Steel Roses

I'll Leave

The fever that followed was the stuff of nightmares. Beldon was tormented through fever-pitch heat by giant demon dogs that chased him until he could run no more and men coated in pure black strangling him again and again, each time he would get free the dogs would find him and bring him back, the men screaming that everything was his fault, the curse, the ice, the monsters, everything was his fault because he hadn't been born a woman.

The fourth day, Beldon woke in sheer terror, latching onto the closest thing he could, his chest heaving in fright, tears in his eyes, his teeth chattering from a chill in his veins though he was sweating with a raging temperature.

A gentle arm came around him, pulling him closer and Beldon clung to the fabric that he realised was a shirt. Why was there a shirt in his bed?

The arm adjusted him, tucking him into the crook between a strong arm and a muscular chest and covers were rearranged around him.

"Sleep, Bel," came a soft, low voice from the owner of the arm; gentle hushing sounds following as a hand rubbed his side.

If Beldon had been more aware of what was going on and hadn't been so focused on the fact that – as far as he was concerned – the ceiling was wavering like it was about to melt, he would have realised it was The Beast holding him close.

Instead, he closed his eyes to block out the strange ceiling and curled into a ball, tucking up against the warm body beside him, whoever it was.

~~~~~

The fever broke three days later and Beldon woke feeling confused and drained but the ceiling was staying where it was supposed to. His body felt hot and cold and sticky from sweat and his muscles ached as he pushed himself up to sitting, looking around.

He could hear voices and he was almost sure it wasn't because of the fever.

"Vanessa?" he called, his voice rough.

The voices stopped, then Vanessa appeared in his bedside mirror.

"Hello, darling, how are you feeling?" she asked.

"Like I've woken up feeling this way before and it's no more fun the second, third or fourth time," Beldon said, grimacing as he rubbed his neck – the skin was tender to the touch.

"The bruises there are still healing," The Beast said as he walked in from one of the balconies. Beldon look at him, his hand staying at his throat.

"What happened to him?" Beldon asked, "Sebastian, what happened to him?"

"He suffered a broken arm and a concussion and is below the castle at the moment," The Beast said walking forwards and sitting on the end of the bed, "I have yet to decide his fate."

Beldon looked at him for a moment, then looked out towards the window. "How long has he been down there?"

"A week."

Beldon leant his head back against the pillows. "Maybe he can go now."

"Beldon, he attacked you," Vanessa said, moving to the mirror on the other side of the bed, "He strangled you. He deserves to stay down there. For good."

Beldon shook his head. "Though I can't say I appreciate his actions and way of going about it, I do understand his reasoning behind the actions."

"Beldon, this is no time to show kindness," Vanessa hissed and he looked at her.

"It is, Vanessa," he said, "Sebastian just wants the curse lifted, like everyone here." He looked at The Beast. "I'm going home."

The Beast recoiled, like Beldon had physically lashed out at him, before leaning forwards, taking Beldon's hands. "Beldon, you don't have to leave. Whatever happens, you don't have to leave."

"Beast, I made a promise to help you find Beauty when I first arrived, I'll keep it. I'm going home, I'm going to talk to Rosalia, and I'm going to send her here. I know she'll be safe here." He leant forwards to meet The Beast, gripping his hands in return. "The ice cracked, Beast," he said, "The ice on the lake has started to crack. Once again, winter is melting. Don't pass this chance because of my words. It's Beauty remember, the person you'll love and will be love by in return, why lose it?"

The Beast didn't meet his eye and pulled away, his hands clenched into fists, his eyes dark.

"I would rather you stayed," he whispered and the words made Beldon's chest throb, enough for him to rub his chest and cringe.

"Besides," Beldon said weakly, his smile even weaker, "its Raoul's wedding soon, I shouldn't miss it."

The Beast's eyes darkened again at the mention of Raoul and he spun away, standing up and walking to the doors. "Fine," he said, wrenching the doors open. "If that is what you wish, then leave." And he walked out, slamming the doors behind him.

Both Beldon and Vanessa winced at the grinding of the wood slamming together and stared at the door.

"He doesn't have to act like that, I'm doing him a favour," Beldon snapped, folding his arms and throwing himself back against the pillows, "Does he want to stay a dammed monster?"

"He's going to miss you, Beldon," Vanessa said softly.

"Tsh," was Beldon's reply. "Well he could be a little more obvious about it instead of getting mad. God sake, I'm bringing him Beauty." He glared out of the window. "I don't even want to and I'm still doing it."

"You don't have to, you know," Vanessa said and Beldon looked at her.

"Don't have to what? Bring Beauty here?"

She nodded.

"Don't be absurd. How could I possibly do such a thing? It's a level of cruelty I can't even understand. I'll leave tomorrow."

"Tomorrow?" Vanessa gasped, "So soon!"

"Why delay the inevitable?" he said. "I'll pack and..." He stopped, thinking about what he actually had to pack. What did he even have here? The clothes he had arrived in, his horse, a painting and now a storybook. Almost nothing he owned in the castle was his. He didn't have to pack.

"I'll leave tomorrow, when you can find my old clothes," he said, lying back in bed, "I'll leave around midday. I'll be able to get back to the village by evening and gather what I need to return to town. By the next morning I'll be with Rosalia."

"Beldon, this is all very sudden," Vanessa said.

"Arriving here was done on a spur of a moment decision, leaving might as well be to," he said with a smile.

"Will you return with Rosalia?"

Beldon went quiet, looking at his hands that played with the cover. "I doubt it," he muttered, "I won't be needed here. Perhaps... perhaps if she needs to be shown the way, but I won't come back to the castle, I don't think I can once she's here."

"But Beldon—"

"This is hard for me, Vanessa. Why would I come back and watch things work out for them? I mean, I want things to go well, but it doesn't mean I want to see it." He waved it away and turned onto his side, pulling the covers up over his head.

~~~~~~

 Next up: Saturday