But it is one thing to read about dragons and another thing to meet them.—Ursula K. Le Guin

Chapter 13.

To Escape the Dragon.

Beatrice was awakened by the pounding on her door. "Beatrice Morton!" The angry voice of her mother sounded on the other end. "You open the door this instant, you hear me?"

Argos lifted his head and growled a little. Beatrice moaned and turned over. She had known of course that her mother was going to come over and get angry at her. It was for this very reason she had made a habit of locking her door every night, just in case her mother should show up.

"Did you hear me?" Mrs. Llewelyn's voice continued to angrily demand. "I know you are in there, young lady. You are in serious trouble. Your uncle did not have words to say when he found out you had taken off without warning us. And to think you lied about the headache. How did you manage to make yourself so hot? Open this door. Open it or I shall have the servants break it down."

Beatrice took a deep breath and opened her eyes. She sat up and threw the covers back. She did not want to face her mother.

"There must be some way to get away from that woman," Beatrice thought as the pounding sounded out again. Her eyes drifted towards the window.

Of course!

She hurriedly went through her wardrobe and found a dark colored dress slipped into it. The buttons were hard to do on her own, but she managed. Slipping into her walking shoes, Beatrice opened the window. Argos followed her. Beatrice was about to shoo him back, when she suddenly though that if she left him here, he might be at the mercy of her mother, who would kidnap him and use him as bait to get her daughter.

"Alright boy," Beatrice said, taking the enormous dog by the front paws. "You're shall have to jump from this window. It's only the second floor, so it shouldn't be too hard."

The dog whimpered a little. Beatrice in the meantime had climbed out of the window and proceeded to scale down to the bottom. Argos, on seeing that Beatrice was leaving without him, took a giant leap and landed on the ground. He landed straight into the hedgerow, ruining it completely but it saved him from hurting himself.

"Good boy," Beatrice smiled. "Now come on!"

Beatrice didn't dare go to the stables to get her horse, she just crept away from the house and off to the manor. She needed to get someplace where her mother would not look for her.

It was raining outside and a foggy mist had settled over the entire manor. Beatrice pressed forward. She was wet and chilled, but that was better than facing the dragon back at home. Her mother had no doubt already gone to get someone to break down the door and when they discovered Beatrice was missing they would go searching for her.

On and on Beatrice walked. She knew in the end of course she would have to go back and face the dragon, yet Beatrice was going to try and prolong the meeting for as lng as possible. She got to the old hanging tree and pressed forward. Down the old road, past the haunted woods and before she knew it Beatrice found herself at the old castle.

"I don't know why I came here, Argos," she softly said to the dog, who had followed her every step. "I suppose I wish I could hide up there and be safe from Mamma and her suitors. Why must she constantly try to marry me off? Why can't she just leave me alone?"

The dog gave a little croon as if to say, "I wish I knew."

Beatrice laughed and kissed his furry head. "You are the dearest friend I have, Argos," she whispered. She sat down by a tree and let the dog put his head on her lap. "That man has no idea how lucky he is to have a castle to hide in," Beatrice told Argos. "I wish I had one too. It doesn't have to be a castle actually. All I want is somewhere safe from Mamma—and safe from the elements as well." Beatrice gave a sigh as she stroked the dog's damp fur. She was tired, she was hungry, she was wet and cold, but at least she was far, far away from her mother.

***

Elwyn sat in his usual darkness. The only way he knew it was morning was when Raj would come into pour fresh water into the basin and bring him breakfast. Usually when he entered Elwyn already up and today was no exception.

He had just dressed when the door opened and the faithful Indian servant walked in, carrying a tray of food.

"What time is it, Raj?" Elwyn asked his standard question.

"Nearly eight in the morning, Sahib," Raj replied in a distant voice. He set the tray on the table and walked over to the window.

"Raj," Elwyn snapped. "You know the rule about the window."

"I do, Sahib," Raj nodded his head. "Only I must look out for a second, just to make sure my eyes are not deceiving me."

He attempted to crack the window open, but Elwyn marched up and put his hand over the shutter. "What are you talking about?" He demanded in a gruff voice. It was not like Raj to break the morning routine.

"It is only that while I was walking up the stairs I peeked out the little narrow windows that go around the tower and I thought I saw a girl sitting out there in the rain. Ladies never come near this castle, as a rule people stay away from here. I just thought I would check to make sure I wasn't imagining things. Please, Sahib."

Elwyn knit his eyebrows together. What was it with women haunting him these days? Just three days ago that female had barged over and now another one decided to come up to his tower? He was going to shrug it off when he realized it would be better to check and make she didn't come walking up here like the last one had.

"Very well," he mumbled, removing his hand from the shutter. "But make it quick."

He turned away and focused his attention on inspecting what Raj had brought over for breakfast. He heard the window creak open a little.

"Well?" He snapped.

"I was right, Sahib, there is a woman sitting out there," Raj said. "She is under a tree. I believe there is a dog with her. I should think she is very wet, for the rain is coming down quite heavily now and she sits on the wet grass."

Elwyn tried to kill his curiosity. He had sworn he would never look out that blasted window.

"Is she just sitting there?" He prodded.

"Yes. I wonder what she is doing out here at this hour in the morning. She doesn't look up at the tower; she keeps her gaze fixed on the ground. Now she put her head on the dog. A little more, Sahib, and I think she will lie down on the ground."

Elwyn had to admit this was very strange. He had been stuck in this confounded tower for three years already and never once had anything like this ever happened. The only people who had ever come around here were his uncle Iestyn and Charles. He knew his curiosity was winning and he did all in his power to control it. He didn't care for anything in life. He actually hated life. All he wanted to do was die—but first he would find out who the girl on the grass was.

Walking over, Elwyn motioned for Raj to move so he could take a peek out. The light hurt his eyes and he blinked, trying to get adjusted to the sudden change of brightness. At last he could make out the figure of the girl. She was in a purple dress and had a head full of dark curls, which were gathered in some sort of messy braid. Even from up in the tower Elwyn could see she was soaked through.

At one point the girl lifted her head and lifted her gaze upwards. Elwyn was sure her face looked familiar.

"That's impossible!" He stated, shutting the window and sitting down in the chair.

"You know the lady, Sahib?" Raj questioned.

Elwyn didn't answer. He couldn't say for certain, but he felt as though it was the girl from yesterday out there. What was her problem? Why was she haunting his castle? At first Elwyn was insulted at her obvious curiosity. But after a minute or two he realized she wasn't trying to get in the castle, she wasn't trying to find out who he was. She was just sitting there, head on her dog, gazing off into nothing. It was a pathetic picture, one of defeat and despair.

Now Elwyn knew he created the most miserable picture in the world, but he had to admit that girl out there came in at a close second.

"Raj," he turned towards his servant. "Go down there and have her get out of the rain. Don't bring her up here, but have her dry off at the base of the tower."

Raj turned to Elwyn in confusion. It was not like his master to invite anyone to the tower.

"Don't ask me why I am doing this," Elwyn read Raj's thoughts. "Because I can't explain it myself. It is just if she stays out there she could catch pneumonia. My father died from that, so I know it is serious enough."

"Yes, Sahib." Raj nodded and departed from the room. He was perplexed and confused, but happy at the same time. He always knew it would take a girl to get his master to want to do anything other than sit in his room and wish for death to come. Perhaps it had been a fortunate twist of fate that had brought this strange young lady to the tower.

Coming downstairs he opened the door and stepped outside. Beatrice, who had been sitting by the tower saw him coming out and stood up. She held Argos by the collar, for the dog had grown alert at the man and was growling at him.

Raj walked over and putting his hand together gave a slight bow to Beatrice.

"My master wishes for you to come out of the rain," he said in his funny Indian accent. "He fears you will catch your death of a cold. You may come in the tower and dry off. I will make a fire for you."

"Your master?" Beatrice asked suspiciously.

Raj pointed towards the top of the tower.

"Oh, you are the servant of the man in the tower?" Beatrice guessed.

"Yes," he nodded his head. "Do not fear, my master is a good man and he only wishes for you to get dry. It is foolish to stay out here in this rain."

Beatrice hesitated for a minute and then gave in. She had Argos with her after all. Following Raj, she once more entered the tower. If anything at least she was sure Mamma would never find her here.

It was damp inside the tower, but Raj soon had a fire going in a fireplace that Beatrice hadn't noticed before.

"I will bring you a blanket," he said. "And a towel so you can dry the dog. He is very large. You may sit over here," Raj motioned towards a bench. "Do not be afraid. There is no one in this tower but me and my master and he never comes down. Wait a moment." Raj walked up the stairs and soon disappeared. Beatrice walked over to the fire and put her hands over it. How she hated the feeling of a wet, heavy dress. She wanted to take it off, but didn't dare, not with two men upstairs.

Argos shook himself, sending droplets everywhere. Beatrice giggled a little. What a strange castle this was turning out to be. She sat on the bench, wondering what to do next. After quite a long time Raj appeared again. Over his arm he carried a woman's dressing gown and a tray with a cup in his hands. He set the tray on the bench beside Beatrice and handed her the dressing gown.

"You must dry your dress," he stated. "You may put this on."

Beatrice blinked in surprise. "Where did that come from?" She asked.

"It used to belong to the Lady Blethyn when she was still alive," Raj replied. "She has been dead for many years and I have taken the liberty of borrowing it for you. There is a hot drink for you in the cup, it will help warm you. Now, I will go upstairs and leave you. I will lock the door to the tower, but leave the key hanging over here." He hung the key over a nail by the door. "When you have dried off you may leave back to your home." He gave her another bow and departed.

Beatrice looked at the dressing gown and then resumed her seat on the bench. Ten minutes passed then fifteen, and at last Beatrice gave in and cautiously removed her wet gown before slipping into the warm, dry clothes. They were far too large for her. Apparently the former Lady Blethyn had been a woman of greater proportions than Beatrice. Hanging her own clothing to dry, Beatrice turned to drying her dog. After that she sat down by the fire and counted the minutes till her dress dried out. Argos napped beside her.

During her entire wait Raj did not come down and Beatrice was quite alone. At long last her clothing was dry and the fire and hot tea had warmed the chill out of her bones. When she had put her own clothes on, Beatrice contemplated her next action. The Indian servant who had not introduced himself had told her to go home, but Beatrice didn't want to go home. During her long wait to get dry she had been wondering nonstop about the man at the top of the tower.

In classical fairy tales you always hear about the princess being locked up in the tower, there never once was a story about a prince stuck in one. Beatrice wondered who he was, and why he was all alone. Was he lonely? Was he shunned by the rest of the world? Was he ashamed of the mask that covered half his face? She remembered his room. It had been dark and stale. Was he spending his days just waiting for it all to end? The more Beatrice thought about it the more curious she got.

In the end she decided on a daring idea. Instead of going out to unlock the door, she walked up the winding staircase, up, up, up, until at last she got to the wooden door. Taking a deep breath, she knocked on it.

"Enter!" The deep voice of yesterday sounded out. Beatrice cracked the door open and slipped in. Nothing had changed in the room. The man still sat by the window that was shut. He had turned his head and his face registered surprised.

"I'm sorry to come up here again," Beatrice quietly said. "But I did want to thank you for letting me in out of the rain. That's really all I came up here to say. I know we are complete strangers to each other and I am touched you went out of your way to make sure I was taken care of."

Elwyn contemplated on what he should do. There were two options really. He could send her away, or have her stay and talk to her.

His wounded pride told him to send her away; his human starved nature said this was a chance to talk to someone. Charles had been gone for four days; Uncle Iestyn hadn't been seen or heard from for all of summer. Elwyn was lonely up in his tower, and the appearance of such a beautiful face made it hard for him to turn her away.

"What were you doing out there?" He asked at last.

"Escaping from the dragon," Beatrice let out a soft sigh.

Elwyn tried to make sense of her words. "What dragon?"

"The one who holds me captive," Beatrice replied.

Elwyn shook his head. The young lady wasn't making any sense. "I'm having trouble following you."

Beatrice smiled. "It is a metaphor, sir."

"And the point of telling it to me?"

Beatrice's smile turned sad. "The point of telling metaphors, sir, is when we want to share something inside us so badly, but cannot give away the full truth for one reason or another."

Elwyn raised his eyebrows, becoming acutely aware of his the skin where his right eyebrow had once been scraping against his mask. He'd completely forgotten about it. He tried to control his anger. He was a half formed monster, and he had let himself forget that. All because he couldn't see himself, but the young lady could. He was about to tell her to go, but Beatrice was ahead of him and coming up closer to him held out her hand.

"It is Beatrice Morton, but the way," she said.

Elwyn looked at the outstretched hand, the palm facing down. She wanted him to kiss it? Did she even see the mask on his face? Didn't she notice it outlined the right side of his lips? Did she really want this cold piece of plaster to touch her skin? He glanced at the dark eyes waiting for his move. There was something in her gaze that attracted him. No, it wasn't pity or sympathy, but rather a sort of emptiness hidden behind a mask of indifference. Haltingly, he stretched out his gloved hand and grasping her palm placed a kiss on the knuckles. How strange it was for his lips to once again touch the smooth, feminine skin, to hold it his hand. He had forgotten what a woman felt like, what she tasted like. This hand tasted a little of flowers and fresh air, like summer in full bloom, like the world he had shut out of his life. It was sweet to the taste and bitter to the soul. Elwyn let go of her hand and pushed it from him. It was brutal reminder of what he had lost forever.

"And I am speaking too?" Beatrice prodded. She was very interested to know just who this prisoner was.

Elwyn did some quick thinking before answering.

"Fleets." He introduced himself at last. "Captain William Fleets."