Beastly Beautiful

*Drake*

“Master Drake, would you like to eat breakfast now?” I look lethargically at the door and back up to the ceiling.

“Why would I? Food does nothing, but remind me of a life that has forsaken me.” Thuds travel quietly down the hallway. When the curse commenced, Ralph, my butler, transformed into an enchanted coat hanger. In fact, all the servants became such items. Most everyone abandoned me after this heinous sorcery took hold, but not Ralph. Why should I need any body else anyways? I have no point in living being the wretched being I am. The rose has finally started to lose petals and I am content with disintegrating into the earth to become one with worms who are the equivalent to my worth.

I have nothing. I am nothing. The mantra of my existence.

The hand mirror that the imbecilic witch gave me starts shaking, making an unpleasant noise. I pick it up, throw it against the wall and am satisfied by hearing it shatter. A blue light starts glowing from where it landed and I sigh. The mirror, repaired, comes flying towards me and stops in front of my face.

A girl with golden hair and emerald eyes appears in the mirror. Ugh. Her face is the last face I want to see. “Go away Isis! Haven’t you tormented me enough?”

She pouts and I try to push the mirror away, but it always returns to the same spot. “Didn’t you get the message when you gave me this mirror?”

“Take this mirror. It may come in handy someday.”

“I don't need your help, witch. I don't want it either! Just abandon me and forsake me! Everyone else has so why can't you?!?”

She rolls her eyes and tries to repress her agitation. “You’ll be thanking me soon enough so get out of bed and do something with yourself. Look nice and go for a walk or something.”

“Look nice?!? Look nice?!?!” I roar sitting up from my bed. “Thanks to you no one on earth could make me look nice! Now go away!!”

The mirror finally drops on my lap and goes blank. Disbelief still rages within me when I think about ever courting such a monstrous sorceress. Why the devil would I ever need to look nice? I won't let her riddles fool me.

“Master, Master!! Get up quickly and get dressed!” I hear Ralph shout from the bottom of the stairs.

I groan as I roll out of my lavish bed. Putting on my usual attire, I look in the mirror. My black wig is neatly in place, complimenting my mask that covers half of my face, the bad half. Long sleeves, pants, and gloves hide my scars and shame. Even all this isn't enough to cover up this beast. Lumps form randomly and scars appear on the other side of my face. Part of the curse, which I quickly learned, is that no matter how hard I try, I will always be noticeably ugly and grotesque. I give up and leave as I am.

“What?!” I shout through the hallway, shaking the pictures on the wall. I can hear the thuds coming closer and closer until I see his dull wood body. “Well what is it? Why did you disturb me?”

“Well…” Ralph slowly says. “There may be a person out on the cliffs…”

I search his face to see if this was a trick. No hint of deceit lies within his eyes. “Why would there be someone out there? Did they come here to torment me or mock me!?!?”

Before I can hear his response, I race down towards the cliffs. My eyes devour the land with fiery hunger. No one makes a fool out of me! I see them, hunched over in the flowers. My hands grab the collar of this peasant.

“Why are you here!?” I roared angrily. My eyes widen as they look upon a young women.

Her honey colored eyes stare back in shock at me. I drop her immediately to the ground. I don’t have time to waste on a peasant girl. Last time I did, it ended badly. “Leave here and don’t come back!”

I turn my back to her and start to walk away. “P-p-please could I finish filling my basket? I’m almost done.”

Her timid and meek voice barely catch my ears. I look back at her and down at her basket filled with the flowers about half way full. “No! I said get out of here before I cut your throat with my blade!”

Taunting her, I pretend to be coming at her. Her body quivers with fear and just from her eyes I can tell she's disgusted by my appearance. Before I know it, an acute, sharp pain resides on the left side of my face. A mirror, just like mine, is tightly held in her hands. To make the matters worst, she starts yelling.

“Isis! Help me!” She screams into the mirror. I try to get up and cover her mouth, but I stumble over a rock in the process and fall flat on my back. Pain dominates my spine as I try to get up again. I give up and just sit there frustrated and agitated.

An old lady’s voice starts talking and says, “What is it deary?? Are you alright?”

“No! There’s a creepy man in a mask! What should I do?!?” She picks up a rock and winds back her arm.

“Stop it peasant! I won’t hurt you. I can barely stand up!” This at least makes her lower the rock, but doesn’t stop her from threatening me.

Isis warns, “Don’t let him get up! He’s very dangerous! His strength won’t return for a couple more seconds so keep him on the ground!”

"The beast is real! It's not just some rumor!" She gasps as her eyes widen, probably realizing the reality of danger. The girl steps on my chest with great gusto causing my back to crack even more. I yell in distress causing her to step on me even harder. To the mirror she says, “Okay now what? It seems like he won’t be getting up for a while.”

Anger fills my insides. This was all Isis’s idea! This is why she interrupted my peaceful solitude!! I feel my strength coming back and my back heals. I push the girl's foot off of me and throw her over my shoulder.

Her kicks feel like a infants throwing pebbles at me. She bites my shoulder, but I don’t care. The rage at Isis is enough power for me to ignore the girl's feeble attempts to get away.

“Let me down!!” She screams into my ear, still pounding her small fists against me and kicking my stomach.

As I get into the garden I throw her down. “Close the gates!”

Trees, once gardeners, make sure there’s nowhere for her to escape. She’s shaking with fear and my face shows indifference. She had the chance to run and she didn’t take it. Whose fault is that now!? I am a king and I deserve to be treated as one!

“Listen up! If you’re smart you’ll stay away from that witch and don't mess with me! I am not afraid to break every single limb in your body.”

I walk away full of disgust. As I enter my castle, Ralph meets me at the door. He inquires, “What are you going to do with the girl, Master Drake? Should I arrange a room for her?”

“No. Just let her rot out there!”

Ralph watches as I stride to the stairs half insane, still angry at Isis and the stupid girl. I should have just pushed her down the cliff when I had the chance. I can’t let her go now. A mob could come after me if she goes and spreads around the word that a creepy man lives in a castle above the cliffs. No, I’ll leave her out there till she rots or kill her my self. Whichever comes first. I try to suppress hope; hope that had died right along with my hair.