Loki's Apprentice: A Tale Retold

Chapter 8: The Sting of A Promise

"But he hid the truth from them at first, only saying sadly to Beauty as he gave her the rose: 'Here is what you asked me to bring you. Little you know what it has cost.'"

The father swallowed the lump that had formed in his throat and nodded, " I will do as you have said."

He was in a state a pure distress, He knew that his daughter would not be willing to take his place. He was fine with that, but he couldn't bare the thought of never seeing his children again.

"Good," The beast said narrowing his eyes and placing his hands behind his back as he took in the father's frozen state.

The father regained his strength and rose from his knees, "I will return in a month's time. May I leave at once?"

After a long pause, the beast shook his head, and the father's heart fell as he wondered what else he would do have him do.

"You are still very weak. Tonight you will eat and rest, in the morning you can set off."

"I can assure you I am feeling much stronger, I can make the journey."

" Go to your chambers, eat, and await my orders." The beast said as he walked off into the shadows and disappeared.

He was confused and wasn't very sure where 'his chambers' were. So he made his way to the castle once again. The man walked grimly back to the castle as the beast had instructed him after he had spared his life. But the man felt more dead than alive and realized now that it would have been better off if had just killed him then, for the price of his offence weighed heavily upon his shoulders and crushed his spirit.

He could not imagine losing one of his daughters to such a horrid creature to be harassed, tortured, and who knows what else the horrid creature had in mind.

So, he quickly decided that he would not give his daughters the choice to take his place. Even though that meant never seeing his family ever again. But it was a sacrifice he was willing to make for his children.

Walking into the castle, to his surprise, a candle was lit up upon his arrival. He went to grab it, since it had become dark since the sun had set. As he neared it though, it went out as fast as it lit itself, and another candle not that far off sprang to life.

This prodeeded to happen and he kept following each candle until it stopped in front of a large room, He cautiously opened the door and stepped inside and found that it was already prepared for him. The covers of a king size bed laid slightly pulled back, ready for anyone who wished for a rest as the fire in the hearth crack and popped, filling the room with a relaxing warmth. A table laid set in the center of the room filled with delicious food and a bottle of wine, at it's center laid a red rose, almost as if to mock him. The man looked away from the table, not really hungry anyway.

He brought his attention back to the bed and finally saw a huge chest lying beside it. It was simplest object in the room, but not any less beautiful. The man picked up the note that laid on top of it and read the careful handwriting.

It read:

Fill this chest with as many riches as you wish and only shut the lid when you have finished. Do not leave these grounds tomorrow until you have heard the ringing of the bell; you will find a horse ready for you in the courtyard.

The man tucked the note inside his coat pocket, confused about the Beast's first request. He then peered inside the chest and was almost glad to see that it was normal, although he had no idea what he was expecting. Not wanting to anger the Beast any further, he obeyed his request and began wondering the castle and putting the riches he desired in the chest. When he was satisfied with the contents in the chest, he cautiously closed its lid, and just like the mist in the morning, it disappeared before his eyes.