Love's Curse

Chapter 8: Beauty's Rose

Lilandra lay in bed staring at the canopy overhead. It had been three days since she had seen the beast. Lynn had mostly confined her to her room but that didn't bother her. She did a lot of sleeping, eating and resting. Some of the deeper welts had finally stopped bleeding and were starting to heal. The brand also was starting to heal but she would be forever marked.

* * * * *

The Prince stalked along his hallways heading for the Hall of Memories. He pushed open the wide doors and stood before the relics of his past reign, sighing as the memories welled up within him.

Lynn walked in behind him. "Sire, I'm going to be showing Miss Lilandra about the grounds today. Her wounds aren't paining her as badly and she needs the fresh air."

The Prince nodded in response to Lynn's information and looked at him a moment. "Good, be sure that she does not enter this room. I will be forever damned if she does."

"I have kept her from this wing and she does not ask. She has been cowed into being meek but I see hints of spirit in her. Perhaps it will be spirit enough to save a prince," Lynn replied slyly.

Prince Aries grunted a moment and began quietly walking around the spire in the center of the room, occasionally rustling his wings. "I shouldn't have used it Lynn. I should have just had her executed by the firing squad instead of having my moment of satisfaction."

Lynn stiffened. "It cannot be undone now, sire. You must remain hopeful and move forward. I have a feeling about this lass. She's different than the others you have brought here."

"True, usually they would jump out the window at first sight of me. This is a good sign."

"Yes, she has steel in her veins. She had to in order to endure whatever hell her family put her through. Poor girl." Lynn shook his head. "I'm going to go serve her breakfast and then it's off to the gardens. And sire, please try not to scare the housecleaning group that will be here today."

"I never try Lynn. It's not my fault they don't have steel in their veins like our guest. Have fun in the gardens and be careful of the roses."

"I thought it best to inform you sire, just in case you had decided to behave." Lynn chuckled. His liege was still the same underneath the bitterness of his curse. "And we will steer clear of the roses." He bowed to Aries and left him to his thoughts.

Aries returned once more to his memories, watching each item for a moment, reliving that terrible day over and over.

* * * * *

Lynn closed the doors quietly behind him and made his way to the kitchen. He efficiently prepared her a try for breakfast and headed back upstairs to her room. He knocked on the door once before unlocking it and entering.

Lilandra was up, dressed, and standing by the table when he entered. "Good morning," she said shyly.

Lynn smiled pleasantly and made his way over to the table, gently setting the tray down before her. "Good morning, my lady. How are we feeling this fine day?"

"Less sore. Restless. I miss the outside," she stated wistfully as she sat down to eat.

He lifted the lid to reveal a perfectly cooked traditional breakfast, almost overflowing the plate. "Well then you are in for a special treat. We are to view the gardens today."

"You mean it? We are to go out today?" Her eyes were bright with joy and eagerness.

Lynn nodded and motioned to the great gardens that spanned for miles outside her window. "Indeed, my lady. There are several hours worth of appreciation out there. That is of course if one only glances the blooms. It would take days, possibly even weeks to view all the flowers and fully appreciate them."

She grinned broadly and went back to eating. She soon finished and stood. She couldn't disguise her desire to be on their way. "Thank you for breakfast." She walked over to the closet and found a hat to keep the sun off her and she quickly donned it. She had managed to brush and braid her hair the night before so that it didn't look like a rat's nest. "I'm ready."

Lynn respectfully held his arm out for her to take, heading at a slow pace along the corridors so as not to upset Lilandra's stomach and let her breakfast settle. "We must of course stay clear of the roses. They are the master's most prized blooms, but more importantly, their thorns can be razor sharp."

She was slightly disappointed at the news. Roses were the one flower she hadn't seen and it was one her mother had often talked about. No matter. She was sure there were other flowers that she would get to see on their little jaunt outdoors.

He quietly paused just before the doors to the garden and motioned for her to look to the glass environment before them. "This here my lady is the public example of the master's work and skill."

Behind the glass wall, in constant perfect bloom were four roses. One red, yellow, white, and black. Each stunning in color and radiating beauty.

She gawked. "They're beautiful," she whispered and before she could stop herself she was reaching out to touch the black one. The glass was cold to the touch as her fingers traced over the engraved lettering.

Lynn smiled and softly spoke, "Ah the blackest rose of night. It is the only one of its kind in the whole estate and is on the master's coat of arms. It represents passion and fortitude in the tasks he undertakes, along with his honor."

She looked at Lynn in confusion. "But I was always taught that black meant evil and suffering?"

"On the contrary my lady, evil comes in many forms. Black was simply the unfortunate color the darkness evil prefers to hide in."

"Oh." She still looked unconvinced but her fingers once more stroked the glass as her eyes strayed to the black rose. She shook her head and stepped back with an embarrassed laugh. "Gardens?" she asked politely to cover over the moment.

Lynn watched her with interest. The others that had come this far had avoided the dark rose, thinking it dead, but this girl...this girl could see through appearances. "Of course, my lady." He swung open the great double doors, the strong breeze filled with the aromas and pollens filling the hallway.

She took in a deep breath and a smile that transformed her features and showed her beauty burst forth as she took a step forward into the beautiful morning.

The sun was shining brightly and the herb gardens that dotted across the estate were alive with staff completing their weekly duties, pulling weds and killing pests.

"Other people," Lilandra murmured when she spotted them. They were all of various ages but all worked diligently. As they passed by the workers, she frowned. The workers were giving her pitying glances and in the cases of the women, fearful ones. She moved closer to Lynn. "Why are they looking at me like that?" Her question was softly spoken but it sounded loud in the suddenly silent garden.

Lynn took a moment thinking how to word the crushing destiny she might have. "Did you ever wonder why the master asks for a new girl each month?"

She nodded and then bit her bottom lip. "Is it because he..." she stammered off and blushed as she recalled how huge his cock was and what he had wanted to do to her.

Lynn nodded in response and continued. "The master always paid for their funerals in full with the most grand of services."

She closed her eyes and shuddered. She doubted any of her relatives would come to her funeral. "I see," she replied softly before looking straight ahead and not at the workers.

"Don't take it too harshly my lady. It is an unfortunate part of the master's condition that he cannot control."

"I suppose that was little comfort to the dead girls," she stated before turning red and putting her hand to her mouth. She shot Lynn a look of fear as she hastily stammered out an apology. "Forgive me sir! I should not have said that!" She trembled a little afraid that he would strike her for her insolence.

Lynn, however, seemed unmoved by her words. "You need not apologize my lady. The master himself has said those words many times before. It is like a soldier having to execute an innocent villager for living in enemy territory. They have no choice, they must do it."

His words only produced a chill of fear through her. They did not bring comfort. "You said there were many flowers?" She changed the subject quickly. She didn't want to think about her fate.

"Oh yes, just beyond the hedges here."

Lynn quietly opened the larger gate in the ten-feet tall hedge, revealing entire fields of exotic, precious flowers.

Lilandra stared in mute surprise at the explosions of colors that the flowers displayed. Not only the colors but also the shapes and sizes as well. And the scents! They were a heady mixture of sweet, coy, and tantalizing.

He smiled brightly and once more began walking along the well-kept path, slowly proceeding along the stones allowing Lilandra time enough to take in the amazing scenery.

Occasionally as they walked she would reach out to touch a flower and ask Lynn questions. She could have kept walking through the gardens forever but after a few hours her stomach rumbled, reminding her that she needed to eat.

He gratefully answered all of her questions, pleased to see her enjoying the gardens. It has been so long since anyone had done so. When he heard her stomach rumble he could not help a light chuckle. "Perhaps it is time to return? It will be dark soon I believe."

"Yes, of course!" She once again blushed when her stomach added its own agreement.

Prince Aries watched them from high above in his balcony. He smiled to himself as he watched her enjoying the sunlight and the fields. He felt his heart ache a moment as his gaze focused on her, dreading the night that would quickly be arriving.

Lilandra suddenly looked up. She had felt someone staring at her but there was no one in the garden except for Lynn and herself. She ignored her unease and continued to sniff at the flowers on their way back inside. "Thank you for this day." She smiled winsomely at Lynn. She meant it too. She had truly enjoyed herself.

He nodded and once more smiled warmly, escorting her down to the kitchen to save himself a trip up to her room. The hearth was blazing warm, creating a soft, gentle atmosphere as Lynn walked towards the larder, asking, "What would you like this evening, my lady?"

"Do you have any meats? I find myself craving some," she admitted. She had liked the fruits, vegetables, grains and bread trays he had been serving her but now she wanted something a little heartier.

"Indeed my lady, we have all forms of meat here. Game bird, chicken, pork, beef, lamb, mutton, rabbit, or venison. Which would you prefer?"

"Lamb. I've only tried it once and I liked the taste." That was probably putting it mildly. She had devoured her meager portion and had wanted more but her father had refused to let her have any. He said hired help didn't get to eat grand.

Lynn nodded and brought out a large slab of the chilled meat, cutting thick slices from it before laying them on the pan above the fire. In a few minutes they were done and he carefully placed the plate in front of her, the volume of meat easily enough to satisfy even the largest of men's hunger.

She found silverware in one of the cabinets and handed Lynn a fork, spoon and knife before seating herself. She cut into the meat and ate with gusto. "This is delicious!"

"I aim to please." He smiled at her enjoyment

They ate in companionable silence and eventually she had to push the plate away. It had been years since she'd had a full belly and she was grateful to Lynn for it now. "Thank you." She paused and then bashfully asked, "How long have you worked for your Master?"

Lynn dabbed at his face with a napkin as he thought for a long moment. "I worked here ten years before his birth my lady and will still be here until my dying day."

"How old is he?" Now she was curious. She was only 18. She thought the beast was very old but maybe not.

"He is 32 my lady, a fine age for a lord if I do say so myself. He was indeed in his prime before his condition arose. A charismatic leader who held grand festivals once a season for his everyone to attend."

So the beast was older than herself but not by much. "He was well liked then?"

"He was favored by many, he was the leader of a once grand and incorruptible army which rid the lands of evil bandits that had plagued the trading routes for years." Lynn's eyes filled with joy as he remembered the days before the curse

"He must have angered someone for them to do this to him." Lilandra didn't know anything about powers but she had heard that some of the people beyond her little valley possessed them. Her mother used to regale her with stories about such people but because Lilandra didn't see any in use she dismissed it as just stories. Now she wasn't so sure. Just like her mother used to tell her that there were beasts who could talk. And now she lived in a place where a beast did indeed talk. All her doubts were on shaking ground.

"Indeed he did anger someone, sweet lady. He angered the leader of those barbaric and brutal bandits. The men took her into custody because she was known to be treacherous and her punishment would have been banishment had she not attacked the master."

"What did they do to her?"

"She was executed instead, attacking the master usually only comes with a flogging or prison. However, he was changed that fateful day. Alas the poor misguided Zitomira was no more."

The name stirred something in her memory but it was illusive so she dismissed it.

Quietly Lynn cleared the table of the meal and contents, laying them aside to be washed later. "I believe it is time for some rest, my lady."

"Yes, yes of course." She stood but then she had a horrible thought. "Am I to meet with the beast again this evening? Will he..." she couldn't complete the sentence.

"Not tonight no. Tomorrow perhaps when you are fully healed. Have you reconsidered the master's kind offer, my lady?"

She looked away from Lynn. Kind offer? That was a nice way of putting what mostly amounted to a rape on the part of the beast. "I have to think some more," she stammered.

He nodded and held his arm out for Lilandra to take. "I do hope you reach a decision by tomorrow night, the encounters go so much more smoothly if one is willing."

"I understand," she whispered.

They walked back to her room in silence, his hand gently resting on her arm in a small gesture of comfort. "The master will see you after dinner tomorrow night. Rest well, my lady." With that said, he silently left the room. Only the sound of the door closing and the lock clicking into place could be heard.

She looked at the door and then went to the bed and started crying softly. She was afraid and she had no one to confide her fears in. Finally sleep claimed her and she slept dreamlessly.