Her Master Mephisto (Beauty & The Beast Fanfiction)

Chapter 3

Looking upon the well hidden grey castle that looked like a ruin in the darkness cast by the high trees surrounding it, Allura cautiously approached the door. She tentatively knocked and waited for a response. "Hello", she called. She knocked again, this time a little louder. Then wondering if she should make her presence known when her father is being held prisoner, she decided to quietly explore the grounds for the place her father could be.

A tower was seen when she walked around the side and a wailing voice could be heard. That must be him, Allura realised. Seeing a door to the tower, she climbed the stairs in darkness a little apprehensive of what kind of people lived here and what they would do to her for trespassing.

At the top of the tower, she heard her father more clearly and definitely recognised his voice. She had never heard him in such despair before. Anyone else could be forgiven for feeling a little smug at this point but Allura just felt his pain and wanted to ease his suffering. Reaching the cell she called out, "Papa".

He looked up in surprise and a fleeting look of guilt crossed his face. It was fleeting. However, she could sense his shame for some reason and she instinctively knew he was relieved to see her for a different reason than what she had hoped. "Allura, blinkin' heck you're here. Get me out of 'ere will ya. Hurry up." He kicked the bars angrily and pointed where the keys were, "Over there you silly wench."

Allura found the keys and gave her father the freedom he had sold her for. He escaped down the stairs saying not a word to his daughter like the coward he was. She stared after him with sadness but was not really surprised. What did surprise her was the being that now blocked her own escape.

The beast appeared before Allura without her hearing him coming, her shock at his manifestation was obvious on her face. His face revealed red, glowing eyes seen through a hooded cape that clothed a large, disfigured shape of what looked like a bear standing on hind legs with a stooped back. Allura should not have been scared from his sudden appearance but from looking at him once he was before her. But strangely she was not. She sensed that was hidden inside the cloak was not what it appeared on the outside. Perhaps much like his abode as she was about to discover.

"You will call me Master. Your father has sold you to me for the bargain price of his own pathetic existence. Do not try to escape. I will find you. But seeing as you have nowhere else to go other than to a father who does not want you, I sense you will be happy to be my guest. Do not test the extent of my powers. You are mine now."

The horror of the words pushed Allura back against the wall, shrinking from the voice and all it conveyed. The character behind the deep gruffness puzzled her, the voice did not match what she sensed inside. But she did not trust herself with this, she felt she should be wise to see the very real danger her life was in. She took her courage in her hands and stood forward and curtsied.

"Master." She was too nervous to say what she was thinking. What is your will with me? Why do you want me? I really am not sure why I am here. I thought it was to save my father but it seems not. Who will save me?, she wondered.

Hoping to be given a robe if the cell in the tower was to be hers, she was not expecting him to say, "Follow."

Leading Allura downstairs, he opened the door onto a palace. Nothing else could describe the splendour. Allura was mesmerised by the beauty around her. Turning in wide eyed wonder, she stopped short when in front of her was the grim faced housekeeper. Master Mephisto had disappeared. She had an inward smile at calling him so. A winged Mephistopheles he could be for all she knew. But somehow she doubted he could fly, though she did not doubt he obviously had strange powers to appear and disappear and appear at will.

"Come child, I will show you to your quarters." The lady in grey turned and Allura gratefully followed thinking that maybe she would not have to be caged in the smelly cell of her father's after all.

"Thank you", she said quietly. "May I know your name ma'am?"

Impressed with the manners, grace and courage of the young woman who had just been sold into captivity, gazing around her open eyed and innocent of her future, the woman said, "My name is Mrs Marsh. I run this household and manage the servants. If you require anything you are to ask for me. No one else will bother you."

Allura was thankful for the woman's kindness sensing she could be hard and cold. Allura bowed her head in acknowledgment and followed her along to the stair case with what looked like pure gold railing. What kind of place is this, where the outside could appear so different to the inside? Is there some kind of magic going on here? Allura wondered. She believed in magic now she had met the angel who gave her the rose. Checking with alarm it was not visible thankfully, but tucked away in the pocket of her apron.

Mrs Marsh, turned at the top of the stairs and stopping, looking directly at Allura to ensure she heard, "You must never enter that side of the house. Do you understand?" Pointing to the other staircase she could see on the left of the landing, Allura nodded in agreement. Of course it made her extremely curious what was up there. Giving nothing away in her demure facial expression she continued to follow the housekeeper without looking behind her. Ahead were double doors with fine carvings in the wood and Allura gasped with pleasure when what was behind the doors was shown to be her room.

You couldn't really call it a room. It was a suite of rooms and the huge entrance was as large as the whole cottage she had come from. It also had opulence she barely could have imagined with silk cushions of every colour and size, gauze curtains and lush carpets. The light from the glass stained window cast rainbows all through the space and crystal hanging from the ceiling continued to reflect the light in a dazzling array of sparkles and colour. On the balcony was the most incredible garden full of tropical ferns and bright flowers. The privacy and beauty of this balcony alone would have satisfied Allura but the magnificence of the quarters far exceeded her humble expectations.

Walking through the hallway to the other rooms the two walls were lined with endless books. Stopping to look at some of the titles Allura could not pull her eyes away from the splendour of so much to read and the endless hours of adventure the library promised discovering new worlds and characters.

Mrs Marsh took pity on her. "You may use the settees to make yourself comfortable and read dear. But first you must see your sleeping quarters and wash and change for dinner."

With dismay Allura looked down at her rags that covered her almost too well but did nothing to add to her appearance. Embarrassed to appear so in such a rich abode such as this she was wondering how it could be possible to be worthy of such accommodation. At that moment they passed a door to the bathroom and Allura gaped at the size of the space and the opulence of the marble and gold décor.

Mrs Marsh had walked on ahead, Allura hurriedly caught up with her. The next room had an arch entrance and thick velvet curtains that could be closed over the doorway. The bedroom was covered in velvet of purples, pinks and the prettiest blue Allura had ever seen. The softness of the bed almost made Allura cry in delight after all the nights in the basement sleeping in a hard cot, never having the luxury of a fire to keep warm let alone soft and thick quilts, cushions and king size mattresses such as this.

"I don't know what to say other than thank you. I am most grateful for the Master's generosity. Will he be at dinner also?"

"No child." Mrs Marsh said with a sly and knowing smile. "No one dines with the Master. However I am sure you must be hungry after your travels. Please come down when you are ready, I will be waiting and will show you to the dining room."

With tears in her eyes Allura grasped the woman's hands seeking something to hold onto to make sure this moment was real. The housekeeper jerked in shock, then softened and patted Allura on the head gently in sympathy for the little lamb about to be led to her sacrificial death. Then she disappeared with a heavy tread.