marble steps to the ground level. It was a closed courtyard, with a beautiful fountain in the middle of a young girl, pouring a pitcher of water. The sun was just coming over the courtyard wall, and the water glistened like honey. The flowers were of the brightest colors, and grew to astonishing size. The fragrance was like a sweet melody sung by an angel.
"It's beautiful." I whispered.
"I'm glad you like it." replied the Beast. "This is where I often come to collect my thoughts and reflect on the past."
A table floated up to us, and was set in front of the fountain. The breakfast consisted mostly of fruit: oranges, apples, and pears. There was also rich cinnamon raison bread, and frothy hot chocolate. I drank and ate, enjoying every bite. The Beast sat and watched me, with equal pleasure. At first I was a little self-conscious, feeling every bit the poor broom maker's daughter. But acting as if I knew what I was doing became second nature very quickly, fueled by my ravenous hunger.
I finished, and patted my mouth with the napkin.
"Would you like to see the rest of the castle? There are many wondrous things within its walls." the Beast said, standing.
I stood also. "I think I would like that."
The Beast held out his arm, and I put my hand on the black velvet. I thought I felt a tremor of excitement run through him, or it might have been my own shaking.
We went back inside the castle, and walked through the never-ending corridor once again. I simply gaped at the wondrous splendor around, amazed at the difference the sunlight streaming in through the windows made. I may have been impoverished, but I knew master craftsmanship when I saw it, and everything in the castle qualified as only the best.
I was surprised when the Beast stopped. It had begun to feel as if we were not moving at all, simply watching an endless parade of wealth pass us on both sides.
"This is the library." said the Beast.
The doors to the library were small, and so I assumed the library would also be small. I have never been more wrong.
The library seemed to rise endlessly into the heavens. Staircase after staircase reached to level after level. I realized my mouth was open, and closed it quickly. The Beast was looking at me with a little half-smile.
"What is your favorite book?" He said, walking to the middle of the room "I promise you I have it." He swept his arm to all the knowledge around him.
"Well… I don't know." I said lamely. "Why don't you pick?"
"Alright." he agreed happily.
He plucked one from the shelf and handed it to me. I looked at the gold lettering. It was entirely foreign to me.
"Um…" I thought quickly, "Why don't you read it to me, since it is your favorite?"
"If that is what you wish, then I will. I admit most of my time has been spent here, learning of the world. I have a thirst for knowledge that will not be satisfied." he replied. He walked over to the fireplace, and sat in a large armchair. I sat in the arm chair next to him.
"It is called Much Ado about Nothing…" he began.