LITMIR.BIZ

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but whilst I was in the King’s guard I learned that most infants are cherished and well cared for.” The Beast paused and shrugged, “It probably did me no harm, and mayhap it even strengthened me.”

      “And when your parents felt it was time to begin teaching you?” Beauty prompted, heartsick at this tale of abuse.

      “All my memories of my parents are the lessons I learned from their fists or their whips. Is that love? Sometimes, if they were too tired or busy to whip me properly when they thought I needed punishment, they had their executioner do the task. A man known far and wide for his brutality. Is that love?” the Beast sneered, not even fully realizing why he was telling her this story. “They fostered me out to another knight for training at the age of seven. He beat me even more often than they did; was that love? I was told constantly that to show any hint of mercy or tenderness would make me seem weak and foolish, that I would be judged not worthy to be a warrior, a knight, or to rule a castle such as this. The lesson was beaten into me daily. And since I’ve grown up I’ve seen the truth of their teaching. I have seen naught to change my mind. I’ve seen the hopelessness of life and the cruelty of war, and I’ve known men so depraved as to make me seem a weakling, but I have never, ever seen love. I do not believe it exists.”

      “You have seen love, M’lord. You see it now. It’s standing here, now, before you, begging with you,” Beauty said proudly. Then she paused and lowered her voice, “I fear you as I have never feared any man before. I have been raised hearing tales of your heartless cruelty, and I have known of women who have been brought here against their will. They’ve been murdered or killed themselves both before and after submitting to your cruel and lustful attentions. They died in pain and disgrace. With all of that, and knowing full well the risk I take, I stand here offering you anything I can give to save my brother. Is that not love?”

      The Beast did not let her see that a touch of her reasoning had struck a spark deep within him. A trace of wonder and a hint of admiration for her courage.

      “Why would any woman kill herself after I honoured her with my attentions?” the Beast puzzled out loud, ignoring the shock that threatened to ruin his composure.

      Could it be true? Gathering himself, he shoved off the uneasy feeling. Certainly spending a night in his bed, even by force, was not enough to cause a woman to take her own life in despair. What disgrace could there be in pleasuring the lord of the castle?

      “It’s only a wild story, made to frighten young girls into obedience. It can not be real.” He then asked bitterly, “Who told you these tales of my cruelty? I should have him hung as a traitor!”

      Beauty saw the trap but knew not how to avoid it.

      She dropped her head and whispered softly, “Many have said it, M’lord, tis common talk in the village.”

      “Including your brother?” the Beast asked quietly; he was no fool.

      “Yea, M’lord,” Beauty admitted softly, her voice barely a whisper. “Including my brother. He is the one who suggested I dress like this to avoid catching your attention.”

      “I gave him a decent job and a chance to earn a little money to help his family. Does that not warrant some loyalty? Why should he spread these tales to you? ‘Tis nigh treason? You have not helped his cause by telling me thus,” the Beast roared.

      “There was a lass in the village who he was fond of, he might have even married her until you… took her,” Beauty said meekly. “She was a virgin.”

      “It is my right to claim the maidens. What harm did that do? She could still marry your brother.” The Beast was unconvinced.

      “She was beaten so badly that she was crippled when you let her return to the village, M’lord, and soon found herself to be pregnant with your child.” Beauty met his cold stare head on. “My brother still would have wed her, I think, but she killed herself in despair. Please, M’lord, understand that he did not tell me these things to be disloyal to you but because he fears for me, that I might meet a similar fate.”

      “Yet you stand before me, having come here on your own accord, offering yourself to me. What would he think of that I wonder?” the Beast taunted her. “Would he be pleased that you offer to give yourself to me?”

      “He’ll know why I did it, and understand, I pray, but he will still be furious.” Beauty swallowed before she continued, “And I will be, in truth, eternally dishonoured. If I can save his life, it will be well worth the price.”

      “And will he not try to take vengeance for you?” the Beast sneered and wondered aloud. “Against me? I would, for a sister well loved, if I believed in love at all.”

      “He will not. I swear it,” Beauty said steadily. “I have a mother and a younger brother for him to protect. He would not abandon them or put their lives at risk to save me.”

      The Beast paced the room, agitated at this glimpse of the girl’s mind. Finally he paused, tamping down his fury before continuing, “What exactly are you offering? For all your fine talk, so far as I can tell, there’s nothing at all about you to interest me in the least.”

      Beauty silently pushed her hood back, letting him see her face for the first time. She reached up and pulled the leather thong, releasing her dirty but long, flowing hair.

      The Beast stared at her, amazed and stunned. He struggled to maintain his icy demeanour, to hide his disconcerting reaction from her. Beauty was the most beautiful woman he’d ever seen, at least her face was, even covered as it was with dirt. She was young, maybe eighteen, barely more than a girl, and seemed very petite. She had clear blue eyes, perfect cheekbones, a generous mouth with even white teeth, smooth clear skin and thick dark blond hair.

      The Beast found his voice and snarled, “You’ve been working in the fields too long, lass, and you are very dirty. Indeed, right now you look more like a plough horse in need of a good grooming than a lass I wouldst bed, but I will admit you could clean up passably well, and your teeth do seem to be decent. Now drop your cloak and let me see if there’s a body worthy of my interest under all that wrapping.”

      Beauty was torn between being insulted, defiant and afraid. Her eyes flashed as she struggled to hold her tongue and her mind worked feverishly to figure out if she was helping her brother at all or hurting his cause. Slowly, her eyes down, she removed the heavy, concealing cloak, dropping it to the floor.

      The Beast was no stranger to a woman’s charms so he could tell that she had a stunning figure beneath her loose, bulky dress. Her breasts were very full and round for someone so slender. They stood out proudly against the rough material. He was amazed and more than a little angry that she’d been hidden from him. After all, she was his property!

      He decided to get a little revenge. It would be fun to see how long it would take him to shatter her spirit. Even through the dress, he noted her shaking legs and wondered if she would even last out the night.

      “You still have too many clothes on. For all I can tell you have no shape at all,” the Beast snarled. “I said disrobe.”

      “M’lord!” Beauty blushed.

      “Is not your brother worth it? What did you think would happen when you offered to do anything to save him? Didst you think I would leave him go without demanding payment?” The Beast was without mercy, leaning into her pale, ashen face as he finished with deadly quiet. “Without seizing payment from your body and your very soul?”

      “I am more than ready to do anything you ask of me to save my brother’s life,” Beauty replied softly as she slowly struggled to remove her clothes with numb fingers. “But, M’lord, I am an innocent, a virgin. No man has ever seen me undressed or touched me. I admit I’m afraid of you, yet I will do whatever you ask if you will but free my brother.”

      “You will do whatever I ask of you whether or not I free your brother.” That it was a statement of cold, hard fact, and not a threat made the utterance even more chilling. “If I wanted to bed you in the shadow of your brother’s hanging corpse, you would obey.”

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