Beauty and the Beast

Ryan's POV

It felt like eons had slipped away as we stood there, watching my servants dance. I snuck a look at Isabelle, who was laughing, delight shinning on her face. I felt myself starting to smile, because seeing her smile was like seeing...I don't know. Something amazing. Like a sunset or a sunrise. Or--God, I need to get a grip on myself. I gave myself a mental slap, but what I really need was to bang my head against a brick wall or something. Hopefully said action would knock this sudden nonsense out, or the next thing you know I'm going to be spitting out Shakespeare or something.
"Merde! Monsieur Tier!" Lennie cried, everyone boogie-ing freezing mid-boogie. The Black Eyed Peas continued to sing as we stood there, staring at each other. Tension filled the cavernous room, and I felt the usual anger simmer as David practically tripped over his own feet trying to reach us.
"Good heavens!" David cried, wringing his hands. "Master Tier. I must apologize, we didn't realize the time." Damn straight. They knew they were in trouble, but only David and Lennie had the grace to look ashamed. Mrs. Angela just smiled her smile, and glided over.
"You brought a guest?" She said, her eyes twinkling.
"She's not a guest." I snapped. They frowned at me, and I felt Isabelle glare at me. "Now, if you are done making fools of yourselves, I'm going upstairs for a bit. Show her around." I turned and went to walk away, but turned back around when I remembered something. I turned just in time to see her stick her tongue out at me. I rolled my eyes. "Mature. Don't go into the room with the blue door. OK? That's private." Emphasis on private, I thought to myself.
"Whatever." Her blatant dismissal had my teeth grinding together almost to the point of pain, and I stopped myself from turning back around to yell at her. But pride wouldn't allow me to, so I walked a little faster to get away.
How this girl had managed to get under my skin so quickly was beyond me. But I was determined to figure it out, and find a cure or something. I felt more than saw someone walk up behind me.
"You're being rude." I closed my eyes. Mrs. Angela.
"Do I really give a damn?" I told her, still walking.
"Well, you should. She's beautiful." God, she's more than beautiful... she's ethereal, magical. I couldn't, in any of the four languages I know describe how beyond beautiful she was.
So why am I even hoping that someone like her could ever love a monster...
"So, she's probably an airhead. Or something." I lied. I knew better. She was smart. And funny. And kind. Way, way better than anyone I deserve. Hell, I don't even deserve to be in the same room with her. Sadness mixed with a heavy does of anger assaulted me. Drugging my already morose mood.
I think I'm going to go kill myself now.
"You know that's not true. I just met her, and I know she's special." You're not the only one. Annoyed now, I stopped walking, allowing Mrs. Angela to catch up.
"Whatever. Stay out of my business, and go make some tea. You're good at that." Not looking at her
"Yes, master." Came her clipped reply. I winced at her tone, which was like an ice pick aimed for the back of my throat.
Grumbling about interfering servants, and Isabelle's damned smile, I made my way to my room.
My haven.
I walked in, and everything was almost right. Almost.
I walked to the middle of the room, and slowly turned around, taking in my surroundings. I stopped to see my mom and dad smiling down at me, and I closed my eyes at the sudden rush of emotions that hit me. Standing there, with my eyes closed, I could almost hear my mother's laugh, and feel my dad's arms around me as they enveloped me in a hug. A warm breeze flew in from the opened balcony pulling me out of my trance. I watched as the wind made the curtains move, almost like they were dancing. I walked to the balcony, and out to the gardens. I gazed out into the grounds below me, taking in every little detail. The fountains, the workers tending to the gardens, to the flowers. There was Pied, Chip's dog. Mrs. Angela's son had claimed him as his own when Pied first came here. The dog was an idiot, but Chip loved him... So, I allowed him to stay.
And then there were the roses. My mothers roses. She had planted them before they....
Feeling a need to talk to them, I jumped over the side of the balcony to grab onto the vines on the wall. Quickly climbing down, I raced off as soon as my feet touched the ground.
I tore through the grounds, my feet moving on instinct, turning here, jumping there. I ran until I was out of breath, until I came up to my parents.
"Hey mom, hey dad." I sank down next to them. "I had a pisser of a day." I paused, weighing in my mind which information I should or shouldn't tell them. "And well...there's this girl..."
I sat there, time stretching on, telling them of my day. And about Isabelle. I sat there talking as darkness fell.
"Master Tier?" I whirled around snarling at the ignorant fool who interrupted my time with my parents.
Lennie and David were there, almost shaking in their shoes with an expression of pure dread mirrored on both of their faces.
"We can't find her."
"What?" I stood up sharply. "You LOST her?"
"Oui." Lennie said. "One minute she was there, the next, poof," he made the "poof" gesture with his hands, "she was gone."
"How!?"
"We don't know."
"Idiots." I snarled as I ran back to the castle. Damned fool girl already got herself lost. I reached the castle, and went back up the way I came down. I jumped down from the balcony and flew into the room.
And slammed into Isabelle. We both froze.
"Tier!" She cried.
"What...what are you doing in here?"
Disbelief, betrayal, and pure rage hit me in one instant as she backed away from me.
"WHAT THE HELL ARE YOU DOING IN HERE?" I yelled at her.
"I was--I was--I'm sorry." She was visibly trembling now.
"I TOLD YOU THIS WAS PRIVATE!"
"Yes!" She cried. "I said I was sorry!" Betrayal. Anger. Fear. She was in a room I had put my heart and soul in. Fear that she could, with one fell swoop, rip them to shreds. I was hit with another wave of fury.
"SORRY!" I was shaking now, beyond reason. Beyond any shred of sanity I once held. I wanted to hit her, make her feel the pain I was feeling. The empty, deep emptiness. "SORRY?"
"They're beautiful." She whispered. And then I lost it. I grabbed the nearest thing to me, and threw it at her. She ducked, and screamed.
"GET OUT! GET THE HELL OUT OF HERE NOW!"