TFT 01 Beauty and the Beast (28 page)

“We shall see,” Severin enigmatically said, scooping Elle up in his arms.

Elle pressed her face against his cloak, shielding her face from the stinging wind. “How did you find me?”

“Magic. And an enchantress,” Severin said, boosting her onto Fidele’s back.

Elle shivered as Severin mounted up behind her. “I shouldn’t be surprised, but I am. Can Fidele carry us both?”

“For a time. I brought an extra mount, we’ll switch when we have to. Sleep, Elle.”

Elle didn’t have the strength to protest. She fell asleep listening to Severin’s beating heart, joy warming her from the inside out. Severin had come for her.

Chapter 15

Partners in Life

Hunger woke Elle, gnawing at her stomach like a crazed animal.

Elle slowly opened her eyes to find there were three people in her room. A woman stood at the fireplace at the far end of the room, a second woman stood at the door, and a man stood at Elle’s bedside.

Elle blinked blearily at the man, who was stirring some sort of tea concoction. He was stout with a jolly face and warm eyes. “Duval?” she said, her voice rusty.

Duval smiled, a gesture that lit up his face. “The Mademoiselle is awake,” he announced.

The woman at the door ran into the hallway. “Elle is awake!” she shouted.

The woman at the fireplace, Emele, flew across the room. “Elle!” she said, crying and laughing at once.

Emele hugged Elle, barely giving her time to sit upright. “I’m so glad you’re here! I’m sorry for what I said,” Emele said, squeezing her tight. “I missed you so much.”

“And I missed you,” Elle laughed

“If I could intrude for a moment, but Mademoiselle Elle has been through much. If you would drink this restorative tea—,” Duval started before he was plowed over by Bernadine.

“Elle!” Bernadine said, her voice as warm and inviting as her morning pastries. “We’re delighted that you have returned.”

“Where am I?” Elle asked, looking around the room. She didn’t recognize it. It was a bedroom for certain—one larger and even more lavish than her chateau room—and it was decorated in golds and sedate reds.

“You’re in Chanceux Chateau, darling,” Bernadine chortled, affectionately smacking Elle as if she were the silliest thing in the world. (The smack jolted Elle with its force.)

“But this isn’t my room,” Elle said.

“It is now,” Emele said, seating herself on the edge of Elle’s mattress.

“But, what about my old room,” Elle stammered.

“It’s still there,” Bernadine nodded.

“I don’t understand,” Elle said.

“What these two ninnies aren’t telling you is that His Honor himself ordered this room cleaned for your use,” a strong voice drawled from the door.

Elle smiled. “Heloise.”

“Elle,” Heloise nodded with a snappy nod. “Duval, are you well?”

“Quite right,” Duval muttered, fixing his askew glasses. “Now if you’ll excuse me, but Mademoiselle Elle really needs to be—,”

A housemaid threw open the doors of Elle’s new bedroom. “His Highness wishes to see Elle!” she announced.

Bernadine turned, bouncing Duval away from the bed with her backside. “I shouldn’t be surprised. What a delight! Come, girls—and Duval. We will leave the two of them alone.”

Emele hugged Elle again. “I have so much I wish to speak about, but it will wait. I am ever so glad you are home, Elle,” she said before getting up and following Bernadine from the room.

“Come on, Duval. You lost the battle before you even waged it,” Heloise told the barber-physician.

“But Mademoiselle Elle really should been cared for,” Duval complained.

“I am certain His Worshipness will see to it,” Heloise dryly said.

The barber-physician grumbled—gathering up his medical instruments. He bowed deeply at Elle. “Mademoiselle Elle, allow me to voice my happiness that you have returned. I expect I shall see you later today,” he said before leaving.

Heloise, who was right behind him, paused in the doorway. “Elle, welcome home,” she said, closing the door before Elle could reply. Elle could hear the dour housekeeper speak through the door. “Bernadine, listening at the doorway will not count for giving them privacy. Move along, His Mystifying has earned an audience with the girl.”

All was quiet for a few moments, and Elle took the chance to stand—grateful to find that while she slept Emele had apparently wrangled her into one of Elle’s plainest dresses.

As Elle stretched the door clicked open, and Severin, dressed in a dark green waistcoat, entered. He shut the door behind him, briefly leaning against it. “Elle,” he said.

“Hello, Severin.”

“How do you feel?” Severin asked, approaching Elle with glittering eyes.

Elle swallowed and reached for a chair to support herself. “Fine. A little addled. I didn’t recognize the room,” Elle said, looking down at the chair and realizing the ornate arms and legs were leafed with real gold.

“Do you like it?” Severin inquired.

“It’s very… elaborate,” Elle said.

Severin chuckled. “You find it gaudy, don’t you?”

“Maybe a little,” Elle grinned. Her eyes went wide and she grabbed for her hidden pouch. It wasn’t there! Elle whirled around and spotted it on a tea table set next to her bed. She swiped it and removed rolled up papers from inside of it, breathing in relief. “Here—I was supposed to take them to the palace but I’m sure you’ll see His Highness Prince Lucien before I will.”

“What is it?” Severin asked, unrolling the papers.

“The reason I went to the assassin’s guild. It’s the contract Arcainia made with them for your assassination. You can use it to barter with Arcainia. If it is made known that they contracted the guild to kill you
their
country will be ruined,” Elle grinned.

Severin studied for the papers for a moment. “Why? Why risk your life for this?”

“They were going to keep after you, Severin. I took the mission because I wanted to stop them. Arcainia will cancel the contract if you lean on them politically now that you have proof.”

Severin set the papers aside and reached out, grazing Elle’s cheekbone with his thumb. “I am sorry, Elle, for the pain I caused you.”

“I lied to you. I should have told you the truth about who I was.”

“Yes,” Severin agreed. “But I should have given you the chance to explain yourself. I was confused and grieved.”

“You thought I was your brother’s spy.”

“No, I thought you didn’t love me.”

Elle looked up into Severin’s blazing eyes. “What changed your mind?”

Severin ruefully smiled. “An enchantress told me I was being a dolt.”

“The one that helped you with the curse?”

“The one and the same. She explained to me that I misunderstood the conditions of breaking my curse. In order for it to break a woman had to fall in love with me.”

Elle’s cheeks burned and she turned her back to Severin, inexplicably embarrassed. “I thought you told me as much before.
I
certainly told you so before your brother arrived.”

Severin chuckled. “I did not finish. A woman had to fall in love with me,
and
I had to fall in love with her.”

Elle froze as she replayed Severin’s words in her mind. She blinked, still shocked and disbelieving when Severin stood behind her and slipped his arms around her waist.

“I am sorry, Elle, for my harsh words,” Severin said pulling Elle against his chest. “Do you forgive me?”

“Yes. Do you forgive me for lying?” Elle asked, propping her head against his chest.

Severin leaned forward to kiss her cheek. “Yes. I love you, Elle.”

“I love you, Severin.”

Elle wished the moment would last forever. She felt safe and secure with Severin’s arms wrapped around her, her chest warm with the knowledge that she was loved and treasured.

Severin briefly drew away from Elle, only to step in front of her. “Just to iron out the details so I can be sure we both understand—We are in love, and will be engaged and married. And while it is not likely we will be happy forever after—because I
am
a prince and we will be forced to occasionally cavort with ‘polite society,’ which will probably make us both very unhappy—we will experience joy and pain and sadness together and live life as husband and wife?”

“You haven’t asked me to marry you,” Elle said.

“My darling Elle. When I ask you I will make it as romantic as possible, shower you with food, and do everything in my power to woo you. However, I find myself less than enthused by the prospect of any more surprises, so I would like to be sure. Is that what you see in our future?”

“We will fight.”

“And then we will forgive each other.”

“I will still rub plant leaves.”

“And I will very likely make squirrel jokes until another woodland creature bites you.”

Elle laughed. “Yes. Yes, yes, yes!”

Severin smiled and pulled Elle into a kiss, one that was saturated with all the love, laughter, and affection Severin was capable of giving. It melted Elle’s bones and warmed her heart, making her lean into Severin. It was a perfect moment. Not even the knowledge that Bernadine was standing on the balcony outside, spying on the pair, could lessen it.

Severin and Elle were in love.

A journeying farmer and his two children were surprised when, in late summer, they discovered that the road from the village of Belvenes to Noyers was in excellent condition.

The woods that had previously intruded on the road were pushed back, potholes and washouts had been filled in with dirt and gravel, and in the middle of the forest was a chateau.

The farmer knew it was there; previously it had housed a cursed prince. But it seemed like a different place now.

Gardeners walked up and down the lane, laughing with each other as they trimmed bushes and cared for flowers. A veritable pack of dogs—led by a fat, fluffy Papillon—roamed the front lawn. There had to be at least forty horses in the stable. Two—a proud looking gelding and a chubby pony—were being led through the chateau gate as the farmer and his children watched.

The grounds were awash in flowers and laughter, and royal flags flapped in the wind.

“Pardon me,” the farmer asked, stopping at the gatehouse where several soldiers were stationed. “But what is this place?”

As if on cue, someone past the chateau walls roared. “ELLE! DID YOU PUT A STUFFED CAT IN MY STUDY?”

A pretty woman on the fat pony galloped out of the courtyard, calling over her shoulder. “I thought you might like the company of one of your own kind!”

A handsome man emerged from the courtyard, riding the large gelding. “Elle!”

“What’s wrong, cat got your tongue?” the woman laughed.

“I look nothing like a cat anymore, why do you still obsess over felines?” the man said, cueing his horse into a trot.

The woman pulled her pony to a halt a stone’s throw from the farmer and his children. “True, it’s my own fault I suppose. I shouldn’t have married a man who is prettier than I am.”

The man on the mouse colored gelding looked murderous.

The woman laughed airily before her pony leaped forward into a canter. “That will teach you to inquire after the mysterious workings of
my
mind. Come, Rosemerry. Let us find some flowers to rub.”

“ELLE!”

The farmer stared at the spectacle as his children chased each other.

The guard captain smiled. “This is Chanceux Chateau. Home to the formidable Prince Severin and his extraordinary wife, Princess Elle, and all that they hold dear.”

Other books by K.M. Shea

Life Reader

My Life at the MBRC

Red Rope of Fate

Princess Ahira

Robyn Hood:

A Girl’s Tale

Fight for Freedom

King Arthur and Her Knights:

Enthroned

Enchanted

Timeless Fairy Tales

Beauty and the Beast

The Wild Swans

Coming Soon

The Wild Swans: a Timeless Fairy Tale:
Since she was chosen by the King and Queen of Arcainia to be their foster child, Elise has done her best to be the ideal princess. She is the head of the Treasury Department, a celebrated flutist, and an experienced rider, but some of her foster brothers still refuse to refer to her as their sister. It doesn’t matter, though, because all of Elise’s royal accomplishments prove to be worthless when a witch ensnares her foster father with an enchantment and curses her brothers, changing them into swans. To break her foster brothers’ curse, Elise must knit them shirts of stinging nettles. The already dire situation turns disastrous when a prince finds Elise and starts trying to woo her, to the grave displeasure of Elise’s foster brothers. Elise thought her life as a princess would be perfect, but between defying a witch and freeing her brothers it is anything but.