bride and beast: Chap 4

[lil ole me]

A/N...here's the next chapter, hope you guys enjoy. And yes, Relena finally gets to meet the Dragon. sorry for any mistakes. ^_^
Disclaimer: don't own anything.

Chapter 4

?There is really no need to cower beneath those blankets. I am not a dragon nor am I monster. Simply a man?

Relena squinted her eyes in search of the source of that smooth seductive voice. The caress of that smoky tone in his words kindled feelings in her that she had buried years ago. She did not know whether she should have been scared or relieved when its owner stopped short from emerging from his cloak of darkness. She could only make out a tall figure leaning against the wall with indifference.

?If I am cowering under these sheets, sir,? she replied, ? it is simply because some shameless libertine has stolen my clothes.?

He chuckled. ?If I were such a shameless libertine, then there would have been no need for me to take your clothes. You would have surrendered them willingly."

Relena was beset by images of strong masculine hands peeling away the wet fabric from her nude body. She shivered in response to them. She clenched her teeth and said,

?Show yourself, I am not afraid of you. Why do you cower in the dark??

?Perhaps it?s not fear for myself that hinders me from revealing myself to you, but fear for you.?

?Is your face so horrible to gaze upon? Would it render me insane or turn me to stone??

?It already caused you to faint. Did it not??

Relena pondered the thought. Yes, she had fainted, but from what she could not remember. She struggled to summon up the hazy images in the courtyard- the smell of rain, the flap of wings, and a swirl of smoke?and his face. She tried to capture the memory but it slipped from her mind?s grasp.

?Who are you?? she demanded.

?The villages of Blisslake call me the Dragon.?

?Then I shall call you a charlatan, for only such a person would play such a cruel hoax on innocent people?

?You wound me, my lady? his voice held a trace of laughter that told Relena she had only succeeded in amusing him.

?I am no lady? She could?ve sworn he cocked an eyebrow. ?Well not in the strictest sense, my father possesses no title?

?Forgive me for my assumption, it?s just that you do not speak with the crude tongue common to these parts of the region.? He said.

?My mother was a lady. The daughter of a Lowland baron. She taught me how to read and write, as well as speak in perfect English. But she died when I was nine.?

?Your lack of nobility is nothing to me, for I can assure you that I am no gentleman.?

She was unsure of whether to take this as reassurance or as a warning. She gave him a mock sweet smile and said, ?So I gathered or else I would still be wearing my clothes.?

?If you must know I only did it to save you from the cold, I did not want you to get sick.? He replied smoothly. ?Which brings me to my next question. How in the world did you end up bound and tied in my courtyard.?

?Do forgive me, my lord Dragon. What ill manners I have to disturb your solitude. I can just see you with your claws on the hearth enjoying a nice cup of kitten?s blood when you heard the angry mob. ?Damnation? you must?ve growled, ?I do believe someone has left another human sacrifice for me?.

Her mocking words were met with a long period of silence. She wondered if she had gone too far.

?Actually I was enjoying a nice cup of port, I had to swear off any blood, for it gives me indigestion. So those village idiots dragged you up to this cliff, bound you up in the pouring rain, and left you to die at my hands?and they have the gall to call me a monster.?

?I don?t see how you can condemn them when they were only trying to match your greedy demands.?

This girl angered the Dragon. He did not know whether to admire her for her bravery and intelligence, or kill her for her insolence to him.

?All I wanted was some meat and drink. Not a bloody woman.?

?That?s not all you wanted, was it.?

His sudden shift in his stature warned her to tread with care.

?Why do you defend them, when it is so obvious they care nothing for you? his voice was cold.

?Because they are ignorant, uneducated, and misguided. But you?re nothing but a mean spirited tyrant preying on people for their lack of knowledge and superstitious beliefs. They are innocent people who don?t deserve your treatment.?

?They might be ignorant. But they are far from innocent. They?ve more blood on their hands than I? his voice was rose in passionate anger and Relena was now truly afraid.

?Who are you?? she tried again.

?I should be asking you that. By what name shall I call you??

Relena was frustrated. ? You refuse to give me your name, but I have no lack of names to call you.?

?Such as bully, coward, charlatan?? he offered.

?Scoundrel, jerk, bastard.? She added.

?Oh come now, I would have expected more creative names from that nimble mind of yours?.

She sighed in defeat, ? My name is Relena. Relena Dorlian. What is yours??

She gasped in shock when she felt a gust of wind whip through the chamber. He was there?surrounding her on all sides without even touching her. She breathed in and caught the aromas of sandalwood and spice, intoxicating her senses. And that was when she realized where she was.

His lair, his chamber?his bed.

?Why you?? he whispered, his voice held a faint trace of urgency. ?Why did they choose you??

To her, it was as if his voice held a deliberate tone of cruelty. Why didn?t they choose someone prettier? Someone like Sylvia or Dorothy?

She closed her eyes for fear there would be tears. ?They chose me because?well you see my lord. Dragons may be rare but none more so than virgins in Blisslake.?

His hand brushed against her flushed cheeks with such tenderness that she was taken back.

?A thousand pounds. Is that the price they?re putting on innocence these days??

Without waiting for a reply, there was another gust of air, then nothing but darkness. Relena knew he was gone. She curled herself into a ball under the sheets, feeling more alone than she had ever felt before.

A/N...Why does the dragon want revenge against the people of Blisslake? What blood did they spill? What happened to the quiet village 9 yrs ago? All...hmm, well almost all... will be revealed in the next chapter.
stay tuned for the next post...which i will get up as soon as possible.
thnx, and have a nice day.
lil ole me

[Nikouru]

Another great chapter! Yay! Finally Relena and Heero talk! I bet
Heero recognises Relena from when they were children. I can't wait
to see what happens in the next chapter when all those questions at
the end of this chapter get answered... Post your next chapter soon!

[AngelOfDeath]

Heh. Hoo boy, Relena doesn't take any excuses does she? Good for her.

This is a lot of fun to read.

[RosieG]

NONONONONO!!!

Again, though you haven't left us with a cliff hanger, you've still left me DYING for more of this! I'm stumped about the whole situation! I know Heero is the dragon, but why is he called "Dragon" in the first place? What happened to his kingdom? When will the snogging begin?!

[dragonlady9]

Awesome story!! Your fiction is wonderfully written! I can't wait for the next chapter!!! :razz:

[zipdos]

Woohoo!!! They finally talked!! Can't wait to see what happens next. I really like this so far.

[Elyn Yuy]

Great, you really stayed close to the original material.

nods wisely.

To the rest of your fans: I'm not going to tell! I'm not going to tell!

:razz:
keep it up

Elyn Yuy

[lilac310]

YAY!!!! I can't wait for the nxt chapter!!!....