A/N: Sorry for the long wait and if this chapter isn't the best. Been busy but I wanted to get this part up so we can get the ball rolling. Review, PM, etc. Ideas always help :)

Ch. 3: The First Encounter

The next morning, Gabriella and Arthur dressed for traveling with a carriage waiting. Arthur would not let her say good bye to Lucille so she was force to grab whatever she wanted to keep then she noticed the carriage outside the house. Gabriella and Arthur went down the stairs and soon Gabriella took one more glance at the house before she entered the carriage.

As Arthur entered, the door closed quickly and soon the carriage began to move quickly with Gabriella watching the world she knew disappear slowly into the forest, Arthur looked unfazed but a bit anxious. He wanted to finish this quickly and trade her off to this monster then go back to counting his money.

"I don't expect you to return," Arthur told her quietly.

Gabriella simply nodded as she suddenly a jolt of the carriage. The door then opened to reveal a tall young man wearing a green long sleeve shirt and black pants; he pushed back his blond hair a bit before while his hazel eyes greeted her. He bowed, "Miss Gabriella, welcome to the Castle."

Gabriella gently stepped out, as did Arthur who stood behind Gabriella. "So where's the monster," Arthur grumbled to the servant.

The servant glared at Arthur before saying harshly, "My friend is waiting for the lady's arrival. We have a horse for you." Gabriella walked a bit forward in the dark seeing a beautiful brown horse, "I will escort you to the Castle from here."

Gabriella turned back at Arthur; he looked down at his feet then at her. "Well, good bye," he said to her before turning back around and reentering the carriage, slamming the door shut. Gabriella looked away, feeling tears prickling her eyes as she heard the young man grabbing her things then placing it on the horse he was riding. The young man glanced at her before saying softly, "I promise you, you will be happy here."

"More miserable since I'm a prisoner and held against my will," Gabriella retorted back bitterly. The man nodded as he helped Gabriella on while he mounted on his horse. Gabriella glanced up, "Who are you?"

"My name is Aaron, Miss…"

"Gabriella."

He bowed slightly as he began to ride and lead her to the Castle. Gabriella closely followed noticing that they rode deeper into the forest. It soon became darker as Gabriella glanced up to see the moon fully out. She then looked forward to see a giant gate that blocked their entrance. Aaron soon stopped the horse as he hopped off his horse, approaching the gate and pushing it opened.

Aaron then slowly pulled the reins on Gabriella's horse, guiding her toward the castle. She looked up in awe about the castle and its magnificence; it had multiple towers and intricate statures that seem to watch her enter. She then noticed something at one of the balcony…it slowly moved out of a sight and soon she realized whom it was.

The monster.

An elderly woman slowly walked down a hallway. She had her dark brown hair in a small bun with small streaks of gray in her hair while she hunched over a bit, walking slowly to his room. She could feel her age a bit after all she was sixty-three years old. She slowly knocked on the door then heard Tristan's voice call out to him, "Enter."

She opened the door to Tristan's bedroom, seeing that his room was somewhat neat. His bed drapes were closed while the paintings in the room continued to move. She chuckled noticing then that Tristan was sitting at his desk, loudly talking to the portrait beside him. She knew that Tristan was talking to the General.

She took the seat on the bed as she watched the two talked to one another. Tristan sat with a white button shirt tucked into black pants while behind him, on the chair, was a nice dark blue dress coat. She smiled for his short black hair was comb back slightly with several of the scars more revealed. "I think I should, General," Tristan confided to the painting.

An older bald man with a thick mustache looked at Tristan. He adjusted the medals on his dark green uniform as he looked over at Tristan, "I believe she should see you. So…"

"So…she doesn't become scared of me," the young man retorted bitterly.

General winced as Tristan looked away from him then at the mask that sat by his left hand. He gently taped on it before slightly looking over his shoulder to see the woman. He smiled and greeted quietly, "Hello Sofia."

"Tris, come over here, sweetie," Sofia gestured seeing the frustration on the boy's face. She had raise the boy since his mom died, treating him like her own son. He slowly stood up and walked over sitting beside her, she gently touched his cheek as he leaned into the touch. "My little star, what's wrong," she gently asked.

Tristan's blue eyes looked at Sofia, giving her a knowing look. "You know what's wrong, Mama," he told her.

"Hmm…I see," Sofia retorted. She then stood up and looked at the General, giving him a stern look to leave. He disappeared as she turned back at Tristan, "I don't know what to tell you, Tristan. This girl is coming against her own will since you won a card game."

Tristan winced a bit at hearing the motherly and strict tone coming from her. He looked down at his feet, "I'll treat her not like a prisoner…you know that."

"I know that but I want to know the real reason why she's here."

Tristan looked away, "You know I don't have much time left. It's getting worse and it's getting hard to not feel like a…a…monster than a man."

"You are not a monster," Sofia immediately scolded. She touched his face to make him look up at her, his blue eyes meeting her gray eyes as she whispered softly, "You are a strong young boy whose been given a bad hand. It will get better."

"I hope so."

Aaron took Gabriella to her room and when she entered, she was amazed to see that the room was light purple. She walked inside slowly looking around her room. She could see an intricate desk with a couple books, a beautiful and soft bed and on the wall was a beautiful painting of a beautiful woman wearing an elegant light blue dress. How can I admire this room when I'm held here against my will, she thought sadly. She then took a seat on the bed before starting to cry.

"There, there, sweetie."

Gabriella's head snapped up quickly at the sound of the voice. "Hello," Gabriella questioned softly.

"Over here, darling," the voice called. Gabriella stood up and looked over at the painting. It was still for a moment until Gabriella went to its eye level. "Hello," it suddenly greeted causing Gabriella to jump in surprise.

"Oh my goodness."

The painting smiled at her, "Hello."

"Hello…"

The painting gave a light smile, "I'm Lady Constantine but you can call me, Constant. Welcome to the Castle." She slowly curtsies to Gabriella while she curtsied back to her.

"It's a pleasure, I'm Gabriella." Constant smiled at Gabriella who softly smiled back. "You are a painting," pointed out a bit.

"I'm not the only one, there is the General also. This place is homey truthfully."

"Not my home, really though."

"I know but, you'll learn to love it here." Constant then glanced over at Gabriella's closet behind her, "You should get ready for dinner with the Master."

"You mean my captor," Gabriella retorted back harshly.

Constant winced a bit, "He's not a bad guy once you meet him."

Gabriella sighed and moved away, walking toward the closet glancing up at the dresses. I might as well get ready to eat, Gabriella sighed to herself as she began to search in it.

An hour later, Gabriella was at the doors of the dinning hall, placing her ear against the door to see if she could hear anything. Suddenly she felt a small tug on her the skirt of her dress, she quickly turned and noticed that there was no one there. Strange, she thought to herself before returning to her prior objective. The tug came again and quickly turned noticing whomever it was disappeared again but there was light chuckle, a child's chuckle.

Gabriella gave a soft smile before placing her ear again but she held her stare at her skirt waiting for her culprit. From behind one of the large flower vases, a small boy appeared with dirty blonde and hazel eyes looking at her with his clothes somewhat dirty from playing outside earlier in the day. He heard his papa talk about the beautiful girl who would be living with them and when he saw when walking to the kitchen. He had to meet her but he was too shy for every time he tried to say hi after tugging her skirt, he flees.

So as he tugged again, Gabriella quickly turn smiling at him. He jumped, landing on his butt on the ground while she gave small laugh and bent down to him. "Hello," she greeted seeing the small boy.

The boy shied away, "Hi…"

"I'm Gabriella."

"Luka," Gabriella smiled as the small boy looked up at her, smiling a bit, "You're very pretty."

Gabriella blushed, "Why thank you, Luka. You are very handsome."

"Mama says I look like Papa."

"Who's your papa?"

"Luka, there you are," Gabriella looked up to see Aaron who was at the doorway. Luka stood up and hugged Aaron before waving at Gabriella as he left. Aaron bowed to her before smiling, "I'm sorry about my son."

"Oh no," Gabriella smiled, "he's very sweet."

Aaron nodded and widened the door, "It's from my wife." He led her into the dinning room before pulling the chair for her.

Inside the kitchen, Luka ran inside to see Tristan walking in. "Tris," he called out to him loudly. The young man smiled at the little boy before walking over and bending down in front of him, Luka smiled, "She's really pretty and nice."

"I'm glad you like her."

Luka nodded before Tristan stood up against and walked over to the doorway, gazing at her from his hiding spot. She was wearing a white dress with her brown hair flowing softly as she looked around the room in amazement. Her skin was soft, he remembered the most from when she petted him as a wolf but, now having her here…it made him wonder if she would turn away from him as a human.

Gabriella looked towards the end of the table seeing that her captor had not arrived yet. "Is he coming," Gabriella inquired to Aaron. He nodded before the lights slowly dimmed causing Gabriella to look up at the ceiling at the lights. "What the-"

"Hello," she suddenly heard. Her head quickly snapped over to see that a figure sat across from her, his face almost hidden by the dim lighting. "I hope you found everything to your liking."

"Who are you," Gabriella immediately demanded.

"The master of this place."

"It won't be when I'm living here with you," Gabriella retorted. "You are nothing but a monster."

Tristan winced at the word 'monster' before he sighed. He then sat up and said gently, "I'm not what you think I am. It is your father's fault."

Gabriella's face went flush as her eyes began to tear up, "You could have denied him it."

"If I did, Brandon would have won."

"Then why hide your face from me?"

She heard a loud sigh before the lights slowly lighten the room with it slowly illuminating until it reached the other end of the table where Tristan sat at. She slowly looked up and gasped, for sitting across from her was a man with a scarred face staring at her. He seemed unfazed by her reaction as he bowed his head.

"I'm Tristan and I welcome you to your new home."