Beautiful Beast

Chapter 4

KALISTA

Wisps of steam climb through the morning sunlight, then dissipate into nothingness. I stare intently at them, imagining them to be dragons and peacocks and swans who fly away on the wings of morning to a paradise far away. What would I give to be that free? I wish I had wings so that I might fly away.

"My lady?"

I tear away from the fantasies rising from my cup of tea and look to where Cedric's watch is gently swinging to and fro. He is nervous.

"Yes, what is it?"

"He is lost," Cedric states, then adds hesitantly, "Already."

I take a sip of tea, even though it is too hot and burns my tongue. Lost. And he will stay lost until I give him a proper tour of the palace. It was a clever spell that my forefathers placed upon the palace. Perhaps they thought it would be amusing, or perhaps they did it out of paranoia. It was likely the latter. They did not want anyone to stick their nose into places where it did not belong. I suppose I can share these feelings. My guest cares not for me or my home and if he could find his way, he would hunt me down without a second thought. This morning, I had dropped the illusion which had hidden the lock on his door, but I did not think he would lose his way so quickly. After all, the door was still locked. He must have found a way to pick the lock and this knowledge makes me uncomfortable.

"He can stay lost for now. I will pay him a visit later."

"Yes, my lady," Cedric says, then leaves in a tiny breeze.

I look down at my palm which is still tied with a handkerchief. One of its white edges is bordered with dried blood, but when I tighten my hand into a fist, there is only the slightest sting. Gingerly, I untie the knot and unwrap the bandage. It is stained with blood, but the skin of my palm has already begun to knit itself together. If only I healed so quickly when I was a child, it would have saved me the aches of countless scrapes and bruises. However, with many other changes, my ability to heal quickly appeared with the instigation of the curse.

Pushing aside my musings, I swallow the remainder of my tea and ring for Beedy. Within a few moments, she has arrived and proceeds to arrange my hair and help me into a comfortable day dress. I then wrap a shawl about my shoulders and leave the palace. Outside, the world is quiet but for my feet treading on the gravel drive. It is a heavy silence, although by now, it is something I have become accustomed to. In the stables, the stillness is broken by the chewing and shifting bodies of horses. Horses. My steed is no longer alone.

Curiously, I step to the stall where my guest's horse is situated. He is a beautiful animal with a red dun coat and lighter mane and tail. His feet are large and sure, and he must be over fifteen hands high—near to my horse's height, perhaps a little taller. This horse is a warhorse, though. He has finely toned muscles and in his eyes, I can see courage.

"Hello there, handsome," I say softly, holding a carrot above the stall door.

The horse lifts its head and nickers when it sees the treat. Without fear, it plods toward me and steals the carrot from my hand.

"You like that, do you?" I run a hand along his strong neck. "You are a beautiful boy, aren't you? Where did he find you?" After his apparent talent with picking locks, I thought perhaps my guest was a thief, but his high bred horse suggests otherwise.

Another nicker in the neighbouring stall calls me to attention and I give the red dun one last pat. "Someone is getting jealous." I step over to the next stall where Abraxas is impatiently bobbing his head and shaking his midnight mane.

"Alright, alright you big baby." I feed him the carrot, then clip a lead rope onto his halter. Together, we walk about the palace grounds and soak in the morning sunshine. I try to ignore the man who I know is wandering aimlessly through my palace, but it is difficult to forget. Although my palm is nearly healed already, there are invisible wounds that still sting. I am hurt and I want to be angry at him, but I know how he is aching. It is a feeling I am familiar with.