Beauty and The Beast ( Chaennie Version )

Chapitre 4

Ten and Mino bowed low to an impatient Chaeyoung, who sat tapping the arm of her chair. "Well?" she asked irritably. "Does he have any sons? Nephews? Cousins? Younger brothers?"

"Not exactly.." Ten replied, hesitant.

"What is it, then?" the princess grumbled.

MIno puffed out his chest and spoke. "Well, to be frank, he has only one relative. A daughter, who's about your age. He described her as beautiful, intelligent, an-"

"A GIRL?" She bellowed, "What could I possibly want from a girl? This simply won't do. Now I have this useless prisoner, and who's going to come save him? Some girl. I knew I was a lost cause, and this just proves it! Now leave me!"

The Boys scurried out of the parlor, and out of Chaeyoung's path of melancholy rage. They listened as she thundered up to the West Wing, and heard the sound of objects being attacked by unforgiving claws.

"That could've gone better", Mino said with a skeptical look. "I don't think this girl can save us, I mean look at how she reacted.."

"Exactly", said Ten with a mischievous smile. "This happened with me before I met you, my dear. I knew a man who was filled with rage and hatred for any mention of our oddity...because he himself was like us. I suspect our Master is of the same stock. We'll just have to wait and see." Mino looked at his love in wonder.

"This is exactly why I'm crazy about you." They grinned goofily at one another and went off in search of Sana. Perhaps she could make something special for Chaeyoung's dinner tonight.

Felix galloped through the forest, with Jennie urging him to go faster with every step. Her mind was racing, thoughts of her father, lying trapped somewhere in the forest...and in this weather he could be...no, she wouldn't think that. Hoping for the best, she allowed Felix to take the lead, trusting him to take her to her father.

Soon,the Clydesdale slowed to a trot, bringing Jennie up to the gates of a gloomy castle. She dismounted with surprising ease, and led the weary horse inside.

"Papa?" she called out tentatively. She walked through the desolate quad, and tied the horse next to the nearest water source she could find, a large puddle. "Thank you, Felix" she whispered.

 "I hope father's nearby. I'll be back soon." the horse snorted and began to drink the rain water as She wondered towards the pair of daunting wooden doors.

She knocked at the door, using her fist instead of the knocker, which was shaped in the likeness of some...creature. When no one answered, she pushed the door creaked open ominously, as she peered inside the dim space.

 "Papa?" she called again. "Are you here?"

 Ten and Mino, who were just returning from the kitchen wandered in, and froze at the sound of the girl's voice. "It's her! This has to be her!" Mino whispered, unable to contain his excitement.

"Shh!" Ten scolded "Let's help her find her father without revealing ourselves."

"I suppose I could shed some light on the situation for her," Mino joked. Ten nudged his silly partner, unable to stop thesmile that spread across his face.

"Go on", he urged.

Mino quickly lit himself and went towards the stairs that led to the dungeon. Seeing the light, Jennie followed.

"Wait! Hello! I need some help, please...my father..." the light stopped, and she found herself in a dark stairwell, with a candelabra on a ledge in the wall beside her.

I could've sworn I saw someone go down here, she thought. She grabbed the light source, and called again. "Papa?"

"Jennie?" Siwon replied softly. The girl ran to the cell.

"Papa! Are you ok? Who has you trapped here!"

"Jennie!" The old man coughed out " you must leave! You must leave now and go for help! She'll find you! You must leave! "

 Unbeknownst to them, the very one of whom he spoke lurked in the corner. Chaeyoung had heard the noise of the girl wondering in and come to investigate.

"WHAT ARE YOU DOING HERE?" she yelled.

"Please" Jennie pleaded "Please, this is my father, please release him. He's sick...I can help him."

"There's nothing YOU can do" the princess spat out, still hidden in darkness. "He is my prisoner."

Thinking quickly, Jennie replied "Wait! Take me instead."

Chaeyoung faltered in her reply, surprised by the girl's willingness to sacrifice herself for this old man.

"You would-you would take his place?" she asked.

"Yes." Jennie answered, without hesitation. "Please, he's sick, he needs help"

"Fine. You shall take his place. You will stay with me forever." Chaeyoung said quickly, thinking that perhaps some young man might rescue a girl as beautiful as this one.

"Come into the light", Jennie requested, her fate already sealed. Chaeyoung acquiesced, and stepped forward from the shadows. Jennie peered up at the giant beast, and saw brown eyes burning back into her own.

 She quickly scanned the Master of this place, taking in her broad, muscular frame, sharp fangs, huge paws and claws, and the golden fur which covered her. She cried out, having never seen a creature such as this one, and fearing the cruelty of someone who could lock her father up.

 With rage overtaking her, Chaeyoung grabbed Siwon and quickly threw him the self-propelling stagecoach. "Take him to the village!" she cried.

"Wait!" Jennie sobbed. "I didn't-I didn't even get to say goodbye...I'll never see him again...I didn't even say goodbye."

Chaeyoung's heart tugged at the girl's tears. Ten whispered in her ear directions to give the girl a proper room. She didn't understand why her heart had lurched so at the girl's words, so she tried to soften herself in an effort to sooth her.

 "Come", she said, "I'll show you to your room."

"My room?" Jennie sniffed out.

"You wanna stay in the tower?" Chaeyoung asked, her temper catching up to her again.

"No! No! I just didn't realize.."

"Just follow me," the princess grumbled. Jennie hurried to follow the beast ahead of her, trying to keep up with her long strides. She noted that the Master of this castle looked quite like a lioness that she had once heard a song about. With a mane like that, she thought, and that temper...yes, she's quite a beast. Maybe with a little kindness she could be tamed...

Still afraid, she followed the beast silently. Mino, who was held by Chaeyoung, murmured "Say something to her. Be nice." Then he quickly added, "even if she's not the one, I still think you could use a friend."

Chaeyoung mulled it over for a few seconds, and finally glanced over her shoulder at the petite girl and said "I hope you're happy here. You can go anywhere you like within the castle. Except the West Wing."

"What's in the-"Jennie questioned.

"It's forbidden", Chaeyoung declared, turning to face Jennie , her cape billowing behind her. "That's all you need know. My name is Cheyoung . What is your name?"

"I'm Jennie" she replied, wary of this moody princess.

They came to a room, which Chaeyoung indicated would be hers.

"You will join me for dinner" Chaeyoung demanded, thinking that the more she could find out about this girl, the better chance of meeting the one she would have.

She stalked off, taking the only source of light with her. Jennie fell onto the bed in a fit of tears. She had longed for adventure, and hereshe was, right in the middle of one...and it was more terrible than anything she could have imagined. She was alone, trapped forever with this psychotic animal.

 Jennie sobbed, and curled up, crying for the loss of her father, and her own bleak future.