Chapter 4
And all the loveliest things there be, come simply so, it seems to me – Edna St. Vincent Millay
I knocked on the castle door and it swung open with a creak. I glanced inside and then stepped back. There was no one inside. Like the gates, the door had opened on its own accord. I stepped towards the door again, clearing my throat.
"Hello?" I called, my voice small in such a grand castle.
I stepped inside, looking around. Beautiful tapestries hung on the walls. Statues and paintings watched me from where I stood, shrouded in dust and cobwebs. Most of the statues and paintings where of a more classical nature, while others depicted gruesome hunting stories with animals laid open, terrible battles, and creatures from dark fantasies. I shuddered, wondering what kind of person would want such terrible things displayed around them.
"Hello." A deep voice boomed from a hidden stairwell beside me. I looked up, terrified. All I saw were eyes, glittering in the dim light from the still-open door...
The door slammed itself shut and candles lit around me, illuminating only a small portion of the floor that I stood on. The eyes still gleamed, though the candlelight made the glimmer a little more ominous.
"H-hello?" I whimpered, fear all but taking over my senses.
"Please, do not be frightened. I wish you no harm." The voice said with a gruffness that assured me that he meant me nothing but harm. "Please tell me your name."
"Adara." I trembled, pulling my shawl tighter around my shoulders as if it would protect me from the creature hiding in the shadows. "My father brought me. He was the one who…"
"… Who stole my roses?" He finished for me, his voice heavy low with contempt.
"Um… yes…" I replied. "I am his eldest daughter."
"The one who the roses were meant for?" he asked, sounding quite surprised.
"Yes." I said quietly.
"I hadn't expected that you would come," he said, taking a step down.
"You know my name…" I cleared my throat, wishing desperately that he would stop the theatrics and just reveal himself, "But… um… you haven't told me yours."
The eyes bobbed, telling me that their owner had given me a quick nod. "I am the Beast." He paused for a moment. "That is what I wish to be called."
"Don't you… don't you have a… a real name? A birth name?" I asked.
"My birth name was given to a being that no longer exists." He growled, frightening me with his sudden temper. "He is dead. I am the Beast."
I took a sharp breath. "I'm sorry. I didn't mean to make you angry. I just-"
"There is no need to apologise." He cut me off.
I took a step away, wondering if I could open the doors and flee like a mad woman to my freedom without him chasing me.
"I've frightened you." there was something apologetic in his frustrated tone.
"Yes." I murmured, refusing to sugarcoat my words.
He sighed, stepping down another stair. He was almost to the bottom, in the light. I could almost see him. "I assure you that I'm not as terrible as your father has told you."
"I wouldn't know." I murmured. "All he's told me is that you were going to kill him over a rose."
He faltered. "He hasn't told you… how I look?"
"… No." I replied.
He retreated up a stair. "Then I-"
"I want to see you." I muttered.
He paused. The glittering eyes regarded me for a long moment before he replied, "You don't know what you're asking."
"I don't care." I replied, gaining courage from his hesitance. "I'm not going to just stand around and let you gawk at me whenever you like. If you get to see me, I get to see you."
"Fine." He mutilated the word so it was more of a growl than anything. He stepped down the remaining stairs and into the light, snarling, "Feast your eyes."
The moment the light revealed him, I shrieked and whirled back towards the door, throwing myself against it only to find that it was locked, although I grabbed the handle and tugged on it in fear.
I heard the Beast swear under his breath before coming towards me, easily taking one stride for two of my own. "Adara…"
His voice was apologetic again. I turned to face him, shielding my face with my hands and crumpling to the ground in my terror. "Please, don't kill me!"
His face was indescribably hideous. It was like that of an animal, covered in coarse brown fur. He had the ears of a wolf, and, even though he stood on his hind legs, he had the body of an animal as well, including a tail. Well, maybe his paws were a little more like hands and feet, though they had fur and claws on them as well. He was much too tall, and his back was slightly curved, as though his head was too heavy for him to carry. He wore loose clothes, an unbleached linen shirt and some tattered black trousers, in an attempt to look more human, but it only served to make him more terrifying. His teeth where sharp and white against his brown lips as he opened his mouth to speak.
"I won't kill you," he said, slowly coming towards me and getting down on one knee so that he was closer to my level. "I would never hurt you."
He offered his paw. I glanced at his deadly claws, and then back up into his dark face. What reason did I have to trust him? He had destroyed my family for something as trivial as a single rose.
"Why should I trust you?" I spat, scrambling to get further away from him
His eyes bore into me with a sad intensity. I hadn't noticed before, but they were an icy-blue. That human sorrow shocked me into realizing that he was more than just a monster. My own words reverberated inside my head. Maybe someone who loves roses so much won't be so bad.
The Beast's hand was still stretched outwards to me. We stared at each other, he on his knee with his hand extended while I was crouched up against the doorway.
"Please, Adara…" he murmured, begging me with his eyes, "Trust me…"
Again, I looked down at his claws. They were terrifying, but when I looked back into his pleading eyes, they seemed so human. Could it be possible that this creature meant me no harm? Could it be that he was just lonely?
"Please…" he whispered.
Hesitantly, I put my hand in his paw. "I… I will trust you…"
The Beast closed his eyes and stood, helping me up. When he opened them, he seemed to be fighting with emotions.
"There is a room ready for you." He growled softly, desperately without success to humanize his voice. "There are servants in the castle, and they can bring you whatever you desire. And, if you need anything that they can't give you, you need only ask me. I…" he cleared his throat. "You will be denied nothing."
I didn't answer. Awkwardly, I pulled my hand from his grasp, trying not to shiver at the coarse pads of skin he had on his "palms" and "fingers".
His eyes hardened. "I'll take you to your room. Then we'll get you something to eat. You must be hungry after your trip."
He started to walk away and I followed closely, quickening my pace so I could keep up. I forced myself not to look at the gruesome paintings, murmuring, "All of this will take a little getting used to."
"Yes." The Beast nodded. "I should warn you… the castle rearranges itself periodically. Between that and the servants, you'll have your hands full."
I cleared my throat. "Are they difficult?"
"They are. They enjoy playing tricks on me…" he turned a corner and led me to a door at the very end of the hall, murmuring, "I suppose that their actions are understandable."
"Why's that?" I asked, glancing up at his face and wincing again as I took in his monstrous appearance.
He noticed the wince and looked away, ignoring my question. We came to the end of the hall and he gestured to the door, murmuring, "This is your room."
The door opened at his gesture and a gasped when I saw the inside. It was much cleaner than the foyer of the castle. In the middle of it was a huge canopy bed covered in a white silk bedspread. The canopy itself was embroidered with a single blood-red rose. A writing desk sat against one wall, covered be pens, paper, and inks of all colours. There was a vanity against the other wall, covered by hundreds of make-ups, perfumes, brushes, combs, and ribbons. Beside the vanity was an open wardrobe filled with beautiful gowns. Opposite of that wall there was a shelf covered with books, a fireplace, and another table covered with roses. Then there was a door. Beast motioned at it and it opened, revealing a large tub, another fireplace, and a shelf of towels.
"It's beautiful!" I exclaimed in spite of myself. I thought back to when father was rich, but I couldn't remember anything being this beautiful.
Beast was about to smile and then stopped himself. "You like it?"
"I…" I faltered, remembering where I was. "It's lovely."
He stood by my door while I wandered into the room. "I'll leave you to yourself for a while, then." He said. "When you're ready to come to supper, just tell the servants that you are ready and they will notify me."
"But how do I find the-"
He stepped outside and began to close the door behind him. "Remember," he said, "If you need anything, do not hesitate to ask."
The door shut. "… Servants…"
-
Dun dun DUN! They meet at last!
This chapter was The King of the Golden Hall from the Lord of the Rings: The Two Towers soundtrack (If you're only seeing a notice on the song for the first time, read the AN in chapter 1. It's an edit).