Love's Curse

Lilandra lay in bed on her back with her arm flung across her eyes. She knew they were red and puffy, but she didn't care. She was still pondering on why she had rejected Aries. She'd seen the hurt in his eyes, but she had been too shocked by her own thoughts to properly explain what was wrong. Now he was probably angry and that was the last thing she wanted.

"I don't know what to do. The pieces are all there but I'm too stupid to understand," she moaned and fought back a fresh round of tears.

The soft knock upon the wood of her door was unmistakably Lynn, he always knocked a certain way, as if it were a code. "Miss Lilandra?"

Lilandra tensed. Here it comes, she thought. Time to face the music. She sat up. "Come in." She didn't move from her spot on the bed.

The door opened and the soft tinkle of the china tea set was heard. "I thought you might like a cup of tea, you were asleep for a long time my dear."

"Yes...uh...thank you." Surprised that he wasn't lecturing her, she stood and came over to the table and sat. Wary, she didn't speak as she watched him set the tray down.

He politely began to pour the tea, not saying anything until he was done. He was methodical like that in tense times. Finally, he looked up and asked, "I heard some commotion earlier tonight. Did you have a nightmare?"

"I-It's all my fault!" Lilandra blurted out and wrung her hands. She didn't want Lynn mad at her or Beast. "I insulted Beast's friend Aries. I didn't mean to, but I did. Please, Lynn, I'm sorry!"

Lynn frowned and sipped his tea a moment. "Insulted how?"

Lilandra turned a brilliant shade of pink before stammering out an explanation. "Aries was in Beast's room when I woke and he, we, started to...the bed. But then I said no, and he looked like he was in pain."

"I see, well he has a bit of a condition with his health. He has to take medication. He must have forgotten it when he was visiting you."

"Oh. I thought maybe it was because I stopped him while we were..." Lilandra floundered, blushed again and finished in a rush. "While we were making love. But I realized that he wasn't what I wanted. Even though it felt good, he wasn't who I wanted," she whispered softly, her tone baffled and sad.

"What? Oh my!" Lynn was genuinely shocked. "If it wasn't him you wanted then...who?"

Lilandra dropped her head, squirmed, debated and finally opted to say nothing. She simply clenched her hands into fists and let misery and guilt prick her conscience.

"Lilandra? Are you alright?" Lynn's hands reached out, gently laying upon hers to reassure her. She trembled and fought with her emotions. She realized in that moment, that she cared greatly about Beast. His thoughts, his tenderness and his patience. She wanted to be with him. He made her feel...cherished.

"I'm fine. I think I need some sunshine."

"If that is what you wish then I would gladly walk with you through the gardens outside." He was concerned by her quietness. Was she straying from Aries? He silently prayed that it was not so, otherwise all would be lost.

"Thank you, Lynn." She jumped up and ran to the closet to retrieve some comfortable shoes. She came back to his side and slid her arm through his. Outside would be better. She could think and sort out what was going on in her mind and heart.

He took her arm through his and laid his hand upon hers once more, guiding her out of her room and towards the entrance to the gardens. "Sometimes all one needs is a breath of fresh air and a glimpse of sunshine to brighten their mood and refresh their mind."

"My mother used to say that too. She said that troubles were like a rainy day and that any cloud must flee before sunshine." Lilandra smiled as she thought of her mother. Her mother was alive, or some kind of alive. Not that it mattered to Lilandra what state. To hear her mother's voice and know that the one person in the world who cared about her still worried about her, made Lilandra giddy with relief.

"Wise words from a wise woman, I'm sure. The skies are clear today, a nice change from the dreary weather of late." He felt his own mood begin to lift, indeed it was a nice change to get out into the sun.

Lilandra said nothing else until they were outside. The heat of the sun bathed her face and she closed her eyes, soaking it all in. She felt stronger, even calmer. It was like coming out of a dream. Had she really been that silly to run from this place? From Lynn? From Beast? She took a deep breath and let it out slowly. She thought about Beast and his kind eyes.... Once again something niggled in the back of her mind. She reached for it and found herself rebuffed. Her eyes flew open and she let out a startled squeak.

Lynn paused mid-step and looked at Lilandra. "Miss Lilandra? Is everything alright?"

"I-I'm fine. Maybe I shouldn't have stared at the sun," she hedged. She had never felt anything like that in her mind before. She was starting to wonder if she was going crazy. She needed to talk to Beast.

~No, my daughter, not yet.~

Lilandra almost squeaked again and caught herself. ~Mother?~

~Not yet. Patience.~

~I don't understand.~

~You will. Trust your instincts, my daughter.~

More confused now than before, Lilandra stared down at the flowers. She wished her life wasn't always about waiting, about patience. Why couldn't it be simple?

Lynn stood in silence watching her closely, something was going on but he couldn't quite put his finger on it. It were as if she were listening to someone...but there was no one around them and he definitely wasn't speaking right now.

"Lynn, do you have any children?"

"Oh no, none myself. I have always been caring for the master, ever since he was a young boy. That is enough for me, he was enough of a handful by himself."

Lynn couldn't help but smile a little as he remembered the mischief Aries would get into in his youth.

"I see." Lilandra saw the warmth in Lynn's smile and was a little envious of Beast. Her own father had never looked at her that way. "Lynn, is there really such a thing as magic?"

He raised an eyebrow at her, quite surprised at her question given what she had done herself recently. "Yes, as you have shown us there is indeed such a thing as magic."

"But it wasn't me that did it!" she protested and wrapped her arms around herself in a tight hug. "There's no such thing. I mean, I can't have magic. I'm not special!"

"Lilandra, there are thousands of people who have magic, many simply have no idea that they do because it is so weak within them. The master himself was once a great sorcerer of Sky magics."

"Sky magic? I do not understand. I know I am young, but Father always said there was no such thing as magic. That it was only nonsense tales that Mother," Lilandra paused and then continued. "that Mother told me. She often told me that I was special and that it would all make sense when I was older. And then she died and Father taught me that I wasn't special at all. That the nonsense in my head was only good for getting punishments."

"Well your father was a liar, Lilandra. Magic does exist and if your feats are any indication, then your mother would have been a powerful sorceress indeed. There are three different types of magic in this world. Perhaps after our walk we will discuss it further?"

Three? Powerful sorceress? Everything was happening too fast. Her stomach rumbled and Lilandra laughed.

"I guess, maybe I should eat?"

"If you wish, young miss. I believe there are still some apples in the orchard that can be picked."

"That would be good, Lynn. I'm sorry my stomach is so loud." She let him lead her to the orchard and selected the biggest apple she could find. She ate quietly for a moment before mustering up her courage to speak. "Lynn, is there anything that Beast likes above all else?"

"I would not know any more young miss. It has been some years since he has had time...or the will to indulge in anything relaxing or positive. I do remember that he quite enjoyed art for a time and music."

"Music? Does that include singing?"

Lynn nodded, looking up towards the slow drifting cloud and bird wheeling overhead in the sky. "Yes, from time to time. He tries to do sing sometimes when he bathes but I made him stop because he kept breaking all the windows with his terrible pitch."

Lilandra giggled. "Lynn," shyly she looked over at him. "I would like to sing for him. Not-not tonight. I want...I want to make it special for him. Just him. Can we do it in a day or two, without the new people around?" Her heart was racing, yet asking for this moment felt right.

A wry grin came over his face. So she really was beginning to fall for Aries. That was a most excellent sign.

"I will see what I can do. I'm pretty sure I could manage to have the General's men out of the castle for a night."

"Thank you! I think I should like to go rest for a little while." Lilandra smiled and slipped her arm through Lynn's. Yes, it was time she showed Beast some gratitude and she wanted to explore these new emotions stirring in her heart.

* * *

-Sotan City-

It was another hot, humid day but General Yosaf Gotred did not mind. In fact, he enjoyed the sweat it produced. And of course, training his men also had something to do with his good mood. Seven long years and not a word from his Prince and suddenly a messenger arrives with a pleas from Lynn. Gotred did not believe in coincidences. It was time to go home.

He heard a grunt and a curse and he looked over at the newest recruits. Three of the ten were siblings, large farm boys with a love of brawling. Clumsy with weapons except for the spiked mace, the three boys Yan, Lan, and San were his favorites. Not that they let it go to their heads. They were extremely shy and the slightest bit of teasing made them blush like a young maiden.

"Enough! Fall in!" He bellowed and watched as his two thousand men scrambled into their assigned units. He looked down at them from the raised dais and smiled. Yes, his men. Fighters all of them and loyal.

"Today is a good day. Word has reached me that our Prince has need of us. We will leave in six hours. Pack all the winter gear and prepare the horses."

"For our Prince!" the men chanted and raised their weapons in the air.

Gotred pulled free his broadsword and raised it high. "Yes, for our Prince," he stated and dismissed the troops to get ready.

He left the dais and headed for the main compound where the women and support staff waited. He was sure that his trusted personal aides had informed the staff and that they too would be getting ready to travel.

He went into the kitchen and spotted Zera and Zanel quietly giving instructions. Gotred grinned. The day he had saved the thirteen-year-old twins from bandits had been a fortuitous day indeed.

"Well?"

"Everyone has gone to prepare, Sir. We are packed and ready as well," Zera informed him with a saucy wink.

Gotred chuckled. Zera was wily and a fast thinker whereas her brother Zanel was quiet and fiercely loyal to his sister and to Gotred.

"Very good, you two. I appreciate all your help. Go and do whatever else is left. I cannot wait for you to meet my Prince."

"You make him sound larger than life," Zanel pointed out.

"That's because he is. Now off with you."

"Yes, Sir!"

Gotred, satisfied that things were proceeding nicely, took a short route back to his quarters. The city he had settled in seven years ago after the disaster with Zitomira, had been a small town, constantly harassed by bandits and larger towns. Gotred and his men had helped stave off the town's enemies and had slowly built the small town into a prosperous city. He did not feel bad about leaving. He had no ties here. The closest thing he had to a family was Zera and Zanel, not that he would tell the twins that.

He laughed and gathered his meager possessions. "Hold on, my Prince. I am coming." With one last cursory perusal of his room, Gotred spun on his heel and left.