A little background for this story: Yes, it came about after I saw the remake, er, "live-action", of Disney's "Beauty and the Beast". Yes the song was stuck in my head. Yes it inspired it. And this is sorta the middle part of the story.....yeah. It's titled the way it is because I'm not overly concerned with an actual title for this piece as of yet. So, without further ado -
"Evermore"
(Part ???)
“My apologies, I didn’t mean to frighten you.”
He stood in the doorway, unwilling to enter the small room
with her.
“No, it’s alright,” she straightened the chair. “No harm
done.”
She stood near the old desk. The last time he’d been down
here was when the brothers had stumbled upon his castle. They’d decided to keep
these rooms after learning of the curse. To better fit the atmosphere, was what
they’d called it. As he thought about it, all of the others who’d come through
had used this room. None had wanted to stay in the upper floors, or have any
window near to them. As though the panes to the outside world held some fright.
“You’re curse – there’s little time left to break it, isn’t
there?”
Her voice drew him from the past. The question was not one
he’d been expecting. There was still much he wanted to discuss with her; none
of which involved the topic of his curse.
“How did you –”
The grin she gave him was subtle, but in the candlelight it
illuminated the mischief in her eyes.
“These papers here, they were written by others who’ve come
to the castle. Others who tried to break the curse,” she picked up the papers,
“Can you tell me anything else about it?”
He stared at her, then at the papers in her arms.
“Come, lunch is served.”
He felt guilt for not answering her directly. Being down
there so close to the darkness was overwhelming. It was not the place to talk
about already dark matters. They were too close to the hidden room where the
curse had festered and languished for the past century. There was power in
words – power given freely. If spoken too close to the source it would add to
that malevolent power. He wouldn’t risk it.
Barely glancing over his should to ensure she was following
him back up to the dining room, he could see the slight droop of her shoulders.
She’d hoped he would answer. He could see it in her – she wanted to know more.
A thirst for knowledge to understand what cannot be
explained, the thought made him smile. No one before her had had that.
* * * * * * * *
Catherine followed him back up the winding stairs. He’d
changed the subject when she’d asked about the curse. She tried to understand.
There was so much more to this new world she was in. So much that she needed to
understand. She needed the truth about this strange place; about why it had
seemed to draw her back each time she left. She finally realized the day she’d
found her father – he had been right outside the gates leading into the vast
gardens. He’d been here before; that was how he’d remembered the castle to make
the cast for the music box. He knew about this place. She’d been so close then.
“Mademoiselle.”
Coming out of her memory she looked up. They were back in
the lavish (if outdated) dining room. She looked around for the person who’d
spoken to her, but found no one. The monster-man-
Tarnish it, she thought, I’ll just call him…Adrian.
The name didn’t fit him, but she couldn’t think of a better
one for him. It was frustrating. She would go on a hunt here in the castle to
find something that had his name on it. There had to be a diary of someone, or
papers, letters, anything to let her
know what he might once have been called.
Taking a seat across from him, she set the papers on the
chair next to her.
A meal as she’d never seen before was spread out: fresh
bread, hot soup, fruits and a few things she didn’t recognize. It was one of
the best meals she’d ever had.
Adrian cleared his throat. When she looked up at him he
diverted his gaze to the side.
“I wanted to apologize,” he paused. “Again.”
Curious to what he could be apologetic for she waited. The
silence continued to stretch while he sat there. She realized he hadn’t eaten a
thing.
“Aren’t you hungry?”
He looked right at her and shook his head. The expression in
his eyes startled her. Setting down the roll in her hand she glanced down at
the food before her. Would he –
“I can help break this curse. The papers I found down in
that room – from the others who’ve come before – they have hints to how it can
be done.” She caught his eye, “I know I can break it. There’s still a few weeks
left before the new year, you have to let me try.”
The room became hazy. Mild panic reached into her.
“Don’t let her win! If I am the last one to try, bring me
back,” her voice lowered to a whisper. She saw him coming around to her, “Don’t
let her win….there’s still a way to break….”
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