The grassy fields were like a endless road as time went by for Cyan and Ludwig the horse. At first it was a nice change of scenery until she realized how far stretch the fields actually were. Cyan was so used to seeing Villeneuve almost every day and watching the vast fields from the circus' camp. She had forgotten how much she hated it when there was literally nothing for miles when you travel. It would drive the poor girl crazy if she didn't have anything to pass the time. However, this time she had a mission: find Valjean and Grandpa Apple. She was following the map that was stuck under Ludwig's hoof and from the looks of the map, she had to keep heading north from Villeneuve and through the fields.
'Was Grandpa drunk when he drew this map?! This looks like a child had drawn it!' Cyan pondered as she stared at the map. It wasn't exactly easy to decipher because the drawings were like chicken scratch and the paper had water spots on it which Cyan guessed it was because of the storm yesterday. She could tell it was Grandpa Apple's penmanship and that it had Ludwig's hoof print on the middle of the paper. There was nothing around them that the men could have gotten lost around nearby. If they were in the fields, Cyan would have heard the old man ranting about now.
"Okay, so they must've went across these fields and went into what looks like a forest or standing broccoli on this cruddy map. Can you even understand what your owner is trying to draw on this, Ludwig? I mean, the man must have been drunk when he drew this." Cyan explained as Ludwig trotted across the grass.
Of course Ludwig couldn't talk back to her. If he did respond back, Cyan run far away from the horse and search for the men on foot. Talking to Ludwig was the only thing that helped her from losing her mind. She was so used to having someone to talk to when she traveled and all she had was a horse and her doll. It used to be Rebecca or Bella or one of the acrobats who wanted to stop by for a chat when she had to ride on a wagon. Sometimes she would ride with Satin Sally and Cole so the two siblings would make up quick games or even play a prank on one of the members. Their best one was dressing up as a ghost when the circus had to travel at night when Valjean couldn't find them a place to sleep. It was the perfect cover to slip on some old tattered clothes and white powder to scare the others and make Jacque soil himself from it. He was the easiest to scare.
"I think it's supposed to be a forest. So we have to look for one that's large and dense." Cyan explained once she figured out what the drawing was.
Ludwig suddenly stopped and would not move a muscle. Cyan was too busy looking at the map to notice, but she did notice it was kind of dark. Fear jolted through her body when she thought it was getting dark. She didn't bring a lantern with her and it will be hard to read a map by firefly light if she wanted to continue her search. However, Cyan looked off to the side and noticed it was still daylight so they were just in some shade. In front of them was a large, dense wood that seemed to stretch out for miles and the ground was lacking the lush green grass that the fields had and all she saw was leaf clutter from here on out.
"Oh, this must be it. We found it, Ludwig!" Cyan cheered. "Now we continue our search!"
The horse did not want to trot any farther. He refused to set a hoof into the forest. Ludwig didn't want to leave the safety of the fields and into the forest due to what he remembered what happened the previous night. Of course, his current rider didn't understand what was going through the animal's mind as he remembered the wolves and the horrible, ugly monster that attacked his friend, Grandpa Apple, and Valjean. He didn't know what happened to Poppy because he fled out of the gardens without him and now the poor horse had to relive the nightly terror once again if he crossed the forest.
'Why is he shaking? Since when is Ludwig afraid?!' Cyan pondered to herself when Ludwig began to shake in fear. She couldn't figure out why the horse was shaking until she started to consider what the forest could have. Horses can be skittish creatures and they are easy to startle depending on their experiences as foals. Spiders can come down their silky threads and spook them. A snake can slither under and scare them or a wolf's howl can stop a horse's heart in absolute fear. Cyan didn't blame him for being afraid of these creepy creatures, but this girl wanted to find her adopted father and grump grandpa before night fall.
"Come on, Ludwig. We just have to go through this so we can find the others. It'll be quick and slightly painless if we don't run into spiders." Cyan tried to reason with him.
Ludwig only shook his head roughly and backed a couple steps away from the forest. That was his response and he wasn't going anywhere. Cyan groaned in exasperation at the stubborn horse's attitude. They were going to be here all late afternoon and through the night if they didn't come to some sort of agreement! She started berating herself for trying to negotiate with a HORSE just so the animal can go through a simple forest! It was starting to irritate her because the horse was acting just like Grandpa Apple. Both are cranky, stubborn, and very superstitious about potential scary things. However, they liked the same thing: food.
"Look, I don't want to go through this by myself. If we hurry through this forest, I'll give some apples and lemons to you." Cyan bargained.
Apples and lemons were like candy to horses and Ludwig loved them as much as Grandpa Apple loved his whiskey and bacon. Ludwig's ears pointed up when she said those magic words. His shaking ceased and it started to make Cyan nervous. 'Did I break him!? Why isn't he moving?!' Cyan screamed in her head. The horse was her only transportation through the forest and she didn't want to walk across on foot. Spiders and snakes were not as terrifying as a wolf and she doesn't want to be running from a wolf on foot. A wolf knows its territory and a human can only do so much when running for their life.
Suddenly, Ludwig sped into the forest with Cyan jerking around before she finally held onto the horses neck. He had a renewed sense of courage over the promised sweets he will receive. His poor rider was worried she would fall off if he kept this up. Her saddle was strapped on tightly, but the road was bumpy under the horses' hooves along with branches overhanging over them. The branches kept grabbing Cyan's hair and pulled as they kept going through the forest so she tried to pull her cloak over her head. This was a feeble attempt because her cloak quickly tore as they passed trees. Eventually, Cyan saw the road had cut into two paths only the left road had a fallen black tree in front of it. She tried to look at the map without letting it slip out of her fingers. Despite the rough time trying to not to let go, she noticed the map had directions going toward the first road and not the second.
'I highly doubt they could go under that tree. Grandpa would have broken his back.' Cyan almost smirked at the thought of the old man trying to squeeze under the fallen tree. That thought took a scarring turn once she remembered when she was nine years old, Grandpa Apple tried to go under a fallen log and he was stuck underneath. He told her to try and pull him out only for her to pull his pants right off and realizing he had forgotten to put on his trousers. Cyan shivered at the horrid memory and shook her head. Realistically, Grandpa Apple wasn't limber enough to get into crawl under this tree.
Ludwig didn't bother to stop in front of the crossroads; he ran through the second path as Cyan noticed the darken bark had blue lights emitting from the fallen tree. There was nothing she remember that can glow blue. Either way she would not be able to check what it was because her horse wasn't stopping at all. The air became cool as Cyan looked ahead and saw the forest was now covered in snow and ice. It was only September and snow did not come until the later months of not right now. Fall was still in Villeneuve and the rest of the forest behind her yet winter was upon her. Now she was worrying about her hair or cloak getting snagged by the icy branches because ice was sharp if it formed just right. She wondered if she should have brought her winter coat when she saw Grandpa Apple's satchel and his lantern. The glass was cracked on one side and the handle was bent from the force of the fall. All the satchels contents was scattered on the snowy path. Two pair of holey trousers, a pair of overalls, a banana, three apples, one half-eaten sandwich with very questionable meat, a rusty canteen, and a whiskey bottle.
"Grandpa wouldn't drop his alcohol for no reason. Something's wrong." Cyan grimly says.
Hardly anything can make the grumpy man drop his drink. He could be thrown out of taverns and would not let go of his cup or his bottle. Something must have happened that made him leave his stuff. The bite mark on the sandwich didn't look human. Ludwig didn't even stop to eat the apples because he knew something Cyan didn't. As they continued, she saw Valjean's lantern hanging over a branch off the side. Whatever happened must have made the men spooked and run for their lives. Once again Cyan didn't have time to see for herself because Ludwig kept going even if he had started to slow down a little to reserve his strength. The sun was beginning to set as they trekked through the snowy woods until they reached a large gate. It opened for them as Ludwig got closer and closed behind them once they were on the other side. Cyan quickly looked around when they reached a maze like garden. Like the forest, the garden was also blanketed by snow. Every hedge was frosted, every flower bed was covered in ice, the statues and stony arches were iced over by the weather, and the only sound to be heard was Ludwig trotting through the snow.
In the middle of the a garden was a large, gray castle. It was a giant compared to the tiny farmhouse at the circus' camp. Snow barely covered the roofing because there was a lot of cylindrical points on the castle even though it still looked dangerous if anyone tried to walk across the shingles. Cyan made Ludwig stop in front of a large set of stairs that went toward the front door. She heard a whinny from under the staircase and glanced over to see Poppy in a stable. The tan horse was currently munching on carrot. Cyan got off of Ludwig so he could join his friend in the bountiful feast of hay and carrots. The young redhead looked around on the ground, and seen big footprints in the snow going toward the stairs. The prints weren't from a human judging how there was claw points at the tip of the toes. Cyan got a nearby piece of wood, clenched her satchel's strap, and made her way up the massive stairs.
"This door is humongous...I wonder if a giant lives here." Cyan said to herself as she looked up at the door. "I hope not. They grind human bones into their bread."
Her imagination and her nerves were starting to make her think of unrealistic things. Giants do not exist. There are defects that make a human gigantic on certain parts of the body, but it does not mean the same thing as it is in fairy-tales. Cyan was hesitant in opening the door at the thought of finding her adopted father baked into a bread or her grandpa's pleading voice as he's getting the most violent massage of his life. 'I have to stop reading stories about giants.' Cyan berated herself before dismissing those gory thoughts. She knocked on the door three times and pressed her ear against the cold wood. She heard no footsteps coming down or behind the door so she pushed the door open. The door creaked as she slowly stepped inside.
The sound echoed through the castle which probably meant the castle was empty. Despite the doors being huge, there was a smaller human sized door so she could walk through. It seemed like a waste of wood to make a giant door only to use a small portion of it to actually open. However, the foyer wasn't something Cyan was expecting. There was ten poles on the left side and eight poles on the right; each one had a fading gray stone vines coiling at the base until half way up. There was another set of stairs in front of her only it lead to one level and an additional small set of stairs on the east and west wings. At the end of the rails, was a large ivory like dragon carved in. This castle was something out of a dream from the looks of the foyer yet it felt lonely and empty. Beautiful things can be hollow and hide the imperfections or evil that hides behind that mask. Cyan slowly crept inside and looked around for any sign of Valjean and Grandpa Apple or if anyone still lived in this dusty castle.
"Look, Cogsworth! A beautiful girl!" A high, excited voice called from the right side of the room.
"Yes! I can see it's a girl. I lost my hands, not my eyes." A low, irritated voice berated the other.
"But what if she is the one? The one who'll break spell?"
"Who said that?! Who's there!?" Cyan shouted.
She turned toward the voices quickly with her weapon ready to whack if necessary. No one was there at the fireplace nor at the table. The only things she saw on the table was a candelabra and a bronze-gold clock. Cyan walked toward the objects to examine them. The clock looked like it had an miffed look on its face. It was a work of art compared to her former mother's glass clock. However, it was worth taking back with her if no one owned the clock. The candelabra, on the other hand, she would only take it if she knew anyone would want it. Satin Sally may want it, but does she really need another object to whack someone on the head with?
"I was spooked by a clock and a candlestick? I must be losing my mind." Cyan shook her head.
"Get off me!" She heard Grandpa Apple's voice echo.
The voice was coming from upstairs on the west side. It was starting to get dark outside so the inside of the castle was darkening. Cyan grabbed the lighted candelabra before making her way up the stairs toward the ajar door. Of course she had to be careful running with a lighted object in her hand. Cyan had learn pretty quickly that fire and hair wasn't a good combination ever since one of the dancers almost burnt their hair over a torch. Cyan tucked her hair into her cloak before she began running past the door. Unfortunately, there was another set of stairs past the door that she had to go up. It spiraled around the stony pillar and she could hear Grandpa Apple groan in pain. Her legs and feet acted on their own as she ran up the stairs. She kept herself close to the pillar as the higher she got, the less stairs stayed latched to the wall. The castle started to seem less structural than Cyan thought because she began to notice holes in the walls.
"Valjean! Grandpa!" Cyan called out.
"Cyan?!" Valjean cried out.
That hastened Cyan's exercise up the stairs. Her calves started to burn from suddenly moving fast, but eventually, she made it toward a cell door. The two men were inside the cell which did not have a back wall. A gaping hole was in the back of the cell. Grandpa Apple was trying to gnaw what was left on a chicken bone and he would groan in pain if he bite down too hard. That would explain the groans and Cyan was holding back the nerve to slap him. She was reserving the slap for when she lets them loose.
"Valjean!" Cyan placed the candelabra off to the side.
"Cyan, my poor, dear daughter! What are you doing in this forsaken place?!" Valjean quickly asked. He tried to reach through the bars of the door to rub her head. His touch was ice cold compared to her own body temperature.
"I came to find you! Ludwig came back without you or Poppy or Grandpa!" Cyan shook as she rubbed his hands.
"I'm fine! The floor's not comfy, but the chicken's good eatin'!" Grandpa Apple called from behind.
"He would not share! I'm starving and he's eating like a king over there!" Valjean whined.
Valjean hardly ever whined about anything. His stay in this cold castle must have taken a hard toll on him. He looked hungry, shivered from the cold, he had a coughing fit every now and then, and yet his eyes were full of worry. Although he was proud of his adopted daughter for going off on her own and search for them, he was also very worried for her because she didn't know the dangers they have seen in this castle. Grandpa Apple abandoned his chicken bone when he remembered Cyan wasn't in the safety of the cell. The monster of the castle was still roaming around somewhere.
"Now I want you to get out of here right now!" Valjean shouted urgently.
"Why?!" Cyan asked.
"No time to explain, lass! Get out of here 'fore he gets here!" The old man said sternly. After he said that, a menacing growl echoed through the room.
"It's h-him!" The men screamed in horror. They were both shaking in their boots like scared dogs with their tails between their legs.
Whatever it was, it really made them scared. Cyan was also scared of the growl; she didn't know what or who it came from. The room was barely lit with small, burning lanterns spiraling up in the room. It was all left to the imagination to think of what sort of being the growls were made from. Cyan wasn't abandoning her adopted father or her adopted grandfather. She stood her ground and quickly got the piece of board she picked up as a weapon. Though Grandpa Apple wasn't confident in her weapon. He muttered "Oh great, he can pick his teeth with that when he's through eating us all." 'Nice to have supportive family, huh?' Cyan thought sarcastically to herself.
"Who's there!? Who are you!?" She called out.
"Who are you?" A low, booming voice called back. It sounded very close to cell. She guessed the person was just above them.
"I've come to free these men!"
"They are thieves." The voice hissed.
"That is a lie!" Cyan shook her head
"They stole a rose!" The voice struggled to even keep its tone from yelling.
"I...I asked for the rose! I asked them to bring me a rose so punish me!" Cyan shook her head. Of course, she did ask for a rose but why would someone be in a jail cell for a small flower.
"He means forever, lass!" Grandpa Apple shouted.
"Pardon?" Cyan turned her attention to the men.
"Apparently that's what happens if you pick a bloody flower!" Valjean said in a irksome tone.
"Are you insane?! Why would you throw someone in prison over a stupid flower?! Forever is a long time!" The girl's blood boiled in anger. How cold-hearted was their judge if they are given a life sentence over a rose. That type of sentence was only reserved for stealing from the rich; or if you were in Nottingham.. it was for not paying heavy taxes.
Suddenly, a booming roar came from above along with the sounds of the stone floor crackling under heavy weight. Whoever was in the room was somehow jumping off the stairs to a small ledge on the other side then landed a few steps in the shadows in front of Cyan and the men. The red head wondered how strong was this person or how nimble was he if he was able to bound from place to place with ease. He must have had strong legs and a strong back.
"I received eternal damnation for one. I'm merely locking them away." The voice stated as if it would explain the situation easily. The voice was loud and clear in her ears. The person was right in front of her now.
"I bet you weren't the kindest among people." Cyan muttered under her breath.
"Do you still wish to take their places?"
"That is my choice to make! But I want to see who is talking to me." Cyan stated. She didn't get a response. "Come into the light, you coward! Show yourself!"
Once again, he didn't budge from his spot. Her patience grew thin so she grabbed the candelabra from the ground and held it to the captive. She quickly realized how wrong her action was. The person was nothing more than a massive, furry beast. Although she couldn't see his clothes, she could see his face from the light of the flames. His face was covered in thin, light brown fur with cold blue eyes. His lips barely covered the fangs he had in his mouth. The rest of his head was covered in coarse dark brown fur and on the sides of the head were large, horns which curled a little on the middle. Cyan quickly understood why Valjean and Grandpa Apple were urging her to leave. She couldn't stop the gasp when she saw this monstrous face.
"Choose." The beast said sternly.
"Cyan, listen to me. I won't allow you to do this!" Valjean said.
"Listen, lass! We have already lost enough in our life and we won't lose you as well," Grandpa Apple added. Although he was a coward, he didn't want the young lady to suffer like they did.
"Now go, leave us." Valjean mustered before he began to cough. It only made Cyan worry more about them. However, she had to abide what her elders commanded.
"Alright, Valjean...I'll be on my way." Cyan nodded at the ringleader before turning her head toward the beast. "I wish for a few minutes with them."
The beast only grunted indifferent at her. He wasn't going to let her into that cell. He began to turn his back at her when she threw the candelabra at his back. It didn't really hurt him, but it did make him stop for a moment to listen to her.
"Are you to be so cruel...to not allow a daughter to bid her father and grandfather adieu?! I may never see them again in this life!" Cyan cried at the beast.
Her words barely pierced his heart. Although this girl was afraid of him, she didn't hold back her tongue and speak out to get her point across. She had fire and to him, it was faintly familiar like a distant memory. But her words were true, these men weren't going to see her ever again and he was going to make sure their sentence was as bad as his own. He only took three steps toward the cell and pulled a small lever on the right side of the wall. The door opened with a squeaky noise and Cyan flinched at the horrid sound in her ears.
"When this door closes, it will not open again." He said in a grim, stern tone.
Cyan shook her head, running into the cell, and hugged her adopted father. He was very cold, but she didn't want to let go in fear he would slip away from her again. He hugged her tightly and took a deep breathe to try and hold back his tears. Grandpa Apple hugged her from behind and sniffled a little from sadness. It felt like years since they saw her even though they were only gone for a day. They were just so happy to see her even if it would be for the last time. But, they knew it was worth it because Cyan was going to be safe and sound at the circus.
"My sweet, little girl.." Valjean whispered.
"I should have came with you two.." Cyan whimpered.
"No, no you wouldn't like the wolves chasing us last night." Grandpa Apple suggested.
"You were chased by wolves?!" She looked at them both in fright.
"Don't worry about the details.."Valjean reassured her and rubbed his thumb against her left cheek. "Now, we want you to leave. Please live your life and forget about us. You have freedom."
"W-Why would I forget my father and grandfather...? E-Everything I am is because you r-raised me to be." Cyan stuttered.
"I love you, Cyan." Valjean breathed with tears running down his eyes. He waited for years to hear her call him father. It made his heart warm up.
"I love ye too, you pain in the butt." Grandpa Apple smiled a little.
"Don't be afraid. You will be alright." The ringleader reassured her.
"I am not afraid anymore. I'm just worried about Grandpa's back."
"My back is fine!" The old man shouted.
"That's always good to know. I will escape. I promise you." Cyan whispered in Valjean's ear.
This confused the men. They didn't understand what she meant until she shoved Grandpa Apple toward the ringleader. The men shouted her name as they stumbled out of the cell and she slammed the door shut. Before the cell door closed, Valjean's hat slipped off his head and fell by her legs. Grandpa Apple groaned in pain despite Valjean hit the stony floor. They were still dazed at what just happened. Cyan knew they weren't going to be happy at her actions, but they were going back to the circus instead of rotting in jail. The beast stood between the men and the cell door so he was blocking her view of them. He glanced at the hurt men before turning his attention back to Cyan.
"You took their place." He said in a semi-surprised tone.
"They're my father and grandfather. I would do anything to save them." Cyan explained.
"They are fools. And so are you." The beast spoke in a cruel voice.
"Cyan..." Grandpa Apple said weakly.
"Don't hurt them!" Cyan shouted at the beast when she heard the men groan in pain as they were dragged by their shirts down the stairs.
"No, no, please! Not my daughter! You can't do this to her! She's my little girl! She needs me!" Valjean begged in desperation.
Cyan couldn't see them once they were on the ground level of the room so she crawled her way toward the hole in the back of the cell. The beast was still dragging the men by their shirts, but Valjean struggled to make him let go of him. He didn't have the same strength as the brute, but he was willing to try if he could reach Cyan again. Tears ran down her cheeks as she watched them reach the door. Once again, she was being left behind so someone could be free of her. She was losing everything to carry a life sentence.
"Papa!" Cyan cried.
"I will find you, Cyan! I promise you! CYAN!" Valjean screamed at her.
The beast and the men were finally out of her sights once the door closed behind them. Cyan tried to choke back her tears, but she couldn't stop herself from crying. She cried when her mother sold her and left her behind. The only difference was Cyan was willing to stay behind so her adopted father could be free and so Grandpa Apple didn't have to be in pain if he stayed. It broke her heart more watching them leave her despite it was her choice to stay behind. Cyan was going to see them again soon...one way or another.
So we learn of Valjean and Grandpa Apple's absence and now Cyan is imprisoned!
This chapter actually made me cry a little when I was writing the end. Anyone can get emotional when they are their favorite characters and I'm always acting like my characters. Even though it can be embarrassing later on if someone saw me. -/- Anyway, the next chapter will be up soon!
Special thanks to my beta reader RabbitonSteroids!
Beauty and the Beast belongs to Disney.
I only own Cyan and the circus!
Please no mean comments or flames!
If anyone sees a grammar or spelling error, please PM me!