Part Six

“He hasn’t sent a message to either one of us.”  Renah said anxiously, “Just danced all night with me and ended up taking you to his room!”

“So if  I’m the one he slept with he should send a message to me!  Not to you!”  Sterah yelled in anger, “But he hasn’t contacted me at all!”

The duke’s exploits were heard all throughout the house and the father sighed and shook his head, “My daughters, you should not give your charms away so easily.  See what it has done.”

“I took a chance.”  Sterah groaned, “He’s so rich, and handsome.”  A sigh of regret escaped her lips, “He welcomed me to his bed, then left me alone the next morning and..”

“Enough!”  the father shouted in anger, “I don’t want to hear of how foolish you have been.  Rich or not, you shouldn’t of given your affections away so easily.”

He rarely raised his voice but as he did, the girls knew he meant business.  They averted their eyes to the floor, shame filling their expressions.  Renah even felt her eyes begin to glisten as she remembered how the duke took her in his arms and cursed her with false kisses.  Never had a man claimed her body like he did.  She remembered his tight grip on her body as he laid her down and disrobed her on the pale, silken sheets of his bed.  The dim light of the candles of the room flickered to show his well tone body as he moved his hands to her legs and whether she felt pain or pleasure, he plunged in until he was satisfied.

And the next morning he left.

A few stray tears hit the ground and she focused to push back the memory.  To aid in the distraction, Timothy skipped into the room.  His face was aglow with mirth, a total contrast to the two ladies.

“When’s dinner?”  the little boy asked, “I’m hungry.”

“When your sisters start cooking.”  The father replied.

His comments were not unheard as Renah replied, “We can’t cook, that’s Alannah’s job.”

Hearing her name, the little boy sighed, “She did more than cook.”  The youth managed to say.  He then looked at his father, “I want her back.”

“I…I do to.”  He replied in a weary voice, “I never realized just how much she contributed to the family.  But if she could see you and how healthy you are…if she could”

He was about to continue speaking but his conversation was cut off but a series of coughs.  They were mild at first then he brought his hand to his face to cover his mouth as they deepened.

“Daddy, maybe you need to lie down.”  Tim said.

The hacking continued as the old man moved into the hallway toward his room.
 

Part Seven
 

The days turned into weeks until finally the weeks turned into months and as time passed, Alannah began to make the right wing of the castle her home.  The main room that the beast showed her had a window whose layer of glass allowed her to look at the rose outside.  Fortunately no one had dared to touch the flower which put both Alannah and Master at ease.

As each new moon gave birth to another, Alannah began to notice a change in the beast.  Their first meeting was a terrifying one but after knowing his presence for a good amount of time, she no longer felt wary of his presence.  She also noticed that on a few occasions he volunteered to watch the rose so she could have some time to herself.  This security and freedom allowed her to step out of her room and explore others.  By three months’ time, she had cleaned and redecorated at least seven rooms of the wing.  It was a tedious job but she was always used to such labor and the more she scrubbed away at the dirty floors, the more the white marble shinned through.  Now the immaculate floor seemed eager to meet her feet and once that was done, she worked on mending various fabrics on the furniture and found each room would be a joy to spend time in.

It was difficult at first but the fact that the beast didn’t stop her let her to work on.  Each area became a new room that seemed to tell a story.  One was a study with the many shelves and books it held, many others were bedrooms where various noble people slept in sweet repose, and another was apparently a drawing room of sorts due to the small desk and small chairs in the room.  It was here that Master decided to visit her after she cleaned it thoroughly.

“This place was once lovely.”  He said in a voice that failed to frighten her anymore, “And you have started to make it beautiful once again.”

Her fair skin began to flush upon her face, “Thank you Master”  she said, “I don’t mind doing this work after all.  I used to do this all the time and our house was nowhere near as large and nice as this one.”

He walked into the room a bit more and as he did he held something under his arm.  The large object was concealed under a gray tarp, and for now Alannah didn’t ask any questions.  He also didn’t offer an explanation as he asked, “Our house?  I know you had a brother but who else?”

“Two sisters and a father.”  She replied as she took a step closer, “My sisters well, forgive me for saying this but they could be demanding at times.  My father is a good man and he may even be alone now except for Timothy.  No doubt my sisters are married.  They’re very beautiful.”

The beast began to look a bit surprised at what she said, “They may be”  he remarked, “But surely you see yourself as beautiful.”

She only shook her head and replied, “No Master, I’m simply a servant and was never meant to be anything else.”

“I think you were meant to be something more.”  He says, “I have seen how your inspiration gives new life to these rooms and I’d like to know what else you could do if you truly expressed yourself.”  Upon finishing these words the beast removed the tarp to reveal a large, blank canvas.  Even though he was a large creature with claws, he gently set the canvas down on the floor.

Alannah stared at the canvas in disbelief and asked, “What do you meant to do with that?”

“It’s not what I mean to do with it.”  He said, “It’s what you need to do with it.”  He then reached under the tarp to pull out some paints and various small brushes.  “I see something in you.”  He said, “First of all you are someone who is honest and I have not seen that in so long, I almost forgot there were people like that who still lived.  And…”  he moved to look directly into her eyes, “You are beautiful.”

She merely shook her head and turned away but before she could move back he placed a clawed  finger under her chin so she could look directly into his eyes.  “Do me this favor.”  He said, “Work on the painting and let it be your inspiration.  You have cleaned enough.  I will watch the rose and if I get weary of my duty I will let you know.  I have faith in you, and I know you will create a masterpiece.”

While he looked into his eyes she began to see something that surprised her.  Throughout her entire life no one besides her brother cared for her or even paid attention to her and now she sensed admiration in his expression.  The blush on her cheeks remained but her eyes now revealed awe not out of fear, but of admiration herself.  She just stared at him for a while longer then finally looked away.  As she did a smile formed on her lips and she said, “I promise…I will create something for you that will remain through time.”

“That”  he said, “Is the true power of art.  Art never dies.”

She smiled and nodded in agreement, “Yes.”  She said and she really felt herself agreeing with him.  She had touched a paintbrush a few times, but never to create a masterpiece.  However his faith in her began to give her the feeling that she could do just that.

He smiled in return and looked toward the hallway outside of the room then looked back at her.  “After you make some progress.”  He said, “Perhaps you would like to join me for dinner, a nice dinner.  I do still have some cooking skills.”

Alannah was surprised at the invitation as well and even more surprised that she wouldn’t have to cook herself.  On very rare occasions had someone prepared a meal for her.  She gasped in excitement and eagerly said, “Oh definitely!  Just let me know when.”

The beast bowed his head in respect and said, “I will do such m’lady, and when I summon you find a dress in one of the rooms.  They’re all very elegant and I’m sure one will fit you well.”

Indeed she remembered rummaging through some of the closets to clean them and while she didn’t look at all the clothes there for that long, she knew the dresses there had to be majestic to say the least.  The beast then left her with the happy thought and she smiled as she went over to look at the canvas.

Part Eight

He sat under a desk made of wood that remained highly polished and stained to a deep red color that held a brown tint.  The surface of the desk was smooth which added to its elegance, but what it held was more amazing that its appearance.  On the top were two vials made of clear glass that stood no more than two inches tall.  One had a red lid and the other had a black one.  The liquid inside was clear, but there was no doubt in his mind these were two different substances.

“The cure.”  He said as he looked at the red lid, “And the cause.”  He said as he looked at the black one.  A soft chuckle escaped his lips, “With both substances I am, without a doubt, God.”

He sat back in the comfortable, red velvet chair that stood right behind the desk.  Snickering again he thought about the word ‘God’ and how he pictured himself as such.  With the cause he could create as many plagues as he wished and with the cure he had the power to control life.  While the Duke himself wasn’t into magic, he knew enough about alchemy and rare herbs to create a poison that unleashed a sickness across the village.  There was something about the formula that caused most everyone’s immunity to weaken, and he was happy that he could inspire such doom, and be the one to control who survived.

For the time being there were a few favorites of his in the village, but not many.  He wanted to weaken the township by killing off most of its people so his army could come in and take over.  Yes it was a good plan and with more and more getting sick there was no reason it would not work.

A knock upon the door interrupted his thoughts and he reached for the vials.  Once he had them securely in his hand he said, “Enter.”

A middle aged gentleman did just that.  He stood about five feet tall and had black hair that was just about to turn gray.  His skin was light, but some wrinkles were apparent on his face.  Even though he was a bit older his eyes portrayed no exceptional wisdom and he spoke clearly, “The sisters in the village  m’lord, one is starting to wake what do you want to do?”

He chuckled a bit at remembering the events of the previous evening.  One was named Sterah and he promised her that her beauty dazzled him.  For a moment his words worked since the two shared a passionate night that meant much more to her than him.  Then he learned about his sister Renah who he encountered before, and had much the same meeting.  Yes they might have been comely at first but he tired of them both quickly.  They did not have the elegance nor the awe inspiring beauty of the woman who he would like to take as his wife.

“Send her home.”  He quickly said, “And don’t let either one of them come back.  I am finished with both of them.  They will never measure up to the one who I would take as my duchess.”  He then looked the man directly in his eyes and said, “My duchess will have such beauty that even the most holy of all angels would be jealous.  Her face would leave mere mortals spellbound and her demeanor would represent a true, pure heart.”  Even though the duke was hardly pure himself, he wanted a wife who was very comely and also had a selfless heart that would be ripe for his corruption.

The servant merely nodded his head and stepped out the door.  He did nothing but follow orders and while he did know he broke the hearts of both sisters, he didn’t know the duke was responsible for the death of many in the village.

Part Nine
 

The dress she wore was stunningly beautiful.  When she first chose it, her lack of confidence let her to think that should would not be able to wear it.  Then curiosity overcame her and she slipped it on.  As she stepped over to look at herself in the mirror she was not disappointed with what she saw.  Her long red hair framed a face that for once in her life was illuminated with beauty she never saw before.  Her skin no longer looked white from the weariness of working for her sisters but for a change held vibrancy which showed in a fair, slightly pink tone. A wide smile covered her pink lips as her eyes glistened with mirth and sparkled like sapphires.  The dress itself was made of light blue satin which complimented her eyes of a deeper shade.  It caressed her torso unlike anything she ever wore before and gathered around a waist that was slender.  She never entertained the idea that she had such a figure since all her clothes were nothing like this!  To compliment the hem of the bottom of the dress elegant lace trim was seen that held pearls that sparkled in what light the room had to offer.

“I can’t believe this.”  She said, “I am beautiful, I am happy, but what made me this way?”

She never saw herself as this before since all of her life she was cleaning behind her sisters and taking care of her family.  In fact Timothy was really the only joy in her life and her father seemed to offer kindness to her, when there was time.  Other than that she spent so much of herself burdened with the concerns of others that their demands took a big toll on her appearance, not to mention her very soul.  Now that she came to the beast’s old castle, she felt she had been treated as an equal and even inspired to create something artistic besides cleaning dirty rooms and pampering other people.

Yes the painting, that was slowly becoming a work of art and it made her happy. She took his advice and began to sketch out a few figures in each corner of the canvas.  No doubt her father was one, her brother another, and her sisters were there as well.  She worked on painting Tim’s image first and was amazed at how the colors breathed new life into him, and these were the colors that she was painting!

The more she worked on the canvas and the more time she spent in the rooms she cleaned, the more  she realized that the beast respected her.  He respected the fact that she had a gift no one even bothered to bring to light and he respected her right not to constantly watch the rose since both shared in the duty of guarding it.

And she remembered he promised her dinner this evening….

She smiled even wider and as the rays of the sun struggled against dusk, she wondered if the food was ready. Such curiosity led her to step out of the room and look for the main hall. As she inhaled she smelled the luscious scents of a feast and quickly followed her nose.  After a few more moments passed she found what awaited her.

The room she was in was a large one and old stones interlocked together to form a sturdy floor.  The walls were made of the same stones and a few red tapestries that were in decent condition still hung on the walls to keep things insulated.  In the center of the room was a table that was the largest she had ever seen.  It spanned at least fifteen feed and was made of sturdy, dark wood.  The dishes piled upon it revealed plenty to eat.  A plate of roast was well cooked and laid in succulent juices and a baked chicken was also seen on a silver platter which was glazed in rich sauce.  There were at least three plates of fruits and a plate of bread which had a saucer of butter near it.  Near the bread was a large bottle of what appeared to be wine and two crystal glasses holding the clear liquid.

Alannah couldn’t help but gasp in wonder at the dinner.  After witnessing the feast, she finally realized the beast stood near one of the wooden chairs and looked at her with a smile.

“You are pleased.” He said, “Then I am honored.”

Her cheeks blushed as she moved to sit in another one of the chairs near him, “I do not deserve your honor Master.”  She simply said as she was still overwhelmed by the food prepared for her.

He rolled his eyes and took a seat, “You deserve that and a lot more.”  He said, “This castle has been a different place since you have came.”

She quickly responded, “I have been a different place since I have came.  Never have I felt such peace and such respect from you.”

He laughed a bit and said, “Respect?  That’s the first time I’ve heard someone say I’ve been respectful.  Especially considering how we first met.”

“Yes.” She told him, “But the way how we first met is not the way I know you, the real you.  Things are different from them.  I have been working on the painting and I never thought I could have such talent.”  Her tone changed to one of excitement as she proclaimed, “I never thought I could create a work of art!”

“My dear.”  He simply said, “You are a work of art.”

She blushed again, “I never saw myself as beautiful.  I never lived for myself at all.  Now within these walls I have started to and…”

Before she could finish what she was going to say he gently put his hand on top of hers, “You are beautiful”  he said, “And from now on your name will be Beauty, not Alannah.  I will not command much of you but you have been reborn here.  We both know that.  Therefore, it’s only fitting that you take a new name.”

She reached for the glass but before bringing the fragrant wine to her lips she looked back at him, “Do you really think such a name would suit me?”  Yes she felt she had been reborn since she came here.  Within the worn castle wall she never felt such vibrancy before but she wondered if such a name would reveal conceit, conceit that she definitely did not have.

“Yes.”  He quickly added, “Beauty does fit you so that will be your name now and forever.”  He then reached for the wine, “Now drink.”

She did as he said and the glass was brought to her lips.  Even though it was made of crystal that easily reflected light, it was not heavy for her to hold.  The handle on the glass was a long one which made it comfortable in her hand and due to its pleasing appearance it almost made the drink taste better.  Sure enough the wine was perfect and it tantalized her taste buds with a sweet sensation until it passed into her throat.

“This glass.”  She says, “It’s very pretty.

The beast smiled, “These two glasses here.”  He said, “Are enchanted.  If one who is pure of heart drinks from it, the liquid inside will show that person’s desires of the heart.  All one has to do is spill the contents of the glass on the ground, and it will reflect an image.”

Delight sparkled in her eyes as well as curiosity after she heard this.  “Have you tried it?”  she asked him, “What do you desire.”

His eyes looked upon her and he let too much say when he spoke, “I think I have found, what I desire.”

Beauty quickly looked away as she suspected that he meant her.  But could this be true?  Could he really want her?  Of course it couldn’t she was just a servant, always a servant and she felt she’d be nothing more than that…until now.  Still it would be foolish for her to entertain such a notion and instead of commenting she asked, “Do you mind if I try it?”

He nodded his head, “Of course.  There is enough wine to drink from later.  Simply take the glass and pour the wine onto the floor.”

She twisted around to get a good view of the stones beneath her.  She then poured the wine there and started to look.  The glass knew she had a pure heart for after a few moments images started to form.  First it was her sisters then after a few more moments she saw her brother and her father.  Yes they were what her heart desired but as she looked on she didn’t exactly see what she wished.

Her father was lying on his bed and looked deathly ill.  Tim sat beside him and deep concern was seen on his face.  The youth also looked frightened as if worrying things weren’t going to get better. There as reason for such concern since the father’s face was a light blue tone and his breathing was very slow.

Then she remembered the plague.

“Oh heavens no!”  she shouted as she made the connection, “My father, he’s sick he has what my brother has.”  She immediately stood up, “I have to go back to him!”

Anger crossed the beast’s features but after a few moments he started to calm himself.  Then he spoke with some rationale, “So he is going to die?”

“Yes!”  she exclaimed, “And I have to go see him I have to.”

“I figured you’d still help me guard the rose.”

Beauty sighed as she knew the beast had a point.  She promised to be in his service and hated breaking promises, so instead she asked him in a pleading voice, “May I please go see him?”

He growled again but sat back in his chair, “With no horse it will be a two weeks’ walk, provided you do not get lost.  I admit I do not wish to see you go but I will allow it, provided you are back in three months.”

Beauty nodded her head and bowed in respect, “You have my word.”

“And I will trust it as I have before.”   He clearly stated, “So hurry.  Pack some of this food to go with you and take the glass.  I will be awaiting your return.”

Beauty bowed again and moved quickly to prepare herself for the journey.
 
 
 

To the First Part of Enchanted Time

To the Loom