A Beast's Tale

Chapter 73

I kept her out of the palace all afternoon, allowing plenty of time for the servants to set up for the party and the guests to arrive. It was dinner time when we returned, as I'd planned, and the look of sheer astonishment in her green eyes when my brothers swarmed her and shouted, "Happy birthday!" was better than I'd expected. I followed behind as they swept her away into the ballroom, where an enormous crowd burst into applause. She was too stunned to speak. Belle ran up to take her hand and pull her toward the center of the ballroom.

"Make way for the birthday girl!" she shouted, a path parting in front of them. A massive, multi-layered cake waited proudly on a display table, wearing a gown of red, pink, and white icing roses. Belle brought Ivetta to a stop in front of it, beaming from ear to ear. "Quiet down, everybody, quiet down!"

The ballroom fell silent as hundreds of smiling eyes looked at Ivetta, my queen, the woman they adored.

"I don't know what to say," she stammered, blushing.

"Say thank you," Belle prompted.

Ivetta smiled gratefully at her and turned back to the crowd. "I can't thank you all enough for this wonderful surprise. Let's have some cake!"

The crowd erupted, and the party began. Sariel put a glass of champagne in one of her hands and the first slice of cake in the other. The rest of the cake was quickly demolished as wine and champagne flowed freely. I couldn't get anywhere near her, but I was happy just to watch her. She was constantly receiving thanks and praise from one person or another, her smile radiant, her cheeks rosy. The display table was whisked away, and the music began. Every man in the room, regardless of age, wanted to dance with her. Princes, nobles, villagers, butlers, even shy little boys who wanted to see 'the pretty lady' - and one small child was particularly excited to see her, although he couldn't get close to her. I recognized his gray eyes, his tousled, straw-colored hair. It was the boy from the festival.

"Roger! Roger, come back here!" His obviously tired mother caught up to him and pulled him away from the crowd. "You're going to get lost again," she chided.

"But it's Ivetta! The nice lady from the festival!" he protested.

"Her name is Ivetta, but I'm sure it's not the same person," his mother said firmly.

I smiled to myself and looked around for Belle. She was getting a refill of champagne.

"Belle," I called as I approached her.

"Yes, Chevalier?"

"That little boy over there," I said, pointing at Roger. "Do you see him?"

"The one with the messy yellow hair? Looks to be about six years old?" she asked.

"That's the one. Ivetta will want to see him."

"He's going to get trampled out there, though," Belle said. "I know. Ivetta's gonna need a break soon, anyway. I'll take her out to the balcony, and then you can keep her there while I get him. What's his name?"

"Roger."

She nodded. "Alright, then." Belle drained the last of her champagne and handed the glass to a waiter. "Here I go!" She plunged straight into the crowd, pushing through until she reached Ivetta, and then she dragged her away to the balcony. I followed around the edge of the ballroom.

"You run the household, host parties for the nobility, come down to the town to visit all the time," Belle was saying when I arrived, counting on her fingers, "you're basically responsible for Rhodolite's good relations with Obsidian-"

"And you have tamed the Brutal Beast," I interrupted as I stepped out onto the balcony. Ivetta's shining green eyes met mine, overflowing with emotion. She looked like she was about to cry. "Belle," I said, glancing over at her.