The Beast and I: Volume 1 Read online

  Once I was done cleaning, I finally found myself in the pool of hot spring water, and I couldn’t help but sigh in pleasure. It was heavenly. In my life, I never could have imagined that I’d be able to bathe like this, like a princess. I was so emotional at the thought that I felt like crying. Indeed, I felt tears brewing in my eyes, and I sniffed.

  Ria must have seen my tears because she asked, “Are you all right, my lady?”

  “I’m fine,” I replied.

  As I sat there, enjoying the hot spring water, Ria washed my long hair with a lovely scented liquid soap she called “shampoo” and scrubbed my skin with more of what she called “shower gel” followed by “facial cleanser” until I turned pink from head to toe. Once I was squeaky clean and refreshed, I reluctantly walked out of the pool. Ria then wrapped a robe around me, and the moment the material touched my skin, I smiled. It was so soft.

  “Let’s get you dressed, my lady,” Ria said, leading me out of the bathing chamber.

  Back in the bedchamber, Ria guided me toward another door that I had just noticed. Once she opened it, I gasped in awe. It was a room filled with clothes and slippers and just so many other things I had never seen before. At the end of the room was a floor-to-ceiling glass window, which allowed the bright morning light into the room, basking everything with light so beautifully that it took my breath away. Next to the window was an elegant settee with table and mirror. On that table were many small, colorful bottles and jars that took my interest.

  “This is your personal dressing chamber, my lady, and all these are yours,” Ria said, waving to the array of garments inside.

  I simply stared at the filled room, dumbfounded. I licked my lips, my mind racing. “Are…are you sure? I mean are you sure these are supposed to be for me, that these are all mine?”

  Ria nodded. “Of course, my lady. Now, how about we get you dressed? You might get a cold if you don’t dry yourself and get dressed. I do remember that humans from the other side have a weak body and can easily get sick.”

  I had to agree with that. Mother had easily gotten sick from overwork, and eventually passed away from it.

  Once I had dried myself with a soft, fluffy towel, Ria handed me a small piece of clothing. It was pastel blue and very pretty, the materials were lace and silk. Back in the village, these luxurious fabrics were very expensive and only used for special garments. Mother had always told me to be careful when handling the materials while sewing or washing for the ladies upstairs.

  The piece in my hands now was small and I knew that it was a special garment. Though I wondered what part of the body it was meant for, because I had never encountered such a small piece of clothing before, let alone one this beautiful and delicate. When I looked at Ria, she said, “Those are your panties, my lady.”

  “Panties?” I asked, confused.

  She told me to insert my legs through the piece, and as I did so and pulled it up, it sat perfectly on me. The lace was a marked contrast against my pale skin.

  “Oh…panties,” I said, blushing. As in undergarment. Gosh, it was the first time I had worn an undergarment like that, and truth be told, it was a rather comforting feeling. Somehow, I felt protected, especially from Aslan’s assault if he ever intended to cuddle me there again, like last night.

  “Here’s another one,” Ria said, handing me another small piece of clothing that had the same material and design as the panties. “It’s your bra. It goes around your chest and covers your breasts.”

  “Oh,” I said, nodding my head in understanding. I grinned, thinking that I was beginning to like this realm’s culture. Not only did they loved to be clean, but more so, they cherished and protected their most private parts with these small, but very comfortable, garments. From now on, I thought in glee, my breasts and womanhood would be saved from Aslan’s cuddling.

  I grabbed for the bra and was about to put it on when I paused. How did one put this thing on?

  Ria must have seen my dilemma because she came forward. She showed me how it was done, and once it was on me, I chuckled in pleasant surprise.

  “I see,” I said, staring at myself in the mirror.

  “Is it comfortable, my lady?” Ria asked.

  “Yes, it’s comfortable,” I said, feeling the material hugging my breasts and pushing the flesh upwards to form a valley that made me blush. I had no idea why I should blush, but I did.

  Ria giggled. She said, “You have a beautiful body, my lady. Many would be envious of you.”

  My cheeks burned hot at her statement. I had no idea that I had a beautiful body, nor the fact that many might be envious of me. I had been locked up for so long and beaten so many times that all I had ever thought about was freedom and when my next meal was going to come, if it were ever to come at all; something like envy had never entered my mind.

  Ria then ushered me to sit on the elegant settee in front of the table and mirror. As I did so, my eyes strayed to the small bottles and jars in front of me. I noted white material, which I assumed was potion, in them.

  Ria took the lid off one of the big jars, and with the tips of her fingers, she scooped out the thick goo.

  “I’m going to apply this lotion on your body, my lady. It makes your skin soft and heals your wounds.”

  I nodded, and as she started rubbing the lotion on my arm, I smiled. It did feel soft against my skin as it was absorbed. Then, because I couldn’t help myself, I decided to aid her in the process by scooping some onto the tips of my fingers and spreading it on me.

  Ria said, “I simply can’t believe you have so many bruises on you. Of course, if I remember correctly, Paul was the same when Lord Aslan first found him all those years ago.”

  That got my interest and I asked, “Paul? Who is he? Was he from the village, too?”

  Ria said, “Yes, he was from the other side. He’s my husband.”

  I blinked. “You have a husband who is from the other side?”

  Ria chuckled as she nodded. I noted blushes forming on her cheeks. “Well, many things happened, my lady. I was tasked to look after him back then.”

  I grinned. Ria seemed happy, which oddly enough, pleased me. Perhaps the best person to talk to would be Ria’s husband if I wanted to know more about this world.

  “Ria?” I began. “Would it be all right if I talk to Paul, your husband, sometime soon? I mean, I want to know more about my circumstance and…” I licked my lips. “Since he was from the village as well…”

  I wanted to know why I was a sacrificial pawn for Aslan. How did the villagers decide on who was chosen? After all, it had happened once every five years or so. More importantly, what would happen to me from now on? And why did Aslan want a human sacrifice in return for him providing protection and prosperity for the village? Surely, this realm was so much more advanced in every aspect compared to the side where I had come from. A human sacrifice just seemed so archaic, the more I thought about it.

  Ria nodded. “Of course, my lady. But soon would be a bit of a problem since he’s currently away.”

  “Away? How soon will he be back?” I asked.

  “Hmm…I’m not sure, my lady. He’s doing some work for Lord Aslan and I haven’t heard from him for a couple of days now…”

  I sighed. “That’s fine. I’ll be patient and wait until he returns, then. After all, he is doing work for Aslan, so it must be important.”

  Ria nodded. “Yes, it must be, mustn’t it?”

  Once we were done with applying lotion on my body, Ria then did the same to my face, with a different translucent lotion from a smaller jar this time. After that, she applied another layer, a beige-colored one, which she told me was “makeup,” to make the skin on my face look even-toned and beautiful. After that, she applied a dusty pink rouge she called “lipstick” on my lips, and by the time she was done, I was more than amazed.

  When she started brushing my hair out and then blowing a powerful warm air against it with a fascinating-looking tool, I was more than a little dazed a
t both my appearance and “makeup” and the tools involved.

  “How does hot air come out of that, Ria?” I asked, once she had finished and was now brushing my hair again.

  “It’s another invention made many years ago, my lady. It involves using a magic gemstone. It gives out the power to turn a little device within the tool, to cause it to spin and blow out hot air,” she explained, which of course, confused me even more.

  Ria must have seen the look in my eyes because she laughed. She said, “You’ll get used to seeing the many tools and gadgets we have in our kingdom soon enough, my lady. They are just inventions to make our life easier, that’s all.”

  I nodded in understanding. I wondered then if this was the sort of things the villagers had always wanted? To make their lives easier? After all, they had always wanted wealth and prosperity. Though I had to be honest, compared to this realm, the village no doubt was many centuries behind in terms of development.

  Once Ria was done with my silver tresses, leaving the curls to hang down my back, she then brought around and help me put on a gorgeous garment that nearly made me cry with joy. In all my life I never could have imagined I would be able to wear something this beautiful. The material was soft, which I assumed must be silk, and the exotic floral design and swirl about the hem would surely make the ladies back in the village green with envy.

  “Oh my,” Ria said, chuckling. “You look gorgeous, my lady. No wonder my lord is smitten with you.”

  I tucked my long hair behind my ear, blushing as I sneaked a peek at myself through the full-length mirror.

  Ria said that I looked beautiful, though I had never felt that way about myself. After all, I had always been referred to as someone who was ugly, especially with my silver-white hair, pale skin, and slanted dark eyes.

  I gazed at the gown again, admiring how it perfectly hugged my slender figure. The sleeves were short, resting about my shoulders, while the V-shape neckline came down to my chest, and the flowy skirt fell all the way down to the floor. Not to mention the very comfortable, soft pair of slippers. They were very nice indeed.

  With this gown on, I supposed I did look pretty and presentable, a far cry from my normal dirty, street-rat appearance back in the village.

  “While you were having your bath, I asked the chef to prepare breakfast for you. I do hope it’s to your liking,” Ria said as we both walked out of the dressing chamber and back into the bedchamber.

  The word breakfast once again elicited my tummy to growl in anticipation. A chef cooked my food? And Ria was hoping it’d be to my liking? Oh, Lord, was I daydreaming? Back in the village, it was a blessing for me to even get any breakfast. A meal a day was already too much for the likes of me, in the eyes of those who had lived above me in the manor. My routine meal would involve a piece of stale bread, a small chunk of cheese, and a can of water, or milk if I was lucky. Of course, I’d get any extra by raiding the kitchen’s bin at night. They were always throwing lots of food away, especially fruits. They were too prosperous, I suppose, so food wasn’t a problem for them.

  I said, “I’m sure I’ll like whatever the chef prepared for me.” I even gave her a bright smile to show her my appreciation.

  Ria clasped her hands together in glee and said, “All right, then. Please wait, my lady. Everything will be ready momentarily.” After she curtsied once again, she rushed out of the room.

  Alone, I turned my attention to Winter, who had appeared by my side. I supposed he had had enough of a nap, then? The pup barked at me, and I leaned down to pick him up. I then walked over to the sofa on the other side of the room, took a seat and put him on my lap. As I started stroking the pup’s furry head, a smile played about my lips.

  “I’m not dreaming, am I, Winter?” I asked softly. “This is truly real, right? I didn’t actually die last night and…” I sighed. “I don’t know, gone to heaven or something? And this is not a fantasy?”

  I heard a chuckle echoing around me, the noise reverberating across the room.

  “Fantasy, eh?” The low-timbred voice came, which made my body shiver in that sort of unwelcomed delicious sense.

  Oh, damnation! The blasted beast!

  I glanced around the room, seeking his presence while my heart was racing. When I couldn’t see him anywhere, I put Winter down on the marble floor and started walking around, searching. God, I felt like I was playing hide and seek or something. When I still couldn’t find him anywhere, I decided that he must be using magic so that I could hear his voice.

  I said loudly, “Where are you, Aslan?”

  The deep roar of his laughter reverberated throughout the room, and despite the lack of his presence, I still felt the warmth of his being close to me. Instantly, I felt my knees weaken, and I didn’t like that. Why the mere sound of his voice made my whole being this vulnerable was beyond me.

  I stammered and demanded, “Where are you, Aslan? Show yourself.”

  “Missing me already, darling?” he said, and suddenly, I felt this powerful force behind me.

  As I hastily turned, bright lights shone before me, and within a flick of an eye, Aslan appeared. The moment I saw his masked face, I jumped. Again, I still wasn’t used to that frightful thing, and I wondered if it was only me who was afraid of it? I must ask Ria about that.

  God, he was standing so close—this man-beast—that I could feel his body heat exuding against me. I licked my lips and tucked my hair behind my ear as I raised my eyes to look up at him.

  He was tall and muscular and just so big. Next to him, I was a small thing. I knew he could crush me if he wanted to, and I shivered in dread at the thought. Had he crushed many people before me who had been sacrificed by the village? I wondered. If I hadn’t begged him to spare my life and he hadn’t agreed and taken a liking to me—because he wanted to cuddle me—would he have crushed me, too? Then again, Paul, Ria’s husband, who was also from the other side of the realm, was still alive so…

  Aslan touched the tip of my small chin between his finger and thumb and asked, “What’s the matter? You look like you’re about to cry.”

  I frowned. “I’m not about to cry. I was just thinking how many people before me you’ve killed, that’s all.”

  I blushed. Oh, dear, I had just expressed my dark thought aloud. Had I offended him? I wondered, and searched his face for any clue to that effect. But of course, that hideous mask. I couldn’t tell anything. It was just so grotesque.

  He snorted at my blunt statement. He leaned in close and asked, “Are you afraid of me, Lilly?”

  That was the first time he used my name and I wondered if it meant something. So far, he had always referred to me as “sweetheart” or “darling.” Now it was just Lilly. Did that mean he was upset with me? God, I didn’t know.

  I stared at him for a moment and then shook my head. I had no idea why I did that. After all, I was afraid of his mask, but him? Not really, and I had no idea why I wasn’t.

  He released my chin then, and said, “Do you like your room?”

  I was glad that he expertly changed the subject.

  I said, “Yes, very much.” I grinned at him. “The view is beautiful. I can’t wait until night comes because I want to watch the stars before falling asleep.” I stared up at the glass ceiling above us, which at present, was showcasing a lovely blue sky with dots of white clouds here and there. I wondered if it was summer here in the Forbidden Forest, because it was summer over on the other side where the village was.

  “Then I’m glad,” he said. “I did have a feeling you’d like this room.”

  It was then the double doors swung open wide and Ria entered, along with two other women who had on the same outfit as Ria—a long black garment with a white apron in front. Though these two wore white scarfs around their necks, whereas Ria wore blue. I assumed they were maids and the bow-tied scarfs represented different departments?

  The two maids had trays in their hands. I noted one of the maids had rabbit ears while the other cat ears, like Ria
. A rabbit-person and another cat-person? Of course, I wasn’t so surprised anymore, considering this was a fantastical realm.

  “Excuse me, my lady,” Ria said, as she came in. When she saw Aslan standing beside me, she came to a complete stop and seemed a bit flustered, as did the other two, and bowed low.

  “My lord,” Ria said. “I didn’t realize you were here.”

  Aslan waved away her concern. “Prepare those by the fireplace.”

  Ria nodded and curtsied at the same time. Then she ushered the other two maids to prepare the silver trays, which I assumed were my breakfast, by the open fireplace. They made quick work of it, and when it was done a moment later, Ria asked if I needed anything else. When I shook my head in the negative, Ria said, “Please, just ring that bell over there if you need me.” She curtsied low again, and then the trio left the room, shutting the door behind them.

  Alone with Aslan, I turned my attention to the array of prepared food on the low table for me. I headed toward the site and gratefully sat down on the floor, the soft cushion beneath my backside. Aslan joined me, his big body blocking most of the heat from the fire in front of me. A moment later, Winter came to sit by my side, which seemed to amuse Aslan because I heard a chuckle from him.

  I gazed at him and asked, “Are you joining me for breakfast?”

  He shook his head, and I nodded in understanding. Of course, he would have to take off his mask if he were to eat, wouldn’t he? Suddenly, I wondered what he looked like under that mask. Was he handsome? Or was his face beastly and demonic like the rumors that had spread across the village?

  “Eat,” he said, interrupting my thoughts about his appearance.

  I picked up a slice of toast, spread it with the very desirable butter and strawberry jam, and then took a heavenly bite. The moment the food was in my mouth, I sighed in pleasure. It was delicious.

  I heard a chuckle from my single audience and raised my eyes to the demonic mask in front of me. After chewing, I said, “I am hungry.”

  “And so you shall eat,” he said. “Don’t be shy. You’re too skinny for my liking.”