Beauty and the Beast

5

Even though it was May, she was freezing in the cold stone cell that the tall man had locked her in with a sullen sad face. She couldn't believe that she just signed away her life to this man but she wasn't going to do anything about it, because it meant that her brother and her father could go free. Not to mention it kept her far away, locked up so Don Henley couldn't keep harassing her. All she did was she laid down on the prison-like stone bed with an uncomfortable straw pillow and she just cried. There wasn't even a blanket to wrap her self up in so she just tucked her coat in tighter to herself. 

Mick followed Lindsey out into the sitting room and everyone was staring at them with different looks on their faces.

"Um, Lindsey," Mick says after a moment. 

"What?" He asks gruffly. 

"Well, she's going to be staying with us for quite a while and I think...well she'd be a bit more comfortable not in the dungeon. We have like 30 bedrooms in this house, and maybe like only ten or so is currently in use. She could live on the East wing in the guest rooms, not the west wing where your family bedrooms are. Or even in the north wing where us servants stay." Mick sighs. 

He just growls but he turns around and heads back to the dungeon anyway. His heart breaks a little bit and his face softens when he sees her curled up crying on the stone slab. He felt really bad about everything and he didn't know how to respond so he just cleared his throat.

"You didn't even let me say goodbye. I'll never see them again. I didn't get to say goodbye" She barks at him through her sobs. 

He just scratches his neck and looks down at his feet sadly. "I'll show you to your room." 

"My room?" She stops her sobs and goes to stand up and he holds out his hand for her. 

She takes it and he practically picks her up off of the floor, but nevertheless he helped her up. "I thought..." 

"Do you really want to stay in the dungeon?" Lindsey inquires.

"Well no, but I thought." She tries again.

"Then follow me." He demands leading her out of the cold part of the castle. 

***

It's kind of dark and spooky especially with the dragon sculptures lining the wall. From a secret passage, Mick joins them causing her to jump slightly because he came from out of nowhere but he shares a courteous smile with her.

"Say something," Mick whispers in Lindsey's ears.

"I ugh...I really hope you like it here."  

Mick just motions with his head and Lindsey purses his lips. 

"The castle is your home now so you can where ever you want to. Except the West wing." He says firmly.

"What's in the west wing?" She questions slowly shrugging off her jacket.

"IT'S OFF LIMITS!" He growls as she shrinks back and instantly Lindsey feels bad. 

"Now, if you need anything. My servants will attend to you." Lindsey opens a set of double oak doors. 

"Invite her to dinner," Mick whispers.

"YOU WILL JOIN ME FOR DINNER....I'M ASKING!" He demands slamming the door shut and Stevie jumps a mile in the air and immediately goes towards the giant four-poster bed and flings herself on it crying. 

***

Based on the clock next to the bed, it looks like a couple of hours have passed and it seems like she's cried all the tears she could and she just sits up in the middle of the bed. It's a nice sized room. Looking around she can see that the walls are white. The floors are mahogany just like the dressers, the headboard, and the footboard of the four-poster. There's a little sitting area with a brown leather chair and loveseat. A mahogany coffee table in front of the love seat The bedspread she's sitting on is puffy and white and then she grabs at the pillow and the sheets are tan silk. 

She's startled when she hears a soft knock at the door. 

"Who is it?" She asks quietly.

"Christine dear." The other person answers. 

Stevie cocks her head at the name, another female is here so maybe it won't be so bad. She slowly gets off of the bed and she goes to open the door. Standing there is a woman wearing a pair of jeans a white teeshirt and a black blazer next to her is a little boy with blonde hair wearing a blue and white plaid shirt and a pair of jeans. 

"Oh, hello." Stevie chuckles when the little boy and Christine walk in followed by three other women. 

"I think this is yours." Christine holds out the small white naked dog. 

"Oh yes, Lily Hi!" Stevie coos nuzzling her and kissing her little head. 

"I found her playing in the sitting room with our golden doodle Max. I'm Christine McVie, I'm the cook. This is my son Chip. My husband John is around here somewhere, he's the butler. This is Margi Kent she's the King's wardrobe maker, This is Sarah Fleetwood. Her husband Mick is the tall man that walked you here with Lindsey-the king- she's the maid. This is Sharon Celani she works in the garden during planting season." Christine explains.

"Well, it's nice to meet you. My name is Stephanie Nicks but everyone calls me Stevie." She sits on the bed. 

"Here's a cup of tea." Christine pours her a mug and hands it to her.

"That was such a brave thing you did back there," Sharon tells her.

"We all thought so." Margi nods.

"I just lost everything. My family all of my hopes and dreams." Stevie shakes her head sipping the tea.

"Cheer up love, it'll be okay in the end. You'll see. Well anyway, I'm going to go cook dinner. Any special request?" Christine asks.

"If you can manage a roast chicken." Stevie brushes a strand of hair behind her ear.

"Absolutely. Come on Chip." Christine demands holding her hand out for her son. 

"She's pretty mama," Chip says once they exit the room causing Stevie to smile a little bit.

"Well, alright, I suppose I should start on a wardrobe for you. You're going to be here a while. Let me just take your measurements and I'll have a dress for dinner whipped up an hour." Margi pulls her into a standing position grabbing out her measuring tape. 

"Thank you, I appreciate the wardrobe but don't rush it. I'm not going to dinner." Stevie shakes her head.

"Oh, but you must." Sarah looks at her.

"I...i'm just not going." She plops back down on the bed.