Beautiful Beast

Chapter 26

ARAWN

Water splashes over my boots as I cross yet another stream in the southern quarter. Part of me wishes that I had taken Hector, but this would not have served my purpose. Today, I desire stealth over speed and dry feet. Our meat stores are depleting quickly, so I decided to break from my research and go hunting.

The research...it has proved to be absolutely fruitless. In every fairy tale I read, the spells are broken by true love or a kiss and Kalista has made it clear that it's not as simple as that. But the worst part is that Kalista continues to insist that I leave; it is like she does not want me to look for an answer. Because I will not find one, or because she has given up? No, she wants to be free. She may not know what to do once she is released, but she does desire liberty. Maybe I should leave, just to see what happens, and I will return after a few days. But this is magic. I have no way of knowing if there will be consequences for departing.

A flash of brown between the green leaves snaps me from my musings and I nock an arrow. My feet easily navigate the forest floor, avoiding twigs and dried leaves, and draw me nearer to my prey. There is another movement and I crouch low to the ground and shuffle forward. The creature is in a small glade. Perfect. It will grant me a clear shot. I pause behind a bush and adjust my grip on the bow so that I am ready to fire. When I feel confident, I slowly rise and focus on the...

A man.

He sits on a boulder beside a stream. There is sweat on his brow and he drags long, slender fingers through his dark hair. I glance over his body in search of any indication of who he is, but his clothing is that of a commoner. There is nothing remarkable about him. Yet, I will not take any chances. He could very well be here in an attempt to murder Kalista. To murder the beast. That will surely not happen while I am on watch.

Quietly, I emerge from the trees and approach the man. His back is turned to me and his mind is too occupied to notice the soft footsteps behind him. So not a forester or a soldier, for anyone with a little experience would not keep his back turned for so long in an unfamiliar place.

A mere three feet away from the stranger, I stop and pull the fletching back till it tickles my ear. As I intended, the man hears this movement and whips about. His blue eyes go wide with terror and his hands lift in surrender. He is not a young man; he must be near to forty judging by the streaks of grey scattered through his hair and the wrinkles etched around his eyes. Yet, he possesses a measure of refinement that marks him as one who earns his bread through a trade which requires attention to detail rather than physical labour. What is a man such as this doing in the enchanted forest?

"Who are you?" He breathes, taking in the sharpness of the arrowhead and my fierce expression.

"I don't think you are in a position to ask that," I reply through clenched teeth.

"Y-yes, you are correct. My name is Tauren." My spine instantly stiffens and if I had been wary before, I am all the more so now.

Tauren continues, "I am looking for a palace."

"Why?" I bite out with more aggression than I had intended.

He raises his chin. "That, I will not tell you. Now, sir, who might you be?"

"That is inconsequential."

"Well..." Tauren pauses and once more takes in my appearance. Then recognition suddenly dawns upon his face. "Prince Arawn. So you are alive."

"What do you mean by that?" I demand.

"No more questions. I wish to speak to Kalista." The way he says her name irritates me. It is awkward upon his tongue and accompanied by something similar to fear.