Here's the next chapter. I had intended to pack more into it, but then I figured I might as well post what I've most thoroughly worked on and leave the rest for the next chapter. I'd like to give a huge thank you to Delia Anole for her extremely helpful reviews!
Disclaimer: I own nothing.
Chapter 3:
Belle huddled against the wall, waiting to be summoned into the master's chambers. She could hear Francoise and the Beast speaking to one another from behind the closed door, and with every word that reached her eyes, her fear increased.
"What does she look like?" asked a horrible, rasping voice. Belle shuddered.
"She is small," Francoise flatly replied. "She is brown-haired, brown-eyed, and quite delicate. Very pretty."
Closing her eyes in terror, Belle tried to think back to a happier time, but every happy memory involved her father, and every time she thought of her father, she remembered how the Beast had threatened him with eternal imprisonment if he did not send his daughter to live in this horrid palace.
Belle had already dwelled in the palace for two full days. She had spent much of her time exploring, and had become well-acquainted with the west wing of the palace, which contained her bedroom. It seemed that the palace was almost entirely devoid of life. Besides Francoise, she met no one, and she very rarely encountered Francoise. Although she was lonely, Belle did not really mind the emptiness of the palace, because it gave her hope that she might never meet the Beast. However, her hopes had been dashed when Francoise unexpectedly approached her with the words, "You must come see the master now."
"Is he the one who controls the Beast?" Belle had fearfully asked.
Francoise had laughed at her. "Not at all. He is the Beast."
That exchange had taken place only fifteen minutes prior. Now, Belle was about to face the Beast himself. She felt absolutely certain that she would collapse with terror.
"Send her to me," the Beast suddenly commanded. Belle bit back a shriek.
Francoise emerged from the room and gave Belle a single nod. "You may enter," she said.
Her legs shaking, Belle stepped inside the antechamber of the Beast's quarters. Unlike her sparsely furnished room, this chamber was filled with antique furniture. Much of it was battered and torn, but it was present nonetheless. A large hearth at the opposite end of the room contained a blazing fire to which Belle was instinctively drawn. She took a step towards it.
"Good evening," the Beast's horrid voice suddenly said. It spoke from the shadows beside the hearth. Belle could only see a huge, hulking figure with flashing eyes and ferocious teeth that glittered in the firelight.
She tried to respond to his greeting, but her voice failed her. No sound passed her lips.
"Why don't you reply?" the Beast demanded.
"I'm too afraid," Belle managed to squeak. The Beast had shifted slightly, and she could now see its massive claws. She shuddered from horror.
"You're shivering. Are you cold?" asked the Beast.
"No, I'm not c-cold," Belle stammered.
"It's your fear," the Beast growled. When she did not immediately reply, it asked in a louder voice, "Am I not correct?"
"Yes, you are correct," she hastily agreed. She was staring fixedly at the Beast's claws, as though incapable of looking away. Her horror was so great that she could not avert her eyes.
Growling, the Beast shifted its position yet again. It was now almost fully illuminated by the fire. Belle could now see the horns which her father had described.
"Just like a bull," she murmured.
"I am not an animal!" the Beast roared, rising up on its hind legs.
Belle wished she dared to scream. Instead, she simply shrank back as far as she possibly could and hid her face in her hands. "Please forgive me!" she begged through her fingers. "I'm very simple-minded, and I often say foolish things. I will try to stop. Please don't harm me."
"Simple-minded," the Beast repeated. "I see." It sank back down to all fours and regarded Belle with its terrifyingly red eyes. "You fear I am going to harm you?"
"Yes," Belle breathed.
"Well," it growled, "I will not."
Although Belle knew she should have felt relieved at this statement, her fear only increased due to the unexpectedness of the Beast's words. "Why not?" she asked in a voice so small that it was barely audible.
"It would not suit my purposes," the monster replied in a low rumble as it crouched beside the fireplace. It watched Belle from the corner of its eye. "Sit," it suddenly commanded her. "There is a stool by the door. Bring it close to me and sit upon it."
She hurried to obey the Beast's command, but when she had sat down on the stool, the Beast merely glared at her.
"Bring the stool closer to me," it snarled.
Trembling, Belle pulled her seat nearer to the Beast. If she had reached out with her hand, she would have been able to touch the black, matted hair of its flank.
"Your father said you are nearly seventeen years old," it unexpectedly said.
"Yes, that's true," Belle timidly agreed.
"It can't be true," the Beast scoffed. "You are far too small and dull for such an age."
"Well, how old are you?" she asked in a brave attempt at conversation.
The Beast merely growled, and Belle inwardly vowed that she would never again make an attempt at bravery. Both remained silent for quite some time. Belle was too frightened to speak, while the Beast simply seemed to have nothing it wished to say. After several terrible minutes, it finally raised its head and said, "You may go."
Belle bolted from the room.
Francoise, expressionless as ever, was waiting for her in the hall. She frowned severely upon observing Belle's haste. "You must not run from the master," she chastised the terror-stricken girl.
"It's too awful!" Belle burst out. Tears began to pour from her eyes. "I can't face the Beast. It's too terrible. Please let me go home! I can't do it!" Dropping to her knees, she grabbed Francoise's hands and pathetically tugged upon them.
Without any change in her expression, Francoise liberated her hands and stepped back from the miserable girl. "Never refer to the master as 'it,'" she said. "He does not consider himself an animal. I do not consider him an animal, either. Nor should you."
Belle made no response. She was still sobbing inconsolably. Francoise watched her pitilessly for some time, then, with a slight sigh, turned to the door of the Beast's chambers and knocked twice.
"What is it now?" the Beast's voice snarled from within.
"She is too young," Francoise declared.
Belle heard the sound of heavy stomps, then the door flew upon and the Beast appeared, looming over his servant with a fearsome expression. He glanced at Belle, weeping on the floor, and snorted in what seemed like disgust.
"She will grow older," he said.
"But she will not necessarily become less childlike," Francoise calmly replied. "Look at her. She can't live here. She's not strong enough. She'll wither away. Let's exchange her for one of her sisters."
"No!" Belle suddenly cried out, her fear on behalf of her sisters overcoming even her terror of the Beast.
"Now you want to stay?" the Beast snarled. He lowered his face so that his horns hung over her head and his red-tinted eyes were only inches away from hers.
"I don't want my sisters to come here," Belle whispered, staring into the Beast's face with wide eyes.
The Beast's eyes gleamed as he replied, "You can rest assured that they won't come here. You will stay in my palace forever. Consider yourself my property." He concluded by firmly declaring, "I claim you as my own."
Startled out of her tears, Belle stared at the Beast in utter horror. Never before had she truly comprehended the fact that she was to live in this palace forever, that she would never be permitted to return to her family, and that her fate was entirely controlled by the Beast. Now she fully realized that she been condemned to an inescapable prison.
Either the Beast did not notice her dismay or he simply chose to ignore it. "Now listen to me, Belle," he said. He did not speak unkindly, but no words could sound pleasant when uttered in his awful rasp. "You are free to wander around the castle. Nothing is restricted except for my chambers, which you may only enter upon invitation. Of course, it seems unlikely that you would voluntarily seek them out." He said this last sentence with a hint of bitterness. "I expect you to come and sit with me every evening. Francoise, see to it that this occurs."
"Yes, master," Francoise flatly agreed.
"Do you understand?" the Beast demanded, fixing a stern gaze on the horrorstricken girl still kneeling on the floor of his palace.
"Yes," Belle murmured.
"Repeat what I have told you."
"I can go anywhere I want except for your chambers. Every evening I have to sit with you. You own me," Belle said in an oddly mechanical voice.
"Excellent," said the Beast. He glanced toward Francoise, looked back at Belle one more time, made a low growl in his throat, and at last returned to his chambers, slamming the door behind him. Francoise also departed. Belle was left alone for some time, until she finally picked herself up off the floor and began to make her way back to her room.
There you have it. Reviews are appreciated!