The Beast

12.

I woke up early in the morning. It's a habit that I have adopted after years of woken up at dawn. If we ever slept long, we would get beaten as a punishment. Even though there is nothing like that here but still I woke up early. Old habits die hard!

I sat up and drank the water from water skin and looked at Beast, but as always, he wasn't there. Sometimes, I even doubt he sleeps. He would sleep after me and would wake up even before me.

With a sigh, I stood up to get to work, I took a bath and washed my clothes and hung them on the rope to let them dry. Then I made my way towards the kitchen, but on my way, I bumped into someone.

"I am sorry..." I immediately said but stopped when my gaze fell on the person with whom I bumped and my eyes widened in shock.

"Is.. is it really you?" I asked as I couldn't stop looking at him. I was surprised and felt a little giddy.

"You.. you are handsome." I stuttered out unknowingly and blushed when I realized what I just said. His lips turned a little upward as he looked at me with softness.

Beast had cut his hairs Short, they now come to his neck. He had also trimmed his beard, leaving a light stubble. Now I can clearly see his features, his bright golden brown eyes, his pointy nose, his small lips that were turned upward a little.

He looked good, so beautiful and... I don't know why I am so mesmerized by his beauty. But there is something about him that I can't help but be mesmerized with. He looked mature, there is nothing soft in his features, yet I felt at peace looking at him. What's happening to me? I shake my head a little.

"You look good in short hairs." I praised at which he nodded.

"Beast, is that you?" A voice called from behind, and the softness from his eyes vanished as they turned hard and ice cold. He turned around to look at the person. It was leader, and he looked at him in surprise.

"That's a surprise...!" He chuckled as he looked at Beast in amusement.

"I can see the girl is changing you..!" Leader said sternly as he glared at me.

"I would be careful if I were you. Women only break heart." He said as he threatened Beast while throwing a distasteful gaze at me. I unconsciously stepped a little back.

'You don't have to worry for me.' Beast signed as his demeanor stiffened. The usual gentleness that he has with me is gone. As I looked at him, I felt like he was someone else. The person whom I first met, the Beast. I remembered how scared I was of him and how he was looking at me with anger.

"She will leave you. It's in women's nature. They are unloyal creatures." He spits in anger, and I squirmed in my place. Beast glared at him, then he turned towards me and signed me to leave. I didn't wait anymore and ran away.

I only sighed once I was in the kitchen. I am scared of the leader. He doesn't like me. I can clearly see the distaste in his eyes. And about he was saying to me that I will break Beast's heart.. I would never do that, and it's not like Beast likes me like that.

We don't have that kind of relationship... I could never do anything to hurt Beast. I care too much. He was the light to my darkness. The relationship that we have is something different. He helped me when I lost hope.

"Good morning, dear!" Cookie said as he stepped inside the kitchen.

"Good morning!" I smiled at him.

"Let's get to work." He announced, and I nodded as we started preparing for breakfast.

Today, when I distribute food and Serpent comes, he hasn't scowled at me like he always does. Even though he wasn't smiling at me either, it was something. May be we are okay, and he doesn't hate me that much. I don't want to be on bad terms with anyone, I will leave in a few days, and I don't want to part on a bad note.

~~~~
"Louis, why don't you guys make houses? Living in tents is going to be difficult in winter's..  don't you think?" I asked as we were sitting near the lake. He was washing his clothes while I sat beside him. I offered him to help, but he declined, saying I would leave in a few days and he didn't want to get used to it . He isn't happy with me going, but he isn't stopping me either.

"Actually we don't stay in one place for long, we came here from months ago and in a year or two we would change place again. So we don't build houses because it's a waste of time and energy." He told me.

"And the farms, animals? Do you leave everything back?" I asked him. He shrugged.

"It's our life. We don't stick to one place for long." He said nonchalantly, and I sighed sadly. I can never imagine a life like this for me, I want a home where I will spend my whole life with my family. The place that I could call my own.

"And we have tents that are suitable for the winter's. They kept us warm the whole night." He told me, and I nodded but stayed quiet.

"Don't you want a home, of your own?" I asked him. He opened his mouth but then closed it as he looked far away.

"I don't know.. I never thought about it... these men are my family, my brothers and they are my home... so.. " He shrugged, and I felt like crying. In a way, Louis and I are the same. We don't have our own families. We depend on others for everything.

"Maybe one day you will want a home, a wife, and a family of your own." I said. He looked taken aback and looked in thought, then he smiled at me.

"Maybe someday, but right now I am happy with what I have.!" He said, and I smiled at him.

As we were walking back to our places to sleep, he stopped and looked at me.

"Faith?" He called, I turned towards him. He looked serious, nothing like the funny and non-serious Louis I know.

"Yes?" I asked with a little frown.

"If you aren't happy with Henry, you can come here and live with us. You are always welcomed here. You will always have me, Cookie and Beast." He said and caressed my head lightly as if I were a child. But I liked this, his care, if I ever had a brother I would want him to be like Louis.

"You are like my little sister that I never had." He said with a small smile, and I smiled back at him. How is it that we thought the same thing?

"And you are like a big brother that I never had, but now I have one." I said and hugged him lightly. He patted my head, and then we parted as I made my way towards the cave. I am going to miss this, I never thought that I would get attached to these people and this place. If it weren't for Henry, I wouldn't have left this place.

In a way, this place has become a home, not the one I wanted but the one I got and felt grateful for.