Beast within the Beauty || A Beauty and the Beast Retelling

Chapter Six || To Betray a Beast

I SPENT MUCH of my time wandering throughout the castle hallways. In that next week, I had slipped out of my rooms with a sheet of paper and ink so that I could map out the major hallways. There were certain staircases and corridors that had seemed to move in those seven nights, meaning that I could rely on those structures to guide myself. However, many of the doors had a habit of shifting around and disappearing once I entered.

That Enchantress must have bewitched the walls so that they were turned into this ever-shifting mess. For that reason, I made it a point not to veer off from my quest.

The servants consistently left my rooms at midnight, leaving my halls unattended. They returned in the morning, always meticulous of being quiet as not to disturb me. Their ability to shuffle within my room with mere whispers made me suspect that they always kept an eye on me.

The dark halls grew quiet and heavy, my steps absorbed into the thick red carpets. I squinted, peering into the shadows.

"Are you lost?"

I spun around, eyes falling on the pale face of a man stepping towards me. He pulled his hood down, revealing the scarred face of that one guard I had intercepted days prior. I settled a hand on my hip and adopted a calm composure. "Yes, I am," I told him. "I could not find my way back to my rooms."

He stepped towards me and chivalrously extended his arm. "Then allow me to escort you, your ladyship."

"Has my lord husband instructed you to do this?" I asked as I allowed him to tuck my arm into his.

"I am not at liberty to disclose his lordship's commands with anyone," he stated as he tugged me down the hall that I knew would lead me to my rooms. "If you are so inclined, you should speak with him."

I nearly snorted at the suggestion. "You expect me to question his decisions?"

"He is your husband."

My eyes fell on the wicked scar that marred the side of his face and brow. It had not been a clean slice, I was certain of that much. There was a slight bend in his nose, one that told me it had been broken. "Clearly," I began, meeting his sapphire eyes, "it is this type of thinking that has resulted in the becoming of your face."

He stopped, my arm still clasped in his. My door was right in front of me. "It appears that you do not think very highly of your husband."

He could be an ally if what I suspected was true. I tilted my head to a side, studying his face. "He is not above murdering innocents for sport," I reasoned. "I may be his wife but I am entitled to my opinions."

He lifted his hand, running a finger along the raised tissue. "Goodnight, your ladyship," he murmured, his eyes on the floor.

I stepped closer and touched his slackened arm, curiosity tugging at my hand. He raised his head with a flinch. "How did you come by it?"

He was quiet for a bit, then his expression hardened. "You should not worry yourself with such matters." He cleared his throat. "I bid you goodnight."

I muttered something incoherent in response, watching as his back was towards me. His shoulders had slumped and his feet began to drag, reminding me of how Joceline would sulk if I denied her the joy of playing hide-and-seek. My heart clenched at the memory and I pushed it from my mind. There was a different dismay in his posture, more complicated than a child's temporary disappointment. It was the sort of distress that made me want to comfort him but...I did not.