Chapter 24: Allow Me to Explain

The Beast was growing impatient. She could tell by the slow rumble in his chest. His words still rang in her ears though she had yet to look up at his massive face. When he spoke again she nearly flinched at the sound.

"Come."

Belle blinked and saw the expressions on the servants faces change. Then, as if of the same mind, they began to scurry away. The blonde man and the maid who had entered the hall together stood apart from each other and avoided Belle's look. They faded through an open doorway that Belle had not noticed before and did not look back.

Mrs. Potts was no longer gazing at Belle with hopeful anticipation. No, her eyes were turned upward to the face of the Beast. Her expression seemed to caution the creature and Belle was grateful for the kind woman.

Mrs. Potts turned then and reached for Belle's hand to give it a squeeze. She exited the hall with her cart clanking the entire way.

Then Belle was alone again with the monster. It hurt to stand and she subtly shifted her weight from one foot to another.

The Beast grumbled and then without any further preamble, he lifted Belle into his arms.

She had been held the same way for hours on their way back to the castle, yet this time it felt different. Perhaps her brain had come out of its shock. It felt overwhelming to be held by the Beast again. Her body suddenly felt so fragile, breakable, in his large hands. She stiffened instinctively and felt him withdraw from her. He added distance between them.

His steps were quick and his stride was long. Within a breath he had traveled the length of the castle and stood before a massive gold embossed doorway. Belle sighed softly as he placed her feet on the ground and stepped to the side. With a mighty push, he opened the heavy solid doors. The Beast stepped through and held them open for her to walk in.

"No one comes in here." The Beast spoke roughly and watched as she moved into the library. "Sit." He ordered and pointed to a chair by a long wooden table.

Belle's eyes adjusted to the darkness as the creature moved around the dusty space to light a fire. After a moment the hearth blazed to life and cast shadows throughout the vast area. As the light spread, Belle let out a gasp.

"What is it?" The Beast asked, as he dropped to all fours and prowled closer to her. Belle watched him spear the corners of the room with a deadly focus.

"Nothing. I'm sorry. I-I've just never seen anything..." She trailed off.

The Beast had stopped his observations and turned his eyes to Belle. "Yes?" He prodded impatiently.

Belle stepped further into the room and stopped before a wall of leather bound books. Her tone dropped to barely a whisper. "So many books." She gasped in awe.

"It's just a library." The creature turned away from her and went to stand by a heavily curtained window. With a sudden jerk, he moved the cloth. Belle watched as the room flooded with light.

Belle felt her heart start to beat faster as the room expanded before her. She never would have believed such a collection existed. In a lifetime she wouldn't be able to explore it all.

The library was as tall as it was wide, and it reached up six stories. The long winding staircases swept up from the ivory floor and stretched their golden steps to the muraled ceiling. Belle moved her hands to her chest to keep from reaching out.

"It's more than that. This is everything."

In her awestruck state, Belle finally lifted her eyes to his. Instantly the spell was broken. His expression was empty and he turned away. Belle felt a chill raise up her arms. She had forgotten who she was with.

"Not everything. I have searched these worthless pages for answers and found nothing." He stomped to a tall stack of books on a long table. "Nothing, but more questions." He growled and swiped his exposed claw back violently, sending the pile flying through the air with a crash.

Belle jumped when the Beast turned his terrible gaze to her with a twist of his razor-sharp horns. "So now I turn to you."

"Me?" Belle breathed, pulling her hair over her shoulder and tugging her cloak tighter about herself. "I don't know what answers you would want from me. I was sent to find the Master of this castle."

"I am he. But I was promised a Savior." The Beast's lips pulled back to expose vicious fangs. "So far," he stepped forward slowly. His horns pushed forward like a charging bull and his thickly furred chest expanded. "I have been slashed, bitten, and frozen. I have chased you halfway across the wooded mountains. Tell me now, are you the Savior?"

His words made Belle's heart race. She took a small step backward to the fire. The heat rose up to caress the back of her shivering thighs. Belle clasped her hands and raised her gaze up to the creature. She spoke her words slowly.

"There was a child in the woods on my way here. I was looking for my father. He, um, he never returned home from the fair. It started to snow and I took refuge under a tree. It was there that I saw her."

The Beast growled and took a massive stride closer. "A child?" He practically spat out the words.

"Yes. But she was no ordinary child. She was," Belle paused and rubbed her sore forehead with a shaky palm. He was so close now that she could feel the bristle of his fur on her arm. "She was a child of the Enchanted. I know how this must sound."

Belle frowned as she attempted to read his face. His eyes were no longer furious, instead, the blue had turned almost black and she couldn't decipher their expression.

"Continue." The Beast demanded in a stern voice.

Belle swallowed and leaned on her left leg, relieving the pain in the right. "She was strong. Very strong. Her magic knocked me down like a feather."

The Beast humphed loudly as if to say that such a thing would not be very hard to do. Belle crossed her arms before she continued.

"She warned me of a dark beast and his great pack of wolves who are ravaging the woods and villages. They killed her people and she warned me they would kill mine." Belle's voice shook slightly but she kept her eyes on his.

The Beast's unclothed chest stilled, as though he didn't dare to breathe. "Did she say anything else, girl?"

Belle hesitated then closed her eyes. In her mind, the words rang out as clearly as if the child spoke them again.

"She said 'Never to kneel, never to yield. Never to tame, always the same.' I-I don't know what she meant by that." Belle paused, conflicted about whether or not to reveal her next words, then she continued. "And she called me Savior."

A.N. All rights to Walt Disney Co.

Hello, readers! Well, it's all out now. Or is it? What are your thoughts on this tell-all? Let me know and you might get a tour of the library!

So, as you know, I adore my reviewers. The last chapter not only hit the 100th review ( who, by crazy coincidence, was pinkdynamite, my first reviewer) but exceeded that. I have also reached 100 followers and nearly 29,000 views. I want to thank you so much, readers! I am honored that you have continued with me throughout this story. I hope to hear from my new followers soon! I want to especially thank VictoriaJameson, pinkdynamite, Comical freaka, Petals Open to the Moon (lovely) and my astounding guest reviewers. You are all amazing!

Now, if I can, I want to tell you about a writer that you probably already know. Tek Sonay is one of my favorite authors, not only on this site but on this planet! The way Tek's mind works is always surprising, humorous, and exciting. If you haven't found this work, may I suggest Howl's Love Advice or To Steal a Heart. Both of these are amazing. You will fall in love and no other writing, my own included, will measure up. (But please come back!) Seriously, you can thank me later.

As always, thank you for reading, reviewing, following and/ or favoriting! –S.