Hello hope you're doing well! If you've read this far, THANK YOU, it means so much to me. Once again, this chapter will feature a few quotes from TID or Beauty and the Beast.

Now into this chapter...longest one yet!...characters are about to meet...it will be a big bunch of thorns and roses...so happy reading! :)

DISCLAIMER: I do not own any of the characters from TID or Beauty and the Beast, nor their stories.

Tale as Old as Time...

CHAPTER 5: THORNS

1885, London, England

She paused to admire the elegant, sophisticated exterior of the church, gazing up at the gorgeous stained glass windows and dark turrets. She wondered how many rooms were in the Institute as she scanned the multitude of windows. Then something caught her eye. She gasped as she saw brilliant blue eyes staring back at her, surrounded by dark fur. She furrowed her brows in confusion as the head quickly disappeared behind deep velvet curtains. First a vampire sighting, now a beast? Maybe Tessa was just tired.

She braced herself and left Philippe at the bottom of the steps. Her worn boots made no sound as she gracefully climbed the stairs and raised her hand to touch the brass door knocker. Yet as soon as she touched the handle, the great mahogany doors began to creak. Tessa jumped in surprise as the door swung open. "Hello?"

Tessa paused in the doorway, hesitant to enter. She turned around on the steps, but saw no one else around the entrance of the Institute. She was on her own.

Stepping into the foyer of the London Institute shocked her more than the breathtaking exterior. The ceiling was so tall, it was hardly visible in the dim glow encompassing the room. Tessa gaped at the gorgeous imperial staircase in the center, which split into two other marble staircases spiraling upwards. The walls were a very pale light teal, accented with ornate rusted-gold embellishments twining around tall doric-style pillars.

There were beautiful stone statues of creatures Tessa couldn't quite discern looming above her, and just to her right, a mahogany table. Perched atop it were two golden ornamental objects- one a candelabra, and the other a pendulum clock.

"Look, Cogsworth, a beautiful girl!" Jem exclaimed, addressing Gabriel by his post-enchantment nickname.

"Yes, I can see it's a girl. I lost my hands, not my eyes," Gabriel replied gruffly, his minute hand ticking with annoyance.

"But what if she is the one? The one who breaks the spell?" Jem inquired, excitement raising his normally gentle voice.

Tessa whirled, spotting a tree branch that had blown in with the wind and grabbed it hastily. "Who said that? Who's there?" She groaned with exhaustion, taking a second to admire the beautiful household items glinting to her right, and stooped down onto the edge of the first step. An isolated foyer with haunted voices was definitely not what she had imagined encountering upon her arrival at the London Institute.

"Hello?" She called out again, hoping to attract someone's attention. Anyone's at this point.

A clear voice responded, startling Tessa out of her wits. "How did you get in here?"

Sophie glared at the girl sitting at the base of the staircase. She appeared to be in tatters: her cloak had damp splotches all over it from the snow, tendrils of hair escaped her loose plait, and her dress...well, it was in a horrid state. She certainly didn't look like she was a shadowhunter; after all, her pale skin bore no runes, and she wore nothing that resembled gear- but then, how did she enter the Institute? Sophie raised her frying pan higher. She had always been more comfortable with a cast-iron skillet than a blade anyways.

Tessa gasped at the girl staring at her from across the room. She was beautiful in a unique way, with a scar shining across her face, and her arm raised with a pan of all things, ready to strike. She quickly stood up and straightened her posture, a well-mannered habit she had developed as a result of being the more mature Starkweather guests turned to when they visited her grandfather.

"Hello," she smiled cautiously. "My name is Tessa Gray. I am here on behalf of my grandfather, Aloysius Starkweather, to discuss matters of his position, with Ms. Branwell."

Just then a tall, broad-shouldered young man with sandy hair rushed into the room. "Sophie, is something wrong?"

Sophie sighed, lowering her arm, her cheeks pinking slightly. "Miss Gray, from the York Institute? Has Mr. Starkweather been keeping correspondence with Ms. Branwell?" As the self-proclaimed secretary of Charlotte, Sophie knew of all her communications; Tessa's slow shake of her head confirmed Sophie's suspicions that she had come because she did not know of the London Institute's...closure due to the curse. Mr. Starkweather, after all, was a senile old man who never kept up with anything. They were probably not aware of any current events.

"Would it trouble you to bring Miss Gray to a spare room, Mr. Lightwood?" Sophie asked, her eyes signaling him to lead her to the East Wing. Not the West Wing, where Will was located. She would deal with him later.

Gideon nodded and courteously bowed towards Tessa. "Follow me, Miss Gray."

Tessa marveled at the large tapestries adorning the walls as Gideon led her up the stairs to the right. "Mr. Lightwood," she asked curiously, "might I ask where the other staircase leads?"

Gideon's face turned blank for a moment as he shook his head, too quickly to be unsuspicious. "Just more rooms, Miss."

Tessa frowned, but then nodded. She would find out eventually. "Might it be possible to speak with Ms. Branwell tonight? My grandfather is expecting me back tomorrow, and I worry for him. He is almost ninety years old."

Gideon didn't talk much amongst strangers, but he nodded, his serious gaze softening. "Of course, Miss Gray." They exchanged pleasantries while walking through one of the many hallways of the Institute, eventually stopping in front of a closed door.

"This will be your room. Please, make yourself at home, and Sophie will be with you shortly." He ran a hand through his short hair and offered Tessa a slight smile, then lumbered off.

Tessa braced herself. Hiding behind the door could be anything- a demon? A terrifying room of spoils, like the one her grandfather refused to get rid of? Yet Tessa found that her fear was overruled by the exciting prospect of adventure. She twisted the brass doorknob and gave it a push.

This room was at least twice the size of her own quarters back at the York Institute, and it was beautiful. The walls were covered in an ornate cream wallpaper, the surrounding furniture the same light teal as in the foyer embellished with accents of golden swirls. There was a queen-size bed in the center, and a wardrobe to the side. A crystal chandelier hung from the ceiling, shining from thin rays of light streaming through the large window in the far end of the room.

Tessa crossed the room quickly to the large window, unlatching it and cracking it open as a swift breeze swept through. She was high up, though, and dreaded the thought of trying to navigate her way around the Institute alone.

Elsewhere, Sophie ran into Gideon on the staircase, biting her lip in the fashion that she did when she was nervous. "Gideon!" She exclaimed, almost slamming into him. "Are you thinking what I'm thinking?"

Gideon chuckled nervously, then raised his eyebrow. "That you haven't delivered scones to me personally in a week?"

She slapped his arm, then grinned with relish as he winced in response. "This is no time to joke around, Gideon. Miss Gray can break the curse!"

His eyes widened in understanding. "All the other maidens-"

"Well, Miss Gray isn't like the other maidens," she protested, her hazel eyes pleading to Gideon. "She is a young, independent woman who cares deeply about her insane grandfather- she knows how to deal with a temper. I have heard that she has a kind heart, and I know that kindness will soften Mr. Herondale. The time when all the petals fall is not far off, and I fear the shadowhunters will remain in their cursed forms forever."

Now Sophie rapped her knuckles softly against the door Tessa was staying behind. "Pardon, Miss Gray? It's Sophie."

"Come in!" Tessa called.

Sophie briskly entered the room and quickly shut the door closed behind her. Her cheeks were tinted pink, probably from walking up all those stairs, and she wore an expression of assertion on her face. "Miss Gray. It is a pleasure to formally meet you," she said, curtsying as habit of her old maid days.

"It is wonderful to meet you, too, Miss..." Tessa paused. She did not want to come across as rude by addressing the girl by her Christian name.

"Collins," Sophie replied, smiling softly. "But I would prefer it if you called me Sophie."

Tessa had never had any girl friends before, let alone any friends her age at all, so she thought she might like to make one right now. "Then I would prefer it if you called me Tessa," she replied. "Thank you very much for the room. It's gorgeous."

Sophie grinned in return. "Of course. Now, Miss Gray- I mean, Tessa- let's get you dressed for dinner tonight. I don't mean to cause any harm, but your attire looks rather damp, and I think it would be best if you changed."

-O-o-O-

After Will had smashed in his mirror and broken at least fifteen dishes in his bedroom, he had decided that it was too small for him. Ever since then, he had resided in the West Wing, mostly keeping to himself. He stood there now, hovering above the vibrant red rose encased in glass perched upon a small bedside table. While it was a reminder of everything he had lost, it also symbolized everything he had left to lose.

He could see his pale eyes reflected in the tint of the glass, and turned away wearily. He had escaped to the attic, only accessible through a staircase in the West Wing, as soon as he saw the girl outside; he needed time to think. He didn't want to burden yet another young lady with his monstrosity. After all, he had a history with girls in his inhumane form.

There was Emma Bayliss, a poor mundane girl who had stumbled upon the steps of the Institute begging for some food and drink for her poverty-stricken family of six. She had arrived soon after the curse was set, when Will was still hopeful that he could fix his mistakes, and sauntered over to meet Emma. She was a tiny little thing, a frail, malnourished girl with bitten fingernails and thin strands of light hair hanging in her face. The poor girl was naturally startled out of her wits when she saw Will. There was no possible way to get her to fall in love with him.

The next girl- or faerie, rather- went by the name of Hyacinth. Will had been hesitant at first; she was obviously the mischievous type, with her love of throwing extravagant parties and seducing downworlders. Her appearance was also unique: sapphire blue skin, long, lavender hair, webbed hands and feet. Will could faintly remember her giggling as she toyed with him, purring that she had never been with a shadowhunter before. He knew that she wouldn't ever truly fall in love with him. Plus, she was more annoying than Jessamine, and that was saying something.

The most recent relationship he'd attempted was with Camille Belcourt, a vampire with a talent for manipulating her lovers. She was lovely to look at, with her radiant green eyes and luscious blond curls, and her untimely fashion choices (namely skin-tight dresses), but beyond her charming exterior lay an ice-cold heart. She enjoyed holding the position of power in any relationship; and besides, she was ancient. As soon as Will tried to gently let her down, she snapped that she was never dating him seriously anyways, and flaunted off leaving a string of French curses in her wake. Apparently she was with Magnus Bane now.

And so, in contrast to the many girls fighting to grab his attention before the transformation, now Will was as single as one could ever be.

He groaned, trying to suppress the strong urge to destroy something. There were already a few canvases torn and scratched; what were a few more ruined paintings and broken ceramics?

"Will, WILL!"

There was a clamoring behind Will as Jem and Gabriel scrambled into the room as fast as their brass embellishments could carry them. He sighed and turned to bend down to his friends. "What," he said, dragging out the word in a defeated tone. Jem's candles were flickering- was something wrong?

"There's a girl!" Gabriel burst out, his voice more enthusiastic than it had been in weeks. "Perhaps you have heard of her? Tessa Gray, granddaughter of Aloysius Starkweather and resident of the York Institute. You must charm her. We're running out of time."

Will groaned incredulously. "Lightworm, you really are an idiot. There's no hope. Be grateful you're a clock; you're more useful now than when you were a spoiled, lame excuse for a shadowhunter." He turned back towards the rose, and shuddered.

"Whatever, Herondale. Put on your nicest jacket. You're having dinner with her." With that, Gabriel hurried out of the room, leaving Will no chance to argue with him.

Will threw up his hands, collapsing onto the mattress he stored in the attic. He heard a faint rustling beside him as Jem hobbled over. "Will," he started gently. "Are you alright?"

Will stared at the ceiling intensely, not bothering to look at his friend and the awful form he condemned him to. "Fine," he replied gruffly.

The silence that ensued covered the two like a blanket, until Jem spoke again. "Will, I'm your parabatai. I can feel you're hurting."

Will let out a choked laugh, closing his deep blue eyes. "You know, Jem, have you ever seen what happens to someone with demon pox? First it lies dormant. One begins to turn yellow and green. Then the swelling sets in-"

"THERE IS NO SUCH THING AS DEMON POX." Jem exclaimed, half in annoyance, half in risibility. Of course Will would bring up his absurd theories about the disease to distract Jem from his worries.

"Jem, it's just..." Will cried out in frustration. He sat up suddenly, breathing heavily. "It's just pointless. Pointless! Who could ever learn to love a beast?"

Jem hopped closer. Will could feel the warmth of his friend's candlelight. He spoke with a gentle tone, all laughter from the demon pox discussion gone. "Will, it is as great a thing to love as it is to be loved. Love is not something that can be wasted." He leaned down so a drip of wax landed on Will, grabbing his attention as his friend snarled and finally rested his eyes on Jem. "I care for you. 我爱你. Someone else will learn to love you too."

-O-o-O-

Sophie had alerted Tessa that there was half an hour before dinner, in which she could rest in her room until Sophie came to show her to the dining room.

Naturally, Tessa was curious. Her obedient conscience was no match for her inquisitive mind; pressing her ear to the door to make sure the hallway was clear, Tessa gathered her courage and quietly cracked the door open. With a furtive glance in both directions, she quickly made her way towards the imperial staircase.

She was overcome with the same decision as she had in the woods earlier that day; left or right? Right, Tessa thought, excitement bubbling in her chest. Off to the West Wing. With a sharp, resolute nod, Tessa tiptoed up the stairs to her right.

Her hand slid across the marble banister as she continued to ascend, until she reached another hallway ostensibly identical to the one in the East Wing. Well, this is going to be interesting.

There was a small voice in the back of her head urging her to go back to her room while she still knew where she was- it would be awful if she got lost. But then she heard a roar and a smash, and she made the split second decision to run in that direction.

It was harder to run with her new dress on; Sophie had exchanged her comfortable, worn-down patchwork dress for a silky, voluminous evening gown of dark evergreen. The sleeves were short and sheer, exposing her long arms and graceful hands. Even though Sophie had made her step into a pretty dress and do her hair in a partial updo, Tessa had convinced her that her work boots had to stay.

She was grateful for those boots now as she darted down the hallway, until she reached a doorway where she heard someone muttering in a language she did not understand under her breath. "Fe hoffwn i fod mor feddw, fyddai ddim yn cofio fy enw."

Perhaps it was Welsh? Tessa thought. Whatever language it was, she knew by the tone that whoever was inside was upset. She cautiously pushed the door open.

Tessa took a sharp breath, covering her mouth as to not alert the creature in the room of her presence. This must have been why Gideon chuckled awkwardly at her question concerning the West Wing.

Towering above a table at the end of the large alcove was an enormous beast of a sort, with dark fur, curling horns, and huge padded paws. His back was turned towards her; Tessa frowned at the beast's attire. The creature wore a long, tailored jacket of rich blue cloth, gold accents lining the hem and sleeves.

She began to step backwards, eager to leave before the beast noticed her, when she accidentally stepped on something fragile. Crunch. Oh no.

Tessa winced as she looked down, just to see her boot had crushed a shard of porcelain into even smaller bits. And then came the roar.

A torrent of frightening grumbles assaulted Tessa's ears as she stumbled back towards the doorway, her heart rate accelerating and her breath constricting. Stupid corset.

"Who are you?" The beast rumbled, forcing her to look up. Even from across the room his size was daunting. She bit her lip as the beast took in her frozen stature. Tessa tried to maintain her composure as she straightened her position. She would treat him as an animal; if she didn't startle him, there would be no reason for him to attack her.

Tessa folded her shaking hands behind her back, and looked squarely into the creature's eyes. She felt a tingling all over from the intensity of his gaze, beautiful pansy-colored blue eyes boring into hers.

"I am Tessa Gray, here to discuss my grandfather's position as head of the York Institute with Ms. Branwell." It was like the staring contests she had had countless times with Nate growing up; and if Tessa Gray was anything, she was competitive and stubborn. She gave herself a little internal pat on the back when the creature's gaze tore away from her own. "Who are you?"

Maybe it was because he was a beast, but she confronted him as if she were not a proper lady. She put her hands on her hips defiantly, even though she was trembling.

The beast gave a harsh, cold laugh, as if she was the strange one. "I'm nobody."

"Nobody? That's a peculiar name..."

"Will," he snapped back, flashing sharp fangs that made Tessa visibly gulp. He took a shaky breath and turned away from her again. "William Herondale."

Tessa tried to calm her nerves, and took one step forward. It was if she was gripping a rope of curiosity, pulling it towards her to get to the other side. "Mr. Herondale. Now that's a better name."

Now that she didn't feel as threatened by the beast- or, rather, Will- she took a moment to survey her surroundings. Hanging closest to her on the wall was a large portrait, yet the canvas was torn into jagged ribbons, making the face indiscernible. There were several shards of glass and porcelain scattered across the floor, as if no one ever bothered to clean the place up.

And in the far center of the room, perched in a glass dome before the small window through which rays of natural light shone through, was a red rose. It appeared to be floating, but there were fallen petals scattered along the tabletop. Tessa took another step closer. "Some people are always grumbling because roses have thorns; I am thankful that thorns have roses," she whispered to herself.

Will murmured softly, "Alphonse Karr."

Tessa yelped in surprise, her gray eyes widening. "You read?"

Will held his hand to his chest, feigning incredulity. "I am insulted, Miss Gray. I was raised in Wales; of course I am well-educated." She held her breath as he let out a soft, deep chuckle. She cracked a smile, and abandoned her slow approach to walk over to the rose. She reached out to press her fingers against the glass-

"GET AWAY FROM THERE." She felt a rush of hot breath as Will roared at her. She gaped up at him in fear. He stood hunched above her, fangs bared and blue eyes storming. She tore her wrist away from the glass, and took a step back. The shy bibliophile had been replaced with a daunting beast in a matter of seconds. He seemed to loom even more, covering the little light from the window with his body, plunging the room into darkness.

"Will-"

"Get out."

"I didn't mean to intrude-"

"GET OUT."

"Please-"

"Your grandfather's a fool, and so are you," Will spat. His body was shaking, but his heart was aching. "Now get out. And don't come back."

Tessa fled the room.

Okay...AHH. Will and Tessa were getting off to such a good start! If you've read this far, thank you soooo much for sticking with me. It would mean a lot if you leave a review, follow and favorite! ;)

Can you believe it's August?! Stay safe, and see you soon!

xoxo