Taken in a Dream

Their father came home after a week. Beauty avoided going into town after that first day even though Mercy and Hope still went out at night. Beauty shuddered at the thought of her sisters being used so thoroughly by the townspeople but they didn't seem to mind. And it meant they had plenty of food until their father came back. Still, Beauty was relieved when he finally arrived home.

However, he looked haggard and pale. Instead of hugging his daughters, he sat down and held his head in his hands for a long while.

"Father?" Beauty asked, sitting beside him. "What's wrong? Did you receive word of your ships?" She noticed his usual tattered coat was gone. It was replaced with a very find coat lined with embroidered silk. If he was able to dress so finely, then that must be good news, right?

Wordlessly, her father pulled a red rose out of his pocket and handed it to her. It was the most beautiful, most fragrant rose Beauty had ever seen.

Hope and Mercy surrounded him immediately. "Where are our presents?" Hope asked.

"Yeah," said Mercy. "Where are our jewelry and dresses?"

"There are no jewels," their father said. "Or dresses."

"Please tell us what happened, Father," said Beauty.

In a tired voice, he began to tell the tale.

When he arrived at the docks, his ship had been almost completely destroyed. The crew and captain had survived, but there was nothing salvageable on the ship. He ended up leaving the city in more debt than when he arrived. As he traveled on the road, a very bad rainstorm hit, blurring his vision and causing him to take a wrong turn somewhere. When he was desperate to get out of the storm, a huge castle appeared at the end of a windy road. He knocked on the door and it opened up for him.

There was a crackling fire in a sitting room where he warmed himself up. In the dining hall was a huge feast spread out for him where he would eat and drink his fill. And when he grew tired, he found a bedroom with the softest, warmest bed in the world and a closet full of fine clothes. But at no time did he encounter another soul in the entire castle.

The man slept very well night and when he woke up, he dressed in brand new traveling clothes that had been laid out for him. He searched the castle, looking for his host, but he didn't find anyone. Resigned to never knowing the name of his benefactor, he left the castle and went on his way. But as he was leaving the castle grounds, he saw a huge bush with the prettiest roses he had ever seen.

"It was magnificent," he told them in a broken voice. "The flowers were hypnotic. They almost seemed to glow." He sighed. "I didn't think anyone would mind if I picked one and I wanted to bring back at least one present. Dresses and jewels were out of the question, but I thought I could at least get Beauty's rose."

Beauty's cheeks burned. She could feel the jealous glares from her sisters and she could only wonder about what cruel tricks they had planned in retaliation.

Their father didn't seem to notice. He simply continued his tale. "As soon as I picked the rose, I heard the most terrifying, monstrous roar I had ever heard in my life. Then this beast comes out and pins me to the ground." He shuddered. "The Beast had glowing red eyes and snarling fangs and his face... I've never seen a more nightmarish being in my life."

"That's horrid!" said Mercy. "I hoped you killed it."

"No. I am no match for it. All I could do was beg for my life. 'I fed you and clothed you and sheltered you', the beast said. 'And you dare steal from me?'

"All I could do was please. 'Please don't kill me. I only wanted the rose for my daughter. I must live for my daughters!' And against all odds, that made him stop.

"' You have daughters?'

"'Yes, three of them.'

"'Then you may go home to say goodbye. And if one of your daughters is willing to offer herself up in your place, then your life will be spared. Otherwise, you must return in one day's time and spend the rest of your life as my prisoner.'"

Beauty gasped. "One day? How are you supposed to get back in one day?"

"He lent me a horse. One that is father than the wind. It brought me here in less than an hour and the horse knows its way back to the castle. I will leave in the morning. At least I get one last night with my daughters."

"You don't have to go," said Beauty. "Not if one of us goes in your place."

"Yeah," said Hope. "Beauty should go. She's the one who asked for the rose in the first place."

"Absolutely not," said their father. "I will not let any of you meet that Beast. I forbid it!" His voice thundered through their tiny house. Normally mild-mannered, none of his daughters had heard him shout like that. But he didn't sound angry. He sounded scared. Hope and Mercy turned two shades paler from the sound. But Beauty was deep in thought. Her sisters were right. It was her fault their father had stolen the rose and now faced a lifetime of imprisonment. She deserved the punishment. Not him. Even before going to bed that night, she had made up her mind. She would go in his place.

Instead of sleeping, she got dressed in a traveling cloak. She planned to leave without telling anyone, but her sisters woke up, of course.

Hope and Mercy looked a little wary when they saw her dressed.

"You're going, aren't you?" said Hope.

"I have to," said Beauty. "It's my fault he's in this mess, isn't it?"

Mercy looked a little sad. "We'll miss you," she said. "I know we didn't always get along, but you're still our sister."

"Don't go," said Hope. "You know what a Beast will do to you. He won't eat you or leave you to rot in a dungeon. He'll use you to sate his lust."

"We don't know that for sure," Beauty said. "And even if he does, it's better than--" she took a deep breath. "It's better to be taken by one Beast instead of every man in town!"

They all knew Beauty didn't enjoy the men in town as much as Hope and Mercy did. She had refused to go into town since getting ravished by them.

But her sisters looked horrified at the thought of getting used that way by a Beast. Beauty didn't care. She knew that with their father gone, her only option for survival would be trading sex for money and food and she would rather serve one Beast than an entire town.

Beauty put on her cloak and hugged her sisters goodbye. She wished she could say goodbye to her father but she knew he would never let her go if he found out. She had to leave before he woke up. So she went and found the beautiful white mare her father rode in on. She mounted its back and it started to move. It knew its way back home and she just hung onto its mane as the scenery started to blur around her. The horse ran impossibly fast and before she knew it, she was at a beautiful castle surrounded by gardens in full bloom. A huge wall towered over her and surrounded the property, shutting her inside. Well, if she had to be imprisoned, at least it was a lovely prison to be in.

She dismounted the horse and it trotted away, presumably to the stables. Taking a deep breath, she walked to the castle. She half expected the doors to open before she arrived to reveal a great monster. But they remained closed until she opened them. The marble entryway was richly furnished with tapestries and intricate carpets. Beyond that was a sitting room. A fire roaring in the fireplace was the only sign of life in the castle.

"Hello?" she called out. "Is anyone here?" Her voice echoed in the large room. "My name is Beauty. My father stole a rose in the garden. He stole it for me so I came in his stead."

There was still silence and Beauty was beginning to feel a little foolish. She sighed and went to warm herself by the fire.

"Take off your cloak," said a deep, gravelly voice.

She gasped and turned around, but there wasn't anyone there. She hurried to off the cloak, revealing her ragged dress underneath. "Forgive me," she said. "I should have hung this up upon entering."

"No matter," the voice said.

She spun in a circle but still couldn't see the voice's owner. With the echoes bouncing off the walls, it could be coming from anywhere. "Can I have the pleasure of seeing my host?"

Cold, cynical laughter echoed through the place. It made Beauty shiver. "Host? Surely your father told you the truth. If he sent you here under false pretenses and without your consent, then he did not fulfill his promise."

"My father didn't send me. I came here in his place. He told me he faced life imprisonment with a Beast." She saw movement in the corner of her eye and turned to see a faint silhouette in the corner, almost completely hidden by shadows.

"Why would you willingly embrace such a future? Just to save your father?"

"No," Beauty said. "It's also because I would rather serve one man instead of many."

The shadowy figure stepped forward and the Beast became fully illuminated by the light. Her breath caught at the sight of him. He was at least ten feet tall. His face was heavily scarred, as if someone had slashed wildly at his face with a butcher knife. His yellow eyes had narrow pupils, like a cat. His long, dark hair fell around his shoulders in a mane of curls. He opened his mouth and Beauty caught a glimpse of razor sharp teeth. "I'm no man."

Beauty swallowed, wondering if he could hear her pounding heart. "Beast or human, you're still a man." She managed to keep her voice from shaking. "You walk and talk like a man. You wear clothes like a man." She nodded at the white linen shirt and black trousers he wore. "And you certainly think like a man."

"The men from your village must be very cruel if you would rather be in my presence."

Beauty's cheeks burned as she remembered the last time she was in the village. "They hardly matter now," she said. "I doubt I'll ever see them again."

He stepped closer to her until he was only inches away. "You fear them," he said. "Do you fear me?"

"You're a stranger," she said. "Of course I'm scared." She was surprised she wasn't more scared. Maybe it would be different the first time he got angry with her. "What should I call you?"

He turned turned away from her. "You may call me Beast," he said. "I will show you to your room."

"What will you have me do during my time here?" She was sure she wouldn't like the answer, but she would rather know now so she could prepare herself.

The Beast fixed his eyes on her once more. "I have no interest in hurting you or forcing myself on you if that's what you're worried about. Your company is enough. I require nothing more." He set off down the hall at a brisk pace and Beauty had to hurry to catch up. Down the hall and up a flight of stairs took them to a room in a quiet hall. She realized the entire castle was quiet. Even though it was cleaned and well-maintained, she had not seen a servant or anyone else besides the Beast.

Her host opened up a door, revealing a lavishly furnished bedroom on the other side. She gaped at the big canopy bed with a silk bedspread, the writing desk in one corner, and bookshelf with armchair in another corner.

"I hope it's to your liking," Beast said.

"It's beautiful," she whispered breathlessly.

"You will find clothing in the wardrobe if you wish to change. There is a washroom connected to the bedroom if you wish to clean up first. In three hours, I'll collect you for dinner."

"Will it just be the two of us at dinner?"

"We are the only two people in the castle."

Beauty frowned. She had never seen a castle function without servants. Even her childhood home-- a modest merchant's home-- needed a housekeeper and butlers to run properly.

The Beast seemed to read her mind. "It's a magic castle. All of our needs are provided by the magic."

Beauty nodded. Something told her not to ask about the magic or the Beast's appearance. "Thank you, Beast."

He nodded. "Enjoy." He left and Beauty went into her bedroom. She smiled. Definitely a lovely prison to be in.

She found the washroom, which was as big as the bedroom. There was a small pool filled with warm water on one side, along with scented soap to wash up with.

She quickly undressed and slipped into the water. She moaned as the warm water soothed her muscled. She sat at the edge of the pool and leaned back, closing her eyes. As she slipped her hand between her legs to wash up, she closed her eyes. A small thrill of pleasure ran through her as her fingers touched her clit.

Beauty bit her lip as she started to tease herself with her fingers. The water felt so good, she didn't want to stop. She slowly fingered herself as sleep threatened to overtake her. She didn't get sleep the night before and only now was the exhaustion catching up to her. Her eyes flickered closed as sleep claimed her.

Beauty dreamed she was in a field of soft grass. Rose petals contrasted against the bright green blades. They formed a path leading to a willow tree.

Underneath the tree was a man sitting on a bench. Beauty moved closer and the man turned and smiled at her. His warm brown eyes glinted in the sunlight. His hair was tied back i9n a neat ponytail and he was dressed in a rich blue jacket and tunic.

He smiled warmly at her. "Hello, Beauty."

"Hello," she said slyly. Her stomach fluttered a little as she sat next to him on the bench. "What's your name?"

"People used to call me Prince Adam," he said. "But I don't think I'm a prince anymore. So just call me Adam."

"I'm Beauty." She looked around at the field surrounding them. "I've never had a dream like this. Do you think the castle caused it?"

"Perhaps," he said. "Do you like it?"

"It's beautiful."

"Not as beautiful as you," he said.

She blushed a little and looked down even though she knew she had no reason to be bashful. It was only a dream after all. "Why do you say you're no longer a prince?"

Adam's jaw clenched slightly. "I was enchanted years ago by a sorceress. My people forgot me and I was alone until you."

"Was there no way to make them remember?"

"No. Part of the curse banished me to the dream world." He smiled and reached out to brush a strand of her hair out of her face. His light touch felt warm and comforting. "But suddenly it doesn't feel like a curse anymore."

"Why is that?" Beauty's voice was breathless.

Adam leaned in closer so their lips were only inches apart. "Because you're here." He pressed his lips against hers and Beauty sighed and wrapped her arms around his neck, pulling him closer. Adam picked her up gently and laid her down in the grass before getting on top of her. Her dream clothes disappeared, leaving her naked. But she didn't care because it was a dream and she could do whatever she wanted in a dream. And right now, she wanted to be with Adam.

He kissed his way from her neck to her breast before taking one of her nipples in her mouth. She gasped as he flicked his tongue over the sensitive bud. She started to squirm a little, moaning softly. Slowly, he kissed his way down her body, making her shiver with every touch from his lips. Beauty's legs widened instinctively when he reached her stomach. And she realized he had every intention of going lower. "Wait," she gasped. "Wait, you can't..." She had never heard of a man doing that before. "You don't have to..."

Adam looked up at her, his eyes dark with lust. "I want to take you," he said. His voice was deeper, almost a growl.

Beauty bit her lip. She wasn't sure.

"It's just a dream," Adam said. "Nothing bad can happen to you in a dream."

She couldn't argue with that.

He lowered his head between her legs and parted her pussy lips. His tongue lightly touched her clit and she cried out from the sensation. It felt so good.

Her hips bucked and he held them down. She was helpless against him but she felt safe anyway.

Adam was right. It was just a dream. Nothing could hurt her here.

She felt her orgasm rise up inside her. "I'm going to come," she gasped.

That just made Adam go harder. Beauty moaned as she came. For a moment, the pleasure from it blocked out everything-- the field, the sunlight, even Adam.

When she regained her senses, she found herself back in the bathtub. Her fingers were still playing with her clit as the water washed away every trace of her orgasm. She had never had a dream like that.

Slowly, she got out of the pool and dried off before going back to the bedroom. In the wardrobe, she found colorful dresses made of satin and silk. They were finer than anything she had ever worn before, even when her father was a wealthy merchant.

She chose a pale pink dress with a skirt that fanned out in layers, as if made of rose petals. It felt like a fitting dress under the circumstances.

Once she was dressed, there was a knock on the door. She opened it to see the Beast on the other side. He was wearing a finely embroidered dinner jacket. His cat-like eyes flicked over her. "You look beautiful," he said. "Did you enjoy your bath?

Beauty flushed. Did he know what she dreamed about? She hoped not. That would be too embarrassing.

"I did," she said. "Thank you."

He held out his hand and she took it. Unlike Adam's warm handffs, the Beast's hands were cool and covered in tiny hairs. It felt like velvet-covered stone.

The Beast led her down a grand staircase and into a dining room where a feast was laid out for them. The food looked like it could easily feed twenty or more people but there were only two place settings. One had a long-stemmed rose on it and Beauty knew that was for her.

"Before we start, I wanted to ask you something," the Beast said. "I promised myself I would wait until after dinner, but I realized I cannot wait any longer."

"What is it, Beast?"

"Beauty, will you marry me?"