Beauty and the Beast

Escape

Loki grinned, amused. "And if I win?"

"If you win, I'll never bother you in your study ever again."

"Deal!" Eagerly, Tara took the heavy book and stood on the other side of the room, flipping wildly through the pages for the longest, most difficult poem she could find. She settled on one, and turning back to him, the open pages pressed tightly to her chest, she proudly declared the challenge. "Sonnet 47."

The handsome man sat upright confidently, his ruby red eyes sparkling with determination as he recited. Dr. Erskine's daughter listened intently, darting back and forth from the speaker to the book, listening for any error, any sign of hesitation, but to her surprise, there weren't any. His recitation was not only flawless, but, dare she think it, beautiful. The intensity of his gaze, the smoothness of his deep voice, the young woman stared at the discolored prince in a mix of bewilderment and awe. Tara was so mesmerized that she'd almost forgotten to check for mistakes. 

"Or if they sleep, thy picture in my sight, awakes my heart's and eye's delight. There, how was that?"

"Huh?" Jolted out of her daze, the brown skinned girl glanced, embarrassed, back down at the book in her arms. "Oh, it was perfect," she stammered, "not a word out of place. I guess you are an expert on Shakespeare after all." The Norwegian prince looked rather pleased with himself, his gaze lingering on the girl for a moment as she handed the poems back.

"I suppose I should be going now---"

"Wait!" Tara turned, just as his hand reached out for her arm. Suddenly feeling rather self conscious, Loki withdrew his hand, glancing shyly from her to the floor. "You may stay, if you'd like," he offered, softly. She smiled. 

The pair sat quietly together in the warmly lit study. The pretty brunette skimmed casually through some books. She had no idea how many hours had passed until her captor finally began  close his eyes, leaning his head on the leather armchair, asleep. Yes! This was her chance to escape! Who knew when she would get such a chance again; it was either now or never! Stealthily, Tara crept out of the study and back up the steps to her room. Hurriedly, she grabbed her fur cloak from the wardrobe, throwing it over her shoulders, and rushing back through the upper corridor. Tara scurried past dormant rooms and empty corridors. Which way had the front entrance been again?  She hadn't remembered much about the castle, other than the steps that led to the dungeon. The 19 year-old dreaded going back in that direction, but if it meant freedom, then so be it. 

As Tara retraced her steps, she suddenly came upon a pair of dingy, gold framed doors that looked as though they hadn't been dusted in years. She hadn't seen those before; perhaps they led to another exit. Twisting the knob and pulling it open just slightly, the villager stepped inside. She burst into a fit of coughing from the dust. There was no staircase leading inside; just another abandoned room with broken chairs and broken mirrors. The mirrors had been shattered unto the floor or stood covered with sheets. Tara started to turn around and leave when a sparkling object caught her eye. There, on a small nightstand near the balcony doors, was a glass case with an opalescent rose inside of it. The rose's colors sparkled like crystal against the dark gray walls, from the moon's soft light. It was unlike anything that the young woman had ever seen. Was it a real rose? She just had to find out.

"WHAT DO YOU THINK YOU'RE DOING?" Tara's hands stopped just inches from the case. She spun around to see the angry gleaming scarlet eyes of the frost giant gleaming right at her. She let out a small squeal as Loki grabbed her by the wrist, furiously yanking her away from the enchanted rose.  "We all could have been destroyed because of you!!"

The girl squirmed in pain from the tightness of the man's grip; it felt as if her whole arm was being encased in ice. It was going from freezing pain to numbness in a matter of seconds! 

"What were you doing snooping up here anyway?" Loki growled. "Didn't the servants tell you this area was off limits?!"

"I wasn't snooping!" Tara shouted, snatching away from him,  "I was just trying to escape this ice cavern you call a castle! I'd sooner freeze out there than stay in the company of a cold heartless beast for another second!"

Loki flinched from her words, as if he'd been slapped, but that look of hurt was quickly replaced with one of contempt and indifference. "Fine. Get out," he said, in a  low and threatening tone.  "Get out before I throw you out myself!" 

Fear was rose in the girl's chest as she ran, blindly up the corridor and down the elegant stairs that led to the main hall. Herre Tekappe and Glysmere who, upon hearing the commotion, came to see what was wrong. They stood waiting at the foot of the stairs as Tara scurried by. Tears stinging her eyes, she kept going until she found the front entrance. Without hesitation, the teenager dashed out into the swirling blizzard, ignoring the cries behind her. I wish I could help them, but I just can't stand being here anymore!  The villager thought, as she raced to her chestnut stallion, who had been left outside in the fenced garden. 

"Come on Giuseppe!" she declared, pulling herself up onto the saddle. "We're getting out of this place!"