Ashley Beach-Author and Storyteller

Beauty Redeemed is all about redemption and the battle between dark and light within all of the characters and those who struggle with it in the real world. The Spring realm is the realm of light but it has its own brushes with darkness. We find out in the story that Julianna’s mother, who presents herself as a pristine queen, had several brushes with darkness, once with the Dark Lord particularly, and later when she uses stolen magic from the Dark Lord to help her get pregnant with Julianna. Mauriden, the healer of the land was once a servant of the Dark Lord and wielded dark magic before becoming a child of light. There are little pockets of darkness like this throughout the Spring realm and I created a place in the Spring realm that was kind of this house similar to vanity fair in Pilgrim’s Progress. The manor house is kind of a strange enigma. It can only be found by those with ties to darkness and it is only visible at night. As soon as the sun rises, it disappears from sight and only reappears when the moon rises again the following night. It is described in a couple of different ways, depending on the time of day and events surrounding the house. Take a look at some descriptions of the manor house:

Julianna wandered the halls and stopped in various grand rooms for a few minutes. It seemed like there were many more people than had been at previous parties. She had no idea how many of these people had become residents here or how many had been invited in just for the party tonight. Julianna stopped in the main ballroom and stood as much out of the way as possible. She watched as people ate and drank and carried on like they didn’t have a care in the world. She didn’t know how long she would be here but she hoped she would never become that careless and absorbed into the things of this manor. She stood around for a few more moments and left to wander into another room. She ended up in a room with many long tables overflowing with foods of various kinds, from all manner of meats and cheeses to multitudinous pastries and dishes dripping with rich sauces. Julianna supposed she should eat something. She weaved between the crush of people and started filling a gold plate with some of the food. She squeezed through again and found a place on the outskirts of the walls.

Quite the contrast. In creating the manor house, I wanted to create a place that kind of encapsulated what it is like to live a life of selfish desires fulfilled or what it’s like to be trapped in the world of sin and our fleshly desires. The one description shows the manor house empty and silent, showing the reality behind the façade of the glitz and glamor of the nightly parties. The other shows the manor house full of “life” with tons of people everywhere, dressed very fashionably, lots of rich food and gilded decorations. Like Pilgrim’s Progess’ vanity fair, the manor gives all who enter all the pleasures and fleshly desires of their hearts. It is a strange house because there are endless rooms that change and flow depending on the guests in residence at the manor at the time and each room is filled with whatever the occupant desires most. Different things appear out of thin air to fulfill the people’s deepest desires in that moment, but none of it is real and none of it lasts. When Julianna is walking through the manor house, it is implied that some of the people at the lavish party may not even be real and that it is hard to distinguish what is real and what is not in the manor. 

We can be drawn into places like this in our lives. Places that look beautiful and shiny and offer a false sense of importance or purpose or acceptance. Earthly things fill our temporary needs for affirmation, fame, fortune, relationships, but none of it fills us completely. When Julianna is trapped in the manor house, her room has a false window full of beautiful flowers, but upon closer inspection, the flowers are not real and the window doesn’t let in any true sunlight. She reaches points of confusion or listlessness, just existing in the false world of desire. Her thoughts become twisted and she loses sight of her home, her family, the Mage’s Son, and the kingdom of light she was born and raised in. Darien knows the dangers of the manor house and is hesitant to rescue Julianna from the house because he knows how quickly one can succumb to the grip of the house on one’s life, but he goes anyway because he’s one of the few that can find it and make an effort to rescue Julianna. The trick: the house doesn’t actually hold anyone captive. The people who enter the manor enter of their own free will and it is their choice to leave. The real trap for those in residence is the belief that they can’t leave.

“Julianna,” Darien said gently as he stepped towards her. “You don’t have to stay in this house if you don’t want to. The house can’t bind you to it or keep you here. The door opens to anyone who genuinely wants to leave. Those are the rules of this manor and Lady Roxana knows it. She can’t keep you here against your will.” 

Julianna flinched when Darien touched her face. He pulled back. Julianna continued to look down and asked, “What if I don’t know how to leave?” 

Sin is a tricky business. It often looks good and enticing and beneficial, but in reality, it’s not. It creates a façade of acceptance and affirmation and draws people into its grip. It may not overpower us at first, but like a python slowly squeezing its victim to death, it slowly chokes us to death. It paints a picture of all the things we want most in this life and promises to give us those things, but the things we receive when we sell ourselves to those lies are cheap and tarnished and don’t last. Once sin has lured us in, it turns on us and abuses us into further submission and takes away our thoughts and beliefs that we have a choice. It removes all hope of being rescued and shames us into thinking this is our life and there is no way out. It makes us believe that we will never be anything more than these destructive choices we have made for our lives. Some enter the manor eagerly and don’t see the rust and tarnish behind the gilded walls. Some come and go as they please and try to live their double lives without cross over from their secret life. Some enter because they don’t feel worthy of entering anywhere else. Some give up and give in because it’s too hard to try to get out. Some feel the choices they have made bind them to the house and shame keeps them numb residents.

As dark and dismal as this manor house is, there is HOPE. Every person who enters can leave any time they want to. They just have to decide to leave and believe that they can. You can leave the shame and guilt and choices you’ve made behind and step into the redemptive light of God’s love. You can return to the kingdom of light or enter for the first time any time you want. God does not hate you for your choices. You have no idea how much it pains Him to see His beloved trapped in that world. He sent His Son to rescue us once and He would do it a thousand times over if He thought it would bring you home. Your room within His palace walls is ready and waiting for your return. You have only to enter. 

If you are trapped in a manor house of your own, I pray for your release. I too have been a resident in that house too many times in my life and know how hard it is to leave or even question how to leave it. It takes someone believing in you and showing you the love and light that has set them free and be a source of support and encouragement as you start this new life. It is a fight for your life and the enemy does everything he can to destroy our hope and the power of Christ’s love but know there are angel armies fighting just as hard for your heart and soul and mind. Christ intercedes for you all the time and prays for your return home and freedom. The Holy Spirit prays with groanings deep and beyond what we can even fathom, willing your spirit back into the redeeming light of God’s love. You can find freedom. You’re not bound to the manor house. If you need help being reminded of this or help stepping out of the manor house, you can always reach out to me. Find a church that preaches the Bible and its truths and surround yourself with truth and people who bear the truth in their lives. I’m far from perfect and there are times I still find myself at the door to the manor, wanting entrance, but not, and so I know how hard it is, especially when you are in times of hardship or heartache or exhaustion. Remember the light within. You have it, you just need to find it. You are beautifully redeemed.