Beauty with the beast (loneiysong and Saber Arturia)

[Revelations]

It was morning in the castle, but inside Elenas room that would be hard to tell. The morning frost and chill was unfelt, thanks to the fireplace that had been stoked by quiet servants through the night, a nice wooden fire burning in the room. It was not the lavish castle she may have been use to, but it had its charm. A canopy bed with red silken drapes was where she could rest, though it accommodated two – Herself and her as of yet unseen lover. It seems that the beast, the warrior who had viciously attacked her kingdom was not without some pleasantries and graces from the beds comfort. Instead of a wooden floor waiting her feet, there would be a rug that was shaggy and comfortable to bared feet, warm. It was a room with all the niceties one would ask for – A large armoire for her clothing, a closet for dresses, tables, chairs, a mantle above the fireplace for her personal possessions and knicknacks.

She had been in the castle for two weeks, her ‘husband’ having been missing. Alexander Wachter was a being who was relatively unknown outside of his ferocity and grisly visage. A monster in the shape of a man, standing tall and with a human like appearance, though he looked like werewolves of legend. A near seven foot tall wolfman with a two handed axe – known as the Executioner general. For some reason, he had invaded Elenas kingdom, and was winning. His soldiers were loyal and fierce, and despite lacking the grace her kingdom had... They fought with brutality and ferocity. Pleas for peace, from trade, money, given land... All fell on deaf ears until her father offered his last bargaining chip. Her. Elena was used as a tool – Offered to the wolfman in marriage. Surprisingly, he accepted. She was taken by carriage two weeks after the letter was given, and for a week after, had been treated with respect from the servants and guards in the castle. Alexander himself was absent, supposedly dealing with getting his army back home, as he led from the front and until he was given the notice, he remained in her kingdom, making sure he would not be ambushed on his return.

There was a knock on her door, before a female servant – Probably sixteen years of age appeared, She had her peoples blue eyes, and dark hair. “Miss Elena – Lord Alexander has returned. He is in the throneroom to see you now – You are to get ready and I shall escort you to him. “though first...” She soon handed her a wrapped fur cloak, giving the princess a nod. “He instructed me to give this to you. Inside is the outfit you are to meet him with, and the cloak you are to wear to meet him. He requested that you do so... And I would not turn it down.” She spoke with a polite and friendly tone as she closed the door.
The castle hallways were large and looming with the gothic architecture of the land. Imposing windows that kept the draft of the chill day outside at bay, stone floors that had rugs to keep people from being too noisy as they walked across them, and walls covered with tapestries that were lovingly crafted from cloth. But inside her ‘package’ was a richly made fur cloak... As well as peculiar outfit, all of them delicately crafted for a woman her size.

 

[loneiysong]

Elena sighed as she went about her embroidery. Life continued about the same, except the scenery had changed. She still did the things a lady of a castle would do. She embroidered, and went out to the gardens a bit, and embroidered some more. Overall it was all pretty, boring. Elena wasn't sure what was expected of her, and no one was telling her what was expected of her.

The morning that Alexander had come back, she was finishing her breakfast at her bedroom table. Looking up, she saw the girl come in. "Ahh finally some news. I had begun to think that the Lord Alexander were no monster at all, merely a ghost." She chuckled a bit and took a drink of her tea and stood up and walked over to the young girl and looked down over her shoulder at the fur cloak. An outfit to meet him. Was he serious?! She looked at the girl to see if she was being serious. Evidently she was. With a sigh, she stepped forward and opened the cloak and began to laugh.

"Please, this is no outfit all! A whore wouldn't even consider this an outfit!" She pointed to it. Seeing she was not getting anywhere with the girl, she waved her off. Rubbing her temples, she sat on the bed and groaned lowering herself to the bed. A headache was starting to thrum a steady beat in her head. And it was not a pleasant melody. There had begun to be a definite nip in the air and with the way it showed everything, her body would be on full display should he order her to open the fur cloak.

Taking off the cloak, she pulled on the outfit and the strappy sandal heels and went to the mirror to look at herself and shook her head. "Why wear anything at all." She grumbled quietly. She wrapped the cloak around herself and was happy for the warmth but sadly it wasn't warm enough. She looked beautiful however. Her long black hair was brown and braided up into a bun. Her eyes were green and looked at herself. She turned and walked out to the waiting girl and sighed. "I am ready." She held the cloak closed.

 

[Revelations]

The servant girl seemed confused, but not offended. “That is what the lord asked you to wear. I am only here to bring you his instructions and then to him, my lady.” Her accent was a little heavy like many native to the land, but she was still easily understood. While she seemed a few years younger than the princess, she had the look of a professional about her, keeping her wits sharp and a small smile on her face. “I assure you however, the lord is no ghost and he is quite eager to meet you finally. Of what I know, he had been treating with your father one last time before heading back to the castle, I imagine the war is over now, however...” Once the woman was ready, the servant girl seemed eager to move. Leaving the room with princess Elena in tow, the halls of the castle were only slightly colder than her room, owing to a lack of a dedicated fireplace… But the servant seemed to understand that, moving quickly and beginning to travel through the halls and stairs of the keep quickly, making sure the princess was able to follow her.

Before long, they were approaching a long hall and a looming, large set of wooden doors, far bigger than an ordinary set should be. “This is the lords throne room. He requested to meet you there.” As she took the last few steps to the door and began to slowly open it, it was easy to see inside of it – it lacked the grandiose and gilded nature of her fathers throne, but from the red carpet, to the warm fireplace in the keep room that gave the dark room light in addition to the pale moonlight from the lone stained glass window. From the shelves of books lining the wall, to the banners as well, it gave an ornate, gothic feel to the throne room…

But few things in it compared to the throne and what sat on it. She’d heard tales of Lord Alexander for sure, but few compared to seeing the actual beastman in the flesh. It was true what the soldiers said of him, even sitting, the fur covered ‘man’ sat as tall as a knight stood, and his jet black fur was only contrasted by the deep crimson raiment that he wore as a noble. From the peeking fangs in his maw, to a large arm that rested on the chair that ended in rending claws, the lord was truly an intimidating beast. And yet despite the savagery the king held from fur to claw and tooth… his glowing amber eyes betrayed a more human nature, looking inquisitively upon the cloak clad princess that had arrived.

“Your lord...” The servant spoke, moving for the door. “Princess Elena is here as requested.” And with that, she left, the door closing behind her and leaving the two alone.

 

[loneiysong]

Elena walked following the servant girl keeping what warmth the cloak gave her close. She had seen what little of the castle she had been allowed to view. Elena seemed aware of her body and the noise she could make with it so she made little noise and moved quickly behind the girl. The sooner she got this over with, the sooner she could be back in something warmer. It felt like it was going to snow in the air. A shiver ran up her spine.

She stopped as the girl stopped looking at the set of wooden doors. "Alright." She said softly. Looking around the girl's shoulder, she was happy it was a bit dark. The shame of what she was wearing underneath was almost too great. Stepping around the girl, she raised her chin slightly and entered. That was when her eyes settled on Lord Alexander and her heart stopped. She had to steel herself from turning and running from the room in fear. She bit the inside of her cheek until tears threatened to rise inside her eyes. She walked forward to the fire and shivered and swallowed hard. She was trembling.

Although if it was from fear or from the cold she would on her dying day never know. Shutting her eyes, she wondered how she was supposed to overcome the fear alone. Her heart was hammering in her ears.