A Beast's Tale

Chapter 3

"Good morning, Prince Chevalier."

The fluffy white blankets over my head muffled her cheerful voice, or maybe that was the fog of sleep as I tried to process why she sounded happy. I'd told her to come to my room in the morning, but I had to be dreaming. She had never even smiled in my presence. She wouldn't be in a good mood if she were here.

What was she doing in my dream?

"Prince Chevalier, breakfast is ready."

Tantalizing smells wafted through the covers, making this seem more realistic, but that was insufficient to convince me. I'd told her to bring me breakfast, and she'd done that. She didn't have to pretend to enjoy herself, and she didn't have to wake me up. If by some slim chance this were real, I could just lay still, and she'd take the hint and leave.

And then the warmth of the comforter vanished.

I grabbed it on reflex, but it was already out of reach, in the hands of the maid standing in the middle of the room with a mischievous sparkle in her green eyes. The sunlight pouring through the windows shone on her black hair and lit up her sweet, innocent smile—a smile as false as everything else about this, but a smile nonetheless.

Dream or not, she painted a pretty picture.

"What do you think you're doing?" I mumbled.

"You don't want breakfast to get cold, Prince Chevalier." Her tone was light and playful, as if this entire scene were normal. "It would appear you've been scaring maids out of here too, so I'm assuming your bedding is due for a change. I'll be back in a few minutes."

She turned and headed toward the door. Her glossy ponytail cascaded down her back to hips in motion, and further down, my eyes traced the curves of her lower legs...

I had to be dreaming. She wouldn't be so foolish as to tease me like this.

There was one way to find out.

I climbed out of bed and grabbed her before she reached the door, spinning her to face me and holding her still with a firm grip on her upper arms. Her green eyes were now wide, her full pink lips parted. Surprised. Real and surprised. She wasn't trying to pull free from me, and she didn't even look frightened. Just stunned.

Had she thought she could get away with such reckless behavior?

"A fragile little dove in a beast's lair should tread with more caution," I warned her.

Her lips came together as she swallowed. She bit her lower lip and dropped her gaze to the floor. "I'll try to keep that in mind. Please accept my apologies, Your Highness."

She hadn't thought about it. She had acted on impulse, no doubt to get back at me for the way I'd been treating her the past two days.

A maid attempting to exact revenge against me. Me. The Brutal Beast.

I released her with a chuckle and went into the bathroom.

My reflection in the mirror was much more awake and in a much better mood than I'd anticipated at this hour. There was a light in my ice-blue eyes, half-hidden by pale blonde bangs I needed to trim. This was not how I'd expected my morning to go, but at least she was making it worth my while to get up so early.

She hadn't returned by the time I'd finished in the bathroom. I went to the bureau for my clothes, unbuttoning my white pajama shirt on the way and surveying her work thus far. She'd tied the pastel yellow drapes back from the main window, flooding the room with light, and she'd laden my writing desk with more than enough food for me. I scanned the options as I changed into my usual black and white attire. She didn't know what I liked, so she'd brought a little of everything. No doubt she would also note what I did and didn't eat, so she could tailor the order to my preferences next time. Assuming there would be a next time.