"Kitten and the Black Lion, Pt.II" by Kitty Wisdom () Kitten's father returned home visibly shaken, and as he sat down, surrounded by his children, he started to explain his troubles. "The Lenscher fleet went down. In last night's storm. And I spent the night in a castle." "A castle?" "Yes. I was given these things, but-- Kitten, I'm afraid nothing was sent for you. I thought that, since I had been given all this, a book would be of no importance to my benefactor, but-- Darlings, the castle was owned by a hideous beast, a great black lion with the speech of a man. He demanded I send you in return for your request and my audacity, or pay with my life. But I am old. I will return tomorrow myself." "We could kill it." His eldest son mused, without looking up from the stick he was whittling. "Yes! We could take Rose's fiance, too. Form a party!" The youngest joined in. "No. I will go alone. First thing tomorrow. You will stay here, and if he comes for Kitten, you will defend our home then." --//-- Now, Kitten was a headstrong girl, and had no intentions of letting her father go through with such a plan. That night, while the rest of the household slept, she saddled up the lion's horse and, swallowing her fears, set out to face her destiny. The journey was long, and the night was dark. Only the barest sliver of moon marked her path, but her mount seemed to know it's way. often, a small sound would startle her, but the horse went on unfazed. Soon, Kitten could see the great castle looming before her. --//-- "I hope you're happy, mage." The black lion growled, not looking at the other figure in the room. "you should be happy. The girl is coming, isn't she?" "And if she isn't?" "You'll take her. Like you told the old man." The mage was an ordinary enough man, except for an unusual gleam in his eye, and the green robes hidden beneath his brown traveler's cloak. And the amulet hung around his neck. "I could never really do that. It wouldn't work." "Very well. She _is_ coming, anyway. and did you know about the nasty gargoyle problem you have?" "I bet you brought the stone bugger to life, ya filthy git. Screwball magician..." "I most certainly did not bring your gargoyle to life. At least, I don't remember doing it. Anyway, I think it's safest for me to leave in the unusual way, rather than risk traveling by foot in the night. With gargoyles about." "That gargoyle," The lion snarled. "is your fault. Why don't you bloody kill it yourself? I can't do it." But the man had disappeared, leaving only wisps of blue smoke behind. --//-- The castle wasn't unpleasant, and Kitten could find no evidence of any monster. In fact, all she found was a hot meal laid out for her, all the things she ever would have dreamed of eating. After dinner, she wandered up the staircase, finding an open door near the top, and inside a huge bed fit for a queen, with a nightdress spread out on it. And it was all warm, as though there had been an invisible bedwarmer. It didn't take long before she was asleep. --//-- Kitten woke up, not in the bedroom where she had fallen asleep, but in a beautiful garden. A sleek black horse drank from a nearby reflection pond. "Hello? Is anyone there?" "Yes. I'm glad to have found you, Kitten." "Who are you? How do you know my name?" She gasped, turning to see the stranger. His face was hidden by shadows that shouldn't have been there, but she got the impression he was good-looking. "Because you were meant for me, Luv. I'm yer 'andsome prince, is who I am. And these gardens are mine, and that palace is mine, and this horse is mine, and now, if it's all right with you, of course, you're mine as well." "Okay." She whispered, slowly realizing that she was in a dream. The prince lifted her up onto the horse (the same one she had ridden to the castle of the black lion), and she found that instead of a nightdress, she wore a sparkling gown, pearly satin set with a million little diamonds. They rode up to the white marble palace, and her prince lifted her down from the horse and escorted her to the door. She recognized two of her brothers leading the animal away. Inside, she was greeted by her father and sisters, her other brother carrying in a huge wedding cake with help from the fiance her sister Rose was engaged to marry. And a last figure, one she did not recognize, stood off to the side. "Congratulations, Highness, milady." The man smirked, lowering the hood of his cloak. "seems you'll be happy together? Now the curse is broken." "Curse?" "We'll be happy. Thanks to me Kitten, me love." The prince answered, his voice softening as he mentioned her. And then he leaned in, about to kiss her, when-- Kitten woke up again, this time in the bedroom, and definitely for real. With a small sigh of disappointment, she dressed in the clothes that had been laid out for her, and went back down to find breakfast waiting. There was still no sign of the black lion.