Beauty and the Curse

Chapter 2

"Papa." 

I walked into the kitchen to find him covered in even more in food.

"Alayna, taste this."

He handed me a cookie that he's been trying to perfect before a competition at the fair tomorrow. I bit into it.

"Papa, you did it!"

He smiled.

"More sugar, that's all it needed."

I smiled.

"You're definitely going to win first prize."

He nodded.

"I'm going to go get my satchel if you would saddle up Midnight for me that would be great."

I smiled as I went to the barn and placed the saddle on Midnight.

"Papa, why don't you just take the car?"

He laughed.

"I'm taking a short cut through the forest."

I rolled my eyes.

"You and your short cuts, just be careful okay."

He smiled.

"I always am."

With that note, he mounted and left.

Not long after I had started dinner I heard a knock at the door. When I opened it, I saw Draven.

"Draven, to what do I owe this great...unexpected pleasure?"

He gave his toothy smile.

"Why, Alayna, you only owe me."

I rolled my eyes.

"And why do I owe you?"

He laughed.

"Because I did give you this amazing pleasure. And I'm about to give you another."

Oh, no.

"Marry me Alayna. You're seventeen, its time you became a wife."

I giggled.

"Why Draven this is so unexpected," I started to back him out of the door. "I just don't deserve this."

He smiled.

"No one does, Alayna. But you're close enough to perfect for me."

I smiled.

"Well, thank you for your...generosity, but I don't think so," I closed the door in his face before he could say anything else.

I walked deeper into the house where I grabbed my army green messenger bag and placed my new notebooks and writing utensils as well as the one Todd's wife returned to me in it. I walked outside with my purse in my messenger bag and my black hip length cloak laid over it to a small bench by the forest.

I looked at the sky after a while and saw the sun starting to set over the horizon. Just then I heard the sound of a horse approaching me from behind. Quickly I turned around and saw Midnight charging through the forest without Papa on her back.

"Midnight, where's Papa?"

She was freaking out as I stroked her snout.

"You've got to take me to him."

I threw my messenger bag over my shoulder and wrapped my cloak around me before mounting and riding off into the forest.

I took care to make sure I took the same path as Papa did. When I came to a fork in the road I didn't fight Midnight as she pulled a certain direction. From there we only went on for a few minutes before we came up to a castle. Inside the gate I saw my Papa's coat. I didn't see any guards or locks on the gate so I dismounted and entered. Slowly I walked up to the door and knocked. With no answer I entered.

"Hello."

The only answer I received was an echo of my own voice. I walked forward picking up a small candle holder as I went. I looked around and decided I'd start down stairs looking for Papa.