Steel Roses

Silk and Spice

Beldon stared at the dog in front of him, snow whirling around him in the icy winds, the forest shadowed around him, moonlight shining directly down on him and the monster.

He was kneeling on the ground, his cloak pulling at his throat as the wind dragged at it.

The dog was just sat there, staring at him, its ears forwards.

Slowly, its eyes travelled from his to something over his shoulder and then it threw its head back and let out an ear ringing mournful howl.

Beldon spun to look behind him to see a shadowed figure standing over him, sword raised.

He swung it down at Beldon, straight at his throat. Beldon threw his hands up and the next second, his eyes snapped open and he almost fell off a sofa.

Scrambling wildly, he just managed to catch the back and steady himself. He lay there for a moment, eyes wide, confused as to where he was, before he remembered.

He was in the West Wing. It had been a week since he had last used the mirror and he come back to check on things. His siblings had been attending a private party, all of them swanning about in dazzling new outfits, talking with friends. He hadn't checked on Raoul and Miss Bennett.

... Why was he lying on a sofa?

"Are you alright?" The Beast asked, walking out of a side room, looking at him, pulling his hood up.

Beldon started, then looked up.

"Fine, sorry, yes... just a bad dream."

"Oh? What of?"

Beldon thought back to it. "... The dogs," he said finally, "Must be recurring fear from that night."

"Understandable," The Beast said, folding his arms.

Beldon looked at the ceiling. He didn't mention the shadowed figure... and as he thought back to that moment just before the sword came down, he remembered the figure's other hand. He had held a ruby necklace in it, the gem shining against the moonlight.

He frowned. Where had that dream come from? Sebastian? Surely he wasn't that bad.

He looked at The Beast. "Did I fall asleep here?"

"You fell asleep in the mirror room. I found you lying on your back in there so I moved you to the sofa."

"Oh, thank you," Beldon said, sitting up, and only then noticed the blanket that slid off him.

He glanced to The Beast but he has already walked back into his room. Folding the blanket up, Beldon peered in after him.

It was an office. A magnificent mahogany desk with rose carvings up the legs took up one wall, while huge fireplace took up the other. Book shelves filled the remaining walls.

Parchment littered the desk and The Beast – who had taken a seat behind it – glanced up when Beldon walked in, looking at all the books.

"I take it you like to read as much as I do?" Beldon asked.

"These are just business books," The Beast said, "The main library is more interesting."

"So you say," Beldon said, pulling a book down, scanning the pages, his eyes moving at lightning speed as he took in the chapter before he closed the book again. "So what do you need with business books?" he asked, walking to the desk.

The Beast started to quickly compile his pages but not before Beldon noticed the names at the top of a few. He grabbed one, staring.

King Alexander III.