The Beast was glad that the magic of the curse that kept him fed seemed to know there was, and was apparently fine with, another mouth to feed. He wasn't sure what he would have done if food hadn't appeared for Didiane. After they ate, they sat in the parlor.

"I was kind of a mess earlier," the Beast said. "I'm sorry you had to see that."

"I didn't mind," Didiane said. "It was somehow...oddly...good to see."

The Beast gave Didiane a quizzical look.

"Let me explain," Didiane said. "I've never seen a man in tears before, or really displaying sadness. Sometimes you could tell if Grandpere was sad, because he'd get really quiet and just look like something was bothering him. Papa said things like tears and outward grief are signs of weakness unbecoming a man. Had he any boys, he said, he would teach them to never show weakness. Maman says anyone should be able to express themselves whether male or female. She would also say that those who allow others to see them in their weak and vulnerable moments are actually very strong. She also says that you know someone is compassionate if they allow others to see their tears, or at least when they're not being aloof. Maman's words always rang true more than Papa's, so seeing your sorrow earlier was refreshing in a way."

"I was taught to not show weakness much like your father," the Beast said. "But you can only hold in so much sorrow before it finds some way out. For a long time that for me was rage."

"My father was prone to rage," Didiane said. "Believe me you did not want to find yourself on his bad side."

"I'm sorry," the Beast said. "If I may ask...what was your life like? I would think with Belle as your mother it would have been very good. But from what you've said, and what your mother said in her note, I gather having Gaston as your father must have really put some...strain on your childhood."

"It could be...hard," Didiane admitted. "If my mother and I behaved in ways a girl or woman 'should' behave, he was tolerable to be around. If we dared to do anything unbecoming a woman, like neglect cooking or cleaning or anything like that, he could become quite angry. And heaven forbid a wife or daughter of Gaston should be caught reading! Maman tried to teach me, and I learned a little, but if Papa caught us, we tended to earn a good lashing."

"Your mother's note said as much," the Beast said sorrowfully. "Belle loved to read. It's part of who she is. If Gaston was so opposed to the way she was, why did he want to marry her so badly?"

Beast suddenly found himself fearing the answer. Or more accurately, he feared that an eleven year old would actually know the answer. He silently prayed that her answer would be "that I don't know", but alas, that was not the answer.

"Well I told you about the high-strung horse analogy," Didiane said. "There were other metaphors. He'd brag about how he caught the sweetest prey. Maman kept turning him down, playing hard to get. He bragged about how a good hunter keeps stalking his elusive prey until he has them cornered. And how he could have had the pick of any unmarried girl in town, all of whom would gladly give him their hand on a silver platter. But he wasn't out for rabbits. He was after the game he had to work for."

"So he sought her specifically for the challenge," the Beast observed.

"That's correct," Didiane said. "Plus, she was the most beautiful girl in the village. Papa said that made her the best."

"Ah," the Beast said. "I once thought that way. The more beauty the better. That's why an old hag crashing my ball didn't go over so well with me. I...learned my lesson." The Beast sighed. "I'm sorry I asked why your father wanted your mother so badly. That can't be easy...recalling all those metaphors your mother was the subject of."

"I'm...glad you asked," Didiane said. "I've heard things like that my whole life and I couldn't tell anyone. I couldn't bear to tell Maman what I'd heard because I was sure it would hurt her. You're the first person I've been able to tell this to in my life."

The Beast stood and crossed the distance between his chair and hers. He knelt in front of her chair, took a hand in his paw, and looked directly into her eyes...Belle's eyes.

"Didiane," he said gently. "Whenever there is anything...and I mean anything...that you ever want or need to talk about, I'm here. I'm not sure how good of a guardian I will be to you...I'm so limited in what I can provide as a Beast in a dilapidated castle in a secluded forest. But I will always listen and give advice when I can and hopefully comfort when you need it. You seem to carry a burden no one your age should have to, and you needn't carry it alone any longer. And I don't want you to hold back thinking what you say might hurt me. If it hurts me it's because I know it's hurting you and I don't want you bearing the pain alone. All right?"

Her right hand came to rest atop the paw that grasped her left, and she nodded.

"Your mother asked that I love you as if you were my own," the Beast said. "I can at least do that much. I've...never had my own child to love, but I'll do my best. And part of that," here his voice cracked ever so slightly with emotion, "is not wanting you to close yourself off like I did, like I was well on the way to doing at your age. Don't let your heart grow hard and cold like I did. You have your mother's kind nature. Don't ever lose it. I may not be able to do much for you but I'll do all I can to see that you don't go down the road that led me to this cursed existence. I'll do all I can to see that your gentle soul remains intact."

"Thank you Beast," Didiane said. "There's so much I want to say. But I don't know that I can all at once. I'm not sure my father knew what love was, he said he loved us but my mother seemed more loving than he ever did. Would he have forced her to marry him to save her father from the asylum if he loved her? Would he see her as prey to conquer if he loved her? Would he make her do all the cooking and cleaning and everything like that because that's a woman's life mission, when she's not happy that way? Would he punish us for reading or doing anything else reserved for men if he loved us? I remember the time Grandpere asked Maman and I what we'd like him to bring us from the annual market where he sold his music boxes that he made. Every year Maman asked him for a rose. That particular year I was just starting to learn to read a little. I was four. I asked him to bring me a book. Papa heard. It...wasn't pretty."

"What happened?" the Beast very gently asked.

"First, my father grabbed my grandfather by the shirt collar and yelled at him that nobody but he should be bringing flowers for his wife," Didiane said. "Then he said under no circumstances was my grandfather to bring any books for any females in his family. Then he dragged Grandpere to the door and shoved him out. Then, when Maman told him off for treating her father so poorly, Papa slapped her hard across the face. Then he turned to me. Off came his belt. Up went my dress. I got a good lashing all because I had the audacity to ask for a book."

A tear slid out at this memory and she gave a sniff. The Beast's arms wrapped around her and drew her close to him. He stood, lifting her up, then sat in the chair, placing the child on his lap. She found this comforting and nestled into his embrace.

"I am so sorry," the Beast whispered. "I'm so very, very sorry."

"Then he did the same to Maman, for putting the idea in my head that I should read."

The Beast was stunned. How could anyone treat someone they supposedly love like that? And why?

"Your mother deserved so much better than that," he said. "So did you."

"It was life," Didiane said. "Not pleasant mind you, but I knew no different."

"You'll know different now," the Beast said. "I may not be able to give you the best life but I'll make sure you're treated with kindness."

"I should probably be going to bed," Didiane said. She pulled herself gently out of the Beast's arms. "Goodnight Beast."

"Goodnight Didiane," the Beast said. He suddenly found herself unsure what to do. Should he go up there with her? He remembered his own mother tucking him into bed when he was a boy before she had passed on, and he imagined Belle would have with Didiane. But his father never did after his mother was gone. And from what he'd heard of Gaston, he probably didn't. Not that either man qualified as a good example of fatherhood. Was it something he should do as her new guardian? Would she even be comfortable with it considering they'd only known each other the last several hours? Would she, at eleven, have outgrown being tucked in, and now put herself to bed? He figured he'd ask what she preferred. "Um, do you want me to go up there with you?"

"I'll be all right," she said. "I'll go on my own."

"All right," Beast said. "I hope you have a comfortable sleep."

He watched her go, then sighed. He hoped he could do right by Didiane and her mother.