Transformation

By Calcifersgrl

Chapter 8: Gargoyles

It wasn't for another two days that the Beast could no longer abide with the rumbling pain in his stomach. He needed to eat now. A quick peek out of the thick, dusty curtains told him that the forest was no longer safe for him to roam about. The air had cleared up and was now a wide layer of light blue, something he had not seen for a long time. He muttered under his breath. The girl was at it again. Something had to be done about the changing atmosphere.

He charged out of his lair, flinging the door open with his signature snarl. Sirena was at the end of the hall, with several other sylphs he hadn't bothered to know. She turned around sharply, her gaze placating him. He stopped in his mad rush.

"I'm hungry," he complained. And as if to emphasize his point, his stomach chose that moment to grumble loudly.

Sirena smiled at him. "Hunt with my blessing."

He stared at her, astonished. "Did you see what she did to my forest?"

"Your forest? You must mean the blue sky." She grinned cheekily; some of the natural iciness in her voice melted away. "She is much more than we had hoped for. More than you had bargained for, I see. She's in the throne room, it seems."

"The throne room?" He smarted, feeling very furious. He did not bother to wait for an answer to his question and bounded down the flight of stairs. He had not set foot in the throne room since that fateful day when his servants were changed to gargoyles and his people became a part of a different kingdom. He felt a twinge of guilt in roping his household in with his curse. Some servants had not been corrupt and cruel; some had only acted badly because their disobedience resulted in their death. Others had been more than happy to oblige their hard-hearted king and whip the peasants until they were exhausted. Still, he felt a chill run down his spine. The thought of the eerie moveable eyes of the gargoyles watching him made his skin creep.

She sensed him before he was scarcely in the throne room. He was shrouded in darkness, watching the glow emanate from her small figure. She turned quickly and said, "Beast." She curtsied before him as he approached standing up straight. "Your gargoyles are interesting."

"Hmm?" He was too busy watching her to listen to the words tumbling from her mouth.

"Your gargoyles," she repeated. She smiled shyly. "I like them."

I like them. He was startled into paying attention, feeling the chill run down his spine, though he wasn't quite sure whether it was because she was smiling at him or because he felt the gargoyles' sudden interest in the discussion. He stiffened.

"Is something wrong?" she asked, suddenly afraid as she watched the furrow between his eyebrows deepen and the corners of his mouth tighten.

"Yes, you!" he snapped, moody. She shouldn't be in here, he thought to himself. "You shouldn't be in here," he said aloud, and gripped one thin wrist in his. She allowed herself to be easily led – perhaps, because if she had resisted, he might have torn her arm from its socket, or perhaps, she too, heard the infrasonic sound of stone ears bending to listen – and looked on in mute wonder as the Beast all but dragged her to the threshold, and slammed the door shut behind them with one powerful thrust of his foot.

Author's Note: I haven't updated this story for three-four years. I probably won't update this story, it's just that I found this chapter which I had written that many years ago, still sitting on my computer. It seemed a waste to just let it sit there. So, read and review, and maybe, if you just like the story enough, review it and ask me to continue.

Otherwise, cheers! )

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