Chapter 10-A Girl in the Castle
The Beast remained where he was standing, looking down that the unconscious girl at his feet. Then dropping onto all fours, he approached her with the same caution a predator might towards its fallen prey, sniffing at her. His keen hearing could pick up a heartbeat, so at least she wasn't dead. A minor hint of guilt came upon him as he cursed himself for frightening her so badly. Still part of him remained unmoved, and irritated that this stranger would enter his castle in the first place. She had just strolled on in there, into his castle, intent on staring at the monster that he was.
Although he knew he could hardly blame her for the last part, as he knew very well what he looked like, and it never failed to tear at him. He inched a bit closer to get a better look at her pale face, framed by long chocolate brown hair. He guessed she was just a peasant of sorts judging by her simple clothing. Her face was scratched from the trees branches and pine needles were caught in her hair. Still there was a beauty about her, even the dirt marks on her face couldn't mask it. So now he had a girl, here in the castle, who had fainted. Now what was he supposed to do with her?
"Heaven sakes what is going on?!" came a voice from a crossed the room, one that held a strong hint of an English accent. The Beast quickly back away from the girl as though he had been burned. He had been caught in an awkward position and put up his defense. "I didn't do anything; I never even touched her. I caught her sneaking around and…" He stammered on his words as a teacart came up to a halt beside him.
The teapot, who had spoken, only rolled her eyes at his remark. Yes, she thought, from the sound of things I'm sure you were as charming as always in your handling of the matter. She now turned her gaze to Belle, very concerned for the fallen maiden, as were the other objects that had joined her on the cart.
All except for a mantle clock that was shaking his head with a look of distaste, "I told that blasted gate keeper not to allow anyone in, and does he listen, NO! He's completely …" The candle holder beside him shot him a dark look. "Oh now have a heart Cogsworth, the poor thing must have been running from those wolves." And he then hopped down from the cart, joining the teapot on the floor. "My goodness, she is such a beauty, do you think perhaps she is the one whom we have been waiting for?" The Beast had kept silent till now "I don't care who she is, I want her gone NOW!"
All the staff stopped, completely stunned by his words. Had he forgotten what the Enchantress had said all those years ago? How could anyone who had been there have forgotten that horrid night? It had been shortly before Christmas that year, when the old woman had come to the castle door seeking shelter. The Prince was fifteen at the time, and already full of anger and hatred that seemed to be consuming him more every day.
It had come as no surprise that the uncaring Prince should refuse her entrance, but it had certainly not been expected for her to transform into a beautiful enchantress who could see the real darkness that lived within the young royal and had punished him as such. The servants knew the role they had played in only encouraging this darkness by having given in to his every request, making them nothing more than objects in the eyes of the Prince. Welcoming love back into his heart was the only way to break the spell and he had been given only till his twenty-fifth birthday to do it by.
Now there was little more than half a year left and it appeared that their master was insanely giving up, just as a girl had actually shown up. A few minutes no one said anything, and then the candleholder timidly spoke up "Um…master, um not to be rude, but have you noticed that our….visitor is a …girl." The Beast gave him a look so cold that it could have frozen fire. "I CAN SEE THAT LUMIRE!" He roared. "AND IF YOU WERE NOT SO STUPID YOU'D NOTICE SHE JUST FAINTED AT THE VERY SIGHT OF ME! ANY IDIOT CAN SEE THERE IS NO POINT IN HER STAYING HERE, AND I WANT HER OUT NOW!"
While this was all going on the teapot, known as Mrs.. Potts was carefully checking the young woman and had discovered the injury to her leg. As the Beast finished his ranting, she quickly cut in. "Actually sir, I believe she is merely worn out and she is injured as well."
The Beast had been about to continue degrading his servant, only now he stopped mouth hanging open. So she really had been attacked he realized glancing over the familiar pattern of claw marks. But still she had to have been scared to death of him, so really this made no difference, Right?
He just stood there looking dumbstruck, everyone waiting to hear his orders "Well….then ….I don't know…" But he got no further as Mrs.. Potts fixed him with a look that could have easily frightened an entire platoon. "She is hurt and needs help. And if you're going to try and fight me on this, I would advise you to quit while you're ahead. Now stop standing there gawking and kindly carry this poor dear to one of the bedrooms."
The Beast looked down at his large hands and claws, and the thoughts of the damage they could do swam through his head. Desperately he looked to Mrs.. Potts for help in what seemed an impossible situation.
"But how…I could…" He was not at all sure how to explain his fear, but the wise woman already seemed to know what was on his mind. "Just be gentle and very careful dear."
Holding in his breath he managed to slide his massive hand beneath her back and in one fast scoop he now held her a crossed his shoulder. Her body was so light to lift, and with her hair now directly next to his face her scent was very overwhelming. It was something of a mix between cotton and a flowery scent. He could feel the steady beating of her heart. It had been so long since he had actually touched, let alone held an actual person and it provoked an uncomfortable need to keep her there. It was completely unacceptable, this was a girl, a stranger to him, yet something inside him didn't care.
Quickly he carried her up the stairs and into one of the nearest rooms. All the while praying with all his might that she would not wake up in his arms. Some of the objects had followed closely behind but Mrs.. Potts was on the move herself to put an end to this and shew them away "Everyone back to work now." After laying the girl down on the bed, and too his credit he had done so rather gently, the Beast stepped away, needing no convincing from anyone to vacant the room. On his way out Mrs. Potts had inquired if they should alert him when she had awaken
"Don't bother, I'll find out for myself. And I want no one to tell her anything about the castle or anything that has to do with what happened here. Anyone who cannot keep their mouths shut will have to deal with me. UNDERSTOOD?"
He could still smell her sweet scent upon him as he made fast to his chambers in the West Wing of the castle. Filled with years of wreckage it was the one place most staff members were too afraid to even set foot in. It was a forbidding place, but there were items hidden under the mess that were all that remained of his human life. He could not always look upon them, not without feeling the urge to destroy them as he had done everything else. Yet it was enough to know they were still there.
He knocked anything in his away aside with a careless swipe of his arm, oblivious to the crashing sounds this caused. Once in the privacy of his room he struggled to unclasp his cape. Such a complete annoyance clothing of any kind had become to him, he might have just forgone clothes completely were they not still necessary to cover his more sensitive parts. That and Mrs.. Potts would probably kill him on site for going around in that manner. Still once the spell became permanent, she would longer have any say in the matter. He finally succeed in undoing the cloak, allowing it to drop to the floor, taking the girls scent with it, then collapsed upon a large bed, which was little more than a half shredded mattress surrounded by broken wooden posts.
It had proven to be good as anything, and now he just needed to clear out his mind, and hopefully some sleep would do that. The morning sun was trying to fight its way through the clouds. It wouldn't help in making sleep come easy though, this he knew as laid his head over his arms, and it hadn't for years. All he could do was lay there and wonder how this girl might react to him, the next time.
Back from where he had departed, Mrs.. Potts took charge of the scene and was helping prepare supplies to clean Belle's wound. There were a few others who still remained at the doorway, unable to take their eyes off this girl. Among them she caught sight of Cogsworth, who had followed along, looking rather wounded himself. "Cogsworth are you all right there my Dear?" The teapot asked gently. The clock gave no reply, still merely watching, keeping his eyes locked on Belle. Then after a brief moment he seemed to snap out of this "Ah yes, sorry. Was there anything you needed Mrs. Potts." It was as though he had been temporarily reliving a moment from years ago, never forgotten.