Beast and the Beauty

Beast

ONCE upon a time, I was a beast. It seems so unnatural, but that is how I lived for so long. I was only given hope that I might become a prince again when I caught an old merchant stealing from my castle. He said he claimed to be taking a rose back to one of his daughters, Beauty. I told him that I would forgive him if he gave me one of his daughters, but only if she comes willingly. He was able to sleep in my castle and eat my food until the morning when he had set upon his journey to bring Beauty her rose and persuade one of his daughters to take his place.

It had been a long month awaiting for the merchant to come back not expecting one of his daughters would actually take his place. I walked into the room stricken by the maiden's beauty standing before me. She attempted to respectfully salute me, but it was taken over by her fear of me. That's when I knew, this was Beauty, the daughter that wanted the rose.

"Good-evening, old man. Good evening Beauty." I greeted them as politely as I could.

"Good-evening, Beast." Beauty had answered. This greatly surprised me because she had been terrified just a few moments ago and it seems as if it was her father who was now terrified.

"Have you come willingly?" I asked Beauty. "Will you be content to stay here when your father goes away?"

"Beauty answered quickly and bravely saying that she was perfectly fine staying here with me. That she had come because it was her decision and no one had forced her into it. I was looking at her and her father studying their features to make sure she was telling the truth.

After studying them both, I had come to the conclusion that they were telling the truth. "I am pleased with you, you have come of your own accord, you may stay." I turned to the merchant after that and told him, "At sunrise tomorrow, you will take your departure. When the bell rings, get up quickly and eat your breakfast. You will find the same horse waiting to take you home, but remember that you must never expect to see my palace again."

I turned back to Beauty and told her to take her father into the other room and have him help her choose anything her other brothers and sisters might want to remember her.

As they were leaving to the other room, I quickly told them both goodbye.

The next time I saw beauty, it was in one of my dreams. She was wandering by a brook lined with trees. When she had spotted me, she saw me as my true form, not as a beast. This was not an average dream, I had control over everything I said. I wanted to make her trust me so I said the words that I believed to be true. "Ah, Beauty! You are not o fortunate as you suppose. Here you will be rewarded for all you have suffered elsewhere. Your every wish shall be grantified. Only try to find me out, no matter how I may be disguised, as I love you dearly, and in making me happy you will find your own happiness. Be as true-hearted as you are beautiful, and we shall have nothing left to wish for."

"What can I do, Prince, to make you happy?" She asked.

It amazed me are self-less she could be. "Only be grateful, and do not trust too much to your eyes. And above all, do not desert me until you have saved me from my cruel misery." I had told her.

I had suddenly woke up and the dream had stopped.

By the time supper came around, she had looked quite frightened, I wonder if she had found something in the castle that had made her that way. That was until I saw my reflection in the goblet and remembered I was still a beast.

"Good-evening Beast," She said trying to get over her fear of me.

We had a nice conversation after that, we had talked about what Beauty had been doing since she had arrived at my palace, I also asked her if she would be happy here. To which she had responded, "everything is so beautiful, it would be very hard to please me if I were not happy."

Right as I was leaving, I had asked her a few more questions.

"Do you love me, Beauty? Will you marry me?"

"Oh! What shall I say?" It was upsetting that she had to be so fearful of making me upset when I have done nothing to make her believe that.

"Say 'yes' or 'no' without fear," I told her in hopes she would make the decision that makes her happy over my own happiness.

"Oh! No, Beast," she had responded quickly and fearfully.

A little disappointed in her reactions, I had told her good night and walked to my room hoping she would show up in my dreams again seeing me for who I truly am.

"Why are you so unkind to me? I fear that I am fated to be unhappy for many a long day still." I had told her when I saw her. I fear that was the wrong thing to say when she had disappeared before me, and I had woken up.

Every night after that night, I had asked Beauty if she would marry me yet. The answer, unfortunately, was always no. Every night, She would show up in my dreams. Every night, I had told her not to trust appearances, that not everything is as it seems. She had never listened though, it was always the same.

One night, she had seemed quite upset and when I asked her what might be bothering her, she said she had missed her brothers, sisters, and her father. I was quite displeased about this. Was I not good enough for her? "Ah! Beauty, have you the heart to desert an unhappy Beast like this? What more do you want to make you happy? Is it because you want to escape?"

"No, dear Beast," She tried to reassure me, "I do not hate you, and I should be very sorry never to see you anymore, but I long to see my father again. Only let me go for two months, and I promise to come back to you and stay for the rest of my life."

"I cannot refuse you anything you ask, even though it should cost me my life. Take the four boxes you will find in the room next to your own, and fill them with everything you wish to take with you. But remember your promise and come back when the two months are over, or you may have cause to repent it, for if you do not come in good time you will find your faithful Beast dead. You will not need any chariot to bring you back. Only say good-by to all your brothers and sisters the night before you come away, and when you have gone to bed turn this ring38 round upon your finger and say firmly: 'I wish to go back to my palace and see my Beast again.' Good-night, Beauty. Fear nothing, sleep peacefully, and before long you shall see your father once more."

After I had told her this, I retreated to my room and hoped to see her again this last night.

When I had entered the dream, I did not see her. I decided to sit in the field for a while waiting for her to enter, but she never did. I started to tear up, upset that I would never see her again.

"What is the matter?" I heard the familiar voice ask me.

I looked up at Beauty and told her, "How can you ask me, cruel one? Are you not leaving me to my death perhaps?"

"Ah! Don't be so sorrowful," she cried; "I am only going to assure my father that I am safe and happy. I have promised the Beast faithfully that I will come back, and he would die of grief if I did not keep my word!" I did not expect her to actually want to come back. Hearing this shocked me.

"What would that matter to you?" I asked still not believing her, "Surely, you would not care."

"Indeed I should be ungrateful if I did not care for such a kind Beast, I would die to save him from pain. I assure you it is not his fault that he is so ugly." I couldn't take any more of her crying. Though it is good crying, I don't know what to take of it. It is a dream after all.

I had to let her go. I made sure she was sleeping when I magically transported out of here. I cannot feel sad to see her go because I have kept her captive for far too long.

I had decided to fall asleep and await my death.

I had lived a nice, long life and even as I was not saved in time by my Beauty, but I can now watch over her to see her live her life with her family. I was able to watch over her even when she got married away to a village war hero that she was much too good for. None of it mattered though. If only I had kept her just a little while longer.