Belle is a maid living in service of a handsome prince who she falls madly in love with. Jealous of all the other women and angry at his refusal to notice her she curses him and turns him into a hideous beast. For years they remain together in the c...
I set the mirror back into its unique box and lock it with the key crafted of bone that was gifted to me by my mentor the same day she gave me the mirror. After making sure it is safely hidden away in my cabinet I slowly make my way toward the tower that holds Maurie's office at the top.
I don't enter the office immediately, quietly I stand by the door peering through a small crack, and watch him try to put the small number of pieces he has collected together. A small smirk tugs at my lips, as I listen to him, ramble on and on, contradicting and agreeing with himself at the same time, it's almost as satisfying as listening to the Beast argue with himself.
After about three minutes of mindless rambling, he suddenly stops and turns to look at the door.
"I'm sure you're enjoying this," he says.
The smirk still plastered on my face, I push the door open and enter.
"I would be lying if I said it wasn't mildly entertaining to see you scramble and fail."
Sighing he drops the stack of papers in his hand onto his desk and crosses his now empty arms across his chest.
"Is there anything I can help you with child?"
Now it was his turn to smirk because he knows how much I hate that name he used to call me when he first met me. Granted I was a child when I met him but it was still demoralizing.
Anger bubbles within me and pinching my pointer finger to my thumb I whisper a spell I was taught long ago. Grabbing the sides of his head he drops to his knees. He tries to release a scream but it doesn't come out.
"I would refrain from calling me that you know how much I don't like it," I bend down to look into his pain-filled eyes, "Besides, you know what I'm capable of when I'm angry."
Hisses of pain slip past his clenched lips as I pinch my fingers tighter together increasing the pain in his head.
I release him from my hold just before he passes out, he coughs and splitters as he slowly and shakingly uses his desk to push himself up.
"Now are we going to try that question again?" I say with a coy smile.
Clearing his throat he glares at me but upon seeing my fingers about to connect again he softens his gaze and politely smiles at me.
"Is there anything I can help you with my lady?" he asks me, his eyes trailing to the floor in defeat.
"I want you to tell that girl that she is not allowed in this castle anymore."
He looks up at me shocked.
"That is not what the prince said," he fires back at me.
I knew he was going to fight me on this, out of all the servants he was always the tough one to crack. He still had a fire in his spirit and never quite accepted his place. I had hoped the show of my power would deter him but it didn't. But even though I expected this reaction from him that didn't stop my hands from clenching into tight fists and my teeth from grinding together in annoyance.
"I don't care what he said I am also in charge of this palace and I say she isn't allowed here," I growl at him.
His firm stare disappears and a wave of amusement seems to wash over him as he shakes his head and laughs at me.
"You just don't want me to find a cure."
As much as I want to react right now and teach him a lesson I can't. It would only confirm his suspicion and he would no doubt tell everyone who would listen. This would cause a lot of questions to come to the surface, questions that will lead them to the realization that I am the witch who released the curse.
Reacting would take away everything I worked so hard to achieve.
"Just get rid of her," I hiss at him.
Puffing out his chest slightly he saunters over to me and leans in closer to me.
"Or what?" he growls at me.
I smirk up at him. I know what he is trying to do, he's trying to scare me and make himself look threatening, but it isn't working. I've dealt with so many men like him when I was growing up, those guys who thought that just because I was a different gender to them they could bully and boss me around.
Clearly, somebody didn't tell them it was a good idea to think you could boss a woman around especially when that woman is a witch.
"I'll show you pain and misery so excruciating you'll consider what I just did to you a blessing," I whisper into his ear in a harsh tone.
The sliver of fear that shines in his eyes tells me that he knows I'm serious. Satisfied with his reaction I swiftly turn on my heels and storm out of the room.
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My head still throbs from the pain that was inflicted upon me as I listen to her descend the spiral staircase and away from the tower.
The brief conversation I had with Belle confirmed two suspicions that I have held for over eight decades now, the first is that there is a cure to this curse. We are not destined to be trapped here in this rotting cattle forever. The second is my theory that Belle had something to do with this curse. It started as a small suspicion when I saw that, unlike the rest of us, she wasn't wallowing in self-pity those first few years of our entrapment. She was sulking in a corner or praying to God to release us instead she was comfortable lounging around happy as can be and keeping all her focus on the prince whom she was seducing into a relationship with her. What started as a small suspicion grew as the years went on, anytime I mentioned a cure she would shut the conversation down instantly without even giving me a chance to speak. She made it her mission to convince the prince to ignore me as well and sadly she won that battle. While he may be allowing me to continue my work on finding it I know that deep down he has given up on the idea of being human again.
I haven't spoken this theory to anyone, not even my beloved Fabienne, accusing the new lady of the house with no proof to back to you is a dangerous thing to do. It would anger the prince and I do not wish to see what he is capable of doing when seriously provoked. It carries too much risk that I am simply not prepared to take.
As my eyes settle don't the stack of papers on my desk, all the hard work I've done through the decades her threat runs laps in my mind.
"I'll show you pain and misery so excruciating you'll consider what I just did to you a blessing."
I know that it was not an idle threat. Ever since she was a child she has never been scared to do whatever needs to be done in order to get her way. I know she will not hesitate to harm me or worse hurt Fabienne or any of the others if I don't back down and end my search.
While I do want to protect myself as well as those I love I can't give up especially now. Especially when I have the book I need in order to put an end to this misery we are forced to endure.
I will not give up on my quest. I have to find this cure not just for myself but for everyone here who is stuck in this hell hole that was once our home.
