The Beauty and the Beast (1/?)
Once upon a time in a far away land a young woman lived in a beautiful castle. Although she had everything she could asked for through an horrible training in her past she was cold, stubborn and unkind. And even so the ones responsible for this training were long gone their work remained. One stormy evening an old beggar woman came to the castle and offered her a single rose in return for shelter against the bitter cold rain. The young woman just sneered at her gift and simled about her haggard and ugly appearance and turned the old woman away. She warned her not to be deceived by appearances for the beauty is found within. And when the young woman dismissed her again the ugliness melted away and revealed a beautiful sorceress. As punishment for such a emotionless heart she transformed her into a hideous beast and placed a powerful spell on the castle and all who lived there. Ashamed of her monstrous form the beast concealed herself in the castled with a magical mirror as her only window to the outside world. The rose the sorceress gave her was actually an enchanted rose, which should bloom till her 21st birthday. If she could warm up and love another and earn this persons love in return by the time the last petal fell, then the spell will be broken. If not she will be doomed to remain a beast for all time. As the years past the beast fell into despair and lost all hope for who could ever learn to love a beast?
One early morning in a little village near a river Kahlan made her way to the villages market place. She had to return a book she borrowed and wanted to buy some food for her and her father. Well Thaddicus was not her real father but he was a really close friend of her mother and when she died he took care of her. Kahlan doesn’t know anything about her father. It was always Thaddicus who attended to Kahlan when she was sick or who comforted her when she was sad. He was an inventor and had a lot of ideas for things, which could make life easier. When Kahlan reached the market place the people were just starting their daily life, some greeted her and others didn’t but all of them peeked after her. Sometimes she heard them whisper.
“Look there she goes, that girl is strange no questions!”
“Yeah, she is always distracted but when she looks at you her gaze is so intense.”
“She is just as odd as her father. Always reading and thinking.”
Most of the time it doesn’t matter to her what the people tell about her but when they are badmouthing about Thaddicus she becomes angry.
“This little town is so full of little and short minded people. Every day is just the same ever since we came here”, she thought to herself.
“ Good morning Kahlan. Where are you off to?” It was the baker and his voice brought her back into reality.
“Good morning. The bookshop. I just finished the most wonderful story about ogre and a donkey and…”
“Ah that’s nice. MARIE! The baguettes! Hurry up!”
The Baker already moved on with his attention and so Kahlan went on too.
“There must be more than this provincial life.”
And with this in mind she entered the bookshop and was greeted by his owner.
“Kahlan it’s good to see you” he was an little old man with big round glasses on his nose and only a few white hair left around his ears.
“Good morning, it’s good to see you too. I’ve come to return the book I borrowed.”
A friendly smile appeared on his face and it made him look a few years younger.
“Finished already?”
“I couldn’t put it down.” She returned the smile and looked interested at the bookshelves. “Have you got anything new?”
This time he fully laughed at her excitement. “Not since yesterday. With your pace at reading the writers can’t keep up.”
Kahlan didn’t really expect to find a new book and so she wasn’t disappointed. Instead she climbed up a small ladder and picked used looking book up.
“That’s alright. I’ll borrow this one!”
The shop owner was a little surprised at her choice because Kahlan already read this book… twice! He told her that but she laughed and started talking.
“Well, it’s my favorite! Far off places, powerful spells, confessors, mord sith and an unexpected love that conquers everything.”
“Then it should be yours!”
Kahlan tried to object but the kindhearted shop owner didn’t let her argue with him and so she thanked him in left the bookshop. Kahlan started reading immediately. She could walk those little alleys blindfolded if necessary but those little whispers still came to her ears. Than she came to her favorite part, where the Confessor meets her one true love for the first time but she would discover that much later, and for Kahlan it was a magical moment every time she read that part.
“The Mother Confessor looked at the pretty beaten up Mord Sith and their gaze locked for a millisecond…” she read to herself. Then she was poked by a little brown nose and Kahlan realized that she was surrounded by a herd of sheep and some of them where very interested in the paper of her book. When the first one tried to take a bite she continued her way back home.
Not far away from her at the border of the village the hunter and ranger Richard were shooting some ducks. His best friend Chase tried to catch the falling bird and brought it back to him.
“Wow you didn’t miss a shot. You’re surely one of the best hunters in the whole world.”
“I know!” was Richard only reply. And while they were walking back to the inn where Richard kept his trophies, his eyes fell on Kahlan.
“No beast alive stands a chance against you. And no girl for that matter!”
“That’s true Chase. And I’ve got my sights set on that one!”
“ The inventors daughter?”
“Yeah, she’s the one.”
Chase tried to say something but Richard didn’t even pretend to listen.
“From the first moment my eyes landed on her I knew I’m going to marry that woman. Her hair is just as shiny and beautiful as mine and that makes her the best! And don’t I deserve the best?”
Chase who had given up on telling him something saw his chance. “Well of course you do! But…”
but Richard was already on his way to Kahlan and totally ignored him. He also passed his little fan club, Anna, Dennee and the margraves sister, who were drooling after him.
“Oh my gosh he’s so cute!” said Anna.
“And his hair is like pure silk. I wish I could glide my fingers through it.” Dennee added.
“He’s such a tall, strong and handsome guy!” sighed the margraves sister.
Meanwhile the whole town was on the streets and Richard had a few problems reaching Kahlan but finally after fighting through a big group and taking a short cut about the roofs he caught up to her.
“Hello Kahlan.”
His voice was a bit lower than normal. He directly walked in her personal space and grabbed her book. “Morning Richard.” A little annoyed Kahlan turned around
“Richard my I have my book, please?”
He thumbed through the book, brows furrowed in concentration. “How can you read something like that? There’re no pictures in it.”
“Well some people have something called imagination”
“Kahlan it’s not right for a woman to read. She just stars getting ideas and thinking. It’s time you get your head out of these books and paying attention to important things. Like… me!”
Kahlan rolled her eyes and picked her book up which Richard had thrown into a puddle of mud. While cleaning it she said “Richard you’re positively primeval!”
“Thank you Kahlan. Now come lets go to tavern. I can show you my collection and we can talk about conditioner”
He laid his arm around her shoulder and tried to guide her in the right direction but Kahlan ducked away and started walking home.
“I’m sorry Richard maybe some other time. I need to go home and help Thaddicus.”
“That crazy old fool he needs all the help he can get” Chase, who arrived just now with Richards prey, laughed and Richard joined in.
“Don’t talk about him that way!”
“Yeah don’t talk about him that way!” Richard head butted Chase but couldn’t hide his smirk.
“He’s not crazy! He’s a genius!”
And as if to prove her wrong there was an explosion… coming from her house. Kahlan started to run home and Richard and Chase laughed so hard it almost brought tears to their eyes.
When Kahlan arrived home and opened the door to Thaddicus factory a big cloud of smoke and dust greeted her.
“Thaddicus?” she coughed and tried to wipe the cloude away.
Then she heard a low curse and knew that nothing happened to her adopted father.
“Dam it I will never get this scrap heap to work.”
“Are you alright Thaddicus?”
“I’m going to give up on this, this - this thing!” He was really upset and his hair stood in all directions.
That plus the little ash and flour traces on his face and clothes made him look like a plucked chicken.
“You always say that.” She chuckled and gently brushed some flour from his shoulder.
“I mean it this time! I will never get this bone headed machine to work!”
“Yes, you will! And you will win first price at the fair tomorrow! And” she stretched that “become a famous inventor!”
She looked him in his good willing eyes and like always she felt a strange power deep within her. Somehow she knew that he believed her, she could read it in his eyes. That was another thing why the people talked about her. She couldn’t explain why but she was able to read people like books and one of the most seen emotions towards her was fear.
“You really believe that?”
“ Of course I do!”
“Well what are we waiting for? I will have that construction fixed in no time” saying this he jumped onto a board and rolled under his invention.
The construction as he called it was a moveable millstone. Flour was easier and in bigger heaps to transport and with his machine the people could buy corn and directly convert it to flour. It worked with steam, which should activate a wheel that should move the millstone.
“How was your trip into the town? Found something interesting?” Thaddicus voice was damped from the machine he lay under but he sounded really curious.
“I got a new book. Thaddicus do you think I’m odd?” Kahlan looked sadly at her book.
“You odd? Where did you get an idea like that?”
He appeared from his position under the construction and wore some glasses, which made him look like tarsier. He looked at her inquiring and immediately rolled back under his construction.
“I don’t know. It’s just that I’m not sure I fit in here and well the people talk. There is no one I could really talk to.”
“They talk about me, too. Don’t worry my child you’re your mothers daughter and therefore you are class. And what about this Richard? He’s a handsome guy!”
“He’s handsome alright and conceited and he has a damsel in distress complex and.., ouh he’s not for me!” with a sigh Kahlan sat down on a small barrel. She looked really troubled. Even the comparison with her mother could cheer her up.
“Don’t worry Kahlan. This invention gonna be the start of a new live for us.” Thaddicus stood up and walked over to Kahlan. While cleaning his hands with an already pretty dirty towel he said “Well I thinks that’s done it! Now let’s give it a try.”
He sounded more optimistic than he really was. Thaddicus pulled the start lever with a long arm so he was as far away from this thing as possible and Kahlan made a step behind her barrel. The machine roared and shook and exhaled a big cloud of steam. Thaddicus jumped back and together with Kahlan he cowered behind the barrel but the expected explosion never came. Instead the wheel started turning and the millstone started grinding. Kahlan was the first to risk a look and surprised she shouted:
“It works! You did it!”
“It does?” Skeptical Thaddicus peeked from behind the barrel.
“It does! I really did it” He sounded so relieved and Kahlan hugged him close.
“You did it!” she kept repeating
“Hitch on Aaron. I’m going to the fair!”
Said and done! Kahlan watched Thaddicus leave and winked after him. Aaron pulled the carriage with his invention and Thaddicus sat on Aarons back.
“Be careful and don’t lose your way!” She shouted and he waved back at her.
He rode most of the day and only stopped for a short meal. As evening came he wondered why he was still at the forest and so he looked at his map.
“That can’t be right Aaron! Where did you lead us?”
They came to a crossroad and Thaddicus looked to the left and than to the right, not sure which way was the right one. Aaron looked too but he was sure that the bright one was their way. Well Thaddicus decided different and directed Aaron on the other path.
“Come on!” he said. “It’s a short cut.”
It started to get dark and there were dark clouds and suddenly they heard a mysterious sound.
“Wha.. what was that?”
Thaddicus stutter and Aaron perked up his ears. He knew instinctively that this sound meant trouble. And then there were a shadow between the trees. And a second. And then a third. Suddenly he heard a howl, that made his blood froze and Aaron made a jump back wards.
“Wolves!”
Thaddicus shouted and there they were. A small pack of wolves came running at them. They were in a pretty bad shape. Their rips stand out against their fur and their muscles were thin and stringy.
“We should better go back.”
Thaddicus whispered and Aaron agreed. He made a few panicked steps backwards and when the first wolve almost reached them he shied and rose to his back hooves. Thaddicus almost fell but he clawed himself in Aarons mane. The stallion started running in full gallop. Thaddicus tried to calm him but it was no use. Blinded by fear he nearly jumped down a cliff and only in the last moment Aaron managed to stop. But now they were trapped between the pack and the cliff. Again Aaron rose on his back legs and this time Thaddicus hold slipped and he fell. The next thing he saw was the backside of his carriage as it disappeared into the darkness of the forest. Two wolves followed behind the stallion and three more appeared between the trees, growling at Thaddicus and he did the only thing possible he started running. As fast as his old legs could go, the wolves right behind him. Suddenly his foot hit a root and he nearly flew down a hill and landed right in front of a big, scary iron gate. He knew that his only chance was to reach this gate and he started running again. Meanwhile it started raining and his clothes were soaked and heavy but he made it and right before the wolves reached him he closed the gate behind him and were save. So he thought but his cloak got entangled and one wolf started pulling at it. With his last strength he freed himself and turned around to see where he was.
To his surprise he stood on a paved road and as his eyes followed that way he saw an amazing, big castle. It didn’t looked inviting with his scary gargoyles and the dark aura but Thaddicus started freezing. And so he went to the main gate and knocked. No one came. He knocked again, harder this time and a little door in the gate opened. He was surprised because he didn’t saw this small door before but he shrugged it off and stepped inside.
“Hello?”
Thaddicus intended to shout but it came out as a whisper.
“Helloo!”
This dark hallway gave him the creeps.
“This poor follower must have lost his way in the woods.”
“Be quiet! Maybe he will go away.”
Thaddicus heard some strange hushed voices and as he walked deeper into the castle, he passed a small table with a candelabra and a pendulum clock.
“Is someone there?” he tried again.
“I don’t mean to intrude but I lost my horse in the woods and I need a place to stay for the night.”
“Not one word Boy!” the little pendulum clocked whispered.
“Aww come on Zedd. Have a heart.”
It was the candelabra who answered not so quietly. Shocked the little clocked moved one of his little hands, which looked like golden adornments, over boys mouth. But he simply moved one of his candelarms and started to burn his hand. With a scream Zedd retreated his hand and Thaddicus turned around.
“Of course, Sir. You’re welcomed here!” Boy said.
Thaddicus heard the words but didn’t saw the speaker. Confused he grabbed a nearby candelabra.
“Who said that?” he asked scared.
The candelabra tapped on his shoulder and said “ Over here.”
Thaddicus turned around but still couldn’t see anyone. So he rose the light and felt somebody tapping on his head. Surprised he lowered his hand and stared into the candelabras face, who had his most charming smile on.
“Hello!”
Scared and shocked Thaddicus throw him away and with a loud thud he landed on his slim metal ass. After the first shock his curiosity won and he risked a closer look.
“Incredible!”
“Well now you’ve done it!” Zedd jumped from the table, clearly angry.
“Splendid! Not only that my younger self was split from me he also is….” Mid-sentence Thaddicus picked him up and started to explore the little, talking clock.
“How is this accomplished?” He turned Zedd around and examined his little feet.
“Stop it! Let me down.”
It was no use. Thaddicus overheard him and instead shook him to hear if something was moving inside the clock. Zedd jr. could barely hide his grin while Thaddicus thoroughly inspected his older self. He turned him this way and that way, head up and head down and finally opened the little glass door at Zedds stomach and touched the little pendle.
“Sir close that at once! Do you mind?”
With an angry face and much force Zedd shut his door also Thaddicus finger was still inside. With a painful look on his face Thaddicus pulled his finger out.
“I’m sorry. I just never saw a clock thaahat could…. Hatschii!” he sneezed and immediately Zedds face got steamed up.
With his clock hand he cleared his view and his younger self couldn’t keep it together. Half laughing he said “Oh Sir, you’re soaked to the bones. Come to the fireplace and warm up. Maybe you’ll need a cup of tea.”
And with that he guided Thaddicus into a warm shining room.
“No! No! No, I demand that you stopped right there!”
There stood a big and comfortable looking wing chair and a servant, who looked like a hat holder threw a blanket around Thaddicus shoulders and meant for him to sit down.
“No not the mistress chair” Zedd sr. said but no one listened.
Then there was the sound of wheels and a little table with a classic white tea pot and a single cup rolled in. “So Sir a cup of tea will warm you up and make you feel better in no time.”
“No, no tea. I forbid it. I’m in charge here and you all know what the mistress will do if she finds him here, drinking tea!” Thankful Thaddicus took the cup ignoring the bickering little clock.
“Hihi… That tickles!”
“Oh hello little one.” Surprised again Thaddicus looked at the giggling little cup.
Then a door burst open and a cold wind blew through the room, turned the fire out and made the staff hide. A shiver ran down his spine. Whatever came into the room it wasn’t nice.
“There’s a stranger here!” said someone with a rough voice.
“Well mistress, let me explain. This poor man was lost in the wood and well we couldn’t let him stay outside.” Zedd jr. tried to explain but an angry glare and a growl shut him up immediately.
"Mistress, I want to use this moment to mention…” Zedd sr. moved from under the carpet but keep holding it to his little glass door. “I was against it right from the beginning! But did anyone listen to me? No of course not. I said don’t offer him tea and the chair!”
This time the beast didn’t growl, she roared and in less than a second Zedd sr. was back in his hideaway. Thaddicus took all the courage he had and looked over his left shoulder. It was dark without the fire and he couldn’t see much, except for a pair of green eyes shining with fury. A second later they were gone. While trying to look over his right shoulder he suddenly stared into these eyes again. Only that they were right in front of him now and that he was able to identify the owner of this intense stare, a huge and very angry beast. Thaddicus fell out of the chair and stumbled backwards but he couldn’t keep his eyes off the creature in front of him.
“Who allowed you to enter here? Who are you?” it growled at him.
“I… I lost my horse in the woods.”
“You’re not welcomed here!” the beast snarled at him.
“I didn’t mean to harm any one. I, I’m sorry!” Thaddicus stammered, his eyes filled with fear.
“What are you staring at?”
“No not nothing!”
“You’ve come to stare at the beast, now have you?”
Thaddicus tried to reach the door but the beast was faster and blocked his way.
“Please I just needed a place to stay.”
“I’ll give you a place to stay!”
And with this the beast grabbed him at his shoulders, lifted him easily and they vanished through the door, Thaddicus begging the only sound to be heard.