Aggie Beatha hadn’t faced any significant loss, other than the right to the rest of her life.

She lost these rights to a husband, just under forty years her senior, with no children of his own, who had two to three wives before her.

Truthfully, she hadn’t wanted to clarify the exact number when she had heard about her predecessors- she knew that the answer wouldn’t have helped her feelings on the arrangement.

After a two week journey with her governess, and a hand full of other members from her father’s household, Aggie had had passed through three counties in order to arrive at the Lord Duchaster County's home on time.

The engagement was to last a fortnight from the day she arrived, and the wedding celebration was to last three days. Her governess would then bid Aggie farewell, and the remaining members of her former house would stay, and be integrated amongst her husband’s folk.

The journey had been filled with rain in the early April month, and the rocky terrain of her coastal county gave way to rolling soft fields and forests. The snow had melted just in time for their passageway through, and Aggie for the first time in her life had wished the winter weather could’ve persisted at least another month. By then she could have persuaded a look alike local girl to go in her stead, leaving her to her own devices at home. The girl wouldn’t even have to be full human as long as it wasn’t blatantly obvious.

Alas, none of that happened.

As the carriage rocked along, Aggie saw both a welcome and dreaded sight rise over the next soggy hill; a dirty mustard colored flag, with a lone skinny strip of midnight blue. The flag was being beaten by the rain, at the top of the tallest of the seven towers.

Here was her new home, and her stomach rolled.

Then, for the thousandth time that trip… her governess made a lolling noise with her tongue, and that was it for Aggie. Nerves had flayed any self-control she had clung on to thus far into her journey.

Without much forethought, only a sense of desperation, Aggie charged running from her carriage, towards the holding. Despite the still-cool spring temperatures, the first fat drops of rain that soaked her skin, felt beyond refreshing.

She had been riding in the cramped hard space for almost two weeks straight, and couldn’t wait a moment longer to gain back an ounce of freedom- not that she had had a ton before back in her father’s household. Despite her family's lack of abundant wealth, her father had never lamented his constant vigilance, or mob of governess’ and teachers- all of which no less than three quarters human. She remembered with some level of fondness her fourth … or was it her fifth governess. Despite the caretaker's balanced temper and pristine manners, she still had the teeth akin to a dog. This was a trait which she had inherited from one of the Beast Awares her ancestor had mated with.

Excusing herself from her relatively fond memories, Aggie turned her reflection inward as she ran.

What was freedon?

The young woman charged down the rest of the muddy hill towards the gravel laneway that was already lined with employees of her future husband’s house. She had decided that her jaunt from her father’s carriage to the front doors of the holding, would be her last flare of liberation before being smothered down to ash, and so she didn’t slow for a moment as she neared its premises.

Her current teacher and governess named Ms. Kathleen, was also three quarters Human, just like her predecessors. Though there were no discerning physical features, the biggest signifier was her temperament. Impatient and stubborn, she appeared as threatening as a restless bull more often than most felt comfortable with.

When Aggie finally touched her foot to the gravel of the Duke's home, she could no longer hear her governess. Instead, she bolted past the footman and guards dressed in mustard colored trousers, and midnight blue waistcoats- not noticing that a select few of them near the end of the line, were full-blooded Beast Awares. One of the Beast Awares that pretended not to find his new mistress strange, bore tusks and a broad head with a furry snout. His partner posed beside him sported a darting tongue and black scales

Aggie’s mustard colored dress was slack and soaked from the unrelenting downpour, and yet despite the deluge, she blindly charged to the doors of the keep. As she neared her destination, the black doors swung open before her at the end of the long pale gravel road, with the rain nearly blinding her as she surged forward. Her chest began to heave, and the cold air pierced her throat and lungs, but she was nearly there, and she wanted to break some invisible confine, if only for a moment, before she was encumbered. So she pushed on.

Despite the abundance of Aggie’s rebellious spirit, she had kept it under heavy wraps for the majority of her life. She'd only acted out in calculated ways, but the two week ride to a spouse she had never met, to a place three counties from her own home, had driven her past the point of calculation.

Aggie didn’t know what had made her do it, but she finally felt alive.

She couldn’t remember the last time she had been able to run…

Suddenly, and all too quickly, the stone steps were in front of her. She leapt up the two shallow steps into the entryway, landing with a ‘slap’ of water onto the floor.

She took in a deep shuddering breath, only then realizing how strange she had to have seemed to a household she was supposed to manage… for the rest of her life. Were she at home amongst her people, she would’ve let out a curse that would’ve earned her a scolding.

All too quickly, she felt red rise into her cheeks, and she finally lifted her eyes to meet the gazes of nine stunned servants. Clearly none of them had been expecting the abrupt entrance.

Nearest to her was an elderly woman that had her hair and neck covered in a white headdress, with a modest brown bodice, brown skirt, and white shift, who was clutching a pile of clean linens. The rest were maids in long grey dresses with sweet white caps, and matching white aprons. Two men lurked in the shadows at the back of the crowd. One of the men was dressed in entirely black, and was more than likely a cleric of sorts. The man standing beside him looked like a farmhand with a brown leather vest and trousers, his own brown tresses damp from the rain.

Despite the obvious status differences of all of them, they all gaped openly at Aggie.

They clearly had all been anticipating her riding in with the carriage, and therefore thought they’d have a few more minutes until they were to be out of sight.

After she met all of their stares in wide eyed surprise, Aggue cast her eyes down. She had never had to introduce herself to a serving group, and remembered this in time to grow awkward immediately. Instead she focused her attention on the growing puddle around her feet.

The elderly woman nearest to her was the first to move. Stepping forward, she held up one of the folded sheets she had been holding.

“Mistress… for now I will use this to dry you. I will send one of the girls to fetch you towels. Forgive us, we anticipated more time to ready your chamber," the elderly maid's voice was kindly, if not stern, as she snapped herself out of her surprise. Agnes found herself unable to raise her gaze again, as though the weight of the eyes still staring at her would crush her, so she made do with a short nod in response.

She felt the strong gnarled hands wring the water from her long brown hair, and her body stiffened at the unfamiliar touch.

The tableau of servants gradually broke apart as the seconds ticked on in tepid silence, and they all gradually remembered that they had work to do.

Maids rushed off to complete their tasks, and the men gave her a few more meaningful glances before turning back down the corridor and disappearing around the bend.

The old maid began dabbing Aggie’s chest that was exposed down to the smallest hint of her breasts, as was the fashion, and as she did so, the tiny rattle of Aggie’s mother’s pearls against her throat brought her back to reality for a moment. Her eyes snapped up, and saw the tall narrow windows that ran down the entire hallway. A couple weathered pine benches rested near the doors, their age and cleanliness were questionable, and this was the only indicator Aggie needed to know:

Aggie's carriage had been sent to the side door for a welcome.

She wasn’t deemed important enough for the front entryway. She tried to persuade herself that it was better that the standard wasn’t high for her to begin with, but the sting on her pride was hard to ignore.

At least the stone castle (she hadn’t been expecting an actual castle) looked well kept and the staff looked clean and well taken care of.

“This is unacceptable!”

Aggie cringed.

Ms. Kathleen had finally arrived.

“This is a servant’s entrance! Decorative guardsmen will not make up for this slight I assure you.” The woman who had taught Aggie for the past six years trilled at the poor elderly woman who was still wringing out Aggie’s hair.

“I intend to report this to Lady Agnes Beatha’s father immediately! There will be a fine for such an obvious insult!” Her commanding voice made Aggie want to shrink into the shadows. Having someone attack her new household and treat her as a child was not a strong start. That was the strain of Beast Awares in Ms. Kathleen coming out again...

Fierce, barely controlled rage.

“We shall see.” The low voice that broke the cringe worthy moment, froze everyone in place, and Aggie felt her breathing halt. She didn’t raise her eyes.

She hoped that it wasn’t…

“Ms. Kathleen was it…? I am Lord Sean O’Farrell.”

Aggie did her best not to wince outwardly. Her soon-to-be husband had arrived quickly. She felt sorry for him- he didn’t know Ms. Kathleen. Aggie didn’t dare look up.

“Yes. I am Governess Kathleen, and you my Lord have committed a great offense towards the Beatha house by this less than acceptable welcoming. We know a servants entrance from a main one.” Ms. Kathleen hadn’t even done the customary curtsy before challenging Aggie’s future husband. She also perhaps didn’t consider the greater likelihood that Aggie would be the one paying for her bullheadedness.

“Our main entryway is a disaster from a recent gathering of local landowners, and has not been put to rights. This entryway is more appropriate for today, and I daresay a blessing it is. I’m sure the staff doesn’t need more of a mess to clean today.”

Aggie did cringe at that. She could feel his eyes on her, and the swamp she had created, despite the poor elderly maid’s best efforts.

Ms. Kathleen didn’t say anything as Lord O’Farrell stepped slowly towards Aggie, and the young woman didn’t raise her gaze. She at least manage to dip the appropriate curtsey-, which seemed to loosen her dripping nose that had been building form the cold and wet. She didn’t dare make a move to draw attention to it.

“You’re a child.” The tone of disdain wasn’t lost on Aggie, and she wondered if she could back out through the still open door, and leave him and Ms. Kathleen to battle it out.

“Well I suppose that is what it means to have a pure human bride anymore.” That comment made her stomach roil violently. She suddenly wished she were a Beast Awares.

“Look at me.” The order ignited the shivering that Aggie hadn’t had from the cold before that moment.

She didn’t look up from his tan leather boots. They were immaculate, and looked soft to the touch. She could tell from his feet that he walked with perfect posture, and his stance was one of strength, even as he stared at his future wife.

Aggie’s jaw was suddenly grabbed and jarred up.

Her rebellious spirit suddenly was ablaze, and against the pain at his touch, she still refused to lift her gaze.

“Unless you are deaf, there is no reason why you have not obeyed. Raise your gaze Agnes Beatha.”

Aggie began breathing harder through her nose, and as a result snot began to drip down more aggressively, but Sean O’Farrell didn’t let go. His hands were calloused and rough, and she could smell his breath from where he stood of beef and ale.

She let out one last angry breath, not caring that she felt snot fly from her nostril, knowing that Ms. Kathleen was mortified at her behavior.

Then at long last, Aggie raised her eyes to meet Sean O’Farrell’s.

His face was beginning to sag with age, his stubble was a mess of white and black, but his pale piercing blue eyes regarded her sharply. He didn’t say anything as she stared at him, and watched him narrow his eyes at her.

“What… a disgusting girl.” He removed his hand from her face, and allowed the elderly maid, with the now drenched sheet in her hand, to wipe off the mucus that Aggie had gotten on it.

“Remember your manners,” he paused and dropped his hand from her face. “Ready yourself, and follow one of the staff to the dining hall. If you are late, you will not eat until tomorrow morning.” He cast a scathing look at Ms. Kathleen, and then returned his gaze briefly to Aggie who gritted her teeth while staring at him. She refused to drop her gaze again, not for him.

He turned and marched away, his chainmail jangling as he went. He was barely an inch taller than Agnes, shut she still felt herself trembling from more than just the cold.

“Lady. Agnes. Elizabeth. Quinn. Beatha. What in the WORLD possessed you-” Ms. Kathleen had to cut her pending explosion down to a spark, as three maids rushed forward with towels and a basket of flowers. They were trying to take their new Mistress to her room, but weren’t sure if they should wait until after Ms. Kathleen had shared her feelings.

Aggie decided to take the initiative, and stepped forward, ignoring her teacher for a moment. Ms. Kathleen no longer had power over her. This was now her home. The thought would have been exciting if it didn’t come with the pesky fiancé she had.

She followed her maids down a narrow curved corridor that branched off of the small entryway to the left, and followed the passage that clearly was wrapped around one of the tall skinny towers of the keep. She followed them until they came to a winding set of stairs on their right, and began to climb with the six white capped maids that had gradually assembled on their walk in front of her. Her governess had suddenly vanished. Most likely to chase down Sean O’Farrell and shout some more.

Aggie continued to follow her new entourage up the dark stairwell that occasionally let off to a higher floor. She was doing her best to appear graceful and poised with her wet dress clinging to her body, and chilling her to the bone, but also silently hoping that they got to the bloody chamber soon.

After they climbed past the fourth floor, and Aggie began to feel her head spin, they came to the top of the stairwell that lead to a wider hallway than the others they had passed. The maids didn’t break their steady pace as they proceeded to lead her to the 2nd door of the hallway. Though as Aggie’s eyes adjusted to the darkness, she realized that in the entire hallway, there were only three doors in the entire corridor. The doors was large and made of heavy planks of ebony wood with wrought iron hinges. They looked heavy, and Aggie wasn’t sure she would have been able to open it herself. Fortunately, one of the maids leading at the front opened the door with ease.

The maids stood in two lines in front of Aggie, creating an aisle with their bodies, guiding- or forcing, depending how Aggie chose to see it, to the largest bed chamber she had ever seen. She noticed the door on the same side of the four poster bed that undoubtedly lead to Ms. Kathleen’s room, which was there so she could continue to act as chaperone until the couple were proper man and wife. There was also another door on the opposite side of the chamber, that lead to a smaller room, with a large stone tub built into a turret.

Aggie didn’t allow any admiration to show on her face, as her luggage was delivered behind her from footmen who had moved with incredible haste, and the maids set about drying her off and preparing her a hot bath. She didn’t move until they went to take her pearls off.

She stopped the maid’s hands, ignoring the jittery look of surprise on the woman’s face, and removed them herself. Aggie then laid them on her bed’s velvet mustard colored duvet, and turned towards the doorway that would lead her to a hot bath that was already foaming with soaps and scented oils.

*

As the servants around her combed her clean waist length long mousey brown hair and unpacked her belongings into the chests and wardrobes, she fixed her eyes on the small writing table in front of her.

She didn’t speak until she was turned back towards her bed where a pale blue gown lay waiting her. It was the most ethereal garment she had ever laid eyes on. It had pearls sewn into its hem and sleeve cuffs, and pale pink silk ribbons to tie the bodice.

Despite it’s beauty matching that of a winter sunrise, Aggie felt as though it would’ve only looked garish on her-, which helped cement a decision she had made.

“Please tell your Lord I will join him for breakfast tomorrow morn, and that I bid him a goodnight. I am tired from my journey, and wish to have a proper rest.”

The room went deathly silent at her voice, and the first voice to break the silence was the maid who had tried to remove her mother’s necklace.

“M-My Lady, the Lord expects you at dinner,” she glanced fearfully around the room at her colleagues.

“He gave me the option of opting to join him for breakfast instead, and I want to show proper consideration of his kindness if he is offering it.” Her tone was dry, and she could hear the rustle of unease that ran through them.“I am sure he is a man of his word, and wouldn’t mind my taking his offer. Unless of course he meant to be disingenuous,” Aggie raised her eyes at long last, and froze them all with her somber gaze. No one dared to move, and after several long moments, they each curtsied and exited her chamber.

Turning to the bed that called her with dulcet tones Aggie moved the beautiful gown carefully to an armchair in a nearby corner, and made sure it wouldn't wrinkle.

She was sure there would be consequences for her behavior, but she wasn’t good at letting things go. Her humiliation earlier would not to be forgotten quickly, and Aggie had a feeling that when it came to being publically shamed, she was able to take it far more lightly than her future husband. She would counter his brutish ways with her own frustrating ones best she could from then on.

As she crawled under the covers in her shift, she thought about his haughty behavior and condescending tones, but also the exuberant wealth he had distributed.

Aggie sighed as she tucked herself in. “Fuck.”

The crude word left her lips, and met nothing but quiet in her empty chamber. For some reason this made her laugh. She was out of her depth in this new life, and she had no choice but to laugh, perhaps only slightly bitterly, at the ridiculousness of it all. She didn’t give it much more thought that night though, for the moment her head hit the pillow, she was cast into a deep sleep.

Her dreams filled with running, and feelings of intense fear, that she would thankfully forget by dawn. However, their mark on her mind the following morning, was undisputable.

*

He watched the maids file out like ducklings, while immersed in the shadows outside the Lady Beatha's room, with his arms crossed. He had a small smile on his face as he watched the last of them disappear around the bend of the corridor. He couldn’t help but feel relieved as he stared at the closed door in front of his face.

He had been worried she would be boring, but it seemed as though that was a futile concern.

The young man allowed his hands to dangle at his sides in false casualty, his black clothing making him hard to spot until right beside his imposing form.

The moment he had seen her darting blindly towards the doors with the rain pummeling down at her, he had the sense that everything he had predicted for the future, was entirely wrong.