Beauty and the Beast (a modern fairytale re-telling)

Chapter 11

To my surprise a month had come and gone at my time at the castle. To me it really only felt like a few weeks, but now winter was in the air and a fresh batch of snow had fallen at the beasts castle. With that I had decided to spend most of my days outside on the castle grounds. I had asked Allastor a few time to join me but he said that he preferred to stay locked in his room thinking. Most of them time his replies made me sad. However I didn't stay sad for too long because I know that Dimitri and Mrs. Evenson would join me in my days outside the castle walls.
    "Alright let me see it!" Dimitri begged me again. I rolled my eyes as he hoped down from my shoulder and took the piece of paper and put it between his holders.
    "Be careful". Mrs. Evenson told me. I let out a small laugh as Dimitri smiled up at me.
    "You are gifted Carmen!" He exclaimed. I smiled and take the sketch back from him.
    "I'm not. It's just a passion of mine. That's all". I told him. Dimitri grabbed my right hand between his holders.
    "Do not sell yourself short my dear. Your quite the artist". Dimitri said as Mrs. Evenson smiled.
    "Dimitri is quite right dearie. You have a gift and you shouldn't let it stay hidden". She complimented me.
     "My mom used to tell me that all the time. She'd say don't let you gift go to waste Carmen. For some wished that they could do what you do".
    "Your mother sounds like a wonderful person". Dimitri said.
     "She was". I sighed and sat my sketch pad down on the bench beside me.
    "Does Allastor not like snow or does he just not want to see me? He's locked himself everyday in his room since he.". I hesitated and glanced over at the rose bushes. "Saved me from the chandler. Did I do something wrong?"
    "Oh dearie no you did nothing wrong. In fact the master enjoys the winter time". Mrs. Evenson exchanged a glance with Dimitri. "He just..umm.."
    "He just doesn't like me". I said standing up from the bench. "I wouldn't be the first time someone didn't like me. My whole town thinks I'm....odd".
    "Carmen he does like you it's just-"
    "Just what? Is it something that I did to him?"
     "It's nothing you did Carmen". Allastor replied as he stepped out of the rose bushes. Dimitri looked over at Mrs. Evenson. Then he hoped on the tray cart with her and they rolled back into the castle.
    "Then what?" I asked him as he sat down on the bench. He turned his gaze away from me. I rolled my eyes at him and sat down beside him.
    "It was something I did a long time ago". He stated.
    "Well I'm not going anywhere". I said with a smile. Allastor glanced at me and sighed.
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   "So you've cursed? But why? What did you do to deserve that?" I questioned him.
    "It does not matter. I've been damned by that witch and I'll be like this for the rest of my life". He replied. "I'm nothing more then a monster". I sighed and put my hand on his.
    "From what I've seen your not a monster Allastor". I said to him. He raised his head of hair at me.
    "But I am Carmen-"
     "Your not. Would a monster spare me and my fathers life? Would a monster save my life? I don't think so. Therefore your not a monster in my eyes". I stated as I continued to look into his eyes.
   "Carmen may I ask something of you?" He asked me. I nodded my head.
    "What is it?"
    "The ballroom that I saw you dancing in..would you join me in a dance?" He asked me. I slightly smiled and stood up from the bench. Then I reached for his arm and saw that the cut from when he saved me was still there.
   "Only if you let me take care of that cut for you. If I don't it'll get infected". I promised him. He smiled and stood up.
   "Shall we then?" He said gesturing to the castle. I nodded and followed him back up the stairs and into the castle. As I shut the doors behind us he took the cape that I had borrowed from him and hung it back up in the coat hanger.
    "Thank you". I thanked him as we walked side by side up to his room.
    "Is something wrong Carmen?" He questioned me as he opened his bedroom doors. I shook my head vigorously and glanced down at the room.
    "No it's just umm...usually going into a mans room means..."
    "I won't do anything unless you want me to. I couldn't bring myself to ever hurt you Carmen". He replied as he reached for my hand. Many would have flinched at his touch but I didn't. He didn't scare me. Not anymore. Those days of being afraid of him I could sense we're behind me that made me glad. I smiled and sat him down on the bed. Then I reached for a cloth and a bucket of water. I rinsed the cloth in the water and brought it up to his arm.
    "This might hurt. I'll do my best to be careful and to make it hurt less.."
    "I'll be alright" Allastor replied. I nodded my head and touched the cloth to his fur. Instantly he bared his fangs at me and roared out in pain. Within a few minutes of rinsing off all the dried blood I toon a few bandages and wrapped up his cut.
    "I'm sorry for that". I apologized to him. Allastor stood up and bowed to me.
    "I should be the one apologizing to you. I promised to be calm, but I must have scared you with my roar and fangs". He apologized to me. I sat the bucket of water back on his table and shook my head.
    "You didn't scare me. You don't scare me. In fact I haven't been scared of you for a while now. You have been so kind to me so how could I?" I stated as I glanced up at his lion head.
    "Thank you Carmen. I have never met someone as kind or as beautiful as you before". He said to me. I blushed a light shade of pink.
    "I wouldn't say I'm any beautifuler then the other girls in my town". I replied back. I shook my head. "I-I should go. I'll umm..see you later". I rushed out of his room and shut the doors behind me. Then I fell to the ground and looked up at the ceiling. What had just happened? He had called me beautiful and I...I felt something strange in my heart. I shook my head, got up and rushed back into my room.
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The next few chapters I'm really excited to write because there the ballroom dancing chapters! I can't wait!