Beauty Beheld: A Retelling of Hansel and Gretel (The Becoming Beauty Trilogy Book 3)

by Brittany Fichter

  “Genny!” Henri waved her over. “Come here!” Ever wanted to point out that as the little girl didn’t have the Fortress’s fire yet, she would do little good, but the way she tore herself from Eloy’s grasp and threw herself down next to Isa kept him quiet. Fine then, as long as she didn’t get in the way. “Now, on the count of three!” Ever closed his eyes and began to focus all his efforts on reigniting the spark inside her heart. “One, two—”

  “Genny, what are you doing?” Henri cried.

  Ever opened his eyes to see Genny leaning over Isa.

  “Wake up, Mummy.” With those soft words, Genny placed a little kiss right on Isa’s lips.

  Isa’s eyelids fluttered.

  CHAPTER FORTY-FOUR

  Epilogue

  “You certainly act as though your tummy is feeling better,” Isa said, smiling wryly as Genny bounced on her bed.

  “My tummy has been better for a long time!”

  “Then why did you tell Cook that you needed cake for supper because greens made you feel sick?” Isa quirked an eyebrow.

  Genny sighed dramatically, falling back on her bed like a rag doll. “I was just making sure it was better. But as you can see, it is!”

  Isa shook her head and proceeded to tuck her wiggly daughter into bed. Her daughter. The words felt so wonderful to even think.

  “When is Daddy getting back?”

  “You ask that every night.” Henri frowned as he walked in. “And I thought you were still sick.”

  Isa stepped back and watched, amused as Henri began to tuck his sister in again. Though he had a room of his own now, the boy never failed to see his sister to bed. Nine years without a true mother had created some habits in Henri that were proving difficult to break. But taking care of his sister? Isa was more than fine with that.

  “Alright, you two. I think that should be good. Genny, remember what Daddy said. He will be home as soon as he can. And Henri, how about I tuck you in now?” Henri nodded, so after a quick prayer and kiss for Genny, Isa walked with him to the next room over.

  “How are you feeling tonight?” she asked him.

  He shrugged. “Fine, I guess. My stomach hasn’t hurt in a few days.”

  “Good. Let’s keep it that way by getting some sleep.” Isa waited as he climbed into bed. Just as she was about to blow out his candles, however, Henri sat back up.

  “I have a question.”

  Curiosity sparked as Isa sat on the edge of the bed. “What would that be?” Though Henri had seemed relieved, and even a bit excited with his new title as crown prince of Destin, he was still finding it more difficult to open up than Genny. And that was to be expected, Isa knew, as he was much older and had seen far more rejection and danger than his sister had. Still, Isa yearned for him to talk to her freely.

  “If you have... if you and King—Father have a baby, will we still be...” he let the question die, but Isa drew him into a fierce hug.

  “When your father and I swore to keep you, we meant that long as we live and breathe, you will always be our first son, and Genny will be our first daughter.” She ruffled his hair. “Besides, I don’t think there is much chance of that. It seems the Maker wanted me to have one boy and one girl, and I am overjoyed to have you both. I wouldn’t change a thing about you if I could.”

  Henri nodded, seeming mollified. As Isa left his room, she wished to the Fortress that she could convince him of their love now. But, she knew, there were some truths that needed time rather than power. He would simply have to see that their love was faithful. And that was a gift she was more than willing to wait for.

  Isa paused as the door of her chambers closed behind her, rubbing her own sore stomach. After Ever had left to chase down the remaining Fae, giving them the choice to either return to their world or die, the Fortress staff had returned. It had been a wonderful reunion until half of the Fortress occupants had fallen ill with some awful stomach sickness. Henri, Genny, and Isa had held off for a while, but three weeks before, they had succumbed as well. It was strange though, Isa thought as she began the weary walk to her bed. The sickness seemed to linger for a week or so in most, but she was taking far too long to recover. The healer was nearly beside himself with worry. She had taken quite a beating from Sacha and, in truth, had been feeling ill since the curse had first fallen. Perhaps she would call for the healer again in the morning for another examination.

  She paused before the full-length mirror, suddenly glad Ever wasn’t there to see her. Not that he would have minded, but the bags beneath her eyes were nearly purple, and her skin was still too white. And though she hadn’t been able to keep much food down at all, her belly was still slightly swollen.

  Isa frowned, stepping closer to the mirror, squinting in the evening light that shone through the balcony. She turned and pulled her gown tight to see better. Her gowns had been snug as of late, but that had been from the upset stomach. Hadn’t it?

  The nausea.

  The constant exhaustion.

  The stiff muscles.

  Her small but undeniably round belly.

  “Someone get Gigi!” Isa ran back to the door and shouted at the nearest servant she could see. “Get Gigi!”

  Isa had never seen Gigi run so fast as she did when she burst into the room. When she took one look at Isa’s face, however, and glanced at how Isa clutching her belly, the old woman’s face broke into a glorious smile.

  “I don’t understand!” Isa said as Gigi began to gently feel around her stomach.

  “Oh, Isa,” Gigi fussed as she stepped back and looked her up and down, “you’re at least four months along!”

  Isa stared back at her, her mouth falling open in shock. “But the curse! My cycles stopped when Sacha cursed me!”

  For some reason, this made Gigi laugh. Isa frowned, trying to figure out what she had missed. “Oh, me!” Gigi exclaimed between giggles. “You are not to blame, my dear, for you’re the one with the muzzled mind of the expectant, but I’ve no excuse!” She grabbed Isa’s hand. “Garin said the children’s illnesses and injuries were deceptions, illusions, yes?”

  Isa felt so foolish. Of course! The curse she had felt must have been an illusion as well!

  “But why would the Fortress have allowed me to think I was cursed? I surely would have known much sooner than this!”

  Gigi drew Isa in for a deep embrace, then patted Isa’s tummy as she turned to leave the room, to boss the Fortress staff into preparing a nursery already, no doubt. “Would you have fought so desperately for Henri and Genny if you hadn’t?” And then she stepped out, leaving Isa to puzzle in wonderment at such a thought.

  Ever sucked in a breath of air that smelled of roses, fresh grass, and his beloved mountain. Never had he guessed it would take four months to track down every Fae in the land.

  “I was beginning to think you’d never find all the little buggers,” Acelet called as he waved at Ever from the stables.

  A sharp pain gripped Ever’s heart as he remembered every time Garin had come to greet him in such a way. The three months had lessened the shock, but the hurt was still strong. And he wasn’t sure if it would ever quite be gone. Not, at least, until he was in that blessed eternity as well.

  “I didn’t either,” Ever admitted.

  “It is done then?”

  “Yes.” Ever hopped off of his horse and took a long swig of water from a nearby bucket. “Most Fae were surprisingly ready to return. But the veil is finally sealed. I think we should hopefully have a moment to breathe before the next disaster befalls us.”

  “I certainly hope so,” Acelet said, a sudden ornery gleam in his eye.

  “Send for Eloy, would you? I have a task for him before I go up and see everyone.”

  In just a few moments, the men Ever had brought with him had dispersed, and Eloy stood before him in the stables.

  “Walk with me.” Ever clapped the young man on the shoulder as they slowly started back to the Fortress. “So what did you think of guard duty?”
>
  Eloy gave him a big grin. “It was an honor to keep your children safe...” he paused, “when I was able to keep up with them.”

  Ever snorted out a laugh. “Good then. Because I have a position I would like for you to consider.”

  Eloy’s eyes went wide, but he said nothing.

  “I grew up with under the watchful eye of my father,” Ever said, his laughter quickly dying, “but I became a man under the guidance of Garin.” His chest tightened as he said the steward’s name. He drew in a deep breath. “If you are willing, I would be honored to have you continue on as the personal guardian for my children.”

  Eloy’s mouth dropped open, and it was a moment before he could speak. When he did speak, he stuttered terribly. “Surely... you must have someone else who is more qualified than I, Your Majesty. I have only just begun—”

  “You saved Genny’s life when the cauldron exploded. In that, you have already proven your worth as a soldier. But if you must know more, my wife has written to tell me that the children trust you. And that is no small feat for Henri.” Ever frowned. “He needs someone with a good heart who will help him see himself as he is, not who he fears himself to be.” He turned a sharp eye on the young man beside him. “But I warn you, watching over them will age you, making you far older than your years.”

  Eloy’s grin spread across his face once more. “You have been gone for some time, Your Majesty. How do you know that Henri is such a hooligan as you make him out to be?”

  “Because I was a hooligan.”

  “Ah, I see.” Eloy stopped and gave him a bow. “Then it would be an honor, Your Highness, to guard your most precious possessions.” His face grew more serious as he looked back up at Ever. “I will keep them with my life.” Then he looked slightly confused. “You do mean all of them, don’t you?”

  “Both of them, yes.” What a strange thing to say.

  “Oh, then… of course, Sire.” Just as Acelet had left with an ornery gleam in his eye, so did Eloy now. Ever shook his head as he continued to the Fortress alone. What had gotten into everyone?

  As he drew closer to the Fortress’s front steps, he could see the crowd waiting for him in the distance, and he couldn’t help but marvel at how the Fortress had saved them one small miracle at a time. To begin with, Henri’s bird shouldn’t have reached the army. He couldn’t have known which one to send, nor did he know how to use his power to alter the animal’s mind so that it might fly to the right destination. On top of that, Sacha’s Fae had killed nearly every homing pigeon they owned. But somehow, Henri’s bird had survived it all, arriving at Launce’s camp at just the right time. An hour later and none of them would have survived.

  It was a gift of the Maker, Father Lucien had told Ever when they had found the holy man walking along the road between towns. Apparently, the priest had caught wind of the coming uprisings and had taken the church’s messenger birds and the church’s holy writ to a larger town, where he had stayed with the priest there until he heard that all of the sick children had been healed. That, he’d told Ever, was when he realized Sacha had been defeated. Before separating, he and Ever had made plans to discuss his church’s future, as well as Samsin’s future, once the kingdom was put to rights.

  Ever was pulled from his reverie by the shrieks of a little girl. He barely had time to hold his arms out by the time Genny had bounded into them. Ever laughed, hugging her close.

  “I missed you, too!” He put her on the ground. “Where are your brother and mother?”

  “Henri’s back there,” Genny pointed behind her. “And Mummy—”

  “Don’t you say a word!” Henri darted up and clamped his hand over his sister’s mouth. “She’s in the tower.” After he was done reprimanding his sister, Henri looked up at Ever, and to Ever’s surprise, slipped him a small smile. Ever squeezed Henri’s shoulder, then set off for the tower. After a few steps alone, however, he turned. “Aren’t you coming with me?”

  “Yes!” Genny said, but Henri shook his head.

  “I think Cook has some sweet bread for us to try.” He looked at Genny. “Wouldn’t you like some sweetbread?”

  “No.” Genny pouted. “I want to stay with Daddy.”

  “Oh, come on!” Henri took her by the arm and dragged her away. Ever watched them go, mystified, but finally shook his head and continued his walk to the tower. Perhaps now that he was home, he would eventually learn to somewhat understand those two.

  He didn’t see Isa at first when he entered the tower. Since the battle, new panes of glass had been fitted into the walls and balcony door, and the shelves, books, furniture, and rugs had been re-straightened. All signs of the black magic were gone. It was a peaceful, sacred place once more.

  Then he saw her. Standing out on the balcony, Isa wore a long flowy dress made of a lavender fabric that looked thin and cool, fitting for the late summer heat. He paused on the threshold and knocked on the glass of the open door. “May I have an audience with the queen?”

  Then she turned, and all of Ever’s teasing words fled him. “Is... Are you?” As though in a dream, he walked toward her. When he reached her, however, he stopped, unable to touch. For touching would make it real, and this could only be an illusion.

  And yet, somehow, Isa gave him the most beautiful, radiant smile he had ever seen. She reached down and took his hands in hers then gently placed them on her belly. And though Ever had thought he couldn’t be more amazed, he wanted to shout when he felt the slightest movement within her. Her baby.

  His child.

  Ever heard a shuffling sound behind him, and smiled to himself. His third child.

  “You can come out now.” Isa smiled around him, and Genny and Henri crept out, coming to stand beside Isa. Genny looked quite pleased with herself, but Henri seemed unsure.

  “How?” Ever managed to whisper.

  Isa shook her head and grinned again. “The Fortress does as it pleases.” But that was as far as she got, for in a second, his lips were on hers, his arms wrapping tightly about her, holding the world’s most beautiful soul close, in awe again as her belly pressed against him.

  “Ew.” Genny made a gagging sound.

  “Oh, you think it’s disgusting when I kiss your mother?” Ever turned and raised his eyebrows. Before Genny could answer, though, he had fallen to his knees and pulled all of them into his arms. “Just wait until I kiss you all!” Genny squealed and tried to wriggle free, while Henri groaned and tried to push away. Isa laughed, and Ever felt the tears begin to roll down his face.

  “Thank you!” He let his head fall back as the tears fell freely. “Thank you!”

  All he had ever wanted was there in his arms. He had gone from a lonely, angry prince to a king married to the worthiest woman in all the world. And in five months, they had gone from having no children to having three.

  “Will we be happy now?” Genny pulled back from his crushing hug to study him quizzically.

  Ever laughed through his tears at her serious expression. “Yes.”

  “How do you know?”

  “Because we have each other. And no matter what comes, the Fortress has us all.”

  Dear Reader,

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  For the next book in The Classical Kingdoms Collection, a retelling of Little Red Riding Hood, read on…

  Girl in the Red Hood

  The Classical Kingdoms Collection, Book #4

  “You don’t understand!”

  Liesel watched in alarm as her grandmother ran after her father and grasped his arm. She’d never se
en her grandmother so upset. “People that go to that town...they never leave! You can’t take Liesel and Amala there!”

  “And why not, old woman?” Warin demanded gruffly. He tossed another sack into the wooden cart before turning to face his wife’s mother. The burly man crossed his arms across his chest defiantly. “Once and for all, if it’s so dangerous, surely you’re willin’ to share those secrets you guard so closely, if only to keep your daughter and granddaughter near.”

  Liesel didn’t know what secrets her father spoke of, but she wished her grandmother would tell him. The idea of moving to a village her grandmother hated terrified her. Despite Liesel’s wishes, however, her grandmother just stared up at him desperately, her mouth open and her jaw trembling. No words fell from her lips; just a silent fear that Liesel could feel from where she stood. A strange pain that the girl had never seen before filled her grandmother’s hazel eyes.

  Warin watched the older woman as well, nodding impatiently when she failed to answer. “That’s what I thought. Liesel, make sure your mother’s comfortable. We’re goin’!”

  Liesel hurried to the back of the cart to make sure Amala was well tucked in beneath the blankets she and her father had piled upon her. As she did, Liesel could hear her father muttering about superstitious foolishness under his breath as he stalked back inside for another bag. “Just an old woman making up stories to keep her children near.” He threw a disgusted look at his mother-in-law as she paced back and forth in the darkness of the early morning.

  Liesel wished it wasn’t so early. She would have liked to see the large cabin once more in the glow of the morning sun, rather than the flicker of torchlight. This darkness felt alien to her.

  “I know why you chose to leave now!” Ilsa suddenly stopped pacing and yelled, so angry her voice shook. “My husband is gone hunting, so you think you can sneak away like a thief in the night!”