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

Chapter 15

    "Your what?" I was stunned by what he had just said.
    "I'm letting you go to him. He stated.  "This map will show you the way back to your father and once you are ready to come back it will lead you to me".
    "Allastor I can't". I said looking away from him. If I left him and this castle there was no guarantee if I would come back or not. My father would beg me to stay with him and he'd want me to go to art school and I wasn't so sure if that was what I wanted anymore. Allastor as been so kind to me and I cared for him deeply, but leaving him to go help out my father....it would be breaking our deal.
    "Carmen your father needs you". Allastor pleaded with me. I shook my head.  As I turned to leave the room he grabbed onto my arm.
    "I know, but I just can't leave you. Our deal is a deal and I can't just break that!" I explained to him.
    "Your fathers life is more important then our deal. He needs you. Go to him and help him". Allastor stated with a sigh.
    "Come with me". I suggested to him. Allastor looked up from the ground and shook his head at me.
    "I-I can't Carmen. The people in your town would take one look at me and they would run in fear of me".
   "Then you can stay in the apartment while we pack up our stuff. Look Allastor I can't just leave you here by yourself...I'd feel too guilty. I want you to come with me-"
    "Carmen your father would take one look at me and he would give me away. Your whole town would be on the hunt to kill me". He stated. I shook my head at him and placed my hand on his.
    "I won't let them. You may look like a beast, but your not one on the inside. And that's what truly counts". I reminded him. Allastor let out sigh.
    "I would do anything to help you and your father Carmen, but this". He said glancing down at his paws. He shuddered at his hands. "I can not do. I can not come with you".
I shook my head. I wasn't going to let him win so easily. I had made a deal with him and I was going to honor it. I couldn't just leave him after everything that had happened between us. It just didn't seem right to me.
    "Allastor please. If my father saw that you spared my life and that you've kept me safe he wouldn't dare hurt you and I-"
    "Carmen I can't". He said again.
     "Yes you can. After everything that you've been through don't you think that you deserve this. A chance to see the world?"
   "Alright, but we must leave at once. Tonight meet me in the dinning hall". He stated. I smiled up at him and rushed back to my room to get things together.
~
That evening as Allastor had instructed I had gathered a few of my things and met him in the dinning hall. As I opened the doors to the hall I pulled the hood of cloak over my head. 
     "Are you ready Carmen?" Allastor asked me. I nodded my head.
    "I'm ready". I stated as I neared him. He nodded his head and pulled out a silver ring from his cloak pocket. He slid it on his finger and I grabbed hold of his arm. With a flick of his wrist we vanished from the insides of his castle. Then in an instants we had arrived at the inside of me and my fathers apartment.
    "I'm-I'm back". I said with a whisper.
    "This is your home?" Allastor asked me as I took it all in again. I nodded my head. It had been almost two months since I had left this place and being here felt like a dream somehow.
    "Yeah. This is where I grew up. It's small, but cozy and safe". I answered him as stepped inside my bedroom. All my old paintings and sketches were still taped up on the walls and that made me smile. I glanced back at Allastor in the living and pulled my hood down.
    "My father is umm in bed since its quite late. There's a guest bedroom next to mine if you want to sleep there for now". I explained to Allastor. Just as he was about to nod his head and walk towards the room my fathers bedroom door opened and there he stood just staring at me.
    "Carmen! Your home!" He erupted with joy as he rushed to hug me. I smiled and hugged him back. I had missed my father so much while at Allastor castle. And to be here with him now felt like a dream come true.
    "Yes I am dad". I said.
    "But how? Did that monster let you go? Did he hurt y-" Before my father could finish his sentence he looked over my shoulders and I knew that he had seen him.
    "What is he doing here Carmen?" He questioned me. Then he turned his attention from me to Allastor. "If your here to let me see my daughter for a moment then take her back away from me then your-"
    "He brought me back here to help you. Dad he wants you to come live in his castle with us. He has plenty of room and-"
    "You think I would live in the same house as him when he took you from me?" My father stated firm. I shook my head at my father and moved closer to Allastor.  
    "Dad he's changed. He's been nothing but kind to me and when I got your letter he didn't hesitate to send me back here to help you". I explained to him. My father sighed and moved towards me.
     "You mean he didn't lock up or hurt you in anyway?" My father asked. I shook my head.
    "That night that he threw you out he gave me a room in the castle and everything that I could have needed or wanted. He even gave me a room to paint in!" I added. My father shook his head.
    "Thank you...Allastor for looking after her". My father thanked him. Allastor bowed and walked to the guest room. He shut the door behind him as my father smiled up at me.
    "He cares a great deal for you". He said.
    "I know that and I-" I shook my head. "It's late you should go back to bed. We can talk about this more in the morning". My father nodded his head at me.
   "I'm glad that you safe and home Carmen". My father replied as he stepped back into his room. I let out a breath that I was holding back and went into my room. I slipped into an old pair of my pjs and got into my bed. Then I let the feelings of the day overtake me into a deep sleep.

I'm excited for you guys to see what's next and I'm really tempted to write a gaston love story because I have a really good idea for it, but I'm still thinking about it.