❀ Beauty and the Beast ↠

↞6↠

I watched from a distance man after man beg for a dance with Freya. After all, she was the lady of the evening. These kinds of celebrations were never really my thing. It's not that I did not enjoy dancing or commuting, it was just that I never found anyone to do either with. I looked over to see Thor and Sif gulping their ale besides Freya who awkwardly sipped at her wine. Sif and Thor were very similar people and I couldn't help but think that they would make a good match but neither of them would admit it. I could hear them screaming with joy and could feel their feet disturbing the ground at the other end of the room. Without Looking, Frigga smiled at me as I raised an eyebrow, attempting to turn my face from what, from who, I was focused on. But I just looked back at the small group. Their bodies moved together as they celebrated, rhythmically breaking into shapes and colours that were alien to me. Frigga continued to beam at me from beside Odin. She was clearly insinuating that I go over and join them but that wasn't going to happen. I rolled my eyes and turned to walk outside. Night had fallen fast upon Asgard. No more than an hour ago the sky was painted with hues of red, orange and pink, but all colour had faded leaving only a matt black canvas with no stars to be looked upon. The darkness was thick and the torched behind me hardly lit the path allowing me to see at most a few meters in front of myself. Other than the darkness and myself all that seemed to exist was the chilly wind but obviously, I didnt feel its bite. The wind was nothing to me anymore. My blood ran cold through my veins and my bones were constantly chilled. I sighed up at the empty sky and sat on the wall, angling my leg up to the sky in order to rest my arm that had whipped out the small tattered book from my pocket. The book had a vice-like grip on my mind, it's twisted reality began to distort my own, challenging the once frightening facts of my existence, bringing into a new turbulent realm."'There are many men who are more monsters than you, said Beauty""What are you reading?" That silken voice asked from behind me. I jumped so hard that I nearly fell of the wall! As soon as I heard her, I slammed the book shut and hid it from view. I scowled at the woman for startling me so. Her hair flowed down past her waist, decorated with wonderful white lilies, her lips a bright crimson red and her dress a wonderful yellow that complemented her snowy skin perfectly. After admiring her new appearance, I collected myself and asked her if she knew that it was rude to sneak up on people quickly before she noticed me staring. Freya just laughed and crossed her arms. "I thought it would be harder to sneak up on the god of mischief," She had a point. I had no response to her so I just growled and swung my legs off the wall to face her. As soon as I looked at her, her eyes began to look anywhere but my face. "I'm sorry about last night," She began which shocked me a little. I raised an eyebrow at her. "I wasnt spying on you," I told her that it was fine, that no one needed know. I honestly hadn't thought that she may have been spying. I more assumed that she was just drawn to the only room with a light on at such a time. A moment of silence passed between us before she repeated herself. "So, what were you reading?" I tensed. Did I really want to tell her? She had seen the book, there wasnt really a way to get out of it. I slowly retrieved the book and handed it to her. I turned away and rubbed my face awkwardly as she read the title. "'Le Belle et la Bête'?" She asked. French sounded lovely in her voice. I nodded as she handed the book back carefully. "What's it about?" She asked. She was never going to let this drop, was she? I sat on the wall defeated and crossed my arms in defiance. I told her the truth."Its about a prince who was cursed to be a monster regains his humanity by earning a womans love," At first, she was silent but then she laughed a little. I was mortified, frozen to the spot. I felt traumatized. I couldn't believe it had happened. I had just admitted to reading a Midgardian romance novel to the goddess of war and death. I sat soaking in the cruel laughter, my head beginning to spin. I'd never live it down as long as I'd live. But no, her laughter wasnt cruel. It was entertained. She smiled at me, saying that she didnt take me for a romantic. I scowled and turned away. "Yes, well I didnt take you for a woman, so I guess that were both disappointed," I felt her pain. What did I say? I could hear the thoughts in her head. She was worried that I didnt like her? That I hated her even! I instantly regretted what I said but I couldnt bring myself to look at her. Freya stood, I could feel her angry scowl on my cheek. "Enjoy the rest of your evening, your highness," She bowed before turning. "And for the record, I wasnt disappointed," Her words hurt like a dagger piercing my heart. The one person besides my mother who had shown an interest in my life, who had been kind to me, and I was cruel. I really was a beast. I stood angrily and stormed back into the great hall, scanning for Freya but she was gone. I caught the eyes of mother who knew all to well that something had happened. Between us, a silent conversation. She was desperately trying to understand what had transpired outside but I didnt want to tell her. She would be so disappointed in me and I couldn't do that to her.