L'ange et Le Monstre
A/N- Ok, so my first fan fic, just needed something to do. Basically another version of BatB. Yeah. So. Um, just read it and tell me what you think.
Long ago, in the French country side, there was a wealthy family, the Noirmorts. Rumor was that they were the long-forgotten airs to the throne. Far from the small, peaceful village was their castle, secluded from everyone else by a wild patch of old woods. The castle was further kept in by a stone wall, entirely surrounding the castle grounds.
Any guests or servants, upon arriving, would say that it appeared more as a prison or fort than a castle.
The villagers never dared to cross that section of woods, nor venture to the castle, for there were also terrible rumors about the Noirmorts, dark rumors, whispered from one ear to another.
Some of the gossipers claimed that the royal family sacrificed their servants in black rituals.
Others claimed that the women of the family practiced witchcraft, which was, back then, considered one of the darkest of crafts.
Others said that any un-welcome guest would be tortured horribly in the castle's famed dungeons.
Unknown to the peaceful villagers, though, that some of these rumors were true.
For though the women of the Noirmort family did not practice witchcraft, they often found enjoyment in watching others suffer. Countless people fell prey to the hands of Lady Monique, and her husband, Lord Claude. Their two daughters, whose names have been forgotten, were never seen around the house, nor, it was said, ever ventured out of the castle cellars.
Their youngest, an, it was said, their strangest child, was Gabriel.
Gabriel Noirmort took after his father in looks, yet neither in temperament. He grew quickly into a tall, ungainly boy, though with broad shoulders and powerful limbs. Shaggy, un-kempt black hair fell down to his shoulders, usually falling in front of his thoughtful brown eyes.
Unlike his sharp, unaffectionate mother, and cynical and cruel father, Gabriel was soft-spoken and spent all of his time in his bedroom chambers, sketching and painting pictures that would show the castle garden, filled with roses, or the skyline, tangled with crooked, dying trees.
After reaching his thirteenth year, he abandoned his paints for the piano, recruiting to the spacious music room and playing music for hours on end. Gabriel took to singing along with to the music, which, after mastering many other pieces, he composed himself.
But, as it was, fate decided to visit the Noirmort family.
The Lady and Lord had long been in the black market, and had long been cheating those whose goods they bought. Their daughters also stole from merchants who happened to wander to close to the castle. Some claimed they used the Dark Craft to lure them there.
But, unfortunately for the Noirmorts, they had cheated beings other that humans. Beings such as demons, and the wild, unpredictable Fey.
One terrible, stormy night ( as it seems to always bring bad tidings), a dark figure appeared at their door. It raised a hand from the folds of its robe and banged on the door repeatedly until a servant hurried and opened the door.
"Bonjour, monsieur?"
The stranger looked past the servant into the gigantic front room, were a fire was burning. Claude was standing by it, drawn to the room by the knocking. "Who are you?" he sneered. "Not some beggar, I hope."
The stranger drew back his hood, revealing a ivory-pale face and flashing red eyes. "Oh, no, monsieur, not some beggar at all," he hissed quietly. Fangs flashed as he spoke.
Claude visibly paled and his jaw dropped open. Trying to regain his composure, he called for his wife, who appeared out of hidden door next to the fireplace. There were many such doors around the house. As Monique saw the pale, red-eyed man, her eyes widened in horror.
"Speechless, Madame, are you? Ah, no matter." The man, who was, in fact, a demon, stepped into the house. The servant had long since scurried off in fright. "Kindly call your children."
The Lord steeped forward angrily. "How DARE you come into my house and make commands, you bastard! Leave at once!"
Monique voiced similar complaints, though with much more colorful language. She had been brought up in a less-refined family.
The demon smiled dangerously. "Oh, dear. This would have been a less unpleasant meeting, had you shown me the proper respect." He spoke in a pleasant voice, in a tone that could be remarking about the weather. "But now I'm afraid that you and your family has cheated and disgraced our kind one to many times, do you not think?" He laughed softly.
The daughters came running in down the broad staircase that lead to one of the upper levels of the castle. "Mother! Father!" One panted, her hair falling into her face. They both skipped the last step, black dresses swirling around them. They skidded to a stop next to their parents.
"So glad you could make it, mademoiselles." The demon bowed deeply.
The other daughter narrowed her eyes at the demon. "How dare that lowly creature step into our house!" she snarled. Her sister clenched her fist while shooting angry looks at their parents. "You promised us that they wouldn't know about the stolen goods!"
Claude opened his mouth to respond, but was cut off by the demon's sharp look. " Vile, arrogant humans. You really don't care about anybody but yourselves, do you?" he spat. "Ignorant fools. You actually think that you're all as flawless as the mirrors show you to be, do you not?" The demon glared at them each in turn, eyes glittering. "Call your son, Monsieur, and I will show you what happens to humans who cross demons."
To frightened of what the demon would do to him if he did not, because he'd seen what they were capable of, he called Gabriel's name.
He strode out of the music room, which was in the far corner of the front room. "Yes, Father?" he asked respectfully. Gabriel learned at an early age to be obedient and well-mannered to his parents, or would spend a day and a night in the dungeon.
As it was said, the Noirmorts were not kind people.
Gabriel stopped halfway across the room, staring at the demon.
"Ah, Gabriel, is it? Such a lovely name, " the demon said warmly.
"Do I know you, monsieur?" Gabriel asked politely. "It seems that you know me, yet I do not recall meeting you."
"Oh, I know you're family, alright." The demon turned away from where Claude, Monique, and the two daughter were standing together. "See what happens, when you act wrongly to my clan!" he shouted, tracing a complicated symbol in the air before him.
Gabriel fell to him knees, wrapping his arms around him. "What's .. happen-" he started to ask before his words were cut off by a strong gust of wind, that seemed to some from no where. It surrounded him, gusting around his clothes and whipping at his hair.
Gabriel braced his hand against the floor, his face contorted in a grimace of pain. His family gasped in shock as black fur suddenly appeared on his hand. The fur grew upwards, covering both his hands, his body, and face. His nose narrowed and changed, until it resembled a cat's. His fingernails elongated into sharp, deadly claws, and his teeth into fangs. Horns, like a ram's, curled over his ears. A wolf-like tail sprouted out of the base of his spine.
The wind stopped and Gabriel was left kneeling on the floor, changed into almost beyond recognition.
Monique sagged against the wall, her legs refusing to support her. "M-monster!" She gasped. The rest of the family looked at Gabriel, who was formerly so beautiful, in revulsion.
Gabriel's sisters shuddered. "How hideous!" one whispered.
The demon looked smugly at Gabriel, who was still trying to catch his breath, the transformation, the demon had made sure of, was very painful. 'And, as you can see," he announced to the stunned family. "He is no longer human, but, as Monique so kindly put it, a monster. He has no memory of who he was, and, should you remain in this castle, will slaughter every one of you."
Understanding what the demon was saying, they rushed out of the castle as quickly as they could. They had many other places they could live, and they all knew what invincible creatures demon magic could make. They had never witnessed it before, and now…
As they rushed out into the night, the demon walked over to Gabriel and looked down at him. "See, how they all flee from you? Not very smart, are they, being deceived by a simple lie?"
Gabriel twisted his head to look at the demon. The white of his eyes were now black, his irises red. "How...how could you do this to me?" he moaned. His voice, which was once smooth, had a feral, growling undertone to it. He dropped his gaze to the floor. "I'm…" Gabriel broke off and the demon saw tears drip onto the floor.
The demon smirked. "My work is done. My goal was to punish your family for cheating my clan out of our pay, and now they are punished. No home, no servants…and no son, as far as they're concerned."
"You're horrible! I didn't even do anything! You're a heartless monster!"
"I think that you respectfully earn the title of 'monster', now, my dear Gabriel. But, as it seems your heart is purer than your families, I will give you a chance. One chance, and that is all."
Gabriel stood up shakily, staring at the floor. His new tail hung limply behind him.
"If, and only 'if', you can get another to love you, despite, your…outer appearance, then the curse I have placed on you will be broken."
Gabriel nodded dully. The demon noted that his eyes filled with quiet despair.
"Au revoir, then Gabriel." He walked to the door, then paused before leaving. "Oh, and one more thing," he called over his shoulder. "Good luck. You'll be needing it," the demon laughed. With that he left the Noirmort castle, closing the door solidly behind him.