Beauty and the Beast

2

"Goodbye Daddy!" Stevie calls from the porch waving at the horse and buggy as Jess pulls away.

"Take care of things while I'm gone. I should be back by nightfall." Jess waves.

"Be careful." She warns walking back into the house to get ready for the day. 

Navigating the woods, and the mountains with a horse aren't the easiest task. He's just lucky that it's a nice beautiful spring day when Stephanie sees him off. The teacakes are snug in his satchel as they bounce along through the town and towards the beach and the waterfall. It's almost strange how at the trails entrance the ride gets a bit spookier and a little bit darker. 

He's halfway down the trial when the clouds roll over the sun and a loud crack of thunder rings out through the skies.

"Well girl, I wonder how much longer it's going to be. I would hate to get the cakes and us wet." He says to the horse on his ride.

"Maybe we missed a turn...I should've brought a map." 

When the woods get a tad spookier and the thunder starts to rumble louder and more frequently the horse tries to turn around but Jess spurs him forward. Very quickly the find themselves at a dead-end and the horse turns quickly. Jess is thrown and he tries to catch up with the horse as it sprints away and the older man quickly loses his breath and the rain starts to pour down. It had to have been pure luck when he sees the gate over his shoulder and he turns and runs towards it. 

The castiron gate pushes open with a loud screech and the cobwebs break apart. A feeling of dread washes over Jess and he gulps before quickly checking the teacakes in the bag. Miraculously they're all perfectly intact as he treks forward towards the double doors of the castle.

***

Mick and John are walking down the hall of the shadowy brick castle walls when they stop upon hearing the front door swing open.

"Hello! Hello!" Jess calls.

"Poor fellow, he must have lost his way in the woods." Mick turns to his companion. 

"Keep quiet and maybe he'll go away," John replies snarkily.

"IS ANYONE THERE! I UM BROUGHT A GIFT FOR THE KING!" 

"Not one word Mick. Not one word." John warns. 

"I DON'T MEAN TO INTRUDE OR ANYTHING. I AM THE EVERCREST BAKER AND I WANTED TO GIVE THE KING A GIFT TO LET HIM KNOW THAT WE'RE STILL THINKING ABOUT HIM AND GRIEVE WITH HIM OVER THE LOSS OF HIS PARENTS...ON TOP OF THAT IT'S STORMING AND I'VE LOST MY HORSE. I JUST NEED A PLACE TO STAY FOR THE NIGHT." 

"Oh John, have a heart." Mick shakes his head.

"Shhh," John growls. 

Mick huffs but grabs the other man's middle and pointer finger and bends them back quickly.

"OUCH OUCH OUCH!" John calls.

"Of course, sir you can stay here," Mick says aloud.

"Who said that?" Jess looks around. 

"Well, I did sir." Mick makes himself known.

"Oh hello." Jess smiles.

"Now you've done it, Mick." John also appears.

"I brought tea cakes for the king. They're my daughter's favorites and I thought he'd like them. I didn't poison them or anything. Like I said, I just want to let him know that we're thinking about him." Jess explains.

"Splendid. Just peachy. Now you can..." John is cut off by Jess letting out a loud sneeze.

"Oh sir, you're soaked to the bone. Come sit by the fire we wouldn't want you to catch a cold now." Mick shows him to the sitting room. 

"NO, NO, NO. You know what the master will do if he finds him here." John shakes his head. 

"No, that's the master's chair." John whines as Jess sits down and a fuzzy curly-headed dog, most likely a golden doodle comes running over and barking at him. 

"Oh A dog, I didn't think you guys left the castles?" Jess questions petting the dog's head.

"His name is Max we haven't left the castle in seventeen years. At the time there was a poodle and a Golden Retriever living here. Pete and Camilla. They mated and had Max and a couple of other pups. Max is the only one we have left. He's about five now. How would you like a nice cup of tea? It'll warm you up in no time." A woman comes strolling in with a teapot of piping hot tea. 

"I'm more of a coffee drinker myself but sure...just a little bit." Jess nods.

"No, Christine, No tea." He scowls.

"Ignore my husband, I'm Christine McVie the cook." 

"Momma I brought him a blanket." A little boy with blonde hair comes running into the room.

"Why thank you Chip. This is my son-Chip McVie." Christine grins. 

It was then that the doors to the sitting room were pushed open and they hit the walls with loud bangs. 

"Uh-oh." Chip faceplants into his mother's stomach.

"Oh, dear." Christine sighs rubbing the back of her son's head.

"Why is there a man here?" Lindsey growls stalking over to the small party like a tiger stalks his prey in the night. 

"Now Lindsey let me explain...it's storming out, and his horse ran off in the woods, and he just needs a place to stay for the night. He came here because he brought you some treats to show his gratitude to your highness." Mick tries to reason but everyone-including Jess- can see that it's not doing anything. 

"Lindsey...I just want to say that I was against this from the beginning. It was all Mick's idea but he didn't listen to me." John holds his hands up. Lindsey huffs but turns his attention to the older man.

"What are you doing here? I gave strict orders that the castle was to have NO VISITORS." Lindsey spits.

"I know, and really. I was only going to leave the teacakes at the door with a note. My name is Jess Nicks, I'm the Evercrest Baker. Today marks 22 years since your family was horribly taken from you in the pandemic and I just wanted to bring you these cakes to say that we still think about you and we're horribly sorry for your loss." Jess expresses.

"Fine, give them and get lost." Lindsey forcefully grabs the teacakes from Lindsey and sniffs them before shoving them into Christine's hands.

"But sir, like the tall one said, my horse ran off and it's storming out. All I need is a place to stay for the night." He holds his hands up.

"YOU ARE NOT WELCOME HERE!" Lindsey bellows. 

"I'm sorry. I mean no harm I just need a place to stay." Jess shakes his head.

"I'll give you a place to stay." Lindsey hisses grabbing Jess's arm and forcefully yanks him to the dungeons.