Page 70 of Bianca and the Monsters

I pour syrup over my porridge. “From our realm, not often anymore. Too many vanished, suffering the same fate as Nico. Your preponderance of flying creatures who seem attracted to the portals certainly doesn’t help. Most monsters here decided it wasn’t worth the risk, especially with our strict laws and the fact that most humans aren’t open to relations with monsters.”

While Sir Jimmy considers that, I enjoy a spoonful of the steaming porridge. “However,” I continue, “your realm, with its unregulated portals, is frequently visited by all manner of creatures from hundreds of other realms.”

I know my expression is casting certain aspersions, but I can’t help it. “Your kind are so willing to ignore the inexplicable. Your fairy tales simply adopt the creatures who visit, and life moves on with more creative fiction as the only result. Many creatures time their first trips to coincide with the major comic book conventions.Cosplayprovides the perfect cover and time to adapt to living more inconspicuous lives.”

Sir Jimmy squints at me, clearly desiring more. His silent intensity is quite noteworthy.

“If you tell me what knowledge you seek, I will provide it.” I sound stuffy, but I think it’s necessary to maintain decorum, which means remainingLord Clumberton of the ancient Clumberton lineage, rather than devolving into a simpering monster, pleading for acceptance from his chosen father-in-law.

He finishes chewing a rather large bite of bacon. “Why Bianca? How did you know she wouldn’t blow holes in you when you first showed up?”

I nod, understanding now. “We didn’t. Nico was prepared to expeditiously flee at the first hint of her fear or displeasure, but she was so delightful, open, asking questions, engaging with the sudden arrival of a monster in her house. Pennie and Nico spent decades creating the technology that allowed us to see into the lives of those living in your realm.”

I glance around the interior of the inn and then discreetly add, “There’s no electricity anywhere in our realm, butwehave TV, lights, and many amazing antiques, including arecordplayer.” My pride overfloweth at just how much we have to offer Bianca of the comforts to which she’s accustomed. Sir Jimmy doesn’t seem as amazed as I’d hoped. Ah, well.

“We watched human lives, learning all we could. We had some trouble at the beginning though, accidentally mistakingsoapoperas for reality.Smurfstroubled us deeply but did give us hope, considering the normalization of relations between a host of males and a sole female.”

I feel as though I’m losing points with Sir Jimmy with that observation and yammer, “Thousands of women appeared on our screens over the years, but none of them connected for us—no one until we first saw Bianca.”

“When?” Sir Jimmy asks, annunciating the word with intention. A pointed question that must be answered.

“Just after that scoundrelChadfled and before Clay’s arrival.”

Sir Jimmy’s growl sweeps through the room, alerting all the monsters of his displeasure. They all eye me with suspicion, which Sir Jimmy notices and says disarmingly, “Sorry, just a bad memory. We’re all good here.”

The monsters grunt their understanding and refocus on their own affairs. If Sir Jimmy’s problem had been with me, a brawl might have ensued. The loyalty the monsters feel toward Bianca certainly extends to her father, which pleases me greatly.

“Chadwas almost the reason I went to jail.” He blows out a breath and then leans toward me. “Tell me that if he’d hurt her again, you all would have taken his head and spiked it somewhere.”

I’m turning violet, I just know it. Arousal isn’t the only trigger for such fluctuations. My kind spent several wars deeply violet, our lavender suppressed for years.

“Wait, did you do something to him?” Sir Jimmy demands.

My voice is more impressively growly than Sir Jimmy’s when I say, “Chadmet with a series of misfortunes that ensured he moved far away from our Lady and never troubled her again.”

“Good. I thought I’d saved her, but thanks for the assist with that one.” He eyes me, his curiosity gleaming. “What did you do?”

I lean closer to him. “Do you have any idea the damage a monster can inflict on a brand-new convertible or two orthree? Or when running through a house wall and out the other side numerous times? Or to technology in general? Or to pretty much anything we wish to destroy?”

That won me some points for sure. “There is a reason our castle walls are thick and our architecture sturdy. Your world isn’t prepared for our force and neither was Chad, who struggled to explain so many calamities. After several visits to his residence, he could no longer obtain insurance, was under investigation for damaging his own possessions, and was forced to move to a city with better mass transit.”

Sir Jimmy smiles broadly, basking in the glow of my tale. “Couldn’t have happened to a more deserving bully. I approve.” Then he nods as he considers his breakfast. “Now, tell me about this queen who you doubt will hear our case.”

Ourcase… Nico’s restitution has a worthy ally in Bianca’s father.

“She lost her daughter tragically and since then, she’s ensured that no other women are harmed here. She helped the females of all the monster species to find better lives in a less toxic place.”

“When did that happen?”

“Decades ago. We’ve been more than fifty of your years, maybe a hundred, on our own, with loneliness as our inescapable companion. Some sought connection, like my family did, where others have become isolated and even friendless. The nurturing power of romantic attachments carries a value that is often only truly understood in hindsight. To have loved and lost, that is altogether different than never knowing such depths.”

“I certainly agree with that. Were any of you ever in love before your world changed?”

My body momentarily locks down, such is my surprise at his question and the way that he, like his daughter, reaches to the heart of things. “Pennie loved once, quite deeply, but that ended long before the queen arrived in our realm. She’s not from here. She came from a disastrous realm of violence and darkness, pregnant with her daughter. The king of our land—a distant relative of mine—met her and cherished her instantly, welcoming her daughter as his own. When he died in the wars, she claimed power and we monsters followed her.”

I consider that choice we all made and what our lives might be without the queen’s influence. Shame heats my face, knowing I would never be worthy of Bianca without the queen’s rules and the lessons she forced on us. “The queen instantly worked to improve our society to give her daughter a safe place to exist, but our country had been at war for so long and resolving that conflict required an iron fist. She was a good ruler—isa good ruler—but when her daughter died at the hands of another distant relative of mine, her heart never recovered.”

With a deep sigh, I confide, “We don’t blame her, but we do dare to hope her heart heals and with it, our realm.” I shake my head. “I apologize—I didn’t actually answer your question. Yes, Pennie loved before and I’ve had associations along the way, but none of us has ever experienced anything remotely like what we feel now. Nico, never. And Bastien has found his only true mate in this life.”

---