I guess the good news is that I began on a new story the day after Dreams of My Past ended?

Oh well, after having an Aphmau re-run; I noticed that Aaron and Aphmau had a relationship similar to a modern 'Beauty and the Beast' trope. So this was inspired by Beauty and the Beast which is mainly influenced by the story itself and the Disney movie of the same name (Although it borrows elements from the Broadway musical and the 2017 remake). So here's the cast of this chapter:

Aaron- Beast (aka. Prince Adam)

Tatiana- Enchantress' true form

Hyria- Old Beggar Woman (aka. The Enchantress' disguise)

Once upon a time in a faraway land, a young prince lived in a shining castle. Although he had everything his heart desired, the prince was spoiled, selfish and unkind.

But then, one winter's night, an old beggar woman came to the castle and offered him a single rose in return for shelter from the bitter cold. Repulsed by her haggard appearance, the prince sneered at the gift and turned the old woman away. But she warned him not to be deceived by appearances, for beauty is found within. And when he dismissed her again, the old woman's ugliness melted away to reveal a beautiful enchantress.

The prince tried to apologize, but it was too late, for she had seen that there was no love in his heart, and as punishment, she transformed him into a hideous beast and placed a powerful spell on the castle, and all who lived there.

As days bled into months, the prince and his servants were forgotten by the world. For the enchantress had erased all memory of them from the minds of the people they loved. But the rose she had offered was truly an enchanted rose.

Ashamed of his monstrous form, the young prince concealed himself inside his castle with a magic mirror as his only window to the outside world.

If he could learn to love another and earn their love in return by the time the last petal fell, then the spell would be broken. If not, he would be doomed to remain a beast for all time.

As the years passed, he fell into despair and lost all hope. For who could ever learn to love a monster like him?

We'll be introduced to our story's Belle in the next chapter! UwU