Beauty's Beast Read online

"Is that why this cave resembles a human skull?"

  "Yes. With the last of their magic and blood, they trapped me here. It's a reminder I do not allow myself to dwell on."

  As they talked Beauty found that the beast may have been self-centered at one point but his heart was good. Her eyes were starting to close when the mist became thicker, waking her up. “Time for you to go.”

  “I do grow weary.” She yawned. “Before I go do you know where I can look for the other parts of the map, any small clue would do.”

  "I'm sorry I do not. But they were forged from the same magic and will call to each other when they are close," he stood. "You must go, your people are in need."

  Beauty's sore muscles protested as she stood and stretched. "Will I see you again?"

  "If you are to reach the treasure you must." He answered. "Go now."

  With one last look at the beast, Beauty walked out of the cave and into chaos. Serena and Jena were fighting for their lives against four other crew members. As she watched one went in for the kill and with Jena's back to the attacker there was no time to think. Metal clashed on metal as she blocked the blow and knocked the attacker back. When he caught his balance, and came back at Beauty she drew her pistol and shot him through the heart. A black smoke rose from the body and quickly disappeared. Stunned Beauty didn't see the other two attackers killed.

  “Serena, Jena, what happened?” Beauty asked as she walked to each body and made sure they were dead.

  "I have no idea," Serena wiped the blood off her sword and put it away. "They showed up this morning as we were eating breakfast. We thought they had come back to help us find you but then they attacked."

  Beauty blinked. “Why did you sleep? I was not gone that long.”

  The two women looked at her askew. “You have been gone a week,” Jena said.

  “There is no way, I was gone for only hours.” She denied.

  “We went in and looked for you but there was nothing in the cave.” Serena confirmed.

  Beauty walked back to the opening of the cave and looked in. This time she could make out the back of the cave and the sides. Whatever magic had been working was now long gone. “What about the others we left at the foot of the mountain? Well the other two?” She asked turning back.

  “They left what food they had and went back. There was no way we were going to leave you.” Jena said. "That's why it was surprising to see these four return."

  "That was foolish." Beauty put her hand on her hips. "If I had not returned what would you have done?"

  "Survived." Serena shrugged. "This island would have been a welcome home for the remainder of our lives."

  The anger boiling in her gut gave way to remorse. She had promised her crew a new home and treasure. Instead she had walked into a cave and almost gave up on them. She turned to say something but the sight of her beloved ship smoking in the distance sped up her heart. "The ship is under attack." She cried. "We must get to them, now. Leave anything that will weigh you down, we move fast.”

  Fear propelled her down the mountain and into the forest. Her mind raced with questions, would she see the beast again? Would he lead her to the treasure he spoke of? Did she still have a crew? She heard the heavy breathing of Serena and Jena as they caught up to her but nothing short of dying would slow her down. She had to get to her ship and crew.

  Ship of Death

  Chapter One

  Every possible scenario played through Beauty's mind as her feet beat a condemning tempo on the sodden forest floor. She could no longer see the burning ship, but that only made her run faster, push harder. How many had died? When had they been attacked, or did the crew turn on each other? A twig snapped back as she pushed past a tree and struck her on the face. She absently wiped at the sting but didn't slow down. Her lungs started to burn and her breath came in painful pants. Her sight started to dim right before she burst through the tree line and onto the beach. There were body parts everywhere. It was a sight she had only witnessed once before after a brutal fight between tribes when she was a young girl. The blood trail lead to a shallow grave where two crew members stared up at her with unseeing eyes.

  Beauty dropped to her knees and buried her fist in the sand. Dead. They were dead because she tarried in that cursed cave. She felt Jena and Serena move behind her but sorrow and shame kept her head bowed. What would they think of her? Would the crew demand she stay behind as they sail away? She had only meant to find them a home, not death. Her failure beat at her, weighing her down. If only the sand would open and suck her under its weight.

  A hand landed on her shoulder and she flinched. "Leave me," she rasped, her throat as dry as a summer's day.

  "Nay captain. We need to get back to the ship," Serena's voice drifted to her ears through a fog.

  "How - look what happened when I tarried." Beauty weakly waved toward the crewmembers staring at her with accusing dead eyes. "They have been pulled from this earth before their time."

  "Nay," Jamila said from her other side. "This is not your fault."

  "Aye," Serena agreed. "The crew members who attacked us were not in their right minds. The same thing must have happened here."

  Jamila pulled Beauty to her feet. "We must get back to the ship. The smoke has stopped, someone lives."

  "Aye, the crew must know what happened here." Beauty blinked and looked toward where they had left the jolly but it was no longer there. "The boat is gone, should we try to swim these waters?"

  "Nay, there are drag marks leading to the north." Jamila pointed at the faint marks. "Maybe the crew hid the boat before they were set upon."

  Beauty squared her shoulders and blinked her tears away. The time to embrace regret would come soon enough but for the moment she needed to see who still lived. A half mile down the beach, behind a large sand dune, they came upon the jolly. A quick check showed it was still seaworthy and they pushed it into the water and quickly rowed toward the ship.

  "Captain!"

  A relieved sigh escaped Beauty's lips as she watched crewmembers line the railing of the ship. There were more alive than she had anticipated and her heart felt a little lighter. Maybe she would be able to salvage something from this tragedy. As they pulled alongside the ship a rope was lowered and she climbed to find herself wrapped in Amina's arms and lifted off her feet.

  "You had me worried," Amina growled into her hair. "I told you to come back safe and instead you had me waiting a week, sick to my stomach."

  "You are killing me." Beauty gasped as she hugged her back. "Put me down before the crew gets any ideas."

  Amina laughed and sat her down, squeezing her shoulder before turning to Jamila and Serena.

  Before Beauty could take a deep breath Hugos pulled her close. "You are like a sister to me and I thought I had lost you. Don't make me regret loving you."

  "I will try not to." Beauty pulled away and looked back toward shore. "Did you know the crew on shore is dead?"

  Hugos nodded and looked toward Amina, who was busy getting a report of everything from Jamila and Serena. "Amina had a hard decision to make. Some of the crew went crazy and attacked. She had to choose between saving the ship and saving the few on land."

  Beauty clenched her fist. "I should have been here."

  "You left me in charge," Amina strolled to stand next to them. "No second guessing what could have been. We have too much to do."

  "Aye," Beauty agreed. "Much has happened. We must talk in my cabin. Hugos, join us."

  "What about the souls on land?" Amina asked. "They cannot be left to wonder this world. Even those who attacked must be laid to rest."

  "Nay. We will go and bring them peace. But first, both of you to my cabin."

  Beauty walked with Hugos to her cabin as Amina shouted orders to the crew. By the time Amina joined them Beauty had already downed half a bottle of whiskey. "You will need this while I tell you my tale," Beauty said as she pushed another bottle toward Amina.

  "A toast," Amina raised her bottle. "To th
ree friends who have made it this far."

  "To friends," Beauty and Hugos agreed taking long pulls from their bottles.

  "Oh the burn," Beauty said. "I will never get used to it."

  "What did ye want to tell us?" Hugos asked.

  "I did not just tarry on the island but was in some type of magical space. While there I met a beast, who walked and talked like a man. He explained about how the paper I hold is only part of a larger map. There are three more pieces we must find before the final resting place of the treasure is revealed."

  "It's a funny problem we find ourselves in," Hugos waved a hand to encompass the area. "We stole a ship to be free and now we are putting all at risk for a treasure that might not be."

  "A tale indeed," Amina agreed.

  Beauty put her elbow on the table and her chin on her hand. "You don't have to go with me. I can find another ship but I will go after this treasure. I promised the crew a home and even if I must send for them later, they will have a safe port."

  Amina scowl deepened, "You think we will allow you to go off by yourself? You cannot be that stupid."

  "Aye," Hugos agreed. "We escaped from our master together and have made it this far. Why split up now?"

  Beauty sat back and relaxed. "This may be what we have been waiting for."

  "I'm with you," Amina downed the last of her whiskey. "For you have kept us safe this far."

  "As am I," Hugos stood. "I need to get back to the helm, for I trust no man with the ship."

  Beauty pushed to her feet and walked with Hugos to the door. "We need to bury the dead. You are welcome to join the crew on shore."

  "I buried all those I cared about years ago. So, unless you or Amina plan to die soon, I will stay on the ship."

  Beauty nodded and watch him head back to the helm.

  "He's right, we only have each other." Amina said from next to her.

  "No we have the crew," Beauty corrected. "Let us head to shore and honor those who lost their lives."

  Chapter Two

  A deep rhythmic moaning rose from the crew as they watched their brothers and sisters burn on the pyre. Their feet danced gracefully through the sand as they made a slow circle, calling on their gods to allow safe passage. Beauty stood off to the side watching, tears running down her cheeks. No matter what others said, she felt responsible for the deaths. She had told them to wait by the shore for her and then abandoned them for a week as she talked in the cave.

  "Stop it," Beauty looked to her left and saw Amina scowling at her. "You cannot keep blaming yourself for what happened. We are pirates and we know death comes quickly."

  "Death in battle or in a bar fight; yes." Beauty waved toward the dancing crew. "Death by friends possessed, senseless."

  "I agree but we dance to send them to the gods. Join us."

  "I will soon enough." Beauty felt her heart squeeze and she rubbed the spot over it.

  Amina studied her, "When you are ready, join us."

  Beauty tried holding back more tears as she watched her friend rejoin the dancing.

  "There is a reason they dance." Beauty gave a small jump and glanced around. The area was clear except for a little mist along the ground. The last time mist was around pain followed, so she took a few steps closer to the fire. "No, don't. I promise I am not here to harm you."

  "Leave." Beauty refused to acknowledge the way the beast voice sent chills down her spine. "I cannot lose another week."

  "I am sorry." The mist continued to rise until she could just make out the faint form of the beast. "I am truly sorry for any pain I may have caused you but I cannot be blamed for the death of your crew."

  "Someone has to take the blame." Beauty glared at him.

  "It must be someone else. For I was with you and could not have killed them." The beast reached out a ghostly hand to touch her but she leaned away.

  "By what means are you here?" she demanded. "I thought you were trapped in the cave."

  "I told you I can travel but not with my physical form."

  "I do not care to have this conversation. Go."

  "I feel your sadness and I cannot leave."

  Beauty gave up trying to get him to leave and stomped to where Amina danced. When the circle slowed for a heartbeat, she joined in and lost herself to the dance. Late into the night they danced and called upon the gods and one by one they dropped to the sand and were carried away by sleep.

  Heat and the buzzing of flies woke Beauty the next day after the sun had reached its high point. She pushed to her feet and surveyed her crew as they lay slumbering on the sand. She could picture a small village here and hear small children running and laughing on the beach. If they were going to have such a home, they had to find the rest of the map and unlock the treasure the beast spoke of. Loud snores lead her to Amina and she shook her awake.

  "What?" Amina growled as her eyes slowly opened.

  "We have to get moving." Beauty glanced out at the ship. "There is adventure out there and we must find it."

  Amina stood and ran a hand over her head. A yawn and stretch later she started waking the crew and soon everyone was back on the Freedom and standing below the quarterdeck looking up at Beauty expectedly.

  "Crew, family." Beauty took a deep breath and tried to calm her nerves. "We came to this island and endured a terrible tragedy. Six members taken from us too soon but we will not allow them to go in vain." She held up the map. "When we took the British ship, we found a map and it will lead to a great treasure. Sadly, this is only part of a larger map and we must find the other three. The trials we have endured on this island are only the beginning. If you do not wish to continue I will release you from your contract." She scanned the crowed but no one moved.

  "We follow you," Amina shouted, from where she stood at the rear of the crew. The crew cheered.

  Beauty smiled and raised her fist in the air, "To treasure!"

  "To treasure!" the crew answered.

  "Get your asses back to work," Amina yelled climbing to stand next to Beauty. "We pull anchor in the hour."

  Beauty smiled as she watched her crew throw themselves into the work and soon the anchor was pulled and the island became nothing more than a memory.

  "Which way?" Hugos asked after they had been sailing a while.

  Beauty pulled the map out and looked at it. "I don't know. I was told that when we come close to the other pieces it would show the way."

  "So we sail?" Hugo asked.

  "Aye, we sail." Beauty tucked the map back in her pocket and stood staring out into the sea.

  Night came quickly and after checking the map a final time Beauty retired to her cabin and soon fell into a deep sleep.

  "You asked if we would ever see each other again."

  The sun touching her face and the feel of soft earth under her bare feet made Beauty frown. A quick look around showed her a beautiful green meadow with a spring bubbling away. A family of deer frolicked nearby. It would have been the perfect place to relax if the beast didn't stand a few feet away. He looked different outside of his cave. His shoulders were broader and his coat shiny. Even his eyes seemed lively. She glared at him.

  "Aye. Tis before me crew died. I want nothing to do with you." She said. "Where am I? Another one of your tricks? Will I lose time here?"

  "You are in the dream world," the beast said. "Your physical body is still on your ship."

  "So I didn't die in my sleep?

  "No not dead, just sleeping."

  "Why dream of you?" she asked in suspicion. "Have you bewitched me?"

  He laughed. "If one of us is bewitched, it's me. You are like a burr I cannot get out of my fur. I must know how you are doing and make sure you are safe."

  Beauty frowned at the way he shifted from foot to foot, "Why?"

  "I don't know. There's something about you that draws me and I want to find out what."

  "I'm not getting rid of you?"

  "I'm afraid not. I can now find you no matter where you go in the world."
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  "I now have a beast companion my crew cannot see," she sighed. "Can you can tell me of the things that possessed some of my crew?" Beauty demanded.

  "What do you speak of?"

  "When I left the cave, two of my crew were being attacked by other crew members. When I killed one a black smoke rose toward the sky."

  The beast scowled, "Did they touch you?"

  "They didn't touch me but I cannot speak for the other two. Why?"

  "It sounds like black magic a few shaman use to practice. If they touched you or took anything that belonged to you, they can and will track you anywhere. They can enter your body and use it for their own dark purposes."

  "Why would they come after us? Why now?"

  "They want power and the map you have will unlock the treasure I guard. So yes, they are after the map, please be - "

  Beauty was pulled out of sleep by a hand shaking her roughly.

  Chapter Three

  Her breath froze in the air as soon as it left her nose and her eyes struggled to open a fraction of the way. She was curled in a ball under two blankets and yet it felt as if she was covered in snow. With a groan, she forced her eyes opened and wish she had stayed in her warm dream. Ice formed on the ceiling above her head and her window was covered with frost. A crewmember, Mary, stood over her shivering.

  "You are needed on the deck," Mary said as her teeth knocking together. "Hugos is beside himself with worry."

  Beauty nodded her understanding and waited until Mary had left before forcing her body out of bed. Dressed for tropical weather, Beauty wrapped her covers around her shoulders and made her way to the quarterdeck. Hugos stood with one hand on the helm and the other tucked under his armpit, shivering.

  "Hugos, how long have we been in these cold waters?"

  "Daybreak," he answered. "I sent Mary to wake you."

  "You need to get warm before you die. Go, wake the rest of the crew for this weather is not good to sleep in." Beauty wrapped her frozen fingers around the helm and prayed they would not stick. Hugos beat a hasty retreat below deck.