Thanks to my followers and reviewer! Here's chapter two :)

ILoveGoodBooks777: Thank you for your wonderful feedback! And the story is called "A Brother More Like Me."

After the chaos outside had cleared, Beau peeked his head out. "Is she gone?" Not a speck of the disaster remained. "Oh, thank goodness! What a witch! How can she just barge in here, demanding me to marry her? Why on earth would I want to marry someone with absolutely no brain inside that pretty little head?"

Beau ran to the field behind his house and took in the gorgeous scenery. The whole thing with Gabriella was the icing on the cake. He just wanted to be free from the everyday life he had here and from the customs everyone had. He felt like his whole life had been laid out for him by people he didn't even know.

Beau's thoughts were interrupted by the sound of a horse galloping up to him.

"Phoenix?" he cried out in surprise. "Hey, hey, calm down, girl!" He slowly helped Phoenix calm down and stroked her head. "It's okay. Where's Mother, Phoenix?" The panic inside Beau began to rise with each passing second. "Has something happened to her? We have to find her! Can you take me to her?"

Phoenix seemed very uneasy, but he could tell that she knew where his mother was.

"Good girl!"

Beau unhitched the empty cart from her, and brought the horse back up to the cottage. He grabbed a cloak since he had a feeling he would be out after dark, and it would get very cold very fast.

Then he mounted onto Phoenix and they took off in search of his mother.

As he predicted, he rode well into the night, and it took quite a long time before Phoenix approached an iron gate that protected a huge castle.

"What is this place?" Beau asked in amazement. Had he not been so worried about his mother, he may have taken time to appreciate how majestic the castle was. He dismounted off Phoenix, who then prodded him, insisting they turn back. "Whoa, steady, girl. It's alright. Everything's going to be okay. I'm going to find Mother. We'll both be back very soon, okay?"

Beau went inside the gates, and saw something on the ground. He quickly ran over to it and recognized it as his mother's necklace given to her by his father a few months before his death. "Mother…"

The panic inside him had reached its peak. He just hoped that she had made it to the castle safely, and whoever resided there provided good hospitality.

He slowly approached the huge door and, with all his might, pushed it open. He thought he heard voices, but they stopped as soon as he was inside.

"Hello? Is anyone here? Mother? Are you in here?"

Beau went up the stairs, but he was losing hope. This place was gigantic and filled with many rooms. His mother could be anywhere. If she was even here.

"Mother? Are you here?"

Suddenly, there was the sound of a door creaking. Beau whipped around to find a door opened that he was certain had not been open before. Slowly, he went through it and came across many steps that evidently led to some kind of tower.

"Hello? Is someone there?" He thought he heard footsteps, but when he followed them, he found no one. "Mother?"

"Beau?" a weak voice called back.

Beau looked for the source of the voice and was horrified to find his mother in some kind of…cell! "Mother!" He picked up a torch and ran over to her and clutched her hands tightly. "Are you alright?"

"Beau, you need to leave now."

"You're hands are like ice. I've gotta get you out of here!"

"Listen to me, Beau. There's something inside this castle! You need to get out before it gets you too!"

"What are you talking about?"

"There's no time! You must get out while you can!"

"No, I am not going to leave you!"

Suddenly, Beau felt a huge hand whip him around so hard, stars appeared in his eyes. The torch got knocked out of his grasp, enveloping them all in a pitch black room.

"Please, get out, Beau! Now!" Marguerite pleaded.

"Who's there?" Beau called out to the darkness.

His only response was an unearthly growl.

"What have you done to my mother?" he called out, anger edging his voice.

"What she deserved," a voice growled back. He noted that while it was full of anger and not human, it sounded rather feminine.

"What do you mean?"

"She was trespassing!"

"You have to let her out! She's old and ill. She could die in here!"

"The punishment brought onto her by her own doing!"

"I will do anything for you! Please let her out now!" Beau was growing more desperate. His mother was very pale and coughing violently. If she didn't get proper care soon, it wasn't going to be good.

"There is nothing you can do. Get out of my castle."

"My mother needs help. You have to let her go."

"I don't have to do anything. Get out now before you join her."

That gave Beau an idea. A terrible one really, but he had no choice. "What if I stayed instead of her?"

There was silence. "You mean, you would take her place in here?"

"If it means she goes free, yes."

"Beau," Marguerite pleaded. "Please don't."

"If I set her free, you must promise to stay here forever."

Beau realized that he was negotiating with a shadow. "Let me see you," he stated.

This was met by another growl, and then a figure slowly came into the single shaft of light in the room. Beau's eyes widened as he realized what exactly was living in this place. It was a…well, a beast! It was obvious to him that it was a female because of the voice and the way its eyes and mouth were set. It…She wore brown pants and a white shirt with a blue cape. Anger was etched onto her face and almost looked permanent.

"Beau, listen to me," Marguerite said firmly. "I can't let you do this. You'll wreck your entire future!"

"I can't let you die," he said softly to her. He stood up and went over to the creature, who towered over him by a few feet. "I will stay."

"Have it your way," she growled. She stomped over to the cell and opened the door. Marguerite ran to her son and they embraced tightly.

"I'm so sorry, son! Please forgive me!"

"I love you, Mother."

The Beast dragged Marguerite away as they both protested. Beau was left alone in the little shaft of light.

His mother was gone. She was safe, but he had to ask himself, what was going to happen now?

Beau didn't cry. He trained himself not to. Since he already got a lot of weird looks from everyone he passed, he didn't need to add the fact that he was weak to the mix, so he forced himself to be strong.

But right now, who was there to hide from? The Beast? For the first time in years, Beau allowed himself to cry. He was alone, locked in a tower for the rest of his life, never to see his mother or anyone ever again. He watched from a sole window in the room as his mother was taken back to the town by some weird moving caravan-like thing.

"I'm sorry, Mother," he whispered. This hadn't been what he wanted. Of course, he wanted his mother safe, but he didn't want them to be separated in order for that to happen. He wanted both of them back at the cottage safe and sound. Now she had lost her son and he had lost his mother. It was like their family, as small as it was, had been ripped right apart.

Beau heard footsteps and quickly wiped his eyes. Beast or not, he didn't want anyone to see him so vulnerable.

When he saw the Beast standing in the doorway, unimaginable anger flooded through him. "I promised to stay here and you didn't even let me say good-bye," he said with a controlled voice. He had to keep it calm. There was no doubt in his mind that this thing could rip him to shreds in seconds. Best not to provoke it…her. "I never get to see my own mother again and I didn't even get the chance to give her a proper good-bye."

He cast his eyes out to the window and leaned his head on it.

"Um…let me show you to your room," the Beast said.

Beau's head whipped around. "What do you mean? I thought I was to stay up here."

"Well, do you want to stay up here in this little tower?" she growled, obviously already losing patience.

"No," Beau admitted.

"Then come with me."

Beau quickly got up and obliged the Beast's order. He followed her throughout many different halls and passages. The creepy statues cast eerie shadows on the floor and walls, making Beau uneasy, but he was determined not to show it. He was not going to appear weak in front of this thing.

"Um…" the Beast started. "I hope you like it here."

Beau looked at the Beast. That was the nicest thing she'd said so far, and in definitely the nicest voice.

"This place is your home now, so you're free to go anywhere you wish. Just not the West Wing."

"Why? What's in the West—"

"It's forbidden!" the Beast snarled as she rounded on him, causing Beau to jump. He immediately silenced, not wishing to incur anymore of her anger.

They walked further until they came to a huge set of double doors painted a nice blue color. She opened the door for him and he slowly walked in. These were much better arrangements than that prison above. That didn't mean he felt any better about this whole situation.

"If you need anything at all, please don't hesitate to ask. My servants can do anything you wish for. And um…I'm sorry about your mother."

Beau didn't turn to look at her, but he was surprised. Did she just apologize to him?

"And…we will have dinner together tonight. My servants will escort you down when the time is right."

"I don't have much of an appetite," Beau answered.

The Beast grabbed his shoulder and whipped him around to face him. "You will join me for dinner! I'm not asking, I'm telling you! I am the head of this castle, and I expect you to follow my orders! Is that clear?!"

She left the room and slammed the door behind her. Beau stood there in shock for a minute, trying to slow his racing heart from her outburst. Even away from the village, he was being told how to live his life by someone he didn't know. And now he had lost his mother and everything dear to him. After holding his emotions in for far too long, he collapsed onto the floor as his body shook with sobs. He was a prisoner, a captive, held against his will.

It was the end of life as he knew it.