Twisted Fairy Tales.

Beauty and The Beast

I was only fifteen when I ought to leave my family. I do remember that day clearly if it were yesterday. My father took me with him for a long ride to the North. He didn't say anything about the place we were heading to...

At last I saw dark and gloomy castle towered on the hill. And I knew, what it was. I knew, people were afraid to go there. It was rumored that castle was cursed and his master, the Duke, sold his soul to the Devil.

My father wasn't a coward, but even he did not dare to enter. He told me that the Duke is my master now. He told me to obey him and not to anger. After that he kissed me goodbye. It was the last time I saw my father. From that moment, I belonged to the Duke. That was the way in which my family decided to pay our debts.

People believed the Duke was a monster. They said evil spell turned him into an ugly and terrible beast, which can kill with one look... All of that was nothing but a lie. My master was a tall and handsome man. However, the beast was living inside him, right next to the heart.

"What is your name?" – he asked me at the first day.

I told him my name and he grinned.

"I don't like it" – he said roughly. -"I will give you another one".

And so he did... He named me Belle. And soon I got used to it, forgetting my old name.

My Master hated roses. Every morning I cut off the roses from the bushes outside the castle. But every night they grew up again. Roses those were as red as blood.

My master love hunting in the forest nearby, so he used to leave for a long time. And I stayed all alone in the big and dark castle. I was the only servant here. No ghosts, no other monsters... Only dust and silence.

He raised his hand against me for the first time, when I accidentally broke a cup. I will never forget, how the beast, that was all this time sleeping inside him, woke up... His face was full of anger. He grabbed me by my hair and pulled me back on the floor. He hit me across the face so hard, that he cut my lip. And then ... then for a few long minutes he was holding my face gently in his palms, staring spellbound at my blood.

I had lived three years in the castle before I discovered the dark Duke's secret.

One day after he had gone hunting, I did what I wasn't allowed to do... I went upstairs into his chamber. It was forbidden, but I couldn't restrain my curiosity.

The chamber was empty except for his bed, covered mirror and the glass table with the book on it. I opened it on the first page and the dried rose fell on the floor.

My master came back in this very moment when I uncovered the mirror. I heard his heavy steps on the staircase. But there was no place to hide, so I stayed still, praying silently and waiting for him to enter.

Master stood motionless on the threshold. I saw wrath changing his face in the mirror reflection. His face features became sharper; he smiled, showing long and sharp fangs, and his eyes were as a flame of fire... There was a real beast behind my back.

– Look at me, Belle, - my Master said coldly.

I turned slowly and gasped. My Master looked the same way as usual, but in the mirror I still could see the terrible beast, gazing at me greedily.

Master beckoned me with his finger and I did not dare to disobey.

He beat me and locked in the dungeon as punishment. Everything has a price to pay. Sometimes the price of curiosity is high. I'd learnt this lesson well.

The Duke was indeed cursed and he was sharing one soul with the beast, living inside him. He told me once that the witch did it. She was selling red roses. My Master had humiliated her and turned out from the castle. The old witch hadn't forgotten this incident.

When the beast inside him slept, my Master was becoming tender with me. He used to strike my hair, kiss me gentle and carry me on his arms to the bed... The beast used to beat me, torture and lock in the dungeon without food or water.

Five years had passed.

Every night the red roses had been growing up again and again.

At snowy and dark night, I gave a birth to our son. Stillborn. I buried him under the rose bushes. The flowers grew darker, soaking up his blood.

But you know how this story should end, don't you?

Where there is the beast; there is always a hunter.

There was one who claimed to kill the Devil-beast. He and his men came to us at the moonless night. They slaughtered Master before my eyes. The Hunter cut his heart out and threw it into the fire. Then he turned to me... He hadn't got enough yet.

They left at the dawn, taking away everything valuable from the castle.

My beloved is buried next to our son. And roses became almost black from his blood.

I'm still living in the castle that towers on the hill. And people are afraid to go there. They believe ghosts and monsters are living in these walls.

Every morning I cut off the roses from bushes.

And every night they grow up again.