Beauty and the Beast

"How can I die alone.
Where will I be then who am now alone,
what groans so pathetically
in this room where I am alone?" - Robert Creeley (1926 - ), The Door (for Robert Duncan) (c. 1962)

He continued to pull at that massive body which neither shifted nor breathed in his grasping fingers. Finally, Riley stopped, exhausted from the violence of his emotions and his bootless struggle, and wept unashamedly until salt tears clouded his vision.

Well, what was to be done now? The enchantment of the castle was passing with the Beast's death; he had sensed that earlier when he ran through its corridors. Soon it would be nothing more than a stone edifice with neither hidden music nor the unseen servants to distinguish it. Would it come to the attention of the world outside? Would soldiers and kings challenge him for his right of place here? What did any of that matter? His love lay dead in his arms and the world could go whistle for all he cared.

The body itself seemed to shrink beneath him as if fading away and he jumped back at the artificial movement. The fur wavered and then shrank in on itself and an eerie fog wreathed the entire carcass. He reached forward again. "No. Am I to be denied even a body to bury?" he whispered.

"Yes. Let us hope for many years yet." A familiar melodious voice drifted from the center of that fog and the next moment it cleared to reveal the prince's naked form stretched out where the Beast had lain. The hulky lean form was just as Riley had remembered it, pale and muscular with the dark hair tumbling about his shoulders. He leaned forward, unconcerned with his nudity, and smiled up at Riley. "Well, Riley? Aren't you happy to see me again?"

Riley had thought himself past being surprised by anything the castle could throw at him. But this latest miracle was enough to undo him completely. He couldn't speak. He only backed off and evaded the prince's reaching hands.

Liam spoke again, surprise and a hint of fear in his voice. "Riley? What is it? I know your affections are not the same as mine, but I thought, after what we shared..." His black eyes swam when Riley moved no closer. "Am I to have nothing more from you, then?"

"Liam, it's not that I don't... I'm glad to see you, truly. But the Beast was dying, dead, and he never heard me say how much I loved him." Riley's voice was dull, his mind sweeping aside the prince's appearance to dwell on the fact that his Beast was gone.

"You loved him? And me? What do you feel for me then?" Liam breathed.

"I-I love you, too. But it feels as if my heart is torn to pieces and nothing else matters-"

Liam sprang to his feet and closed the short distance between them, pulling Riley into his arms and kissing him soundly. When their lips parted, Liam said, "Riley, have you not guessed the mystery yet? I am the Beast and the Beast was me."

There was no response other than a stupefied stare from the stalwart body in his arms and then Riley's face clouded dangerously. "No Liam. Do not toy with me so."

"But it is the truth." Then he shivered and Riley realized he was still naked. His cloak was ruined from the fire but most of it remained and he drew it from his neck to drape it around the prince's nude form.

"Thank you, Riley Finn. But we should get to the castle and have my servants tend to us. They can draw up a hot bath and proper clothes." He clasped Riley by the hand, a giddy smile framing his face.

But Riley resisted. "No, Liam. You can't spring such news on a man half dead with grief and fear and then act as if we're racing off to a party."

Liam sighed and sat down on the bank. "I had truly hoped we could get ourselves clean and comfortable first. But explanations are in order, I suppose." He bit his lip and began.

"A long time ago, I was a spoiled, arrogant, heedless young man who thought the world was my oyster and I could do whatever I wished without let or hindrance. I was a prince after all, the king's only son, and much was made of me because I would one day inherit the throne. But I wanted to see more of the world than my own small corner of it.

"I invited foreign princes to come and dine with us, ostensibly to see their women folk so I could marry. However, settling down with a wife was the last thing on my mind. I secretly longed to hear of the wonders of other worlds and used the excuse of my hospitality to force the visiting nobles to return the favor.

"I traveled to the far corners of the earth, hunting rare animals and stealing wondrous, magical treasures. If the princes protested these liberties, I would give them some trifle from my father's coffers to soothe their wounded feelings and stop up their tongues. Then one day, I heard rumors of a unicorn."

His dark eyes lit up with the memory. "It would have been the dream of any man's life to see and capture the legendary animal. But capture was the furthest thing from my mind. How would I transport such a creature? I didn't even know what unicorns ate. But I knew how they thought.

"I insinuated myself into the court of the prince of Kirghiz and courted his sister, a mewling child of 14. I had no interest in her. Her conversation bored me and in looks she wasn't much above that of other princesses I'd known. But she was a virgin and that's all that mattered for my purposes."

Liam sighed, his dark eyes resting unhappily on his lover. "I'm not proud of what I did to her. She thought we were going on a romantic outing and, the next thing she knew, she was being tied to a tree. I pretended it was all a game and blindfolded her so she wouldn't see us leaving. But time went by and she began to cry bitterly for her mother and her brother. I told her she was spoiling the game and, if she continued to blubber in that unseemly fashion, I was going to leave her for the wolves. That shut her up quickly enough. Then the unicorn came."

The prince drew in a deep breath and his eyes held wonder and a bottomless remorse. There was the well-known melancholy stamped on his features, now so much deeper than Riley had ever seen in him. "The unicorn appeared and he was the most radiant thing I'd ever seen. He far outshone the virginal young girl we'd chosen to ensnare him. He seemed to dance on air as if his feet didn't touch the ground and his horn shimmered in the light like a moonbeam.

"The other hunters began to mutter something about how it would bring ill luck to meddle with such a pure creature. But I wouldn't listen. I picked up my bow and shot him. His legs trembled and then he dropped, his head falling into the girl's lap. She was still blindfolded so she jumped at the weight and screamed from the shock. I ran up to the unicorn, uncaring of his pain or the girl's terror. I only wished to claim my rightful prize. But he wasn't quite dead and he lifted his head and whispered to me."

"It spoke?" Riley didn't know why he was surprised. Talking animals shouldn't be a shock, not after his knowledge of the Beast.

Liam nodded. "That he did, although I'd never heard of unicorns doing such a thing. He cursed me to become a monster, no better than the things I hunted. My form was to become so hideous as to terrify anybody who saw me. As beautiful as he had been, that was how ugly I would become. The real man I was could only see the outside world through the Beast's eyes. I would not be freed of my half existence until I learned to love and won the love of someone who could love the Beast, love him as he was, without the benefit of my beauty to sway his decision. The taste of animal flesh would become repugnant to me as a reminder of pure, innocent creature I'd slain."

Liam's brows wrinkled. "This is where things became hazy. I remember my body hurting me during the night when I slept. The agony was like nothing I'd ever known; I thought I was dying." He shivered at the memory. "When I awoke the next morning, I was in my own castle and I was the Beast."

A bitter laugh erupted from the prince. "Needless to say, my wanderlust was cured forever! My servants, my father, everyone in this place vanished. I could still hear their voices but I was denied anything like true company. When your father came to the castle, I saw my chance for happiness with him. Then I resolved to worm my way into the good graces of one of your sisters."

"So it didn't matter who you ensnared?" Riley asked, harshness coloring his voice. "Anyone would have served the purpose?"

"No. I don't think another could have moved me as you did. I'm glad it was you and not some woman. I have never felt anything for women compared to what I feel for you." Liam leaned forward and, in spite of himself, Riley allowed the sensual lips to press against his own.

When they parted, Riley whispered with regret, "Then I am never to see the Beast again?"

Liam's eyebrows rose. "Do you miss him then? I know you hated him-"

"No, not hated. I only hated my bondage. I didn't know him at first and he frightened me."

"That was the unicorn's intention," Liam stated. "It would be a brave and understanding person indeed who could see past that monstrous shell and learn to love who he was underneath." The prince stood again, grimacing at the feel of ground beneath his bare feet. "I think that's enough explanation for one night. What say we go the castle and get ourselves cleaned up?"

Riley grasped his outstretched hand at last and they ran back to the castle, laughing together like two boys.

There were indeed servants waiting for them, handsome men and lovely women although none so captivating as the lovely by Riley's side. Their voices were low but solid murmurs as everyone bustled here and there to tend to the prince's needs.

Later, completely clean, Riley lay naked in his bed, his breath trembling and catching in his throat as the prince's hands swept over his body. "You'll see, Riley. This time will be so much better," Liam crooned between kisses as his head inched ever lower down Riley's torso.

"B-Better? How? It was my first time with you," Riley breathed. "Nothing can erase the wonder of that for me."

"Ah, but you were so tense." Another kiss. "And fearful." There was yet another kiss and his tongue dragged over Riley's navel. "You couldn't really enjoy it. But now that nervousness has passed and you can let yourself go. We both can," he added.

Riley lifted his head to stare at the prince's bent head. "You were nervous? Why? You were obviously so knowing while I was clumsy and new to the whole business."

Liam's tongue flicked at the head of his cock and Riley arched in the bed, one hand clutching the sheets as he fought off his crisis. "Yes. But I wanted more than idle pleasure from you, Riley. I wanted your affection, your love, and I dreaded hurting you and driving you away afterwards."

The pleasure fell away from the peak and Riley sucked in a long breath. "I do. Love you, that is."

"I don't doubt it. That's why I can let myself be free with you now." Liam pushed two fingers into his mouth and sucked on them hard, knowing Riley was watching his every move. He drew them out dripping with spittle and pushed Riley's legs apart. This time there was no resistance from the hunter and he groaned as Liam found that place within that held such delight.

The next moment, the fair body, its ashen color in such stark contrast to his own, nestled between his legs and forced his way past the outer ring. Riley was tight again from his months spent with his family but not unduly so. Then he forgot any discomfort when Liam reached between their heaving bodies and began stroking off his cock.

Their bodies surged together and then apart, hot breaths mingling with each other. Pale pink nipples slid across darker ones and Riley cried out loudly as the strokes increased.

"Harder, faster! More, there!" His throat arched and a kind of growl erupted from the prince, startling in its resemblance to the Beast's rumbling voice. Riley looked up to see a fierceness plant itself on Liam's face and the next moment he lunged forward and bit into Riley's neck where it joined his shoulder.

The other man yelped in surprise. But the biting, so primal and unexpected, somehow completed the experience and he came harder than he ever had in his young life. His ass clamped down hard around Liam's length and he, too, came, his hips bucking against Riley's. He fell onto the sunburnt body beneath him and panted for air.

Riley lifted his head and tugged at the prince's hair. "And what was that, my charming prince? Do you usually bite your lovers?"

"Never. And I have never had lovers before-only playmates and bedfellows."

The contentment in Riley's eyes deepened into joy with this new revelation. "Then what was that? Perhaps a bit of the Beast is left inside, then?" he teased.

Liam shook his head and Riley sensed his confusion. "I don't know what came over me. It just seemed the thing to do. D-Did you dislike it, Riley?" His voice was shy; evidently the pleasure of the moment had startled him as well.

"Nooo. Not exactly." Riley rolled the prince over and swept his calloused hand down that pale chest, pausing to tweak and pull at the nipples. He saw glazed desire fill the lambent eyes and whispered, "Let's see how you like it when I do it to you."

They made love two or three times more that night before Liam finally rested in Riley's arms, a fine sheen of sweat coating both their bodies. Riley swirled one hand in idle patterns around the wide back and shoulders. "Liam?"

"Mmm hmmm?" The prince was drifting off to sleep and speech was difficult for him now.

"Now that the spell surrounding this place has been banished, would you take me to see those places you knew as a young man? I long to see them-with you," Riley added shyly.

Liam blinked sleepily and tilted his head so he could look his lover in the face. "That was centuries ago, Riley. Those places will no longer be the same as when I knew them."

"Then perhaps I can take you to see something of the world I knew," the other softly replied.

Liam smiled. "I'd like that." He drew Riley's head down for one final kiss. "I love you, Riley Finn."

"And I you, prince. Sleep now. The world will be there waiting for us tomorrow." They wound their arms tighter around each other and this time allowed nothing to keep them from the waiting slumber.

"All that blesses the step of the antelope
all the grace a giraffe lifts to the highest leaves
all steadfastness and pleasant gazing, alien to ennui,
dwell secretly behind man's misery.

Animal face, when the lines
of human fear, knots of a net, become transparent
and your brilliant eyes and velvet muzzle
are revealed, who shall say you are not the face of a man?

In the dense light of wakened flesh
animal man is a prince. As from alabaster
a lucency animates him from heel to forehead.
Then his shadows are deep and not gray." - Denise Levertov (1923 - 1997), "...Else a Great Prince in Prison Lies"


Finis