Chapter 10
By Mallory Quinn

"Yes," said Candice, "but I must wash my hands first."

"Of course, Miss," said the teapot.

She went to get another bowl of hot water with some soap. Candice washed her hands thoroughly. She was a little scared, but she didn't want to show it. She had to extract that bullet or the Beast was going to die. The Beast that had just saved her life. She couldn't let him down. She was ready. She approached the Beast who was still on the floor. Nigel put the thin log in the Beast's mouth between his teeth.

"Go ahead, my lady," said Nigel.

"All right" she said, "Beast, I'm sorry in advance for the pain"

She put her hand into the wound and her little fingers were looking for the bullet the Beast was trying not to groan and he was biting the log with all his strength. Candice wanted to rush, but she couldn't if she wanted to find the bullet faster. She had to go softly but the Beast was hurting bad...he was muffling his groans. Candice finally found the bullet! She extracted it gently and she made a sigh of relief when she put it on a little plate the teapot had brought with her. But it was not over. They now had to clean the wound. Candice took a hot towel to clean up the wound. The Beast screamed out loud. He was surprised. I didn't expect that! He pushed Candice away.

"ENOUGH!" he said.

"I need to clean your wound"

"That hurts!"

"What, a big Beast like you can't take a little pain?" said Candice with a mocking tone.

"I would like to see you in my place!" said the Beast.

"Stay still," she said. "I need to clean the wound properly"

Nigel and the teapot were looking at them. They sounded like an old couple. There was no doubt in their mind she was the one! The Beast continued groaning and Candice was cleaning the wound. Then she turned to Nigel.

"Now, where is that bottle of rum?"

"Right here my lady," said Nigel.

"Thank you"

She opened the bottle and said to the Beast. "You want some, Beast?" she joked.

"NO!"

"All right, no need to yell! I was joking. Where's your senses of humour?"

"I lost it when you ran out on me"

"I was homesick"

"You miss your dear William! You mean" said the Beast, jealous.

"Of course I miss him! He's my family!"

"Well you almost got hurt running out of hereto go be with him"

"Yes thank you for coming after me Beast thank you for saving me."

As she said that she poured some rum on his wound. He tried not to yell She had distracted him by talking to him so he wouldn't think of the was grateful to her for that.

Nigel and the teapot were still looking at the scene. Their chemistry was incredible. They helped help her make a bandage on the wound. The Beast was able to rest a little. He closed his eyes.

"Nigel, bring me some blankets and some pillows. The Beast should stay put and not move too much. Mrs. Teapot, bring me some soup, he shouldn't eat solid food, at least tonight."

Nigel came with some blankets and pillows. Candy arranged the pillow under the Beast's head and Nigel covered him with the blankets. Mrs. Teapot brought a big bowl of soup and she gave it to Candy. She woke up the Beast to feed him.

"Beast, wake up, come on you have to eat now"

"Leave me alone!"

"My God! What a temper! I only want to feed you, not kill you!"

"After the pain you inflicted me today, I should be afraid of you"

"I'm sorry for that, it was necessary and I think you took the pain pretty well, I would've probably Iím sure you're never going to be afraid a little maiden like , open your mouth..."

The Beast complied and she fed him. Candice was so nice, he couldn't resist her. When she was done, she wiped his face.

"Now, Iím going to go get something for your wound"

"My wound?"

"Yes, I donít want it to get infected I just want to make sure it's going to heal."

"How?"

"Well I read a lot, and I know that there are some plants that could help with the healing."

She read a lot. The Beast was impressed by her knowledge, so were Nigel and Mrs. Teapot.

"Good grief! He's got one that reads a lady who thinks!" said Nigel.

"And what's wrong with a woman who reads, may I ask?" said Mrs. Teapot.

"Women who read are a handful"

"Well I think the master can take it, he's fond of her "

Candice went to garden, even though it was dark, she had the candelabra with her who was giving her some light. She found some Geranium caffrum that was good to clean and heal wounds.

"There, this would be good for the Beast" she said. "Let's go"

"Very my lady," said the candelabra.

She went to the kitchen and washed the plant and chopped it and she went back to the Beast. She woke him up again.

"Now what?!" he said, grumpy.

"Relax, I just want to look at the wound" she said.

"No, you want to hurt me again as a punishment for keeping you here as a prisoner and preventing you to be with your William! Admit it!"

"Good Lord! Are you obsessed with William or what?"

"Obsessed with him? Don't be ridiculous!"

"Well you can't seem to stop talking about him"

The Beast didn't respond. She was right. But he was jealous. He wished she longing to see him the way she was longing to see her dear William

"I don't know why you're jealous of William; he's a father figure for me" she said.

"A father figure?" he asked in surprise.

He remembered the way William talked about Candice "she's an angel" he had said. Father figure? A very "loving" father figure then.

"YesÖ" she said.

"So you had any other admirers?"

Such a beautiful young maiden must've had a lot of suitors.

"Well there's William's nephew Neil, who was always mean to me but who, out of the blue wants to marry me" she said.

"Really? He should've been nice to you before then"

"No kidding and there's this young soldier Michael who asks me to marry him every single day"

"Every single day, and you say "no" every single day?"

"Yes"

"Why?"

"Because I'm not in love with him," she said softly.

"Oh"

"I was in love once, but he died and now I'm never going to love again." she said with a tear in her eye.

The Beast looked at her heartbroken she already loved someone and she looked like she still loved that someone, but he was dead! While she was talking, Candice took off the bandage and put the plant on. The Beast closed his eyes in pain, from his wound but also from his heart. His beloved, was in love with someone else

"Well you have to know that dead guys don't come back!" he said suddenly as she was finishing bandaging him.

"Beast" she said with a begging tone.

"He's dead Candice, he's not coming back! Life goes on!"

"How could you be so cruel?!"

"I'm telling it as it is dead guys don't come back!"

"Stop saying that! You;re really a monster!"

Candice ran out of the living room, leaving the Beast angry. She climbed the stairs two by two to her bedroom. She jumped on her bed and burst into tears.

The Beast stayed in the living room with the candelabra and started growling loud.

"Being rude about her lost love, was not a good move master" said the candelabra. "You're going to ruin everything"

Mrs. Teapot had a sad expression. The Beast growled louder, stretching and hurting his wound again He was hurting inside out