Beast in Shining Armor (A Kinda Fairy Tale)

by Cassandra Gannon

  “You have no idea what it means to have your life ruined.” Avenant snapped, remembering all she’d done. Maybe he did belong at the WUB Club, because the woman drove him insane. “I never took away everything you had. I never locked you in a cage. I never left you at the mercy of those goddamn doctors and prison guards.”

  “That wasn’t my fault! I never intended…”

  “You fucking betrayed me!” Avenant roared.

  “You betrayed me!” Cocoa-colored eyes suddenly glittered with suppressed tears. “I asked you if you were stealing that money from the treasury and you said no. You lied. And when I figured out the truth, you had me taken away in the night. Right from my bed. How could you do that?”

  Avenant squinted. What the hell was she talking about?

  Scarlett leaned closer to him, looking suspicious. “For someone who you swear framed you, Belle seems pretty sincere in thinking you’re guilty.”

  His attention stayed on Belle as she wiped at her cheeks. “She’s acting. She has to be.” Taking her from a bed was the last thing he’d ever do.

  “She doesn’t look like she’s acting.”

  Avenant gave his head a shake, trying to focus. He had no idea what Belle’s game was with this new tactic, but it didn’t matter. At the moment, the important thing was getting her to agree to the contest of valor. “I have always gone easy on you, Bella. Do you think you’d ever beat me unless I allowed it?”

  “Oh my God. Are you really going to try that bullshit? Really?”

  Avenant gave an expansive shrug. “It’s a court of law. I’ve sworn to tell the truth.”

  “You wouldn’t know the truth if it hit you in your lying face!”

  “I also go easy on women in battle.” Lancelot chimed in. “Any real man does. They’re fragile beings, so it’s ungentlemanly to beat them too badly.”

  Scarlett and Belle both shot the chauvinist asshole looks of death.

  “Thank you, cousin.” Avenant said sincerely.

  “I will agree to a contest of valor against you and him and anyone else.” Belle told Lancelot through clenched teeth, her temper getting the better of her sense. “I’ve been fighting you for the crown ever since Avenant was sent away and I’ve been fighting him about everything since kindergarten. I’m not frightened of either of you assholes.” She jabbed a finger at the knight. “We’ll do this no-holds-barred and we’ll see who wins. Alright? We’ll just see.”

  Lancelot backed up a step under her fury.

  Avenant couldn’t quite control his triumphant smirk. “Agree to it.” He ordered Scarlett and gestured towards the judges who looked overwhelmed by all the pandemonium going on. “Tell them to set up the contest.”

  “Avenant, there hasn’t been a contest of valor in a century, because they always kill everyone. You could get the Northlands back without all this…”

  He cut her off. “Just agree to it, before she changes her mind.”

  Letty swore under her breath. “Or you could just ask Belle on a date and not risk your kingdom and your life. Wouldn’t that be simpler?”

  “There isn’t a risk.”

  “Yes, there is. Belle’s smart. She could win. Have you even stopped to consider that?”

  “I know what I’m doing.”

  Letty’s eyes narrowed at his confident tone. “Whatever horrible trick you have up your sleeve, I’m advising you against it. If you insist on turning this into a cut-throat competition, it’s going to backfire. You’ll lose Belle or the Northlands or --most likely-- both.”

  Avenant gave a slow smile. “I never lose.”

  Chapter Two

  Prince Avenant has done many terrible things. We all know that.

  Yes, he condemned the library. And the orphanage. And everyone’s favorite teddy bear shop.

  Yes, he fired the entire cast of Mother Goose’s TV show, because the rhyming games annoyed him.

  Yes, he outlawed candy.

  But ladies and gentlemen of the jury, it’s not his fault that he’s a villain.

  Avenant can’t help that he was born Bad.

  Opening Statement for the Defense- The People of the Northlands v. Prince Avenant

  Rosabella Aria Ashman was not the most beautiful girl in the kingdom.

  She wasn’t the smartest or the most charming or the highest born. By the time she was six, she’d been labeled an oddball by everyone who knew her. As an adult, she spent most of her days with her nose buried in a book, running her small business, or thinking up ways to improve the Northlands. From the outside, she was just a boring woman who needed to date more.

  But Belle was the only person who’d ever had the guts to stand up to the Beast. In the Northlands that made her a legend… And now she was going to die because she never knew when to give in.

  Since childhood, she’d been fighting back against Avenant’s arrogance and tyranny and effortless accomplishments. He’d had thoroughbreds at his tenth birthday party instead of ponies and he hadn’t let any of the other kids ride them. He’d won the Sophomore Spring Showcase by strolling out on stage and throwing gold coins to the audience as his “talent.” He’d scored exactly one point higher than her on the college entrance exam. One goddamn point. And he hadn’t even studied for it.

  That was the part that really pissed her off.

  Avenant didn’t have to try. Belle spent her whole life trying. Sometimes it felt like she had to work twice as hard just to keep pace. Avenant was naturally gifted at everything he tried. He had the soul of a beast, but his external façade was unbelievably gorgeous. He was charismatic and brilliant. When he walked into a room, everyone took notice. Anything he’d ever wanted was handed to him… and, if it wasn’t, he just took it. Greedy and mean, he ruthlessly crushed anyone who opposed him.

  He was going to beat her.

  It was inevitable.

  Belle blew out a long breath and tried to calm her racing pulse. Every time she had to compete against Avenant the same doubts plagued her. He would win and laugh at her. Everyone was going to see that she was a complete fraud. She’d break before the contest even started and surrender without a fight. She wasn’t up to this kind of challenge.

  She should call this off. Pretend to break an ankle and slink home to hide. Leave the Northlands and never return. There was no way she could do this. It was too hard. No one could stand there, the walls of the labyrinth looming overhead, and not be overwhelmed by the magnitude of the task facing…

  “Is that it?” Avenant adjusted his white leather gloves and studied the cavernous entrance to the maze. It was guarded by statues several stories tall, their icy eyes promising death to all who entered. “I excepted it to be bigger. Didn’t you expect it to be bigger?” He gave an unimpressed sigh, blue eyes rolling towards the gray sky. “Well, at least this charade will be over quickly. I imagine I’ll have my victory by dinnertime.”

  That was all it took for Belle’s anxiety to fade.

  No matter what, she’d never surrender to this man. She would fight until she was dead and then come back as a ghost to fight some more.

  She slowly turned to glare up at his perfect profile. Since he’d escaped prison, Avenant was back to dressing like a prince. A tacky prince. He favored ostentatious fashions that showed off his money and his masculine build. This was one of his favorite outfits, sort of a cross between a military uniform and a frying pan. His family’s black insignia was emblazoned on the front on his chest plate. Unsurprisingly, it was a vicious, fanged monster.

  Even decked out in his bedazzled gold and ivory regalia, he still looked… amazing.

  White blond hair brushed his wide shoulders. His mouth looked like it had been sculpted from pornographic fantasies. He smelled fresher than fresh snow. From his calf-hugging boots, to his “I’m the best looking guy you’ll ever gape at” face, to everything in between, he was just… amazing.

  God, she hated him.

  How could such a beast of a man be so beautiful?

  “If the labyr
inth is too simple for you, maybe you should just wait here and give the rest of us a head start.” Belle suggested sweetly. “Make it sporting.”

  “Begging for mercy already?” He arched a brow. “I thought we’d agreed to compete with no quarter given. Or are you switching up the rules, again?”

  “I thought we’d agreed there are no rules. Isn’t that the way you like play? Victory at any cost?”

  He glanced down at her. “It depends on the prize.”

  She snorted. “Everything is a prize to you. You don’t care about the welfare of this kingdom, or all the people depending on you, or your family’s legacy. You don’t care about anything but yourself and winning.”

  “My family’s legacy is winning.”

  Belle hesitated, hearing the flat quality to his voice. A lifetime of sparring with Avenant made her the world’s leading expert in his tones and she knew her words affected him. For whatever reason, she instantly regretted what she’d said. She knew better than anyone how touchy Avenant was about his parents.

  “That came out wrong. I meant more --like-- your royal ancestors in a general sense…”

  He cut her off. “It’s fine. Say whatever you want. We’re playing hardball, remember?”

  Belle bit her lower lip. “I’m sorry.” She said simply.

  The old prince and princess had been merciless in the pursuit for perfection. It was no wonder Avenant was such a competitive jackass, given his upbringing. Winning really was his family’s legacy and they’d been determined that their only child continue their quest for total domination of… everything. Failure was met with disapproval and pain. They’d never had a kind word for anyone, especially not their son. Especially not on the rare occasions when he lost some t-ball game.

  Or spelling bee.

  Belle knew what it was like to be a disappointment to your parents. She felt like she and Avenant had that in common. Every time she tried to reach out to him, though, he came back at her like a wounded bear. Their entire relationship was based on his refusal to just be nice.

  Blue eyes flicked to hers and she saw that her apology had irritated him. “How in the hell did someone so soft ever take over my kingdom?” He asked contemptuously. “Do you really think you could ever claim the Northlands when you can’t even argue without crumpling?”

  Belle had no idea why she bothered.

  Avenant was quiet for a beat, watching her from the corner of his eye. When she didn’t snap some insult back, he sighed. “A ruler can never be perceived as weak. Not that you’ll be a ruler much longer, but it’s a lesson you should’ve learned by now.” He gestured for a servant to rush forward with a hot drink. “Power only comes from strength.” He handed her a tankard of coffee, then reached back to take one for himself. “Cold, hard strength.”

  “I don’t believe that.”

  “Which is why you’ll never win this game.”

  She almost dumped her coffee on his stupid blond head. “Why do you care if you win back the kingdom?” Belle liked ruling, but it took a lot of work to get it right. Avenant seemed to put all his energy into getting it wrong. “Aside from people bowing at you, what do you get out of being a prince?”

  “Never underestimate the bowing.” He paused. “Wait, you didn’t get rid of the bowing, did you? I know you want to rule with equality and Good works, but we do still have the bowing, right?”

  “I’ve been trying to drag this kingdom out of the dark ages and my approval rating is quintuple what yours was.” Belle informed him smugly.

  He sighed. “That’s a ‘no’ to the bowing, isn’t it?”

  “I hate you.” She brooded for a moment. “What are you planning to do if you reclaim the Icen Throne? At least, I enjoy the job. I don’t think you do, at all. I don’t think I’ve ever seen you enjoy anything.”

  “I’m going to enjoy seeing all my loyal subjects again.” He smirked. “We have so much to catch up on.”

  Belle’s eyes widened, envisioning the snows of the Northlands stained red with blood. She knew the Beast too well to think he’d get over his ousting without elaborate and savage retribution. Avenant’s present calm façade didn’t fool her one bit. Given the wide berth everyone else was giving him, it wasn’t fooling anybody. They were all braced for his revenge.

  “I’m the one who overthrew you last year.” She told him swiftly. “If you want to behead anyone it should be me.”

  “Don’t worry. You’re still at the head of that line.” Avenant arched a brow. “No pun intended.”

  “Avenant, I led the rebellion against you. It was all my fault.”

  “I know.” His voice was flat again. “No one else in this kingdom would have the balls to frame me.”

  “Frame you? Really?” Belle rolled her eyes. “Asshole.” Sometimes he said such idiotic things, she didn’t even feel like arguing with him. Especially not when she had bigger problems. She turned her attention back to the gigantic maze in front of them.

  It was impossible to know for sure how big the labyrinth was because parts of it were built into the mountains. The hundred foot walls were constructed of solid ice and stretched off for miles in either direction before meeting up with jagged rock. Its length and width and depth were a geometry problem with too many missing variables.

  Belle had always hated geometry.

  “They say it’s impossible to get through that thing.” She told him after a long moment, wrapping her hands around the coffee cup for warmth. This far north, snow always fell. Within hours of entering the maze it would erase any trace that they’d been there at all. “They say that the labyrinth is endless.”

  “‘They’ say a lot of things.”

  “You’re seriously not worried about this?” She gestured around. “There are dozens of other people here vying for the crown and an impenetrable labyrinth promising certain death to everyone who enters it. The odds don’t look good for either of us.”

  “Eight months ago, I was sentenced to life plus a century in prison, yet here I am. Odds don’t matter when something’s inevitable. And me beating these peasants and reclaiming my crown is pretty fucking inevitable.”

  She frowned in irritation. “We could just call off this whole thing. You could give up and let me stay in charge of the kingdom. It would be the safest option for everyone.”

  Avenant sent her an amused smile. “I’ll certainly consider your offer.” He drawled.

  He was such an asshole.

  Belle snuggled deeper in her favorite yellow coat and resigned herself to going through with this stupid competition. “If I die, at least I’ll die fighting you.” She muttered.

  “That’s the spirit. Don’t worry. I’ll tell how everyone how brave you were at the end.”

  An old wizard mounted the podium set-up in front of the crowd. He tapped the microphone imperiously, getting ready to start the proceedings. Half the Four Kingdoms had gathered to watch this spectacle. Grisly deaths were quite the sightseeing draw, even in this remote corner of the world. Belle was almost pleased that the Northlands was receiving such a huge influx of tourist money.

  Almost.

  “Today, we begin the first contest of valor in a century.” The wizard said in a rasping voice. “Contenders for the Icen Throne have gathered here in agreement with the ancient ways. They will face the mysteries of the labyrinth, searching for the most scared object in the Northlands… Excalibur. It lies hidden within these walls, awaiting the one who will free it.”

  Avenant shook his head in disgust. “Such a stupid name for a sword.”

  “Whoever returns with Excalibur is destined to be our greatest ruler.” The wizard continued. “Our true prince.”

  “Or princess.” Belle called. “Sexist jackass.”

  The corner of Avenant’s mouth quirked.

  Everybody else ignored her. “No one alive knows who forged the blade. No one alive knows the scope of the tunnels and corridors before us.” The wizard gestured towards the impossibly high ramparts. “They tower ab
ove the ground and circle below, filled with unknown creatures and unknown dangers, twisting into infinity. Legends tell us that the labyrinth moves, forever keeping the unworthy from what they desire.”

  “It can try.” Avenant muttered.

  “Our legends also speak of the day Excalibur will find the one it seeks. One who will lead through his example of love.”

  Avenant snorted in derision. For once Belle agreed with him. Why were legends always so melodramatic?

  “We’ve awaited that person for generations. But, only someone with the warmest heart and noblest intentions can solve the riddles contained within these walls. No one has ever entered the maze and emerged alive.” The wizard paused for dramatic effect. “They weren’t chosen by the sword and their hubris ruined them.”

  Belle very much doubted she was the one person in the history of time to prove worthy of Excalibur. This contest would probably kill her. It would probably kill all of them. She looked up at Avenant’s bored face, not sure what to say to him, but knowing they should end this madness. They were going to destroy themselves, because they were too stubborn to back down.

  He glanced at her, feeling her gaze. “We can stop this, Bella.” He murmured in his most persuasive voice. He was the only one who ever called her that and it always made her insides dip. “Even if they go through with the contest of valor, none of the others will find the sword. Let them march in there and vanish forever. You and I will stay right here and find better ways to spend our time.” His eyes locked on hers. “Just surrender.”

  She swallowed. “No.”

  “You’re simply postponing the inevitable. Give in now and save us both the trouble.”

  “I’ll die before I surrender to you.”

  “Suit yourself.” His jaw ticked. “Either way I’ll win.”

  “You could at least try to not be a beast.”

  He slanted her an unreadable look. “I’ve never been given a reason to try.”