𝐀 𝐓𝐚𝐥𝐞 𝐀𝐬 𝐎𝐥𝐝 𝐀𝐬 𝐓𝐢𝐦𝐞

𝐅𝐨𝐫 𝐄𝐯𝐞𝐫𝐦𝐨𝐫𝐞

Theseus led Leta out to the snowy balcony. All Leta could think about was the memories she had just gained. For she had understood the concept of loving another and thought it was possible that she loved Theseus "I haven't danced in years" Theseus expressed "I had almost forgotten the
feeling" The two stood there in silence, Leta trying to come to terms with her
thoughts and feelings. Theseus wanted to pull her in his embrace and hold her tight. He loved her, but he didn't know how to express his feelings nor did he know if she felt the same "It's foolish, I suppose...for me to hope that one day he might earn your affection" Theseus admitted. Leta turned to him and placed his hands in her's. She smiled up at him "Theseus, I remember everything. That night from when the
enchantress placed the curse on you. I remember" Theseus became hopeful "You do! Have you found what you were looking for?" "Do you mean about finding the true meaning of love?" Theseus nodded "I believe I have, but..." "Do you think you could be happy here?" Theseus asked her. He was thrilled that she had remembered him and only hoped that she would "Can anybody be happy if they aren't free?" Leta watched as Theseus' face fell "Not that you don't make me happy, but what about my father? I'm all he has left" "I understand. You miss him" Theseus stated. Leta let go of Theseus' arms and held onto the railing "I do. Very much. He's the one who taught me to dance. I used to step on his toes a lot" Theseus and Leta both giggled at her last comment. Both of them regained composure and Leta stepped closer to Theseus. She placed her head on his arm and they stared out into the snow covered garden. Theseus looked down at Leta and lightly lifted her jaw with his paw "Would you like to see your father?" Leta was confused, but nodded. Theseus took her hand and led her to
his room. They made their way over to the encased rose and Theseus picked up the mirror beside it. Theseus handed the mirror over to Leta "Tell it what you would like to see" Leta looked at him before saying "I would like to see my father" A moving image of her father appear. In it she saw the townspeople shoving her father around. She also saw that the townspeople had ahold of Belle and Maurice. Leta looked at Theseus with sad eyes "My father, Belle, Maurice. They're hurting them! They're in trouble!" Theseus looked at the rose, shifting his view of an upset Leta "Then you must go to them" "What did you say?" Angelica stepped closer to him.
He turned to her "You must go to them. Forget about me, just like it was before the curse" "How is it still a curse if I remember you?" She asked him. Theseus sighed "In order to break the curse, you must learn to love me" Leta began to cry "I may not love you, but I care very deeply for you. You'll always hold a special place in my heart" Her words ached in his heart "No time to waste" Leta pushed the mirror into his chest "No, keep it with you. Then you'll always have a way to look back on me" Leta hugged Theseus tightly. Theseus  whispered into her hair "I love you" Leta heard him and her heart seemed to skip a beat. She pulled away from him and looked at him one last time before she ran off. Theseus stood there broken as he watched the woman he loved escape him for the second time. He only hoped that one day she would come back to him. Once Leta reached the doors of the castle, she stopped by Chapeau. He bowed to her and she curtsied back. She looked back up the steps to see if Theseus was following her, but he wasn't. She exited out the door that was open and readied up Maximus. Up from the top of the step, Mrs. Potts stood. She sighed, knowing that their last chance was up. Theseus had changed and walked back to the rose. He had told Leta he loved her, but it seemed as if the feelings weren't mutual. Or at least in the way he wanted them to. Cogsworth followed behind "Well Master, I have had my doubts, but everything is moving like clockwork. True love really does win the day" "I let her go" He said calmly and turned to them. The rest of the staff appeared "You what?!" "Master, how could you do that?" Lumiere asked "I had to" He simply stated "But why?" Cogsworth questioned "Because he loves her" Mrs. Potts told all of them "I even told her, and yet she still left" Theseus paused "She has her family
back in the village and they need her" "Then why are we not human?" Lumiere asked "Because she doesn't love him. And now it's too late" Cogsworth responded "But she might still come back" Plumette said, more hopeful than the rest of them. She knew that if Leta was the girl from the night of the ball, all she needed was a push to get her back "No" Theseus huffed "I set her free. I'm sorry I couldn't do the same for all of you. Now go, our time has almost past" The staff all began to cry. It was heartbreaking for them, but it was even more heartbreaking to see how much it effected the prince. Lumiere wrapped his candle arm around Plumette "Come my love" They all walked out of the room, weeping. Theseus stood by the rose. It was an upsetting disappointment. For he had learned to love another, yet he still remained a beast.
"I was the one who had it all
I was the master of my fate
I never needed anybody in my life
I learned the truth too late
I'll never shake away the pain
I close my eyes but she's still there
I let her steal into my melancholy heart
It's more than I can bear"
Theseus walked outside and saw Leta's yellow dress move through the garden. He then moved up the tiny stairs that led out from the window.
"Now I know she'll never leave me
Even as she runs away
She will still torment me
Calm me, hurt me
Move me, come what may"
He walked up the tower steps, trying to get a better view of Leta. He saw that yellow dress and heard the sound of her horse, Maximus.
"Wasting in my lonely tower
Waiting by an open door
I'll fool myself, she'll walk right in
And be with me for evermore"
He continued up the stairs until he was at a walkway. He stood at aplatform that looked out.
"I rage against the trials of love
I curse the fading of the light
Though she's already flown so far beyond my reach
She's never out of sight"
At every window he could, he watched as Angelica furthered into the distance. He knew she was a noble girl doing what was best for others rather than following the needs of herself
"Now I know she'll never leave me
Even as she fades from view
She will still inspire me
Be a part of everything I do
Wasting in my lonely tower
Waiting by an open door"
He stood at the final platform. There he saw Leta and Maximus make their way out of the gates of the castle.
"I'll fool myself, she'll walk right in
And as the long, long nights begin
I'll think of all that might have been
Waiting here for evermore"
As far as he knew, she was gone. If she ever returned, he would be a beast that had no human-Luke characteristics. It was too late for all of them.