Beauty was only in a short white silk shirt, when she heard him at the door. It was obvious that she was not dressed like she was told. Sitting in front of the mirror she had completely lost track of time. Was there anger in the face of Severus? She turned her head away from the mirror and rushed to the big comfortable bed. Her clothes were waiting for her.
"No time for dressing, we are late already. It will be a long ride, so let's go!"
His powerful voice sheared through her body, as he spoke. Grabbing at what clothing she could, she scurried out the door, gazing in his eyes at the stern look on his face, she whispered: "Yes Master Severus Sir, forgive this one, I lost time Sir," as he held his hand to grasp her upon his horse.
Holding her tight as they galloped threw the woods, she could feel his breath upon her neck as he whispered: "This is important, you must be ready when I demand so! Do you understand girl?"
"Yes, yes," she whispers, feeling his grasp upon her waist tighter, as they trot through the forest.
The horse obviously was in high spirits. The air was full with his neighs. Severus and Beauty both were silent. Severus seemed to enjoy the ride, and so did Beauty, although in the beginning she was not too happy to wear nothing but a cape and a corset. She knew that nobody was to blame for that than herself.
By the time they left the woods and came to the grassland her butt was sore. Now the horse increased his speed, and each gallop pushed her bust over her corset, and each gallop slapped her bare arse. Severus was aware of that and noticed her excitement.
They rode his prize horse, Phantom he was black as the night, yet it was if they could read each others minds. Sometimes Beauty thought they had the same eyes, both could pierce through her mind. Phantom rode fast and hard, yet was gentle like the wind. With each gallop her bare arse rode him, and it excited her, Severus knew this and it excited him also.
Dusk was approaching and soon they needed to end their journey for the day. They had travel miles and miles, and it was time to rest. Soon they approach a stream. As they reach it and Phantom slows his trot, Beauty can feel Severus move her hair to the side as he whispers: "A few moments for a drink, then we are off... we must reach our destination by dusk," and with that she felt him bite her neck gently at first but suddenly harsh... as if to remind her he means what he says. She slides off his horse and takes her cape and scoops some water, walks over to Severus still on the horse, and offers him a drink from her cape, or to cleanse his face, whichever he prefers. She watches him slide off Phantom and walk his horse to the stream, then carefully takes her cupful of water and wipes his brow, she smiles and with the cool water he touches her face.
In the sky above them a storm was building up, dark clouds swiftly changing their forms, their shadows running over the grass and the stones like a herd of primeval beasts. Beauty looked around, but there was no place where they could find shelter.
"Oh, you don't be afraid to get wet, my darling?" Severus chuckled. "Let's go then, dear!" said he and off they were. Phantom ran fast as an arrow, there was thunder on the mountains and there were lightings in the sky and suddenly the clouds burst and heavy rain was pouring down. Beauty flattened herself on Phantoms back, her arms around his neck. Severus tried to shelter her, but soon gave up: It rained so hard that in no time both were soaking wet. Three more lightings in the sky and faraway thunder and then the rain was over.
"We are lucky, it was a warm summer rain, my sweetheart, winter storms here may be pretty wicked, they often come down with hail and snow," a drop of water dripped from Severus' nose as he spoke. Around them beautiful flowers were popping up on the wet soil, their blossoms red and blue and yellow, and small pools of water were shining with the beams of the sinking sun. A dragonfly was dancing around Beauty's head as she looked at Severus and he brushed back here wet red hair.
"Look, Beauty, over there, that dark mountain, that's where we heading to."
Her eyes gaze upon the mountain top, still wet from the heavy rain as the moon glows in the dusk. Severus brings Phantom to a slow trot as they approach thick woods. It seems they have made at least a mile of further progress before they come to a path that leads to the opening of a cave, dark and narrow, yet some light pierces through as they find their way. Phantom has been here before, he remembers. Suddenly, almost out of nowhere, a white horse stud in their way, neighing and shaking her mane. Phantom answered her all excited. The mare turned around her head and rammed her nostrils into Severus' thigh. "All right, all right, Weewhite, Phantom will be yours in a second," Severus laughed and got down from Phantoms back. Beauty glided into his open arms.
There were small flying spots all around them in the air, when they entered the cave, they could hardly see them, although they were very close. "Nothing to worry, just bats, dear," Severus said. Though the bats still frightened Beauty.
As it seemed, the cave opened into several caverns and tunnels. In one of the arcades on their left was something like a stove. Three women were sitting close to it on wooden stools, their backs turned to the stove. Obviously they enjoyed the warmth of the fire. Their hair was grey, their faces were wrinkled and they probably were older than the mountain they lived in. One of them held a spindle in her hands, the other turned the ball, and the third, who was dozing, had a pair of scissors on her lap.
Severus waved. "Hi, girls, how are you doing?"
"Oh pretty well, son. At least myself... Lachy here is suffering from gout, and Atrophy, she is dozing most of the time, no harm to her... But how are yourself, let me have a look at you..." She rose from her stool, passed the spindle to Lachy and hugged and kissed Serverus. "And there you bring along a pretty child..." Her left hand touched Beauty's cheek.
"That's Beauty, Klothy... "
"And a beauty you are, child," said Klothy and smiled, and Beauty was blushing.
Lachy laughed and said with a shake of the head: "Oh, come on, Klothy, you can't call her a child... she is a lady!" Beauty, standing there with nothing on but her corset and a cape, did not know what to say.
"A lady of course she is... and so beautiful ... and the thighs so pretty..." Klothy was going on, "...do you know, child, there will be a rose on your left inner thigh, a red blossom and black thorns... you will enjoy it there, but you better plant a rosebush in your garden too, dear..."
"Ahh, cut it, Klothy", said Lachy and shook her head again, "the girl needs no advice, but a hot mug of tea, look at her gooseflesh and her wet hair."
They had their tea and then Severus asked for Vulcanus.
