The Alchemist And The Beast

Chapter 9

"Ah, no. The next shot's on me," Andrew said.

"Oh, Andrew, you're the best." Caine smirked. "How come no woman's snatched you up?"

He gave a low laugh, somewhat forced. "I tend to mind my own business."

"I forgot," she said sarcastically.

The door to the pub suddenly slammed open.

"Please, someone! Help!"

"Is that Quirin?" Andrew raised a brow.

"Whoa, whoa," Caine began. "What's going on?"

"It's Varian! She's locked him in a dungeon!" Quirin panted for breath.

"Who has him locked up?" Caine inquired.

"A beast!"

The townsfolk sat in silence before bursting into laughter.

"What?" Caine wiped tears from her eyes she was laughing so hard.

"My son's life is in danger. You think I'm joking? Her castle is hidden in the woods. It's already winter there-"

"Winter in June?" Andrew echoed.

"Oui! And people say I'm nuts!" Dwayne said.

"Listen to me! Varian needs help! Are you not going to help?"

"With what? You sound crazy!"

Quirin's eyes darkened. "I'm sorry. I thought you were the one who cared. I must have been mistaken."

Caine frowned and place her hand on her hip. She tilted her head. "Alright, I'll help, Quirin."

"Really?" Quirin raised a brow.

"Everybody... stop making fun of this man at once. He's in distress. He's a neighbor, we must treat him as such."

"Lady Cain, thank you."

"Don't thank me, Quirin." She smiled. "Lead us to the beast."

Dwayne followed them out.

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Cassandra paced her room. She noticed a pedal fall off the rose. Grumbling, she picked up her magic mirror. "Show me him."

"She's really not that bad once you get to know her," Rapunzel said.

"Get to know her? I don't want to have anything to do with her!"

She set the mirror down. "This is a mess..."

Every day she could feel the ground rumble. Her old friends became less human as time continued. She supposed she still couldn't call them friends anymore. Not after everything that took place. Especially since they blamed her for the curse placed on the whole manor. The only way to undo it was that she had to learn to love, or so she had been told. Maybe she was missing something.

Over in the east wing, Varian tied the sheets together on the bed to use as a rope. Rapunzel had been very insightful on how to knot them correctly. She mentioned something about making one so Eugene could climb up to her room in the tower when they had been younger.

He heard a knock at the door. He was less intimidated this time. If she had intentions of breaking down the door, she would have done so long ago.

"I told you to go away."

"Don't worry, Goggles. It's just us."

The door opened before he could protest. "Oh! It's a very long journey. Would you need something to boost your strength first?" Lance asked. "I have found that most troubles seem less troubling after a bracing cup of tea."

"Oh, thank you." Varian accepted his second cup of tea that day.

"That was a very brave thing you did for your father, dearie."

Someone had yet to meet spoke. It was another feather duster that was slightly bigger than Rapunzel. Later, Varian learned her name to be Arianna and she was the mother of Rapunzel.

"Yeah, we all think so," Rapunzel agreed.

"I'm...I'm worried about him," Varian admitted. "He's never been on his own... not since my mother died...:

"Cheer up, dear. Things will turn out in the end. You'll feel a lot better after dinner," Arianna said.

"But she said, 'If he doesn't eat with me, then he doesn't eat at all'." Varian used his fingers to make quotation marks in the air.

"Mmm, yes. People say a lot of things in anger," she replied.

"It is our choice whether or not to listen," Eugene added.

"You coming, Varian?" Arianna asked.

"I... I don't know..."

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Note: You know, I never liked the enchantress in Beauty and the Beast. She was made to be this "great" character, but she's one of the worst in that movies. She cursed a child, who was also an orphan. A spoiled orphan, but an orphan. He had no parental guidance, what did she expect him to act like? Also, he probably read snow white. Don't accept strangers, they can poison you. Just saying. She also cursed the entire castle, which included other children and innocent people. Not only that, she separated families too (in the live action movie at least). Nobody's talking about how messed up that was? Lesson or not, it was one they could have probably learned on their own with time. If anything, maybe sooner if she hadn't cursed them. They were sheltered from the outside world completely due to the curse. So yeah, I'd be an angry, raging beast if I were him too. And I'd do anything to keep a new face around (belle). Suddenly, the beast makes total since to me...