Jude was up early the next morning. There was a fresh bowl of steaming water on the table with soft towels, and he bathed himself in the water. Mariana convinced him to try on some of the clothes she had to offer, and though the pants were an inch too short and the shoulders of the shirt were a tad too loose, they were more comfortable than his dirt encrusted clothes.

"We'll get your clothing washed," she told him, "And we have seamstresses that can fix the clothes I have now."

"It's too much –"

Mariana smiled at him. "Trust me, we've been bored for so long that it's nice to be useful."

"Thank you," Jude said.

He had just finished dressing when there came a knock at the door. Jude opened it to find Jesus and Brandon standing at his door.

"Ready?" Jesus asked, and Jude nodded.

They set off down the halls, and while Brandon tried to describe the art style and history of the place, Jesus offered up the many features of the palace.

"These suits of armour are from the –"

"The stables are out back of the palace –"

" – a period of history that –"

"There's also a library, many gardens –"

"Which, I'm sure you knew. Of course, that was also when the country –"

"– kitchens, most are guest rooms –"

"Enough about that. Now, many of these paintings were commissioned by –"

"And that's the west wing."

Jude stopped instantly, recognizing the words. "What's up there?"

There was a short set of stairs leading upward to the west wing. It didn't look any different from the rest of the palace, but Jude wanted to know why he was being kept out of there.

"The west wing? There's, um, nothing," Brandon said, but it wasn't even slightly convincing.

Jude put his foot on the bottom step, still staring upward.

"What would you like to see? Your horse?" Jesus offered.

"We have a games room! It's magnificent!"

"Games?" Jude said, though he was only momentarily distracted.

Brandon and Jesus seized at his question.

"Tons of games! Lots of games!"

"Huge room!" Jesus jabbered quickly. "So much to do!"

"Can I see it?" Jude asked.

"Yes, of course!"

Jesus and Brandon took off down the hallway, talking the whole way. Jude took a few steps along with them, but he let them get ahead. They didn't look back at him, too caught up in their banter. Jude looked back toward the west wing and made the decision. Moving as quietly as he could, he was up the stairs and into the west wing. The moment that he had turned the corner away from the stairwell and was into the area that he couldn't see from his previous vantage point, it was like a whole different world. It was grim and dusty and there were broken bits of wood and shattered mirrors along the hall. The very air seemed heavier here, but still Jude moved forward. He came into a great room, with more pieces of ruined furniture: a bed, a desk, a wardrobe, and tables. Jude's heart lurched, and he hoped that none of them had been sentient like Mariana was. He looked around at the grimy walls. On the one right next to him, there was a portrait, though the delicate canvas had been slashed through. Jude turned and lifted one of the slashes back together, so that he could see the face of the painter's subject. It was a young boy, of perhaps twelve or thirteen. He had sandy hair and brilliant eyes. Jude stood for a moment, transfixed, and then he moved further into the room.

In the corner of the room, there was a soft pinkish glow that attracted his attention. Jude was drawn forward. The glow was emitted by a rose. It had a table to itself, and was covered by a large glass dome. Jude reached out and touched the glass of the dome. The rose inside was beautiful, but the bottom of the dome was littered by many fallen petals. He lifted the dome off. He wanted nothing more than to touch the flower. He carefully sat the heavy glass on the floor and was just reaching forward when a fearsome roar shook the room.

Jude whirled around, his breath in his throat. There was the Beast, standing in the middle of the room. Jude had no idea where he'd come from. The Beast bounded toward him and protectively placed the dome back on the rose. Then, he started in toward Jude, his eyes pinning Jude in place. He snorted and the air from his nostrils steamed.

"What are you doing here?" he growled.

"I'm-I'm," Jude stuttered.

"You were told never to come here!"

Jude kept backing up, but he hit one of the broken wardrobes and could go no further. "I'm sorry!"

The Beast splayed his claws and Jude closed his eyes in anticipation of his face being torn open. Instead, there was a heavy crashing sound, and Jude opened his eyes to see something fly across the room.

"GET OUT!" the Beast screamed.

Jude didn't hesitate to obey. Out; he'd get out. He raced away from the Beast, not even pausing to go back to his room and grab his clothes or his riding cloak. Jesus had said the stables were in the back of the palace and that was where he would go. He couldn't do this. He couldn't live like this.

"Jude!" Stef was standing in the foyer.

Jude barely paused. He only spoke in the few moments that it took him to drag open the heavy front doors.

"I can't stay! I can't!"

He didn't bother to close the door behind him. An early snow had swept across the world and Jude battled his way through the drifts to the stables. Phillipe's saddle and bridle were hanging on his door and Jude had him ready to ride in moments. He mounted him and they flew from the stables. He didn't dismount to open the palace gates and he left those hanging open too. He kicked Phillipe into a canter and they burst into the woods.

"Go home!" Jude urged him. "Go home!"

Jude didn't know which way home was. He didn't know how to navigate these woods. He placed all of his trust in Phillipe and Phillipe raced on. It didn't take long before Jude heard the howling of the wolves. His heart caught and Phillipe shied to the side.

"Steady … Steady …" Jude put a calming hand against the horse's neck. "Come on."

Phillipe regained himself, but only for a moment. A snarling, grey wolf flew at Phillipe's side. The horse let out a squeal of terror and veered to the left. Jude kicked Phillipe's side, trying to keep him moving forward. The horse lurched, and for a moment, it seemed as if Phillipe would be able to outrun the animals. Then, the ground beneath Phillipe's hooves cracked and gave way. Horse and rider fell into the lake that they hadn't known was there, and Jude gasped as the cold water washed over him. He clung to Phillipe even tighter as the horse battled his way out of the lake and back onto solid ground. The two of them shook and shivered, but there was no time for their suffering as the wolves were smart enough to go around the lake, and were quickly approaching.

Phillipe was moving slower, even as his survival instincts kicked in. One of the wolves jumped for him, and though the deadly animal didn't reach Jude, his claws scratched across Phillipe's rump and the horse reared. Jude was thrown into the snow and he popped back upward with a cry. Phillipe's reins had gotten caught around a tree branch and his horse was trapped. Jude grabbed a large branch in his hands and approached the wolves. His only hope was too free Phillipe. A wolf leapt at him, and Jude tried his best to bat it away. The branch quivered in his hands and the wolf was barely affected; it recovered too quickly. Jude was able to make it to Phillipe, but there was no way that he'd be able to defend himself and free the reins. He was going to die here. He sucked in one quick breath after another. He was going to die here.

The wolves snarled and surrounded him, knowing that they had won. One leapt forward again, but then a growl more ferocious than any that the wolves could make rattled the woods. After only a few days, Jude knew that growl. The Beast!

The Beast barreled through the wolves, even as they tried to jump at him to bring him down. With ease, the Beast was able to fling them this way and that. Jude's heart jumped at the display of brute strength. It was so scary to know how easily the Beast could murder him. He turned his back on the grisly scene as one of the wolves was torn open, and he reached for Phillipe's reins. The sooner he got out of here the better. He freed the reins and threw them back over Phillipe's head. He shoved his foot in one of his stirrups and grabbed onto the saddle to hoist himself up. He glanced over his shoulder, and stopped mid-action.

The wolves had retreated and the Beast was standing there. For a moment, their eyes locked and the Beast wavered back and forth. Then, the Beast collapsed into the snow with a defeated whimper. Jude gasped, and he turned back around, tightening his hands around the leather of Phillipe's tack. He tensed his muscles to pull himself upward again, but then he let go. The Beast had just saved his life. Why he would, Jude had no idea. Jude knew, though, that he couldn't turn his back on the Beast now. He pulled his foot out from stirrup and let go of the saddle. He led Phillipe over to the unconscious Beast, and he convinced Phillipe to kneel in the snow next to the Beast. Jude looked at the Beast for a moment, immediately focusing on the dark blood that was dripping from the Beast's forearm; one of the wolves had gotten a hold of him. Using all of his strength, Jude rolled the Beast onto Phillipe's saddle. Phillipe didn't like the Beast being so close to him, and his nostrils flared, but Phillipe trusted Jude, and Jude was able to quiet him quickly.

Slowly, Jude and Phillipe walked back to the palace. It was a long, uneventful trudge, and by the time they were in the courtyard, Jude was shivering uncontrollably, as was Phillipe. Stef met him at the bottom of the stairs.

"Master!" she exclaimed. "Jude!"

"We were attacked," Jude said, his teeth chattering. "W-w-wolves."

"Master," she said, shaking his shoulder.

The Beast stirred under her touch.

"He's b-bleeding."

"Let's go inside and get you two cleaned up," she said, coaxing the Beast off Phillipe.

The Beast collapsed against her, not seeming to be coherent. Jude wondered if her metal body would be able to support him, but she seemed to be able to.

"Phillipe," Jude stuttered. "H-have to …"

"I'll come back outside and get him," Stef promised. "But you need to get out of those wet clothes, Jude. Come on, upstairs with you."

Jude followed her into the main part of the castle, but he was too numb to make it very far.

"The great room then," she said. "Jesus! Brandon!"

The two appeared, as if they'd been waiting.

"Jesus, come light a fire in the great room. Brandon, take a trolley upstairs and go and fetch Jude some warm clothes, then go warn Lena that we need hot water and some bandages."

Jude collapsed in front of the newly lit fire, though he turned to the side so that he could watch Stef carefully position the Beast in a large armchair. He looked around, appearing more in control of himself. Brandon's trolley rolled in with fresh clothes and a thick blanket for Jude. Jude's fingers shook as he reached for the clothes, and Stef held the blanket up so that Jude could have some privacy as he dressed in the dry, thick clothing. It wasn't a magic fix, but he felt a lot better. When he had finished dressing, Stef draped the blanket around his shoulder with a maternal air.

Jude went to sit back down in front of the fire, but then the second trolley arrived, balancing bandages and hot water.

"Let me do it," Jude said to Stef. "It'll be easiest for me."

She gladly stepped back, leaving the room entirely so that she could go and tend to Phillipe. Jude knelt in front of the Beast, dipping one of the towels in the hot water.

"Don't … don't do that," he said softly to Beast, who was licking at his wound. He wrung the towel out. "Here."

He touched his fingers to the Beast's elbow and placed the towel to the Beast's wounds, trying to clean them. The Beast roared and pulled his arm away.

"This wouldn't have happened if you hadn't run away," the Beast accused.

"Well, if you hadn't scared me, I wouldn't have run away."

The Beast paused. He blustered for a moment, then, "You should have just listened and stayed out of the West Wing!"

"You should control your temper!" Jude said. He looked at the bloody wounds again, and put his hand back against the Beast's arm. He guided the limb back toward him and the Beast let him. Jude went to put the cloth against the wounds again, but this time hesitated in order to add, "This might sting a little."

The Beast grunted an acknowledgement but when Jude pressed the cloth to the bloody scars, he let out a roar. He reined it into a disgruntled snort and sucked in a sharp breath.

"I'm sorry," Jude said. He worked silently for a few moments and then he added, "Thank you, by the way … For saving my life."

His apology caught them both off guard.

"Well," the Beast said carefully, "You're welcome."

Jude carefully went back to cleaning the wound. He ran his cloth over the thick, sandy fur until the hair was wet only with water, not blood. Then, he began to wrap it with the bandages and he waited for the Beast to bring up the fact that he had broken his promise, but the Beast didn't. Jude knew, though, that he couldn't run away. Not again. He had traded his life for Callie's and, while he wanted to think better of the Beast for coming to his rescue, Jude didn't know if the Beast had done it because he was altruistic or because he was possessive. He didn't want the Beast to go after Callie if he left or come after him if he left. Jude would wait and see.

"There," he said, securing the last of the white bandages. "You should be all right."

"Oh. Thank you," the Beast said. He looked down at his arm and flexed his paw.

"Does it hurt?" Jude asked.

"I'm tough," the Beast said. "I'll live."

Jude nodded and he stood. It felt rude to just walk away from the Beast, so he said, "It's been a long day. I'm going to go to bed."

"Have a good sleep," the Beast wished him.

"Thank you. You too."

Jude walked up to his bedroom, feeling very strange. It had just been a hard day, he decided. He would feel better come morning.

On tumblr I'm: we are all of legend now (with dashes between every word). If you want to find my replies to anon reviews, add backslash tagged backslash anon dash replies. If you want to see anything I post about Tale As Old As Time, add backslash tagged backslash tale dash as dash old dash as dash time. Note that the punctuation is spelled out due to fanfiction's restrictions. If you have any problems accessing the extra content on tumblr please send me a message and I can help you out!

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~TLL~