Status: Work in progress.
Curse of the Beast
Not So Happy Ending
“If you want to act like a beast then a beast you shall be!”
The words rebounded with a sickening power that hit the young man with enough force to crash him against the stone wall. His handsome features bubbled and warped like heated wax, black fur sprouting all over him. The terrible sounds of bones being snapped filled the large bedroom and his high pitched shrieks changed to deep, monstrous roars. Within moments, there was nothing left of the prince. A beast lay upon the red wool rug, whimpering and shivering.
“Fret not, dear, for I am not entirely without heart.” The woman knelt beside him, her cold grey eyes holding the ice blue within her gaze. “I give you ten years. When the last petal falls from this enchanted rose, your curse will remain permanent. However, should you find love- true love there is a chance that your curse can be broken. This person must be able to see beyond the beast you are and yet, love you for it even so.” With a small smile, the Enchantress stood and waved her hand at the table over near the bedroom balcony. Inside a glass case appeared a single red rose the glistened and radiated with magic. “Good luck.” As she disappeared, the lupine creature howled his despair into the night.
<...>
Ten years later…
“Go to him,” he said, wrenching the words from deep inside. It felt as if he was ripping a part of his soul out. No, he realized, it was his heart. He loved her. He loved this young woman enough to release her so that she could go to her father who needed her far more than he. When she didn’t make to move, he gave her a gentle push away from him. “Go. He is your father, Belle, and he needs your help.”
She hesitated for another moment before flinging her arms around him, hugging him tightly. “Thank you,” she whispered. More words lingered just in her throat, but she was sure there would be time for them later. Right then she had to go save her father.
Beast stood on his balcony moments later, watching below as she left on her horse. Her brown cloak billowed out behind her like a heroine’s as she rushed to the rescue. That was indeed what she was. Belle, his Belle, was a heroine. He knew as sure as he knew that she wasn’t returning, that she could have broken the curse. Had he let her, she would have loved him. Now he would never hear her say those words that he ached to hear. Despair clutched at him and choking back the howl he wanted to release, he disappeared back inside, locking the doors behind him.
“It wasn’t meant to be,” he told himself fiercely. Still, he picked up the blue silver-etched mirror and tucked it inside his large vest pocket. If anything he could keep an eye on her. He even entertained the thought of leaving his castle and going to her perhaps once her father was well again. He tried to tell himself that it was useless, foolish.
“You’re in love,” spoke a familiar voice as he once more closed the door to the west wing. There was no need for him to whirl around to know it was the Enchantress who spoke to him, yet his instinct to survive propelled him to do so. She was just the same. Winter blond hair fell in a straight curtain down her back and her stormy eyes stared haughtily at him. She wore a silver traveling cloak over a pale green woolen dress. Most would think her a beautiful woman at the most. Common but beautiful. None knew the secret beneath save for him. And I know that all too well, he thought bitterly to himself. Ignoring her, he stalked across the landing to the stairs that led to what had been her room. Best to rid it of her trace while he could before it grew too painful.
She followed him, silent at first. When it grew dark she plucked small candle from an alcove and lit it with a casual wave of her hand. Still, neither one spoke until they reached the landing with Belle’s bedroom.
“So that’s it? You aren’t going to chase her?”
“That is it,” he agreed stiffly. “Why do you even care?” He struck a match and lit the candelabras on either side of the bed.
“I gave you a way out and you’re just refusing it?”
“I chose her needs before my own!” he snapped. The fur along his back bristled with a warning. “Her father would have died had I kept her here.” He flung the wardrobe open and began removing the dresses within one by one.
“Temper, now,” she chastised. “Isn’t that what put you in this predicament in the first place?” She glided around the room before sitting primly upon the foot of the bed. “Maybe if you ask nicely I’ll remove my curse anyways.” He glanced back at her to see that falsely sweet smile upon her face. The urge to rip her skin apart arose within him. Oh, how he would enjoy doing that to the woman who ruined his life. If anything, the real beast in the room was her.
Resuming his previous edict to ignore her, he opened the shoe drawer and continued cleaning.
<...>
Away in Little Town, Belle had managed to get her father home. He was currently resting in fresh, warm clothes while she sat at his old work desk writing a letter to Beast. Beast…He had never revealed his true name to her. Not that she had asked, but she had told him her name. Surely he still had manners enough for a proper introduction? She smiled adoringly at the thought. He had his manners. It just seemed that being the Beast that showed came easier. Once father woke up, she would tell him the true tale of the Beast and then return to the castle again. Setting down the quill, her heart swelled at the thought. She should have told him then how she felt. It was quite silly really, very queer, that she should find love in such an unusual person. Yet, her stomach fluttered at the thought of him. Her cheeks flushed when she remembered how his wonderful blue eyes had gazed into hers whenever they conversed. He had really listened to her when they talked. To him, she wasn’t an empty headed chit.
“I love him,” she whispered aloud. As soon as the words left, there came a pounding on her door. She stared at it a moment, hope that Beast had followed her blooming within her. Then the knock came again more insistently and she rushed to answer it with a smile already forming on her face.
She flung the door open expecting to see her love only to run into the barreled chest of none other than the infamous woman chaser, Gaston. The sight of him wiped her smile clean off as he smirked down at her.
“Well, well, if it isn’t the beautiful Belle,” he sneered. “Good to see you home and safe. Now we’ve come with a slight problem, my dear.” She glanced around him and saw several other men. One of whom stood beside an ugly, decrepit carriage. The words on the side were mostly faded except for the last one- asylum.
“What do you want, Gaston?” she asked, sounding far braver than she felt.
“You see, Belle, we believe your father to have- oh, what’s the term?” He mocked a thoughtful look before leering at her once more. “Oh, yes, lost his wits. He seems a bit of a danger to the town. Raving on about a Beast and taking swings at innocent pub goers such as myself.” The men behind him cackled.
Belle shook her head. “No! My father isn’t crazy,” she said vehemently. “Now go away and leave me be!” She went to slam the door in his face, but Gaston was stronger and easily pushed it back open to step inside.
“One moment, men,” he said as he shut the door. “Now, Belle, I’m going to give you a very simply choice. Choose right and your father won’t have to go away at all. I give you my absolute word on it. Your choice is to marry me and I assure your father’s safety. Refuse and we put you both in the carriage and off you go to the madhouse.” He reached and grabbed her chin, forcing her to look up at him. “Which is it, dear?”
<...>
Beast couldn’t resist it. Sitting in his parlor, he removed the mirror from his pocket and looked at the reflection. “Show me Belle,” he commanded softly. It shined green for a moment before he saw Belle in her home with a man he did not know, cupping her chin. Jealousy roared within him. Who was this man? Who did he think he was to touch his Belle in such a way? The urge to rip came again along with a vivid image of tearing the man’s jugular open with the lupine teeth Beast had become so accustomed to.
He couldn’t see Belle’s face. All he could hear were her words.
“Which is it, dear?” the man asked. There was a long pregnant pause.
“Yes, Gaston,” she whispered. “I will marry you.”
The mirror slipped and cracked upon the stone floor.
“Seems you were right,” said the Enchantress from her corner by the fireplace. “Who could ever love a beast?” She showed no flicker of fear as he turned to her.
“You…” he rasped. “You caused ALL OF THIS!”
And there was no prince for that moment. All that remained was the Beast.
The words rebounded with a sickening power that hit the young man with enough force to crash him against the stone wall. His handsome features bubbled and warped like heated wax, black fur sprouting all over him. The terrible sounds of bones being snapped filled the large bedroom and his high pitched shrieks changed to deep, monstrous roars. Within moments, there was nothing left of the prince. A beast lay upon the red wool rug, whimpering and shivering.
“Fret not, dear, for I am not entirely without heart.” The woman knelt beside him, her cold grey eyes holding the ice blue within her gaze. “I give you ten years. When the last petal falls from this enchanted rose, your curse will remain permanent. However, should you find love- true love there is a chance that your curse can be broken. This person must be able to see beyond the beast you are and yet, love you for it even so.” With a small smile, the Enchantress stood and waved her hand at the table over near the bedroom balcony. Inside a glass case appeared a single red rose the glistened and radiated with magic. “Good luck.” As she disappeared, the lupine creature howled his despair into the night.
<...>
Ten years later…
“Go to him,” he said, wrenching the words from deep inside. It felt as if he was ripping a part of his soul out. No, he realized, it was his heart. He loved her. He loved this young woman enough to release her so that she could go to her father who needed her far more than he. When she didn’t make to move, he gave her a gentle push away from him. “Go. He is your father, Belle, and he needs your help.”
She hesitated for another moment before flinging her arms around him, hugging him tightly. “Thank you,” she whispered. More words lingered just in her throat, but she was sure there would be time for them later. Right then she had to go save her father.
Beast stood on his balcony moments later, watching below as she left on her horse. Her brown cloak billowed out behind her like a heroine’s as she rushed to the rescue. That was indeed what she was. Belle, his Belle, was a heroine. He knew as sure as he knew that she wasn’t returning, that she could have broken the curse. Had he let her, she would have loved him. Now he would never hear her say those words that he ached to hear. Despair clutched at him and choking back the howl he wanted to release, he disappeared back inside, locking the doors behind him.
“It wasn’t meant to be,” he told himself fiercely. Still, he picked up the blue silver-etched mirror and tucked it inside his large vest pocket. If anything he could keep an eye on her. He even entertained the thought of leaving his castle and going to her perhaps once her father was well again. He tried to tell himself that it was useless, foolish.
“You’re in love,” spoke a familiar voice as he once more closed the door to the west wing. There was no need for him to whirl around to know it was the Enchantress who spoke to him, yet his instinct to survive propelled him to do so. She was just the same. Winter blond hair fell in a straight curtain down her back and her stormy eyes stared haughtily at him. She wore a silver traveling cloak over a pale green woolen dress. Most would think her a beautiful woman at the most. Common but beautiful. None knew the secret beneath save for him. And I know that all too well, he thought bitterly to himself. Ignoring her, he stalked across the landing to the stairs that led to what had been her room. Best to rid it of her trace while he could before it grew too painful.
She followed him, silent at first. When it grew dark she plucked small candle from an alcove and lit it with a casual wave of her hand. Still, neither one spoke until they reached the landing with Belle’s bedroom.
“So that’s it? You aren’t going to chase her?”
“That is it,” he agreed stiffly. “Why do you even care?” He struck a match and lit the candelabras on either side of the bed.
“I gave you a way out and you’re just refusing it?”
“I chose her needs before my own!” he snapped. The fur along his back bristled with a warning. “Her father would have died had I kept her here.” He flung the wardrobe open and began removing the dresses within one by one.
“Temper, now,” she chastised. “Isn’t that what put you in this predicament in the first place?” She glided around the room before sitting primly upon the foot of the bed. “Maybe if you ask nicely I’ll remove my curse anyways.” He glanced back at her to see that falsely sweet smile upon her face. The urge to rip her skin apart arose within him. Oh, how he would enjoy doing that to the woman who ruined his life. If anything, the real beast in the room was her.
Resuming his previous edict to ignore her, he opened the shoe drawer and continued cleaning.
<...>
Away in Little Town, Belle had managed to get her father home. He was currently resting in fresh, warm clothes while she sat at his old work desk writing a letter to Beast. Beast…He had never revealed his true name to her. Not that she had asked, but she had told him her name. Surely he still had manners enough for a proper introduction? She smiled adoringly at the thought. He had his manners. It just seemed that being the Beast that showed came easier. Once father woke up, she would tell him the true tale of the Beast and then return to the castle again. Setting down the quill, her heart swelled at the thought. She should have told him then how she felt. It was quite silly really, very queer, that she should find love in such an unusual person. Yet, her stomach fluttered at the thought of him. Her cheeks flushed when she remembered how his wonderful blue eyes had gazed into hers whenever they conversed. He had really listened to her when they talked. To him, she wasn’t an empty headed chit.
“I love him,” she whispered aloud. As soon as the words left, there came a pounding on her door. She stared at it a moment, hope that Beast had followed her blooming within her. Then the knock came again more insistently and she rushed to answer it with a smile already forming on her face.
She flung the door open expecting to see her love only to run into the barreled chest of none other than the infamous woman chaser, Gaston. The sight of him wiped her smile clean off as he smirked down at her.
“Well, well, if it isn’t the beautiful Belle,” he sneered. “Good to see you home and safe. Now we’ve come with a slight problem, my dear.” She glanced around him and saw several other men. One of whom stood beside an ugly, decrepit carriage. The words on the side were mostly faded except for the last one- asylum.
“What do you want, Gaston?” she asked, sounding far braver than she felt.
“You see, Belle, we believe your father to have- oh, what’s the term?” He mocked a thoughtful look before leering at her once more. “Oh, yes, lost his wits. He seems a bit of a danger to the town. Raving on about a Beast and taking swings at innocent pub goers such as myself.” The men behind him cackled.
Belle shook her head. “No! My father isn’t crazy,” she said vehemently. “Now go away and leave me be!” She went to slam the door in his face, but Gaston was stronger and easily pushed it back open to step inside.
“One moment, men,” he said as he shut the door. “Now, Belle, I’m going to give you a very simply choice. Choose right and your father won’t have to go away at all. I give you my absolute word on it. Your choice is to marry me and I assure your father’s safety. Refuse and we put you both in the carriage and off you go to the madhouse.” He reached and grabbed her chin, forcing her to look up at him. “Which is it, dear?”
<...>
Beast couldn’t resist it. Sitting in his parlor, he removed the mirror from his pocket and looked at the reflection. “Show me Belle,” he commanded softly. It shined green for a moment before he saw Belle in her home with a man he did not know, cupping her chin. Jealousy roared within him. Who was this man? Who did he think he was to touch his Belle in such a way? The urge to rip came again along with a vivid image of tearing the man’s jugular open with the lupine teeth Beast had become so accustomed to.
He couldn’t see Belle’s face. All he could hear were her words.
“Which is it, dear?” the man asked. There was a long pregnant pause.
“Yes, Gaston,” she whispered. “I will marry you.”
The mirror slipped and cracked upon the stone floor.
“Seems you were right,” said the Enchantress from her corner by the fireplace. “Who could ever love a beast?” She showed no flicker of fear as he turned to her.
“You…” he rasped. “You caused ALL OF THIS!”
And there was no prince for that moment. All that remained was the Beast.
♠ ♠ ♠
Oh, my it has been a LONG time. HIYA! This is a revamp of a super OLD story of mine and with me watching Once Upon a Time and reading a crapton of new stories, books, and what not, I think I'll manage to get the inpiration to complete this one. Hopes are high!