Beauty and the Dream Demon

Chapter Twelve: Beauty and the Dream Demon

Meanwhile, back at the castle, Maddie was getting ready for tonight. She had asked a question that had changed everything. She was having a bath, explaining everything to Bert, Topsy, Binnacle, and (Y/N).

"Well, I saw him in the ballroom and said, 'You're making everything look so handsome. We should have a dance tonight'. I never imagined he'd actually say yes! What was I thinking?"

"No, Mistress. It's perfect!" Bert said, "The rose has only four petals left which means tonight you can tell him how you feel."

Maddie stood up from behind the curtain, "I feel like a fool. He will never love me."

"Do not be discouraged. He is the one."

"I wish you'd stop saying that!" Maddie put on her dressing gown and sat in front of her dressing table, "There is no one."

"You care for him, don't you?" Maddie nodded at Bert's question, "Well, then, woo him with beautiful music and romantic candlelight."

"Yes, and when the moment's just right..." (Y/N) giggled and flapped her feathers a little

"Well, how will I know?" Maddie asked

"You will feel slightly nauseous," Binnacle told her

"Don't worry, Mistress. You'll do fine," Bert assured Maddie

"Just stop being so nervous and tell Jack how you feel," Topsy told her, "Because if you don't, I promise you'll be drinking cold tea for the rest of your days!"

"In the dark," Bert added

"Covered in dust," (Y/N) also added

"Dark and very, very dusty."

Bert tapped his candles together, telling everyone it was time to prepare Maddie for her dance with Jack. They combed and trimmed whatever hair Maddie had left while Topsy helped to clean off Maddie's dirty claws. And a coathanger brushed Maddie's teeth just to be sure. As they worked, (Y/N) put on some powdered paint and put a white, powered wig on her head. They turned Maddie to the mirror to see her new look. But it didn't look right at all. Seeing how this idea didn't work out too well, Bert was ready to try and fix it.

Meanwhile, in the East Wing, Kate had been dressing Jack in a big, blue suit with a black necktie, white cuff links that wrapped around his arms, and some gold leaves to keep his hair in a bun. But, even so, Kate felt as if something were still missing. So, she had the golden vines hanging around the room turn into flakes and put themselves onto Jack's suit as some final, shining details. Now that he was ready, Jack stood at the stairs of the East Wing, waiting for Maddie.

When Maddie arrived, she wore a long, red dress with black heels and black leather gloves. She was going as she was. Just better dressed. As she saw Jack, she was starting to feel her nervousness go away. Besides, she was about to dance with the most handsome man she had ever met in years. They both made their way down the stairs to meet each other. When they did, the two held hands as Maddie led them down the final set of stairs.

'Tale as old as time. True as it can be. Barely even friends, then somebody bends unexpectedly.'

The two made it to the ballroom. Everything had been cleaned and shined for the two and every candle in the room had been lit.

'Just a little change. Small to say the least. Both a little scared. Neither one prepared. Beauty and the Dream Demon.'

As they made their way into the center of the ballroom, Jack bowed to Maddie while she curtsied to him. Standing upright, Jack offered his hands to Maddie. She looked at him rather surprised that Jack was the one wanting to make the first move. Yet she didn't argue. She took Jack's hands and they began to dance.

'Ever just the same. Ever a surprise. Ever as before. Ever just as sure as the sun will rise! Tale as old as time. Tune as old as song. Bittersweet and strange. Finding you can change. Learning you were wrong.'

As they danced, the lights suddenly dimmed as Maddie pulled Jack close to her, slowly putting him in a dip before bringing him back up and lifting him, spinning him around.

'Certain as the sun. Rising in the east. Tale as old as time. Song as old as rhyme. Beauty and the Dream Demon.'

As their dance ended, Maddie and Jack held hands as they made their way to the balcony.

'Tale as old as time. Song as old as rhyme. Beauty and the Dream Demon.'

With arms linked, they both walked out onto the balcony where they looked out into the night sky. Maddie let out a breath as she finally took in the dance the two just shared

"I haven't danced in years," Maddie said out of breath as Jack laughed a little, "I'd almost forgotten the feeling."

Maddie caught her breath as she tried to think on what to say next.

"It's foolish, I suppose... for a creature like me to hope... that one day he might earn your affection," Maddie said, turning to Jack

Jack turned to her, "I don't know."

"Really? You think you could be happy here?"

Jack hesitated for a moment, making Maddie slightly worried as to what Jack might say.

"Can anybody be happy if they aren't free?" Jack asked Maddie.

Maddie didn't know how to respond, knowing that the only thing in the way of them loving each other may be Jack's lack of freedom. Perhaps even hers too. Both were trapped in this castle for two different reasons. Both reasons were just as bad. But Maddie knew she made a mistake by trying to trap Jack here. The two stayed quiet, looking out to the night sky.

"My father taught me to dance," Jack broke the silence, "I used to step on his toes a lot."

"You must miss him," Maddie commented, no longer feeling hate towards his father.

"Very much."

Maddie then got an idea, "Would you like to see him?"

Taking him to the West Wing, Maddie showed him the mirror she would use to see anything she wanted. This would also show Jack his father at this very moment. Giving him the mirror, Jack asked it to see his father. Only to see a sight he never expected to see. George was being thrown around by the three men Jane had called forward. But they seemed to be dragging him somewhere as they weren't in the tavern

"Papa! What are they doing to him? He... He's in trouble!"

Seeing the scene, Maddie knew what choice she had to make, "Then you must go to him."

Jack looked at her in surprise, "What did you say?"

"You must go to him. No time to waste."

Maddie didn't know if this was the right or wrong choice, but she didn't want to be responsible for forcing Jack to stay in the castle while his father was being hurt or worse. While she wouldn't do it for her own father, she knew how much Jack cared for his. And it would be cruel of her not to let Jack go to help his father. Realising that she was letting him go, Jack tried to hand the mirror back. But Maddie stopped him.

"No... you keep it with you. Then you'll always have a way to look back on me," Maddie told him

"Thank you."

Jack started to walk away. But he was still unsure that Maddie was letting him leave. But, when she showed no signs of stopping him, he started to rush off, knowing that his father needed him now. Maddie watched him leave with pain in her eyes. She didn't want to let him go. But she also knew that this was the best choice. And she wasn't going to force herself to change her mind.