Loki's Apprentice: A Tale Retold

Chapter 13: Worth

"But when the Beast really appeared, though she trembled at the sight of him, she made a great effort to hide her horror and saluted him respectfully.

This evidently pleased the Beast."-Madame deVilleneuve

  As Evelyn made her way through the castle trying to find where she would be dinning, she couldn't shake the feeling that she was being watched. Since the sun had set, the only light in the castle were the candles, but they casted shadows against the wall as she walked and she wondered if it would've been better without them.

She found a grand dinning hall with a long elegant looking table and a sitting area off to the side. A fire was roaring with life in the fireplace and Evelyn was happy for the warmth; the castle had moments were it was unbearably cold.

Alone and confused, she decided to just sit down and wait.

It wasn't very long until she felt his presence behind her and she tried to stop her trembling as his footsteps stopped. She slowly got up from her seat and turned to meet him. His red eyes seemed to bore into hers, but she tried not to look intimidated as she bent down into a polite curtsy.

He arched a dark eyebrow in question, but then bent his head in recognition.

He had changed from when she first saw him. His worn tunic was replaced with an elegant black leather garb, one that look more expensive than Evelyn's home.  His raven hair was also combed in place and no longer untamed.

Evelyn eyed him carefully.

Her eyes followed him as he walked to the other end of the table, and she sat as he took his seat. She was surprised to see a steaming bowl of soup appear before her on the table.

Had it been there the whole time?

She looked up and noticed the smirk that he wore.

No. It was magic.

Although very hungry, she was afraid to try it.

What if it was poisoned?

"If I wanted to have killed you, you would have been dead by now."

Her eyes went wide as his words softly met her ears.

Not even her thoughts were safe.

Swallowing down panic she raised a small spoonful of the soup to her lips and allowed the liquid to wash over her tongue. As she swallowed, the liquid warmed her body completely and she felt her body relax.

Thoroughly surprised, she glanced up at her host. He had been watching her the whole time, only pausing a moment to do the same and swallow the golden liquid.

He hadn't been what she expected when her Father told her of what had happened when she met the Beast. She had expected a man that turned into a wolf, or maybe even was part lion. But he was simply a man-well with some obvious differences.

She found neither the blue of his skin nor his red eyes appalling-just intimidating. What she had found that was rather unappealing, however, was his demeanor. Even as they sat in silence she could see in his eyes that he thought of himself as something higher and she as something beneath him. From her first encounter with him she had realized that he rather enjoyed a game, and she was thought of as the game piece.

She promised that she would not be quick to judge, but she never promised not to be careful.

"Are the others joining us for dinner?" She asked quietly, trying to break the silence.

"Others?" He asked. "There aren't any others."

"But I saw them before I came down to dine."She thought he was playing with her again, making her think she was crazy, but as she searched his eyes she actually saw confusion.