A/N: After writing Pirates of the Caribbean stuff for over a year straight, I've finally decided to pay attention to this story and let it become super giant... provided people are actually interested. What this means is: review! When people comment, I get motivated to update quickly. That's how it goes.

Enjoy!

The Beast opened his eyes, then closed them again immediately. It was far too bright out and far too blurry. "Who's there?"

Instead of the deep, gravelly rumble he was expecting, though, his voice came out high and clear. Human.

"Am I dreaming? What happened? Belle? Belle, is that you?"

"Open your eyes," a firm female voice commanded. "Do I look like your little farm girl, Prince?"

The prince forced himself to look, blinking and squinting until his vision cleared. Although it had been years, he recognized the Enchantress without difficulty. She was as radiant as the day she had cursed him…and as unwelcome. "I want Belle. Where's Belle? Why can't I move?"

The Enchantress sighed. "I came to congratulate you when I felt my spell lifting. I expected to find you in some wench's rapturous embrace... but instead, here you are: stabbed and dying. Not to mention your woman's been carried off by the one who killed you. I suppose this is the end, after all these years. It is not the end I had expected."

"Belle…carried off?" He saved up his energy for the words that mattered.

The Enchantress nodded. "Yes. A shame, that. She was a nice girl with a good heart. You could have learned from her - she didn't judge a book by its cover, did she."

"Help me." His eyes refused to focus. "I love her. She said she... loves me... too. I don't know how I've been -ah- ... so lucky. Please. Help me-" He stopped, to cough up blood.

"There's no such thing as a happy ending," the Enchantress told him flatly. "I should know. How many centuries have I wasted on you mortals trying to put one together? And after all my work, in the end, you can't even complete the simplest tasks I set for you..."

"Please."

"There is nothing I can do."

"You destroyed my life in ten seconds," he whispered. "You have powers. Help me. Give me a chance."

"I can't heal you." The Enchantress stood to her full height and backed away. "It pains me to see how you've changed, Prince. You do not deserve this fate now... But I have no power to heal. You humans, you're so frail! That handsome body you were always so proud of..." She broke off suddenly.

"What?"

The Enchantress stared off for a moment, obviously thinking something through. Finally she conceded, "Maybe there is something." The prince couldn't manage to ask questions. "You may prefer not to live at this price, but... while humans are weak..." She shrugged. "Beasts are not."

Two or three labored breaths later he still had not decided, and time was running out. "It would be... forever?"

She shook her head, laughing a little. "Good heavens, Prince, even as a punishment I would not change you forever! No - this would be only for as long as you needed." She glanced down at the puddle of gore surrounding her. "Weeks? Months, perhaps? I don't know."

He nodded. She brought her hands together, muttered a few words, and opened them to reveal a small red pouch. "Then bid farewell to that pretty face of yours, Prince. Eat these when you are ready to change back. I warn you they taste awful."

The prince nodded again. "Thank you." They were the last words he spoke in a human voice for many weeks.

She touched him with her wand and cast the spell.

TBC.

The next chapter, longer than this one, is finished and ready to post. It will probably be up Friday. Let me know what you think so far...