The Boy and the Beast: A Merthur Beauty and the Beast AU

In Her Place

"If who finds me? I won't leave you here...there's got to be a way to free you. Who's done this to-"

And the last word died in his throat.

He felt a large hand, an abnormally large hand grip the back of his thin, dark red shirt. And the hand had nails. Sharp nails. And this clawed hand whipped him around, pulling him away from his mother so fast he didn't have time to scream. He didn't even think he was breathing. His lantern went flying and he heard it crash and saw the room darken as the lantern was destroyed.

"Merlin!" His mother yelled though he barely heard it.

"What are you doing here?" A voice growled in the shadows. It wasn't human. Definitely not human.

"Who's there? Show yourself!" Merlin demanded as he sat on the freezing stone floor catching his breath. He could hear his heart beating a frantic rhythm in his ears.

"I am the master of this castle," the voice bellowed. A deep red cape flew in front of him and he had to turn away so as not to get hit by it.

"Let my mother go! What has she done to give you reason to lock her up? She shouldn't be here!"

"Then she shouldn't have trespassed here!" Merlin could now see a figure that belonged to the cape, a large figure. It didn't look human either.

"I'll do whatever you ask just let my mother go!" Merlin shouted at the figure, mustering up all of his courage.

"You can't do anything to free her. She is my prisoner!" The voice thundered, slinking away into the shadows.

Merlin shook his head though the figure couldn't see him since his back was facing him. The beast finally stilled, Hunith was silent, her eyes filled with worry and looking at Merlin through the bars. A moment of silence and the very second it popped into his head he spoke it.

"I will stay in her place."

"No!" Hunith yelped.

The figure let out a humorless chuckle that could pass as thunder in a raging storm. Then he grew silent, though just for a moment. "You would...do that? Take her place?"

"No Merlin, no. I'm ok, leave me here you go-"

He cut her off, squeezing his eyes shut as he spoke. "If I did...would you let her go?"

"I will." The beast replied, his voice not as heavy as it was a minute ago. Then it got deeper once again. "But you will remain here forever."

Merlin opened his eyes. He looked up at the dark shadow, a poor outline of whoever-or whatever-was in this room with him, declaring his fate. If he was really going to sacrifice the rest of his life for his mother's safety he at least wanted to know who he would be prisoner to before his mother did escape.

"Step into the light," Merlin spoke, his head tilting ever so slightly to the left.

A second was all it took before a foot lifted and began to step into the soft light from the candelabrum. No, not a human foot. A paw. A second followed and with it came an enormous, brown, furry body. The face emerged last. And that's what made Merlin gasp and lean back from his spot on the floor before he could stop himself.

Its head was like a beast, two tusks poking out of its mouth and reaching over its upper lip. A short patch of fur hung down from its chin and two brown horns stuck up on its head with two thin ears underneath. Its blue eyes reflected the low light in the room but he found he couldn't look back up at the beast. So he looked back to his poor mother instead. His mother who he would give up his freedom for.

"No Merlin, you have to go leave me here you have the rest of your life to live I'll stay don't do this I'll be ok-" Hunith said all in one breath. She slipped her arms through the bars to grasp her son's shoulders.

Merlin's eyes stayed focused on the ground, his head bent over. He slowly turned around, his body facing the creature and got to his feet. He then stepped in front of the beast. Only then did he lift his head, though he couldn't seem to look the beast in the eyes.

"You have my word."

"Then it is done," the beast growled. He marched past Merlin and he could hear the beast unlocking Hunith's door. She stumbled to Merlin whose shoulders were slumped, his face contorted into one of sorrow and hopelessness.

"Merlin no, you're young you have a life to live-" she was cut off by the beast grabbing her by the back of her cloak and dragging her to the stairs. She called his name twice more before her face disappeared around the spiraling stairs.

He didn't even have the chance to say goodbye.

He ran to the only window in this terrible room in this evil castle where he'd be spending the rest of his days to see his mother being shoved into a small carriage that magically began to travel into the woods. Taking her home. Wait, magically? Their horse had rope looped around his neck and the other end was attached to the back of the cart, making him follow the cart and go home with Hunith. 

He dropped his head in his hands and he was probably like that for a good minute before he heard heavy steps pounding on the stairs, getting louder and louder as they ascended.

"You didn't even give me the chance to say goodbye," Merlin mumbled into his hands angrily. He didn't bother looking up. He knew it was the beast. Who else would it be?

A moment passed and then he heard "I'll show you to your room."

Merlin removed his hands from his face much slower than was necessary and when he looked up the beast was already turning around and huffing down the stairs. Merlin reluctantly followed.

The beast led him through wide hallways lined with gargoyles and carpeted in red. The beast was holding the three candle candelabrum that was on the staircase to light their way.

He put his head down and followed the beast into what would be the first day of the rest of his isolated and imprisoned life.