Time passed by: Afternoon turned into Evening, then Night turned into Morning. Between the two women, chores around the house and the farm were done rather quickly. Finally, it was time for a break, as each grabbed a book and sat down to read across the table from one another, there was a knock at the door. Anne reached the peep hole first,

"It's Gaston," she whispered, "What does he want?"

Belle groaned, "Let him in, he probably won't stay long."

Anne shook her head as she undid the latch, before backing away. "Gaston? What a pleasant surprise?" Her sister greeted the hunter, trying to keep a cheery note to her voice.

"Isn't it though?" The big man slightly shook his head with a cocky smile as he continued, "I'm just full of surprises. You know Belle there's not a girl in town who wouldn't love to be in your shoes. This is the day-" he paused getting distracted by the sight of himself in the hall mirror as he checked his teeth.

"I think I'm going to go upstairs and change while you two figure... Whatever this is out" said Anne, before quietly adding in Belle's ear as she passed by, "He tries anything, Scream." Gaston hardly paid any attention to her as she left the room, entirely focused on his speech to Belle: "This is the day your dreams come true"

"What do you know about my dreams, Gaston?" she heard her sister answer back. It didn't take long, less than five minutes later a door could be heard repeatedly opening and closing.

"What was that?" asked Anne, coming down, dressed in her usual outfit of pants and shirt.

"He asked me to MARRY him. Me? Can you believe it? The wife of that Boorish, Brainless-!" Belle exclaimed, as the other girl grimaced in disgust.

"Ew! No thank you! You can do so much better Belle. But-" she hesitated, "When the right one does come along, you'll know. I have faith in you."

Her sister smiled, "Merci but what about you? You don't mention anyone either and you're half a year older than me"

A sad uncomfortable look came across Anne's face, "It's complicated Belle. In addition to my work, I'm still dealing with "health" problems left over from when you and Papa found me. It's nothing I can't handle, but it would take a very special person. Never mind having children of our own"

"I'm sorry Anne, I shouldn't have asked." commented Belle sadly.

"No, I'm glad you did. It's one less secret out of the way"

They waited about ten more minutes before stepping out to see if the coast was clear. "Is he gone?"

"Looks like it, but let's make sure. Belle, you take to the west at the fields, I'll go east towards the woods. Meet you back here at the house?"

"Alright," her sister nodded, and they separated. Not even ten minutes later, Anne heard her name being called as a familiar horse and rider came into view. Belle? And- Philippe?!

"Where's Papa?"

"I don't know, Philippe came back by himself with the wagon attached"

"WHAT?"

"I'm going to look for him-"

"You mean "We" are going to look. I'm not letting you go off by yourself. Not now"

Anne quickly saddled Pierre and joined her. Soon they arrived at a fork the road, splitting off into two different paths.

"Oh no, I warned him not to take any short cuts. Come on Belle, this way and stay close." Her sister advised, taking the darker route. "This is the Black Forest, people have been known to get lost out here, especially at night when the wolves are prowling. We're ten miles away from my work."

"How can you be sure he went this way" asked the brunette.

"Because I can smell him," Anne muttered before announcing in a louder voice and pointing to the ripped piece of fabric hanging on one of the many tree branches. "There's his scarf" Belle gasped as she pulled it loose, clutching it in her hands "Papa's still alive Belle, I have a feeling"

"Of course, he is" she breathed; her eyes still filled with hope.

"Stay close," Anne reminded, listening and observing as they continued down the road. Anne tracked the path Maurice had taken all the way down until… "Oh Hell No!" The elder sister swore in recognition as they were drawn to the iron gate entrance to a huge dark gloomy castle.

"What is this place?" Belle asked, before Philippe started to rear up in panic, causing Pierre to do the same before the girls calmed them.

"Philippe has the right idea though; we shouldn't be here. This Castle is haunted Belle"

Her sister looked at her, "I never thought you a believer in Ghost stories"

"I am when it comes to this place" Anne emphasized her blue eyes widening, "I'm not going in there."

"But Anne, look-!" It was Belle's turn to point as they spotted their father's hat on the ground on the other side of the gate.

"Mon Dieu," her sister dismounted, before going back behind her mule to a mud puddle where she dipped her hands in, covering her hair and face with its dirty contents. Reappearing behind Belle, grabbing the reins. "If I become a ghost, you're the first one I'm coming after. This is against my better judgement"

"I can live with that. Though if we find Papa, it will be worth all the spooks we encounter" her sister replied, glad to have her by her side.

Anne quietly followed Belle through the gates and towards the stables where they left the animals and entered the castle. As her sister called out for their father, Anne remained alert, checking and listening for any sound. A slight movement to the left of a door opening and closing caught the girls' attention. Following in pursuit, the inside led to a stone spiral staircase. Climbing it, Belle once more began to call out:

"Is anyone here?"

"Belle?" came Maurice's voice as he appeared behind the bars of a wooden door in the corner of the room.

"Papa!" Belle exclaimed, while Anne let out a gasp as they raced over to him, getting down on their knees. "Anne? You as well?"

"Yes, Papa" She answered him kissing his cold hand, before standing back up and examining the lock on the door while shielding her sister's form. As he began to cough, Belle started looking around franticly "We have to get you out of here,"

"I'm working on it" Anne replied, taking a small knife from her boot and injecting it into the keyhole.

"No," Maurice objected, "Stop girls, I want you to leave this place."

"Who's done this to you?!" Belle demanded. "No time to explain! You must go now!" their father warned them.

"I won't leave you!" the brunette declared as a huge paw suddenly reached out and grabbed Anne, knocking Belle to the side.

"What are you doing here?! AHH!" A deep voice demanded before roaring in pain as the blade scratched its arm, causing him to drop her. "Why you-?!" it snarled, snatching Anne up again, this time by the shirt, hoisting her off the ground. Rather than scream however, she snarled back at him as her eyes changed color to an eerie yellow and her own canine teeth started to extend in length, shocking the creature. "What ARE you?"

"Something you don't want to mess with."

It raised an eyebrow, not letting go, but keeping her at arm's length as it turned its attention back to Belle who was momentarily stunned by her sister's reaction. "Who are you?!"

"The Master of this Castle," it growled back.

"We've come for our father, please let him out. Can't you see he's sick?"

"Then he shouldn't have trespassed here!"

"But he could die! Please, I'll do anything!" Belle continued to beg.

"There's nothing you can do," it spat in disgust as it swerved its body around the room, taking Anne with it, much to her displeasure. "Would you quit that? I'm not your Rag Doll you know!" getting the creature's attention again.

"That's enough out of you,"

"No," she snapped, "Put me down" Pointing downward with her index finger to emphasize her meaning.

"Yes, please put my sister down?" Belle seconded, causing it to raise both of its eyebrows this time. "You are a girl?" the surprise evident in its voice.

"Obviously,"

Instantly it lowered her to the ground, not fully letting go without a word of warning. "Don't attack me again,"

Anne scoffed, softly replying: "Self Defense Monsieur, you have your claws and I have mine."

It looked at her with a strange expression before turning back to Belle. "Returning to the subject of your father, there's nothing you can do. He's my prisoner"

The brunette nearly collapsed on the floor, "Oh there must be some way I can-? Wait! Take me instead,"

"You," it scoffed, before thinking about it and answering back with: "You would take his place? The both of you? Now looking back over at Anne."

"Girls no!" Maurice hollered from behind Belle. "You don't know what you're doing!" But Belle was seriously considering it, "If I did, you would you let him go?"

"Yes, but you two must promise to stay here forever"

The brunette thought about it before replying with: "Come into the light," curious to see what their "host" looked like. Slowly a hairy animal paw slid into focus under the pool of light echoing down from the window in the ceiling. Then the whole body came revealing to be a mixture of different animals as the Beast stood tall on its hind legs. Anne remained motionless as Belle hung back against their father's door.

"No Belle! I won't let you do this!" he begged. But that seemed to make up her mind, shakily, Belle met the Beast's form in the light. "You have my word," she declared.

"Done!" he agreed, rushing over and unlocking the door, freeing Maurice. "No girls, listen to me. I'm old, I've lived my life" he said barely making it over to them before the beast dragged him away.

"Wait!" Belle called out, but they were gone. "Belle," Anne tried to get her attention, gathering her in her arms as they looked out the window, watching what should have been a coach? carrying their father away. A minute later there were footsteps as the Beast appeared again. "You didn't let us say "Goodbye!" We'll never see him again! Didn't get to say goodbye" Belle cried to him.

The Beast stood there awkwardly for a moment or two before responding "I'll show you to your rooms"

"Our rooms? But I thought-" "You want to stay in the tower?" "No," Belle tearfully replied, while Anne answered with "No thank you, I actually can't stay" surprising both of them.

"You WHAT?! But you said-!" the Beast snarled but was interrupted with.

"I didn't say anything, you didn't give me a chance. But I will say so now. Monsieur, I can't stay, as much as I'd like to. For I am already an Indentured Servant to the Manor De Barbarac"

"The Manor De Barbarac? I have heard of that name before" the beast answered, puzzled.

"It's the closest place this Castle has to a neighbor, 10 miles away to the East."

He slowly nodded before responding with "Indentured Servant?"

"I'm working to pay off a debt that is owed. So, unless your plan is to purchase or buy my contract? I must leave, for I am due back at the Manor by 10 am tomorrow morning."

The beast paused as he thought it over, "I still can't let you leave,"

"Why, because you're afraid I will tell someone? Please, I've got my own problems as you saw earlier. But if it will make you feel better? You have my word" repeating Belle, with the same amount of conviction.

"Not good enough," The beast replied,

"I swear to you on the blood of Prince Adam and all those who were slain in the Massacre here at the Mountain De Chateau 10 years ago!"

This caught the Beast off guard, "Massacre?"

"Do you not know the history of the Graveyard you chose to live in?" she answered, with pure emotion in her voice.

"What is your name?"

"Anne Potts,"

The Beast nodded as a collective gasp was heard in the background. "Your word is enough, Mademoiselle Potts. You may leave in the morning; all I ask is that you don't leave the "Graveyard" until then. Some of the "ghosts" may want a word with you."

"Yes Sir,"

"-And you will share your sister's room tonight, no wandering."

"Yes sir,"

"Alright then, come along the both of you. Follow me" he said, turning a grabbing a lit candelabra from where it was positioned. A short while later, they were following the Beast down the hallway before Anne's ears picked up a whispered voice before the creature started talking again. This time mainly to Belle:

"The castle is your home now, so you can go wherever you like. Except the West Wing"

Don't Belle Anne thought, already picking up where her sister's mind was heading as the expected words came out: "What's in the West-?"

"It's Forbidden!" he ordered, putting an end to her questioning. "Now if you need anything, my servants will attend you" the beast said, as they arrived and he opened the door before another whisper was heard and the creature amended his sentence with "You will join me for dinner, that's not a request!" as he slammed the door behind them.

Surprising Belle while Anne grumbled back, "That's not an invitation either…"