“Roz. Do you know where the rest of my team is?”
“No, Roz. I don’t know where they have gone, but I do know they exited the castle an hour or so ago. All left safely.”
The last was added for her, Roz felt. “Why would they leave without me?”
“I don’t know. Your questions might be better answered by the king. He could tell you more than I.”
“Why didn’t we see any of you? I remember entering the house and making it to the last floor, but I can’t recall anything else.”
“It will all be explained in time,” Mrs. Hausmeister told her as she checked through Roz’s hair and probed her scalp.
“Ouch!” Roz grunted and leaned out of the cook’s reach when she made contact with the bump on the back of her head.
“It’s swollen, but there’s no blood. I have a cloth here, and I’m going to refresh it in the water and have you hold it against your head.”
“Okay,” Roz said.
Pressing the warm cloth to her head, Roz held it in place. Mrs. Hausmeister stepped to the side and put her hands on the back of the chair to Roz’s left. Both stared at each other for a moment.
“You’re going to have to give up your knife. No one will hurt you hear, and it would be appreciated if you’d do the same.”
“That’s not my mission,” Roz blurted out.
“I understand, but I’m going to have to take it before I leave this room. Will you give it to me?”
Roz tightened her hold on it and said nothing.
“I see. Well, would you like some tea?”
Surprised, Roz could only nod.
“I’ll go prepare you some. Would you like something to eat as well?”
“I don’t know if my stomach can handle anything right now,” Roz stated.
Mrs. Hausmeister nodded. “I assumed as much but thought I should ask. I have a lovely peppermint tea to soothe your stomach. Hold the towel in place, and I’ll be back to freshen it in a few minutes. If you need anything before I return, you can ring the bell chord.”
Pointing to the cloth hanging at the right of the fireplace, Mrs. Hausmeister nodded and shuffled to the door.
Roz watched and waited for her to leave before she put the trashcan on the table and followed her. The door had just shut behind her when Roz put her hand on the knob. She started to turn it at the exact moment she heard the click.
Yanking on the door, she tried to open it but to no avail. It was locked. Slamming her fist against it, she growled.
“Dang it!”
Leaning her head against the door, she closed her eyes and sighed. Taking a deep breath, it was time for her to do what she came here to do. Setting aside the worried whispers of what happened to her teammates, Roz took in the room.
Table across from doorway with four chairs and situated in front of a fireplace to the left. Windows along the opposite wall interspersed with a dresser and writing desk. A decorative sofa stood in the middle between the windows and other furniture. To her right, the bed and two nightstands. The far right wall held three doors with plant stands in between them.
“Let’s start there,” she murmured.
Crossing the room, she opened the double doors on the left to find a walk-in closet. It went to the left until it met the next wall. To the right, it stopped somewhere between the plant stand in front of the cream and cranberry wall and the next set of doors.
Investigating the inside, she kept the wet cloth on her head. Each step brought its own type of pounding, but she kept going.
“You could get lost in here. Seriously, I think this whole closet is the size of my house. How can anyone stand to have this much space and live alone?”
Leaving the in-depth closet, she turned to the next set of doors. Listening for a minute, making sure Hausmeister wasn’t coming back, she opened them.
“You have got to be messing with me,” she complained.
Entering in the large bathroom, there was a door on the right which turned out to be a closet filled with towels. Further inside, a double sink lined the wall straight ahead. The right wall pushed further back to fall flush with what Roz suspected was the hall wall. It held a bathtub and another door in the back corner. Inside that room, she found a shower and toilet.
“This is insane,” she whispered. “Who needs this much space?”
She left the bathroom and closed the doors behind her. The color scheme was creams, golds, and cranberries. It followed into the bathroom and closet.
Seeing no escape routes through either, she rushed to the windows. Unlocking and tugging on them, she had no success in opening any of them.
“This can’t be right. What’s going on?”
Looking out of them, she found her room facing the backyard. Trees lined the right side of the landscape and straight ahead was nothing but land for miles. She could she the sun beginning to rise in the distance. It’s black rays bright but obscure.
The room was on the top floor. The middle windows almost reached the floor. They opened onto a balcony, if she could get them to open. There looked to be a staircase off the balcony.
“There has to be a way to open these windows,” she said.
Looking around the room, Roz spotted a statue of a horse on top of the fireplace. She retrieved it and cradling it in her hands, she approached the window one more time. The horse was beautiful. Chocolate with a black mane, its eyes penned her with a sad stare.
Swallowing, Roz tried to think of another way. The room didn’t hold anything else heavy enough to do any damage. Maybe one of the lamps would be substantial enough at the base to cause destruction.
“I’m sorry, friend,” she whispered to the animal. “Even though I’ve never seen any of your relatives in real life, I feel bad for what I’m about to do. You’re a stunning creature, but I have to get the heck out of here.”
Hauling the statue back with the strength of both hands, she threw it at the window with all her power and every bit of force she could muster. Arm shielding her face, she listened as it made contact with the window and – fell to the floor with a thump.
“What? No!” she cried out.
Picking it up, she tried three more times before realizing this was not going to be a means of escape. Putting the horse back, she made a face at it and went for the bedside lamp. She was just unplugging it when the door opened.
“I’d appreciate if you wouldn’t break anything,” Mrs. Hausmeister’s amused voice sounded behind her.
Sighing, Roz faced her. “I want to go home.”
“I’m sure that can be arranged, but let’s get you fixed up first. Have you rethought giving me your knife?”
Roz shook her head.
“You certainly won’t be permitted to leave this room until you do so. Please think about that,” she said and placed the tea tray on the table.
Serving a hot cup of tea, she set the cup down and put a fresh cloth into a bowl with water. A plate of toast also sat on the tray.
“You have bread?” Roz asked and left the lamp. She came to the table and sat in the chair.
“We do.”
“How? I haven’t seen bread. Ever.”
“It is given to us.”
“The Second Kingdom. That’s right! The intel group mentioned you have fresh food deliveries every week. Why would they do that for you and not for us?”
Mrs. Hausmeister shrugged.
“I don’t think it’s fair. I want answers, and I want out of this room.”
“Of course. We would be happy to accommodate you. I will need your knife.”
“No.”
“Then I’m afraid you will have to stay here for the time being.”
“Mrs. Hausmeister, my family and friends are going to become concerned. They’ll come back for me.”
The older woman nodded. Her gray hair bobbed with her head. Her tall body dwarfed Roz’s five-feet and ten-inch height and towered over the table. However, Roz didn’t fear her.
“How’s the tea?�
�
Roz took a sip and smiled. “This is delicious. It’s the best tea I’ve ever tasted. How do you make it so minty?”
“Steep the leaves for at least fifteen minutes. We grow them here in our garden.”
“You have a garden?”
Mrs. Hausmeister nodded and set the plate of toast in front of her. “Try this and see how it sets on your stomach. I have a new cloth and cold water this time for your head. We can try it after you eat.”
“Thank you. It’s very kind of you.”
The woman nodded and gave a brief smile. Roz watched her every movement as she sipped the tea and slowly ate the toast.
“Oh my gosh,” she moaned. “This is beyond words. Is this butter? What butter is this?”
“I think it’s butter from a cow, but it’s delivered as well. So, I’m unsure. It is very good.”
Roz licked her lips and her fingers as she finished chewing the last piece. Her stomach clamored for more. Drinking the rest of her tea, she realized she needed a plan and more food.
“Do you think I could have some more toast?”
“Of course. Would you like anything else? In fact, let me just bring a plate of everything. Would you like another cup of tea?”
Roz nodded, and Mrs. Hausmeister took her cup and refilled it from the teapot. She set a cup of honey in front of her and put the bowl with the cloth on the table as well.
“I will leave these here for you. I’ll return in a jiffy,” the cook told her.
“Thank you,” Roz said.
“My pleasure,” she said and smiled.
Roz sipped the tea and watched Mrs. Hausmeister exit. Counting how long it took her to get the door opened and walked through, Roz listened as the door closed and clicked. Thirty-two seconds. Now, she would count how much time it took for the cook to reenter. It might help her to form an escape plan.
“In the meantime,” she whispered, “I’m going to eat and figure out if there’s any other way out.”
13
“Roz is awake, sir,” Buford announced as he came into the room.
He set a tray on the beast’s table and began to unload it. A plate of sausage, eggs, pancakes, and oatmeal were unloaded. Coffee was poured into a cup, and the carafe was set to the side. Bread and butter were placed on the table next to his plate and syrup followed.
Beast walked away from the mirror. He’d been watching the ongoing conversation Roz was having with Mrs. Hausmeister. The attempt to break the window was a new one. He’d never considered the glass to be so sturdy, but he had reinforced it with a spell and felt it helped.
“I could hear,” the beast commented as he sat at the table.
“Indeed, sir. It was a bit of a fiasco at first. She keeps insisting on leaving. She refuses to give up her knife as well.”
“She can keep it as long as it isn’t used against any of you,” the beast said.
Buford cleared his throat and nodded. Placing the napkin within reach, Buford laid out a bowl of fruit.
“It seems the Second Kingdom has shared a more bountiful spread this week,” Beast told his butler.
“They did. The fruit has arrived earlier, I believe.”
Beast nodded. “What has Mrs. Hausmeister told you of the girl?”
“She said the girl’s name is Roz. The young woman is hungry, which is a good sign, and has finished throwing up for the time being.”
Nodding again, Beast began to eat his food. His sharp teeth clanging against the silverware. His ears strained to pick up on the sounds outside of his room.
“Is there anything else I can do for you, sir?”
“No, thank you, Buford. Make sure she doesn’t escape. I have a feeling she’s going to try.”
“Agreed, sir. I will inform Mrs. Hausmeister. Ring if you need anything else.” Buford left the room and shut the door behind him.
Beast picked up his food and went to the chair in front of the mirror. He returned and picked up his coffee cup. Sitting in the chair, he commanded the mirror to show him Roz.
She sat at the table in her own room, eating, and taking in every nook and cranny. Sipping her tea while he sipped his coffee. It almost felt as if they were in the same room.
“What will you say when you meet me for the first time?” Beast whispered.
Roz didn’t respond. She continued to look around the room and sip her tea. Mrs. Hausmeister entered a few minutes later, and Beast listened to them converse before the cook left again.
He watched Roz stare at the door before digging into her breakfast. Beast ate his with her. She set her knife on the table next to her plate.
The dagger was ornate, beautifully crafted, and from this distance, he could tell it was incredibly sharp. There was no doubt in his mind she’d know how to use it. Knowing how easy it would be for her to kill him had him thinking about what he’d do if she succeeded.
He tilted his head and let the fear have its way within him. It wasn't a dominate fear, yet. The effects were far less than those he felt at being the Second Kingdom's slave for all time.
Perhaps he had made the correct decision. All his thoughts of sacrifice might be a sign of his readiness to finally leave this world. If he was honest with himself, he didn't really want to be a beast for the rest of his life, nor did he want to be a slave. Neither truly fit his temperament.
Maybe now was the time for him to change everything. She could help him make that change he suspected.
He smiled to himself, satisfied with his thoughts. He may be tempted to die. For her.
“Forty-two seconds,” Roz whispered, “and ten seconds. It matters if she’s carrying a tray or not.”
The food spread in front of her was ridiculous. There was no way she’d be able to eat all of it. Mrs Hausmeister had brought her pancakes, scrambled eggs, fried potatoes, and sausage.
“Sausage! There’s sausage! I don’t think I’ve ever had any in my life.”
She had brought bread and butter, syrup, and fresh fruit. Roz stared at the feast before her and shook her head. Picking what to eat first was her biggest challenge.
Filling her plate, Roz took a moment to forget about where she was and what she needed to do. The smells were so intoxicating, she couldn’t stop herself for diving into the food.
“An apricot? You’re kidding me! Is this an apricot? This is so good.” Roz stuffed the apricot into her mouth and took a huge bite.
Licking her lips, she sighed.
“Is that a cranberry? I’ve only seen this fruit in pictures!” Grabbing three in one pinch, she popped them into her mouth. “This is tart!”
“Oranges and strawberries? What is going on?”
Roz bit into every piece, chewed, groaned, and swallowed. She kept eating the fruit until it was all gone. Her stomach began to feel full, but she turned to the sausage and began cutting it up and consuming the small bites.
It was a good twenty minutes later before she felt too full to stuff another bite into her mouth. The food was so scrumptious and new she couldn’t stop. Groaning, she hugged her stomach.
“Self-control, Roz, self-control.” Taking another sip of the coffee, she inclined her head against the back of her chair.
Thinking, she pictured the room in her head and tried to go through several escape scenarios. The windows would be the best bet. Trying the lamp would be her next chance, but she didn’t know if it would be able to break through.
There might be a spell on the windows, she considered. The door? If I can time it right to throw Mrs. Hausmeister off balance and run out, it might work.
Or maybe I could surprise attack her when she comes inside. I won’t hurt her. I can’t. She’s too sweet and loyal.
“What do I do when I get out? Do I find and kill the beast? Will I be able to find him?”
Roz stood and cleaned the table up. She got things ready for Mrs. Hausmeister to take. Next, she began searching the room for any hidden door she missed the first time. She returned to the bathroom and closet to search the
m. Both had ceiling windows she couldn’t reach.
Neither had any other ways out. She went back to the abandoned lamp, took off the glass shade, took out the bulb, and carried it to the windows. Getting a good grip on the base which was made of a copper metal, she backed up a bit before heaving it at the glass.
“Nothing,” she muttered as it crashed to the floor.
She put it back in its correct position and wandered around the room. It looked as if her best plan of escape would be threw the doorway. She’d monitor the entrances and exits a few more times to come up with the best way to leave.
“Mrs. Hausmeister can’t be harmed. As soon as this curse is broken, she’ll wake up. She’ll see her king is nothing more than the beast. I’ll finish my mission.”
Feeling tired, Roz continued to wander. She placed her ear against the door and listened to the noises outside her assigned room. Nothing was happening. No sound could be detected beyond the wooden barrier.
“Let me out!” she screamed.
Pounding on the doorframe, she kept yelling, “I want out! Let me go!”
Frustrated, she slammed her hand against the door and kicked it. Sighing, her full stomach and throbbing head reminded her that she wasn’t in top shape. Rubbing the back of her skull, she took a deep breath.
Eyes beginning to burn, she looked across the room at her bed. It seemed to call out to her. Walking toward it, she noted the cover she’d had over her earlier. The wine-colored afghan matched the room, and the duvet was so inviting.
“I just need to take a nap. I’ll feel so much better once I get some rest, and my head stops pounding. Every soldier needs time to regroup. There’s no way out anyway.”
Climbing onto the bed, she twisted to pull off her shoes and threw them to the floor. Yanking the cover, duvet, and sheets down, Roz inhaled.
“They feel so soft and squishy.”
She slid beneath them and pulled the sheet down as well. Suddenly, her desire to escape minimized next to how exhausted she felt. Crawling beneath the clean, smooth sheets, Roz snuggled under and rested her head on the fluffy pillow.
“I’ll be ready after I have a nap,” she whispered.
The Four Tales Page 32