Inside the Beast's Castle

Chapter 12.5--First Day (part two)

Some people are like clouds. Once they are gone, it's a beautiful day.
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By the time I looked up from my chores, it was at least noon. My stomach rumbled. Suzanne looked at me in pity and nodded toward the finished food that we had cooked.

"Have some."

I wasted no time grabbing a few things and piling it all onto a tray. As I left, Suzanne grabbed my elbow.

"Miss, I know that you think that the master is at fault 'ere--that he punishes us unfairly. Please don't think that of him. He wasn't always like 'ow he is now. At one time, he was happy. He just needs as someone to remind him of that."

I looked at her sadly. "Why did he freak out when he saw my necklace, then? It's just a chain with a cross, nothing special. And then, when I ran, why did he save me? He's just confusing."

A small smile creased her face. "The necklace reminded him of someone from his past. Who it reminded him of is something he should tell you for himself. Just give him a chance, Zara. Please."

I turned to leave. I didn't know if I could do as she said or not.

I crept down up the stairs and down the hallway to my room, eating as I walked. I was done working for the day, so I had time to go explore the castle. Instead of finishing the rest of my food in my room though, I went to the door next to mine, the place with the pianina. I silently shut the door behind me and grabbed the small, flipped over table from the corner, then dragged it to the window. I placed my food tray on top of it, then looked at the floor. The shards of glass, torn pieces of cloth, and broken objects needed to be cleaned before someone-- namely me--got something embedded in their foot.

I sighed, scanning the place for a broom. No such luck. Carefully getting onto my hands and knees, I started to push everything to the corner with my hands. The picture that I first saw when I came was face down on the floor, not where I left it. I sat back on my knees and picked it up gently, dusting off the smooth outer surface and studying it some more. Although the faces were scratched out beyond recognition, I felt like I knew the people in the picture.

"They aren't going to start moving or anything special, you know."

A voice from the corner made me jump, a small squeak coming from my lips. Sitting on the top of the piano was the Beast, one leg crossed over the other, tossing his black cane from one pale hand to the other. His garnet eyes looked at me with a mixture of annoyance and curiosity, as if I wasn't supposed to be in the room. The fur cloak he wore fell onto the keys of the instrument he sat on, pushing them down lightly. I stood quickly and he shook his head, some blonde clumps of his hair swinging back and forth.

"Sit back down," he rumbled.

I kept standing, trying to figure out the best way to leave.

"Sit. Back. Down," he growled again, a hint of warning in his voice that time.

I gulped and found my seat on the floor where I was, not taking my eyes off him.

"Go back to what you were doing."

"Looking at the picture?" I asked.

A low growl emitted from his throat. "Moving everything to the wall. I find it somewhat amusing."

I froze, my hand an inch from my pile. "You know, it would be a lot easier if I had a broom." I couldn't stop the venom dripping off my words.

He shrugged "So it would be."

I sat back onto my heels and frowned. "Who were the people in the picture?" I asked, not doing what he said.

I'm not cleaning with him watching.

"Start cleaning and I might tell you," came the answer.

"Get me a broom and I might start cleaning."

He tilted his head, watching me. I didn't move a muscle. I wasn't going to give him the satisfaction of watching me squirm. He seemed to make a silent agreement with himself, then reached behind the piano. When his arm appeared again, he held a small wooden broom. He carefully got up, leaning heavily on his cane as he did, and held out the broom. I took it.

"Are you hurt?"  I didn't know why I thought that he couldn't be harmed. He shook his head. I could tell that he was lying. He favored his right leg too much. He sat back on the piano again.

"You said you would clean now."

I looked down and began to sweep the glass to a corner. I was almost done when I looked up again.

"Who are the people in the picture?"

What could be a smile came over the Beast's face, although I couldn't tell. I could only see his eyes.

"I said that I might tell you, not that I would."

I rolled my eyes and slammed the bottom of the broom into the floor. I was positive that he was smiling now. I raised my eyebrows. Suddenly, his eyes turned solemn.

"Let me see it," he demanded, holding out his hand. I passed the picture over. More than a minute passed as he held it, searching the painting for something.

When he finally spoke, sadness was evident in his voice. "They used to live here, in the castle. They were the royal family, I suppose."

"You drove them out?" I accused before I could stop myself.

Pain registered in his eyes for a second, the left. "So what if I did?" he said, standing up to his full height.

I straightened automatically. I kept silent, not letting my eyes wander from his.

"Then you're just as much as a monster than I thought you were," I spat. The next thing I knew, he had me pinned against the wall, eyes flickering.

"Don't call me that. Not today," he growled in a low voice.

I swallowed."Then what do I call you?"

He let go of me and turned around. "I told you," he whispered.

"Then I'll call you nothing."

Multiple looks came over his face at once. Finally, he stopped back at the piano and looked at me again.

"Then Nothing I will be."

The sentence that he said so casually hit me in the gut. It was something that Joshua would say when we kidded around. Tears sprang to my eyes. I looked down and noticed a thin trail of blood running to where the beast was standing. A dark splotch had appeared below his kneecap.

"You are hurt!"

He looked down at his leg and mumbled something unintelligible. The black cape that is under his fur one got pulled in front of it.

"I'm fine."

"No, you're not." I scooted closer, reaching for his pants leg. "Let me see."

"I'm fine," he repeated, moving away. Aggravation swallowed me. Why was he being so hard headed?

"Let me help you!" I moved forward again, only for him to jump up and start to leave. As he did, something hit me with enough force I fell back. To brace myself, my arm went down.

In the middle of glass shards.

When I looked up again, the Beast was gone.

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