Beast - a re-telling

Chapter 3

Everyone was already gathered around the table in the dining room when she walked in, hair still wet from her bath. Lumiere was leaning toward Akaila, their heads close together in hushed conversation. Yi was staring at them, eyes narrowed in concentration, a narrow blade spinning between his fingers. Danny and Tu'er'lang also had their heads together, the latter's hands fluttering between them.

Lumiere was the first to notice her presence. He flicked a look at the rest and they all rose in one fluid motion.

"Guniang," they murmured in unison, dipping their heads in the only mark of courtesy she'd allow.

Qianyu flashed a wry smile at them before settling into the seat directly opposite the door. Shaking out her napkin, she looked at Danyel and Tu'er'lang expectantly.

They nodded in unison, indicating that Bernard St. Clair had been properly dealt with for the time being.

The seneschal bowed slightly to get her attention.

"Shall I have them begin serving, my lady?" Thomas asked.

"Yes, thank you."

Yi coughed gently.

Qianyu waited until Thomas had left the room before narrowing her eyes at him.

"You have your own demesne now, young mistress. It is no longer appropriate for you to be thanking the staff," he returned.

Her shoulders tensed. "There is no harm in being polite."

"Will you thank each server in turn when you return and are feted as deserved by your position?"

Akaila rolled her eyes, a clear not this again.

Lumiere's chopsticks dropped to the table with a clatter. Crimson flooded his cheeks as everyone's attention swung to him and he averted his eyes, the tips of his ears turning pink.

"Apologies, guniang," he said.

Qianyu gifted him with a faint smile before addressing Yi, "I thought the point of this entire journey was so that I would understand humility and see the world from an equal vantage to those who serve."

Yi inhaled slowly, caught his lower lip between his teeth, and exhaled.

Lumiere's gaze bounced from Yi to Qianyu and back again, cheeks paling to a shadow of his usual golden peach.

"Yi," he said firmly, "cease."

The other man skewered him with a look, but Lumiere only lifted his chin slightly, his expression hardening.

"She is amongst those who love her, and you will trust, not only that we would keep guniang from harm, but that she is capable of protecting herself."

The bodyguard inclined his head. "You speak truth. Very well then. I apologize, Little One."

Qianyu leaned her head against his shoulder for a moment, knowing the break from protocol was more apology than the words themselves.

Akaila only shook her head, her mouth twisting as she muttered something under her breath.

Lumiere slashed a sharp look at her before oh-so-subtly jostling her elbow with his own.

"Now then. Dinner," Danny said brightly.

Conversation resumed as the dishes were served, but her attention drifted from the talk of harvests and traps and how best to dig out the mountain pass should there be an emergency when the snows came.

She flaked off bits of the ginger scallion garlic steamed diao, piling the bits of fish into small heaps around the circumference of her plate.

What to do with Bernard St. Clair?

Her beast snuffled. She thought that Yi's idea of taking his hand sounded just fine. Although, knowing Yi's strength, if Bernard really enraged him, then Yi probably wouldn't, couldn't stop at just taking his hand. Unlike his far-flung brethren, Yi didn't have the same kind of control in his elephant form as in his human form. She half-purred half-chortled, far too pleased at the bloody thought.

Stop that, she thought at the beast. Yi might say such things, but she knew more than anyone just how hard-won his control was and how gentle he was at heart. If there was any bloodshed to be done, she'd do it herself and spare him the soul wound.

Her maomi half rolled her eyes and flipped her tail, deliberately turning to give Qianyu her back.

The rough sound of a throat clearing jolted her out of her reverie.

Qianyu looked up to see her seneschal hovering near the threshold of the dining room.

"Yes, Thomas?"

"Lord St. Clair awaits your pleasure, my lady."

Yi coughed before hastily covering his mouth with his napkin.

"The younger one, I assume," she said dryly.

"Yes, my lady."

"I didn't think he knew about his uncle's actions." What might have been disappointment surged up the back of her throat and a low growl escaped from her beast half. She hadn't yet had the pleasure of interaction with the young lord personally, but he'd always seemed reasonable at the town meetings.

"I doubt he does," Thomas said. "The young lord appears quite serene."

Another muffled sound of amusement from Yi's direction.

Qianyu told the pleased tiger purring away at the back of her mind that their sense of relief was completely disproportionate. There was no reason to take any trespass on his part as betrayal and no reason at all to be more than merely content that he had nothing to do with his uncle's schemes. The unreasonable beast only chortled and flicked her tail again.

She slanted Yi a chiding look before setting down her chopsticks. "Show him in, please."

"Qianyu," Yi murmured with a meaningful look at her plate.

"She is well content from the hunt earlier," Lumiere said.

Lumiere nodded at Thomas. "Prepare two plates for the lady and her guest in the parlor, Thomas. I don't expect the young lord to have eaten yet. Wait for her assent, however. The young lord may not be staying long enough for tea, much less supper."

Qianyu dipped her head, a small secret smile curving her mouth. Lumiere was a true gem, somehow always finding a way to be the bridge between her and Yi.

Thomas hesitated and Lumiere paled, lines tightening around his mouth.

"Any order from Lumiere, Yi, Danny, and Tu'er'lang is to be treated as an order from me, Thomas," she said, a thread of steel in the reminder.

Thomas bowed. "Yes, my lady. Apologies, m'sieur."

She rose from her seat, waving Yi back when he followed. "No, no, finish your dinner. I will be safe enough in the other room on my own."

Danny smirked. "I think Yi is more worried about the young lord, guniang."

Yi laughed. "Not at all.  I was offering to tear his uncle's hand off for her earlier. I do not concern myself with the well-being of men who would come on our lady's land and seek to hurt her."

Tu'er'lang nodded once, a sharp movement of approval. We will be alert, guniang, he gestured, long slim fingers shifting through the words quickly.

"Be easy, dear ones."

She gave them all another quick smile and strode from the room.

What did Raven St. Clair want, if he didn't know of his uncle's attempt at thievery?