Tale as Old as Time | ✓

"Floraison de l'amour"

Third POV

Ella chuckled loudly as she stared at the books and piles of book in the library. She couldn't believe her eyes as she took in the amount of books. They both sat at the library as they read the books, Beast had piled on the table. He looked her as she concentrated on reading the book. Her brows were furrowed as she read a certain sentence and the Beast smiled at her curious self. He had never seen someone who was this excited to read new books. Sure, he himself was an avid reader but, most people didn't like reading books. They preferred the live action plays. But, the Beast felt that the little things about the books couldn't be told through the plays, as those details could only be imagined through one's imagination. She looked beautiful reading the book, the Beast thought.

Ella smiled at something she read and she felt eyes on her as she turned the page. She looked at the Beast who was staring at from the corner of her eyes and as he realised that she knew he was staring, the Beast coughed a little as he turned towards his own book and pretended to be engrossed in it. Ella shook her head at him and continued reading pretending to not notice. He smiled at her lightly as he blushed.

The next day started out the same as Ella checked his wounds and applied medicines on them and the Beast gave her a new book to read as she managed to finish one in a day. Madame Garderobe had made new dresses for her to wear and they suited her way as she styled them according to her senses. Ella's so far dress was a red one, she wore today, it had a mini coat and it had a caped, it was thick with fur and kept her warm in the cold. Ella's eyes concentrated on the book she was reading as looked up to glance at the Beast. She was curious about him as he wasn't what she had imagined him to be. He had a soft heart and was good by nature.

They both sat at the dinner table at lunch time as they both had book stands in front of them along with the dishes. They sat at the ends of the table and the Beast looked at her as she drank her soup with the spoon as she read the book. His bowl was placed in front of him, he nervously glanced at her before he dipped his head down and drank the soup directly from the bowl. The soup covered his beard as he looked up and he swallowed. He knew that she saw him eat like an animal but, she pretended she didn't and continued reading her book as if nothing happened. He looked sideways as he smiled nervously. She chuckled at him lightly.

~~~

"The air is blue, keen and cold..." Ella spoke as they climbed the bridge in the garden, "and in a frozen sheath enrolled. Each branch, each twig.." Ella stopped as she saw the Beast turn sideways as he saw the frozen river beneath the bridge. The Beast took a sharp breath as he stared at the beauty of snow and water crystals. The reflection from the sky made it all much beautiful. He walked closer to the edge of the bridge and placed his hands on it as looked around the beauty. "each blade of grass, seems clad miraculously with..." Ella stopped reading as she looked at Beast and waited for him to speak. "...glass." She finished when she realised that he was waiting for her to finish.

She walked towards him and stood beside him taking in the beauty of the nature and heard him speak," Why does it feel like I'm seeing for the first time?" She was stunned at his question as she too realised that she felt like she had a rebirth. It was too beautiful to be described as the scenery in the front of them, was astounding.

Ella smiled at him as she stared at the awe expression on his face and Beast blushed at her stare. He shrugged at her as he struggled to put words together but, somehow he managed as he asked, "Is there anymore?" Ella's smiled widened as she looked at him but, as she saw him stare at her she looked down quickly into her book and fumbled with the pages as she turned them around and quickly nodded at him, "Yes, yes." She said out of breath as the Beast waited for her to read.

She chuckled lightly as she looked down and read, "But, in that solemn silence is heard the whisper of every sleeping thing." She looked at him as she saw him stare at the scenery and she continued looking down, "Look. Look at me." Beast's eyes widened as the realisation dawned on him and he turned to look at her as she continued, "Come wake me up for, still here I'll be." Ella looked up at him as she finished reading and blushed a little as she saw him staring at her and the Beast smiled at her lightly. They both looked ahead immediately breaking the gaze as they realised that they had been looking at each other adoringly.