The Merchant's Daughter -Chapter 23 (Patreon)

CHAPTER TWENTY-THREE

And so Beauty set off the next day with an excited hope in her heart. It would not be hard to explain herself to her father and knowing his sensibilities and fondness, she was reassured that all would be granted easily.

And it was.

Beauty had been correct in saying that her father would be a little heartsick at letting her go away again but his happiness that she should have what she desired surpassed his personal feelings. He had been away from her for so long that perhaps a couple more months would not be so hard. She promised that she could even send word back to him once a month to tell him and her sisters how she and Beast fared on.

All seemed to be ripe for Beauty’s plans to come to fruition. Dunstan had even found a trusted man to accompany his daughter to the edge of the forest two days’ ride from their home. Her family shared a large meal with her the night before in celebration and farewell and Beauty felt for one of the first times in her life as though she were truly in a position in her life that was good and whole and right and most especially because she had desired it and had seen it through to happen.

But her hopes were soon dashed. She said farewell to her family and travelled with her companion as far as the first town they would stay overnight in on the way to their destination. But the following morning they discovered a storm of sleet and frigid winds had developed during the night and was still raging on. Beauty and her father’s trusted friend were delayed a total of three days’ time. On the fourth day, he announced that he must return back to Careth;he could not go on with her. And he would not, in good conscience, allow her to continue her journey alone onto the next town on her route. He bid her to return with him to their city where he encouraged that she would be able to make new arrangements. This was the only sensible way to go about things, and she knew it.

With a heavy heart, Beauty returned back to her family. She only wished she could have sent word to Beast, but how could she convince anyone to go through the forest to the castle who would not then reveal such things to others?

The weather, though it let up some enough for her return home, did not improve. Day after day, Beauty woke praying that she would receive good news and find a way to complete her journey. But day after day she was met with dismal prospects.

After an entire month, she knew in her heart that she could not return to Beast as planned. It made her sad and heartsick. She wanted to apologize a thousand times to him for all of this but had to remind herself that he would likely have already come to the conclusion on why she had not returned and would more than likely have no qualms over it. Yet, she still wished she could at least know these things for certain via a letter or telling one another face to face.

That winter was one of the harshest ever seen in Careth in over two generations. Two months after she had returned home, Beauty knew that even if she was able to travel by carriage or some other proper means that she would not be able to obtain enough provisions to take with her to the castle for herself. No one would willingly part with much during this difficult time. And she could not knowingly put herself and Beast into a situation of having too little themselves. So she remained at home and tried not to let herself grow morose any more than she already was by encouraging thoughts that she would set off at once when springtime began and would see the castle and Beast once again.

But it was difficult. Her sisters did nothing to improve the mood around the household; complaining of the cold and weather and several times over being unable to visit friends and the lack of visits their suitors now paid them.

Beauty’s only solace was in stitching embroidery of her memories at the castle. She tried to recreate the appearance of the rosebushes which she then stitched into a pillow. Before long, she was working on a larger piece that displayed the castle in the afternoon sun on a summer’s day. It brought her a feeling of warmth as she looked at it and recalled fond memories to herself.She decided upon its completion that she would make a blanket of it to give to her companion upon her return to the place. And then lastly, she began to stitch Beast himself onto a piece of fabric just slightly larger than her own hand which she made into a portrait. This she hid from her sisters –knowing their prattling and judgement and disapproval would only upset her.

And then at last, spring broke and with it, hope renewed within her breast. She could return to the castle! She could see her beloved Beast again at last!