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Part 44
Caprice was almost sorry to leave the dusty old mansion. However, the ghost's untimely disappearance had quite spoiled her fun, and she was not so fond of housework as to wish to clean up the moldering monolith herself. Besides, it would require a vast amount of money to refurbish the house to Caprice's high expectations, and money was something she had none of at the moment. Well, when she found herself a rich, handsome husband, perhaps they would return to live there, and hire a flock of maids to do the cleaning...if the lucky fellow didn't already have a castle or two of his own, of course.
Her impoverished condition was only a trivial concern. After her experience leading the band of thieves, Caprice was well able to fend for herself. She did not know precisely where her next meal was coming from, but one thing was certain: someone else would pay for it!
A whitewashed travelers' inn seemed to present an ideal opportunity only a short while later. As she stood outside and surveyed the trim little building, Caprice pondered which approach to use. Should she impersonate a poor orphaned waif? A genteel lady of reduced circumstances? A feisty, streetwise gamine? Well, she would decide once she saw what types of people had gathered for their meal in the common room and determined how best to play upon their sympathies.
As she entered, her spirits fell slightly. What a crowd! None of her theatrical skills would be of use, if she were lost in the throng and unable to gain anyone's attention. However, all she needed was one person...but which one? Her sharp eyes scanned the room, looking for a target.
Her wandering gaze was arrested by a lone figure seated at a small table in the fireplace corner. Oh, yes...he would do nicely! She looked at him from under her eyelashes and gave a coy smile as he turned towards the doorway, and she was rewarded with an answering smile and a gesture of invitation. She quickly moved through the crowd, claiming the open seat at the gentleman's table before anyone else could take it.
"Good day to you, sir," she said as she joined him. "I thank you for allowing me to share your table. With so many people on the road today, I feared I would have to eat in the stableyard!"
"You are quite welcome, mistress," the fellow replied. He brushed a lock of fair hair out of his eyes and smiled at her again, black eyes flashing. "I only wish I could have such a lovely dinner companion on all my travels."
Caprice feigned a modest blush and briefly turned away to signal one of the serving maids, who swiftly brought her a plate full of food and some wine to drink. "Are you always such a flatterer, sir?" Caprice asked, looking at him over the rim of her cup. Fluttering her eyelashes would have been overkill.
He obviously did not mind her flirtatious manner, for he chuckled a little before he replied. "Is it flattery to speak truth, madam? I only wish to admire what Fate has brought before me."
Their good-natured banter continued in this vein as they ate. Caprice was enjoying herself tremendously. Here was a kindred spirit indeed! Oh, if only he were a prince in exile, or a king in disguise! Then all her hopes would be answered. He was such a handsome rascal...oh, that fair hair and those lovely blue eyes!
Wait a moment...blue? His eyes had looked black before. Perhaps it had only been a trick of shadow, or possibly she had not been looking at him properly, for now they were assuredly blue.
"Have you traveled a great deal, sir?" Caprice asked, after they finished their meal and were sharing a bunch of grapes.
"Yes," he answered, "a very great deal - far and wide, over the length and breadth of this kingdom and many others! I could entertain you for days with tales of the many strange and wonderful things I have seen and done." He raised an inquiring eyebrow.
Caprice twirled a lock of her hair around her fingers. (She always fidgeted when she had to think.) "Could you, indeed, sir?" she asked, stalling for time. Did she really want to travel with this fellow? What a thought - of course she did! If he wasn't a prince, or a king, or any kind of rich man, he was still handsome, and he would be pleasant company for a little while. "Well, I might allow you to come with me, if you were going in my direction. And I have tales of my own, sir, which would quite amaze you." She gave him one of her most dazzling smiles, which became even brighter when he reached over and placed a grape between her lips.
"All directions are as one to me, my lady, since I have no home and no destination. If you insist on challenging me to a duel of tales, however, I must warn you - I have never known anything to surpass my own. Such castles I have visited! Such treasures I have viewed!"
Castles? Treasures? That settled it - he was a prince in exile, and he was Caprice's lawful property - though he might not know it yet. At last! After so much trouble and hardship, she had finally found the man of her dreams! So well fashioned, with those lovely blue eyes, and that thick red hair!
Wait a moment...red? Red hair? His hair had been distinctly blond when she sat down, and this she could not explain away. Reflected firelight might account for it, but the hearth was cold and dark on this warm day. What was going on here?
She reached across the table and seized his wrist, then asked in an urgent low voice, "How are you changing yourself? I started my meal with a man who had black eyes and fair hair, and now I am with the same man, who has blue eyes and red hair!"
The gentleman looked hurt, and suddenly his eyes were green. "Don't you like it, my sweet? I can change back, if you liked my first looks better." No sooner spoken than done and there he sat, with fair hair and black eyes.
"Is it magic? How wonderful! I will concede your challenge before we have begun, for I have never seen anyone like you before."
He looked smug at the compliment, and Caprice congratulated herself for finding his weak spot so early in the game. Some men were utterly slaves to their vanity! An exiled prince who could do magic - this was getting better all the time!
"What else can you do? Will you show me?" she pleaded, pouting her lips ever so slightly, as if anticipating his refusal.
He looked around, suddenly cautious. "Of course, madam, for my honor will not permit me to claim victory without offering proof. But let us not remain here - I don't display my powers to the common populace, you know! And even for a private performance, I do like to have...payment." He looked at her with an appreciative glint in his eye, and Caprice had to restrain herself from laughing aloud. She had him, all right!
They slipped out of the inn building as unobtrusively as possible, in order to look for a more secluded spot. Caprice was again tempted to laugh as they left; she had avoided paying her bill, but so had her mysterious friend! His temperament was seeming more ideal with each passing moment. Eventually they found a private corner behind the stable. Caprice settled herself on a hay bale with the last of the grapes, which she had wrapped up in a linen napkin, while the gentleman prepared his demonstration.
He began simply, changing his looks in various combinations; his hair turned from gold to red to brown to black as his eyes shimmered from black to blue to green to grey. Caprice applauded enthusiastically after each change, playing the wide-eyed innocent and pretending to be more impressed than she actually was. (Magic would be an entertaining skill for her husband to have, but she was far more interested in determining that he was truly rich and royal.)
More complex tricks followed, as the fellow changed his sturdy traveling clothes to silk and cloth-of-gold. He presented Caprice with a rose he plucked from thin air, and made a swarm of glittering dragonflies dance above her head.
Now that she had him convinced of his own enormous talent and of her belief in it, it was time for Caprice's next move. A hint of boredom crept into her tone. "And is that all? Is your skill limited to changing your hair and your clothes, and tricks that any carnival mountebank would do for a few coins?" Carelessly she ate the last few grapes without offering him any.
"Not at all, my treasure! I have shown you only the barest hint of my power! Now tell me what you think of this!"
He flung one arm towards Caprice in a wide arc, suddenly throwing a handful of glowing powder over her. When the gleaming cloud faded away, her own garments had undergone a transformation. She found herself wearing a flowing dress of pale blue silk, embroidered on the bodice with silver thread.
The gentlemen looked at her critically. "Not bad, but I believe something else would suit you better." He made another grand gesture, and the dress changed to an extravagant ballgown of crimson velvet, whose wide skirts were dotted with seed pearls. Bracelets and a necklace of gold and rubies clasped her wrists and throat, and earrings of the same precious stones hung from her ears.
Caprice started up from the hay bale with a delighted cry, then spun around to admire the flare of the skirt and to feel its luxurious weight. Now she was making progress! (If he could conjure this out of nothing, the money she saved on her wardrobe could be put to good use elsewhere!) However, she controlled her excitement - she could not afford to let him take the upper hand again.
"It is very pretty, I grant you, sir. It would be terribly inconvenient for my travels, though. Would you do me the courtesy of returning my other clothes?"
He must have been a trifle put out; an irritated wave of his hand sufficed to bring back her old dress. "Have you seen enough, madam? Have I won the challenge fairly?"
Caprice seated herself on the hay bale again and looked demure. "I freely admit you have, sir, and I must give you my forfeit." She looked up at him through her eyelashes again and was not at all surprised when he sat down next to her. The feeling of his arm around her shoulders was not at all unpleasant, and his lips proved to be just as demanding as her own.
She was the first to break the kiss and turn away. "Your talents surpass any wonders I have seen, but I must confess, sir, I have heard of magicians with far greater powers. Why, only in the next kingdom to the north I was told of a magician who could transform himself into a falcon! Could you exert yourself that far, do you think?" Her tone of voice clearly indicated she did not think him capable of a similar exertion.
"Magician? I am better than any magician!" he cried, quickly standing up again. "What kind of accomplishment is a falcon? Take a look at this instead!"
Suddenly the man vanished and in his place was a large eagle, which gave a harsh scream and leapt into the air, beating its wings fiercely. It circled twice above the stable and settled to the ground again before it could attract any unwanted attention from the inn. When the man reappeared, he wore a distinctly triumphant look upon his face. "Does that satisfy you, then?"
"Well..." Caprice hesitated, "that was certainly very impressive. But what about the magician four kingdoms to the west, who could turn himself into a lynx? That would be something to see, I grant you." Unspoken was the implication that there was obviously nothing further worth seeing in this secluded corner behind a stable.
The man gave a snort of derision. "Such a paltry attempt does not bear repetition! I would rue the day I could not improve upon a lynx!" This time, when the man disappeared, a full-grown lion took his place! Caprice gave a little cry of surprise (and partly of fright, though she would never admit it) and reached for her knife, wondering if the hay bales would provide a sufficient barrier between herself and the gigantic animal. However, the lion only gave one roar before becoming the man again.
Caprice ignored his haughty sneer and collected herself again. "I cannot deny that was a very...large lion. However, what challenge is there in something so big? One's senses can hardly take it in all at once, and if the color of the mane or the arrangement of the tail was less than perfect, who could tell? No, I'm going to have to find a way to go east for a few hundred leagues, where they say there in a wizard who can turn himself into a cat. Just a common ordinary housecat, but so perfect is his command of detail that it could sit side by side with his own tabby and one could never tell them apart."
"Magicians and wizards!" the gentleman shouted angrily. "What can they accomplish that I cannot? If, as you claim, madam, magical skill can be best shown in miniature, then let me show you just what I can do!"
Caprice did her best to look politely attentive, knowing all the while that her pose of nonchalance was fueling the fellow's arrogance. She could have named any creature and he would have attempted it!
This time the magical stranger was determined to make an impression, for he muttered several arcane charms, waved his hands in intricate patterns, and even threw in a few tendrils of smoke, much to Caprice's smothered amusement. Finally, with one last command and gesture, the man was gone - and in his place was a charming little white mouse. It was simply perfect, from the tip of its black nose to the end of its long tail, and every soft hair in between.
"How marvelous!" Caprice cried, applauding with all her might. "My dear sir, that is even better than what I had in mind."
Whereupon she quickly grabbed the mouse, bundled it up in the napkin, stuck it in her pocket, and continued on her journey.
To be continued...
Part 45
The cart rattled merrily along the road. It was a very nice little cart, pulled by a sturdy little horse, and the driver was not at all bothered by the idea that she wasn't actually the cart's rightful owner. Caprice handled the reins deftly, humming a jolly tune in time with the clip-clop of the horse's hooves. She was mightily pleased with herself. How crafty she was! How fabulously clever! Her head was full of plans - she would return her wayward prince to his home to reclaim his birthright, then be given half a kingdom for rescuing the missing royal heir, then set up housekeeping with him in some castle or other. Oh, the clothes and jewels she would have! The scores of servants! Hmm...how soon could she invite a few handsome bards and minstrels to the castle to write songs in her honor? And she would have to send messengers to her family right away, to bring them to the castle in time for her coronation as princess!
These pleasant reveries so completely occupied her that she nearly missed the turn she was looking for. She noticed it barely in time, pulling hard on the reins and making the horse prance a little in protest. The cart careened around the bend a little too quickly, narrowly missing two milkmaids who were walking along the side of the road.
Three female voices were immediately raised in annoyance; two telling the driver of the cart to look where she was going, and one telling the two pedestrians to stay clear of the right-of-way. Before many words were exchanged, however, Caprice made an interesting discovery. These two young women were not milkmaids at all!
"Sisters! What on earth are you doing here?" she cried, pulling the horse and cart to a halt.
Beauty was the first to realize who had nearly run them over. "Caprice!" she called in reply. "We could ask you the same question!" She pulled Serenity towards the cart as Caprice leapt down from her seat, and the three sisters embraced happily.
"How good it is to see you!" Serenity said, when she had recovered her breath from Caprice's enthusiastic hug. "And how long it has been since we were all together!"
"Come ride with me a while, and I'll tell you of my adventures," Caprice said. "After all, we seem to be traveling in the same direction."
Serenity and Beauty eagerly agreed. They welcomed the fortunate coincidence that reunited them with their sister, which would also speed their return to Castle Lochlein! They climbed into the back of the cart, where they found what looked like a heap of blankets. It was no ordinary heap of blankets, however, for when Beauty and Serenity sat upon it, it emitted a muffled shout of outrage.
Beauty and Serenity started up again at once. "What do you have here, Caprice?" Beauty asked, staring at her sister in consternation, as the ungainly pile of cloth began wriggling violently. Serenity looked ready to dive over the side of the cart again.
"Oh, never mind that," Caprice said over her shoulder, as she clucked to the horse and started it trotting again.
Beauty and Serenity had to hold onto each other for balance as the cart bumped along - they weren't about to sit down again until they knew what was sharing the cart with them. "Yes, but what is it that we are not to mind?" Beauty repeated. The joy of the reunion with her sister was swiftly being overcome by a familiar exasperation. Caprice was obviously up to her old tricks again - but what had she done this time?
The misshapen bundle continued to twitch and spout the occasional indistinct oath, which became louder and more colorful whenever the cart hit a particularly large rut in the road. Eventually its struggling seemed to do some good, for a man's head emerged from under the coverings. The expression on his face showed he was less than pleased with his current situation.
Serenity gasped. "Caprice, there's a man back here!" She knelt to help untangle the fellow.
That action finally got Caprice's attention. "Oh, leave him be! I don't want him to get away again. He's my fiancé, you know."
"Your what?!" came three voices from the back of the cart.
The man traded incredulous looks with Beauty and Serenity, and then resumed his attempts to free himself, with even more vigor than before. The three sisters were soon in an argument about the propriety of kidnapping one's intended husband - or at least two of them were, since Caprice paid no attention to anything the others were saying. Her interest was entirely focused on the road, as she searched for some landmark.
"Ah, there it is!" she cried happily. "I was beginning to think that farmer gave me bad directions, or that I had taken the wrong turning." She stopped the cart again in front of a white wooden frame building. The small belfry atop its roof identified it as a chapel, and a thin, black-clad clergyman appeared by the door to welcome his visitors. Caprice swung down from her perch to greet him, and they were soon deep in conversation. The clergyman seemed delighted to be of service, for he nodded and shook hands with Caprice, then ducked back inside the chapel.
Caprice turned to face her sisters. "How marvelous it is that I found you, for now you can be my bridesmaids! Would you mind picking some of those flowers to make me a bouquet? If only I had a veil! I don't suppose either of you has a shawl I could borrow for the purpose, do you? Bother, I feared not. Really..."
Neither Beauty nor Serenity could get a word in edgewise, no matter how hard they tried. Their expostulations simply bounced off the impenetrable wall of Caprice's self-centered happiness like a tailor would bounce off a giant. If fact, she only ended her list of bridesmaids' duties because she saw that her husband-to-be was on the verge of slipping away again.
He had finally gotten out of the tightly wrapped blankets, but he needed a few more moments to untie the knotted ropes that bound his wrists and ankles. He was about to take off running down the road when Caprice tackled him. "Drat that herbwife! She assured me the sleeping potion would be good for another hour or two! I have half a mind to go back and demand a refund!"
The magician (for it was the same fellow Caprice had pocketed behind the stable) twisted like an eel, seeking his freedom. Beauty and Serenity darted back to the cart, to be out of the way as he kicked and turned; Caprice, in the midst of the mêlée, refused to slacken her grip.
The clergyman reemerged from the chapel at this point, now wearing a white surplice and carrying a large book under his arm. His only reaction to the odd scene unfolding on his doorstep was to raise his eyebrows and calmly inquire whether they were ready to begin. Caprice managed to reply in the affirmative as she rearranged her hold on the magician's collar. The clergyman opened the large book and began to read. "Dearly beloved, we are gathered together here..."
"You know, you are seriously beginning to annoy me," the beleaguered magician told Caprice. He gave a sudden exclamation as he finally got one arm free; now he could use his conjuring talents to hasten his escape! In a moment he had transformed himself, and Caprice suddenly found that she was holding a huge hissing serpent, which darted its long tongue at her face and tried to slide out of her grasp. Caprice ducked away from its striking head and wrapped several scaly coils around her arm, preventing it from moving.
"I require and charge you both, as ye will answer at the dreadful day of judgment..." The clergyman droned on, not looking up from his book.
Caprice was working on tying the serpent's tail into a knot when the magician gave up on that creature. He resumed his human form long enough to tell her, "You're persistent, I'll say that for you! Don't you know it's unwise to make wizards angry?"
Then the shape under her hands changed again. Scales turned to fur, fangs turned to teeth, and Caprice was holding a young bear! It tried one or two swipes at her with its sharp claws before she managed to twist one paw behind its back and get a chokehold around its throat. She had to keep spitting out mouthfuls of fur as the animal struggled, but she wasn't about to give up. Besides, the ceremony wasn't over yet!
"...in sickness and in health; and, forsaking all other, keep thee only unto her, so long as ye both shall live?" the clergyman inquired calmly, taking a step sideways to avoid Caprice and her captive.
"He will!" Caprice spat, just as she wrestled the bear to a standstill.
Since that form didn't work either, the magician - or rather wizard, as he called himself - turned human again. "It has been some time since anyone gave me so much trouble," he said, wheezing for air.
The small respite seemed to provide inspiration, for then he changed again! Tawny fur covered his body, the sharp claws reappeared, and an angry growl split the air as the wizard turned into a lion. Perhaps he remembered how much this shape frightened Caprice the first time she saw it, but it was a miscalculation on his part. She might have been unprepared then, but not now! In a trice she had the lion's paws so tangled in its long tail that it could barely move.
The clergyman had to raise his voice a little to make himself heard above the din. "Wilt thou have this man to thy wedded husband..."
Caprice was catching her breath before the wizard could think of any other forms to try. "I will!" she cried at the appropriate moment. Just in time - for a malicious hissing and squawking filled the air as the lion transformed itself into a swan. It struck out once, then twice with its unforgiving beak, lashing towards Caprice with its muscular neck. Two strong wings beat at her until she managed to drag one of the blankets from the back of the cart to ensnare it.
The clergyman had taken the liberty of skipping over a few paragraphs - not seeing how one could exchange rings with a swan - and was nearing the end of the service. "Forasmuch as this man and this woman have consented together in holy wedlock, and have witnessed the same..."
The swan gave a despairing cry as it melted back into human form. "The last person who tried to capture me got turned into a hideous Beast, so I'll think of something equally appalling for you when I'm free!" the wizard snapped.
Caprice was tired, but she could not let her resolve fail at this point - she was too close to her goal, and only needed a little longer to accomplish it! However, the flaming salamander that the wizard became was nearly too much for her. The fire was blinding, and the heat was scorching - in another moment the blanket that had wrapped the swan would be no protection.
Looking around frantically, she spotted a trough of water near the side of the chapel, where the cart horse was calmly drinking. She clasped the salamander as tight as she dared and dragged it the few steps required, then heaved it into the trough. Boiling clouds of steam arose, but when they cleared she could see the wizard - dirty, bruised, and now soaked, but human again - sitting up to his waist in the water.
The clergyman concluded the ceremony, without having batted an eyelash through the whole extraordinary performance. "...and by joining of hands; I pronounce that they be husband and wife together."
"No!" cried the wizard, just as the clergyman snapped his book closed.
"My congratulations to the happy couple," were the clergyman's parting words. He made haste to take himself inside the chapel and slammed the door, before anything else could happen.
Caprice, reaching ecstatic heights of joy, flung her arms around her new husband. "My very own prince, at last! Here's the best part - I may now kiss the groom!"
She would have followed words with actions had not the wizard gotten his hands on her shoulders to push her away. He barely managed to climb out of the water trough with her clinging firmly to his arm. "Prince? What? No! Stop! Absolutely not! We are definitely not married! If you don't get away from me right this instant, I'll turn you into a..."
"If you were able to turn me into anything, you would have done it days ago," Caprice interrupted. "Everything's legal, and we even have witnesses, so you're stuck with me. Like it or lump it, sweetheart!" She crossed her eyes and stuck out her tongue at him before planting her lips on his for a satisfying kiss.
Part 46
Well, at any rate, it would have been a satisfying kiss if something extraordinary hadn't happened. No sooner had Caprice finished her eye-crossing and tongue-sticking than the wizard gave an unhappy moan and was surrounded by a strange glowing light. Within the glow he seemed to dwindle and shrink, until he was only half his former size. When the glow disappeared and Caprice opened her eyes, it was her turn to cry out. Instead of a handsome wizard, she was lovingly embracing a short, bald gnome!
The gnome pulled out of her arms and looked down at himself in anguish. "No, no, no, no, NO!! This is impossible!
You're manhood's best prize
Until she crosses her eyes;
Your magic's last knell is rung
If she sticks out her tongue!"
If he had any hair to pull, he would surely have yanked it in frustration. "Now look what you've done!" he shouted at Caprice. "You foolish girl! I chose the most unlikely key I could think of for that spell! Do you have any idea how long it took to make myself so tall and handsome? Now you've destroyed my best illusion! You've ruined everything! Argh!" He shook his fists in the air and stomped furiously away from Caprice.
He didn't get very far, however - after only a few steps, he encountered an immovable obstacle, which turned out to be Beauty. There was a peculiar look in her eyes, part anger and part hope, that made the gnome's ranting words catch in his throat.
"Just what did you mean a moment ago, when you said you had turned someone into a Beast?" she asked.
The gnome sensed an opportunity to brag about his now-lost magical talents, so he puffed out his scrawny chest and sneered. However, his false bravado did not prevent him from taking a step backwards for every step Beauty took forwards. "There was a king who had promised his sister to me in marriage," he said, "but he went back on his word, so I made him a Beast."
"That's not true!" Beauty cried, seizing the gnome's arm and shaking him hard. "You were trying to rob the castle, and the King prevented you."
Caprice chose this moment to step in to keep her new husband from being too badly bruised. "What do you think you're doing?" she asked, pushing her sister away.
"And what do you know about it, anyhow?" the gnome added, looking out from behind Caprice's skirts. "Either way, he interfered, and he deserved what he got."
Beauty took a deep breath, trying to get her emotions under control. To think that this miserable mannequin was responsible for the unhappy situation at Castle Lochlein! "You wouldn't stop me if you knew what he'd done," she said to Caprice. Then she gave a strained little laugh. "Or maybe you would - your loyalties always were rather misguided." She addressed the gnome again. "You must tell me how to break the spell."
"Why should I?" he shot back. "Besides, if I go anywhere near you, you'll probably try to break my arm again."
"If you won't tell me," Beauty said carefully, curling her hands into fists to prevent them from fastening around the gnome's throat, "then come back to the castle with me, and lift the spell yourself."
The gnome gave an incredulous laugh. "You must be joking! I barely escaped with my life the first time I was there, and you want me to go back? Even staying married to this little baggage looks appealing compared to spending the rest of my life in their dungeon!" Then he grumbled, "Even if I wanted to - which I don't, since you must admit it's an awfully effective spell, and very impressive considering the stress I was under at the time - I couldn't. My darling little wife managed to take away all my power by breaking the illusion of my appearance. Every single bit of magic I used to have is gone!"
"But shouldn't the spell be broken already, if you have lost your magic?" The surprise of the wizard's sudden transformation into a gnome made Serenity keep her distance, but now that the danger of random spells and counterspells seemed to be past, she approached near enough to ask this question.
The gnome scoffed at her suggestion and looked even more pleased with himself, though he still stayed behind Caprice. "You wish it were that easy, don't you? No, there you have discovered the real magnificence of my illusions. Once cast, they don't need my magic any more - they maintain themselves by feeding off the energy of the person or thing that they cloak! Unless I break the spell myself, the illusions last forever - and since I can no longer break the spell, that king will just have to remain a Beast."
Beauty could think of nothing to say that would refute the gnome's boast. It was her only opportunity to free the King from his enchantment, and she had failed! Pale and silent, she allowed Serenity to lead her back towards the cart, but she heard none of her sister's words of comfort.
Now that she had her husband all to herself again, Caprice picked up their argument where they left off. What did he mean by storming away from her like that? She demanded that he stop these silly changes. It wouldn't do him any good - they were married, and she wasn't about to leave after working so hard to get herself such a rich, handsome, magical husband. So he had better make himself human again, and be quick about it!
The gnome looked at her in disbelief. Had she not heard a single word he said? It took a little while longer, but now that he finally had Caprice's undivided attention, the gnome got his point across. This really was his true shape, and he didn't have any magic left to make himself look handsome and human again. Besides, it was just an illusion, anyway! He had been a gnome all along, only she hadn't known it!
Caprice's response was immediate - it was all his fault! He had tricked her, and now she was saddled with a short, ugly husband! And he probably wasn't even rich, was he? She looked as though she was about to start shaking the gnome herself, forgetting that she had stopped her sister from doing the same thing.
Beauty and Serenity watched all of this from their position by the cart - in spite of themselves, their sorrow for the King's fate was replaced with amusement. Caprice had certainly done it this time! What would their mother say, when she found out whom - or rather, what - her youngest daughter had married? The woodcutter's wife would renew her search for a comfortable lily pad, or race to the nearest mirror to look for any appearing warts, that's what!
Caprice and the gnome heard their laughter and turned to face them, temporarily united in indignation. They were surprised, however, to see a third spectator. Seated on his haunches next to a fence post was a familiar creature: red fur, black paws, white teeth and all! All my readers know that foxes usually look smug, but the Fox managed to look even more smug than that.
"I hear you are lately married, Caprice! I hope you will be happy in your choice," he called.
"You!" she cried in outrage, pointing a finger at him. "You're that miserable fox who made me take the wrong turn! Why, I ought to..."
"Now, now, don't blame me for all your troubles," the Fox interrupted, "especially after I distinctly told you which way you should go. You turned left at that fork in the road, didn't you? Yes, I thought as much. All that's happened is you've discovered you should be careful what you wish for. And as for you, my short hairless friend, I think you've found the woman you deserve! Was there ever a more perfectly matched couple?"
The gnome started to make some retort, but Caprice cut him off, and in no time they were bickering again, quarreling to assign the greatest share of blame for their situation. If he hadn't...but then if she hadn't...he would have...but she could have...! Their argument showed signs of degenerating into a brawl, as the gnome kicked Caprice in the shins and she responded by tweaking his nose.
"They'll be at it for hours," the Fox said, turning back to Beauty and Serenity so he could greet them properly. "Shall we be on our way, my friends? I have come to fetch you back to Castle Lochlein, where there are many people eagerly awaiting your return!"
The two girls were happy to agree, after embracing the Fox and telling him how glad they both were to see him again. They resumed their customary seat upon his tail and took tight hold of his fur in preparation for the journey.
However, the Fox couldn't resist having one last word for Caprice and the gnome before they started:
"I really must speak ere I go -
There's something you simply must know!
A donkey's loud braying
Couldn't stop me from saying:
Haha! Caprice, I told you so!"
Part 47
The remainder of the journey to the kingdom of Lochlein was uneventful. Beauty and Serenity had no more magical obstacles to overcome, they met no trolls or gryphons, and they encountered no marauding giants. The Fox ran along at his usual speed until he came to the village just outside the castle, in whose central square the King had met the illusory basilisk.
In the square they were greeted by throngs of cheering townspeople, who showered them with flowers and loudly cried, "Hurrah! Three cheers for Beauty and Serenity!" A hastily assembled band had brought down from their attics a motley collection of horns, fiddles, pipes, and drums, and their enthusiasm as they played a festive tune more than made up for any lack of musical talent. Also waiting in the square were the sorcerer Steadfast and the fairy Elegant, both of whom were pleased that the girls had accomplished their difficult tasks so well.
"News of your success has come before you, as you see," the fairy said as Beauty and Serenity dismounted from their place on the Fox's tail. "Everyone here rejoices that the spells on their kingdom will soon be broken."
"Let us hope their celebration is not premature," Beauty said. "After all, though we have the objects we went to seek, we have not yet removed the enchantment." And I have lost the only opportunity to restore my Beast to his true form, she added silently.
Elegant summoned her golden chariot, pulled by fifty white doves harnessed to silken ribbons, to carry them the last distance to Castle Lochlein. The Fox chose not to ride, but instead trotted out in front of the procession, accepting the accolades of the populace with a wide grin and a proudly waving tail. The entire length of the road to the castle was lined with garlands of flowers and waving banners. Every person they passed saluted them, offering bows and curtseys, or waving caps and handkerchiefs.
At last they came to the immense gates of the castle, which were opened wide in welcome. The servants were also glad to see them, applauding as well as their invisible forms would allow. Beauty and Serenity appreciated this tribute, but since the citizens of the kingdom remained outside the gates, the drop in the noise level from shouting and cheering to only clapping was still rather eerie.
Beauty could not help but think, My sister deserves a heroine's welcome, since she holds the keys that will free all of these people from the magic spell. But would they receive me so warmly if they knew it was my fault their master must remain enchanted? Part of her wanted to flee in shame, but stubborn pride kept her walking forward. She felt an obligation to face the Beast, despite the worst fear haunting her mind. What if he no longer loves me when he learns that I let the secret of his release slip from my grasp?
Once they entered the castle, the two sisters did not need to exchange a word or even a look; they both knew as if by instinct where they first ought to go. They led the way down many long hallways and up many long staircases, with the sorcerer and the fairy and the Fox following behind. At last they reached the deserted ballroom where the crystal coffin lay. The room itself was undisturbed and still full of the same strange clear light. At the threshold Beauty and the others paused, so that Serenity went forward alone.
She approached the coffin with a steady step and even smiled a little to see that the little stool and the warm cloak waited to one side where she had left them. Then she knelt beside the coffin and turned her gaze upon Prince Cheerful, sleeping peacefully within. His hair still curled golden above his smooth white brow; however, Serenity had to rely on her own memory for the color of his eyes, hidden behind the closed lids.
She felt a moment's hesitation as her hand reached into her pocket for the three keys that would open the heavy padlocks. Was this indeed what she wanted? Could this man be worth all the hardship she had endured? Was it truly possible to love someone at a glance? - for she and the Prince had very little more between them. If such love was not possible, would she have the strength to turn away when her task was done, and be satisfied only with his thanks?
She looked towards the coffin again and there saw, beneath the confining crystal, the rose she had given to the Prince on that long-ago day in her garden. Its petals had opened not a fraction farther; it was held in its moment of utmost perfection. Perhaps it was the flower, or the way the Prince's hand curled softly around its stem, but Serenity felt all her doubts disappear. A smile like sunrise lit her face as she picked up the first key.
The iron key fitted smoothly into the iron padlock and turned with a sound like a deep bell ringing. When the hasp sprang free and the lock fell to the floor, the castle was quiet no longer. The many servants ended their silence when they regained their visibility, and their jubilation was audible even in this distant chamber.
The silver key fitted sweetly into the silver padlock and turned with a sound like a plucked harp string. The noise in the castle grew even more as the hasp opened and the lock fell away, as the enormous flock of crows, ravens, and magpies returned to being princesses, duchesses, and countesses. Their clamor sounded very little different from the cackling of the birds, however. Most of them immediately demanded to know what was happening but could not have heard a word of explanation since every one of them was talking at once. How had they been turned into birds, and more importantly, had the King chosen a Queen yet? Others rushed to their former chambers and insisted that the servants should start packing their belongings. Their fear of being transformed into some other creature far outweighed their desire to become Queen of Lochlein, and their only desire was to leave the castle as quickly as possible. Lost in the first tumult of confusion were the plaintive cries for help from several other ladies, who did not think to fly down to the ground while they still had wings and were now stranded on the roof.
Last of all Serenity picked up the golden key, which felt warm and heavy in her hand. She took a deep breath, then fitted it into the golden padlock and turned it. There was a sound like a fanfare of trumpets as the lock fell away, and as Serenity put her hand to the coffin to lift the heavy lid, the entire casket shivered into a thousand sparking fragments and vanished into nothingness.
Prince Cheerful lay before her, free from his exquisite prison, but to all appearances still asleep. Why did he not wake? Could the sorcerer Steadfast have been wrong? He told her that opening the golden lock would open the crystal coffin and rouse the prince. Serenity wondered what else to do, but then laughed as a thought came to her. After all, it was said to work for sleeping princesses...
She lowered her mouth to his and kissed him. In the next moment, she thought she would die of joy, as she felt his hand come up to caress her cheek. When they separated, the Prince raised himself to a sitting position and looked at her mischievously with eyes that were just as blue as she remembered.
"I was awake as soon as you turned the lock," he confessed, reaching over to tuck the white rose into her hair, "but I thought it wouldn't hurt to follow the tradition of the old tales."
His words made Serenity blush, but she laughed just the same. Such a small trick could not give offense, and such was her happiness that she would have forgiven him anything. (Besides, she had been wishing she could kiss him since the first moment she saw him riding down the lane in her village on his white horse, and he had given her a perfect opportunity to make that wish come true.)
"I know everything you have done for me," the prince continued. "In my enchanted slumber I was granted dreams, at first were full only of my own imaginings, but at last focused around a single person. That person was you, my most lovely Serenity! I saw you come to the castle; I longed to reach out as you kept your lonely vigil at my side; and my dreaming self saw every magical challenge that you faced for my sake. I have not words to thank you for my release."
"I felt I had to everything within my power to free you, my lord," Serenity replied. "I could not bear to see any person or creature so unnaturally imprisoned."
"Those noble sentiments were confirmed with your every action. At our first meeting I knew you to be beautiful, but my visions proved you also to be kind, selfless, pure of heart, and courageous. There is surely no finer woman to be found, though I should search from one end of the world to the other. Your treatment of the ant, the eagle, and the fish more than proved your worth in my eyes.
"However, I would wish," the prince continued, taking her hands in his, "that you thought more of me than of the friends you met on your journey. As I dreamed, there grew within me the hope that you also acted out of love for me. Though it is a hope almost too much for me to believe, I could not endure it to be unrequited, especially now that my dreams have made me love you so dearly.
"I know my life would be empty and incomplete without you at my side, and so I would humbly ask for you to share my kingdom and my crown. I cannot offer my heart, for you own it already. Serenity, my heart's darling, please say you will consent to be my wife."
A few happy tears sprang to Serenity's eyes, and she nearly felt too overcome to reply. After taking a moment to collect herself, she was able to answer, "I do freely give you my heart in exchange for yours, for I know it could have no better keeper." She took the rose from where he had put it in her hair and threaded it back through the buttonhole of his doublet, where it belonged. "It would be my greatest honor to be your wife, and I can imagine nothing better than to spend my life requiting your hopes, especially if that may be accomplished by something so easy as loving you."
The happiness of the couple may now be only imagined, since it goes far beyond your storyteller's ability to describe it. Suffice it to say that there were many more glad embraces, particularly after Beauty and the others came forward to offer their congratulations. The Fox sat to one side with his tail curled around his front paws and a knowing smirk on his face; obviously he had never had any doubts that brave Serenity would win her prince.
If the new lovers seemed reluctant to part to any distance beyond their clasped hands, or if they already displayed a tendency to gaze soulfully into each other's eyes, or especially if they took the liberty of exchanging a few more tender kisses, then their friends tactfully pretended not to notice. At last Prince Cheerful took a gold ring from his finger and placed it on Serenity's, thus sealing their troth. Now they were ready to leave the empty hall and proceed to the important business of breaking the rest of the castle's enchantments.
Part 48
All of Castle Lochlein was bursting into celebration. In the blink of an eye, it seemed, the denizens of the castle unfurled banners from the battlements, waved flags from the parapets, and decked every other available surface with flowers. They filled the hallways, cheering and dancing as they rushed about, telling each other how happy they were to really see each other again. A few persistent noblewomen still remained; those who had benefited the most from being turned into birds were sincerely interested in witnessing the end of the wizard's spells, but those who had benefited the least only demanded to know where they could find the King.
Leading her friends, Beauty strode through all the revelry as well as she could, enduring the thanks and congratulations of those who grabbed at her hands, swung her around, or pulled her into a sudden embrace. She was grateful for the Fox, who remained at her side and offered support by his very presence. If the way grew too crowded, a short bark or a sharp nip from him was enough to clear their path again. Her other four companions followed a few steps behind. This part of the quest belonged to Beauty, and it was up to her to complete it. (If truth be told, Serenity and Prince Cheerful wouldn't have been much help anyway. They were so busy gazing dreamily into each other's eyes that it was a wonder they managed to keep walking without falling over anything.)
At long last, the travelers arrived at the central garden. Their destination had been easily guessed, and all of the arches and walkways leading into the garden from various other parts of the castle were jammed with people. Spectators even leaned from the windows in the upper floors to catch a glimpse. So far, however, they all remembered and obeyed their King's order that none of them should enter the garden, for the safety of the golden lily.
Beauty realized she would have to go forward with so many people watching, and she did not like it. She was always uncomfortable before strangers! However, she couldn't very well ask them all to go away. She was about to remove the spell on their princess (she hoped), whom they knew and loved much better than Beauty did. It was their right to watch and celebrate (if all went well), and she would just have to endure it.
If she had known how she appeared to the crowds, Beauty would not have been afraid. They saw a lovely young woman, dressed plainly and somewhat travel worn, but possessing a determination and a dignity that they could not but admire. Some of the servants recognized her from her earlier visit to the castle, and if they wished she would remain there in a position rather more exalted than an ordinary guest, well, they kept that to themselves.
The loveliness of the garden helped Beauty maintain her composure. Everything was as she remembered it, and yet different. The herbs still released their scents as generously, but the bees worked other flowers now that the honeysuckle was past its prime. The roses covering the walls were at the height of their glory, though a few of the earliest blooms had already strewn their petals on the flagstones below. In the midst of it all, the golden lily stood in solitary splendor.
A hush dropped over the assembled throng as Beauty crossed the garden and approached the flower. They watched in tense anticipation as she gently caressed its soft leaves and inhaled its delicate fragrance. When she removed the diamond bottle from her pocket, there was a collective gasp of wonder from the crowd. How marvelous that bottle was! The sun threw rainbow glints from its faceted sides and reflected brilliantly off its golden stopper. What mysterious elixir could such an unusual bottle contain? The watchers would not have been surprised to learn that the bottle held the tears of the north wind, but they would also concede that water from a fountain at the heart of a dragon's lair was sufficiently impressive.
Finally Beauty opened the bottle and carefully sprinkled its contents over the golden lily, making sure she watered the whole plant: leaf, petal, and stem. When she was done, the flower was instantly surrounded by a glowing haze, which increased in brightness until Beauty was forced to turn her eyes away. When she dared to look again, she found herself standing beside a young girl whom she instantly recognized from the portrait in the gallery. Princess Graceful seemed not to notice that the golden circlet she wore had gone a little askew, or that her flaxen hair and rose silk gown were dripping with water. Her happiness was plain as she flung her arms around Beauty, crying, "Oh, thank you! I was so worried when you went away, but after all your kindness I knew you would find some way to help me!"
The cheering began again, even louder and more joyfully than before, when the people of Castle Lochlein saw their princess embrace her rescuer. Prince Cheerful and Serenity rushed forward to offer their congratulations, followed at a more dignified pace by the sorcerer Steadfast and the fairy Elegant. Princess Graceful was delighted meet Beauty's sister again, and more delighted yet when she learned how Serenity had helped Prince Cheerful. The Prince's arrival was expected before all the trouble began, and no one had known what became of him!
When all their introductions and thanks were exchanged, Princess Graceful stepped forward to address the crowd. They quieted quickly and waited for her to speak. The Princess expressed her great joy at their restoration and thanked them for their endurance. She therefore declared that the gates of the castle should be thrown open, so that anyone who wished could come to a grand celebration that very evening, in honor of Beauty and Serenity!
Of course, after such a declaration, the noise immediately started up again. Some of the servants immediately dashed away to begin preparing the celebratory banquet, and others ran for the gates to inform the townspeople who were still waiting outside. Still others descended upon the visitors, to bear them off to the guest chambers and deluge them with the hospitality of the castle.
Before her maids could take her away, Princess Graceful seized Beauty's hand and stepped aside for a few more words with her. "You will stay with us for a while, won't you? My brother talked of you so often when he would visit me here, and I should hate to lose a new friend so soon. Then you and I may work together to release my brother from the wizard's spell! Oh, do say you will stay!"
Beauty could only smile in response to the enthusiasm in the younger girl's face and the light in her clear grey eyes. "If you wish it, of course I will."
"I'm so glad!" Graceful cried, embracing Beauty again. "And so will my brother be, when he knows you are here."
"I will go tell him myself, if you will permit me," Beauty said. "I have not seen him since we returned to the castle, but I think I know where he may be hiding." She dreaded telling the Beast what she had learned from the spiteful little gnome, but it would be better to get the confrontation over with as quickly as possible. She also wanted to tell the Beast how she had lost the chance to break his illusion, but without the Princess there to hear - Graceful had undergone so much, and her happiness deserved to last a little longer before any disappointment touched it.
The Princess agreed to Beauty's suggestion at once, saying it was a marvelous idea. She finally let her maids - who were nearly frantic over the state of her gown and her hair - lead her away, but not before making a cryptic comment about how Beauty might soon be even dearer than a friend to her.
With everyone dispersed to their tasks in preparation for the evening's festivities, the castle seemed strangely empty. Even the Fox had managed to disappear again - probably to the kitchens, where he might get fed if he didn't frighten the cooks too badly first. It reminded Beauty of what the castle was like when she and Serenity first arrived. Everything had been so quiet, at least until the Beast discovered them - his first action then was a roar!
He had never before been shy of making his presence known, so why did he not appear? He might not know exactly what events transpired, but he certainly could not be unaware that something was happening! The noise of the servants and the disappearance of the birds should at least indicate that it was something good, but even if it were something evil the Beast would not have hidden himself away. Surely his first impulse in that case would be to come to the garden to protect his sister! He wouldn't have left the castle, would he?
The thought sent a chill down Beauty's spine, but it seemed to be the only explanation for the Beast's absence. Where could he have gone? What if she would never see him again? The sudden ache in her heart was enough to send her down the hallway at a run, and she did not stop until she reached the library, the Beast's customary refuge.
The room was closed, and no sound came from within. The tiny gap where the door met the carpet was dim, revealing nothing where there ought to be a flickering line of light thrown from the fireplace and the lamps. Beauty waited only a moment, letting determination overcome her fear, before she put her hand to the door, pushed it open, and stepped inside.
Part 49
The library had changed from a place of purpose and investigation into a place of gloom and shadow. The fireplace was cold, and the lamps and candles were extinguished; the furniture showed only as dim murky shapes. The room seemed empty, but anything might be hidden in that darkness. Beauty saw that all the curtains were drawn, so she carefully made her way to the windows to open them. Just as she pulled back the heavy fabric, letting the bright sunlight flood through the glass, she heard a strange sound from behind her. Could that be a snore?
She turned around and surveyed the room, searching until her gaze came to rest on one of the large armchairs by the fireplace. What she saw brought a relieved smile to her face. The Beast, who must have continued his research into the late hours of the night, had fallen asleep in the chair with a book on his lap. Now he shifted a little, approaching wakefulness, and the book slid to one side. Beauty hurried to retrieve it before it could drop to the floor. She set the book on a nearby table and then resumed her consideration of the figure in the chair. How had she ever thought his appearance was frightening? Even a black-furred, wolf-headed, bull-horned, boar-tusked, bear-pawed, lion-tailed Beast could only be endearing, unguarded as he was in repose, with his head resting on his paw. When she left Castle Lochlein to begin her journey, she had little idea that the sight of the Beast could ever affect her so.
Not wishing to wake him yet, she knelt on the carpet next to his chair and gently took his free paw in her hands. Laying her cheek against it - and taking care to avoid his claws - she stroked the soft fur and whispered, "My dear Beast, how I have missed you!"
Whether a few minutes or many passed, Beauty could not tell; she hardly knew how to count the time, being simply content to rest where she was. At last she felt a slight shiver in the paw she held and heard a familiar rumbling voice. "Beauty, is that you?"
She felt a thrill of happiness to know that she was his first thought upon waking, which prevented her from making any answer. Then she heard him breathe a deep sigh and say to himself, "I am a thousand times a fool. How often have I dreamed that she returned, but opened my eyes to find myself alone with my imaginings?"
Oh, she could not allow him to suffer another moment! "Then open your eyes now, and let there be an end to your solitude," she said, "for you could not have dreamed my return any more often than I did."
The paw that she held suddenly returned the pressure of her grasp, and she knew he was fully awake. She turned her head so she could look him in the face. Though muted by his animal features, his expression was everything Beauty could wish, eloquent of more feelings than she could name. He extended his other paw to her and helped her to her feet.
"You are a very sound sleeper, Beast," she said in an admonishing tone. "What will your subjects think of you? Could they respect their lord if they knew he had left his guests to find their own way around his castle, all the while being nearly trampled by hordes of ecstatic servants, jubilant courtiers, and inquisitive noblewomen? The Prince could have told us whether you are normally a better host, but he declined to give his opinion. We know how difficult it is for him to say anything even remotely disparaging about his friends! However, your reputation was saved by your sister the Princess, who easily assumed the responsibilities that you neglected in your slumber."
This was too much for the Beast to comprehend at once, and the best he could do was stare as his mind struggled to understand her meaning. When his thoughts at last caught up with her words, he rose from the chair and strode to the window, as if commanding it to show immediate proof of what she said. The sight of the figures scurrying around the courtyard and the lack of ravens on the roof seemed to satisfy him.
"My sister? The Prince? Your sister? They are...?"
Beauty laughed at his astonishment. "They are all here, my Beast! Serenity returned with me, bringing the keys to the crystal coffin, which she opened to free Prince Cheerful. He then accompanied us to the garden, where we returned Princess Graceful to her proper shape. Also waiting to make your acquaintance are the fairy Elegant and the sorcerer Steadfast, who helped Serenity and me with their wise counsel and who accompanied us for the last stage of our journey."
The Beast's mouth was not made to smile, but he managed one just the same. "You have saved us all, Beauty! I had every confidence in your success, but it is rather extraordinary to have it happen at last. I and my friends owe you a debt we can never repay."
He extended a paw towards her again, inviting her to stand beside him and share his happiness, and also hoping she would give him the opportunity to say the many things he had dreamed over the past weeks of her absence. The Beast was therefore surprised to see a look of dismay cross Beauty's features. She had raised a hand in response to his gesture, but now she dropped it by her side and instead moved farther away from him, back into the shadows where the sunlight did not reach.
"Beauty? Whatever is the matter?" he asked.
"I have not saved everyone, Beast," she answered. "I have not been able to free you from the illusion that cloaks you."
He was puzzled. "And what of that? Finding the key to my sister's transformation was the object of your journey, not anything to do with this nuisance of a spell that binds me. Now that my sister is freed, we can learn from her how the wizard worked his magic, and it can swiftly be brought to an end, as we planned. Why do you distress yourself over such a small matter?"
"Because it is not a small matter," Beauty cried, "as you will understand when I tell you what disaster has befallen us!" She went on to describe how she and Serenity had met their sister Caprice on the road, how they had witnessed her strange wedding, how they had watched the amazing metamorphosis of her reluctant bridegroom, and how they had learned his identity. "So when I heard him boast that he had turned one of his unfortunate victims into a Beast, I had no doubt of whom he meant! It is not as though marauding wizards who cast malevolent illusions were an everyday occurrence, after all. I tried to force the gnome to tell me how to reverse the spell, but all to no avail." Her voice cracked a little as she remembered the pain and frustration of that moment. "He finally confessed that his magical powers were gone forever, and that the illusion could never be broken."
The Beast inhaled sharply in surprise and turned to face the window. What, never? Was there any word in any language so forbiddingly final! Always to be seen as a Beast...could he endure it? He looked down at his hands, knowing that he was the only one who could see them as they truly were, though even he could see the outline of the Beast's paws hovering about them like a mist.
Yet he must not so easily give into despair! Had he learned nothing from his ordeal? The Beast was an insubstantial illusion, and he would not permit his outward appearance to govern his behavior. Did the semblance of horns upon his head prove that the struggle against his faults of arrogance and pride had been meaningless? Did the imaginary tail render him unfit to rule his kingdom? Did the false claws revoke his capacity for rational thought and honest feeling? Certainly not!
Very well. Just as he had learned to accept himself as a Beast, so too would the rest of the world. His subjects might need some little time to become used to the idea - he could just imagine the effect he would have at royal audiences and state dinners. Would it be a serious breach of etiquette if he caused some of the ambassadors' wives to faint, for instance? Eventually, everyone would learn that the illusion, instead of being a misfortune, had been a great benefit, enabling him to become a better King and a better man.
He could already see his way beyond the Beast. The question was...could Beauty?
Beauty could know nothing of the Beast's thoughts at this moment. She had told her awful news and he had turned away from her - only one explanation seemed possible. He was made miserable by her failure, and he would not wish her to remain at Castle Lochlein as a daily reminder of it. She only hoped she would be allowed to leave quietly, before the inhabitants of the castle learned their master's terrible fate and threw her out.
She felt blindly behind her until her hand came into contact with the edge of the massive mahogany desk that dominated one corner of the library; she leaned against it, grateful for its impartial solidity. Why had she ever learned to love him? Losing her Beast would be more than she could bear, but bear it she must. Worst of all would be the knowledge that he was alive in the world and thinking ill of her.
Beauty felt she could never forgive herself. The question was...could the Beast?
Finally he spoke, and Beauty steeled herself to listen. "I must confess your words bring me disappointment. Beauty, you have fulfilled every obligation that honor could demand, and you have my eternal gratitude...but..."
"But it is best that I remove myself from here," she finished sadly. Better to say the words herself than to hear him pronounce her sentence of banishment! "I can be on my way shortly, if you will permit me to take leave of my sister before I go. The sooner I leave, the less of a disturbance I will cause."
The words struck him like a blow. Obviously startled, the Beast groped for a reply. "What? You are leaving me already? I know I must be hideous to look upon, and..."
"No, Beast, it is through no fault of yours! Any blame must be given to me, since..." She trailed off as he gestured her to silence.
"Beauty, you cannot mean this! The wizard's illusion is annoying in the extreme, but it does not pose any insurmountable obstacle. My appearance will likely cause some consternation until the people of my kingdom can accustom themselves to it. You have already done so much for me, but I would ask another service. Would you remain here, to teach those who see me that I am more than I appear?"
Beauty was suddenly very glad of the desk behind her; without its support, she feared her knees might have buckled from surprise. Had she heard truly? "You...you wish me to stay?" Her voice was steadier than she felt the situation deserved.
The Beast was facing her again, peering into the shadows where she had hidden herself, and for the second time in less than an hour he looked puzzled. "Yes, of course I wish you to stay. Was I not clear? I suppose speaking simply is not a talent given to kings. However, I understand if you would rather not..."
"No, no! I mean...yes!" Beauty hurried to interrupt him. "Nothing would give me more pleasure than to stay here at Castle Lochlein. I only feared that..."
He finished the thought for her. "You feared I would send you away? My dear Beauty, we suffer fewer misunderstandings than at the beginning of our acquaintance, but we have not eliminated them entirely! For my part, I feared you could not bear to look at a Beast day after day and that you would prefer to leave. Such a separation would be infinitely painful to me, for you would take my heart away with you."
Beauty had to close her eyes to hold back tears. Any more happiness and her knees really would buckle from the weight of it! "No, my Beast, never fear that! The sight of you has long since ceased to disturb me - in truth, I weigh it as the merest trifle in comparison with your many other excellent qualities, which I took far too long to appreciate. It is only that...well, I did hope to discover what you truly look like under all that fur."
The next sound to come from the Beast's throat was the rasping growl that served him for a laugh. "What, are you saying that the fellow who painted my state portrait, which hangs in the gallery here, did not do me justice? You must rely on my assurance, madam, that I am much better looking in reality."
Beauty's immediate response was a smile; in such humorous exchanges of wit they were well matched. "I think, sir, that I may be better served to rely on the artist's skill, since your figure may possess one or two flaws that he diplomatically concealed with his brush and oils. You would deny the very existence of such flaws, but with the portrait I might at least begin to guess where they are hidden. However," she added, her voice softening, "there is no image of you so true as the one I hold within my heart, which you owned before I knew I had given it."
"Beauty...!" the Beast exclaimed. He felt the resurgence of a long-buried hope. Though he wanted nothing more than to rush forward and embrace her, he paused, uncertain. First of all, he was unsure whether the claws and tusks that were part of the Beast-illusion might injure her. Secondly - and rather strangely - she did not appear to be listening.
Her eyes were closed in concentration, as she chased an elusive, half-forgotten memory. In another moment her eyes flew open again, as she cried, "The Fox! Could it be that the Fox gave me the answer, so long ago?"
"Beauty, I do not understand. What fox? What answer?" the Beast asked. Perplexity was beginning to seem like his natural state of mind.
In her agitation, Beauty began to pace from one side of the desk to the other. "He told Serenity how to open the crystal coffin, so perhaps he was telling me how to remove this illusion! What were his exact words? Aid you...token...words...spoken...now I have it!
When you sense some disguise,
Let your heart be your eyes!"
"No more than that?" the Beast said. "This fox is rather sparing of his instructions, whoever he is."
"His advice has never failed me, so let us hope it will be of use in this circumstance," Beauty answered, quick to defend her friend.
Then she closed her eyes once more and let her love's imagination build a picture of the King of Lochlein. The portrait in the gallery was her starting point for his general size and build: strong and tall, with the upright posture that immediately conveyed his nobility. It was in the details that her image would differ. Gone were the royal robes of state, to be replaced by plainer clothing - including the linen shirt that she had once imagined she touched. He held no scepter and wore no rings - the hand that had once in imagination grasped hers had been bare, but warm and comforting just the same. The heavy crown was also removed, revealing dark hair as unexpectedly soft as the Beast's pelt. Finally there was the handsome face: in structure it would be the same as the artist had limned it, from the wise forehead to the aquiline nose to the determined chin. However, the expression in the amber eyes would be completely new. The cold and stoic gaze of the King would become the indescribable look she had seen on the Beast's face when she woke him: the earnest and delighted regard of the man she loved, and who loved her in return.
Once her picture was complete, she held it in her mind for a few long moments, until her heart ached with the perfection of it. Then she opened her eyes...
...only to see the Beast, unchanged, standing before her.