The darkness of the night covers my tear-stained face and the redness dotting the area around my eyes. Ever since the incident this morning today has been an almost non-stop crying fest. Thankfully Gaston knew what happened and was kind enough to give Adrien and me the day off. Adrien still did chores and even went out for a good number of hours, while I on the other hand spent the whole day locked in my room curled up on my bed allowing every tear that was cooped up in my body to flow down my cheeks. It's a miracle that I've managed to keep myself together long enough to get all the way here and it will be an even bigger miracle if I don't burst into tears the second I get to the castle.
Sensing my distress Dante snorts and shakes his head.
"I'm okay, boy. And don't worry we're almost there," I whisper gently patting his neck and sides.
A howl echoes through the air, and I make Dante pick up the pace. A stick snaps behind me swiftly followed by a low growl that causes the hairs on my arms and the back of my neck to stand up. Glancing over my shoulder I gasp when I see a large brown wolf creeping out from behind a mass of bushes with its teeth bared. A jagged scar covers its right eye and there is still dried blood from its last kill splattered across his fur. Growling it starts walking toward me and it isn't long before it starts running.
"Come on, boy," I edge him on pushing him into a gallop pushing him further and further as the wolf gets closer and closer.
I can hear its ferocious growls and the snapping of its jaws. Dante neighs as the wolf tries to lunge at his legs. Picking up speed the wolf quickly catches up to us and as it prepares to lunge again Dante kicks out his back legs knocking the wild animal flat off its feet as it lets out a loud whimper.
"Good, boy," I praise him.
Together we keep at the fast pace until we see the iron gates approaching. Slowly I lead him up to them and without getting off him I open the gates and we head inside. The second we reach his shelter I check him for wounds. Thankfully there are only small cuts on his legs which will heal quickly.
"Okay, stay here and rest, boy. You had quite the shock just now." A loud and distant bang suddenly rings through the air startling us both. "Don't worry, boy, everything is going to be okay. But what on Earth was that?"
Another loud bang and this time it's swiftly followed by a yell, "Merde ce truc!"
"Sounds like someone is having a bad day," I chuckle. As I tether Dante to his stall and start my walk toward the front door the yelling and banging continue. Holding onto the door handle I listen to the strings of curse words, some of which I've never heard in a sentence before, fly through the air left and right. Curiosity fills every bit of my soul and as much as I want to resist the urge to locate the source of the yelling... I'm not that strong.
"One little peep won't hurt anybody," I whisper to nobody but myself as I sneak alongside the lines of bushes looking for the commotion.
Eventually, I get to the source of the loud sounds. Staying tucked behind a large bush I silently watch as Beast attempts to lift a broken a large chunk from what used to be a podium. But with the weight proving to be too difficult for him, which I didn't think was possible, it falls out of his hands before he can even get it a few centimeters off the ground.
"For the love of God," he growls at the bit that narrowly missed his foot.
An unintentional chuckle slips past my lips alerting him to my presence. Slinking away further behind the tall bush in front of me I pray he doesn't come looking for me and will just let me slip away into the darkness. Or maybe Maurie will come looking for me and rescue me from a potentially awkward encounter.
"Who's there," he asks. Taking the question as my cue to leave I slowly take another step backwards, but just as some sick form of luck would have it I step on a thin twig immediately sapping it in half. And of course the sound it makes just has to be loud. I can hear him sigh and I know for a fact he's shaking his head. "I know you're there Maurie so you can come out now. In case you haven't noticed already I need some help here."
"I'm not Maurie," I call out as I step out from the shadows, "I can still help you though if you want."
Glaring at me, he shifts his focus back to the part of the podium laying at his feet.
"I'd rather have this thing crush my foot than get help from you," he says with a voice so twisted with malice. Bending down he places his hands underneath the broken piece of the podium again getting ready to pick it up again.
"You won't have to wait too long if you keep trying to lift that thing by yourself."
"Why don't you just run along to Maurie? I'm sure he's waiting for you and that dam book he needs so badly."
Suddenly, I'm filled with the sensation of dread as I'm overcome with the stark realization that through my mental breakdowns and using all of my energy to keep myself from crying, I forgot the book. I forgot the one thing I needed to bring.
"Damnit," I hiss through clenched teeth.
"What?" Running my fingers through my hair I let out an ear-piercing scream. "What the bloody hell was that for?" he screams at me with his hands pressed against his ears.
"I forgot the bloody book."
"So you decide to scream?"
"I haven't had the best of days."
He sighs and rolls his eyes. "Don't take this as a sign of friendship, but do you want to talk about it?"
Glancing at him my brows pull together and I tilt my head like I'm looking at a rare exhibit.
"You want me to talk to you about my terrible day?" He nods. "Seriously?"
"Do you see anyone else here?" he asks gesturing to the empty rose garden littered with dead roses and broken bits of a bench and podiums.
"There is a group of people inside that castle that I would rather talk to than you." He chuckles and his lips settle in a smug grin. "What?"
"Nothing," he mumbles as he shakes his head. That damn grin is still there.
"Don't start that just tell me what's so funny," I snap.
"If you go and speak to them this is what's going to happen: Charles is going to walk away because he won't care. Amelie will interrupt you multiple times with either a question or an exaggerated reaction. Miss Potts will tell you that you're being rude and complaining to other people when you should just solve your problems by yourself. Oh, and Fabienne and Maurie will just try to analyze the situation and provide advice."
"Don't people usually want advice when they're struggling with something?"
"Usually, but I'm guessing it's been one of those days when you don't need advice or big reactions. You just want someone to sit there quietly and listen."
He's right. I would never admit this out loud, but he is right. I don't need someone who is going to walk away or tell me to be the bigger person. I don't want someone who is going to be overdramatic about the whole situation and even though getting advice sounds nice to some I don't need that tonight. I just want to talk. I want to be heard.
"Fine," I sigh, "I guess I'll talk to you."
"Seriously?"
I gesture to the space around us, "Do you see anyone else around?"
He smirks, "Touche."
Without a bench to sit on, we make space for ourselves on the cold floor. Using my jacket to shield myself from any possible thorns lounging about I sit down with my legs crossed not facing him but also not looking away.
Taking long and deep breaths I ponder the best way to start my story. Do I only tell the ending? Highlight bits and pieces from the middle. Or should I go right to the beginning and risk this turning into a ranting session?
"Any day now."
"Give me a moment," I snap.
Laughing, he raises his hands in a sort of mock surrender. Slowly the laughter dies and he continues to wait for me to start.
Round and round the different routes run through my head and the frustration at my inability builds to an unbearable state.
"My best friend told me he loved me this morning. And not the kind of love that friends have for each other he loves me. I told him that I don't feel the same way because I don't and now I've probably ruined the only friendship I've ever had. Well, technically the first friendship I've ever had. And I feel terrible but I couldn't lie to him. He's a friend maybe even a brother to me but nothing more. It's not my fault he fell for me. I didn't ask for any of this but in the end, I'm to blame for the destruction of our friendship. I swear to God sometimes I wish I never moved to that village." Tears trickle down my cheeks but I refuse to let them get further than that. Using the loose sleeves of my shirt I wipe them away.
From the corner of my watery eye, I watch him slowly nod as he takes in all the information I've given him. Glancing at me he pulls himself up. Towering over me he tilts his head in the direction of a pathway I've never taken before.
"Would you like to go on a walk with me?"
The question shocks me but despite this, I still pick myself up and silently follow him toward the untaken path.
The dusty and winding path leads us through a section of the garden that hasn't been taken care of for a very long time. Overgrown bushes block parts of our path and every few steps we're slapped with a thin twig from a nearby small tree. A blanket of silence is wrapped around us which I'm sure many would find uncomfortable but I find calming. Well, at least it was for the first ten minutes.
"So, you're not going to say anything about what I told you?"
"I told you I wouldn't, didn't I?"
"You did. But, usually when people say they're not going to say anything they're usually lying and then they bite your head off."
"Well, I'm not those people. When I make a promise I keep it... mostly."
A small pit forms in my stomach at the memory of him threatening to kill me if I ever came back resurfacing.
"Considering you threatened to kill me a while back the assurance you keep promises is not a comforting thought," I mumble through a nervous chuckle.
"I also told you that I'd allow you to keep coming here to help Maurie which last I checked means I can't kill you." He might not be looking at me but I know he's smirking.
"Well, aren't you sweet-sparing my life so that I can help break a curse that affects you?"
"What can I say I'm a bit biased in that situation," he laughs. Suddenly the laughter dies and in a tone so serious he says, "Besides, I don't think I'd be able able kill you even if I wanted to."
A small smile tugs at the corners of my lips. I may be angry with him for betraying me but knowing that our friendship didn't completely die that day for some reason makes me feel good.
"Stop smiling, voleuse."
"I'm not smiling," I quickly snap back.
Glancing over his shoulder he smirks. "Tell your lips that."
The confusion is over in a brief second when I realize that I'm still smiling. My lips drop into a pout as I watch him walk ahead with his shoulder bouncing up and down as he laughs.
We silently walk further and further down the path eventually stopping in a small cleared section. Much like the path the bushes here are dying and overgrown but the one thing that stands out over everything is the white statue depicting a king positioned in the middle of the clearing.
Beast stands off to the side while I walk up to the statue taking note of all the distinct features of the king's face and clothing.
"Come on we should go back," he demands, but I refuse to leave just yet.
Stepping up onto a large rock I reach up and touch the dusty crown.
"Who is this?" I ask looking down at Beast.
Still standing off to the side he glares at the statue as if it were a real person who had just wronged him.
"Nobody," he growls.
"Well, clearly he's not nobody with the way you're acting right now."
"Why do you care who that person is? Let's just get back to the castle. There's a storm coming, and we don't want to be outside when it hits."
"Just tell me who this is and then we'll go," I demand with my arms crossed over my chest.
"Why does it matter!"
"Why are you acting like this it's just a statue. It can't hurt you."
"Do you want to know who that is?"
I nod.
Sighing he shakes his head and for a brief moment I could swear I saw a tear roll down his cheek. His gaze drops to the floor and his shoulder sinks as if he had been defeated.
"That is King Phillip. He was my father." Two short sentences but each holds a lot of history which is all evident from his shaking hands and the tears dripping to the floor.
"I'm guessing he was a terrible father."
He scoffs. "Terrible father and a terrible person. He cared for nobody but himself didn't care about anyone's feelings and always tried to control every aspect of your life because in his mind you were only there for his entertainment. And I'm sure he wasn't capable of love because if he was he would have been there for my mom when she was dying and he would have done something to stop that teacher from beating the crap out of me every day. He was a cruel bastard and doesn't deserve a statue to honour him."
Glancing at the floor I force my tears to stay inside my body knowing full well from personal experience that pity is the last thing he needs.
Calming myself down and getting rid of all traces of tears I look back up at him.
"So, let's get rid of it."
"What?"
I jump off the rock that I was using as a stool and carefully pick it up holding it firmly in both hands.
"You said he doesn't deserve a statue to honour him. And from what I've heard I agree with you. So, find a rock and let's break this thing."
"Are you serious?" he asks. His face showing every bit of confusion that it flowing through him.
"Yes, now can you hurry up this thing is heavy," I whine motioning with my head to the large rock weighing down in my hands.
With the look of confusion still decorating his face, he walks around the clearing eventually finding a rock he deems big enough.
"Okay," I huff and wiggle my rock into a more comfortable position, "On three. One, two and three!"
Together we throw our rocks at the statue. He strikes the top and mine tackles the legs breaking the statue in half. Laughing we watch as large bits of the statue fall to the floor where they shatter upon impact.
Still laughing I look over at him relieved to see the smile on his face. Nothing could ever take away the horror he faced but that doesn't mean he can't be helped.
Suddenly, he turns to look at me and we lock eyes. Still smiling we quietly look at one another. Neither of us speaks and yet someone we're saying so much.
A loud boom of thunder echoes from above startling us. Breaking our staring contest we look up at the sky where large and monstrous clouds are rapidly approaching bringing loud booms of thunder and sharp cracks of lightning with them.
"We should get back," he says.
"You've read my mind."
Throwing out jackets over our heads to shield us from the droplets of rain that are starting to fall we run down the pathway hoping to get to the castle before the full force of the storm can. catch us.
Standing by my window I glance out the partially broken window my eyes firmly focused on the entrance to the mostly hidden pathway where I saw them walking not too long ago.
Rage swirls within me like a storm as I wait for my victim to run into my lair. A slight smirk breaks my lips as images of her face twisted with fear fill my head. She doesn't know that she's approaching her early death. She doesn't know that the shelter she is looking to seek from the deadly storm will do more harm than the raging clouds could ever do.
As their damp figures come racing toward the front door I glance up at the stone gargoyle sitting on the wall.
"Goodbye, Valerie," I whisper to the empty room.
Raising my hand toward my stone friend I look back down at the figures running toward the castle knowing full well that only one of them will make it through those doors.