La Bella y la Bestia

Something There

Isabella was watching over Lovino to make sure he didn't go into shock or worse. "Love can make worthless things beautiful. When we're in love, we don't see with our eyes but with our minds. That's why paintings of Cupid, the god of love, always show him as blind. And love doesn't have good judgment either—," Isabella recited to entertain herself when she heard Lovino begin to speak.

"Cupid, has wings and no eyes, so he's bound to be reckless and hasty. That's why they say love is a child. because it makes such bad choices," Lovino continued.

"You know Shakespeare?" Isabella asked.

"I had an expensive education as a child," he answered.

Isabella smiled because she never had the chance to disgust books or stories in the village. "My favorite's Romeo and Juliet." Lovino gagged. "What?" Isabella asked, offended by what he did.

"Well, while it says some good things, it's a bit to sappy with all its pining and love. Blech," Lovino criticized. "Besides there are much better things to read," he continued.

The Spanish lady was shocked by this and asked, "Like what?" 

Lovino gave a tiny smirk, sat up from his bed, and led Isabella through the castle until they came to two large ebony-wood doors with golden designs etched along the inside. "Well you could find something in here that's a little better," Lovino replied and pushed open the wooden doors to reveal a massive library filled to the brim with books by hundreds of different authors and each filled with different stories and ideas, on the tables were maps and globes, and writing that were only half done that was complimented by the Greek-style columns and tiles that formed pictures below their feet.

"It's amazing!" Isabella cried, never having seen so many books in all her life.

Lovino took a look around the room that he had known since he was a child and could see why Isabella was so thrilled by the dusty place. "I suppose it is. Well, if you like it so much, you could have it."

"You're just giving it to me?!" Isabella cried, shocked. She hadn't thought Lovino was a very giving person either.

"If you want it," Lovino continued and Isabella nodded happily. 

As Lovino was about to leave, Isabella cried, "Have you really read all these books?"

"Not all of them. Some are in German," Lovino replied.

"Was that a joke?" Isabella asked, surprise.

Lovino looked away before saying in a small voice, "Maybe." As he walked away, he felt a small tugging in his chest and he could feel his cheeks blush under all the fur as he left the room.

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Over the next few days, Isabella became great friends with Emma (who she learned was also a lady's maid) who told her that she had brothers that lived in the village but they had come here from the Netherlands as well as Feliciano who had showed her some of the paintings he had made and listening to Marcello's hopeful view of the curse being broken, Francis, while a little too perverted for taste but he was a gentleman, she developed a friendship with the chef that had come to work in the castle when the brothers were still quite young, with Athene she wasn't sure where she stood with her but she they both shared a love for books so maybe they could bond over that, Arthur was a bit prissy but she hoped she could get along better with his, and with Lovino she found that hanging with him was...nice.

They talked about everything from books they read, to what chapters were the best, to different authors and plays.

For Isabella it was nice to actually have someone to talk to about the things she read. Well she could talk Athene, but Athene rather soft spoken and would probably fall asleep halfway through the conversation.

One morning while they were outside, Isabella was teaching him a few things about having fun and not being so grumpy all the time. 

Isabella:
There's something sweet and almost kind
But he was mean and he was coarse and unrefined
And now he's dear and so unsure
I wonder why I didn't see it there before

Lovino:
She glanced this way, I thought I saw
And when we touched she didn't shudder at my paw
No it can't be, I'll just ignore
But then she's never looked at me that way before

Isabella:
New and a bit alarming
Who'd have ever thought that this could be?
True that he's no Prince Charming
But there's something in him that I simply didn't see

Feliciano:
Well, who'd have thought?

Emma:
Well, bless my soul

Arthur:
Well, who'd have known?

Athene:
Well, who indeed?

Francis:
And who'd have guessed they'd come together on their own?

Athene and Emma:
It's so peculiar,
Wait and see.

All four:
We'll wait and see
A few days more
There may be something there that wasn't there before

"What's there?" Marcello asked, still a bit naive from being so young when the curse was cast.

"There may be something there that wasn't there before," Feliciano said, giving a happy smile at his brother who was throwing mud at Isabella after getting a face full earlier, only for Isabella to hit him with mud again.

"What's there?" Marcello demanded.

"We'll tell you when you're older," Athene said, giving a soft pat to Marcello's head to which he huffed at.

-----------------

Isabella walked through the garden before seeing Lovino sitting alone reading in the metal domed gazebo with roman style columns in the shape of beautiful young women. "What are you reading?" Isabella asked taking a seat next to him.

"Odyessy," he said blushing.

"Odysseus and Penelope," Isabela said in a happy tone.

"Actually I read the parts with men, swords, and mythical creatures," Lovino said trying to sound like he doesn't enjoy the parts where Odysseus is reunited with his wife.

Isabela chuckled. "It's still a romance," she continued.

"Va bene," Lovino reluctantly agreed. They talked for a little while, until they heard laughter coming from the castle.

"They really do know how to have a good time," Isabella giggled before seeing Lovino sad look.

"Si, but when I enter a room laughter dies," Lovino sadly said.

Isabella gave a small pat on his shoulder. "People in the village call me a 'funny girl' and I don't think that's a compliment."

Lovino gave a small smile and said, "Your village sounds horrible."

Isabella gave back a sad smile and said, "Almost as lonely as your castle."

"How about we run away?" Lovino said taking her hands in his paws.

Isabella raised an eyebrow at him and asked, "Well, where do you suggest we go?"

"You'll see," Lovino said.