A noise in the dark woke her but her eyes opened slowly, her whole body lethargic as she sat up, a fire suddenly roaring in the hearth as if it had been waiting for her. Turning her head, she saw a plate on the small table beside the bed. Was that table there earlier? There was a small amount of meat, roasted and salted, and a few slices of cheese and bread. A cup of something sat beside the plate, steaming hot with a wonderful aroma. Belle felt herself sigh as she leaned back down, her head touching the pillow as she curled up.

Wasn't I by the fire…

She looked up to the canopy above her head, like a tent above her, and then to the bed itself. It was huge, with soft blankets folded nearby to keep her warm. A part of her was grateful for the comfort, another part was wary of this accommodation. Something caught her eye, laying at the end of the bed - on a chest. Moving toward the item, she crawled over, her cloak and dress stiff with having dried as she had slept. A dress? She thought as she reached out a hand, stopping herself as she did so.

The events of the day seemed a distant nightmare, recognition slowly seeping into her mind. She had come through the rain and darkness to this place, for what purpose she did not know at the time. She tried to replay everything in order; her arrival, the faces in the darkness so twisted and mangled, writhing in fire and bathed in horror. She had not seen the last creature, merely a blur of a figure in her mind. His touch she could not forget, it burned still on her skin. She did not know who or what he was, but his touch was cold like marble; yet flesh resided there. He had not hurt her or tried to drag her away, he had been hesitant almost as if touch was….foreign. She had seen nothing of the face, but the voice made her shiver as she looked around the room. Someone has been here recently.

Undoing the tie of her cloak, Belle swung her feet to the floor as she removed it. She folded it neatly, her fingers going to the ties of her dress. Her fingers felt stiff, as if they were separate from their body as they moved; unaware of movements or thoughts of their owner. As her dress fell to the floor Belle felt the tears, which had been running down her face, for the first time. Softly they came, no sound or sob, embracing her cheeks like an old friend. I will never see my father or sisters again. The concept had been far from her mind in the heat of the moment, and while her decision had been the right one, she felt lonely for the first time in her life.

Belle wrapped her arms around herself as she looked at the dress laid out for her. It was so fine, like it had been crafted for royalty. The colour was a rich green, dark like its home, embroidered with something that had once been gold. The style was odd; it was nothing like she had ever seen for fashion. It was as if it had been forgotten here, like the castle itself, lost and alone as Belle was. Belle heard a sound, as if the castle was moving or thinking, a groan or moan almost answering her thoughts. Logically, she knew castles did not have minds or expression of thought; but even stone walls are a better comfort than no one at all.

Picking the garment up, she narrowed her eyes; the fabric was silk, such finery she had not seen since the city, and even then not many could afford this measure of quality. Belle began to undo the ties, her skin covered in goosebumps as a chill seemed to rise on her spine. As she felt the fabric slide down her body, Belle was aware someone was watching her. Her body had produced this same reaction before when Gaston had first met her, watching her from afar. Looking around the room Belle saw no one, but the feeling did not cease. Tying the dress, Belle walked to the fireplace, then the window pane until she had looked over the entire room. This proved she was not alone; there was no dust anywhere in the room. Try as she might, she found nothing, which meant there was someone in the castle. The images of the faces in the dark flashed to her mind; one fiery, one twisted and ticking. She doubted those faces had done this, which meant there was life here aside from herself.

This idea caused her to dry her tears as walked to the table. Should I eat it? It could be poisoned. Belle mused, picking up the china cup as smelling the brew inside. If he intended to kill me, he would have left me to die in the dungeon. She sipped it and was wonderful; a mixture of roses and other herbs that made her heart swell and her body relax. Strange, she thought as she sipped it again, I saw no roses here. Eating a bit of bread, she found it had been freshly made; still warm as she ate. It seemed like something from a dream, and her body started reacting to being fueled once more. Her eyelids felt heavy, the weight of the meal filling her stomach with a warmth she enjoyed.

The castle seemed to moan and shift once more, this time with malcontent. She stood, a slice of bread in her hand as she stood by the door; her free hand grasping the handle with concern and fear. A roar sounded, and Belle froze; anger seemed to flow out from both the castle and the creature – a sound like death that echoed in every orifice.

Someone –

The castle seemed to hissed words throughout, the fire flashing out in her room, but Belle barely noticed. It was as if a nightmare snared them, in that moment the castle was angry yes, but afraid.

-come to stare –

Belle felt her fingers clasp the handle, the door opening at her command. As she stepped around the door into the small opening, she felt the castle groan again, a shuddering. Something called to her, a feeling she did not understand. In the middle of a wake of despair, there was desperation and hopelessness; a hurricane of horror, the eye of sadness. Her feet moved of their own volition, someone was calling out, reaching out for help in the middle of this storm.

-at the beast!

There was no door to open, the floor a minefield of broken statues and pottery, rotting pictures on the walls – ripped to shreds. Misery like a fog, Belle walked in the dark. Snarls in the dark, trembles in the walls. Belle stopped, the pain radiated from the center of the room. Something small glowed in the dark, faintly calling to her. She narrowed her eyes in the darkness, she could not make out what it was. Slowly she moved, her fingers on the wall as her eyes searched in the darkness. Moonlight seemed to touch the edge of the room, not daring to come inside. Something was there, a mass on the floor in the dark. She did not her feel herself tremble as she stepped forward, whimpering's like tear drops fell on her ears.

As she reached him, she felt her knees bend as she reached out into the darkness. Her fingers felt the cold of his skin as her torso felt the impact. Her body flew backward, such a force she had never known.

Silence echoed, the light seemed to touch her skin. Her eyes looked up, a strange kind of moon looked down at them, and it was an eerie white, eye of silver peering into that desolate place. Shattering of glass broke the reverie, sound rushing back to her as pain radiated. Ringing replaced logic, her ears sounding out like a bell. A face loomed, a body shadowing her yet shrouded in darkness. He was saying –

"Please - " She breathed, "Come into the light."

That he did. A face fit for no living creature. Belle watched, her eyes looking at his form but could find no words to express the horror. Twisted nature of his skin, muscle and tissue entwined like tree roots, yet living and decaying, his organs as dark as the light behind them. She forced herself up, resting on her elbows as she brought her face closer to his. In the depths of face, something blue flickered there; distant and wizen, dull and lifeless. The eyes of a man had once rested there, whether Belle truly understood…. yet to be seen.

He snarled, his hand shooting to her neck before she could react. "Come to stare at the beast?" The girl in his clutches said nothing, his grasp crushing her windpipe. "Is it all you thought it would be?" Her eyes were searching his face, her body shaking; nothing could shake the anger in his soul. "Don't you know what you could have done!?" He roared, shaking her; causing her to close her eyes in pain, her soft hands touching his own. His breaths were heavy, fast, and a pulse in his ears beat like a drum.

It was there in the moonlight, two hearts would change. A light would to glow from within the rose. A lady would wipe away a tear.