Beauty and the Beast

The next morning all the rulers of Irden left for their kingdoms, once more leaving Seana and Jared alone. Lunch was filled with pleasant chatter and Hellion’s happy barks as he received tiny treats from Seana’s plate. Later that afternoon, Jared, Seana, Hellion and the dog’s trainer went outside for the wolf’s training. Seana stood patiently as Hellion quickly learnt to attack anyone other than Jared who touched her.
“You are a strange guy” Seana said to Jared as her, the wolf and Jared walked in the town after Hellion’s training.
“How so” he carefully asked with a slight edge to his voice.
Seana ignored the dirty look, “You train an attack dog to ensure nobody touches me.” She said and shrugged “And for what? Just to have an excuse to kill people?”
“As I said before, you are mine, No one may touch you and live” Jared replied.
Seana sighed “I’m not a piece of property, Jared. I’m a human being.”
He stopped and spun her around to face him. “You are a female on my lands thus making you port of my holdings.”
Seana glared up at him. “So if I were to walk right out of here and park myself on Sarah’s land, I’d be hers huh?” she snapped.
Fire leapt in Lord Jared’s eyes “You are mine, Seana.” He growled and shook her roughly “Don’t even think of trying to escape me again.”
Seana took a step back in fear at the intensity of Jared’s words and gaze. “I-uh” she stammered before Jared jerked her into a store.
Racks up on racks of torture devices hung on the wall. Seana’s eye widened in fear as Jared’s danced with glee. He walked over to a table and began to examining rolls of barbed wiring. While Jared carefully ran a finger over the sharp point. Seana and Hellion slipped out onto the street.
“Some times I really don’t get him” she told the hybrid, as she examined a pink blossom in a vender’s wagon. “One moment Jared can be so nice. Then the next, scary as anything.” Hellion barked as if in affirmation as he followed Sean to another stall. “What is it with him?” she asked quietly.
“Nobody knows Lord Jared” a familiar voice replied behind Seana. Seana turned to be face to face with Grey. He shook his head and continued. “No one ‘cept Lord Jared himself.”
Seana took a step forward to greet her friend but Hellion inserted himself between the two and began to growl at Grey menacingly.
The man took a step back. “I guess his lordship is insuring no one touches you now”
Seana sighed and smoothed Hellion’s raised hackles. “Jared has this hair brained idea that he owns me or something.” She said crossing her arms in front of her. “I’m not some piece of property. I am my own person. Everyone is.”
“Here, here” Grey exclaimed as he took a step forward.
Hellion growled and snapped at Grey forcing him to jump back away to avoid the hybrid’s sharp teeth.
“Heel boy” Seana commanded tugging Hellion back. “Grey’s a friend.” Hellion gave on last growl and moved back in position beside Seana. “Please excuse Hellion,” Seana pleaded. “He’s just trying to protect me.”
Grey nodded, “I understand. “He squatted down at the hybrid’s level, “This bad boy wants to keep you safe.” Hellion eyed Grey suspiciously as he stood back up.
Seana smiled gratefully, “Thanks for understanding.”
“No problem. I only pray your pet will also keep you safe from Lord Jared as well.” Grey replied and then vanished into the crowd.
“Enjoy your little chat?” a deadly familiar voice inquired behind Seana all of a sudden.
Seana spun around and gasped as she became eye to eye with Jared. “Jared! I was just-“Seana got out before Jared grasped her arm in a grip of steel.
“Plotting with that scum Grey” he snapped jerking her up against his body. “Plotting your escape no doubt.”
“I wasn’t” she cried pushing her trapped hands against his firm body in an attempt for freedom. “We were just talking, nothing else!” Jared snorted in disbelief and dragged her back to his castle. “Let me go!” Seana cried clawing at the hand that imprisoned her wrist as they entered. “What are you going to do? Let go!” she demanded as Jared threw her onto his bed and locked the door behind him.
“I’ve been patient.” He said storming over to her. “I’ve given you your little freedoms” Jared continued firmly grasping her arms and chaining them above her. “Not insisting on you pleasuring me, humoring your options but no more.” Jared snapped ripping the clothes from her body and quickly lost his own. “It’s time for you to learn who your master is.”
First he harshly kneaded the soft flesh of Sean’s breast, striking her with his fists when ever she would cry or beg. Then he lifted her hips and thrust himself into her. He squeezed the tender flesh of her buttock with every thrust of his body, with every groan from his throat. Seana’s body crashed into the hard headboard, her wrists chaffed from the shackles. Pain like nothing ever felt was her companion as Jared struggled, fought and finally reached a shuddering climax. The chains then released her and Seana slumped into her tormentor’s embrace. Jared lay on his side and held her as close as he could, still shaking from his brutal release.
“I hate you.” She whispered.
“I don’t care” he panted. Jared caressed Seana’s back and forced her head down on his shoulder. “I don’t care as long as you’re here.” He whispered running his fingers through her hair.
“You can’t keep me here forever.” She told him.
“Watch me.” Jared replied.
“I’ll kill myself rather than remain your captive,” Seana said renewing her struggles.
The lord felt a stab of fear, a first. Jared pinned her beneath him. “Only I decide when your life ends.” He snapped. “I rule here!”
“You may rule over the people of this land but you’ll never rule me” Seana hissed.
With a frustrated growl. Jared rolled off her, threw on his clothes and stormed out of the room, locking the door behind him. Seana curled up in a ball and cried herself to sleep. Hours later, she became aware of someone pushing her arms into a sleeve. Seana opened her eyes to see the old stereotypical maid she met her first day in Irden finish dressing her.
“You looked cold undressed as you were” the maid explained.
“Thank you.” Sean murmured with a blush.
The woman patted her on the head, “Just doing my job, m’lady.”
Seana watched her fluff up the pillows behind her head and pull the silken covers up over her legs. “Where’s… Jared?” she asked hesitantly.
“Still off storming around the castle” the maid answered with a snort. “You made him quite upset, dear.” Seana sighed as the older woman turned to her and asked, “Whatever did you say to him?”
“Nothing that had any real effect.” The teen replied sourly.
The maid snorted, “No effect?! My lady, Lord Jared has sent over one hundred guards into the woods to capture Grey and his followers all because of you.”
Seana gasped and jumped out of bed, “I gotta stop him!”
The maid tisked and eased the girl back onto the bed. “’Tis too late my lady. The soldiers have returned with Grey and as we speak being tortured in the dungeon.”
Seana jumped up and darted passed the maid, out of the unlocked door. She ran past servants preparing for dinner, surprised that she slept so long. Then raced down into the depths of the dungeon.
“You talked her into this!” Seana heard Jared shout followed by a loud smack.
She followed the sound to the nearest cell where she spied Grey hanging from chains by his arms. Jared stood in front of the bleeding man clutching a rod.
“If Lady Seana wished to be dead than to be with a beast like you-“Grey was silenced by a blow across the face with the rod. Seana sobbed silently.
“Don’t you dare speak to me that way” Jared growled.
“I can speak any way I wish, m’lord” Grey snapped spitting blood from his battered mouth.
Jared prepared to deliver another blow when Seana raced in to stop him. “Stop it!” she cried grabbing his rod. “You’ll kill him!”
“Good” Jared shouted turning on her.
“How can you be so heartless” Seana demanded. “Grey hasn’t done anything!”
“He turned you against me.” The lord snapped.
“I never was for you.” Seana retorted “Never.” Then she ran away.
When dinner was served, Seana and Jared sat by each other never saying a word to another. The lamb chops went down Seana’s throat like saw dust, the wine tasted sour. All she could think about was Grey’s bleeding body down I the dungeon, hanging to like by a thread. As Jared slept that night, Seana stole from his bed, dressed and crept down into then dungeon. Once inside, she quietly stole the key to Grey’s cell.
“Grey?” Seana whispered as she crept up to the chained shadow.
“Seana? Is that you?” came a hoarse reply.
“It’s me. I’ve come to free you” she responded as she reached up and unlocked the shackles around the man’s wrists. Once his hands were free, Grey fell into a bruised heap.
“Not that I’m not pleased but why?” he inquired struggling to his feet.
“Because you’ve my friend and I want you safe.” Seana answered.
Grey smiled. “Well let’s go then, let’s get out of here.”
The girl shook her head “I can’t. You remember last time; I can’t risk anyone getting hurt because of me.” Grey sighed and embraced her and snuck away as Seana replied “Good luck.”
Inside Jared’s room once more, Seana peered out the window and spied a shadowy shape dashing into the woods. Thus assured of Grey’s safety, the teen approached Jared’s jeweled dagger on the table beside him. She recalled that first day where she almost stabbed Jared. She picked up the blade.
“Heart, wrists or throat?” she mused. The wrists took two times the effort and the throat worked better on someone other than on yourself. The old Juliet slick, Seana thought with amusement as she raised the dagger and pressed it to her chest. She closed her eyes and prepared to send the blade home. Warm arms wrapped around her and grasped her hands around the blade.
“Don’t” he whispered. “Please…don’t”
Seana opened her eyes, “I freed Grey.”
“It doesn’t matter.” He told her. “Please don’t”
Seana asked. “How many times have you heard those words? Please don’t.”
“Seana…” he pled.
“No.” she replied. “You don’t plead. You hurt and kill.”
“Please, don’t do this” he whispered.
“Why?” she demanded.
“Because…” he began and his voice broke.
Seana slowly turned to face him, “Why Jared? Why should I listen when you never did?”
“I love you.” He replied avoiding her gaze.
The dagger fell from her lifeless hands onto the floor. Jared reached out and cupped her face in his hands, “Because I love you, Seana.” He said looking into her eyes.
Seana knocked his hands aside, “Love? Is that what you call chaining and raping and beating me?”
“Love can be light or dark.” Jared said reaching out to her. “Mine is dark.”
“Whatever you think is love is sick and twisted just like your world.” Seana snapped again knocking his hands away.
“Is there a way I can prove it?” Jared asked. “Prove I love you?”
“Yeah, let me go.” Seana snapped.
“You wouldn’t survive long in my world.” He replied as she turned away from him. “There are people who would exploit you. Even your dearest Grey would just to get to me.”
Jared was right, Seana knew. She saw how Grey used her as a rallying point against Jared’s cruelties. Somewhere, some place there was a person that was just waiting for Jared to show a weakness so they could easily take over his kingdom. Things were so much simpler at home, Seana thought with a sigh. All she had to worry about was exams and quizzes.
“I want to go home.” She cried falling to her knees. Immediately, Jared was there holding her in his arms. “I miss my mom and my dad.” She sobbed. “I miss my room, my clothes, homework and school. I wish there was a way…” Seana broke down in sobs as Jared stilled. Should he?
“There is a… way for you to go home” he said quietly. Seana looked up at him, her eyes so full of hope Jared knew then he would do anything for her. Even let Seana go. “Before my father died, he built a machine in hopes of returning to Earth with my mother.” He told her. “When that plan failed, he… showed me how it worked in case I ever wanted to leave.”
“Why?” Seana asked “are you telling me this?”
Jared caressed her cheek and tangled his fingers in her hair. “So you can be happy.”
“Can I…?” she whispered and Jared nodded. “In the morning, I’ll send you home.” Seana hugged him, “Thank you!” Jared rose to his feet and carried her back to bed. It was hours before Seana went to sleep. As for Lord Jared, he savored his final hours with the woman he loved.