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

West Wing

A/N- About time I posted an update, don't you think? Don't worry, updates will be much less sporadic from now on! Don't forget to vote, comment and share!
-Marissa

Gwaine and Gaius noisily hopped down off of the table and pranced out of the room. Merlin obediently followed as the two speaking objects led him down long, dimly lit corridors and eery paintings giving dark character to thick walls. Merlin looked around lost in thought as Gwaine and Gaius yapped cheerily and very quickly became background noise.

This horrid beast that was keeping him captive was once a royal prince? But what could he have done that would have made a sorceress curse him and everyone who lived and worked in the castle?

"And here we have expertly crafted marble statues from the Renaissance era of gods and well known kings. I'm sure a well-educated young lad such as yourself has heard all sorts of interesting facts about these works of art and their artists but I may be able to tell you a few things you don't know, for example..." Merlin let Gaius' monologues disperse into the air and allowed himself to lose himself in his mind once more...that is until the trio passed by the carpeted stairs leading up to the west wing.

Merlin ceased Gaius' continuous educating by saying "I think I'll head back up to...to my room now," the phrase still needing some settling in. "I think that's all the knowledge I can handle right now," he added jokingly.

"Oh, of course. I'm sure we can finish the tour some other time. We'll pick up right where we left off," Gaius decided.

"Looking forward to it," Merlin muttered forcing a smile.

"Would you like us to escort you to your room?" Gwaine offered.

"Oh, no, that's alright. I can find it from here. Your tour has been very thorough."

Gaius and Gwaine gave a nod, a farewell and waited for Merlin to walk away first before they continued down the hall. Merlin took small steps and kept looking over his shoulder until the last glow of Gwaine's candles disappeared from the wall and returned to shadow. That was his cue to turn on his heel and as silently as was possible jog back down the hall and up the stairs heading up to the unknown west wing.

He reached the top of the stairs and went left. The flooring up here was cracked and composed of gray stone. He walked past a shattered mirror, carefully stepping around jagged pieces on the floor just below it. He could barely see a foot in front of him, as there were no torches or windows to be seen. He kept a hand on the uneven stone wall, focusing on the grooves and icy temperature of the wall.

As he made his way down the hall, his thoughts filled the silence. Why was he being treated so well? He was supposed to be a prisoner, right? Yet he had been given a grand meal, comfortable bed and relative freedom around the castle. Something wasn't right here. And maybe the West Wing had the answers he sought.

He turned down another corridor, this one lit with two torches, and approached the largest door at the end of the hall. It was completely closed but a tug on the scratched metal knob opened it up with a low creak.

He peered inside the room and briefly took in his surroundings. There were torn up curtains, broken vases and mirrors, frayed rugs and dozens upon dozens of cobwebs on the ceiling. What really caught his attention however, was at the very end of the room. A glowing spot of red above a tiny table was isolated in front of an open door leading out onto a small balcony. A breeze entered the room from the open door, rustling ripped and dirtied sheets and causing the cobwebs to shudder.

Merlin stepped into the room and headed for the peculiar glow. At about the center of the room, Merlin glanced at the wall to his left and noticed a large portrait of a handsome young man in a red cape with a golden dragon on it, expertly crafted thick red button down vest and a delicate yet proud golden crown resting atop his neat blond locks. Four scratches tore through the painting, going through a hypnotizing blue eye and the rest of his body.

Merlin caught himself staring and looked straight ahead once more. Who was that in the painting? Merlin looked around the room again. He noticed a large, unmade bed in a corner, and terribly scratched and broken dresser and an off balance coat rack. That's when he realized he wasn't just in a room of the castle he was in the beast's room.

A shiver raced up his spine and he knew he was in the perfect place to get answers. He continued towards the soft red light and at this point he could tell it was a rose floating underneath a bell jar that was giving off the light. He went up to the table, circled around it and hovered his hand over the jar. Next to it, an elaborate hand mirror lay face down, the handle begging him to pick it up.

Merlin went for the rose first, in awe of it as well as curious as to how it was floating on thin air. Could it be magic? It was entirely possible wasn't it? Many of the books he has read were full of wizards and spells and sorceresses. Though this was the real world and maybe there wasn't such a thing as magic.

Merlin's hand reached for the glass knob at the top of the bell jar. His fingers wrapped around it and he was pulling the glass covering off of the enchanting rose when he heard-

"WHAT ARE YOU DOING?"

-and Merlin nearly dropped the jar in surprise.

In record time his hand retreated back down to his side and the beast stormed over to the table and covered the rose with his massive body.

"DO YOU REALIZE WHAT YOU COULD HAVE DONE?"

Merlin felt like he shrunk three feet at the beast's mighty voice.

"You could have damned us! All of us! Forever! GET OUT!"

Merlin didn't need to be told twice. He ran out of the beast's chambers at top speed, tripped down the dark halls and stumbled down the stairs without looking back.

He couldn't stay here. He would not be held captive any longer. He was going to run.