The Beast of Rose Castle

-= 10 =-

Annelie stared up at the ceiling, feeling the comfort that the blankets brought her. Heat poured from the burning fireplace, always lit and ready to keep her at ease. Yet, it was the Beast's castle and the Beast's room and the Beast's fireplace. The blankets were his, as was everything that surrounded her. 

Yet, he was so very different. Her hands brushed lightly over the blanket as she remembered her thudding heartbeat and her own inability to think as the Beast drew close. It was true, he was handsome. It was also true that she felt her knees grow weak at his proximity. He stopped being the cruel tyrant, and instead was worried about her. The softening of his dark eyes and the way his mouth curved upward had made her feel as if the world had suddenly stopped spinning. 

He is the Beast. I must be out of my senses, she thought with a shake of her head. With every denial, it became harder and harder to just say he was just the Beast. While the words became a reflex, they also held less strength in any argument she could conjure. I'll be leaving and this all will end. There is no need to get my mind conflicted over such nonsense. 

At the thought of leaving, she grew stunningly cold. Her hand paused in its movements and her body seemed to droop. Leave. Right. The Beast will undoubtedly want me to leave after breakfast. He never wanted me to stay, so why would that change? Why would the smile, the light in his eyes, ever change his initial stubborn decision? Yes, I will be leaving and he will not have to see or grin at me again, ever again. 

With a sigh, Annelie threw her arm over her eyes. 

The peaceful quiet, only interrupted by the merry crackling of the burning logs, was interrupted by the soft murmurs of voices out in the hall. Rather than jumping to attention, Annelie grew stiller. 

"We- the master- she- awoken?" Words were spoken, and Annelie could only manage to translate a few. Even so, she knew that they were talking about her and about the Beast. 

Before she could listen in further, a squeak of a door made all voices disappear. Heavy footsteps and a growl echoed through the hall and drifted inevitably into her room. 

A shiver went down her spine, whether it was from fear or anticipation she did not know. It was too much to think about just at that moment. So, she slowly slid her arm off of her eyes so she could take a peek at whatever she could see. 

The door to her room was cracked, enough to catch a glimpse of the rumpled and shirtless form of the Beast. Her mouth parted as a sharp gasp left her. 

Everything stilled once more as if even the walls were holding their breath. The Beast turned, his hand coming to open her door more. His eyebrows were furrowed and his mouth was turned downward as he observed her. "Breakfast," he muttered with a snarly yawn that quickly followed his words.

Annelie sat up, staring at him, unable to take her eyes off of his chest. Her words were caught, jumbled, in her throat. Nothing came to her, rather she just made a small soft sound. 

He is utter perfection! she thought with a mental groan of frustration. Why does he have to be so- so perfect! 

The Beast disappeared out of the door once more, leaving a slight flush on her face and her heart stumbling for a semblance of what pace it once had. Her mouth was still parted open and more sounds left her as she tried to think about how she could possibly speak ever again. "Mademoiselle?" a voice calmly questioned. 

Annelie turned her head to stare once more at the partly opened doorway. "L-l-liyor," she stammered. His eyebrows were raised as he just watched her trying to compose herself. "I- I- didn't notice y-you were there," she struggled out with her eyes floating over to the wardrobe where she would have to pick something out, as to not wear a rumpled dress that had a few stains from baking somehow ingrained into the cotton cloth.