The Beast was stunned by the slap, blinking in shock that she wasn't even afraid of him, before they become enraged, furious at this human, this woman, how she dares touch him without even thinking, the audacity of her actions at the master of the castle!
He stood up high, at the full height of nine feet, his shadow over Perla, as her eyes widen, realizing what she just did, seeing those sky-blue eyes turn into sharp ice even more than before, and he snarled, "I don't care. I'm the Beast, and the master of this castle. Guards! See that you take them apart to the most uncomfortable rooms in the castle and leave the children with the slave in the stables, and keep them there!", as many steel knights came in, and went to do the Beast's orders, through the servants realized that there's a loophole in their master's orders, and realized that they can still check on them, to give them warmth and food, seeing a tiny bit of human goodness left in the Beast.
"And for you, woman, for the crime of touching me without permission, I should do the same in return!", the Beast roared at her as he grabbed her, throwing her over his shoulder like a bag of potatoes as he went out of the dining room as Perla fought, hearing her family's screams, "Perla! No, stop, please! Mama!".
Perla attempted to fight back, trying to get him to release his grip on her but that obviously wasn't going to happen. "Master, please! Don't do anything rash!", Cogsworth was trying to advise.
The Beast roared at Cogsworth who shrunk back in submission, and he kept going upstairs, holding Perla tight in his paw as he walked on the rest of his three legs, growling and snarling at the flinging arms of Perla on his back as she tried to keep fighting him, "Unhand me at once, you...you beast!".
She yelped out in pain as the claws of the paw tightened on her thighs, "Do you want me to maul you, woman? If not, shut up!", and Perla panted heavily, her arms getting tired before she realized that they were in a corridor now, heading to a bedroom, and she kept fighting through she didn't talk, frantically and growing afraid yet brave.
The Beast didn't go into the West Wing's master bedroom, not going to let her destroy the only thing in possession he has, and he diverted into his old father's office, closing the door with a slam, and threw her off into a heap of a destroyed loveseat.
Perla was pinned by a paw as the Beast snarled, "You don't like being touched without permission, do you?!", as his other paw went to snag into her skirt and corset, destroying them in a snap, and Perla fought back, shouting, "I will never give in! You scared my family! If you must rape me, do it!", seeing the familiar sight of dominating lust in his eyes, and even if he's wearing ragged black pants, it was so obvious that there was a strained tent in his pants.
The Beast smelled the fear and alluring scent coming off Perla, his animal mode driving him to insanity, needing so badly to claim this woman, but the little human presence inside him heard her, and his ice blue sky eyes became a tiny less dominating in lust, and he growled, panting, taking in the beautiful visage of Perla as she stared at him almost bravely yet afraid...
His sharp eyes can see the lush strands of her black hair, the brilliant blue eyes, the fair shade of her skin, and she looked gorgeous with her arms and legs curling up to protect herself in the rags of her skirt, and he roared in fear and shame as he realized that he, as the Beast, let his primal instincts loose.
He backed away, seeing that he was about to be like his father, taking advantage and raping innocent women, through his father was drunk those rare times it happened, but this...He whispered in horror, "What have I done?!", ashamed that he was going to expose himself to a human woman, a human woman who would be disgusted, afraid, ashamed, and of course, screaming in pain during it all, as after all, he's not normal in the size department, without even considering her feelings and preparing her first...
And he would have been proving the Enchantress right too...He's a monster...He turned around to head out of the office, to handle the problem in his trousers when a feminine voice replied, "You...you aren't going to do it? But I insulted you, slapped you...".
He just stood there as Perla looked at him. He turned to look back at her as she was trying to cover her modesty as he sighed; trying to fight all his emotions at the moment as Perla could see the conflict in his eyes. This... this beast was clearly at war with himself; it was obvious to anyone that would have the chance to look at him like that.
The Beast gave a low growl, "Yes, you did, but I...I will not have your family go after my head, even if I'm really having a hard time like right now, to claim you when you're...exposed...I a-apologize for touching you without your consent.", having a hard time to say sorry in a familiar way when he figured that using the formal word is better than saying sorry...He never, ever said sorry to anybody before, well, probably since he was a child, and those times were hard to recall.
Perla obviously didn't fully know what to say at the moment. What he did and then was attempting to do, even if he stopped. It was hard to truly admit forgiveness there. But the words still came, even if the sincerity behind them was weak. "It's... it was wrong of you to do... but... thank you for at least stopping when you did.", Perla said.
The beast widened his eyes when he heard the last part of the comment, and he rasped out, "You're welcome. I will have some of my servants attend to you...And I don't blame you if you don't want to see me again, but you will, eventually...You and your family are prisoners, for the time being, and for the children, they will come back in with the slave from the stables, but see that they behave, all of them.", trying to hold back his urges to run across the floor and claim her as he couldn't help smelling her allure in the air as she's still exposed despite wringing the rags of her skirt to cover her modesty.
Perla nodded, "I will be sure to tell them that...And you might need to go out, master, to help your situation...", with a whisper as she blushed in embarrassment. The Beast chuffed, "Call me Beast...And thank you...", at a loss as he realized he didn't know her name, and Perla replied, "Perla.".
The Beast spoke nothing, and opened the door, heading out, closing it, telling one of the furniture staff members to spread the new orders, and before long, Perla heard roars, yet they sounded like they were coming from outside, probably on one of the rooftops or in one of the towers...
She had no idea if they were ones of pleasure or of anger and regret, but right now, she really didn't want to know. Her mind was more on the current situation for her and her family. Prisoners... and she had the sinking feeling in her stomach that she knew exactly who her supposed true love was.
She remembered that day when she asked the compass, and she knew that her significant other was cursed, and is something entirely different than a human being...She didn't expect that it would be Beast, though she should have seen it coming...
He's an enigma of animals mashed up in him, a true monstrous beast, yet his eyes are the only thing that is so human to her...If she had read her books right, he is part buffalo, bear, gorilla, lion, wild boar, and wolf.
She sighed deeply, seeing how he would be ashamed of himself, if he has been like this so long...She heard a knock on the door, and she heard Mrs. Potts's voice reply, "Dear, I have some clothes, can I come in?".
Perla opened the door as Mrs. Potts came in. "Oh, you poor thing...", Mrs. Potts had a terrible look on her face as Perla gave her a small smile.
"It's okay... he just... ruined my outfit... he refrained from going further.", Perla told her as Mrs. Potts' face suddenly changed, "Oh, thank God... I really feared he would've... I shudder to even say it.".
Perla sighed heavily, "Is this a normal thing? For him to have primal instincts?", as a sentient little drawer on wheels brought in clothes as the door closed, giving the women privacy, through the roars are still heard.
Mrs. Potts replied, "Afraid so, though he usually had control more or less...I heard of his new orders, and don't worry, the children are being safe in one of the adults' rooms, I believe it was the red-haired woman.".
"Juliet...Good, my best friend will take care of the children, especially Carlo...my son...It doesn't seem like that Beast cared if I'm pure or impure...He looked so horrified when he came to his senses, almost like I somehow snapped him out of it, though he was having a hard time...", Perla replied as she got her new corset shirt on, glad that she still has her brasserie and unmentionables on when he stopped...
"He's... he really hasn't dealt with any sort of humans in... well, for quite a long time.", Mrs. Potts explained. "No one has ever come here in all these years...".
Perla replied, "Until now, that is...You know, I was standing up for my family in that moment...I didn't realize that it was a major insult...", and Mrs. Potts tutted, "Don't fret, dear. You were really brave, and that means something. You did the right thing, though it brought consequences nearly, but luckily, fortune seems to have smiled on you. And yes, the Master may be rough, and has a short fuse of a temper, but he is thankfully still good-hearted...I was afraid that he would have lost himself in his primal instincts sooner than now, but honestly, we have done so much we'd do to help, but well...He hasn't been much physically touched besides the coat stands and such around here.".
"Oh...well, forgive me, Mrs. Potts, but I'd need time to calm down and think about seeing him again...He's right...with us being prisoners, he will be around as this castle is big, not too big, but big enough to be noticed...", Perla sighed as she put on her new short leggings and skirt.
Mrs. Potts nodded, "That's fair, young one. Well, you look better now. Shall we? I'll take you to your room, and of course, you're free to roam around, but besides that, better not head into the Master's rooms behind us, it's private for him.".
Perla smiled, "I'd not rather disobey him this soon...Let's go to my room, then...", following Mrs. Potts who leaped into a tea cart, zooming onwards, and Perla glanced back to the final door down at the end of the hallway, hearing the roars through they were decreasing in sound and volume before heading forward to go follow Mrs. Potts.
Beast, his fur keeping him warm from the cold up high, panted heavily as he sat, a mess of his seed on the floor of the open-air tower, limp and finished at last, and he looked down at the castle, thankful for Perla for suggesting the idea, even if she was embarrassed to say it.
Perla...That's an Italian name, and it suits her...A pearl from the sea, fitting, with her fair skin and blue eyes...He closed his eyes, trying to wash out the memory of seeing her in the office, relieved yet ashamed that he was attempting yet stopped. He remembered the words of the Enchantress, the words of the curse years ago, right on his 11th birthday, a month after Christmas.
"The servants, who have never learned to be more beyond their profession, will be obedient objects. The prince, who have never learned what Love is, will be a monster which has grown in his heart to reflect him in appearance. No one, in the kingdom, beyond the castle, will ever remember this place, and everyone will be forgotten. Only Love can save you all. If you, the prince, in ten years starting today, will find someone to love you, to accept you as who you are, to be in sincerely and unconditionally love with you, to share with you a confession of true love together, and a physical union of consent from both parties, the spell will be broken. Otherwise, you are all condemned to be cursed forever.".
And how little time was remaining now. How long had it been? Almost a decade now? Time was running out for both him and his servants. He himself had practically already accepted his fate... but his loyal servants... all of them had been wrongfully punished because of him. He didn't know why, and he might never since he doubted that he'd ever see that witch again. But the pain of it all still was hurting him once more as he just closed his eyes, planning on simply sleeping where he sat.
And besides, even if Perla, the first one in years to stand up to him, wants to be friends with him, he could accept that as after all, who would love a beast, a monster like him?
He sighed heavily as he secured his trousers, tucked his cape over him, and slept as he leaned back against a pillar of the open-air tower balcony, barely hearing the wind sweep through the tower, the waft of his seed being destroyed into nothing.
"And he is your significant other? Are you sure of that, since, well, you know?", Juliet asked in surprise and curiosity as she sat on her bed, as Perla came in a few minutes ago, relieved to see that the children are sound asleep in their bed across the room, having been in her room for the past hour thinking about the situation and all, and now she just had explained everything that happened.
"Not really much of a doubt when you think about it. It said years ago about curses... what is he not but the victim of a curse?", Perla asked as Juliet nodded.
"Fair...And you know, the compasses are faint, but strong enough to answer things. I asked if my significant other is still nearby in the vicinity and turns out that she's in the village. But since we're prisoners, I have a strange feeling that we're in for the long run, and she will eventually be here.", Juliet replied.
Perla nodded with a small smile, "That's good. I always trust your judgement, Juliet, and your gut never goes wrong.", before glancing at the children, "Well, I better check on the others and tell them the news. Have they been fed?".
Juliet smiled softly, "Apparently, the servants saw a loophole in your beast's old orders, and the kids tuckered out immediately after having a good square meal themselves...I think the others are fed as well, and at least we're safe from the wolves.".
"True...See you in the morning...It has been a crazy afternoon. I know I usually go to you for pleasure, but I think it's time to change the arrangement of us...If that's okay? I can't risk his temper on you.", Perla replied.
Juliet chuckled, "Well... who's to say that we'll never do it again? Who knows, maybe our others are into it.". Juliet smiled as Perla blushed. "Just get some rest, Perla... you're obviously the one who will have to stress about this the most...".
Perla gave a small smile, nodding, and she went to kiss Carlo good night on the forehead, ruffling Naveen and Ella's hair lightly and kissed Juliet on the cheek before she left the room, checking on the rest of the assigned rooms for the others, with reassurances to Jules and Leila that Ella is safe and asleep, and to Ray about Naveen as well, while Jiminy got Figaro.
They were all informed about the news of being prisoners, and they understood, realizing that if they behave good, they will have the children in respective rooms together with their parents soon.
The next day, Chip was excited to play with the children, and upon sternly telling them to be careful with the fragile, young teacup, they went on adventures with Chip showing them around the castle, while the adults were acquainting themselves with the servants while they cleaned up the castle happily including the library.
The beast wasn't seen that day through there was reports that he ate and slept, thanks to the servants, and Perla frowned softly when she heard the gossip, and glanced in the direction of the West Wing, but decided to give him a bit more time as Mrs. Potts would be right that he's an introvert all those years.
Perla settled in with a book for the evening when she saw the Beast outside her window, and she watched him patrol the gardens, seeing that the trees are already losing most of their leaves, and as if the Beast sensed her, he looked up, seeing her, and she blushed yet she waved.