Author's note: So now, after we've heard a bit from the Beast and his take on the situation, let's see how Beauty is dealing with this new set of circumstances. Her reaction may be a bit more surprising than you think…
Disclaimer/claimer: Some are mine, and some aren't. I am running out of creative ways to say what things I own and don't own, because my Disclaimer/claimer Muse is on a current hiatus, curse her. Getting on, however.
Beauty:
A Strange New Life
When Beauty was alone, she felt a great deal of compassion for poor Beast.
One morning almost a week after I had come to the Beast's castle, I awoke in my lavish princess's bedchamber and considered, for the first time, just how strange my life now was. How strange everything here was.
For starters, I thought, as I rolled over onto my stomach and folded my arms underneath my large, fluffy linen-, lace-, and goose down-pillow, There was the journey here. I could not fault the ease and comfort of the ordeal. The mount that the Beast had provided for my transport had been swift and well trained, however spirited, and within only a few hours of our leaving my old home, we had reached the borders of the palace where I now lived.
I don't know how long we traveled, but I distinctly remembered feeling as if we were flying through space and time at a speed that I could not begin to clock. I don't even know how far we had traveled, or where the castle was in relation to the farm where I had lived.
As if it even mattered.
I didn't expect to return there any time soon.
The only thing that had served to tell me that we were very near to the castle was the towering, twenty-foot-tall stone wall that stretched out to my right and left for as my mortal eyes could see. The trees of forest through which we had ridden stopped suddenly, in a perfect line, before that wall, and there was a pair of gigantic, imposing gate-towers that stood solidly nearby, some hundred yards or so from us.
The stallion had pranced a bit more, as if he was excited – which I took, dubiously, to be a sort of good omen; if a horse could exist in this terrible place, couldn't I? – and then headed for the tower. I had had to catch myself up on the expectation of seeing an armored guard lean out of one of the vacant, dark windows of the tower and bark out a hearty, "Who goes there?" upon marking my approach.
Nothing of the sort happened, and the gates of iron that stood firm and solemn before me glided noiselessly open, revealing the lands within.
An expansive, wide-open field of shimmering green grass stretched out before my wondering eyes.
It had to be much more than a mile wide.
Then…there was the castle: its towers and ramparts and roofs standing tall and proud, serene and glorious and foreboding, in the late, golden afternoon sun. A small forest, the treetops of which came to just about halfway, I judged, up the castle walls, surrounded it. The castle itself, however…
I had recalled Papa's description of it, and thought of how he had said that it was as enormous and beautiful as an entire city in and of itself, but the words 'enormous' and 'beautiful' seemed colorless and frail indeed now that I had seen it with my own eyes! There was no way of translating the sight into words. All of the castles that I had ever seen seemed small and trite compared to this one.
Is this where I am to live? I had wondered, and then…
This is where he lives.
My thoughts had threatened to be very anxious and terrified indeed then, but I remembered that I was here on behalf of my father, and that I had been drawn here by a force beyond myself, and that my trust was not in my own strength, but in the powers of the Three who were sovereign over all life.
And so in I went.
I had seen wonders that surpassed all those that I had ever seen before in my life during the first five minutes after my arrival that day.
Gardens, some carefully kept and perfected like a fine lady's coiffure for a state embassy ball, and some wild and careless, greeted me, along with a host of pathways and alcoves and courtyards. The castle towered above me, the countless numbers of its highest towers seeming to pierce the sky itself.
I felt as if I was a speck of dust compared to it all.
After this, I had dismounted and was staring at my surroundings when I realized that my mount was no longer standing beside me – even its bridle was gone, having disappeared out of my hand. Alarmed, I had turned to look about for it, and then something very strange had happened.
A glowing being, something that moved and floated about and was shaped almost like a star, had materialized in the silent air beside me, hovering in the general area of my elbow. I had started, feeling as if I could jump out of my skin. While I had stared at the strange being, which shifted in shape with incredible alacrity from time to time – changing from a little burst of light to a bird-shape, a winged human-like form, and a host of others all within a few seconds – I had received the impression that I was being looked over. And assessed.
It had spoken, and again, I had nearly jumped out of my skin.
"You are Beauty?"
This is Éindor, I had told myself, trying strenuously to master my emotions before they ran away with me and sent me flying from the castle and everything within it: promise, or no promise. You knew that there would be things here that would be unlike anything that you'd ever seen before. This castle and whatever lives within it is obviously that type of thing. Get a hold of yourself, you nonsensical child! You wanted adventure – magic, even – and now you have it!
So I had mustered my voice and spoken, stammering, "Y-yes. Arielle."
The little creature had bounced about enthusiastically in the air, which I took to be a sign of either recognition: its equivalent of a nod.
"Yes, of course, Arielle – Beauty. Arielle Honorine Bellissima Rose Laclarien. Welcome. We are the Sprytes."
I had almost looked over my shoulder, around myself, to see if there were more of the little creature's kind about. We?
"The Master," whom I had taken to be the Beast, of course, "Has sent us to greet you and assist you in your settling into your new home here."
Home?
He wasn't planning on eating me?
I had held back a great sigh of relief.
"The Master also wishes to give you this," whereupon it had presented me with a rolled manuscript: a message of some sort, "and would like for you to know that you are free to ask of us whatever you wish to know. You need not be afraid."
I had read the letter, which was written in a deft, scrolling hand – one which belied an elegant, intelligent, and very self-assured writer – and looked up at the Spryte, feeling bemused and muddled. Perhaps I should seek this 'Master' out, as the letter had invited me to do. However, I had deferred any further action on those grounds in order to take the letter's other invitation – and that was to let the Spryte show me to my new rooms – and asked if it would show me inside.
That led me to my second thought about the strangeness of the castle.
Everything is unbelievably beautiful here, and I am still alive.
My room was one that was surely fit for the wealthiest and most fantastically powerful of empresses. I had several cavernous rooms, including my bedchamber, a dressing room and a sitting room, and a receiving suite. All were ornamented with fineries that I could have only imagined up until that point of my life: gold, silver, jewels of every shape, size, and kind, and wonders too great to be described unless in very great detail and precision.
I had been expecting a place on a silver platter on the dinner table with an apple stuck in my mouth, or at least a filthy and dark dungeon room in which to languish out my last days on the earth – but certainly not a princess's living space. Not this. Not with a gorgeous place to live in and entire freedom. Not with a wardrobe of immensely beautiful gowns that seemed to go on forever, or a selection of jewelry, books, perfumes, bath things, shoes, and various baubles that rivaled those of a queen. Not this.
And then there was the strangest thing of all.
The Beast.
As he explained the names of the roses to me the night before, I could have easily imagined him to be nothing more than a quiet, soft-spoken, thoughtful, grave, and even somewhat shy young man who had never before been alone in a girl's presence. Of course, that was withstanding the incredible cold, disdaining pride and utter bitterness and anger that seemed to vibrate from him, which I had seen after I had attempted to invite him to share dinner with me.
But what kind of person is he beneath his icy, contemptuous exterior? It seemed as if he's very bitter, very hurt…because of something.
I didn't know what it was, but something.
Well, beyond that, he was just a bit frightening. Of course, that opinion was counting on mere appearances, and I think that anyone would have been slightly unnerved by the thought of having to speak to – or live with! – a being that was easily over seven feet in height. I felt small and incredibly weak indeed when I imagined myself standing next to him. His diaphragm was just above my eye level.
As for his face…it simply very much resembled that of a dragon.
I had never seen a real dragon before. The only specimens of the race that I had ever laid eyes on were those that were illustrated in books, and even those supposedly realistic renditions seemed rather silly and unreal compared to the Beast. There was a fierce, dangerous air to his features: a demeanor that told me that I should be very careful where I stepped when it came to interacting with both him and his castle.
That was what was most frightening about him, I decided – the thought of what he would be like if he was angry. I didn't want to think about seeing those huge golden eyes alight with blood-red fury, or those incredibly white fangs bared for combat. I really didn't want to think about what his hands looked like underneath their gloves either.
And yet…in spite of all this…I had easily overcome my apprehensions about his intentions towards me. Even after less than an hour of speaking to him on that first night, I had begun to think that he was not, perhaps, as terrible and monster-like as my father had said.
And if he was monstrous, he knew it and knew it well.
Oh, the memory of the look of utter pain – the look that spoke of deep grief, and bitter anguish, the look that I had seen in his golden eyes the night before haunted me at every turn, refusing to let me forget what had happened. I felt a consuming guilt for what I had done. I hadn't meant to hurt him, and although he had disguised the pain with anger and cold resentment, I had seen it there in his eyes: a brief flash of emotion that allowed me to glimpse the soul that was suffering within his powerful, hulking, frightening body.
It had seemed as if he was almost as frightened of himself as he expected me to be.
So how were we to treat one another? I scarcely knew how to deal with him, how to form my actions and manner. Events had already shown him to be quite volatile, if that was even quite the word for it. And what were we to each other – captor and captive, or prisoners together here? Or something else entirely? It was all too confusing, and it was all too strange. I didn't know whether I wanted to resent him from taking me away from my father, bless him for rescuing me from an unkind stepmother and stepsister who I could never prove my love for…or…or what?
Well, there was only one thing for me to do right at the moment – play the game as it unfolded and showed itself to me.
If I was to exhibit an angry and bitter side of myself to him, acting the part of a prisoner who wished to do nothing more than to escape her dungeon and its jailer, I could not foresee a very happy train of events before me. And truly, the last thing that I desired to do was to incur his wrath!
I would simply have to resort to being one thing: myself. I would stay true to myself, I would not alter or bend, I would be me. I was here as payment and not as a guest. I was, in all seriousness, the payment for the wrong done to the Beast, and whereas I was a living means of payment, who could certainly think of herself as a prisoner held against her will in a gilded cage, the Beast had told me that I was as much the mistress in this place as he was the master.
I, the captive, had complete freedom!
"Enough lazing about in bed, Arielle Laclarien." I told myself, speaking aloud, and my voice seemed deafening as a cannon shot in the silent room. I sat up, my hands moving to draw my hair over my shoulder and smooth it, continuing to speak to myself as I did so.
"Just because you're being treated like a fine lady now doesn't mean that you can let yourself go all soft and sluggish. It's time for a walk – that will wake you up and take your mind off of all these terribly confusing things. You don't have to try to understand anything about this castle. All that you can know is that you're here merely to be here, and everything else is his concern."
There I stopped my brisk monologue and felt my brows furrow.
"Now where would those Sprytes be?" I asked the air in a more serious tone.
And at the exact moment, the same Spryte that had greeted me that first day came zipping in through the door across the room from me, the door that led in through the drawing room beyond my bedchamber, and hovered in the air a few feet away from me, literally scintillating with some overjoyed emotion that I couldn't begin to understand.
"Beauteous morning, beauteous morning, beautiful Beauty!" it bubbled, whistling through the air to dive under the delicate, sharply ice-blue silken dressing gown that I had left draped over the top of a wing-back armchair the night before. The garment lifted and floated across the room towards me, looking as if some invisible person was holding it by the shoulders, and I put my back to it, pushing my arms down the sleeves.
The Spryte whizzed around behind me and I felt my hair plaited into a loose but well-done braid. And, knowing the Sprytes and their sense of aesthetic beauty, there were probably several sprigs of some light purple flower tucked into my hair here and there.
I went to the sparkling, crystalline windows that had been set into the wall on the right side of my bed and flattened my hand against the crystal-clear glass pane, and the Spryte unlatched it before whizzing off, presumably to fulfill some other duty. A bit of the sunny morning breeze flew into the room to greet me, and I looked out over the castle's endless wintery lands, resting my elbows on the window ledge and cupping my chin in my hands.
"That's another strange thing about this place." I said. "No one ever seems to be about for more than a few moments, and I don't ever see the Sprytes doing anything in the castle, even with as many walks as I've taken."
I thought warmly of the excursion that I had made the previous day, and of the ballrooms, halls, and various other chambers that I had discovered. Every day it seemed as if I was seeing a new part of the castle, and yet it never seemed to grow any smaller!
"And as for the Beast…well, he just hasn't been around lately. I wonder…I wonder why he's been avoiding me. Since that night when we saw each other in the garden…I just don't understand it."
I hope I haven't hurt him that much, I thought, with a tinge of dismay.
Before I had had more than a moment's time to bite my bottom lip and frown in guilty concern, the door opened again and one of my Sprytes flew in. It dipped a graceful little bow and I restrained an urge to giggle at it, although it seemed as if it would have been pleased that it had made me laugh at its antics.
"Would beautiful Beauty have her lovely breakfast first or would she like to bathe? Or has she something else in mind?"
A bath sounded very appealing to me at that moment. Back home… I stopped myself on thinking of the house that I had shared with my father, stepmother, and stepsister as home, because it had never been that – not with the way that things had been there. This, I told myself firmly, this is home now. This is what you have, and since it's more than you deserve and it's certainly much better than what you had before, you had better be thankful for it.
And I was.
I turned from the window and replied to the waiting Spryte, "A bath has a certain appeal to it right about now, I think. But I would like breakfast later…"
Then I hesitated, thinking of where I should tell the Spryte that I wanted to eat. In the past few days, they had all been entreating me to eat in one of the castle's many dining halls, but I had kept to my rooms, thinking that it would be better. However…
"I think I'd like to eat in the dining room today – since you've suggested it."
The Spryte whirled around in excitement, shedding little sparks of light as it did so, making the air scintillate with a lovely, strange sort of glow.
"Of course, of course, beauteous Beauty! Yes, yes!"
A few moments later, my bath had been arranged in the spacious washroom that adjoined to my dressing room.
I entered the chamber to find that the windows within it had been flung open, and the air from outside – warm, in spite of the snow and ice outside – was rushing in and making the delicate, sheer misty curtains at the windows drift inwards. Birds sang happily and the sunlight edged in, making a playful pattern on the salmon-pink and cream marble floor. The huge silver bathtub had been moved to stand just beneath one of those windows, and a delicious cloud of steam with a refreshing and uplifting fragrance of bergamot, grapefruit, and lavender was rising from inside of it. Tiny round candles had been lit and placed around the tub, both on the floor and on the window ledge above it.
Oh bliss.
As I scrubbed my arms with the mint-and-jasmine-scented soap, I thought of several things: namely, what my breakfast would be that day, what I would wear, and if I would see the Beast at all. If he was the only companionship to be had, I was certainly ready to see him, although the solitude that I had experienced in the last week had been extremely pleasant, for I had never had very much free time to myself for quiet thinking, reflection, and meditation on the things that a normal young girl of my age would be learning in her schooling. Since we had come to Éindor, I hadn't been able to do much in the way of continuing my studies, but now that I apparently was to be given a substantial amount of time to myself…
Well, that could wait for later. I would most definitely enjoy curling up in a deep, plush chair with a thick volume of world history in my arms like a priceless treasure, accompanied by a silver caraffe of some of that truly lovely white hot chocolate that the Sprytes had presented me with several days ago, laced with light and foamy sweet whipped cream, to be disposed with at my whim.
But only after I had had my bath, eaten my breakfast, dressed, and taken a very long walk through the castle grounds.
"Are you there?" I called, turning my head over my shoulder to glance towards the other room, hoping that I wouldn't disturb the
Spryte too terribly much in whatever it was currently doing. It whizzed in through the door and hovered in the air over my head and slightly behind me.
"What is it that the beauteous Beauty would like for me to do?"
"I'll need a towel, please." I answered, looking ruefully about myself, for I had forgotten to arm myself with such a thing prior to entering the bath. The Spryte obligingly fetched a large, sumptuous white towel for me and set it down on the edge of the tub, waiting patiently as I rinsed myself off, and only then did it move to gather my hair together and pile it gracefully on top of my head. I stood and wrapped myself in the towel, and then I went into my dressing room.
One of the greatest things about having a Spryte, which is quite a magical being at that, for a servant, is not only their never-ceasing good humor and talkativeness but also their adeptness at taking care of their charges. My bath water never got cold, my eggs were always just as I liked them and never overdone, and the taste shown in the gowns of my wardrobe was impeccable.
Of course, I still felt somewhat self-conscious here in this fantastic castle: me, a small, quite mortal little girl of seventeen, who hadn't the slightest idea about what magic was and how it worked other than what faery tales had told me.
And even then, I had to wonder what was true, and what was just inherently foolish.
But there was no refusing my new station, whatever it was, and my duties ostensibly included living in and wearing the finery that had been provided for me.
The gown that my Spryte had chosen for me today was an innocent but also somehow knowingly sensuous gown of blushing peach crêpe that seemed to slightly change in colour, like an opal, when the fabric was shifted.
In front, its bodice appeared as if it would have liked to make a dive for a deep V cut but had been prevented by a backing piece of cream-coloured satin, with golden lattice embroidery and pearl detailing. Its sleeves were long and graceful, with puffs at the shoulders and elbows, and the skirt was sleek and ample-cut, dropping from the gown's high waist. Behind, starting at the shoulders, there was a long, trailing sort of cape of the same peach-coloured material. The back was laced with gold ribbon and the gown's entire accenting trim matched the gold and pearl work on the bodice.
The Spryte assisted me into my corset after I had dressed myself in my other underclothes and then it tied the back of my dress for me.
That day, I opted for simplicity in garb, as well in jewelry, footwear, and makeup. After the Spryte had dried my hair – a feat which I cannot quite accurately describe; it felt like having a gust of wind blown across my scalp, and suddenly, my hair would be completely dry and smoothed to perfection – it placed a gold and pearl lattice sort of cap on top of my head, securing it at the very back of the crown of my head.
After that, I added a pair of delicate, unassuming gold filigree earrings and a little garnet bracelet, but that was it for gems today, I decided. I then brushed a line of smoky brown eyeliner onto my lids, softening it with just a hint of pink at my brow bones, and with a quick whisk of modest peach blush and a brush of coral lip-rouge, I was ready. Oh, and then shoes, which were, today, a pair of simple slippers of ivory and gold brocade, with low heels set with diamond chips.
Simplicity indeed! I thought derisively.
My Spryte had long since disappeared, and so I went in search of the nearest dining room, which was a good ten-minute walk from my rooms. It had a theme of warm, friendly crimson red and snowy white, and several crystal and gold chandeliers hung over the enormous table. Chairs of intensely intricate and truly lovely form stood in two straight rows down the table's sides, with a pair of throne-like seats at either ends. It was into one of these that I was ushered by several of my Sprytes.
My breakfast came rolling in through the doors at the room's far end, and the silver cover lifted off to reveal a scrumptious repast, the main element of which was toast with a custard-like texture on the inside, sprinkled with powdered sugar and dotted with sweet butter, garnished with mint leaves. Along with it were a poached egg and a sliced nectarine that had been arranged in the form of a sunburst. Two glasses – one of ice-cold, fresh milk and one of water – were also provided for me, along with a cup of tea: black, flavored with ginger, cinnamon, allspice, nutmeg, cloves, and cardamom.
I dropped a pair of sugar cubes into the tea and added a touch of cream, then ate in silence, only stopping when the entire breakfast was gone. I wasn't ravenously hungry, but I couldn't think of anything else that I could do right at that moment other than eat what I had been given. My Spryte, or one of them, came and whisked the dishes and remains of food away, leaving me on my own again. I sat back in my tall, ornate chair, and eyed the table top in front of me.
Suddenly, I found myself wanting to see the Beast, to spend time with him and talk with him.
Undoubtedly, the master of this castle was a great magician – what was I thinking, a magician? He was an enchanter, and no less, of course! – and he most likely knew quite a bit about the world, about life and stories and magic, which I found, I had quite an interest in. He could be an interesting companion.
And I felt sorry for him, in some strange way. I hadn't known him for long: I hardly knew him at all, but from what I had seen in my short time in this castle, he was lonely and sad. What grieved him, I had no idea, but pity and compassion rose in my throat to choke me every time that I thought of him and the depth of the dark, incomprehensible misery that was in his eyes.
I would be a friend to him.
I would show him that I could see past his strange outer countenance – which didn't frighten me, as he had shown no true malice towards me at any time, and I was not given to appraising someone by their face, for so had my father wisely taught me early in my life. I would be kind, friendly, light-hearted, and understanding, and we would come to know each other.
After all, what else could I do but spend time on myself?
I got up, pushing my chair back, and left the dining hall, intent on doing as I had already planned that morning. First, I would take a walk and then I would read in the library for a while. And if the Beast hadn't shown himself to me by then…well, I would simply seek him out!
* * *
Author's note: How will this turn out? Read on!