La Sorcière et la Bête

COMING 2022: Cover art is not mine! All credit goes to original artists! (French title, story is in English) A condescending Skrull-Kree prince and his castle's employees fall under the spell of a wicked enchantress. When self taught mage Wiccan discovers the castle, he inadvertently begins to draw the pitiless prince out of his isolation while at the same time unearths the tender soul behind the menacing mask. However, as time to break the curse runs out additional threats come from bounty hunters working for a facility known as 'The Cube' who have been sent to capture Wiccan and his twin Speed and bring them to the mad scientist The Warden for experimentation. (essentially, Wiccan/Hulkling meets Beauty and the Beast)

Once upon a time there was a Prince of both the Skrull and Kree empires who made his home on earth. On the North American continent he had a palace-like embassy from where he ruled so neither race felt favored over the other. Even though he had servants who did everything he bid, brought him everything he wished and he grew up never wanting for anything the Prince still felt alone and unloved. His father had been killed before he was born and his mother had died when he was very young. The deaths of his parents was one of the reasons his guardian Kl'rt brought him to Earth and raised him to be strong as stone, knowing if he weren't he could never keep peace between two empires with such a long history of war and violence.

Even after Kl'rt had died and left the Prince the empire to command on his own he felt no joy in his rule, and everyone who encountered him could see it in his cold face. Nothing it seemed could make the young prince happy, especially not another lavish party. . .

"Sire, it's time." One of his most trusted advisors, Elijah told him from where he stood looking at the clock on the wall noticing the time.

Prince Dorrek sighed and stood from his chair where his servants had been helping him get ready for the festivities and took one last look at himself in the mirror. Thanks to the Skrull's ability to shapeshift Dorrek had gone most of his life under the guise of a human. It was easier for aliens to be accepted on Earth if they looked just like humans. And after so long on Earth and surrounded by human butlers and maids Dorrek found he preferred the human's appearance over his Skrull form any day. It was a bit like dying your hair, when you found a color you liked you stuck with it, and for Dorrek he favored his human appearance.

In the mirror his blonde hair was perfectly combed, his skin was free of any blemish and his formal clothes were ironed and without a single wrinkle. His blue eyes were dull just as they always were and his mouth held no hint of a smile. Part of Dorrek just wanted the night to be over with but the other part of him asked what was the point? There was nothing he was looking forward to after the party so why wish it to go by quickly? What a depressing thought, he pondered, knowing there was nothing in his life that brought him joy, nothing that excited him. But alas, that was the life of royalty. That was something Kl'rt had taught him. While some noble houses on Earth believed they were entitled to the best of everything the Prince of the Skrulls and the Kree had been taught that his purpose was to ensure the safety and protection of his people. The fancy clothes, lavish lifestyle and crown were just ways to display power so that no other planet would dare interfere with yours. They'd see the expensive things and assume your wealth, and wealth meant armies and armies meant power. And power was safety. That was his role, that was his purpose. To exude power and strength.

At some point in his life Dorrek had forgotten where the line was between the misery he experienced and the misery he inflicted on others. Kindness was weakness, Kl'rt often said, a smile on your face would mark you a potential sucker for someone looking to take what you had. Pity for the less fortunate would move you to spend your wealth on them instead of on your military and if a military wasn't well supplied your doom was certain. But a cold stare and a sneer were tools that could break your enemies and any schemes they might try to hatch in their infancy, killing the plans to subdue you before they could take root and strangle you with their weeds. And of course, fear. Fear was the greatest tool of all, for if people feared you then you must truly hold all the power. And power was safety.

Dorrek sighed, pushing away the thoughts of his deceased guardian and his upbringing. He made his way to the ballroom grabbing the lapel of his dress coat and giving it a final tug to make sure it was straight. The tall ornate doors opened and his guests bowed and curtseyed as he passed them and made his way to the throne at the opposite end of the room. Once he was seated he raised his hand once and the music started to play as several of the young ladies began to dance across the floor. Dorrek knew his advisors were hopeful that all he needed was a companion in his life to bring him the joy that had always evaded him. However, as the young maidens danced and twirled he found himself just as bored as ever as the pianist played and his wife sang an exquisite tune.

"Oh how divine. Glamor, music and magic combine. See the maidens so anxious to shine. Look for a sign that enhances - chances. She'll be his special one! What a display, what a breathtaking, thrilling array. Every prince, every dog has his day. Let us sing with passion, gusto, fit to bust. Oh not a care in the woooooooooorld!"

Then there was a sudden crash and all heads turned to the tall glass doors that led to the gardens which had been thrown open and were letting in the harsh breeze of the raging storm outside. Several of the candles lighting the hall went out and only the dim lights high on the pillars gave any sort of glow to see by. Dorrek rose from his throne and made his way to the doors as the ladies cowered away and a figure cloaked in black appeared hobbling inside. When the hunched body lifted their head Dorrek could see it was just an old feeble woman who had interrupted the party.

"Please, your Highness. Can you spare shelter from the storm?" She asked him with a trembling voice. She lifted the hand that wasn't clutching her robe and in it was a bright red rose as an offering in exchange. He took the rose from her hand and examined it. This woman didn't even have a penny to her name? All she could offer was a flower? He scoffed and tossed it on the floor not even acknowledging her question with a worded response. Prince Dorrek turned intending to get back to his guests and expecting the woman to leave in shame and embarrassment. But instead she spoke up, her voice stronger and no longer shaky.

"You should not be deceived by appearances as you deceive others." She said in a warning tone and Dorrek turned back at her wondering how she could possibly see through his shapeshifting, "After all, beauty is found within."

If this woman knew his secret abilities then she could be some kind of spy. Letting her stay the night would be too risky. Besides, if he showed her kindness in front of so many people he would show weakness. And that could unravel the strength that the Skrulls, the Kree, Kl'rt and the Prince had been striving to build for years. He sneered at her and turned away again intending to head back to his throne.

Then a harsh breeze blew in but it was strangely warmer then the last and Dorrek turned to face the woman once more. She stood, no longer hunched and her black torn cloak began to fill itself with shimmering streaks of gold until her whole appearance was consumed by the light. Dorrek shielded his eyes from the strong rays and could just make out the face of a beautiful woman dressed in ivory. He backed away in fright as his guests began to flee behind him. Alone, and knowing he was up against a powerful mage Dorrek fell to the ground on his knees.

"Please -" he tried to beg but the woman held up one hand and he knew begging would be no use. She raised her hand higher and Dorrek felt his body erupt in pain as his skin tore and his body grew as he was forced to resume his Skrull form. Scales pushed themselves up from under his flesh, his nails grew sharp like talons and his wings erupted from his back making his spine and shoulder blades feel as if they were on fire. His clothes ripped as his body expanded and a roar of despair flew from his mouth. When it was over and he lie on the floor aching and exhausted from the pain, Dorrek tried to change back seeking something that would be a balm for the stinging in his limbs. But nothing happened, no matter how hard he tried. He was trapped in his Skrull form.

Soft footsteps padded toward him and he barely had the energy to raise his head. The sorceress stood above him with her head tilted before she couched over him resting her hands on her knees.

"Stripped of your ability to shapeshift will not be the only punishment I give. Your beautiful home and everyone who lives here will be cursed by my spell as well. And you all will be erased from the memory of everyone who knows of your existence."

She stood to her full height again still with her eyes downcast on him. She lifted one finger and pointed over her shoulder. He turned and saw the red rose still lying on the polished floor. It sparkled in exquisite beauty, shining with small beads of magic. "That is truly a special gift, it is your sign of hope. Your. Only. Hope. If you can learn to love another and earn their love in return before the last petal falls, the spell will be broken. If not, you will be doomed to remain in this form forever, feared by all as you had so desired to be. Let that rose ensure you never forget these words."

When Dorrek's eyes shifted from the rose back to her the witch was gone.

.

He tried to hope, for a time. But as years passed Dorrek's hope diminished until he lost every shred of it and with each petal that fell he felt a pang in his heart. After all, who on the Earth could love such a hideous creature as a Skrull?

.


.

Billy Kaplan tugged on his red hoodie as he left the house and walked through the streets of the small town he and his twin brother Tommy had moved to only a little over a year ago. After using their gifts to become superheroes - amateur superheroes mind you - they soon realized that staying in the city would only bring more trouble to his parent's house and risk his family's safety. So Billy transferred schools and Tommy promised Mr. and Mrs. Kaplan he'd watch his twin brother's back. The two boys moved into a small house that Billy's grandmother had lived in before she died and his parents hadn't sold yet.

The months since the move had been calm and peaceful enough. He and Tommy could easily make it to the city when trouble brewed and Billy's only problem outside of supervillains was his bully at school, Kesler and the accompanying mockery that came with his teasing. But luckily it was easy enough to avoid him during the summer break they were currently in.

All in all the small town was nice but. . . Billy still felt out of place, like he was still missing something. And if being a superhero on the side wasn't enough to fill the void, then what was?

He sighed as he kept walking, rolling up the sleeves of his red hoodie to his elbows as he double checked his bag that hung from the strap that was slung across his body. He was returning some comic books from the library that he had been reading over the summer. His favorites were the ones about the Avengers, he was such a fanboy at heart and secretly hoped one day they'd ask him and Tommy - or rather Wiccan and Speed - to join their team. But the more and more he fought bad guys and the Avengers didn't take an interest he felt like it was just becoming a pipe dream.

He passed the local bakery where outside was a chalk board that read the special sale item that day. Billy didn't have to read it to know what it said, it was always the same. That was one of the things about the small town that he hadn't gotten used to yet, how much everything stayed the same. The people here liked their routines and it was hard to tell one day from the next.

"Every day is like the one before." He muttered to himself shaking his head. "Every morning it's all the same."

"Good morning Billy!" the baker called to him as he passed and Billy slowed down and smiled at the man as he wiped the small tables outside his bakery.

"Good morning Mr. Lang." He replied politely as the man patted one of his pockets but suddenly looked confused at not finding what he was looking for. "Have you lost something again?"

"Seems to happen every day now." The man replied exasperated, "I can never shake the feeling. Oh well, whatever it is I'll come across it eventually."

Billy smiled again as he continued on and headed to cut through the park knowing it would get him to the library faster. He decided to pull out one of his comic books and flip through it again before returning it. It seemed as soon as he did the whispers started from those near him and walking past.

"Bit strange -"

"No question."

"Dazed and distracted, can't you tell?" One older man said from behind the newspaper he was reading.

It hadn't taken long after he and Tommy had gotten here before the people of the small town figured out what made Billy so different. It wasn't his powers, thank God, but instead a mix of his fondness for comics and his sexuality. Kesler was the only one who mocked him for his romantic preferences, but it seemed the rest of the town picked up the slack for mocking him for everything else. The popular opinion here it seemed was that comics were for children and a boy in high school should have outgrown such a thing by now.

Billy tried to ignore it as best he could as he made it to the cut through in the park. It had rained the previous day so he knew there'd be mud puddles, which meant the clusters of people would avoid the path which would give him some space. The tall trees provided shade and privacy helping Billy to feel like he'd stepped into a world where only he existed. It was a nice break from the eyes that were always locked on him.

As he walked through the forest covered park he came across a rather large puddle. Quickly looking over his shoulder to make sure he was alone he used his powers to float over the bigger puddles, his hands glowing with blue energy. He smirked to himself as his feet touched the ground and when he got to the other side of the park he pushed through a few bushes to get back to the sidewalk. He passed a couple of older ladies who whispered as he passed.

"Never see him with any crowd."

"Of course not, his head's always up on some cloud."

Billy repressed a sigh as the library came into view. It was always the same comments about him being a daydreamer and living in a fantasy world. Most people here didn't see the point. Why not read a real book? Or if he was so interested in superheroes why not read a newspaper, the Avengers were always mentioned in there daily.

Thank God for the library, he thought, it was the most overlooked building in town which meant he could find some refuge there. And as a bonus Kesler would never be caught dead in the library. It was also nice since with his comic book obsession Billy would never be able to afford enough to keep his mind occupied. So getting them for free from the library was a blessing, he had probably saved hundreds of dollars by borrowing the comics, books and movies instead of buying them. Tommy would sometimes come too, he liked taking out the cd's and downloading them to his iTunes library.

"Ah, if it isn't our best customer." Jonas said from behind the checkout desk when Billy walked in. "Finished already?"

Billy shrugged, "It's comics or those awful study packets the school assigns over the summer. I'd rather spend my time on the comics."

"Mmm, among other things." Jonas replied cryptically. Sometimes Billy got the impression that Jonas had a brain like a computer and was smart enough to have figured out that he and Tommy were Speed and Wiccan. Although other times he was amazed more people didn't figure it out, not many people had hair like his twin brother.

"Do you have anything new?" He asked changing the subject.

Jonas shrugged, "Well we just got our budget cut again. . . but, I did manage to order a few more. I think you might enjoy this one in particular."

He winked at Billy as he passed him the comic titled 'House of M'. Billy nodded with a small smile on his face before checking out, thanking Jonas and heading back home.

He pulled the new comic from his bag almost immediately and flipped through it as he walked still ignoring the whispers. He did his best not to listen and tried to fall into the colorful animated story but it seemed like no one really cared if he overheard them.

"Always got his nose in one of those ridiculous books. It's a wonder he doesn't trip over his own feet." He heard one of the girls from his school say as she left a boutique with her mother.

"Hush."

"Oh he won't hear me. Dreamy far off look like that in his eye, he's probably not paying any attention to what's happening around him. I wouldn't be surprised if he walks right into the street and gets hit -"

"Veronica!"

"What? I'm not wishing it on him. I'm just saying it's bound to happen eventually."

Billy kept his face in his comic book hiding behind the cover. Unknown to Billy, he was being watched through a pair of binoculars. Noh-var stood on a hill at the edge of town and pulled the lenses away from his face as he smiled.

"There he is Av-rom, my target." He passed the binoculars to his Kree friend who peered through them, "The Warden is interested in the Wiccan and I'm not a person who fails a task."

"Wiccan will never go willingly to the Cube." Av-rom said as he pocketed the binoculars, "So how are we supposed to capture him? If he's as strong as the Warden has told you –"

"There are many ways to capture someone." Noh-var replied winking at his friend, "And thankfully I have what Wiccan's interested in." He smirked cockily and walked off intent on catching up to Wiccan before he got home.

"Puzzling behavior. Peculiar reading habits." Another person said as Billy passed with his new comic gripped firmly in his hands. He shut it knowing he wanted to give the storyline his full attention and the gossiping people were a constant distraction. He ducked back through the trees and headed for the park again. It didn't take him long to find an empty bench in a secluded area among the foliage that looked perfect. He took a seat removing the strap of his bag and setting it beside him. He opened the book and re-read the few pages he'd gotten through but before he could read much further he heard someone call him.

"Hello William!"

Oh no. He thought with dread. He knew that voice. Noh, he had moved here at the end of the school year for some exchange program and claimed that he liked the town so much he'd decided to stay for the summer. Billy had the awful idea that it wasn't so much the town Noh liked, it was him. Tommy had told him that he was being paranoid but it seemed to Billy that Noh always went out of his way to hang around him and had every excuse in the book to never leave. And he was much harder to avoid then Kesler. It made it worse that because Noh was from an interesting foreign country, he wasn't outcast for being different like Billy was. Instead girls found him charming and mysterious. The sports jocks hung around him so some of the attention from the girls would land on them too. Everyone liked Noh, he quickly became the most popular one in school. Which also meant that Noh's desire to seek out and hang around Billy only made him a bigger target for bullies like Kesler. Why you trying to hang around Noh? They'd ask when he'd be unlucky enough to be tracked down by the exchange student and get caught by Kesler at the same time. Hoping some of his charm will rub off on you? Or are you hoping he'll join your team? Whether Noh meant it or not, he brought more trouble for Billy in school and now that they were on summer break Billy had hoped he could have some time not worrying about Noh. But it looked like the popular young man had other ideas.

"Noh." Billy replied as he got up and threw his bag over his shoulder again hoping to get out of there quickly.

"Great comic you've got there." Noh said with a bright smile as he walked over, closing the distance between them.

Billy knew he didn't hide the confusion on his face well as he turned to his unwanted company, "Have you read it?"

"Well, no, but you know, comics." Noh shrugged as his awkward smile faltered a bit. Billy gave a small smile and nodded before he turned and tried to make it back to the path that would take him to the sidewalk. Hopefully once he was there he could find a crowd to disappear into. But Noh wasn't taking the hint, like always, and he followed Billy staying just far enough ahead of him that he could look at his face properly.

"Heading home?" He asked cheerfully.

"Yeahh." Billy replied hesitantly not sure if he should be honest or lie.

"Maybe I can come over? We could hang out. You can tell me what's so interesting about those comic books."

"Sorry, now's not a good time." Billy began as he kept walking trying to string together a good excuse.

"Oh, busy?" Noh asked looking hurt.

"Uhh, no." Billy said in that same wary tone as he picked up the pace. He wished very hard that something would stop Noh just enough so he could get a few steps ahead and maybe take off. Then there was a splash as Noh stepped in one of the mud puddles and groaned looking down at his now soaking shoe. Billy wasn't sure if it was a coincidence or if he'd unintentionally used his powers but either way he took the chance and ducked through the trees happily as he rushed home before Noh could catch up.

When he got inside he found a duffle bag on the floor by the door. Tommy.

"Bro? That you?"

"Who else has a key to the house?" Billy asked with a laugh. A second later his twin zoomed into the room with a handful of clothes in his hand. "Heading out?"

Tommy looked a bit miserable as he opened his bag and stuffed the clothes inside. "Just overnight. Mom wants to have dinner. I promised her I'd pop in every now and then. And it's been a while."

"She guilt tripped you huh?"

"Big time." Tommy sighed sitting at the table and resting his head in his hands, running his fingers through his white hair. Billy knew that only meant one thing. He walked over and stood behind his brother and rested his hands on Tommy's shoulders.

"Headaches again?" He asked and Tommy nodded. He'd told Billy about all the horrible things that had happened to him while he'd been imprisoned in the Cube. The experiments. But the one that seemed to haunt his twin the most was the poking at his brain, and the incision scars that were left behind under his hair. He still remembered the night Tommy had woken up from the terrible nightmares. That was when he'd told Billy everything. And Billy never forgot how vulnerable and how afraid Tommy had been in that moment. It was such a drastic change from how Tommy's usual personality was and it filled Billy with so many emotions. Sadness, obviously, he hated seeing his twin, his other half in so much pain. There was also anger, anger at the people responsible for causing Tommy all that agony, for cutting him up and tormenting him. There was grief, a sort of mourning that his brother had lost some innocence he may have had before the prison and now saw the world in a darker light, even when he was smiling and carefree. Billy knew the dark thoughts were never far; tucked away in the back of his mind. And of course there was the urge to comfort, to protect, especially considering how much power Billy wielded. That night he'd promised Tommy, as long as Billy was alive and breathing nothing and no one would ever take him back to the Cube again. No one would ever imprison him and if by some way it happened Billy swore it would not be long before Wiccan showed up and tore apart whatever cell held his brother, that he'd come and free Tommy. It had brought them closer and after that the two watched each other's backs more then anyone else in the world.

Still standing behind him Billy ran his hand through Tommy's hair and called on his power to take the pain away. Small wisps of cerulean appeared around his fingers and wove into Tommy's head, through his hair and around his forehead. After a short moment Tommy took his head from his hands and looked relieved. Then he sighed and stood up as Billy took his hand away as the light vanished.

"Thanks. I better finish packing." Tommy said getting up and speeding back to his room. Billy got the impression that his brother was also looking to escape any chance of a deep heart to heart. It didn't leave Billy feeling like his twin didn't trust him, he just knew Tommy hated being seen as a victim.

Letting out a long breath Billy placed his bag on the table with his comic book and grabbed the dishes that had been left from breakfast. He brought them to the sink and washed them before noticing how the garbage was piling up and decided to take it out to the bin they kept outside the garage.

He'd just tossed the bag in and lowered the lid when he heard his name again and mentally cursed himself for being the good twin who took out the trash. From now on he should make Tommy do it, it would take less time and that way Billy couldn't be caught by. . .

"Hi Noh." Billy greeted without making eye contact as he turned and headed for the door to the house again.

"I never got a chance mention it in the park. . ." Noh said following him closer then his own shadow. "But I wanted to ask you something."

Billy turned to him and really should have won an award for not letting his eyes bug out of his head in fear, although he knew his face was filled with dread. Please no, please no. Please no.

"A bunch of us are going into the city this weekend. I was wondering if you'd join me."

He didn't say it outright but Billy could tell he meant as a date. Billy had never gone out with another man before but he knew he most certainly wasn't about to now. Not when Noh's group were the jocks and Kesler.

"Noh." He began, trying to find a way to let him down easy, "I really think we're just too different."

"Well you know what they say." Noh replied smiling as he stepped closer. Too close, and was definitely in Billy's personal space, to the point where he could feel Noh's breath on his face when he spoke, "Opposites attract."

Billy took a step back trying to put space between them, "Sometimes." He agreed though not enthusiastically, "But I really think you could do better, you're an attractive guy, outgoing, popular, you could have anyone you want."

"I know which one I want." He said stepping closer again and Billy took another step back mentally calculating how many steps it was to the front door.

He swallowed nervously, "I'm not really good at the whole 'dating' thing." He admitted, "I kind of make a fool of myself."

Noh's expression turned seductive, "Well maybe I can show you a thing or two."

Billy felt a chill run up his spine, and not in a good way. "I'll, uh, I'll get back to you on that."

Noh smiled and didn't move closer as Billy turned and hurried inside locking the door behind him and slamming his back against it. Almost immediately he heard a snicker and looked up to see Tommy there by the window barely concealed by the curtain.

"How much did you hear?"

Tommy chuckled again, "Enough."

Billy repressed a groan, "Is he gone?"

Tommy pulled back the curtain, "He's leaving. You're safe."

Billy pushed off the door and sat down at the table placing his head in his hands this time. Tommy chuckled again as he watched Noh leave through the window.

"Can you imagine? A group date and you show up on Noh-var's arm?" Tommy chuckled as he walked up behind Billy, "Can't you just see it? You and Noh-var? His little wife."

Tommy tugged the hood of the sweater over Billy's head covering his eyes. Billy let out his groan this time as he pushed the hood off his head and stood from the table heading for the stairs with his bag in hand.

"Not me. I can guarantee it." Billy replied as he marched up to his room leaving Tommy's laughter behind. He wanted so much more then this small town life, Billy pondered as he walked into his room and threw his bag on the window seat. He looked out the glass at the rolling hills and could barely make out the skyline of the city in the distance. He wanted adventure he knew the world held. He would never even be able to put his desire into words. It felt like there weren't any. He plopped onto the window seat and lifted one leg so it was bent at the knee.

"For once it might be nice." He wondered aloud to himself, "To have someone. Someone who could understand."

He wanted so much more then anyone in this little town could ever understand, so much more then they had planned. He turned his head from the window to his closet where on the door his Wiccan uniform hung.

.


.

"I should get going, I'm already supposed to be on my way to see my Mom. I'm late." Tommy said about thirty minutes later when Billy left his room and came back downstairs. He had contemplated going with Tommy, maybe take his uniform and bust some drug dealers or convenience store robbers, fill that need for an adventure. But after giving it some thought Billy knew that was the wrong thing to do. He didn't become a superhero just so he could inflate his own ego with crime fighting. It wouldn't solve his problems, just cover them up briefly, too briefly.

Instead of moping Billy laughed at his twin's statement, "It's kind of impossible for you to run late for anything."

Tommy chuckled with him as he picked up his duffle bag. "I should be back by morning. I really can't stand being around either of my parents for long since the divorce."

Billy nodded and walked out with him as Tommy threw his bag over his shoulder and walked down the front steps.

"Do you want me to bring you back anything from the city?" Tommy asked turning and walking backwards down the sidewalk.

Billy stuffed his hands into his pockets, "Something that isn't stolen." He joked knowing Tommy's tendency to break the rules, both before and after juvie.

"Oh come on. You know those days are behind me." Tommy replied with a smile before the brothers shared a quick goodbye hug. Then Tommy looked around, made sure the coast was clear, then took off in a blur.