Claire stood next to him and showed him the steps of the dance slowly. He followed her movements exactly, till they were dancing in perfect time together. Despite his size, his boots made no sound on the floor, and his feet moved swiftly as well as lightly. Claire thought that with as much time as he spent sitting or standing unmoving, his bones should be more than a little stiff and creaky. But he moved easily, fluidly.
Claire laughed happily. "You're smiling."
"I am not." Beast said, his face expressionless as always.
"Not on the outside." Claire teased.
There was a loud, sharp tap on the door. The music stopped immediately. Claire turned to the door. It opened and and a broad shouldered figure walked in, the light from the lobby at his back. One of Mrs. Kennie's waiters was bowing behind him.
Claire saw just the silhouette, but she recognized him instantly. Julius was broad in the shoulders, but slim. Definitely not as severely as Beast though.
After he stepped into the room, the waiter closed the door quietly. That corner of the room went dark and Julius vanished. Claire heard his soft steps drawing near. "Pardon me for interrupting." He said graciously as he stepped into the candlelight. His charming smile was already firmly in place.
Mrs. Kennie's hands hit the keys heavily, causing a sharp, disjointed sound. Claire jumped, turning in her direction. She then noticed that Beast was gone. She looked around for him. He is probably hiding in a corner, She decided. Maybe he didn't want to meet Julius. She frowned. That was rude of him, but she wasn't going to force the situation. She turned back, reminding herself to talk to Beast about it later.
"Not at all." Mrs. Kennie said, her voice a little tense as she stepped back into the ring of candlelight. Julius looked at her, his eyes hard. Claire looked back and forth between them, saw the looks exchanged between them, and fidgeted uncomfortably.
"I've brought Claire a present, for Snowfall." He said, keeping his eyes on Mrs. Kennie. He removed a small thin box from his jacket pocket. It was black, standing out clearly against his white glove. "I would like to give it to her."
"Go ahead." Mrs. Kennie said casually, though her voice was as tight as a coiled spring.
Julius stared at her, his eyes glittered ebony. After a long time Mrs. Kennie hesitated. Her eyes roved around the room as if she were desperately searching for something. Finally she said. "Let me go check on the kitchens." And she hurried out of the room.
Julius watched her leave, smiling in satisfaction. He turned his attention to Claire. "Good evening." he said pleasantly.
The girl wouldn't look at him though. He frowned. She was wringing her hands so hard he was sure she would bruise them. "Julius?" Her voice sounded strained.
"Yes, little one?" He waited. He had a feeling, he knew what was coming.
She reached into her pocket, pulling out a glass spice bottle. She looked up at him, her expression shifting from hurt to confusion and back. She held the bottle up. "What's this?"
He reached out automatically for the bottle. She handed him his spider unit, in pieces. He inspected it a full minute before answering, his face a mask of polite interest. "It appears to be a receiver, though it is badly broken.” He tilted the bottle. “I can see the microphone there." He raised an eyebrow at her. "Where did you get a hold of something like this?"
Her blue eyes gave him an accusing look. "It was in my parasol." She was careful to keep her voice calm. She watched surprise cross his face, then concern. A tiny flame of hope flared in her heart.
"This is very grave indeed." He told her, worry tinged his voice. "I'm afraid my position as Regent affords me many enemies. Please accept my deepest apologies if you have been targeted because of your association with me.” He looked at her, almost pleadingly. “Please, allow me to send this to my Research and Development team, so we can discover it's origins."
Relief flooded her eyes. "Please do." She said. "And don't apologize. It's not your fault." She gave him a small smile. Still, she felt a little wary, for a reason she wasn't quite sure she could put into words. The room was only dimly lit and in the darkness his eyes were darker as well. His black suit blended into the background and she couldn't see where he ended and where the shadows began.
Julius pocketed the spider unit. He presented the black box to her. "Would you like to open your present?"
She nodded, taking the box from him. It was tied with a black ribbon. She pulled the end and the ribbon fell away. She lifted the lid of the box. Nestled on a bed of white velvet was a snowflake pendant. She inspected it in the candlelight. It was carved from some type of crystal, the light reflected rainbow fire within it. It hung from a thin silver chain. "Thank you!" She said excitedly.
"Go have Mrs. Kennie show you how to put it on." He said to her. But his eyes were not on her. They were on the heap of crumpled cloth on the floor around the legs of a chair. Claire ran off happily into the kitchens.
Julius stepped up to the table. Three places were set. His eyes narrowed. He could feel it too. That even with Mrs. Kennie and Claire in the kitchens, he was not alone in this large room.
He remained absolutely still, not making a sound. Silence reigned, as thick as the blackness that surrounded him. He could see nothing, hear nothing. But he could feel it deep in his core. The displacement of air as something moved through it.
Unfriendly eyes were fixed on his back. They made his skin crawl, the hairs of his neck stand up. He turned his head slowly. He reached into his jacket, grasping a small energy gun he had hidden there. He pulled it out slowly, carefully.
There was a flash of movement then, faster than the eye could follow. And his gun was out of his hand, skidding across the floor. It rested just inside the candlelight, on the other side of the table. Out of reach.
Julius' eyes widened in shock, then narrowed dangerously. His instincts took over. He did not know the face of his enemy, but he knew it was an enemy just the same. He had another gun strapped to his calf, but he knew that if he went for it, he would never reach it. That only left...
He reached behind his back, under his jacket. Whomever was in this room with him did not want to reveal themselves, so maybe he had some small chance... His senses told him the direction... With lightning swift movement he grabbed the small dagger at his back and hurled it to his left. In the same movement he dove around the table and retrieved his gun. He rolled up into a semi standing position, gun pointed into the darkness. While in mid-dive, he had heard his dagger hit something. Something that wasn't solid like the tables, chairs and walls were. He stood up straight, his eyes scanning the darkness, trying to penetrate the thick veil of it.
He felt the presence retreat into the background then, not fully gone. The kitchen door opened and Claire ran in. He discreetly pocketed his firearm, turning to her. "How do I look?" She asked, beaming. The diamond snowflake hung around her neck, glittering like a star in the yellow glow of the candles.
"Enchanting, as always." Julius said absently. His eyes still roamed around the room. Whatever that presence had been, it had attached itself to Claire. It would not reveal itself in front of her either.
"Would you like some cake?" Claire asked him, standing by an empty chair. "It's really good."
"Uh, no..." Julius said, glancing at her quickly. "No. I cannot stay. Please give this to Mrs. Kennie for me." He removed a thick white envelope from his jacket, placing it on the table. His eyes widened as he did. The black mass of cloth on the floor was gone. A chill ran through him.
"Till we meet again." He said to Claire, making his way to the door. She watched him meld back into the darkness, blinking in confusion.
To get to the door, Julius had to walk through the darkness. He felt uneasy as soon as he entered it. The door felt very far off. Something was following him, deadly quiet. He reached out and grasped the doorknob. As he did he felt a whisper of air graze his right cheek, followed by a thud that echoed through the door and into his hand. He reached up slowly, automatically, and retrieve
d his dagger. It was embedded in the door, at head height.
He opened the door and exited slowly, calmly, closing it softly behind him. Something hot and wet ran down his cheek in a thin line. He reached up and touched his cheek with two fingers. He pulled them away, looking at them. Blood stained the white cloth of his gloves deep red.
His eyes hardened and his jaw set. That presence had given him a warning. He removed his handkerchief from his pocket, pressing it against his cheek as he walked swiftly across the small lobby and out to his car.
He did not submit to threats, he made them.
*** Claire picked up the envelope. It was made of a thick paper. Words were digitally printed across the front. On the back was a red wax seal. It depicted an archer, his bow drawn, aiming at the sky.
Beast stepped out of the shadows. She looked up at him as he approached. "Where have you been?" She asked, a little annoyed.
"I've been here." He replied dully.
She squinted up at him, noticing something on his chest. "Come down here." When he bent down to her, she inspected his shirt. Just under his collar bone on his left side there was a hole. She poked a finger through it. The skin on the other side was smooth. "How did this happen?" She asked.
"The fabric is not indestructible." He answered simply. "It's bound to be affected by wear and tear."
Claire frowned. "Where am I going to get you another shirt?" She demanded, throwing her hands in the air.
Chapter IX – Good Bye Mrs. Kennie smiled in relief when Claire and Beast walked into the kitchen. They were in the small personal kitchen, away from the bustling of the main kitchens. This was where Mrs. Kennie crafted her original spices. "What do you have there?" She asked Claire.
"Julius gave it to me. He told me to bring it to you." Claire said, handing the thick envelope to her.
Mrs. Kennie frowned, her relief draining away. She turned the envelope over and broke the seal. She pulled a bundle of thick velum paper from it. She unfolded the paper and began to read. Beast stood behind her, his amber eyes darted quickly over the paper.
"What is it?" Claire asked, feeling left out. She stood up on tiptoes, looking at the page, even though she couldn't read it.
Mrs. Kennie looked down at her. "Next page." Beast said softly, still reading. She pulled the top page off the stack, holding it up. Beast's eyes sped over the second page as she held it out for him.
"The High Empress has proclaimed that funds be set aside for the orphans of the war. They are entitled to the schooling and specialized training required of members of the Upper Class." Mrs. Kennie sighed. "Provided the child has a sponsor of Upper Class status."
"Adoption papers." Beast said, turning away from the pages Mrs. Kennie was holding out for him.
Mrs. Kennie closed her eyes and sighed. “I knew this was coming.”
Claire took the end of her apron in her small hands. Mrs. Kennie opened her eyes and looked down at her. Claire looked back up at her with wide, concerned eyes. “I don't understand.” She said.
Mrs. Kennie steeled herself. “Julius wants you to go and live with him.” She said.
Claire's thin red eyebrows knit together. “I know that already. I want to know why it makes you look like that. He's really not a a bad person. The spidery thing came from one of his enemies.”
She thought of Julius, kind and generous and smiling, and his white castle. How had she ever doubted him? But there was uneasiness in the back of her thoughts. She thought of the dark Julius she had just seen, unsmiling and distracted.
Mrs. Kennie smiled weakly. “Haven't you thought that I might miss you, child?” She asked.
Claire's uneasiness increased. "I wouldn't get to see you again?" She asked.
"I don't think so." Mrs. Kennie said sadly.
"No, I definitely would.” Claire insisted. “Julius would let me come visit you. I know he would. And, if I lived with him, I could go to school." She said, her expression still concerned. She was desperately trying to reassure Mrs. Kennie, trying to get her to see that this was an immensely good turn of fortune, not a bad one. "If I go to school, I could learn how to read. And count, and write."
Mary Kennie patted her hair absently. "Why don't you head on up to bed, we can talk more about this tomorrow."
Reluctantly Claire let go of her apron. She turned and walked slowly up the stairs. Her brow was furrowed deep in thought. She sounded like the decision was up to her. But, the decision was Claire's, and she already knew what she would choose, even though it wouldn't be easy.
When she was gone, Mrs. Kennie's shoulders sagged. Beast stared at her back. "You are going to let her go." he stated. Mrs. Kennie threw her hands up. "What can I do? I'm not her guardian, I have no rights to her." She turned and faced him, a pleading, apologetic look in her eyes. “This building..." She gestured all around. "is my entire life... I really don't have room for anything else." Her eyes filled with tears.
"You have no obligations to Claire." Beast told her. "You are doing what is right. She is not yours to look after."
"I will look over the papers in the morning. I want to make sure that she isn't going to be cheated or abused in any way. I want to make sure that she will be safe."
She reached out two shaky hands and grabbed the front of his cloak. "I have such a bad feeling about all of this. Never take your eyes off of her. You must never let her be hurt." She said firmly. She tugged on the front of his cloak hard in emphasis. "If she's ever in any danger, I want you to go to her." Tears spilled out of her eyes and over her round cheeks. "Take her away! As far as you can! Till you can't get any farther!" She dropped his cloak and bowed her head, her shoulders shaking.
Beast turned and walked to the stairs. At the bottom step he paused, his back to her. "I would do that anyway, even if you said nothing." Then he climbed the stairs and was gone.
Mrs. Kennie looked helplessly around her small, empty kitchen. The noise from the main kitchen sounded especially loud to her now. She sagged into a chair, defeated. She laid her head in her arms on the small table where for the last few months Claire and Beast and her had sat and eaten their meals.
*** Claire had left the door open for him a crack, as usual. Beast entered the small bedroom, closing the door behind him with his foot, as usual. He found Claire sitting on the small bed, staring out the window. She had one hand on the glass as she looked out.
"Julius wouldn't let you stay with me, would he?" Claire said without turning, the muscles in her hand tightened.
"He would not like me, if he saw me." Beast admitted, standing by the bed.
"That's why you hid, right?" Claire turned to him. She looked at him with serious eyes. Right then, with the moonlight behind her, she looked older. Her body was still small, but a grown woman looked out at him from behind those clear, blue eyes.
"It would be best, if Julius never finds out about me." He said to her.
She stood up on the bed, even then she only came up to his chest. She looked up at him. "You would leave me?" She asked. Tears pooled at the corners of her eyes.
Beast stared at her for an eternity. "I will never leave you." He said quietly. "The less Julius knows about me, the easier it will be for me to stay with you."
Claire ducked her head and dragged one finger under her eye. "You want me to lie?" she asked, smiling weakly.
"He will never ask, as long as you never mention it."
She took the front of her cloak in her hands, gently, so he did not even feel the weight of them. She turned her face up to his, staring into his eyes. "I love you, Beast." She said softly.
He stared down at her for a small eternity, saying nothing. Then she was a child again. She released his cloak and dropped back onto the bed, her head bowed. “Mary too. She took care of me and fed me, and gave me such pretty dresses. Like a mom.” She sniffled. “But, she's never held me. It's not her job to.”
Beast sat on the bed, leaning against the wall at the head. His feet hung off the end. “And Julius?” He asked.
“You think he would?”
Claire laughed lightly. “I will admit I tried. I'm afraid I startled him pretty badly.” She thought about it for a moment, remembering when she had thrown herself at Julius. “I think he can learn though.”
Claire lay on him, leaning against his chest. She stayed like that a long time, awake, quietly staring into space before she finally drifted off to sleep.
Beast watched her as she slept, one small hand clutching his cloak. He had decided from the beginning that he would watch over her, and protect her from harm. He would do whatever he could, whenever there was need.
She loved him, and he needed that love. She needed love as well. She sought for it among the people around her. She was young, and the pain of losing her parent's love was still to fresh in the back of her mind. Unconsciously, she was trying to find something to replace it.
But he could not love her. He could never love anyone ever again.
Beast no longer had a heart.
*** Claire woke and stretched. The sunlight filtered through the window weakly. Beast was not in the room. She checked all the corners just to be sure he wasn't pretending to be a shadow. She pulled on a blue sun dress and ran barefoot down the stairs. She stopped at the top of the stairs leading down into the small kitchen.
Beast and Mrs. Kennie sat at the kitchen table. She could just barely see them from her vantage point. A cup of tea sat in front of each of them. Beast's was untouched. "Just drink, it will make me feel better to share a cup of tea with someone!" Mrs. Kennie said in exasperation. She pushed a short, dark curl from her eyes.
"What's in it?" He eyed the cup of tea. She huffed. "It's rose petal tea. There's nothing unnatural in it at all." She assured him.
After a moment, Beast relented. Mrs. Kennie held the cup up for him to drink. The papers Julius had delivered last night were spread out on the table in front of her. Beast drained his cup and Mrs. Kennie set it down. Her eyes were on the papers. She was wearing her thin reading glasses while she read, her mouth moved as she reread the fine print.
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