Once upon a time, in a faraway land, a young Princess lived in a shining castle, and although she had everything her heart desired, the Princess was spoiled, selfish, and unkind.
Then, one night, an old beggar woman came to the castle and offered a...
She stalked down the hallway, the man trailing behind her silently as she led him to his room. Lumière and Cogsworth were convinced this man could be the one to break the spell, and it was easy to see why once she got a better look at him. Earlier, near the cells, the lighting hadn't been the best, and she'd admittedly been a bit distracted, so the man- Edwin, that's what the boy called him- had looked like any other man. Disheveled, cold, perhaps a little frightened, but wholly normal nonetheless. Now though, with better lighting and a clearer mind, she realized he was anything but. He was cursed, like her, though his curse took the form of flower petals sprouting from his head like hair. They were soft looking and varied in color from deep red, like a rose, to a rouge pink, and a subtle sweet smell followed the man, no doubt coming from the petals. They suited him, in an odd way, though she pushed that thought away. No. No matter his curse, no matter what Cogsworth and Lumière thought, he wasn't the person who'd break the spell, because there was no chance he'd ever love someone like her. Curse or not, he was handsome, he was human. She was just a... monster.
She stopped when she reached the bedroom door and swung it open, stepping aside so that Edwin could enter. He did so slowly, eyes wide as he took it all in, staring in silent awe. She shuffled her feet a bit, feeling awkward. What was she supposed to do now? Did she just leave? Lumière tapped her leg and mouthed, "Dinner!"
"Ah, um, dinner will be served shortly, and you will join me." She stated firmly. Lumière looked at her imploringly, so she added, "...Please."
Edwin turned to look at her, a flicker of defiance crossing over his face before fading away, his expression becoming closed off as he set Chip on the ground, the tiny cup bouncing away with promises of visiting again later. The man didn't reply and instead sat down on the bed. Well, no matter, if he didn't wish to speak to her then there was no reason to stay. It made slamming the door closed and walking away that much easier. Cogsworth spluttered and Lumière berated her for doing so, but she stalked off, uncaring.
That man and his son had broken into her home, the boy had even tried stealing one of her flowers– Why should she be kind to them? The man was here to work off a debt, and nothing more.
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Edwin sighed, flopping back onto the plush bed as he attempted to make heads or tails of all that had happened. Lance was safe, but now he was also alone, the very thing Edwin had promised he'd never be ever again. How was the boy supposed to care for himself? Edwin may not have done the best job caring for Lance, but at least he fed the boy and patched him up when he got hurt while exploring. At least Bonnie was with him, Edwin thought dully. It wasn't much, but it was something. Edwin himself wished he had someone like Bonnie to keep him company in this strange castle. The bedroom the Beast brought him to was extravagant, to say the least, but it also felt... He wasn't sure how to describe it. Foreign, cold, too open; Something about it just set him on edge. Shivering, Edwin's mind wandered to his wet clothes, which were sticking to him uncomfortably and were making the blanket damp. He wished there was a fireplace that he could use to get dry...
