Sorry about all the weird looking chapters. The centerized and double lines...no idea what's up with it.
But you're all still amazing, either way.
Just a couple things (I know, again?):
I haven't started 14 yet. Sorry, but I've been trying to catch up with RL and I'll work on it just a bit.
Since I suddenly have an influx of readers, if any of you are interested I do have a twitter and I'm working on a blog. Those'll both be up on my page (well, I'll put the twitter up when I finish this, the blog might take a while). Until then, the fantastic Edwardville blog is up there. You should seriously go look at the awesomeness there. I'm somewhat in charge of guest author postings and we've got an awesome line up of authors and betas.
And MuseHere still is amazing.
•13•
I slept. I slept and slept and slept in an endless cycle of utter blankness, bathroom, blankness, food, and more blankness. The cycle continued for days while I healed, slowly but surely according to Beast. And even though I despised the rate at which I healed and the constant pain I was in, it was almost a welcome change.
The Beast made sure my bed was as comfortable as possible. He didn't force me into the plain, scratchy dresses I had been handed the day of the incident. While in town, he had gotten me a silk nightgown to wear as I lay in bed all day, with a promise of several more once they were finished.
"After all I've done for you, the least I can do is keep you comfortable and provide you with good sleeping clothes after you heal." He would say every time I told him it wasn't necessary.
He was tender and caring with me, providing me with meals finer than anything I'd ever had at school, and spending all his time with me. He would read to me, or tell me some folklores he had learned in his childhood on the rare occasion I was awake and not eating or using the bathroom. He never said anything specifically about his childhood, just that his mother had told him the stories. Whenever his mother came up, he grew more distant and I quickly learned not to ask about her. She had done something or he had done something and I wasn't sure I wanted to know what it was.
I knew this wouldn't last. He was just sensitive after almost losing me and it would soon wear off, but I would certainly enjoy it while it lasted.
My favorite story he ever told was that of The Woman and The Devil.
"One night long ago, a young girl hurried home to get ready for the dance that night in Kingsville, Texas. The girl had even bought a sparkly red dress for the occasion, a dress she knew she looked amazing in.
"But when the girl got home, her mother told her she couldn't go. According to the preacher, the devil was going to be at the dance and the girl's mother would never cross the preacher. The girl nodded and pretended to agree she wouldn't go, but once she reached her room, she put on her dress and waited for her mother to be busy to sneak out.
"She scurried down to K.C. Hall, where the dance was being held, and as soon as she entered every eye was on her. All the boys wanted to dance with her and they even fought for the privilege. Then one very handsome young man approached her, his hair as black as his suit, and asked to dance with her. She quickly agreed and they headed off to the dance floor.
"She danced faster and better than she ever had been able to. Every man watched as she was spun like a professional across the floor in the stranger's arms. He spun her faster than she thought possible, her feet felt like they were on fire, and the floor seemed to be falling away. Dust began to rise from their fast pace, hiding the couple from the onlookers. As the dust settled, it was clear the girl was gone. She had danced with the Devil and would now suffer in hell for all she had done."
I loved the story. I couldn't even explain why for a while. It was just a random folk tale and yet I was fascinated by it. It wasn't until several days later when the Beast left to make us dinner and let me take a nap that I realized why the story intrigued me as much as it did.
The story reminded me of myself and where I was then. I was the girl that would disappear in the dust and wake up in hell and, no matter how kind he was now, the Beast would dance me all the way there.
•~•
After three weeks in bed, the Beast finally let me leave my room. It took many arguments and much pleading on my part, but in the end it was worth it. He wouldn't let me do much, making me rest after each trip up or down the stairs and limiting me to certain rooms, but I would live with it. It's not like I had much choice at this point.
On one of our afternoons in, I had been sitting in my room, watching snow fall on the grounds, amazed that it was already winter.
What happened to the fall? Alice and Rose will be so upset that I won't be there for Christmas.
I briefly noted that this was the same window that I almost ended my life from, unintentionally though. It was the window I had tried to escape from, yet now I watched the world through it.
He knocked on the door and quickly opened it, not one that often respected the privacy of others.
"Beauty, good you're up. I was hoping to show you something." He smiled shyly at me, almost as if he was nervous.
I was confused as to what exactly he could show me that was so exciting during winter in a castle, but simply slipped on my slippers and headed towards him. He stuck out an elbow and I gently laid my hand on it, knowing he would complain how likely it was I would fall if I didn't use him for support.
He led me towards the complete western end and then up a flight of stairs. He had me sit down on the top step for a moment after we finished climbing.
"Really, you're being absurd. I'm not an old woman." I sighed, sitting down on the stair obediently.
"I'm being cautious. You nearly died three weeks ago, I don't want you breaking again."
"Walking up stairs won't break me." I pointed out.
He rolled his eyes and extended his hand. "Then we shouldn't waste any time."
I took his hand and let him pull me up to stand. He led me up two more sets of stairs. At the top of the final step, a small landing led into a pair of intricately carved oak, double doors.
He placed one of his large hands over my eyes. "I want it to be a surprise." He whispered in my ear. I nodded to show I understood, and let him lead me to the door. I heard the creak as he pushed them both open, making sure at least one hand covered my eyes at all times.
His hands covered my eyes to make completely sure I couldn't see and after a moment, he nudged me to walk forward into whatever was behind the doors.
"You ready?" He murmured.
"Just let me see already, Beast." His hands fell from my face, allowing me to see the heaven he had taken me to.
It was as if the walls of the room were made of books. There was one small gap directly across from me where a giant window let all natural light seep through into the room. In one corner, a small fireplace had taken away a few shelves, yet it looked completely natural.
There was not one other gap in the rows and rows of books. I had never seen so many in my life, hadn't known so many even existed. Thousands, upon thousands of books in all different sizes and languages. All at my fingertips.
I pulled my eyes from the walls long enough to notice a ladder propped against a shelf with wheels to be easily moved. Almost in the center of the room, though slightly closer to the fireplace, were two of the comfiest looking red chairs I had ever seen, a small circular table between them. A fire was lit in the little fireplace, and the room was shockingly bright from all of the whiteness several stories below.
"Beast, I…" I turned to him, saw the excited light in his eyes that had never been there before.
"I was hoping you would like it. I've heard you mumbling in your sleep about book characters and I figured you would love this place. It's not an easy commute, but the destination is worth it."
I took in the room again and sighed. "I probably can't even read half of these."
"I figured it wouldn't matter. This is where all the books you've read had been beforehand. I used to use this room all the time, but haven't much in the past few years. I figured you would rather spend your spare time here instead of in your bedroom. Consider this your library, to be used as you wish."
My breathing hitched as I thought of all these thousands of books, mine. Could I even dare to dream he was honest? I had always imagined a large library with Michael, but something like this had never even crossed my mind.
"Do you…like it?" His eyebrows had furrowed and I finally noticed the tears streaming down my face.
"It's perfect. Absolutely perfect. T – thank you." I stammered quickly, not wanting him to revoke my gift for being ungrateful.
He grinned, a crooked grin that lifted one side of his mouth farther than the other.
"I'll be going downstairs for a few hours, seeing if there's anything we need for my next run to town. I thought you could spend the afternoon here instead of being locked up in your room." He bowed to me, something he'd never done before, and left me with the books.
I inhaled deeply, taking in the smell of paper and ink and just…books. I grabbed a random one from the shelf, checked to make sure it was in English, and sat myself in one of the chairs. If he was going to give me this, I would enjoy every moment before he decided to take it away.
•~•
We were sitting in his library one night, him in his arm chair and me curled up on the couch. A fire crackled in the stone fireplace and I couldn't help but watch the flames dance for a while.
"Mesmerizing, isn't it?" He murmured. I looked up and saw he was watching the fire as well. "Something about fire just draws people in." He sighed. "I'll be right back."
I nodded, and turned back to the book I had most recently grabbed from the library. Books had become my life since he had shown me the library. I found myself speeding through books within a day, always hungry for more. There always was more, something that hadn't happened back at school. And while I preferred the overstuffed chairs of my new library, I knew I had to spend at least some time with him. He had given me the only thing I had ever wanted, my own library, and he wouldn't let me do any work anymore. I figured I should at least sit with him while I read at night, even though it was a small show of thanks.
He returned quickly, gently placing a mug of hot chocolate on the table next to me. He laid out some biscuits and his own cup of coffee on the main table in front of both our seats, and sat in his own chair.
I stared at the mug, filled with little marshmallows, and then looked at him.
"Why are you so good to me all of a sudden?" I inquired, wanting to know why he had changed so much.
"Is it so hard to believe I'm not completely cold hearted? You almost died and I was being unjustly cruel to you beforehand. You deserve much better treatment."
"But I'm your prisoner. You aren't supposed to treat me the way I deserve."
He growled softly. "Just let it go, Beauty."
"I just want to know why you're so…exceptionally kind now. My own parents aren't this kind to me." I stressed.
He stayed silent for a moment, drinking his coffee and watching the fire. Several minutes passed and he still said nothing.
"When the love of your life kills herself because of you, you don't exactly want anybody else you start to feel even slightly fond of to kill themselves because of you either. I wasn't able to save her, but I was able to save you. I didn't treat her properly, so I will treat you the right way." He was in a different place, a different time, as he spoke. But his words still struck me.
"Oh, Beast, I – "
"I'm going to bed. Good night, Beauty." He stood from his chair and left, leaving his coffee behind and shutting the door behind him.
Reviews...well most of you will yell at me for 14 so I guess they scare me into writing more?