Beauty and the Beast

Tricked (Edited)

A tall blonde haired man peered anxiously around the dark corner of an alley, glancing of his shoulder to make sure he wasn't bring watched. "We did just like you said, captain. Nothing serious, just some mugging and roughing him up bit. What about the money you promised us?"
"Here." The large authoritative man turned toward the group, handing the former sailors a handful of Norwegian krones. "Now go, and don't tell anyone you've been here!" As, the rag tag bunch scrambled out of the cramped space and into the empty town square, Thor slipped secretly into the back entrance of the pub. It was one of the many small businesses across Norway that his father owned, which gave him the free access to use the residential rooms as he pleased. 

There, in the private quarters, lay the good doctor Erskine, sleeping peacefully in the bed of the guest room. Once he came to, he would be so grateful to Thor for saving his life that he would insist upon him marrying his daughter. Ah, the beautiful and elusive Tara. She was the only woman in Flam whose affections the captain hadn't won, at least, not yet. The older women in town were only too eager to get unto the captain's good side, falling all over themselves to invite him to their dinners and parties in hope that he might fancy one of their daughters. Where was the sport in that? Tara was a more of a challenge, a riddle that he had yet to solve. It had been only too easy to get a hold of the doctor. Only weeks before, he had returned to Flam on a rampage, pleading with anyone that would listen that there was a frost giant out in the woods keeping his daughter hostage in an ice castle. The villagers, believing that Erskine had gone mad, would not lift a finger to protect him from being robbed, nor care if he mysteriously disappeared. This provided an excellent opportunity for the skilled strategist. Here was the noble and honorable captain opening up his home to the poor old doctor. And of course, seeing how well he had taken care of her father, how could Tara resist being on the arm of such a kind, selfless hero? So far, things were going just as he had planned. All he would have to do now was wait for Tara to return to the village and come right into his waiting arms, and if that didn't work, well, he had other ways of getting what he wanted.

 For a few hours he sat there in the tiny room's armchair in silence, but Thor was quite the restless man, so it didn't take long for him to grow bored. He poured himself a glass of beer and went out to the front entrance, staring blankly across the town square and into the forest. Just as he was about to walk toward the marble fountain in the center of the village, a chestnut stallion dashed by, shoving the man violently into the stone building, knocking his mug to the hard ground. Thor cursed under his breath, clumsily wiping his now wet coat with his equally wet gloves. 

"Hey pal, what do you think you're-??" he exclaimed, coming up behind the hooded stranger, his fists balled, raised to strike when a the person turn around. He froze mid-sentence as a pair of soulful brown eyes glared up at him. His heart leapt in his chest and the sight of the familiar face.  "Tara!"

"Captain!" the pretty young woman smiled, her eyes lighting up with recognition, "Oh, am I glad to see you! I need your help, I think something has happened to my father. I know he must have come somewhere near the village, I've spent most of the night searching the woods near our house but there's no sign of him and I can't---"

"Tara, Tara, calm down. Your father is perfectly safe. He's back at my inn, sleeping like a log. It's a good thing I found him when I did; I suspect he had an unfortunate run in with some muggers. A nasty lot, those."

"Can you take me to him?"

"Of course," the blonde haired man smiled, taking the girl gingerly by the arm, and leading her toward the living quarters of the pub. "He's been in a terrible state for awhile," he went on as he led her upstairs to the room,  "running around like a mad man telling everyone that you had been kidnapped! He was laying a few miles from town passed out in the snow when I found him." Tara let out a sigh pure relief, seeing her father lying there on the small bed. He looked well enough, just minor bruises along his face and hands. Her first instinct was to reach out and hug him, but she didn't want to disturb him; the poor physician needed his rest. "I'm afraid I won't be able to move him for awhile," the brown skinned brunette exclaimed, rather apologetically, "Not until I can make sure he doesn't have a concussion. How much do I owe you for his accommodation, Captain?"

"It's on the house. And please, call me Thor. You're welcome to have this room for as long as you like."

The unexpected gesture took the young woman by surprise. "Oh, thank you, capt-, um, I mean, Thor," Tara stammered, watching the man turn to leave, "I don't know how I am ever going to repay you!"

Oh, don't worry my dear, the cold, vicious noble thought, smirking as he strolled down the hall. That has already been arranged.

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Three days passed, and Tara stayed there at the inn, traveling back to their the cottage only to get supplies and to take care of the horse. Finally, succumbing to fatigue and exhaustion, she fell asleep in the desk chair, resting her arms and face across her father's outstretched legs. An hour crept by, hardly a stir came from either of them, when all of sudden, the man started to groan. It was just a faint rumbling at first, but then it grew louder, into slightly audible words. It was enough to shake Tara from her doze. She blinked in disbelief, too afraid to speak, for fear that it was only a dream that might fall apart.

His eyes opened slowly, his vision blurred in the dim candlelight. "T-Tara?"

The 20 year old smiled, tears welling up in her eyes, "Yes, father. It's me! I'm really here!"

Erskine struggled to sit upright. "This isn't another dream? Can this be true? You're really here with me? !" Tara grabbed him and pulled him into a tight hug, a hug that for so long she thought she would never be able to feel again. His scraggly beard prickled the girl's face as the physician kissed his daughter on the cheek and forehead.

"I thought I'd never see you again!" Erskine cried, holding her tightly, "how on earth did you escape the beast?"

"I didn't have to," the physician's pretty daughter explained, "he let me go." Her adopted parent stared dumbfounded as she went on. "It's true, Father. He's not a monster, just a man that has been met with misfortune. His name is Loki, and he's actually very sweet, and so witty and clever. At times he can be cutting and cold, but he has such a tender and somber nature about him, as if he is in pain all the time." The wise old doctor noticed how the girl's expression changed when she talked about the beast, one that he had never seen on her before. There was a certain softness, perhaps even wistful longing, in her eyes. Could it be that his daughter had fallen in love with the frost giant? "I promised him that I would return, but only when I was sure that you were strong enough to live on your own."

"It sounds like this Loki has made quite an impression on you," Erskine concluded, gently, "Well, if you are so willing to return to him, I intend to come along too. I want to know more about this fellow who has my daughter more doe-eyed than a young fawn! We can head back this evening, before sunset." Tara was so happy, giving her father a peck on the cheek, before disappearing to find the inn's record keeper, to inform them on their leaving. However, there wasn't anyone around, not even the maids who came to clean before dinner time. The 20 year old looked around the empty pub, then stepped outside to see if she could find the innkeeper. Instead, she found a rather strange looking carriage with an equally strange old man standing in front of it talking to Thor. On the side of it where to words, Anderson Lunatic Asylum printed in bold letters. A bad feeling crept up the girl's spine, fear clutched her chest. What kind of business could Thor have with these eerie looking men?