Wanderlust Beastkin, Beauty and the Beastkin-Chapter 78: The Reluctant Concubine Inner Court

Beth’s Perspective

I found myself perched on a cushioned seat atop a raised platform, clad in five layers of fabric and adorned with a headdress crafted from solid gold, embellished with jade ornaments that complemented my eyes. My hair was styled in an intricate updo that seemed to defy the very laws of nature as I understood them, while my neck bore the weight of both my magically extended long hair and enough gold to sink a small vessel.

A woman, sporting antlers and glowing hands, caused my meticulously cut and styled hair to cascade down to my waist, which was both astonishing and quite annoying. I’ve never been fond of long hair; it requires too much upkeep, feels heavy, and is unbearably hot. Moreover, she didn’t even bother to ask for my consent before making such a change, which I found quite impolite! I thought it was a universally acknowledged rule that one should never alter a woman’s hair without her permission first.

The atmosphere in the room was eerily quiet, almost too quiet, as I sat in a space that would likely be deemed ostentatious by contemporary standards, yet resembled something out of those Chinese historical dramas that Nancy had introduced us to. The silence enveloped me, causing my thoughts to wander to places I would prefer to avoid, to the tumultuous thoughts that stirred within me once darkness fell and there were no distractions to occupy my mind.

Pain seized me, constricting my chest, making me feel as if something inside was ripping apart. I wrapped my arms around myself, holding on tightly. I’m okay, I’m still alright. Outside the doors, men were stationed around the perimeter of this building they had brought me into. I was confined within this too-quiet room, alone with nothing but my thoughts, and inevitably, my mind would drift to the dark, hidden recesses of my psyche.

I noticed one of the layers of drapes on a window, layers upon layers enveloping the room in darkness. As if the silence and isolation weren’t enough, they also needed to shroud the room I was trapped in with shadows. A strong urge to liberate myself surged within me, and I reached out, tugging at the thin layer separating the thicker red velvet curtains. It was sheer, accompanied by more layers than I could discern in the dimness. I hadn’t planned on doing it, but a sudden relief washed over me as I felt the delicate fabric crumple in my grasp, and I pulled. The loud ripping sound echoed through the room, filling me with an unexpected sense of relief. The room brightened slightly. I stared at my hand, clutching the torn fabric, initially shocked and unsure of what I was seeing, then I blinked as I processed my actions. The sudden, strange feeling of violence washed over me—not that any real violence had taken place, but it felt raw, visceral, and more genuine than anything I had felt in a long time.

I grasped the fabric with trembling hands and began to pull. I tugged at the material held tightly in my grip, exerting all my strength. The room erupted with a sudden, loud ripping sound, and in that moment, I felt a sense of relief wash over me. The pain and darkness faded away, and a bubble of joy surged up from my throat, escaping as an unexpected giggle. I tore at the fabric repeatedly until it was nothing but shreds. Then, I climbed onto the bed and yanked another layer of fabric from the window. One layer after another, I pulled and ripped, yet no one came into the room.

I moved from window to window, stripping away the delicate layers, and soon the floor was strewn with heaps of sheer fabric strips, finally allowing light to flood the room. It resembled frothy waves crashing onto the ground, white with hints of red, as if something had perished in the water. Then, as I took a deep breath and my entire body trembled, the pain surged through me all at once. I glanced down at my clenched hands and noticed that my nails had broken through my raw, torn skin. My palms were jagged, and blood was drip...drip...dripping into a puddle at my feet.

I stumbled back and settled onto the heap of torn fabric that surrounded me, momentarily evoking the image of a large white sheet drifting down. Everything around me was white, and for a fleeting instant, I experienced a sense of tranquility, but then the door swung open, flooding the room with light that pierced my eyes as if I were staring directly at the sun. Suddenly, I heard a thudding noise, and pain surged through my body as I felt a heavy force, something pinning me down, another wave of agony coursing through me. I reached up, my fingers brushing against cold metal as they grasped my hair ornament. I extracted the long metal piece, and my hair cascaded around me in dark, flowing waves. I thrust the pointed end towards whatever had begun to assault me, and I heard piercing screams reverberating off one another. Then, everything turned warm and wet, and the air was thick with the scent of copper.

Weight pressed me down against the floor, and darkness enveloped me. Just as abruptly, the darkness lifted, but the once white waves of foam had transformed into a deep red.

Nancy’s Perspective

After relishing my meal, I found myself in a lengthy queue and discreetly took a pass from a random maid who had managed to bribe her way into being selected as a candidate for the position of lady in waiting for the new consort, Precious Consort Elisabeth. I was unaware of what had transpired since my last encounter with Beth, but it seemed like a lot had changed. I felt no remorse for taking that girl’s opportunity; she believed this was a perfect chance to lounge around and show disrespect to a consort she deemed unworthy. How ironic, coming from someone who had to bribe her way in.

Whatever was happening, I had reached my limit with this place, and I refused to be separated from Beth any longer than I already had been. It was evident that she had bitten off more than she could chew, and despite my admiration for her, she wasn’t the type to thrive alone. But that was perfectly fine; she didn’t have to face this alone. Once we escape this situation, we’ll track down Perla and either find a way back home or carve out our own space in this world. Either way, we will do it together, and I won’t allow anyone to obstruct our path. Not even an Emperor who believes he has some twisted claim over my friend.

This world we inhabit, whatever it may be, does not possess us; it has no authority to dictate our actions. I drifted off as the line progressed once more. I was eager to be in the running to serve one of my best friends. It was somewhat entertaining, considering we often referred to Beth as Queenie to tease her uptight parents. 𝕗𝐫𝐞𝕖𝕨𝐞𝗯𝚗𝕠𝘃𝐞𝚕.𝐜𝗼𝚖

I found myself zoning out again, contemplating various scenarios that could have kept Perla and the rest of us from stepping through that portal. I wondered where we might be right now if we had never arrived here, what we could have been doing at this very moment. It was a futile line of thinking since it wouldn’t alter our reality, but it provided a brief escape.

Before I realized it, the line had dwindled down, and I was ushered into a vast, white room, completely devoid of character. It felt sterile and slightly claustrophobic, as if I had unexpectedly landed in an insane asylum. Ha! Perhaps I was the crazy one? That seemed more plausible than being yanked through a portal into another realm.

As I stood there, a soft beep echoed, and a series of round holes emerged in a line on the floor, from which small white chairs ascended. The chairs resembled wedges, with elegantly curved seats sculpted into them. The movement was quiet, yet a faint glow emanated from the holes.

After a brief moment, several other doors around the room swung open, and a number of women entered, clad in various worker uniforms, while some wore simple yet elegant white dresses made from fine materials, stepping through two doors on the far walls.

Beth’s Perspective

"You can not! Steadfast Consort Violetta!"

I found myself pressed against the floor, struggling to catch my breath after the sudden shock of having the wind knocked out of me. Then, unexpectedly, the weight was lifted off me. As I glanced up across the room, I spotted a mesmerizing woman, both intriguing and intimidating in her peculiar appearance.

Her straight black hair was styled in an intricate up-do adorned with gold ornaments and vibrant red tassels. Her skin had a golden hue and was flawlessly smooth, while her large black eyes were framed by thick, dark eyelashes. Perched atop her head were two antennae, and her hands were uniquely structured with three fingers and a thumb. She possessed a delicate yet moderately curved figure, with slightly broader hips, and was clad in a dress that bordered on indecency, made of opaque black fabric, draped in a manner that almost revealed everything. On her back, a pair of elegantly curved white wings occasionally fluttered, producing a buzzing sound that inexplicably filled me with a sense of dread. As she turned to speak to the servant beside her, I caught sight of a long, sharp stinger protruding from what appeared to be a black bikini bottom. It shimmered in the dim light of the room, resembling a gunmetal curved dagger, about the length of my forearm.

My gaze fixated on that menacing stinger, and while I was focused on it, I suddenly heard that all-too-familiar buzzing once more. That sound has always been associated with fear in my life. It’s a bee. I’m extremely allergic to bee stings.

Coming Next Time: Consort Clash and Duarte