Title: The Garden

Genre: Romance/Fantasy

Rating: M

Disclaimer: I no own

Summary: His father had three months to buy him back from Master Riku. For now Sora was stuck in an enchanted palace with a cursed Beast. – RiSo

UNBETA'D. BEWARE OF ERRORS.

Thank you CookieFan57 for forcing me to write the first 5 pages. Without your persistence I would've not have finished this all in one night.

VII: HE DASHED HER HOPES

Sora peered at the Master from across the dining room table. It was a bit surreal to be sitting at a table end as if he were head of the household.

Master Riku's attention, however, seemed to be elsewhere. It gave the teenager more leeway to stare, blue eyes tracing every feature available to him. From the jutted out fangs up to the curved horns. Still, he couldn't help but be in awe.

"Do you like it here?"

The gravelly question caused him to jump minutely in his seat, and he felt his face flush with embarrassment as luminous green eyes glanced into his own. So, he had known all along that blue eyes had been staring.

Managing to throw the beast a sheepish smile, he looked back down to his porridge, swirling his spoon through the thick substance before finally answering. "You have a lovely manor, and everyone here is very nice."

It wasn't a lie. Although the loneliness Sora felt sometimes was overwhelming. The servants mostly kept their distance, and the Master was never anywhere to be found. The only company that he regularly had was in the form of dreams. And even then, whenever he tried to remember them, they were hazy at best.

Master Riku watched his every move, it made him feel self conscious.

A sigh resonated throughout the large room, or Sora thought it was a sigh, from the beast at the other end of the table it sounded a bit more like a low roar. "I'm sorry that you have to stay here."

The apology was surprising, but it lifted his spirit considerably. "You don't have anything to be sorry about, it…my…that man made the bargain with you, and you were only making sure he kept it."

There was an understanding between the two, and for the first time Sora didn't feel awkward around the Master.

The beast averted their eye contact, and the teenager hid a smile as he took a small bite of his breakfast. Really, for such a frightening looking creature, Master Riku was endearing. After all, evil creatures did not sincerely apologize over something that really had not been their faults. Maybe the reason as to why they had not seen much of each other was because the beast was avoiding him. Maybe he was keeping his distance because of his outer appearance. It seemed plausible.

"I'm sorry that you're lonely as well."

The fact that someone had noticed caused a sharp pain to burst in Sora's heart. He did not look up from his food as he shook his head. What was he supposed to say to that?

He blinked away the sting behind his eyes and let out a small murmur of a sigh. "That's not your fault either."

"I've come to realize that I have not been an entirely gracious host." Master Riku continued, "It may not come off as you being a guest, but you're no prisoner."

His heart was in this throat as he thought of the possibilities of freedom, "Then…am I allowed to leave the manor whenever I wish?" His voice was quiet, so low that it was barely above a whisper.

The sun's rays shown through the heavy grey overcast and window pane, bathing the Master in an ethereal glow. And for a moment Sora was sure he was seeing a handsome man on the other end of the table. His eyes widened as green eyes narrowed at him and an amused smirk was thrown his way.

The man cocked an eyebrow as he seemed to think for a moment, and when he spoke it was not that of a growl. His voice was crisp, clear, and velvety. "I shall try to arrange it so that someone can escort you around town. I'm sorry, it's not as if you're untrustworthy, but I don't want your father taking you back until he has paid me."

Sora tried to control his breathing and not blink, his hands were shaking. The man was from his dreams, the one he had briefly seen in Naminé's quarters. The man was sitting where the Master had been. The man's voice caused shivers to wrack his entire frame. His face was only a little different from his hazy mind's eye. Still, he was breathtaking.

"It's not entirely about the money. I also want to teach him a lesson, one that he needs to learn direly."

The clouds moved over the sun and Sora couldn't help but blink. In that moment the beast was there again.

Green eyes stared expectantly, obviously wanting some sort of response, and it took a while for the younger man to find his voice.

"I…that sounds fair," His appetite was suddenly lost. Taking in a deep breath, he tried to calm his nerves. "And it makes sense."

The beast nodded in agreement, finishing off his breakfast with one more lap of his tongue. Afterwards he cleared his throat, "Is there anything that you would like to do today?"

Yet another surprising sentence to hear.

There was nothing really that he wanted, aside from company. And maybe he wanted to learn a little bit about the curse. After all, Naminé had mentioned that the Master needed true love. Sora was sure he could fall in love with him, despite his outward appearance. But if he only had three months to do it he'd have to spend some time with the beast, if only to know exactly how he felt.

"Are you doing anything today?" Sora asked shyly.

For a moment it was almost as if Master Riku were at a loss for words, Sora was glad he was the one who was being surprising this time.

"I'm afraid I have affairs to attend to today," The beast said in an apologetic tone of voice. Or at least the teenager thought it was, when one's voice was nothing more than growls and gravel it was difficult to tell.

He tried not to let his shoulders visibly slump. So much for that brilliant idea, what else could be expected?

"That's alright," He braved a small smile. "You're the master of this place. It's understandable that you'll be busy."

It was a very painfully awkward ten minutes before he was finally dismissed.

Journal Entry 28

I'm now allowed to leave the premises as long as I have a chaperone. You would think that I would have a problem with that, but I don't. The thought of being allowed back into town is exciting, and I'm very happy about it.

A part of me wonders who is going to be my escort. I almost feel as if they're more of a body guard, protecting me from my father. Sad but unfortunately true. Maybe the servants will take turns, I don't mind that. As long as that blonde woman, what was her name?

Larxene.

As long as I'm not alone with her, she didn't seem very nice.

It's all so surreal, the fact that I'm witnessing everything with my own eyes doesn't seem to matter!

A master of the manor cursed into a hideous monster by a distasteful witch. Various details aside, this story is eerily familiar to the fairy tale Beauty and the Beast, one that my mother used to tell me as a child before bed. It's the only book that's probably not in the manor's library. When Naminé told me the circumstances, I couldn't help but twist the classic tale around.

'Once upon a time

There was a young prince

Who was placed under a curse

By a distraught witch

She was in love with him

But he rejected her

He dashed her hopes

She took the hearts

Of his loved ones

And aimed to kill him

His fairy saved them all

But at a price

And only true love

Can set them free.'

Am I even meant to fall in love with him? It's all a little ridiculous. Also, am I supposed to know such an important plot key? I can't help but laugh outright at the entire thing. This is my life, yet it feels like some sort of story book.

I want to fall in love with him, true, pure love, if only to help everyone. I cannot imagine a life without a heart. No emotion and time freezing them at a certain age, while all of their old family and friends have aged by years now. Even Riku has aged.

Riku…something about him just pulls me towards him. I want to be with him always, and I can't wrap my mind around it. I do know that it feels as if everything is finally clear for me, for the first time in so long. I feel as if I can actually see.

I know for a fact that I like Riku, and I know that I dream about him. The dreams are easily forgotten as soon as I wake, but I know that they happen.

It's odd, even though I barely know him, I still find him endearing and charming. And maybe I can see myself falling in love with him very easily if he'd let me.

The town had never been interesting to Sora beforehand, yet a after nearly a month of having no outside contact it was exciting and invigorating to him. The weather was still below freezing. He was bundled up in the warmest clothes Roxas could throw together.

A little behind him strolled Axel, his red hair up in a high ponytail and black scarf securely wrapped around his neck and ears. His gloved hands were kept deeply in his pockets, yet he kept shivering despite wearing layers of clothing.

It had been interesting that morning. Sora had mentioned at breakfast that he wanted to go into town for a walk, most of the servants jumped at the chance to take him. Eventually they drew straws, and Axel's was the shortest.

"So where are we going specifically?" The redhead asked, glaring at any person who happened to stumble too close to the duo. A part of him was regretting leaving the safety of the basement. It had been a long while since he was out in a crowd like this.

Luckily, people barely glanced at them as they made their way towards the town's only bookshop. Too many looks would've put him even more on edge.

"We have a huge library back home," The redhead muttered, it almost would sound like a complaint if he weren't so happy to be accompanying Sora. Despite it all it felt wonderful to be truly outside.

"I realize this," The shorter of the two responded before heading towards the cashier.

The person behind the register was a teenage girl, not that much older that Sora himself, and her nametag read YUFFIE. She was pretty, and gave them her undivided attention.

"How may I help you fine gentlemen today?" She asked perkily. Her large brown eyes drank in Axel, and a coy smile flashed across her face.

Sora smiled politely back at her, "I was wondering if you had the fairy tale Beauty and the Beast?"

"Would it be too much if I brought fudge back with me?" Sora asked worriedly as he and Axel passed a candy shop. The inside was full of children, and the occasional adult with a sweet tooth.

"I don't see the problem with it. And it'll give Xigbar a break when it comes to dessert."

A bell overhead tinkled gently as they entered the store, glancing around at the brightly colored displays. The candy shop smelled divine, and it reminded the two of them that they hadn't eaten since breakfast.

They wandered around in silence before Axel spoke up.

"This has been bothering me since you bought it, but you do know that that book isn't allowed back home, right?" He gave the shorter young man a worried look.

Blue eyes peered up at a white chocolate rose which was on display, "I know. But, I just need it. Call it research."

Green eyes narrowed down at him, "I'm not sure how I feel about that comment."

A few children scurried between them as they split apart. Axel buying the fudge, against Sora's will, while the teenager bought the white chocolate rose.

It was well into the afternoon when they left the town, and Sora wasn't sure whether he was relieved or not that they did not run into his father once. Maybe the man had already left the area; it was something that he would do. And wasn't what he had thought was going to happen when he was practically sold either way?

"So…why'd you buy the rose?"

The question caused him to come out of his somewhat dark thoughts. He felt his face heat up in a faint blush as he tried to think of a good reason.

"I just wanted to?"

That earned him an eye roll, "Right."

So what if the rose symbolized something to Sora? It reminded him of Riku, and maybe the next time they saw each other he could give it to him as a gift. The thought caused his insides to warm considerably, and the weather outside did not seem as cold as it has a moment beforehand.

TBC

MLL: FLUFF! Omg, such fluff!

Hey everyone! Long time no update haha, sorry. I wish I could say that I've been busy, but I really haven't. To be honest this fic takes a lot of emotion out of me, I think I've said that before and I'm sticking to it because it's true. That, and it's hard to keep it original while somewhat maintaining that Beauty and the Beast idea. But, somehow managed this time!

I also would like to thank everyone for the encouraging reviews, without them I probably would've given up right at chapter 6. So thank you so much! I look forward to writing more for you loyal readers.

Revamp written: 1/11/12
Originally written: 4/7/11