Evermore [The Beast/The Prince x Reader]

chapter twelve

The next morning, she found herself wandering around downstairs. No one else was awake in the castle and she was all alone. It was peaceful. Although she longed for a cup of hot tea, she didn't attempt to wake Mrs. Potts and Chip.

Instead, she wandered outside. The snow crunched beneath her slippers as she tied her cloak tighter around her shivering shoulders. In silence, she watched the sun rise from the garden. Once the yard was filled with a soft orange glow, against the snow like watercolor on a new canvas, she wandered to her flowers. She observed them briefly, then filled a watering can with fresh water.

As she sprinkled the water over the roses, she hummed. She was unaware of the large figure making its way towards her until he cleared his throat and shuffled awkwardly.

She looked up and gasped. "Oh! Your majesty, good morning. I didn't hear you coming."

"My apologies," he said.

She smiled. "I was just taking care of the flowerbeds. Amazing how they still grow - all of it - despite the snow."

He followed her gaze as it drifted across the yard. The garden of vegetables looked healthy. At least the Enchantress had provided that for them while they stayed locked up for years.

While ___'s eyes reflected joy and wonder, his reflected confusion. What was so beautiful about snow? What was so admirable about it? Especially now, when they would probably never get to see sunshine in the summer again.

"It's beautiful," she whispered.

"I suppose," he said.

She glanced at him and sighed. "Your majesty, I was thinking-"

He felt a bit of hope. "Yes?"

"Maybe you and I could pick some vegetables," she said, nodding at the gardens, "and we can ask for a nice stew for supper. Doesn't that sound nice?"

"We do it?" he asked with a scoff. "Please. That's servant stuff, ___."

She narrowed her eyes. "Fine, your highness. I will do it on my own. You know, I used to pick the vegetables of my choosing for supper with my parents' servants. And no, I wasn't a princess, but we were wealthy."

She finished watering the roses and stood up. Glancing back at the Beast once, she sauntered back to the water and spooned some with.  her hands.

The Beast huffed in annoyance and smirked. "The horses drink that," he said as she held her palms to her lips.

She froze. Coughing, she let the water fall between her fingers and wiped her hands on her cloak. Her cheeks burned red in embarrassment and she walked back to the garden with a pail.

Silently, she knelt at the snowy bank before the wall of green. She began to pluck tomatoes and greens from the bushes. He noticed her knees pressing against the snow. Her gown was becoming damp. He sighed and trudged towards her.

She glanced up at him in surprise as he knelt down beside her. Using his furry paws, he began to grab at the vegetables that looked ripe enough to be picked.

"Well, look at you," she murmured, laughing softly, "doing servant stuff."

He huffed, a growl coming out of his lips. When the vegetables were picked, he gripped the sides of the bucket and rose to his feet. She followed suit, waiting for him to shoot back with a witty comment, but he never did. She grinned triumphantly.

They brought the vegetables inside and gave them to the kitchen staff. Mrs. Potts was thrilled to see the two together; they were acting almost as they were before.

As they walked by a ballroom together, ___ hesitated. The Beast noticed and glanced into the room, at the marble floors and satin curtains, the gold walls and elegantly designed architecture.

"What are you-"

"I miss dancing," she said dreamily, tilting her head.

He observed her closely. She wrapped her thin arms around her stomach and swayed slightly. It made him smile - if only a little. Her eyes filled with bittersweet longing.

He thought about the spell. That was all he could ever think about. He imagined getting her to fall in love with him. He would be human, his staff would be back to normal, and everything would be as it was.

He hesitantly reached his hand out to her. She glanced at it and back up at his eyes, confusion drawn in her fair features. He laughed a throaty sound.

"Are you... are you asking me to a dance?" she asked, laughing.

He pulled his hand back slightly, embarrassed. "I was," he admitted, scoffing and blinking. "But if you don't want to-"

She rolled her eyes. "Stop, stop, stop," she said, taking his paw in her hand. She laughed again and shook her head. "Come on, your majesty."

His eyes widened slightly as she hooked her arm underneath his and dragged him to the middle of the ballroom. She stood in front of him, smirking, and put her hands behind her back.

He nervously copied her movements. She held her hand up between them and he did the same. The inside of their wrists touched, and they began to walk in circles.

There wasn't music, but they didn't need it. They laughed too loudly to hear anything; even the tapping of objects as they raced to the ballroom to see what they thought they'd never see - an act of kindness, of mending.

She spun around, the thin fabric of her nightgown expanding around her knees. She turned back and, this time, put her left hand on his shoulder and her other in his paw.

Then, they were dancing.

They danced like that for a while. It was just the two of them, their laughter, and a wide area of floor beneath them.

As the dance came to a close, she blushed scarlet. He noticed, and, smiling triumphantly, reached for her hand again. She didn't notice.

"I should really make myself presentable before dinner tonight," she said. "I'll see you tonight, your majesty."

"Yes," he huffed.

She bowed respectfully before him. He smiled and did the same to her, and then she was leaving.

"What are you doing, your majesty?" Lumiere cried, running to the Beast. "Her feelings are clear! Go after her!"

"Yes," Cogsworth said, "I think it best to confess your feelings. The sooner, the better-"

"I will," the Beast growled. "Er... my - my feelings?"

Lumiere blinked at him. "Well, you love her, don't you?" he asked. The Beast said nothing. "Oh, come on, master - that dance! The way you looked at her-"

"Well, she's beautiful," the Beast countered.

"Exactly!" Lumiere said. "You must tell her! Tonight. At dinner."

"You're right," the Beast said, but he wasn't sure if Lumiere really was.