Beastly ever After

CHAPTER THREE

Ana listened to the forest, it was never quite silent and if you listened hard enough you would hear the squirrels knocking on the trees they slept on, and you could smell the pines too, but as always, she didn't have time to examine all this, so she strode off faster. Her family's property lay out to the west near the ranch that belonged to the O'Neills.

The family had moved in about seven years ago and, at the age of fourteen, both children of the family had become her best friends and while they didn't visit frequently, they maintained a good relationship.

Nancy and Caleb were the reasons she had gotten the online scholarship for an accounting degree, and when she was done, Elizabeth and her devils would be seeing her back.

She traced the borders of the land by counting. She loved numbers. It was why she had opted for accounting.

Nancy was quick to tell her that numbers could never poetically describe the hearts of lovers, but Ana thought love was hogwash.

It did not put food on the table or keep you warm at night.

She walked further checking the time, sighing at the four minutes that were wasted, she jumped the little fence that only she and the siblings knew of, and she was on their land.

Theirs was a large four-acre property and bordered by another countryside home and a kingdom on the left.

The O'Neill's were a prosperous cattle-farming family and while they all loved each other, their parents were always on the go. The need for travel was constant. She strolled the short distance to the schoolroom that had been designed mainly for studies and opened the door.

"Good thought you were never going to show up" Nancy exclaimed as she hurriedly plugged up some cable.

"The evil witch and her daughters took longer than I thought. Where is Caleb?" she asked curiously.

"He is...here" she said as the door swung open, showing the man she was looking for.

"Ah my Calculus partner, come on. Let's begin."

" Hey your here "Caleb said, bumping her fist and she smiled.

"Yeah, the evil witch just fell asleep"

"Cool, so I submitted your assignments, and you did well" he said, showing her the photos.

"Good". She tugged on the headphones and started writing down the notes. The class continued for about an hour before she tugged off the headphones. She glanced towards Nancy, who was scribbling on a notepad.

"I didn't get some stuff, can you work me through it" she asked Caleb.

He was also going for an accounting degree. His parents thought he was slacking off, but he planned to do that, then try for a degree in something else that would help the farm.

He loved working on it and planned to further it. Nancy wanted to go away from the farm as far as possible. She was getting an English degree with plans to go further in archeology or some stuff like that.

"OK, let's start from the beginning" he said, as he began showing her what she needed to know. He nodded as she understood and giving her input. They followed up with their assignments. She took a sip of the coffee Caleb had brewed, grimacing when it tasted cold.

Hours later, with bleary eyes and a wristwatch that read five-fifteen am, Ana picked up her books and stored them in the drawer that Caleb had cleaned out for her. She straightened, Nancy was dozing lightly and Caleb stretched slightly.

She sighed, she spent less time with her friends each day, but somehow they understood her never judging or getting resentful-maybe it was because they all had goals, but she was grateful she had them all.

"You ready to go home," Caleb said, and she nodded.

"Yeah, need to catch up on cleaning"

"You know, you shouldn't have to stay there, my parents would love to have you" he said again for the thousandth time, as she had always replied to him.

"I know, but if I leave she'll find a way to make me miserable" she said, and he nodded. While Elizabeth was a conniving b***h, she liked to play victim, and she was her benefactor, so it would make her life in their small provincial town difficult, to say the least.

"Tell Nancy I'll see her Wednesday" she said, hugging him and pulling away.

"Let me go with you"he said. She hesitated but nodded.

"Just the end of the property" she murmured and he shrugged.

Morning was already dawning, frost hung on leaves and grass that would melt to dew at the first flush of dawn. The animals were waking, birds greeting them with their first songs, crickets chirping and bouncing along the grass, the cold that blew around was stiff and harsh.

They strolled on, turning a corner, when Caleb made her pause.

"You want to see something cool" he asked, and she shook her head warily.

"Come on, It's just a bit further, and it still leads directly to the house" he pleaded, giving her the puppy dog eyes. Relenting, she let him drag her north of their borders.

"Caleb, you know that we can't cross right" she told him, and he hummed a non-committal sound.

"Calebbb- have you crossed the borders before" she asked, her voice sounding ridiculously high-pitched.

" Yeah, don't worry, we won't go far, there's no security here" he mumbled, his voice muffled by the trees and forest around them. Ana almost pulled away from him, but the thick foliage was enough to scare her to stick closer.

Oh God, the first time I try an adventure, and I'm going to end up dead.

She cried in her head, her sinister mind shrugged.

We'll take Caleb with us.

Ana almost gave herself an eye roll.

"We're here" Caleb said, and she froze to a stop.

Here was a castle, a freaking castle with turrets and everything, the stone stones were washed to a gray color and shrubbery lined it on both sides, trimmed to depict horrid monsters and scary beings. The turrets themselves were another thing entirely from what she could see the walls were lined with statues of angels and -

"Demons" she breathed in a whisper, and he nodded.

"Yeah, I come here when I need to think"he whispered.

"How long have you been coming here" she questioned, and he shrugged.

"A while ago, I was walking when I crossed accidentally, but there were no guards and no one, so I came back" he answered.

"It's beautiful"she sighed. While her trees rustled as if someone sighed.

"And very alive," she added. She watched the castle, wondering if she should walk in. Would she find a beast living within its walls? but she shook off the fanciful thinking?

"Is that snow" she exclaimed, peering into the darkness. The little light of dawn caught on the flake and it glistened.

"s**t it is" she mumbled. Caleb chuckled.

"I was wondering when you would notice" he said, and she frowned.

"It's just autumn" she argued, and he laughed,

"I know, but this place is different, it snows. It is all the year, and trust me, I've checked."

They watched the snow fall and she smiled.

"This is cool, thanks for showing it to me "she said, and he nodded.

"It's cool, come whenever you like" he added, and she laughed.

"Yeah, I don't think I will. I am hoping to cash in to that degree. I can't do it in jail."

"Come on, let's get you home" he said, with a chuckle, leading her on another path.

They walked in silence, tugging their jackets close to themselves, both stuck in their individual thoughts.

"You're good "he asked as they approached the fence. She smiled at him, nodding.

"Yeah, see you soon" she whispered, crossing over the fence.

"Thanks again" she mumbled, and he nodded.

"Go on," he urged. She waved at him and hurried down the path to her little shack so different from the sprawling castle she changed to her work clothes and took the house keys. Slipping into the kitchen, she placed a kettle of water to boil just as the first ring of her name rang through the house,

"Anarrr,Ana"

"Oh boy, here we go"she muttered beneath her breath, and all thought of a castle far north disappeared.