Fallon: Son of Beauty and the Beast (Kingdom of Fairytales Boxset Book 6)

by J. A. Armitage

  "May I present the High Chieftainess of Elder, known in Elder as the Red.” Griswold said and scurried from the room.

  "Welcome to Aboria," I started. "I hear you have asked to speak with the king. He is indisposed at the moment, is there anything I can be of service as the Crown Prince?”

  She placed her hands on her hips, increasing the intimidating look she already had working for her. "Do not lie to me, prince. I am no fool. I know what is happening to your father, the king."

  I stiffened in my seat. The room temperature plummeted to match the chill in her tone and I shivered.

  "Fair enough. Then tell me why you have come?”

  "I represent the wolf packs of the Kingdom of Elder. We've noticed that something strange has been happening in our woods. I've come to investigate whether this unknown force has spread to your cities?”

  "We've heard no such thing,” Lord Anwar said. “Other than the issues with the king, that you claim to already know about, our kingdom is peaceful and content.”

  "Then I guess I've come a long way for nothing. Thank you for your time.“ She nodded toward Lord Anwar then tugged the hood back over her head and turned to go.

  I bit down on my tongue. Hard enough to draw blood as I tried to force down the words begging to come out my mouth. My leg tapped the platform as she sashayed toward the exit. Then as she reached the door, a guard holding it open for her, I jumped to my feet. There was something she was holding back.

  ”Stop. Please. I’ve heard things about which you speak.”

  The lords looked at me as their mouths hung open and the Chieftainess halted her steps.

  "Some call it the darkness, and I've been told it's been spreading east. I don't know what's causing it or how to stop it, but I think it has something to do with my father's condition."

  She turned around her arms crossed over her chest. "If you can't stop it then you are no help to me. But thank you for your honesty.” She glared at Lord Anwar, her dagger stare sharp even on the periphery. “I’ll keep to tracking it on my own. Should I need it, would you be willing to offer guards?”

  "Absolutely,” I said as I stepped to the edge of the platform.

  Lord Covington cleared his throat and I looked over as he made a gesture with his hands. I didn't quite understand what he meant but I had the feeling it wasn't in line with what I just promised.

  “Good.” She jerked her head up and stormed toward the door. “You'll hear from me soon."

  The guards cleared a path for her to continue, probably more from fear than duty.

  As she walked to the door, something bothered me. She was still holding something back. Something she didn’t want to speak about in front of an audience. I ran to her, catching up when she was just outside.

  “The darkness. That’s not the reason you came is it?”

  She inhaled a sharp breath, then after a quick look around to see there was no one in ear shot, she spoke. “Have you seen my son? His name is Castiel.”

  I wracked my brains for the name, but came up empty.

  “I have not had the pleasure.”

  “Then I shall be on my way.” She turned to walk away again.

  “Should I have met your son?”

  “He has eyes just like yours, although I see no other similarity. Only the gold circle around your iris.”

  My hand instinctively went to my face.

  “He set out to come see you. He should have been here by now. I don’t know where he is.”

  And then I understood the sadness behind the strength. She too had lost someone.

  “If I see him, I’ll make sure to send word to Elder.”

  “Thank you,” she said, and this time she walked away.

  "Do you know what you've just done?" Lord Covington asked, his disappointed scowl answering his question without waiting for my response.

  "No, not exactly. But if this darkness is as bad as I think it is she’ll need every resource we’ve got."

  My eyes threatened to close so many times that I nearly fell asleep face down in my soup. I knew being king would be busy, but I never imagined how physically and mentally draining. The silence that echoed through the oversized dining room didn't help. Being king was tough, but being lonely seemed unbearable. The chandeliers lost some of their luster, and the gilded candlesticks didn't seem to shine as bright without people to share them with. I stared through my haze down the long dining room table and ached for someone to talk to.

  A soft knock sounded on the door.

  "Come in."

  Griswold appeared beside me at the table. "Sorry to interrupt your dinner, Your Majesty."

  "No problem at all. Why don't you sit down with me for a while?”

  I gestured to a large chair where my mother usually sat. Griswold shook his head, but I nodded still pointing. He grimaced then pulled the chair back with the tips of his fingers and sat at the very edge of the seat, his face scrunched between the years of wrinkles.

  "Your bird has returned, sir. She's waiting for you in front of the castle.”

  "My mother has returned already?” I jumped to my feet and wiped my face with the napkin then tossed it onto the tabletop.

  Griswold didn’t move.

  "No, but the bird has a message for you and refuses to let anyone else have it. One of the guards almost lost an arm trying to pry it from her.“

  "Thank you, Griswold."

  We rushed from the dining room. A sense of relief stretched across Griswold's face as he put my mother's chair back into its perfect spot and dusted the ornate carvings on the back. Out in the courtyard, Alizeh's feathers glinted in the evening sun setting over the horizon. A group of guards, swords drawn circled her, each one in lockstep with her every movement.

  "Stand down,” I called as I rushed into the circle. Alizeh brought her head to my chest and clucked softly, an envelope tucked tight in her beak. I tugged at the paper and she released it without hesitation as the guards behind me whispered.

  I pet her cheek. “Thank you, my friend."

  She bobbed her head, as if to nod, then snapped her beak at one of the guards to her left. He retreated and tripped over his own feet, landing with a thud on the ground. Alizeh cooed in victory then launched off into the sky.

  "The next time Alizeh returns, I expect to be contacted immediately.” I held the letter behind my back and marched in front of the line of guards. “No weapons are to be drawn on her ever again. Do you understand?”

  "Yes, sir,” the guards answered in unison and charged back to their posts.

  "What is it, Your Majesty?" Griswold asked, peering over my shoulder.

  I slid my finger under the royal seal and ripped open the top of the envelope. Three rose petals slipped out and fluttered to the ground.

  "It's from my mother. I think I'll take this in my room and turn in for the night.”

  Griswold raised his finger, his weight shifting to the tips of his toes.

  “If there's anything you need to know, I'll call on you right away,” I added, and he relaxed, or what looked like relaxed for Griswold.

  He nodded. “Goodnight, sir.”

  “One more thing” I halted and punched my fist in the air as my memory poked at my brain. “Have you seen Captain Amir today?”

  “Yes, sir. No word on the young lady you’d asked him to find, but they will let me know if she turns up.”

  Again my heart sank. I promised my mother I would try to make it right with Veda. I needed to make things right with Veda, but with the demands of the kingdom and my parents away I had no idea when I would get the chance to look for her again. If only she’d just come to me. But after the way I acted, she never would.

  I gripped the letter in my fist, and rushed off, staring at the floor to ensure I didn’t make eye contact with anyone. I had enough of being king for one day. Maybe after a good night’s sleep, I'd be ready to go again. Somehow I doubted it though.

  As soon as my own door came into view in the hall, I sprinted th
e rest of the way and slammed it shut behind me. I flopped across my bed and ran my finger along the perfect loopy scrawl of my name across the front. On the back, I inspected the green wax seal with the Aldric coat of arms impressed from my mother’s ring and pulled the letter open.

  My dearest Fallon,

  Thank you for finding your father and lending me Alizeh to go see him. It's been tough seeing him in this condition, but I feel much better knowing that he's alive and safe in one place. I will be forever grateful for your willingness to find him against the horrible odds.

  Edwin has been kind and extremely helpful dealing with your father’s condition. I’m so glad he is the one looking after this situation.

  I will be staying here at the temple for a while to make sure that he's okay. I hope things are going well, but if not, please send me a note and I will come back to help.

  I love you with all my heart.

  Always,

  Mom

  I refolded the letter and tucked it back into the envelope then clutched it to my chest. It would be so much easier to have her here, but I couldn't take her away now. Dad needed her and his affliction was thousands of times worse than a rough day at the castle. Besides, I think she needed Dad too.

  The weight of the day dragged on me, everything getting heavier and hazy. I chuckled to myself. I'd started to sound like an old man, constantly tired and lacking energy. I should be in the prime of my life, partying with my friends at the tavern until the early hours, but it was barely twilight and all I wanted was sleep.

  Slowly, I stood up and slipped my jacket off, then pulled my shirt over my head. The sunburn on my skin had started to fade but left behind an irritating itch. I fought myself to avoid scratching, even though I had to clench my teeth at times to do so.

  I tossed the letter on my dresser and flipped my belt out of its buckle. Then I stopped cold, my hand gripped on the piece of leather as I glimpsed a new face in the mirror. It wore my shoulders and naked torso, but instead of my youthful features and strong jaw were strands of thinning silver hair and thick bushy eyebrows. I leapt toward the mirror and ran my fingers down my face, but soft wrinkled skin hung limp from my cheekbones. My heart pumped loud in my chest, the sound echoed through my room as the blood rushed to my aged complexion. What was happening? This couldn’t be real. I closed my eyes tight hoping for this to be a dream, or more accurately a nightmare. Except when I opened them again the face of the old man stared back at me.

  No. No. No.

  I smashed my fists against the dresser, the mirror shimmied, but the image didn’t get any better. I grabbed the sides of my head, gripping grey hair in my hands, and paced the floor of my room. I felt like I'd aged, but I didn't really mean it. At least not like this. I rushed to the door and my hand hovered over the door knob, but I didn't turn it because where would I go? Mom and Dad were gone, and no one else would understand. I closed my eyes as wet tears formed in the corners. Anyone else with think I was some sort of monster.

  A strange tingling sensation rushed over my skin. My face burned, My hands raged with fire. I looked down as fur and claws appeared on my nails and knuckles. I rushed back to the mirror as a thick furry mane and a beast-like face stared back at me. I screamed, but it came out as a roar. I slammed my mouth shut, my heart pounding even louder, banging against my ribs as if it's tried to escape me. The curse. I hadn't escaped it after all.

  My arms trembled. This couldn't be happening. Not to me. Not now. I grabbed the mirror from the top of the dresser and tossed it to the ground with a growl. The wooden frame splintered as the mirrored glass smashed into shards. But no relief came. Instead, the destruction only fueled my rage. Heat coursed through me, electric and strong. I bit my tongue and tasted blood, trying to calm the beast inside aching to be set free. I didn't want this. I wanted to be me again. I needed to be me.

  The strange itching tingle started again, but this time when I looked at my hands they were mine again. I touched my face. Smooth young skin spread out beneath my fingertips. I knelt down beside the broken mirror and my own face, my real face, reflected in every single shard, staring back in fractures like a spider's eye.

  Relief washed over me, but only for a moment as pieces started to fall in place, even though big gaps in the puzzle still remained. Edwin said he felt something in my blood. I arrived right after the curse was broken, and no one knows where I came from. Maybe I wasn't their miracle baby after all. Maybe I was phase two. I fell back onto the floor as the idea rammed my chest like a flock of arrows, each one piercing my skin and leaking poison into my blood. Could this be because of the darkness? Or maybe the curse never really went away. Or, the one thing that made sense of all this; maybe everything was my fault. Maybe the problem in the castle was me.

  Continue the adventure in Throne of Betrayal

  Throne of Betrayal

  1

  3rd June

  “Make me the beast.”

  I gripped the sides of my dresser as the tingling burn started in my chest and radiated through my limbs. I no longer feared the feeling but embraced it, so now it almost tickled as it surged through my bloodstream. Coarse, brown fur sprouted along my arms then down across my hands before growing thick and wild around my face. I smiled at my reflection in my brand-new mirror, except the sharp canine teeth gave my satisfied expression a darker, menacing look.

  Perfect.

  I closed my eyes and concentrated again.

  “Now go back to normal.”

  The familiar rush of power trickled through me. I glanced at my reflection again and my own beautiful face stared back. No sign of the monster I was only seconds before, except the deep blue-black circles that hung around my eyes that seemed to grow darker every time I forced a change.

  I lay back on my plush bed and stared up at the ceiling. The soft bedding attempted to lure me in, but even though my body would gladly comply, my mind kept running like an amateur thief with a fear of getting caught.

  Last night, I'd been afraid. When my reflection changed to an old man before my eyes it punched me in the gut and left me weak in my knees. But as the panic grew my reflection kept changing. Replaced each time by someone or something until I begged it to stop.

  When I finally calmed and was able to think somewhat clearly, I sat on the floor with a shard of my broken mirror and intentionally willed myself to change. I grew my hair then shortened it again. I colored it blond, red, green, even blue. The golden rings around my eyes disappeared as they took on the form of everyone and anyone else. By morning, all I had to do was wish for it and my entire body instantly morphed into a completely different person.

  If this curse turned out to be the same as my father’s, maybe he just needed to focus hard enough to bring himself back. Except it didn’t seem right that this would be the same thing. This thing, this power or curse, or whatever it was seemed to manifest differently between the two of us. When I became the beast, I still had full control of myself. Like I’d dressed in a costume that I could take off and be myself again. So maybe these two things weren't the same, or maybe Dad had become the beast for too long and it started changing his insides too?

  I shuddered, the thought of becoming a beast forever seemed like a death sentence. I needed to make sure I didn't stay in one form for too long. Or perhaps work on not changing at all to avoid the risk.

  Another challenge also arose. I had to keep this curse, or power, or magic, or whatever it was in check when I wasn't using it. After spending the entire last night experimenting with my powers, I wanted nothing more than to try it out in the real world, except my duties as king came before any of my own extracurricular activities. Attending court, and being on stage in front of hundreds of people caused my palms to sweat. What if my mind wandered during yet another boring account of feuding neighbors and I turned into something else? The extra energy required to make sure I didn't accidentally turn on another face didn't help the exhaustion from my busy days.

  But now, even though
sleep would be the smartest choice, I needed to go out and play. I craved it. An obsession with what I could do with this new trick consumed me until I could think of nothing else. I jumped up and headed to the mirror again. Who could I be tonight? An old man? With the thought my skin began to wrinkle, my hair graying before my eyes. A beautiful woman? The gray hair took a blonder tone growing long and flowing from my scalp. Long curly eyelashes framed a sultry stare as full lips puckered at my reflection. I shuddered, suddenly attracted to myself and disturbed by the thought. I flipped out of the gorgeous face. Probably safer if I blended in anyway.

  I changed into a dark pair of pants and a heavily worn shirt. From my wardrobe, I selected a hunter green cloak, plain and simple without any embroidery around the hems or hints of the royal crest, and fastened it at my neck.

  Tiptoeing into the hallway, it appeared that most of the servants had left the castle proper for the night. I hurried down the corridors, winding closer toward the front door and freedom.

  “Good evening, Your Majesty. Is there anything I can assist you with this evening?”

  I skidded to a stop, my heart pounding hard as Griswold appeared beside me. I grabbed my chest and fell against the wall.

  "I swear sometimes I think you might be a ghost. Why do you need to sneak up on me like that?"

  "Why did you need to try to sneak past me, sir?" He folded his hands politely in front of him as a proud smug grin curled across his mouth.

  I straightened my stance and splayed a hand across my chest, willing my breath to slow. "I wasn't sneaking. I have every right to come and go as I please."

  "Of course you do. But that doesn't mean I didn't just see you creeping through the foyer like a felon."

  "Fair enough. I've decided to go out for the evening and didn’t want to have anyone pull me into another matter. I am getting tired of being cooped up in this castle all day."

  "And you should leave the castle, sir. Balance is an important factor in maintaining your health for a long, successful reign. Would you like me to order some guards to accompany you?"