So, good news for all ya fans! I've decided Tuesday is going to be my official uploading day. So now you know and can look forward to a new chappie every single week! You wanna know why? 'Cause I love all ya guys out there!

Also, just a random fact. I am officially obsessed with the band Within Temptation! You should really check them out. "Somewhere" is a song that is perfect for OuAT, and "Memories" is so beautiful! I love "All I Need" too.

What are your favorite bands? Let me know and I can look them up. I love music and try to listen to everything I possibly can! They also help me when I'm writing so...yeah. :)

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The Dark One frowned as he lay her there on her pallet. She looked so peaceful, a delicate smile was placed on her lips, her cheeks were rosy with health, and her beauty seemed more apparent than he had ever noticed. The long lashes, the mahogany brown curls, the red of her cheeks perfectly contrasted with the milkiness of her skin, and her curves were elegantly placed.

Against his wishes, he found himself sighing, relaxing, as her beauty weaved a spell around him. And then he awoke from his sweet reverie and remembered where he was and how that beauty had been in his arms only moments before. The feeling of her in his arms still made him warm at the thought, his tongue had become dry, and he shook his head. What is wrong with me? He reprimanded himself. Giving a mental kick, the Dark One refused to soften towards the girl even a bit. She was his servant after all, and that was all she would ever be to him. Never a friend, certainly never a lover.

He brushed his hand across his face in frustration, and grunted. Belle. Well, her name definitely suited her. No. He would not think like this. She was pretty, a beautiful face to add to his collection, and nothing more. He had many a servant before. What could possibly make her different. He glanced back down at the girl and in that instant, he knew what separated her from all his past slaves. She was beautiful, and yet she remained humble, passionate, and kind-hearted. What a wonderful personage wrapped up in that lovely body.

Dismay overcame him as he frowned. He was thinking of the wretch once again, and he despised her for it. Turning to leave the cell, he chanced one last look back at the sleeping girl and his eyes caught, for the first time it would seem, the desperate conditions of the prison room. A steady trickle of water was running down the back corner near her cot. Her bed was nothing but a hard pallet with fresh straw. No blanket or anything. The mold upon the stone made him reel as its musky scent hit him. At that moment, he felt a draft and realized that it was from the wind blowing in the outside world. The girl seemed to shiver too, but did not awaken.

The Dark One's lips were set in a firm line. He really was a beast to put her in such conditions. Her rosy cheeks looked paler now and her smile vanished as she sought to keep warm, wrapping her arms more securely around her small form. Perhaps, he would give her a better room. Of course, just until the winter passed. Then, she could come back to the dungeon when it was less cold. After all, it will never do to have an ill serving wench, he told himself. But in the back of his mind, he knew he was pitying Belle, and he knew that he was giving her the room as an act of kindness. No strings attached. This thought made him squirm uncomfortably, but he could not change his mind now that it was already settled. He would give her the room for her own personal comfort.

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Belle awoke the next morning. Her joints were stiff from her uncomfortable bed, her fingers were numb, and she felt dirty. As she stood up, she nearly yelled in pain as her muscles contracted. She remembered the night before, not personally, but through her dreams. She could remember the warmth of a fire and the soothing crackle of its embers. She could remember her peaceful sleep, she had slept more peacefully than she ever had since she had come to the Dark Castle. And then, she remembered the strange feeling of arms wrapping around her, and she vaguely knew that she had been carried down to her dungeon room. And then the peace had been snatched away as the wind had blown harder and the cold had become more severe. She sniffled, no doubt she would be sick by the end of the day.

Her thoughts were broken by the creak of the door and heavy footsteps. She frowned. She was not ready to leave the dungeon to her work. Already the fatigue of sickness was upon her and she wanted nothing more than to sleep. Even if her place of rest was in a filthy, cold cell.

The master of the Dark Castle opened her door with a flick of his wrist and she was met by the sardonic grin and the dark, opaque pupils. She stood to follow him, but he stopped her with his hand and she stood there, confused and slightly frightened.

He seemed kind of nervous, the emotion hidden behind his eyes, but evident in the tapping of his hand upon his red vest. He stopped this annoying motion when he found Belle staring curiously at his fingers. Placing his hands behind his back, he looked her in the eye and cleared his throat to speak, but it was her who spoke first.

"Was it you who carried me down here when I fell asleep?" Belle really didn't know why she would ask something such as that and the unfamiliar glint in his eye was enough for her to wish she had never said anything.

Her master surprised her, however, when he nodded his head and said in a low grunt, "Yes." He blinked, "You fell asleep," he flailed his arms about, "I couldn't leave you laying there." Her look made him blush slightly and he cursed himself. "After all, you're place is in the dungeon." He finished with a hard tone.

Belle nodded and walked forward. "So what shall you have me do?"

"Eager for work, eh, dearie?" He winked. Belle tried to side-step him but he blocked her way. "Now wait just a moment," he smirked, "I have something I would like to tell you first." And just like that the hesitation had returned, which he desperately tried to hide behind his eyes, and gave her an emotionless look. "When I brought you down here last night," he began and he saw Belle blush slightly at the thought of his carrying her. This made him smirk and gave him the courage to continue, "I noticed your rather...erm, harsh...conditions. I have decided to give you a room on the second floor in the east wing. That is, until the winter has passed." His tight expression looked upon her as he saw the suspicion clearly written in his servant's eyes. His voice was restrained with disapproval as he asked, "You are not pleased with this?"

Belle shook her head, "No. It is just-" she appraised him with a sweep of her eyes and the suspicion dripped from her voice as she countered, "Why are you doing this? Why show me kindness?"

The Dark One sneered, "Well, don't think it a kindness, dearie. I can't have you being sick." Belle didn't seem to believe him and she frowned. Impatiently, he stated, "I thought you would have been pleased to have a reminder of home."

"No matter how hard you try, this place will never remind me of my home!" Belle argued, appalled that he should assume she could ever be happy here, "It will never remind me of my loved ones or the life I knew!" Her eyes flashed angrily as the Dark One only grinned.

He laced his fingers together in front of him and a sly glint was in his eye. But Belle saw something else. It was restrained anger and she knew that if he pushed him any further, it would be dangerous. She pursed her lips as she waited for him to reply. He giggled as he stepped closer. Belle wavered and he forced her to step back until she was nearly leaning against the wall, "So you admit that you miss your home and family?"

Belle stared at him shocked at his foolish question. "I gave up everything, my life and my family, to save them. Of course I miss them, you beast!" She spat out and tried to push herself away from him, but his arms reached out and he held her firmly in place. Belle turned her eyes away from him and refused to look at him. The Dark One knelt closer so that his lips grazed her ear. "A beast, my Belle? You don't even know how much of a beast I can be. I have done far worse than snatch a young girl from her family, and I would do it all again." His voice began to grow louder as his hands clamped harder on her wrist.

"Stop. You're hurting me," Belle couldn't help but wince.

"Oh, am I?" Her master sneered into her ear, "I hadn't noticed!" And he began to squeeze her wrists harder until Belle was squirming underneath him, trying desperately to escape his grasp, but it was useless.

Satisfied with her pain, the Dark One released her hands and threw her onto the hard stone floor, "You will never leave here! Do you here me?" He roared in loosened rage, "I will never let you go!"

Belle forced herself to look into his eye and he saw the glint of a tear falling down her cheek, "You will never let me go because I am not your servant! I am your prisoner!"

He sneered angrily at her and pointed a finger down at her cowering form, "You are right, dearie. You are my prisoner, and you shall sleep in this dungeon for the rest of your miserable life! You will wish for hell before you find it!" With those threatening words, he stormed out of her room and she heard her door click.

Massaging her wrists, she whispered, "You don't think I am already in hell? You know nothing, beast." And she let her sobs echo throughout her cell, her heartbroken cries traveling all the way up to the Great Hall where the beast now sat, trying desperately to lose his anger in the gentle spinning of his wheel. But he couldn't forget. He couldn't forget the sadness and fear and hidden wrath in the girl's eyes.

Review Please, dearies. Until next Tuesday!