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Once Upon a Time
Supermartian - "Beauty and the Beast"
Part Two
On the other side of the forest, there was a little village. The village boasted a large harbor and over the years it had earned quite a reputation for being a happy one, meaning that there was a good pub where sailors could go during their off hours. The reputation had spread so far and wide that the village was nearly always referred to as Happy Harbor rather than by its proper name.
It was here that a young maiden by the name of Megan resided. Megan was a pretty girl of eighteen years. She had smooth creamy skin, auburn hair, and kind hazel eyes. Megan was a sweet girl, but when push came to shove she was willing to stand her ground.
Megan lived with her Uncle John and had for most of her life. Her parents had died when she was young, so her mother's brother had taken her in. He was a good man and he cared for her as if she were his own daughter. John had worked hard as a lumberjack for most of his life and had saved every coin he could so he could pursue his real passion, which was inventing. Her uncle believed he had an idea that would revolutionize modern society. His invention was one that could cut firewood all on its own. John hoped to enter his invention in an upcoming fair. The prize was money from the kingdom's treasury to produce more prototypes of the winning idea.
Early one morning, Megan began her day as she always did. She filled a small basket with rolls she had baked and wrapped them in a cloth. Then she tucked the book she had to return into the basket as well. Megan crossed their cottage to the front door and stepped outside into the early morning sunlight.
The maiden smiled at the sounds of birds chirping. It would be a day just like every other that had passed since she and her uncle had come to Happy Harbor. Megan crossed over the small bridge that separated her home from the rest of town. Their property was right on the border of Happy Harbor, but that was perfectly fine with Megan and her uncle.
"It's such a quiet village," Megan murmured to herself. "Every day is like the one before it." She continued her path into town, pausing to pass out some of the freshly made rolls to those she knew were hungry.
Both Megan and her uncle were treated as pariahs by the majority of the other townspeople. John was thought of as an eccentric because of his hobby of inventing. Megan was ostracized because of her two main interests. These interests were viewed as utterly odd.
Megan did not remember much of her mother, but she did remember how her mother had loved to cook. The one possession she had of her mother's was an old journal that contained recipes. Megan remembered helping her mother bake when she'd been a small child and continued to do so even now that she was grown. The red haired maiden simply gave away everything that she and her uncle did not consume.
This displeased the local baker. He had chased her away from his store more times than Megan could count. He always had a good scolding for her as well. The baker insisted that Megan's generosity had cost him many customers.
The second strange thing about the red haired maiden was that she cherished her education. Her father had been a scholar and he had taught her as much as he could until his death. Megan could both read and write. In the metropolis surrounding King Clark and Queen Lois's castle where Megan had grown up, female scholars were much more common, and they were just as respected as their male counterparts. But in Happy Harbor, a girl studying was practically unheard of.
For the year that Megan and her uncle had lived in the village, whispers had followed her everywhere she went. Megan was mostly content with her quiet life of books and cooking and assisting her uncle, but occasionally she felt a little lonely. No one in Happy Harbor seemed to understand her.
The redheaded maiden finished distributing her rolls to the hungry people in town. The little village was beginning to show its usual signs of life. A man strolled through the streets with a cart full of pumpkins. He tipped his hat to her. Megan's path took her right past the bakery, where the baker could be heard telling his wife to hurry up with the baguettes.
The baker eyed her suspiciously. "You aren't giving food away again, are you girl?"
"No, sir," Megan replied. This wasn't exactly a lie; she hadn't given away any food on the same street as the bakery. She showed him the basket, which was now empty except for the book she had to return.
The baker nodded approvingly. "Where are you off to, then?"
Megan brightened at once. "I'm on my way to the bookshop. I finished the most amazing story about a beanstalk and an ogre-"
"That's nice," the baker interrupted. He turned back towards his shop. "Jade! The baguettes!"
The maiden sighed and continued on her way. As Megan passed the other villagers she offered them a sunny smile. Most ignored her gesture and promptly started talking about her once her back was to them. Megan tried her best not to let the whispers bother her, but she could not deny that they stung a little.
Megan finally came to the bookshop. A smile crossed her face. She pushed open the lower half of the Dutch door. The shop owner, Hal, looked up at her with a smile. "Hello, Megan," he greeted.
"Good morning!" the redhead replied cheerfully. "I've come to return the book I borrowed."
Hal chuckled. "You've finished it already?" he asked.
"Oh, yes," the maiden enthused. "I could hardly put it down. Have you received any new books?" Megan asked hopefully.
"Not since yesterday," the store owner replied with a chuckle. Megan drew the book from her basket and handed it to Hal before climbing the ladder that rested along the back wall of the shop.
"That is fine," Megan declared as she slid the ladder along the shelf. She was in search of one book in particular. Her hazel eyes scanned the titles carefully until she found it. "May I borrow this one?"
Hal took the book from her and examined it. "This one? But you've read it twice."
Megan smiled. "It is my favorite. It has far off kingdoms, magic spells, sword fights and a prince in disguise..."
"Megan my dear, if you like it so much, the book is yours," Hal said as she descended from the ladder. He walked towards the door. "I insist upon it."
"Thank you very much," the maiden said happily as she stepped out of the shop. She cracked the book open and began to read at once. Megan had done this many times and she was able to choose her path without having to look up.
The red haired girl came to one of her favorite places in town. The fountain was not in the center of town, but it was not too far away from the hub either. The sounds of the constantly flowing water made a soothing backdrop for her to read to. Megan settled in on the edge of the fountain, spreading her blue skirts around her.
Megan turned to her favorite part of the story. It was the prince and princess's first meeting and it was accompanied by a beautiful illustration of the two characters. Megan sighed softly as she tried to drink in every detail of the artwork. Megan was a romantic at heart. She hoped one day to have a romance of her own and not a marriage of convenience.
She continued to read for some length of time. She knew she ought to be getting home to help her Uncle John, so she tucked her book away and got to her feet once more.
As Megan passed a shop that sold hats, she could hear the patrons start to talk about her. "It really is a shame that she's so strange. She's a very pretty girl, but no man will want her if she doesn't learn to sort out her priorities."
Megan wanted to turn around and give the woman a piece of her mind, but she chose not to. Instead, she opened her book once more and went on her way. No one else said anything rude about her.
Then she heard the gunshots.
0o0o0o0
The gunshots had been made by a young man by the name of La'gaan. La'gaan was twenty-one years of age and by his own opinion already quite accomplished.
La'gaan had enlisted in Kryptonne's navy at the age of sixteen. He had served admirably and had even been given a medal by King Clark himself upon his discharge. Since returning to his hometown of Happy Harbor, La'gaan had spent his days hunting and telling stories about his glory days in the navy. There was a trio of young girls who fawned over him, but La'gaan only had eyes for Megan Morse.
The maiden had moved to the village just before he'd returned from his service. She was different than the other girls in Happy Harbor, and that fascinated him. He was just as old fashioned as the other people in town and definitely agreed that Megan should not be reading or writing, but once he had won her over he would put an end to that.
He had been hunting in town again, hence the gunshots. As the goose he had just shot and killed plummeted from the sky, Garth, a younger boy who idolized him, ran over with the game bag to try to catch the fowl. He had run too far, however, and the goose landed on the cobblestone street. Garth quickly stuffed the bird into the game bag and returned to La'gaan's side.
"You did not miss a single shot," Garth said in awe. "You are the greatest hunter in the kingdom."
"I know," La'gaan replied arrogantly.
Garth continued to look up at him rapturously. "There isn't a beast alive that stands a chance against you, La'gaan." The younger boy cast a quick glance at the trio of girls who followed La'gaan's every move. "And there is no maiden who does, either."
"That is true, Garth," the hunter replied. "And I have my sights set on that one." He pointed proudly at Megan, who was strolling towards the two with a book in her hands. "She's the lucky girl I will make my bride."
The younger boy made a face. "The inventor's niece? But she...she is so..."
"I know what you mean," La'gaan interrupted. "But Megan is the most beautiful girl in town. That makes her the best. And I deserve the best."
He puffed himself up and began to examine his reflection in a shiny silver pot hanging from a vendor's cart of odds and ends. His dark hair was still neat and his smile looked nice and white. La'gaan was so caught up in gazing at himself, however, that Megan kept walking and he did not get a chance to talk to her before she was separated from him by the crowd. La'gaan could just make out her vivid coppery ponytail bobbing through the group of street vendors and customers.
La'gaan began to pursue the girl at once, but he could not get through the horde of townspeople. They had all stopped to gossip about Megan. It seemed that this was a pastime that did not get old. The villagers were so caught up in discussing the maiden that no one seemed to hear his pleas to let him through.
He could see that Megan was nearly gone from town now. La'gaan did not want to let her get away without having a conversation, so he quickly formulated a plan. He let himself into the bakery and crossed to the staircase in the back corner. This led him to the top floor where the baker and his wife lived. La'gaan clambered out of the window and onto the roof. From this vantage point he could see Megan once more.
The roof of the building next to the bakery was close enough for La'gaan to reach. He leapt across the narrow distance and eased his way down the other side of the roof's peak. La'gaan waited until the red haired maiden was level with the café he was perched on before jumping down and landing lightly on his feet in front of her.
0o0o0o0
Megan was startled by a sudden loud noise. She closed her book and looked up to see one of the townspeople that she particularly disliked.
"Hello, Megan," La'gaan said in his deep voice. She could tell that he was trying to sound more pleasant than he actually was.
The former sailor walked towards her and plucked her book from her hands. "How is it that you can read this?" he questioned. He thumbed through the delicate pages in a particularly rough manner. Megan hoped that he wasn't damaging her book in any way. "There are hardly any pictures."
Megan frowned and folded her arms across her chest. "I prefer to use my imagination," the maiden informed him coolly. She hardly ever lost her composure, but something about La'gaan aggravated her. The redhead was too much of a lady to raise her voice in public, and she hardly needed to give the villagers more to discuss about her. Megan forced a smile for her would-be suitor and spoke to him sweetly. "La'gaan, may I have my book back? I need to get home."
La'gaan ignored her polite request and casually dropped her book on the ground. "The whole town talks about you, Megan. It is time you stopped walking around with your nose stuck in a book. You're a woman now and you should be paying attention to more important things, things like choosing a suitor and settling down. It simply isn't right for a woman to be educated."
Her blood was beginning to boil. "You are positively obtuse," Megan declared. She was sure that the insult would go straight over his head.
And it did. La'gaan puffed himself up proudly. "Why thank you, Megan," he replied. He smoothed one hand over his dark hair and then placed the same hand on her shoulder. La'gaan turned her back towards town. "Let's say you and I talk a walk over to the tavern. I shall show you all of my trophies."
The young lady could hardly believe the sheer arrogance that La'gaan was displaying. "Perhaps some other time," Megan said in her firmest voice. She removed his hand from her shoulder and plucked the book from the ground. She began to gently wipe away the dirt with her apron.
Behind them lurked the three girls who followed La'gaan around. Barbara, the redhead, turned to her companions. "What's wrong with her?" she asked. "I would love an invitation like that."
"She must be crazy," Karen agreed.
"La'gaan is gorgeous," Cassie sighed.
The dark haired man was not willing to give up so easily, however. "It will not take long," he promised. "Unless you want it to." He reached for her again, but Megan ducked out of his grasp.
"Please, La'gaan," Megan said, "I must get home to help my uncle."
Garth appeared at La'gaan's side, lugging an overflowing bag of game. He laughed heartily at Megan's words. "Your uncle is crazy," Garth stated. "He needs all the help he can get, I am sure." La'gaan began to laugh at the younger boy's statement as well.
Megan's eyes narrowed. "Do not talk about my uncle that way," she told the two men. "My uncle is not crazy. He's a genius."
La'gaan ceased his laughter at once and gave Garth a hard shove. "Don't talk about her uncle that way," he repeated.
In the distance there was a tremendous crashing sound. Megan spun around in the direction of her home. Smoke was beginning to fill the air. The maiden's hand flew to her mouth in horror.
She flung her book into the basket and began to run towards the cottage. She lifted her skirts so that they would not be in the way. Megan was aware that both La'gaan and Garth had begun to howl with laughter once more, but now she was too worried about Uncle John to care about their cruelty.
The redheaded maiden made her way home as quickly as her feet would carry her. She threw open the basement doors. Smoke came rushing out. Megan coughed and spluttered a bit until the smoke began to clear. "Uncle?" Megan called as she lowered herself down the small ladder that led into her uncle's workshop. "Uncle?"
He had somehow become trapped in a barrel ring, but other than that he seemed to be unharmed. John let out a deep sigh. "I am nearly ready to give up, Megan," John informed her. "I cannot get my invention to work."
"You can't do that," Megan said. "You'll get it to work. And you will get the prize money at the fair tomorrow. Your invention will change the world."
Her uncle seemed to brighten at her kind words. "Do you really believe that, child?" John asked. A hint of a smile tugged at the corners of his mouth.
Megan beamed. "I always have."
"Then I will give it one more try," John decided. He lowered his body to the floor and began to slide under the machine. "Will you hand me the toolbox?" he asked.
She placed it down on the floor where he could reach it and watched as he selected the dog-legged clencher by feel. Megan smiled to herself as she watched her uncle get to work. Then she settled in on a small chair in one corner of the room.
"Did you have a good time in town today, my dear?" Uncle John asked from under his invention.
Megan paused for a moment."Hal gave me a new book," she replied a little hesitantly. Now that she was no longer worried about her uncle, she could focus on La'gaan's words. He was brutish and arrogant, that much she knew, but she wondered if he might also have had a point about her behavior. "Uncle, do you think I'm...odd?" Megan asked.
Uncle John poked his head out. "Now child, where would you get such an idea? You are a lovely, intelligent young lady."
She wanted to believe her uncle, but the doubt lingered. "I do not fit in here," she murmured. "This town isn't like the metropolis. I was accepted there. But the people here are different. I don't have anyone to talk to."
John returned to the repairs. "What about La'gaan? He appears to fancy you. He is quite handsome."
The maiden scoffed at her uncle's suggestion. "Sure, he may be handsome. But La'gaan is also vain and arrogant and idiotic. He looks down on women. Oh, Uncle, he is not for me."
Her uncle slid out again and got to his feet. He wiped the grease away with a rag and patted her hand gently. "Do not despair, child. If this invention works, it will be the start of a new life for us. Perhaps we could even return to the metropolis."
He turned back to his contraption and pulled the lever. Smoke began to billow out of the pipes and slowly but surely the cogs started to turn. The ax fixed to the end of the machine began to chop the log in front of it. Finally, the log was split into two equal pieces, and both went careening across the room to land in the pile of firewood stacked against one wall.
The redhead felt a smile break across her face. "It works! It really works!"
John's gaze was still focused on the invention. It continued to do just as it was supposed to. There was no other conclusion that he could come to. "It does work," John agreed. He returned Megan's smile. "Go and hitch up Sphere for me, please. I must go pack."
Megan obeyed at once. She climbed out of the workshop and crossed the yard to the small barn where they kept their horse, Sphere, and a few goats and chickens. She gave the horse a fond pat and started readying the horse for the journey.
Her uncle came to load the invention into the cart. While he did that, Megan returned to the house and quickly packed some food for his trip. She placed the food carefully inside the saddlebags and watched as her uncle donned his long blue traveling cloak. John mounted the mare and then leaned down to kiss her forehead.
"Good-bye, Uncle!" Megan called. "Good luck!"
"Good-bye, Megan. Take care while I am away."
Megan continued to watch her uncle until he was out of sight. Then she went back inside, alone as usual.
0o0o0o0
John and Sphere were making good time on the road. They traveled through the countryside at a brisk pace. Gradually the shadows lengthened as the sun went down. Sphere continued along the path into a forest and came to a fork in the road.
The atmosphere of the forest was decidedly sinister. Owls were beginning to wake up and their hoots echoed throughout the area. The sun was almost completely gone from the sky. John grew worried that he had gotten them lost.
Sphere turned to the left fork. John noticed that the path Sphere wanted to take looked like it led towards town, but something about it did not seem right to him. He turned the horse in the other direction.
The man and horse continued on their way. John noticed that Sphere looked quite anxious and spooked. He reached out to give Sphere a reassuring pat.
The quiet air was suddenly pierced by the howl of a wolf. John felt the hair on the back of his neck stand on edge. The first howl was answered by several more. Sphere began to backtrack furiously before turning around completely. The mare began to gallop back the way they had come.
Wolves howled again. This time their cries sounded a lot closer, as if they had been stalking the traveler. Sphere reared up on her hind legs and John tumbled from his mount. She ran off down the path without him.
John's fall had broken the lantern he had been carrying. Night had fallen completely and he was utterly lost. John drew his traveling cloak around him more tightly as a cold mist set in. He was attempting to stay calm, but it was not an easy thing to do.
There was another round of howls. These sounded closer still. John looked up to see that the pack of wolves was waiting for him atop a large hill.
John's instinct was to run as fast as he possibly could. The wolves followed after him immediately. He could hear jaws snapping loudly as he ran through the woods. It was fortunate for John that he was very fit for a man of his age. He was able to run for a long time at a quick pace. As he kept going, however, his ankle caught on a gnarled tree root. John tumbled down a small slope.
He was sure he was done for. The wolves would catch him and then feast on him for days. He thought of his beloved niece Megan. It was quite unfortunate that she had already suffered so much in her life. He wished she would not have to suffer more, but his chances of survival seemed slim at best.
John knew he had to try. He got to his feel slowly and was pleased to discover that his ankle was not badly injured. He could put weight on it without too much pain. The inventor limped forward and stopped short when he saw a most peculiar thing.
Standing in front of him was a wrought iron gate that was at least thirty feet tall. On either side of this gate stood a solidly built brick wall. John let out a gasp and dragged his body over to the gate. He shook is desperately as the wolves drew closer. Finally, the gate gave way and he got inside of it just as the pack caught up to him. One wolf managed to grab hold of John's cloak and he tore it from around John's throat.
The inventor paid no mind to that, however. He was too preoccupied by what stood in front of him.
It was an enormous black castle. The castle featured several high towers and was adorned by the most menacing gargoyles that John had ever laid eyes on. The whole place was distinctly sinister. He hesitated for a few minutes as the skies opened up and rain began to pour from the dark clouds. The inventor was certain that whoever lived in such a place had to be a worse threat than whatever dangers lurked in the forest. But on the other hand he was now soaking wet and lost in an unfamiliar place. He had no way to get home to Megan.
So John knocked upon the castle doors. They turned inwards with a slight creaking sound. John found himself in a foyer carpeted in a deep red color. The vaulted ceiling was so high above his head that he felt quite certain that if he were to speak his voice would echo.
He found that he was correct. "Hello," John called out as he moved deeper into the castle. "I was lost in the woods. A pack of wolves chased me here. I need a place to stay for the night."
John was quite sure that he heard a voice whispering but he could not see anyone when he looked about for the castle's master. The voice whispered again and this time another voice replied to it. "Not another word, Wallace," the new voice said. It had a bit of an accent, but John couldn't place it.
"Have a heart, Kaldur," hissed the first voice. Then it spoke again more loudly and confidently this time. "Of course, sir, you are welcome here."
The inventor looked around but he still did not lay eyes on anyone. He saw a lit candlestick perched on a nearby table next to an ornate clock. He seized it and held it aloft, hoping to spot his host. "Who's there?" John called.
"Over here!" the voice called. It sounded as if it were above his head now.
"Where?" John questioned. The man was beginning to think that he should have braved the rain and the wolves. John was hardly a superstitious man, but he was sure that this castle was cursed.
Someone or something tapped his shoulder. It was then that he realized that the candlestick had a face. At least, it had green eyes and a nose and a mouth. Tiny spots were scattered under the eyes in a way that reminded John of freckles.
In surprise, the inventor dropped the candlestick on the floor. All three of the flames went out. The candle seemed to concentrate for a moment and the flame atop his head lit once more. The same thing happened to both of the smaller candles at his sides. "Fascinating," John breathed. He was an inventor, after all. He could appreciate genius work when he saw it.
The clock from the table hopped onto the floor. "Wallace," the clock scolded, "you have done it this time. The master will not be happy about this. You know when you do these things it reflects badly on me."
Wallace did not appear to be too bothered by the clock's lecture. John picked up the clock and held it out in front of him so that he could examine it at all angles. "Magnificent," he murmured. If the "master" was the man who had created these objects, then John wanted very much to meet him.
The inventor turned the clock over and found the dial used to set the time. He started to turn it but promptly stopped when the clock began to shriek in pain. Instead, John turned it back towards him and opened the glass door that housed the pendulum.
"Close that at once," the clock demanded. Wallace the candlestick began to laugh.
"I am terribly sorry," John intoned. He sneezed loudly and a shiver passed through his body.
Wallace looked at him with sympathy. "He is soaked to the bone, Kaldur. Come, warm yourself by the fire." The candlestick bounced down the corridor and John followed. The clock did as well.
The trio did not notice the figure that watched them from the shadows. The beast growled deep in his throat.
John was shown to a cozy room with a roaring fire. He folded himself into the only chair in the room, a wing backed arm chair. He distinctly heard the sound of a dog's bark as a little footstool came to his feet and propped his feet on it. A coat rack placed a blanket over him. A tea cart sped towards him. The teapot spoke to him. "This will warm you up in no time," it said gently. If he was not mistaken, the teapot had a woman's voice.
It poured some hot steaming tea into the chipped cup beside her. John lifted it to his lips and drank. The cup giggled. "It tickles, Mama," the cup said.
Just then the door slammed open. All the warmth seemed to be sucked from the room. The footstool let out a whimper and ran away, while Kaldur the clock began speaking at once. "My lord, I tried to stop this nonsense but Wallace-"
There was a savage roar. Kaldur fell silent at once. John looked around for the source of the noise and found himself face to face with a hideous creature. It was covered with thick black fur. Long curved fangs poked out of its mouth. Most disturbing of all were the creature's vivid blue eyes. They looked distinctly human.
"What are you staring at?" the beast demanded. "What are you doing here? Do you know what I do to trespassers?"
Fear clutched at John's heart. "I meant to harm," the inventor said. "I lost my way in the woods. I just needed a place to stay..."
The beast reared onto its hind legs and stood upright like a man. "I'll give you a place to stay," he roared. He seized John by the shirt and carried him up a long spiral staircase to a cold dungeon. "Please, my niece, Megan...if something happens to me she will have no one..."
"Then you should have thought of that before you trespassed!" roared the beast. He slammed the iron gate shut, leaving John very much alone.
0o0o0o0
Back in Happy Harbor, most of the town had gathered outside of Megan's cottage. They had been invited by La'gaan, who intended to propose to the red haired maiden. The hopeful groom stepped out from the trees. He was dressed in his fancy naval uniform, which consisted of a long blue coat, crisp white shirt, black breeches and black boots.
La'gaan took in all of the details. The minister stood under the archway that had been hastily constructed and decorated with flowers. The baker had just finished setting up the beautiful wedding cake and the town musicians had all assembled with their instruments.
As usual, Garth was at La'gaan's side. "Megan is going to get quite a surprise," the younger boy observed.
The retired sailor puffed himself up. "It is the luckiest day of her life." He cleared his throat loudly to draw attention to himself. "I would like to thank you all for coming to my wedding."
Barbara, Karen, and Cassie all began to cry at his words. Garth eagerly offered Barbara his handkerchief.
"I supposed I should go and propose to the girl," La'gaan declared. He laughed heartily at his own joke before striding confidently towards the cottage. He stepped up to the porch and knocked on the door.
0o0o0o0
Megan was enjoying a quiet afternoon alone. Her chores were done and supper had been simmering on the fire for hours. With her responsibilities taken care of, she was free to do as she pleased. At that particular moment, all the young girl wanted was to drink her tea and read her book.
There was a knock on the door. Megan sighed quietly and marked her place before getting up. She crossed the cottage's front room and used one of her uncle's inventions to see who her visitor was.
La'gaan stood on their porch. He appeared to be in fancy dress. Megan knew instantly that nothing good could come of that.
She pulled open the door warily. "Hello, La'gaan," Megan said pleasantly. Megan hoped that maybe if she just said whatever he wanted to hear that he might just go away.
The older boy sauntered into the cottage. "Hello, Megan," he replied. He stood dangerously close to her in a way that was not at all proper. Megan wished her uncle were here. She was quite certain that even La'gaan would not be so bold if she'd had a chaperone present.
"Do you know how lucky you are, Megan?" La'gaan asked as he stepped even closer to her. "Every girl in town would kill to be in your shoes."
Megan had no idea what he was referring to. She stepped backwards in hopes that he would take a hint. He followed her, pausing to look at his reflection in the mirror above the fireplace. When La'gaan deemed himself presentable, he spoke again. "Today is the day that I make all your dreams come true, Megan."
The redhead's hazel eyes narrowed. "What do you know about my dreams, La'gaan?" Megan challenged.
La'gaan puffed himself up and straightened his coat. "I know plenty," he declared confidently. The dark haired boy sat down on one of the chairs and propped his feet up on the table. His dirty boots smeared mud all over the table that Megan had just cleaned that morning. She felt a twinge of annoyance.
"Picture this," he said. "A big, grand house in town. My latest kill will be roasting on the fire while our sons play on the floor with the dogs. My little wife will massage my feet." La'gaan kicked off his filthy boots. Megan's eyes narrowed even further. "Do you know who that little wife will be, Megan?"
"Let me think," she replied. La'gaan missed the sarcasm. The redhead knew she had to get La'gaan out of her home. She did not like the way this conversation was going. Fortunately, Megan was quite adept at thinking on her feet. The redhead circled around the table and backed slowly towards the door. Just as she expected, La'gaan stood and followed after her. "I am so flattered, La'gaan. I really don't know what to say..."
By now, Megan had her back pressed against the door. She reached for the doorknob and closed her fingers around it tightly. La'gaan sauntered right up to her, placing his hands on either side of her shoulders. "You could say that you will marry me," La'gaan stated.
"But you understand, La'gaan, that I just don't deserve you..." And with that, Megan opened the door. Her would-be suitor toppled out of the house and into a mud puddle not too far from the door. Megan tossed his boots outside.
She went to the window and watched as La'gaan pulled himself from the mud. Megan could only hope that he had gotten her message.
0o0o0o0
La'gaan pulled himself out of the mud. He could hear the melody of a wedding march being played by the musicians. As more of the guests realized what had happened, La'gaan could hear laughter mixed in with the music. He had never felt so humiliated in all of his life.
Garth came to investigate. "It did not go well, I take it," the younger boy observed cheekily. La'gaan threw Garth into the mud in retaliation.
"I will have Megan as my bride," the retired sailor promised. Now the maiden was no longer merely a prize to be won. Now it was personal. He would not allow anyone to treat him in such a way, least of all a woman.
0o0o0o0
Nearly an hour had passed before Megan dared to open the door again. The maiden was glad to find that La'gaan, Garth, and all the other villagers had gone and taken their decorations and food with them.
"I cannot believe he would ask me to marry him," she said aloud to no one. Megan fetched the pail of seed and went into the barn to feed the chickens. "And to try to spring a wedding on me..." Megan looked down at her plain blue skirt and pink blouse. She was definitely the type of girl to daydream about romance and marriage and she had never once pictured being married in her ordinary clothing.
"Me... the wife of that crude, brainless man... I would not marry him if he were the last person on earth." The redhead finished feeding the livestock and then wandered across the field down to the banks of the stream that ran past their home. The sun was just starting to set and the water shimmered. It was quite a beautiful sight.
Though she had dreamed of marriage before, Megan was not ready for all of that yet. She wanted to explore the places she had only read about in her books. She wanted an adventure. She wanted to experience something bigger than herself.
"I wish someone could understand me," Megan said sadly.
Megan's daydream was interrupted by a distressed whinnying sound. Sphere came galloping into view. The gray horse was still towing the cart with the invention on it, but John was nowhere to be seen.
The redhead caught hold of Sphere's reins and gave the mare a few gentle pats to calm her. "Where is Uncle?" Megan asked. Sphere whinnied again. "You must take me to him."
The maiden quickly unhooked the cart from the places where it was attached to the saddle. Then she raced up the hill to the cottage. Megan threw water over the fire on the stove and pulled her blue traveling cloak down from the pegs by the door. After a brief hesitation, Megan also brought along her book. She shoved it into the saddlebag and mounted Sphere.
The horse led the way through thick woods. The silence was broken now and then by the distant howling of wolves. Fear pricked at her. Her poor uncle must be terribly frightened out here in this forest.
Megan let out an audible gasp when she and Sphere came to the gate of an enormous palace. The black exterior gave the place an ominous feel. Megan had never seen anything like it before. She shuddered.
Then her hazel eyes focused on a tattered blue cape laying just beyond the gate. Megan slipped off of Sphere and quickly tied the horse's reins to a branch of a nearby tree. Megan pushed the gates open and picked up the cape. It was her uncle's; she was sure of it. "Uncle John," Megan murmured, "what has happened to you?"