A Beast Sees No Beauty

Prologue

Juliet pulled her dressing robes tighter around herself as the summer breeze brushed past her. Her tangled hair followed after it, obscuring her vision for the eleventh time since she began her usual stroll.

By this point, no one bothered to ask why the girl walked through the garden every morning while still in her nightgown. She had done so since she was a child, though the reasons had changed.

At first, it was simply a way to get away from her older siblings. Her brothers used to chase one another down the halls, nearly trampling her in the process. Her sisters' large dresses would force her in a corner since they only seemed to walk in horizontal lines, too busy laughing and talking with one another. Juliet was isolated in her younger years. It was the price she had to pay, being the youngest child.

It wasn't long before her oldest sisters married dashing young men with small fortunes. It wasn't long before her brothers traveled to far off cities to go to school. It wasn't long until she was the only child at home, being doted on by her father and being the prized Chambers child of their home town - Mabelle.

When she entered her teen years, poor Juliet was even more alone than she ever anticipated. She came outside because the silence inside killed her. She missed the constant chatter of her sisters and the way her brothers always managed to find a surface to wrestle on. Her loneliness would only be silenced during the short visits during the summer or for the holidays. Even then, her siblings would leave her once again to go back to their own households and duties.

It was all just so frustrating.

"Juliet!" Like every morning, her father stood on the small deck behind their house, with his hands cupped around his mouth to amplify his voice. His silver hair was strewn about by the wind, but the tousled look didn't make the man look any less handsome even in his older years.  "Breakfast is ready, darling!"

With a smile on her face, she raced to the door, her yellow robe coming untied and billowing behind her like a cape. A laugh escaped her lips as always, and even her father seemed to chuckle at her. It was a short moment of pure bliss for the pair.

Mister Chambers was a proud man. He had four strapping young sons, each eager to take on his business, and four beautiful daughters, with all married off to good men except for the youngest. His youngest was nearing the age of twenty - the perfect age to find a match. She was young, and beautiful, and smart. All traits men looked for these days. 

But he had time. He would enjoy however long he had left with her first. He was in no rush to marry her off to the first available bachelor to show interest to her - not unless Juliet wished it so. No, he would be selfish and treasure his time with his dear Juliet for a little while longer.

"Still taking your morning walks I see," her breath came out in pants, but a smile still graced her features as her chest heaved for more air. "And racing an invisible opponent."

"Come now," she chuckled through her uneven breaths, "Don't poke fun at me now after I've done this for so long."

Mr. Chambers led the girl inside, guiding her to the dining table. He sat on his end seat, while Juliet took the one to his right. Around them were eight other empty chairs.

Food was served before either could truly think about the emptiness around them.

~~

Vincent McCoy had returned just over a year ago but still couldn't seem to get used to the southern lifestyle. He missed the cooler air of the north, the factory smoke filling the air, the hustle and bustle of the city, even the paper boys shouting out the headlines in the hopes for a penny.