.
Once Upon a Time
Supermartian - "Beauty and the Beast"
Part Three
Inside the castle, Kaldur was giving Wally another lecture. "You should have remained quiet, Wallace," he told the candlestick. "The master has been in a terrible mood ever since. You've caused trouble for all of us. Mrs. Queen-"
Wallace waved a hand. "Oh, give it a rest, Kaldur," the candelabra replied. "And for the last time, my name is Wally. Only my girl calls me Wallace."
Both of the enchanted objects heard the door in the front hall creak open. "Hello?" questioned a feminine voice. "Is anyone here? I am searching for my uncle..."
Wally's green eyes brightened. "Do you see that, Kaldur?" he whispered in an excited tone. "It's a girl! She has come to break the spell!"
Kaldur was not nearly as impressed. "I can see that it's a girl," he replied flatly.
The girl's figure came into view as she moved down the corridor. Both could see that the maiden was about eighteen years old and that she had brilliant red hair and hazel eyes. She did not notice either of them, however, and she started up one of the staircases. "Uncle John? Uncle John, are you here?"
0o0o0o0
Down in the kitchens, Mrs. Queen the teapot was overseeing the washing of the dishes. Her son, Gar, who had been turned into a green teacup when the castle had been cursed, hopped up to her. "Mama, there's a girl in the castle!"
Dinah Queen was more than a little tired. Gar had quite a mischievous side and she did not really feel like playing along at the moment. "I won't have you telling stories, Gar," the teapot said. She was gentle but still firm. "The last thing you need to do is spread rumors. No one needs to get their hopes up."
Her husband, Oliver, who had been transformed into a stove, made his voice heard. "Listen to your mother, son. She knows best."
"Thank you, dear," Dinah replied. She turned back to their son. "Now Gar, it's time for a bath. Into the tub." She used her spout to scoop her son up and deposited him into the soapy dishwater.
Artemis appeared in the kitchen. In her human life she had been one of the castle's maids as well as Dinah and Oliver's niece. Now she was a feather duster. "But he's right, Aunt Dinah. There is a girl in the castle. Wally and Kaldur saw her, too. They are keeping an eye on her."
Gar's head popped out of the tub. "I told you."
Mrs. Queen was surprised by this news. And now that the story had been verified, she was a little hopeful as well. A girl in the castle was a start. The rose was already beginning to wilt and the cursed people were running out of time. "Well, well," Dinah murmured. "A girl in the castle."
0o0o0o0
Wally and Kaldur were trailing along in the girl's wake. So far she had not noticed either of them in her search for her Uncle John. Both were quite sure that the man she was looking for was the man that their master had imprisoned in the tower dungeon the day before. Despite this grim detail, Wally bounced along even more cheerfully than he usually did.
"You will draw attention to us," Kaldur scolded.
The candlestick ignored the older man's lecture. "Don't you see, Kal?" he asked excitedly. "This is the maiden we have been waiting for. She will break the spell. We can be human again!"
The ornate clock scowled. "Do not call me Kal." He turned back to the pretty girl walking ahead of them. "I for one am not going to count my chickens before they are hatched," Kaldur continued. "We do not know that she is indeed the one to lift this terrible curse."
Wally made a scoffing noise. "How can she not be the one? She is here, isn't she?" With that, Wally raced ahead of his companion to a door set along the wall. He leaned hard against the door to open it. The door groaned loudly and the girl turned to investigate the sudden noise. Just as Wally had hoped, the maiden walked through it,
This doorway led to the spiral staircase that went to the top of the tower. The girl's head whipped around from side to side. "Uncle John?" her melodic voice called again. Wally took advantage of her distraction to climb frantically up the steps. He placed himself in an alcove.
"Is anyone here?" the girl questioned. She was steadily growing more frantic. Wally heard the sound of her footsteps on the stone staircase. As she rounded the corner to the top of the stairs, she let out a gasp.
0o0o0o0
Megan's hand flew to her mouth at the sight of what awaited her at the top of the stairs. She was now standing in what appeared to be a dungeon. Several heavy oak doors were set into the wall. These doors had iron bars set into the bottoms of them, presumably for food and water to be pushed through.
There was no fireplace in the tower. As a result of this, the whole chamber was freezing cold. A shudder passed through Megan's body. She pulled her cloak around her tighter.
She heard someone cough. "Uncle?" she gasped incredulously. Uncle John's face appeared behind the iron bars. He coughed again.
"How did you find me?" he asked in a rasping voice. John stuck one arm through the space between the bars. Megan folded herself into the floor and grasped his hand. She was shocked by how cold it was.
"Don't worry about that," Megan answered. She tried to sound as reassuring as she could. "I will free you from this prison, Uncle."
A look of terror came over Uncle John's face. "You must forget about me, child. Get out of this place now, while you are still able. Hurry!"
Her uncle's frantic tone frightened her. "I am not leaving without you," Megan informed him. "Who has done this to you?"
Megan just had time to see her uncle's eyes go wide when something seized the hood of her cape. "What are you doing here?" bellowed the most terrifying voice she had ever heard in her life.
The voice belonged to a beast. It was tall and covered in thick black fur. It stood on two legs like a man. Its facial features were wolf-like, including a long snout and protruding fangs. The beast had blue eyes that looked to Megan to be human.
Every instinct told her that she should be very, very frightened. But Megan tilted her head back so she could meet his gaze. "I have come for my uncle," she declared. She tried to sound authoritative but her ears detected the fear she felt. "Please let him go. He has fallen ill."
The beast roared again. "He should not have trespassed."
Tears pricked at Megan's eyes. She wiped them away. She did not want this creature, whatever he was, to see her sob. "I will do anything you ask. You need only to say the word."
The beast turned away. "There is nothing you can do. Unless..."
"Unless what?" Megan prompted. Desperation had seeped into her voice. But the maiden knew that she had to do as the beast asked. Her uncle's life depended on her. John had always been like a second father to her. She owed him a debt.
"You would have to take his place," the beast told her. "I will let him go if you agree to stay here forever."
The maiden got to her feet. "I promise."
The beast looked down at her for a long moment. It seemed to Megan as if he were in awe. "You would do that for him?"
"As long as you promise to let him go."
"Then it is done." The beast stalked towards the door of John's cell. Megan dove aside as the creature seized her uncle and dragged him away. Megan could hear John pleading with the monster to spare her life.
Megan crossed to the window. She saw the beast throw her uncle into a carriage and heard him command it to take John back to the village. The roots that had grown over the carriage wheels broke away. The carriage rolled out of sight. The maiden began to sob.
0o0o0o0
Conner made his way back up the tower steps. Despite the fact that there was a girl in the castle who could possibly be the key to breaking his spell, the prince-turned-beast was still in a terrible mood.
His mood was not improved when Wally spoke up. "Master?" he asked timidly.
"What?" Conner grunted.
"Allow me to make a suggestion..." Conner said nothing. Apparently the candlestick viewed this as permission to keep speaking. "Since the lady shall be here for the foreseeable future, perhaps you should show her to a more comfortable room." Conner let loose a roar. "Then again, maybe not," the candelabra mumbled.
The former prince stalked past his servant and stepped into the dungeon. The girl stood at the window. He could see that her body was shaking, but he did not know whether it was from the icy winds howling outside, sadness at being separated from the man she called uncle, or fear of her present situation. It was probably a combination of the three.
What was it that Mrs. Queen was always telling him? Try to think of how other people might be feeling? Conner was sure that it was something along those lines. He remembered Wally's suggestion about giving the girl a proper bedroom. It was the least he could do.
Conner cleared his throat. He tried to be subtle about it so that the redhead would not jump out of her skin. She turned to look at him. Her hazel eyes were brimming with tears.
"You did not even let me say good-bye," she accused.
The prince was taken aback. He had not really thought of allowing her a moment with her uncle. Conner looked at the stone floor. An unpleasant feeling blossomed in his stomach – was that shame? He did not ever remember feeling that way before.
"I'll show you to your room now," he said gruffly. He turned on his heel.
Conner heard the maiden scramble to her feet. "My room?" she repeated as she hurried to catch up with him. "But I thought-"
"Do you want to stay in the tower?" he snapped angrily. "It's dirty and drafty, not at all fit for a lady. You would catch your death."
The girl said nothing in response. As they descended the tower steps, Conner seized Wally from the alcove. He held the candle over his head to make the most of the dim light. This was mainly for the girl's benefit. Due to his animalistic qualities, Conner was able to navigate the dimly lit castle with no difficulty.
He found himself watching her as they passed through the castle. She was a pretty girl, beautiful even. Conner knew that she also had to be quite compassionate and loving. Why else would she give up her freedom to save her uncle's life? Conner had never felt strongly enough about anyone to be willing to make that kind of sacrifice.
The red haired maiden looked around curiously. He supposed she had never seen anything quite like his palace and all of the things inside of it. The objects that had survived his fits of rage over the years were just as cursed and ugly as he was. Conner guessed that the young lady had a lot of questions. She continued to hold her tongue, however.
"Say something to her," Wally hissed.
The beast paused for a moment. He had never been good at conversation. What did one say to someone they intended to keep as a prisoner? "What is your name?"
She looked surprised. "Megan," she answered softly.
It suited her, Conner thought. "I hope you like it here, Megan. The castle is your home now. You can go wherever you like...except for the West Wing." Conner did not want this girl poking around his private rooms. Of all the places in the once-beautiful castle, the West Wing was the one that had fallen into the most disrepair. The beast did not want Megan to come across either the mirror or then enchanted rose.
Megan looked at him curiously. "Why can't I go to the West Wing?" she asked.
Conner felt his temper flare. "It is forbidden," he boomed. The redhead's mouth shut at once. Her hazel gaze fell to the floor.
He stopped in front of a set of double doors. He opened to door for her and stepped aside so that she could pass. "If you require anything, the servants are yours to command."
Wally elbowed the side of Conner's head. "Invite her to dinner," the candle hissed.
That certainly did not seem like a bad idea. "You will join me for dinner. That is not a request." The beast slammed the door shut, leaving his prisoner very much alone.
0o0o0o0
Down in the village, La'gaan had taken refuge at the tavern. The retired sailor had given the other townspeople a good incentive to stop laughing at his public rejection by delivering a solid punch to the baker, who had been the first to comment when La'gaan and Garth had arrived. Ever since then, the other patrons had let him be.
La'gaan sat in the best armchair, the one closest to the fire. He had turned the chair away from the other people in the pub so that he could brood without distraction. "I don't know who that girl thinks she is," he muttered to himself. "No one says no to me."
As always, Garth was quick to agree. "She's just as crazy as her uncle," the younger man said soothingly. "Can I get you another beer?"
"There isn't any point in it. It won't help. I've been dismissed, rejected, and publically humiliated." He threw the empty cup at the fireplace. It smashed into tiny pieces.
Garth frowned. "You should not allow Megan Morse to make you feel disgraced. Any woman would be lucky to have the chance to marry you, La'gaan. And every man in town wants to be you. Megan is merely a fluke."
The former sailor considered his companion's words. "A fluke," he repeated. "Yes, I suppose that's the only explanation."
It had to be. He was beloved by the whole town. What Garth had said was true. Megan should have considered herself lucky that he had decided she would make a suitable bride for him at all. If Megan did not desire him, every other eligible maiden did. La'gaan could have his pick.
Still, though, Megan's outright dismissal of him did not sit well with La'gaan. It was almost as if the redhead thought that she could do better. He promised himself that he would find a way to make Megan pay for her actions. La'gaan did, after all, get everything he wanted.
The tavern's swinging doors burst open to reveal John Jones, Megan's crazy uncle. La'gaan could not recall ever seeing him at the tavern before. He had a feeling that whatever was about to happen would be quite amusing. The grin that stretched across Garth's face told La'gaan that his sidekick agreed.
"You have to help me," John intoned in his deep, slow voice. "A terrible beast has taken Megan away from me. He has her locked in a tower."
La'gaan chuckled. "Calm yourself, John. What's this you say about a beast?" He caught Garth's eye and smirked.
"It is a beast," John replied. "He has locked Megan away."
The whole pub burst into laughter. "Is it a big beast?" the butcher asked. "And does it have a long, ugly snout?"
"Yes," John said earnestly. The patrons broke out in laughter again. Looking desperate, the inventor turned to La'gaan. "You believe me, don't you?"
La'gaan gave the older man a wicked smile. "I believe that you're a crazy old man. Take him away."
At La'gaan's command, the butcher and the blacksmith each seized one of the inventor's arms. They picked him up seemingly effortlessly and marched across the pub with him. They tossed John out into the thick snow that had been falling steadily all evening. The patrons all laughed heartily at the inventor's expense before turning back to their previous activities.
"Crazy old John," La'gaan murmured to himself. "Crazy old John." A plan was beginning to form in La'gaan's mind. He smiled that same wicked smile and gestured for Garth to pay attention to him. "I know how to get Megan to marry me."
Garth's eyes widened. "Tell me," he breathed.
La'gaan felt pure triumph. "Send for Hugo Strange from the asylum. I have a proposition for him."
0o0o0o0
In the castle, Megan lay on the bed in the room that the beast had provided her with. Her face was pressed against the pillows and even though she had been there for quite some time, her tears were still falling.
There was a knock upon the door. "Who is it?" she called. She hoped that it was not the beast.
"It's Mrs. Queen, dear," a soft, motherly voice responded. Despite the fact that this name meant nothing to her, Megan got to her feet and crossed the room anyway. She opened the door and found a green and black teapot smiling gently up at her. The teapot was accompanied by a matching teacup, sugar bowl, and creamer pitcher. The teacup had a face, but the other two items did not. "I thought you might like some tea," the teapot, Mrs. Queen, continued. "It can be very calming."
Megan backed away slowly. She knew that there was something strange about this palace, but objects that could walk and talk on their own? The castle had obviously been cursed, but why? Had the monster that had imprisoned her once been someone else? Perhaps that explained his human-like eyes. Megan had always adored fairy tales, but now she was too confused and frightened to appreciate the fact that she had stumbled into one.
The redheaded maiden had backed right into something very solid. "Be careful," a new voice lectured. "There are valuable things in here."
"I beg your pardon," Megan replied. Being polite was a reflex of hers and she gave herself a bit of credit for that. The redhead glanced over her shoulder to see that the new voice appeared to belong to a wardrobe. "This is impossible," Megan breathed. She returned to the bed and hid her face in her hands. Perhaps she would wake at home in her bed and discover that she had merely had a nightmare.
The wardrobe leaned against the bed as well. "I would have thought so, too," she answered. Her voice was kinder now. "But if anyone could anger an enchantress enough to make her curse an entire castle, it would be the master."
"Raquel," Mrs. Queen said sharply. If the wardrobe had still possessed shoulders, Megan guessed that it would have shrugged them. Mrs. Queen and the rest of the tea set hopped across the room to Megan. She slid onto the floor to reach the enchanted objects more easily.
"Do you want to see me do a trick?" the little teacup asked. It appeared to suck in a deep breath and concentrate. The tea began to bubble.
"Gar," Mrs. Queen warned. The teacup ceased his little trick at once. Mrs. Queen turned her kind blue eyes to Megan. "You have done a very brave thing, my dear."
Raquel the wardrobe made her voice heard as well. "We all think so."
The other women's words were kind, but Megan did not find herself comforted. "But I lost my uncle," Megan said sadly. "I will never see him. I'll never get to travel to the places I have only read about. I will never live my dreams..."
"Oh, child," Mrs. Queen murmured, "cheer up. Things will work out in the end. They always do." Mrs. Queen exchanged a look with Raquel, who straightened herself up at once.
"Let's pick out a dress for you to wear to dinner," Raquel suggested. Mrs. Queen and the rest of the tea set crossed the room while Raquel opened the wardrobe doors. She rummaged through a rack of beautiful dresses and selected a violet one. "This would look wonderful on you."
Megan crossed her arms over her chest. "I do not think I'll be going to dinner," she said.
The wardrobe gasped. "But you have to. The master will be so angry if you don't. And you do not want to see him when he is angry."
Before the redhead could reply, there was the sound of someone clearing their throat. Megan looked over to see that an ornate clock had entered the room. "Dinner is served," he announced in a formal voice. He spoke with a vague accent. Megan guessed that it was an Atlantean one. Megan had never met a person who hailed from Atlantea before. As always, her insatiable curiosity was at the front of her mind. A dozen questions were on the tip of her tongue.
But she did not ask a single one. Instead she said as coldly as she could manage to, "I'm not leaving this room."
0o0o0o0
Conner was in the private dining room waiting for Megan to join him. He paced back and forth in front of the roaring fire and muttered to himself.
The prince-turned-beast was worried about quite a lot of things. It had been years since he had used knife and fork and he hoped he remembered enough as to not embarrass himself. Another of his worries was how to make conversation. What did a person say when dining with someone they had taken prisoner?
Both Dinah and Wally were perched on the mantle of the fireplace. They watched him warily, used to his bursts of tempter and impatience. The prince knew that they were just waiting for him to explode so that they could try to calm him down.
"What is taking that girl so long?" Conner demanded. "I told her to join me for dinner. Why isn't she here yet?"
Mrs. Queen and Wally exchanged a glance. "Your Highness," Wally began in his most charming voice, "you must be patient. I am sure that she just wants to look her best."
"And she has been through quite a lot today," Mrs. Queen added. "She's been separated from her uncle and she's no longer free to do as she wishes. You must make allowances until she has gotten used to being here."
Conner considered these words as he continued to pace. "Master," Wallace spoke up. Conner detected the hesitancy in his servant's voice. The prince turned his piercing blue gaze towards the candlestick. "Have you perhaps thought that this girl could be the one to break the spell?" Wally asked. The servant spoke in a rushed tone, as if fearful that the beast would attack if he did not get the words out fast enough.
"Of course I have!" Conner bellowed. He roared so hard that the flames of Wally's candles went out momentarily. The prince tried to regain his composure. "Yes, I've considered that." He ran one gigantic paw over the top of his head. "But she's so beautiful and I'm...look at me!"
Dinah smiled gently. "Oh but Master, you will help her to learn how to see past all of that," the teapot said.
Conner let out an annoyed grunt. "I do not know how to do that."
The teapot leapt down from the mantle and hopped in a circle around the former human. "It would be a good start if you made yourself more presentable," Mrs. Queen informed him. "Straighten up!" He did so immediately. It felt unnatural after all the time he spent hunched over. "Act like a gentleman."
Wally stated his advice as well. "When she comes in, give her your most charming smile. Go on, give it a try. Let us see."
The former prince tried to smile but found that he did not quite remember how to do it. Instead, Conner ended up baring his teeth.
Wally shook his head at once. "Well, do not do that. You don't want to frighten the girl. Perhaps you can impress her with your wits instead."
Conner didn't feel particularly witty. He looked to Dinah in hopes that the teapot would have better advice. "Be gentle," Mrs. Queen instructed.
"Give her compliments," added Wallace.
"But be sincere," Mrs. Queen amended. "You do not want to come off as condescending."
Conner nodded eagerly. He hoped that he could keep all of their advice straight. Maybe since both of his servants believed he could be successful he actually could. He dared to hope that he might actually fall in love and break the curse.
Dinah and Wally exchanged one final look. "And above all else, you must control your temper!" they said in unison.
The trio was interrupted by the door creaking open. "She's here!" Wally cried. Three pairs of eyes turned towards the door to find that it was not Megan who joined them, but Kaldur.
The little clock cleared his throat nervously. "Good evening," he began.
The prince felt his blood begin to boil. "Where is she?" he demanded.
"Well, you see, Master...she's not coming."
"What?" Conner exploded. He tore through the dining room and bounded up several flights of stairs. He skidded to a stop in front of Megan's room and pounded his fist on the door. "I told you to come down for dinner!"
"I'm not hungry!"
His temper was getting the best of him yet again. "If you don't come out, I'll break down the door!" Conner roared.
"Master," Wallace said meekly, "if I may, perhaps there is a batter way to speak to the lady. Threatening her is hardly going to win her affections."
"Please, Your Highness, attempt to be a gentleman," Kaldur added.
Conner took a deep breath. "It would give me great pleasure if you would join me for dinner," he ground out slowly.
"No, thank you," Megan answered firmly.
The beast threw up his hands. "If she does not eat with me, then she does not eat at all."
He strode away from the scene, his long black cape fluttering behind him.
He was vaguely aware of his servants talking amongst themselves. Conner heard Kaldur instruct Wally to stand guard at the door. Wally agreed with the pompous sort of tone that he only used when he was poking fun at Kaldur.
The beast threw open the door to the West Wing. He muttered to himself. "I asked her nicely but she refused. What does she expect me to do, beg?" He let loose a frustrated roar as he paced the room. Conner's blue gaze fell upon the enchanted mirror laying upon the table. The beast picked it up and commanded, "Show me Megan."
The mirror glowed for a moment before the haze cleared away. Megan was now visible in the glass. Conner could see that she was perched on the four poster bed in her room. Her arms were folded over her chest. Raquel, the former seamstress, appeared to be trying to persuade the maiden.
"The master is not terrible once you get to know him," Raquel said. "He is rough around the edges for sure. But once you look past that..."
Megan turned her face away from her companion. "I do not want to get to know him. I do not want anything to do with him."
Conner looked away from the mirror. He now felt thoroughly dejected and hopeless. The prince put the mirror on the table with the glass facing down. "It is no use," he murmured. "I am a monster and that it how I shall remain."
Another petal fell from the enchanted rose.
0o0o0o0
Sometime later, Megan cautiously eased open the door to her bedchamber. She was very hungry after the long day she had had, but the young lady did not like the idea of running into the beast after the scene she had caused. Megan did not normally act so rudely, but under the circumstances she felt that she was more than justified.
She made her way down the corridor. As she did so, she noticed three tiny spheres of light behind a crimson curtain. "You are burning me, Wallace," an unfamiliar voice said. Wallace laughed and then appeared to drop the first voice. "Be more careful," the first voice said.
But the lecture did no good. Megan heard the sound of someone hurrying after her. She looked down to see a candelabra that looked at her with bright green eyes. "Miss," he said, "I know the master told us you're not to eat, but I am not one to deny anyone food. Especially when that someone is a girl as lovely as yourself."
Before Megan could respond, she heard something emit a noise of disgust. The maiden turned to see what appeared to be a feather duster stalking away and mumbling angrily.
"Artemis," the candlestick called. The feather duster ignored him. "Oh, well. It will not be the last time she is mad at me," he sighed.
Wallace grinned at the redhead. "I've been courting her for nearly seven years. You would think I should have learned something by now. But allow me to introduce myself properly." He offered her one of the smaller candles to the side of the main prong, which Megan took to be his hand. She allowed him to grasp her own and he kissed it before announcing, "I am Wallace. Please call me Wally. And it is enchanting to meet you, Miss...?"
"Megan," the redhead replied.
"Miss Megan. Right this way." Wally led the way down several flights of stairs and down a series of corridors. As they went, Megan noticed that the castle became warmer. She guessed that they had to be getting close now.
Sure enough, Wally stopped in front of a big door. On the other side of it, the maiden could hear Mrs. Queen's gentle voice persuading Gar to get into his cupboard.
A man's voice began to grumble. "I slaved over this meal for hours and it has all gone to waste. So ungrateful and rude..."
"Oliver dear, stop fretting. It's been a long night for all of us," Mrs. Queen replied.
"I for one think she is just being stubborn," said the clock. "The master did say 'please'. That is a lot more than the rest of us ever get."
There was a brief pause before the teapot spoke again. "Perhaps, but the master must learn to control his temper. Look at all the problems it causes. He will never end the cu-"
Megan decided she did not want to hear any more of the discussion. She pushed the door open. The clock turned to her at once. "It is wonderful to see you out and about, miss," he said. Megan was not sure that she believed him, knowing what he had just said. "I am Kaldur, head of staff." The clock eyed Wally with what appeared to the redhead to be distaste. "You have already met Wallace, I see. If there is anything that we can do to make your stay more comfortable, do not hesitate to ask."
"I'm a little hungry," the redhead admitted meekly.
Mrs. Queen brightened at once. "She's hungry. Start the fire, break out the silver, and wake the china." The teapot started to bustle about at once. The flames of the stove came to life and drawers full of silverware opened seemingly on their own.
Kaldur's expression became apprehensive. "You must remember what the master said, Dinah," the clock lectured. "Perhaps a simple meal would be best."
"What the master said is nonsense," Mrs. Queen said firmly. "No one in this castle is going to go hungry on my watch."
"Kaldur, you are giving Miss Megan a very bad impression of us," Wally added. There was a childlike delight on the candlestick's features that made it evident to Megan that Wally adored teasing Kaldur. "She's not a prisoner. She is our guest."
Wally showed her to a dining room. He directed her to sit at the head of the table. Once she was settled, the candle beamed up at her. "Oliver, the chef, is very happy to have someone to cook for again. It has been many years since he has had the opportunity to."
The red haired maiden offered a small smile to her companion. "I like to cook, too," she murmured.
"Well," he replied, "Ollie will certainly like you better than he likes me." Megan gave him a quizzical look. "Ollie is also Artemis's uncle," Wally explained.
"Ah."
The doors burst open and a cart full of dishes appeared. The cart wheeled itself over to where Megan was seated. The food began to serve itself. As Megan sampled each dish, Wally gave a commentary on each one. Megan was sure that she had never had so much rich food in all her life.
"That was wonderful," the young lady said once she had finished.
"I shall pass your compliments along to Oliver," Kaldur said. "I do believe it is time for you to be in bed now, my Lady."
But Megan was not tired in the least. There was something very peculiar about this place. It reminded her of her favorite story, the one Hal from the bookshop had given her. She yearned to explore the palace, starting with the West Wing. Megan felt certain that the mystery this castle was shrouded in had something to do with the West Wing.
"I don't think I could sleep now," Megan said. "It's my first time in an enchanted castle."
"Who said the castle is enchanted?" Kaldur asked. He shot the candlestick a dirty look. "It was you, wasn't it? How many times do we have to tell you, Wally, that –"
"I figured it out on my own." The maiden got to her feet. "May I take a look around?"
The candle beamed up at her. "I will give you a tour." He plunged from the table and started to make his way down a corridor.
"I suppose I shall have to come along as well," Kaldur said. He did not sound very pleased about this.
It was not often that Megan found herself using her feminine wiles. But she had a feeling that if she did not flatter Kaldur, he would never let her out of his sight. The girl was desperate to start unraveling the mystery. Shehad to get inside the West Wing. "I am glad you're coming. I am sure you know everything about the castle. You can answer any questions I might have."
"That is true," Kaldur replied. "I do know everything about this castle."
The clock followed after Wally. Megan joined the two. As they walked, Kaldur went on and on about the artwork and suits of armor. Normally the girl would have been interested in Kaldur's lecture, but she was preoccupied.
The trio came to a staircase carpeted in a deep purple. Megan began to climb the steps, but Kaldur and Wally scurried over to her and blocked her path. She frowned. "What's up there?" Megan asked too innocently.
"Nothing at all," Kaldur said quickly. "There is nothing of interest at all in the West Wing."
Megan felt a note of triumph. She was close now. If only she could find some way to be alone for a few minutes...
Kaldur appeared to realize what he had said. He looked mortified. "Nice going," Wally told the clock flatly.
"We have many other things to show you." Kaldur stated quickly. He ignored the candlestick completely. "Perhaps you would like to see the gardens, or the ballroom, or the library..."
That caught Megan's attention. It was almost enough to make her forget about her quest for more information. "You have a library?"
The two objects exchanged a quick glance. Megan could tell that they were relieved to have found something else for her to focus on. "We have the best library in the kingdom," Wally boasted. "You could read for the rest of your life and not finish every book that we have."
Both the candelabra and the pendulum clock started down the hallway. They were so busy discussing the library's features that neither checked to see if Megan was indeed following them. As soon as Wally and Kaldur were out of sight, the redhead started to climb the staircase.
The closer she got to the tower, the more grotesque the decorations became. The gargoyles were frightening and there was a chill in the air that did not help matters. Still, the maiden pressed on. She passed what had once been an ornate mirror. The glass was cracked in several places and outright missing in others. Megan shuddered at the distorted image of herself that it offered.
She came to a set of doors with a set of handles made to look like another eerie gargoyle. Megan hesitated for a moment before pulling it open.
The room Megan stood in had clearly been a beautiful one at some point in the past. It was circular and she could just make out a connected balcony. There was a four poster bed not unlike the one in her own room, except that the heavy crimson velvet hangings had been shredded to bits. Armoire drawers had been dumped onto the floor. Marble statues lay scattered in pieces.
Directly across from the bed hung a framed portrait. Megan grew closer and smoothed out the pieces that had been ripped so that the pictures was whole once more. The result was a portrait of a handsome man with ink black hair and piercing blue eyes. There was something familiar about this man, and yet she was certain that she had never before laid eyes on him.
A brilliant red glow filled the room. The young lady turned to investigate the source of the light. Her hazel gaze fell on a red rose suspended in midair. The rose was housed inside a glass case. Megan hurried across the room to the flower. She was certain that this was an important piece of the mystery.
But as she started to lift the case away from the flower, Megan saw a shadow fall over her. The beast had returned. He looked so angry and frightening that Megan was certain she had brought on her own doom.
He leapt between her and the rose. He placed the case back over the blossom carefully. "Why did you come here? I told you never to set foot in this tower!" the creature thundered.
"I...I'm sorry," Megan stammered. "I meant no harm. I was curious."
The beast sneered. "Do you know what your 'curiosity' could have done? Get out! Get out!" He swung a massive paw towards her, but Megan managed to duck. She fled from the tower and hoped that the beast would not pursue.
Megan ran all the way to her room and plucked her cloak from the bed where she had left it. She flung it over her shoulders and fastened it hastily as she ran down the stairs. As she made her way down the steps, Megan came across Wally and Kaldur. "Where are you going?" Wally asked with a hint of panic.
"I cannot stay here for another second," the young lady called over her shoulder. She continued to race down the long corridor to the foyer. She threw open the doors and raced across the courtyard to the gate. Luckily, Sphere was still tethered to the tree.
She heard a howl somewhere above her. She looked up to see a pack of wolves on the top of the slope. They snapped their jaws loudly and came charging towards her.
Sphere turned and galloped in the opposite direction. The wolves gave chase and bit at the horse's hooves as she ran. One of the wolves leapt into the air and attempted to attack Megan, but it could not quite get the altitude it needed.
The mare managed to skirt around the edges of a partially frozen lake, but this gave the wolves an opportunity to disappear into the woods and cut off horse and rider. When the pack reappeared from the trees, Sphere reared in fright. Megan was thrown from the saddle. Sphere's reins became tethered to a tree branch.
Sphere kicked at the wolves. Megan found a broken tree branch in the snow and swung it like a club at the attacking animals. She fought the wolves off as best she could, but there were simply too many of them. The pack pressed in closer.
One wolf caught Megan's makeshift club in its mouth. Its powerful jaws snapped the branch in two. The force sent Megan to the ground. She was doomed.
A mighty roar shook the trees. The wolf that had been about to rip into Megan's throat was suddenly plucked into the air by...the beast!
The beast tossed the wolf away into the trees before springing into a protective stance over her. He was just as outnumbered as Megan had been, yet he fought the wolves off almost valiantly. They bit him and clawed at him, and still the beast managed to throw them off.
When the last of the pack had scampered into the forest, the beast turned to look at her. He collapsed into the snow.
Megan knew that she had to help him. The young lady untied Sphere from the tree and led the mare over to the beast. The mare was more than a little skittish but Megan whispered reassurances. Slowly but surely, she was able to drape the beast over Sphere's back.
It was a long walk to the castle. When they arrived, she helped the beast off of Sphere's back. He was able to walk on his own but needed a lot of help from Megan. She did not know where she found the strength to help support the beast's mass. Finally, the girl was able to help him into his armchair by the fireplace. She instructed Dinah to bring her hot water, a dish, two cloths, and a pair of scissors.
Dinah returned with the items Megan had asked for. With her were Gar, Kaldur, Wallace, and Artemis. A little footstool that barked like a dog accompanied the group as well. Mrs. Queen tipped herself into the bowl. Hot water poured into the bowl and steam wafted up.
Megan dipped one of the cloths into the water. She heard the beast growl and looked up to see that he was quite literally licking his wounds. "You must not do that," she said gently. She reached for his arm and pulled it towards her. "This will sting," Megan warned. She pressed the cloth to the wound.
He let loose a roar. "That hurt!"
Megan was vaguely aware of the servants backing away. But the redhead was not willing to let him get away with being a bully. "Hold still and it won't hurt as much."
The beast was silent for a moment before saying, "If you hadn't tried to run away, I never would have gotten hurt."
"But if you hadn't frightened me, I would not have left," Megan replied. The beast seemingly had no response for this. He sat back in his chair.
Satisfied with this, Megan pulled his arm towards her yet again. "Hold still," she repeated. He did so. When she placed the damp cloth on the injury, he growled low in his throat but made no attempt to pull away.
Next, she took the dry cloth and cut it into long strips. Megan bound the cloth tightly against the cuts like a bandages, "I'll give you fresh dressings tomorrow," Megan declared. The beast nodded.
Megan got to her feet. She crossed to the doorway and then looked back at the creature. In the dying firelight, he looked almost sad. And he had come back for her...
It seemed rude not to thank him. But she wanted to do it properly. "What is your name? Your true name, I mean. You must have one besides 'the master'."
"I was called Conner once," the beast replied without looking at her.
"Conner," Megan murmured. "Thank you, Conner, for saving my life."
His features seemed to soften. "You're welcome."