Friday Fiction: Beauty and the Beast

So, I'm making Fridays my official fiction days. I'll either be posting a new short story or a snippet from one of my longer WIPs. Today, I'm sharing a piece from my Beauty and the Beast retelling (which has no working title yet).

Ceinwen has been taken to the palace. Now she must face the Beast and see what she is going to have to face.

A door to her right opened. It was, from what little she could see where she was standing, an elegantly appointed dining hall. Once she was sure she could make the walk without falling over, she moved slowly into the room. A chair was pulled out for her and she gratefully sat down. A moment later, she heard something like the brief susurration of sound and a large shadow seated itself at the end of the table. “Welcome, Ceinwen. I trust your journey was not too unpleasant.”

There was a hint of a hiss in that voice, and Ceinwen wondered what form this beast was forced into. “I have not been on many journeys, but this one was comfortable enough until the horse.”

“You do not like horses?” he asked.

“I can't ride,” Ceinwen said. “I've never been on a horse until today.”

“Why did he not bring you on foot. The climb is only a short one.”

“Something about not wanting to be anywhere near the village after sunset,” Ceinwen said.

“Ah yes. The curse on my village,” he said. “I do hope you find the food here to your liking. My cook is very good at what he does, even if he lacks imagination.”

Ceinwen looked down and her plate was full of food. While they were exchanging pleasantries the servants had served her. “My lord, I am used to a plate of the most simple foods, with only a rare sampling of the finer things my brothers and sisters ate regularly. This looks to me to be wonderful.”

“You need not address me as 'my lord', Ceinwen. Only my servants address me as such. To you I am simply Beast. It suits me better than my old name these days,” the Beast said.

“It seems rude to call you that,” Ceinwen said.

The Beast snorted. “My lady, I am a monster. I have no illusions about that.”

“If I am to call you Beast, please do not call me 'my lady',” Ceinwen said. “I am Ceinwen, and nothing else.”

There was a hissing gurgle that Ceinwen took to be laughter. “Tell me then, Ceinwen, why your family ate better than you?”

“It was my choice, really. I could have asked for what they were eating but most of the time I didn't want to spill anything on my work. I was a journeyman weaver when – when our fortunes turned sour,” Ceinwen said. She didn't want to upset the Beast by telling him the truth of her journey there.

“Did Master Spellmeyer pull you out of the work houses? Is that where you got those scars?” the Beast asked.

“He saved me from the work house, yes,” Ceinwen said. “But no, I didn't get these scars there. When I was a child, our house burned down. My father died rescuing all of us. During the rescue, one of my father's wolfhounds went mad and attacked me. I was mauled severely before they could get the thing off of me. Or so I have been told. I have no clear memory of the event, for which I think I'm grateful.”

“I see.” The Beast fell silent, turning his attention to his food. Ceinwen did likewise.

“The food was excellent,” Ceinwen said, when the last of the dishes had been cleared away and only a bowl of fruit remained. The Beast's end of the table was still shrouded in shadow. “I should perhaps withdraw for the evening.” She smiled. “Assuming I can get back up the stairs without falling over.”

“Before you go, I wish to show you something,” the Beast said. “And then I will send Eleazar to assist you back to your room again, if you would like.”

“All right,” Ceinwen said.

The Beast rose slowly from his seat. He took a few steps forward and then he was in the light. Ceinwen couldn't hold back the involuntary gasp that escaped her but she did her best not to scream. The Beast stood hunched over, his head about level with hers though had he been standing straight he would have towered over her. His body was covered with a pattern of scales in shades of red. His head was narrow at the nose but widened out and was framed by a row of tiny bone spikes.

His fingers were long and thin, and ended in delicate looking claws that had to be stronger than they appeared. His eyes watched her, large and black, from the sides of his head. “If you are afraid, I can understand,” the Beast said softly.

“You are a little frightening,” Ceinwen said. “But I'm not going to run away.”

“You have more courage than most. The majority of the women Master Spellmeyer and his predecessors have brought me have fled my presence screaming,” the Beast said. “I will bid you good night, Ceinwen. Eleazar will be along shortly to assist you.”

“Thank you,” Ceinwen said. “And good night, Beast.”

The first introduction to the Beast

Ceinwen has bathed and been dressed. But what is it she has to face now?

 “Now, just try to be brave when you see him,” Sadie said. “You'll get off to a better start than if you run screaming.”

“I'll keep that in mind,” Ceinwen said. She still had a hard time walking so she moved slowly across the room. The door opened at her approach. She walked through it and set off down the corridor. The stairs were a bit more of a challenge for her and she had to stop and rest for a moment at the bottom so her legs didn't give out under her.

A door to her right opened. It was, from what little she could see where she was standing, an elegantly appointed dining hall. Once she was sure she could make the walk without falling over, she moved slowly into the room. A chair was pulled out for her and she gratefully sat down. A moment later, she heard something like the brief susurration of sound and a large shadow seated itself at the end of the table. “Welcome, Ceinwen. I trust your journey was not too unpleasant.”

There was a hint of a hiss in that voice, and Ceinwen wondered what form this beast was forced into. “I have not been on many journeys, but this one was comfortable enough until the horse.”

“You do not like horses?” he asked.

“I can't ride,” Ceinwen said. “I've never been on a horse until today.”

“Why did he not bring you on foot. The climb is only a short one.”

“Something about not wanting to be anywhere near the village after sunset,” Ceinwen said.

“Ah yes. The curse on my village,” he said. “I do hope you find the food here to your liking. My cook is very good at what he does, even if he lacks imagination.”

Ceinwen looked down and her plate was full of food. While they were exchanging pleasantries the servants had served her. “My lord, I am used to a plate of the most simple foods, with only a rare sampling of the finer things my brothers and sisters ate regularly. This looks to me to be wonderful.”

“You need not address me as 'my lord', Ceinwen. Only my servants address me as such. To you I am simply Beast. It suits me better than my old name these days,” the Beast said.

“It seems rude to call you that,” Ceinwen said.

The Beast snorted. “My lady, I am a monster. I have no illusions about that.”

“If I am to call you Beast, please do not call me 'my lady',” Ceinwen said. “I am Ceinwen, and nothing else.”

The curse approaches

A sorceress stops a curse set by her husband, while feeling her own spreading out towards a sleeping village.

The power bled from her as if from an open wound. Her fear acted as a blade, digging into her, making her weak as the very core of her being was sacrificed to stop the curse. She stumbled as her feet found every rock in the path. The chill grew behind her. She couldn't risk a glance over her shoulder without the chance of falling. 

She searched the village in front of her, stealing energy from all living things. Plants withered and livestock died. Children woke in the night screaming as terrible nightmares filled their minds. Men woke and reached for weapons. Women shrieked and flung themselves out of bed, some to flee and some to protect their children.

She reached the end of the path and looked over her shoulder. Ice slowly made its way down the path she'd just run. Rocks cracked beneath the cold. She could feel the tiny points of life vanishing as plants and animals were killed as it followed it's inexorable path. She stopped and reached out once again. She seized on every life she found. Taking only a fraction of the power released by them, she sent her magic to stop the curse. The gods smiled on her this time for the ice stopped at the edge of the village.

She could feel her own spell from the castle making its way down now too. A different curse would soon be upon the villagers. This one she couldn't stop. She didn't want to. There were some things that she couldn't forgive.

Adina's punishment and Ceinwen's pain

In my Beauty and the Beast retelling, Ceinwen - my Beauty - is not beautiful after an event that carries her and her family far from their home.

A small whimper to her left drew her attention to the stairs. The light from the flickering candle fell on a bloody, mangled body lying on the steps. For a moment, Adina was reminded of a doll lying broken and discarded on the nursery floor. She let out a strangled cry and knelt at Ceinwen's side.

“Mother?” Baldric called.

“Stay with the others,” Adina said again. She pulled her scarf off and carefully wiped the blood off Ceinwen's face. Ceinwen whimpered again. “It's all right, kitten. Mama's here.”

The entire right side of Ceinwen's upper body and face were torn, like she'd been raked by the claws of a wild beast. Her eyes were open but her pupils were mere pinpricks in a sea of green. Adina reached again for her magic. It refused to come. There was nothing left.

Adina lifted her injured daughter into her arms. She carried her into the room where the other children were waiting. “What's happened?” Baldric asked.

“The gods have abandoned me,” Adina said. “My magic is spent and Ceinwen – Ceinwen is hurt.”

Baldric winced as he saw the blood. Ronen stumbled over to his mother. He tugged on his sister's uninjured hand but she didn't respond. “Ronen, leave her be,” Baldric said. “Mother, what are we going to do now?”

“I've got what I need to tend to Ceinwen for now,” Adina said. “I brought supplies to last us a week. That's how long the spells preventing the detection of our presence will last.”

“I can slip out and see where we are,” Baldric said. “Maybe see if what happened in the valley has made it this far south."

Adina nodded. “I'll have you go out tomorrow. Today, I need you to help me with the others.”

 Baldric kept the other three from disturbing Ceinwen while Adina made up a potion for pain. She made Ceinwen drink the medicine first. She cleaned the wounds with water from a hand pump in the kitchen. Clean strips of linen were wrapped around Ceinwen's head, neck, and arm, leaving only her nose and mouth free.

Another fragment from Beauty and the Beast

Today I thought I'd share another little snippet from my Beauty and the Beast retelling.

She stumbled as her feet found every rock in the path. The chill grew behind her. She couldn't risk a glance over her shoulder without the chance of falling. Her hands tingled and the pull on her was even greater now that she was out of the castle. She wrapped herself in as much energy as she could, stealing some of the vitality from the weeds and animals that dwelled nearby.

She reached the end of the path and looked over her shoulder. Ice slowly made its way down the path she'd just run. Rocks cracked beneath the cold. All around her the villagers slept, not knowing what was coming. She could feel the tiny points of life vanishing as plants and animals were killed as it followed it's inexorable path. She stopped and reached out once again. She seized on every life she found. Taking only a fraction of the power released by them, she sent her magic to stop the curse. The gods smiled on her this time for the ice stopped at the edge of the village.

She could feel her own spell from the castle making its way down now too. A different curse would soon be upon the villagers. This one she couldn't stop. She didn't want to. There were some things that she couldn't forgive.

 It was dawn when she returned to her home. There, she saw her five children sitting near the fire. Her oldest son Baldric was sitting closest to the heat with all four of his younger siblings surrounding him. The two youngest, Ceinwen and Ronen, were sitting in his lap. Isabella and Grainne were sitting on stools. All five of them were watching the door.

A little taste of my Beauty and the Beast retelling

Another snippet this week. Just a hint of the story behind my Beauty and the Beast retelling. This is "Beauty" as a child, talking to her mother. My version is different from all of those I've read. I don't know if it's different from all of those out there, but I hope this little bite intrigues you.

 The healer was waiting for her. “She's absolutely terrified and we can't calm her. She's been calling – well screaming – for you for nearly an hour.”

“Let me see her,” Adina said. Master Weiss led her into the room where Ceinwen was weeping. “Kitten? Kitten, mama's here. What's wrong?”

“They're coming. They're coming and they're going to take us all away. They're going to send me to the castle with the princess in the garden. There's a monster behind the princess that I can't run away from,” Ceinwen said, her words slurring slightly because of her wounds.

Adina knelt beside her daughter's bed. Master Weiss left to give them some privacy. “What do you mean, kitten?”

Ceinwen turned her bandaged face towards her mother. Her eyes were still wrapped so she reached out with her uninjured hand. Adina caught it in hers. “We were all grown but something happened. Men came and the others left me alone. I didn't go with them. I was taken to the castle where the monster hides behind a princess in a garden. My friend there needed me to help him but the monster kept trying to kill me so I couldn't.”

Ceinwen comes to visit

Picture courtesy of lieveheersbeestje

Once again I've invited the voices in my head to come play. Most of them decided to shut up for a change, which didn't help me any. Then I heard someone quiet say she'd talk to me. Imagine my surprise when I realized it was Ceinwen, from my Beauty and the Beast retelling. She isn't usually the most talkative person, though I did capture her story as well as I could for her. So here she is to chat with us.

I do not intend to prattle on like my sisters at those parties they enjoyed. I'm only here because I felt I had an obligation since you did write my story.

I appreciate you taking the time. I know how busy you are these days. Though I don't do more than touch on it in the story, how do you feel about getting your HEA?

It's a lot more work than I thought it would be to be with him. But it's worth it. He loves me as I don't think my family ever did and I know I love him. It's been hard though. You know why.

Yes I do. So have you found a definition of love that fits your thoughts?

Let me ask you this question: what do you think love is?

That's a hard question, Ceinwen.

Yes but it's a valid one.

What do I think love is? I think it's putting someone's needs above your own. Giving what you can without losing yourself. Accepting someone isn't perfect and still be with them.

You're repeating what I think love is.

Can I help it if we share the same view? I'm your author after all. You have to figure what I believe is going to end up in a story somewhere.

This is very true.

So, do you know how your siblings are doing?

They come up to the castle from time to time, as do the others. They're happy in their lives and I'm happy in mine.

I'm glad. I worked hard to give you a HEA.

But it's not a HEA. I mean I'm happy but there are going to be times where we disagree, where we get on each other's nerves, where we will fight. There is no such thing as a HEA.

I agree with you on that one. Life goes on after the end and it's not always going to be perfect. Is there anything you would like to say?

No. I think I've said enough.

All right. I'll let you get back to what you normally do. Thanks for coming to talk to me.

Tuesday Teaser - Beauty and the Beast

I have a problem with faerie tale princesses all being perfect and pretty and blah. So here is the introduction of my "princess", and a childhood trauma that will shape her life.

Rosalyn held up the candle. Her hands shook as her head spun. Her chest hurt and it was hard to breathe. She took a moment to steady herself and then went looking for her children. The faint light was just enough for her to see by, though she couldn't see much in the way of details. She took a few steps forward. Her foot caught on something. She looked down.

Fergal groaned and sat up. “That hurt,” he mumbled, still more than a little dazed. Rosalyn left him to gather himself as she went in search of the others.

She found Tristan next. His breathing was fast and shallow, and his skin was cool to the touch. But he was alive, and that was the important thing.

Allegra and Johanna were lying in a heap together. Both of their eyes were open but there was no sense in their faces. Rosalyn made sure to untangle them before resuming her search.

Rosalyn searched every corner of the room but didn't see her youngest daughter. “Fergal?”

“I'm here, mother,” Fergal said. He staggered over to her, a candle in his hand. He lit it from hers.

“Caitlyn's not here,” Rosalyn said. “I'm going to look in the other rooms. Keep an eye on the others.”

“Yes mother,” Fergal said.

Rosalyn held her candle high in the air. She searched room to room on the first floor of the strange house but she still couldn't find Caitlyn. Dread clutched Rosalyn's heart in an icy grip.

A small whimper to her left turned her steps towards the stairs. The light from the flickering candle fell on a bloody, mangled body lying on the steps. For a moment, Rosalyn was reminded of a doll lying broken and discarded on the nursery floor. She let out a strangled cry and knelt at Caitlyn's side.

“Mother?” Fergal called.

“Stay with the others,” Rosalyn said again. She pulled her scarf off and carefully wiped the blood off Caitlyn's face. Caitlyn whimpered again. “It's all right, kitten. Mama's here.”

The entire right side of Caitlyn's upper body and face were torn, like she'd been raked by the claws of a wild beast. Her eyes were open but her pupils were mere pinpricks in a sea of green. Rosalyn reached again for her magic. It refused to come. She had nothing left.

Rosalyn carefully lifted her injured daughter into her arms. She carried her into the room where the other children were waiting. “What's happened?” Fergal asked.

“The gods have abandoned me,” Rosalyn said. “My magic is spent and Caitlyn – Caitlyn is hurt.”

Sunday Snippet - Beauty and the Beast

Here's a little snip from my rewrite of the tale of Beauty and the Beast.

Rosalyn made it into the castle. She could hear screams and moans, heavy furniture being moved to blockade a door to prevent Arkadiy’s entry. Over it all she heard his chanting. She made her way to the great hall. A scene of terrible slaughter met her as she pushed open the heavy double door.

The young lord sat on the chair that had been his father’s, his face white with terror. All around him, his advisors were screaming in agony as their bodies were slowly ripped to shreds by Arkadiy’s magic. “Arkadiy, stop,” Rosalyn cried. “What are you doing?”

“He was preparing to send his soldiers to our house, Rosalyn,” Arkadiy said. “Their orders were to kill all seven of us. He was getting ready to order the deaths of our children, all because these men flattered him and called him a prince.”

“I wouldn't have done it,” the boy on the dais said. “It was them that were giving the orders, not me. I didn't want anyone to hurt your children.”

“But you would have stolen us from them, just like your parents were taken from you,” Rosalyn said softly, seeing a copy of the orders lying on the floor. “Why? We served and protected you for your whole life. Why have you abandoned everything your parents taught you?”

“It was because of you and your ideas that my parents died,” the boy said. “They would never have tried to help the peasants if you’d just left well enough alone. But they did and they caught the plague and died from it.”

“It was because of us and our ideas that so few ended up dying,” Arkadiy said. He finished dispatching the men who’d been trying to facilitate the murder of his children. He turned his cold, burning eyes on the young lord. “Now, for you.”

Writing Wednesday - A Sample from "Beauty and the Beast"

It was a little past midnight when something woke her. She opened her eyes to a faint greenish glow from the remnants of the fire that her servants had left burning. She pushed herself up on her elbows to get a better look.

A hunched and tattered figure was prodding at the fire, muttering under its breath. “Who’s there?” Caitlyn called.

The figure stood. Caitlyn screamed. An apparition stolen straight from her most terrifying nightmare lurched and staggered towards the bed. “Foolish girl,” it rasped. “Leave this place before you die. See what the lord of these lands did to me.”

The door to Caitlyn’s room burst open. “My lady,” Grace cried as she ran into the room. “What is it?” The invisible maid saw the strange creature. “Oh no you don’t. We’ve learned to counter that trick.” A small pouch appeared in the air as if thrown by an invisible hand. It struck the fire. The apparition shrieked and vanished in a puff of putrid green smoke. “My lady, are you all right?”

“What was that?” Caitlyn asked, throwing back the covers and lurching to her feet.

“It was a wraith,” Grace said grimly. “An apparition that occasionally haunts these halls. They try to blame their deaths on my lord, but he had nothing to do with it. Not even in his most terrible rages would he harm any of those who stand as guests in his house.”

A cold wind blew through the room. “You can say that all you want, servant girl. But the truth of it is your lord steals maidens from their homes and destroys the lives of those they love by taking them and never giving them back,” a harsh voice whispered.

“Only because of you,” Grace said, and Caitlyn felt Grace’s hand on her shoulder. Caitlyn also heard the faint sound of footsteps running down the hall. She had a suspicion that Sarah was running for help. “You and your wife, though at least your lady tried to leaven the curse you placed on our lands.”

“Your lord is a murderer and I will never let him be free,” the voice hissed.

Caitlyn realized where she’d heard the voice and felt this malevolence. This unseen voice was the evil that stood watching behind the stained glass window in her dreams.

“My lord never harmed anyone. It was you who killed so many that day,” Grace snapped. She was trembling and Caitlyn realized her seemingly unrufflable maid was terrified.

Before the apparition could make any reply, they all heard the bellowing roar of the Beast. “Your lord will end up killing you all and there is nothing that will save you,” the evil voice said as it faded.

“My lady, are you all right?” Sarah asked breathlessly as she ran back into the room. The Beast was right behind her.

“Caitlyn, did he hurt you?” the Beast asked.

Caitlyn shook her head. She was shaking badly and she sat back down on her bed. “He just scared me, that’s all,” she said. “Who is he? What is he?”

“His name, when he yet lived, was Arkadiy,” the Beast said. “He and his wife were powerful mages. I made a mistake, and for that error Arkadiy cursed me and my people. Lady Rosa stopped him from destroying all of us, but she couldn’t completely reverse what he’d already done. He tried to kill her for her interference. She rebounded his curse and it destroyed his body. I fear it did nothing to purge his soul, however, and he has haunted my home ever since.”

“He made it sound as if my being here was part of that curse,” Caitlyn said.

“Don’t listen to him,” the Beast advised. “Those that have either have gone mad or have been driven from my home within the first few days of their being here.”

Caitlyn shivered a little. Grace, who hadn’t left her side, said, “My lord, we should let my lady try to get back to sleep. Sarah and I can stay with her, if you wish.”

“Yes, that would be best. I’m hardly the most comforting of creatures to have around,” the Beast said harshly.

“My lord,” Caitlyn said, looking over at him. “Thank you.”

“For what?” he asked.

“For driving him away,” she replied.

The Beast nodded. “Good night, Caitlyn. For what it’s worth, he should not return this night,” he said before leaving the room.

Sarah built up the fire. “I think a cup of tea would help soothe your nerves,” she said.

Grace moved away to join her. “And a little more light is needed,” Grace added. She took a thin piece of wood from the jar on the mantle and lit two of the oil lamps.

“Is there anything else we can get for you?” Sarah asked as she set the kettle over the fire.

“I’m cold,” Caitlyn said.

A shawl was procured from the wardrobe and it was wrapped around her shoulders. Grace handed her a pair of slippers and Caitlyn slipped her feet into them. “Here, my lady,” Sarah said, wrapping a quilt around her as well as Caitlyn moved from the bed into one of the easy chairs near the fire. “You just sit quietly for now and we’ll get you some tea here in a bit.”

They tidied up the room while they waited for the kettle to boil. The two young maids chattered about the other servants and what scrapes they got into behind the scenes, and the rather favorable reports of the silent ones who’d served Caitlyn’s dinner. Once the kettle was piping hot Sarah poured the water into a ceramic tea pot. A cunningly wrought tea ball in the shape of a key was packed with tea leaves and dropped it into the tea pot.

A few minutes later, Caitlyn was presented with a cup of tea laden with cream and honey. “Can we get anything else for you, my lady?”

“No, that’s all right. I’ll finish my tea and then go back to bed,” Caitlyn said. The warmth from the fire and the tea were already easing the chills. “I may sleep late tomorrow though.”

“Don’t worry about it, my lady,” Grace said. “Either Sarah or myself will be here when you wake.” The two maids settled into the rocking chairs and began hemming another pair of the dresses from Caitlyn’s wardrobe.

Caitlyn finished her tea and set the cup on the table. One of the girls took her extra quilt and her shawl and Caitlyn slid her feet out of the slippers before curling back up under her blankets.

Sunday 'fess up...Anni's not going to be online much

Hello all.

I'm not going to be online much over the next couple weeks.  Himself is leaving very soon (like in the next week and a half or two weeks) and I'm spending as much time as I can possibly get with him.  Between work and my quality time with my husband, writing and online stuff are going to suffer.  I'll probably still get my blog posts written but they may be a little late for a couple weeks.

Speaking of writing, I've been working on my Beauty and the Beast rewrite this week.  I also got a little bit written on "Obsidian and Amethyst", and I've done a little bit of research for my Fang Faces storyline.  I've got weres but I'm trying to avoid stereotypical vampires so I've been hunting for different and interesting creatures to convert into characters and races.

With the sale of the iMac, I don't have a viable camera so I'm not able to do the vlog right now.  As soon as I either get the iMac back, or purchase a decent camera for Monstrosity, I'll be back to doing the vlogs.  For now, please be patient.  Technical difficulties are a pain but we'll get it worked out eventually.

Customer service training is going well, although the 9 am classes are getting to me.  I'm a night owl, not a lark of the morning.  But I'll manage.  I have to.

Now, just a few videos for your perusal and enjoyment.