by Amy Sumida
“Or hate each other,” Lance finished with a smirk. “Then we'll know that we're doomed.”
“And Lance the Lout returns.” Audric made a face.
Chapter Seven
And so the wooing whirlwind began. The brothers decided that they'd go in order of birth, especially since Blaise had already had a bit of a turn. So, Lancelot went first.
After we had all shared breakfast the next day, Lancelot stood and helped me out of my chair gallantly. I looked at the others in question, but they only smiled encouragingly. Lance offered me his arm, and I took it, staring up into his dark sapphire eyes warily. This was the one brother who intimidated me, and I was unsure of how this day would play out.
“It has been awhile,” Lance said gruffly, “and I am not as I was. But I think we should be able to manage.”
I frowned at Lance as he led me up the grand staircase and then down a long hallway. He was focused forward determinedly, his forearm tense beneath my hand. I was still wondering what he was going on about when he led me into a sumptuous suite. I went forward, releasing my grip on his arm, and he shut the door behind us.
A carved, gilt mantle bordered a fireplace set with a pile of logs which burst into flames for us. I gave a startled jolt and looked up to see my frightened reflection in the mirror above the mantle. I scowled at myself and vowed not to be such a ninny as I turned away from the mirror determinedly.
There were three armoires a bit down from the fireplace, angled around a collection of tables inset with glass. I wandered over to the tables and saw that they were cases, showing off a collection of watches and masculine jewelry. To the side of the showcases, there was a wood stand holding a fur cape. It had a pedestal on top, where the head should have been, and a gold crown was set upon it.
“My father's,” Lancelot said in response to my look. “It's mine now, but I can't bring myself to wear it.”
“Why not?” I turned and found him standing in the middle of the room as if he didn't know where to go.
“King of Beasts?” He laughed scathingly. “I'm not a lion.”
“You have a bit of a leonine cast to your face,” I teased.
He turned away angrily.
“Come on; I didn't mean to be insulting.”
“You do a lot of things without meaning to, don't you?” He asked as he swung back around to face me.
“Isn't that what life is about?” I countered. “To try to accomplish as much as you can, and deal with your mistakes along the way? Sometimes, the character of a person is strengthened more by their mistakes than their successes. I never fail; I only learn how not to do things.”
Lance's anger faded as he looked at me thoughtfully.
I focused on the rest of the room, giving him a chance to process what I said. I was beginning to see that Lance was the thinker of the bunch. Not that his brothers were stupid, to the contrary, they all seemed very intelligent. But Lance pondered things, and when you give life and all of its aspects too much consideration, it can easily fall short. Thinkers were rarely happy.
The room we were in was divided into sections; in addition to the dressing area, there was a sitting area before the fireplace, a reading area with a few bookshelves, a desk with writing implements scattered across it, and a small dining set. Lance could live in this one room, if he chose. I came full circle and took in the enormous bed. It was on a round dais; three steps leading up to its circular mattress, and two columns of marble, carved into swirls, stood guard at the head of the bed. They held a dramatic swath of velvet between them like a banner.
Lance was standing directly before the bed, staring at me strangely. Although his rich brown fur was slicked smooth, his shoulders still looked massive. All of him looked massive and menacing. His elegant clothes only magnified his monstrosity, but I liked it. I've always had a thing for monsters. I knew they were misunderstood.
Lance held his hand out to me.
“Come here, Sylvaine,” he said softly. “Let's see if you're truly the one to save us.”
“What do you mean?” I asked even as I went forward.
Lance pulled me tight to his chest and set his mouth to mine. As I gasped in shock, his tongue slipped past my lips and swept over mine in challenge. My mind was shouting to stop, but my hands crept around his shoulders and pulled him closer as passion shot through me. Lance growled, low in his throat, and lifted me off my feet.
Lance laid me on the massive mattress, and his kisses became rougher, more insistent. His body covered mine, pressing me down as his hand caught at the fabric of my dress. My head was spinning; I wasn't sure what was happening at first. Then I felt him shift between my legs as he pushed my skirts up to my hips. I broke free of his kiss.
“Stop! What are you doing?”
“I'm showing you what it will be like to mate a beast,” he growled. “We need to be certain that this is what you want.”
Lance lifted his face to stare down at me. As he held my stare, he undid his pants and shifted his hips forward. I moaned as he pushed against me, splitting me sensuously. He smiled wickedly and began to rub himself over me, wetting his flesh with mine.
“No, stop, Lance.” I pushed at him.
“Why; when you so obviously want me?” He lowered his face to my neck and bit at the sensitive skin there. “It looks as if my beauty has a thing for beasts.”
He nibbled his way up to my lips and began kissing me again. It felt so amazing that I let it continue nearly too long. As Lance pulled back and angled to enter me, I shifted away and shoved hard at him. He jerked away in surprise, and let me slide out from beneath him.
“This is not how you win a woman's love,” I panted as I jumped out of bed.
“Of course it is.” He scowled at me. “How else would I win you?”
“Dear God, you've never courted a woman in all of your life, have you?” I gaped at him as I smoothed down my skirts.
“I've seduced several.” He angled himself to his side, not bothering to straighten his clothing.
His member was completely human; a hard piece of flesh standing out against the dark fur of his belly. It was slick with my own desire, and I blushed as I looked away. Lance chuckled.
“I admit I was worried that you would prove unwilling,” he said. “But I'm pleasantly surprised to find that my appearance doesn't dissuade you. Perhaps we are matched well, and you truly are the woman we've been waiting for.”
“Sexual compatibility is only one aspect of a relationship,” I snapped. “Before you bed a woman, you need to win her heart, or this”–I waved my hand back to the bed–“will be meaningless.”
Lancelot pondered this.
“This is all I've known of love.” He finally tucked himself into his pants and then eased off the bed. “Wanting, fucking, finding pleasure together. This is not love for you?”
“That's lust, honey.” I smiled to ease the sting. “Love is much more than that.”
“How do I get that then?” Lancelot asked. “How do I make you love me? How do I fall in love with you?”
“What questions,” I whispered. “I think they've plagued humanity since the beginning of time. Stop overthinking this. All we need to do is get to know each other.”
“And how do we do that?” Lance asked.
“Well, we start by talking.” I waved my hands toward the seats before the fire.
“Talking? We're talking now.”
“And we should keep talking,” I said. “I already feel closer to you, and it has nothing to do with what we did in your bed.”
Lance blinked, seemed to consider it, and then nodded.
“Yes, I believe you're right,” he said with some surprise. “I do feel like I know you better, and it even makes me like you better.”
“Amazing,” I said sarcastically.
Lancelot laughed, a great booming sound, but stopped abruptly with a shocked look.
“I laughed,” he said.
“Yes, I heard you.”
“Not j
ust a chuckle, but a laugh. I haven't laughed like that in years.”
“It's fun, isn't it? Wanna give it another go?”
“I think I do.” He smiled back at me and walked over to join me at the fire. “Let's talk, Sylvaine, and perhaps we can laugh together too.”
“Excellent idea. I wish I'd thought of it.” I rolled my eyes.
And Lancelot laughed again.
Chapter Eight
After talking with Lance late into the night, I went back to my bedroom and dreamed of him. He had softened the more I spoke to him and revealed that thinkers had depths to them which were worth the trouble of braving their melancholy. Lance had dreams for his kingdom that had been blossoming in his mind during his magical incarceration, but he was too much of a realist to give in to any hope that he might be able to fulfill them. It took me only two hours to change his mind and his mood.
Lancelot eagerly showed me the plans he'd been sketching for aqueducts to bring fresh water to the nearby village, and the thoughts he'd had for importing and exporting goods with the neighboring kingdoms. He had all sorts of ideas that both amazed and baffled me. Lancelot was not the man I had thought him to be. Not in the least.
I spent the next day with Audric, and then the next with Blaise. Then I went back to Lance. My days with the elder beast princes had begun with awkwardness, but they quickly warmed up to me. I found myself waking each morning with a smile and curiosity for what the day would bring.
We went through this routine for a few weeks, and I hated to admit it, but it seemed as if the falling in love part might truly be the easiest step in breaking the curse. Soon, I would need to tell the brothers about step two in my plan: the group date.
But not today. Today was Audric's day, and he had promised to show me the rose.
I went through my morning preparations quickly and was just finishing brushing my hair when Audric knocked. I hurried to the door and yanked it open.
“Eager, are we?” Audric purred.
His fur was darker than his brothers, a sleek sable, and it made him appear the most sinister. But his grayish-blue eyes were soft and always seemed to be full of thoughts that were more naughty than evil.
“I want to see the rose!” I declared.
“Yes, yes.” He laughed. “But first we must break our fast.”
“Breakfast can wait,” I insisted. “Take me to the rose.”
“Wasn't it a rose that got you into this mess?” Audric teased me.
I paused, realizing that I hadn't thought of my family, and what they must be going through without having any word from me. They were probably haunted by thoughts of what was happening to me.
“I'm sorry,” Audric said. “I didn't mean to put that look on your face.”
“No, it's fine.” I waved away his concern. “I just realized that my family is probably worried about me.”
“Oh.” Audric blinked. “Well, you haven't been a prisoner since the first few hours of your stay. If you'd like to go home, you can, Sylvie.”
“Really?”
“We may look like monsters, but we're not,” Audric huffed.
“You were holding my father prisoner,” I pointed out.
“That was just Lance.” Audric rolled his eyes. “He believes that you can't let people take advantage of you, and so thievery must be punished. But he would have let your father go eventually. As far as you, we just wanted to see if you were the one. When you offered to help us, we assumed that you were doing so of your own free will.”
“I was,” I agreed. “I just thought I was also being held for the theft.”
“You were never the criminal.” Audric shrugged. “And we never intended for you to feel like you were being punished.”
“So, all this time, I thought I was paying off my father's debt, when I was really just a guest?” I growled.
“Well, yes.” He stammered. “I thought you knew. How could we expect you to fall in love with us if we were holding you hostage? That's twisted.”
I laughed. I laughed and laughed until Audric joined me in my laughter.
“I guess I'm twisted then,” I finally said. “Because I care very much for the three of you.”
“You do?” Audric asked, his eyes going hopeful. “We lo– um, I mean, we care about you too.”
I smiled brightly and kissed his furry cheek.
“Take me to the rose, Prince Audric,” I commanded. “And then I shall go home for a visit.”
“Will you return, Sylvie?” Audric asked softly, all of his usual confidence gone.
“Of course, I'll return,” I whispered. “You know I will.”
“All right then,” he declared. “Let's go look at a cursed flower.”
“Well, when you put it like that,” I muttered.
But we laughed our way downstairs, and then smiled our way up another set of winding steps. The rose had its own tower, and it wasn't as bright as the rest of the castle. In fact, it was downright creepy. The invisible maids didn't bother with dusting it, and there were cobwebs clinging to the ceilings. But the stairwell opened onto a spacious room that was spotless. In the center of it stood a gold and glass cabinet with only one glass shelf in its middle. On the shelf was a crystal vase, and in the vase was a dying rose. Petals littered the shelf around the rose, blackened with decay. They looked like ash, like the barest breath would disintegrate them. But the petals on the rose were a brilliant crimson, as healthy as a brand new bud. All except for one. One of the four remaining petals drooped, looking as if it might fall at any moment.
I stepped softly across the stone floor, afraid that the vibration of my feet might jar the petal loose. Audric walked more firmly beside me. He took my hand and led my up to the glass, and then pressed my palm to the cabinet.
“Nothing can affect the rose,” he said. “Not for good or ill. Don't worry about disturbing it.”
“A magic rose,” I whispered. “It's poignant, isn't it?”
“Quite,” he agreed. “Especially for us.”
“You're not the men I read about.” I turned to face him. “The book portrayed you as horrible people.”
“Time and pain have changed us.” Audric looked away from me. “We were... different then. We deserved this curse. Looking back, I am ashamed to have tarnished our parents' memories with my behavior.”
“Then maybe this wasn't a curse, after all.” I laid my hand on his soft cheek and turned his face to mine. “What would you give to make your parents proud?”
“Anything,” he whispered, his eyes shining with tears. “My parents were the best king and queen this kingdom has ever known. Even their servants loved them. In fact, I think the servants stayed out of love for my parents and not because we paid them. If I could be even half the man my father was, I'd consider my life worthwhile.”
“Then this curse is actually a blessing,” I said, “because you have become a man your parents could be proud of.”
“I am not a man, Sylvie.”
“Yes, you are,” I insisted. “Fur and teeth don't change your heart. And it's a good heart, Audric. Whether we break the curse or not, you've earned that for yourself.”
“And what of your heart?” He whispered. “Could you find some room in it for me?”
“I think that maybe I could.”
Audric's lips pressed to mine, gently at first, then his arms went to my waist and he pulled me against his chest. I felt his precious heart beating against mine, and I couldn't resist its pull. I opened my mouth to him as I opened my heart, and made some space inside it for Audric.
Chapter Nine
“You're really leaving?” Blaise asked with wounded eyes.
“I'm coming back,” I promised.
“This is for you,” Lance said gruffly and handed me a little hand mirror.
“Thank you.” I admired the beautiful gold handle and the design of roses on the back.
“Just call for us,” Audric explained, “any of us, and you will be able to see us in the mirror.�
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“Really?” I looked closer at the glass, but it seemed to be an ordinary mirror.
“Really,” Lance confirmed. “Do not stay away too long, Sylvaine. Remember that we need you.”
“I won't,” I promised.
I walked away from the castle with mixed feelings; excitement to see my family and dread over leaving the princes. When I reached the end of the property, I turned back and found the beastly princes still watching me from the steps of the castle. I waved to them, and they each held up a hand solemnly. Then I turned away resolutely and went home.
My father and sisters were overjoyed to see me. We spent two days celebrating my return, even though my father's business had completely failed, and we were in dire straits. On the second night, I found the pouch of gold coins the brothers had hidden in my bag.
I wasn't going to take anything with me at first. But the men had insisted, saying that they wanted me to have some things to remind me of them. So, I had packed a couple of dresses and a comb. But beneath the clothing, someone had tucked that leather pouch full of gold.
My father cried when I gave it to him and said that sometimes angels came in the most unlikely forms.
On the third day, I tried to leave, but my family begged me to stay. My father was especially adamant that I remain longer. So, I gave in. I missed my family, and it was easy for the days to slip by when I was with them, until I realized that I had been gone over a week. As soon as it occurred to me, I began to pack. My father was dismayed when he realized that I was packing all of my things.
“You aren't staying there forever, are you, Sylvie?” He asked me.
“I think that I am, Father,” I said softly. “I love them. They're my mates, I can feel it–here.” I laid my hand just below my ribcage.
“All three of them?” Father's face was turning red. “You've always known your own mind and your own heart. I will trust you to make the best decision for yourself. But please come back to visit us again. I will miss you terribly.”