For 10 years nothing happened in this castle. For 10 years it was silent, except for the movements of his servants. For 10 years it was just them, the cold and the rose that cursed them. But on this night, the night that gave him 1 year to find a way to break the curse, his castle stirred with shouting, two voices from what he could tell. Looking at Cogsworth and Lumiere he brought one of his claws to his lips. Instantly Lumiere snuffed out his lights, and they followed him towards the front door. He knew how to move unseen and unheard, so it was no surprise that two humans didn't hear or see him coming.

The three of them watched as a young man, tall, muscle, and bright red shirt was hauling a young woman towards the front door.

"Master?" Cogsworth's worried voice only matched what he was feeling, something was wrong. The young woman was trying to hit, kick and free herself in any way possible. Moving his ears, he stepped closer tilting his head as he listened. Normally he would be furious at trespassers, normally they wanted anything they could get their hands on, but instead, they wanted nothing to do with his castle or the belongings in it.

"I would rather DIE than leave with you." He watched as she tried to kick the man, but missed entirely. He spun her in a way that made him angry, he could now see how scared she was, the horror of the man being so close to her.

"I will have you again. The girls will teach you what to do, your father can do nothing, the town will do nothing. Being my wife comes with some perks. You will be taken care of." He watched as he turned her around grabbing her face. "Yes, you will make the most." He couldn't help but keep his eyes on the woman. His own anger rising, feeling the malice from the man.

"Leave her, and I may consider leaving you alive." He stepped closer, watching as both of them froze. He knew his voice was loud and low, but he rarely spoke these days, so he didn't practice subtly. To his surprise the man spoke with malice, as though he knew what lurked in the shadows.

"She is mine. Whomever you are, this is of no concern to you." He stepped closer, using the large shadows to cover him, though he knew the man knew where he was. He watched as the woman looked around trying to find where his voice was coming from. This allowed him to laugh, he knew it was loud, and could see her jump.

"You are trespassing in my home. Loud yelling, with a woman scared, trying to fight you off, and you tell me not to interfere? Such is the stupidity of man." He watched as the woman moved towards him, trying to get away from the man which surprised him. She knew nothing of what was in the shadows yet she would risk coming to him than leaving with him.

"Let me go." She tried to free herself, but the man didn't lessen his grip. The man stopped looking to where he was, and instead looked at her.

"No."

In a flash it seemed the man was now screaming, bleeding and she was closer to him holding up a blade, he smiled to himself, at least she had some courage, despite how bad she was shaking.

"BELLE! WE ARE LEAVING." He had grabbed his own knife, stepping towards them.

"No." He spoke and watched as Belle, retreated closer and closer to him, dropping the knife she was holding when she felt like she was at a good distance. To his surprise the man got closer, though his courage was now wavering.

"Belle, here, now." He tilted his head as the man connected his gaze. "Belle…"

"Leave." He saw her jump at his voice, and she took a step forward, before he could think he placed one of his paws on her shoulders, holding her in place. "Him." He brought his voice as low and soft as he could, not sure if it was comforting or scaring her more.

"Belle, we must do as it asks, leave." He growled as the man stepped forward, he was confused as to why he was doing this in the first place.

"No.." To his surprise, she finally spoke in what seemed like hours, though it was low and not full of courage it was enough for her to reach behind her, and grab his cloak. She was shaking, he could feel it through his hand and his now shaking cloak.

"NOW."

"NO!" This time he was startled at her scream, he watched as she continued to shake, at any time her legs would give out. The man stepped forward and she stepped closer to him, her back now against his chest, he could feel through his fur she was ice cold.

"The lady has spoken, leave." To his annoyance the man went to reach for Belle, and he reached out stopping his hand from reaching her, he gave a hard squeeze, enough to be a warning he could snap the scum humans arm easily. "Now." He waited until the man nodded before letting go, and placed his knife back in his belt.

"I will be back, mark my words, I will be back." He watched as the man left, his ears listening as he ran off the bridge and into the forest, he was alerted when he heard sobbing and the smack of skin on the stone. Glancing down she was on her knee's head against the ground arms around herself, mumbling to herself. Looking at Lumiere for light, instantly the candelabra illuminated the girl.

"Breathe. For now, he is gone." He was knelt in front of her, he offered his paw, and watched as she hesitantly took it.

"Th-thank you." She barely had her legs straight when she collapsed forward, both of his arms shot out and caught her. He wanted to shiver for how cold she was. With Lumiere and a few others he could fully see her. She was covered in scrapes, cuts and bruises. Her dress was ripped, torn and from what he could tell, was no longer floor length but at her knees, where he noticed a fair bit of blood. Possibly from where she fell.

"Potts." He looked up and watched as a tray with a tea set rolled towards him.

"Yes, Master?" The elderly woman, surprisingly, was never afraid of him, even in his fits.

"We need a bed, a warm room, she's freezing. Have Madame Wardrobe put something together." He held her closer to his chest and stood, starting up the stairs towards the east wing where the spare rooms were.

"Of course, we have cleared up the large guest room in the east wing." She gave him a weary smile and went towards the kitchen. "I shall get some warm beverages ready and send them up."

Opening the doors to the large guest room that would have been for dignitaries, lord and ladies, was spotless, not a speck of dirt or dust, a small fire roaring in the corner. He laid her gently on the bed, fixing a stray hair away from her face with his claw, careful not to scratch her.

"If she wakes and should need anything…"

"Of course. For now, she needs her rest."

As they all left the room, he couldn't help and look back as the door slowly closed. What would she do when she woke in the morning? In a forgotten, abandoned castle, with talking kettles, candles and of course, a beast.