Beauty and the Beast: An Adult Fairytale Romance

by Vivienne Savage

  “I can’t blame you,” Victoria said. “If I had a husband half as handsome as you claim, I’d want to sit beside him, too.”

  “Come home with us,” Anastasia urged her cousin. “And we’ll find you an Oclander of your own.” Her cousin was well beyond marrying age, a spinster by their standards despite her sizable, generous dowry.

  “Do you really mean it?”

  “If your parents don’t object.”

  Victoria squealed in delight, throwing her arms around Ana’s neck. “Of course I’ll come. They’ll let me. They have to!”

  Ana laughed at Victoria’s enthusiasm but shared her excitement.

  “It’s good to hear laughter in this castle again.” Her father stepped into the room, followed by his wife and Alistair. Victoria’s eyes nearly popped from her head.

  Ana made introductions and tried not to laugh at her smitten cousin when Alistair took her hand, bowed, and kissed her knuckles.

  “You truly weren’t lying,” Victoria whispered. “Are there more like him?”

  “Oh yes. The men of Cairn Ocland are a breed all their own.”

  A bell chimed outside, announcing the dinner hour. King Morgan clapped his hands together and gestured to the table, only to knit his brows in confusion. “I would invite everyone to be seated but I am not certain what happened here.”

  “Meals in Cairn Ocland are less formal, Father, and I thought it would be nice for us all to sit close. Come, you and mother sit here.”

  She directed everyone to their new seats, placing her parents side by side at the head of the table, Victoria in the seat directly across from her, and Alistair to her right. A voice spoke up from the empty chair to Anastasia’s left. “Well, this is nice now, isn’t it? Very cozy. I like this. Well done, Anastasia.”

  Everyone turned toward the voice of the additional diner. Seated among them as if she’d been there all along, was the ancient hag from the forest, her face creased with age and hair white as snow.

  “Eleanor?” Ana asked, bewildered.

  “Hello, dear. I see you made your way from the forest. Not quite so lost now, are you?” The hag winked.

  “Mother, be rid of that ridiculous costume.”

  “Mother?” Ana looked between Lorelei and Eleanor.

  “Anastasia, meet your grandmother.”

  “Ah. You spoil my fun, Lorelei.” Eleanor glanced at Anastasia and whispered, “Does she do this to you as well?”

  “Often,” Ana said.

  “Mother.”

  “Fine, fine.” Eleanor clapped her wrinkled hands together and rainbow shimmers surrounded her in a blinding aura of color. When the brilliant corona faded away, a beautiful woman sat where the hag had been. Lustrous golden hair fell down her back in smooth waves, and her old rags became resplendent silks drifting without the wind to blow them.

  “And now you decide to show your face,” Alistair grumbled. She returned his glare with a sunny smile.

  “Moan and groan if you will, my godson, it makes no difference. My pride for each of you is without limit. I am so thrilled, so happy to have watched you grow and mature over these months.” Eos left her seat and stepped forward to kiss Ana’s cheek. “You are every bit the woman I knew you would become, grandchild.”

  “Why didn’t you tell me who you were when you aided me in the forest?”

  “And spoil everything?” Eleanor laughed. “You had to make the choices on your own, dear, as Alistair did. And you, Morgan, you’ve learned humility through a tough and difficult lesson.”

  “You tortured us all, Eos. For what?” Morgan demanded.

  The fairy huffed. “I did no such thing. Perhaps you’ll evaluate all of your options before you initiate acts of war against others. The consequences of your arrogance tortured you. Did I not warn you many years ago such would happen if you continued to leap to rash, hotheaded behavior?”

  Morgan quieted.

  Eos glided next to Alistair and touched his face with both hands. “You conquered your temper, dear boy. And most importantly, you’ve earned the trust of your citizens once more. You will be every bit the ruler your mother and father were during their time in this world. Be good to these two girls, or I shall return.”

  “I swear on all that I have,” Alistair vowed. “I’ll be good to… these two?”

  Eos cracked a big smile and faded away with the docile breeze, the wind rustling Ana’s hair.

  And so the next day, King Morgan announced the marriage of their beloved princess to Cairn Ocland’s monarch, and their impending parenthood. With the endless treasure brought by his new son-in-law, the kingdom celebrated for days. Commoners sang in the streets, danced, and sent well-wishes to the new couple.

  Prosperity returned to Cairn Ocland, and with the death of the black wizard Rangvald, the curse lifted from the land and green flourished once more. The proud native highlanders began trickling in, returning to reclaim their homes and farms.

  The rule of Dragon King Alistair and Witch Queen Anastasia ushered in peace for centuries, but all monarchs eventually grow tired. They stepped back and allowed their children and grandchildren to lead, though some say they can still see their red-haired beauty and her beloved beast soaring high above the skies of Mount Benthwaite.

  Where they still live happily ever after.

  Author Note

  You may have noticed this is nothing like the Beauty and the Beast you’ve watched in the movies. That’s because the original story has a different plot without dancing and singing furniture. I had a ball writing this with some of the plot devices from the original story, and I’d encourage anyone to get a copy of the old fairy tale.

  Thank you for all that you’ve done. For reading my books, for spreading word of mouth recommendations to others. Thank you.

  Join my newsletter to keep up with developments or hit up my fan group to chat about books and upcoming work. By the way, Dominique Kristine is my high fantasy and urban fantasy pen name. The sex is less explicit and the plot is more story-focused, but I invite you to try it out.

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