"Here's your tea Father." Rei set the tray down and knelt beside her
father, "Father?" he was crying quietly.
"Our precious Serena, we'll never see her again." Rei laid her head in her father's lap and cried as well.
Serena sat bolt right in her bed. The images of her sister and father still as clear and strong as the fire burning happily in the fireplace. "Rei! Father!" she whispered before being overcome by sorrow that made her bury her head into her hands and sob.
The Beast had felt guilty over the way he'd treated her. He'd though that sending her visions of her family she might be happy, he hadn't expected this reaction, how could he tell her he was the one who sent them now? She'd hate him even more, not that it mattered much; she'd never forgive him for what he'd done anyhow.
He was still wearing the clothes he had been when he'd joined Serena for that doomed first dinner, now they were soaked in blood from the deer he'd taken down. His eyes never left her image. He cursed the one who'd enchanted him. He cursed himself. And he cursed her too, for coming here, for keeping her word, for making him feel guilt.
"Still watching her, Master Darien?" Jadeite appeared beside him.
"Do not call me by that name!" Darien snapped.
"Don't worry, Master, the girl is only homesick, she must grow accustomed to this place, and you, before she can look forward to your evening visits. In time she will enjoy your gift, but you must be patient. She is young and."
"Silence!" The Beast, Darien, shouted, but Jadeite continued on as if he'd never spoken.
" These things take time."
"Remind me why I haven't killed you yet?" He growled at his shadow servant.
"Because you need us to help you take care of the girl." Jadeite said flatly. The Beast could only growl, knowing Jadeite was right, and hating to admit it. "Master."
"Get out."
"Very well, Master." Jadeite bowed, and was gone.
The next Serena knew she was curled in a tight ball in her bed. As before the table facing the terrace was laid out with food. Serena unwound herself from the mess of her bed sheets and stumbled over.
She wasn't sure what to do with her self. If she left her rooms would the Beast be there to 'greet' her? Should she ever step out of the rooms at all? Despite all her attempts she was afraid of him. Not so much what him, but what he could do, what he might do, and the fact that she would be helpless against him. That was her fear. Try as she might, she didn't know if she could overcome it.
"No!" She told herself, "I gave my word I'd live here, I'll live here and, I'll be The Beast's friend! He must be lonely! If we're both alone here we'll be good company for each other!" She decided as she dressed. Deciding that, if she explored again, she might run into him.
She hummed happily as she strode down the corridors, ducking into rooms here and there. She wanted to find a library, there was everything else in this dark, dead feeling place, there MUST be a library. But suppose, Serena thought, that The Beast does not like to read. Would he see to equip his castle with a library?
She opened another door to find another gallery, curious; she strolled, gazing up in awe at the paintings. The very last painting caused her to stop dead.
It was of a handsome young man, his face spoke volumes, even in the painting, he was haughty, and he gazed down at Serena with a hardness to his entire countenance that sent shivers down her spine. It was almost as if he were alive and looking back at her.
"What do you think of him?" Came a voice from the door. Serena jumped and nearly fainted to see The Beast standing there.
"M-My Lord?" she stuttered.
"I've told you, its just Beast. I asked what you think of him?"
"I-I." she looked back up at the painting and back down at The Beast, "I think he was very lonely." She replied. Like you. Her thoughts echoed. She approached him and curtsied deeply, "I apologize for. the way I spoke to you yesterday. It is you're house and I should pay you respect, you are the Master here and... She felt his hand on her shoulder and couldn't repress a shutter as his claws pricked her skin ever so slightly. He pulled his hand away and said softly (or as softly as he could, anyway)
"No, Serena, It is I who must apologize, you were right in what you said. I am a monster, a beast, I deserve no respect, only fear, I am no Master, but you, who are the Mistress here. You're fear is not misplaced, but I will not harm you, even in anger, I would not harm you." He turned from her then and, with a mournful glance at her he said,
"I will see you this evening, Serena, until then, good day."
Hello. Well that certainly took some time huh? All for one shaggy chapter. I'm pitiful. Well, you know the drill, review, tell me what you think. All suggestions are welcome.
"Our precious Serena, we'll never see her again." Rei laid her head in her father's lap and cried as well.
Serena sat bolt right in her bed. The images of her sister and father still as clear and strong as the fire burning happily in the fireplace. "Rei! Father!" she whispered before being overcome by sorrow that made her bury her head into her hands and sob.
The Beast had felt guilty over the way he'd treated her. He'd though that sending her visions of her family she might be happy, he hadn't expected this reaction, how could he tell her he was the one who sent them now? She'd hate him even more, not that it mattered much; she'd never forgive him for what he'd done anyhow.
He was still wearing the clothes he had been when he'd joined Serena for that doomed first dinner, now they were soaked in blood from the deer he'd taken down. His eyes never left her image. He cursed the one who'd enchanted him. He cursed himself. And he cursed her too, for coming here, for keeping her word, for making him feel guilt.
"Still watching her, Master Darien?" Jadeite appeared beside him.
"Do not call me by that name!" Darien snapped.
"Don't worry, Master, the girl is only homesick, she must grow accustomed to this place, and you, before she can look forward to your evening visits. In time she will enjoy your gift, but you must be patient. She is young and."
"Silence!" The Beast, Darien, shouted, but Jadeite continued on as if he'd never spoken.
" These things take time."
"Remind me why I haven't killed you yet?" He growled at his shadow servant.
"Because you need us to help you take care of the girl." Jadeite said flatly. The Beast could only growl, knowing Jadeite was right, and hating to admit it. "Master."
"Get out."
"Very well, Master." Jadeite bowed, and was gone.
The next Serena knew she was curled in a tight ball in her bed. As before the table facing the terrace was laid out with food. Serena unwound herself from the mess of her bed sheets and stumbled over.
She wasn't sure what to do with her self. If she left her rooms would the Beast be there to 'greet' her? Should she ever step out of the rooms at all? Despite all her attempts she was afraid of him. Not so much what him, but what he could do, what he might do, and the fact that she would be helpless against him. That was her fear. Try as she might, she didn't know if she could overcome it.
"No!" She told herself, "I gave my word I'd live here, I'll live here and, I'll be The Beast's friend! He must be lonely! If we're both alone here we'll be good company for each other!" She decided as she dressed. Deciding that, if she explored again, she might run into him.
She hummed happily as she strode down the corridors, ducking into rooms here and there. She wanted to find a library, there was everything else in this dark, dead feeling place, there MUST be a library. But suppose, Serena thought, that The Beast does not like to read. Would he see to equip his castle with a library?
She opened another door to find another gallery, curious; she strolled, gazing up in awe at the paintings. The very last painting caused her to stop dead.
It was of a handsome young man, his face spoke volumes, even in the painting, he was haughty, and he gazed down at Serena with a hardness to his entire countenance that sent shivers down her spine. It was almost as if he were alive and looking back at her.
"What do you think of him?" Came a voice from the door. Serena jumped and nearly fainted to see The Beast standing there.
"M-My Lord?" she stuttered.
"I've told you, its just Beast. I asked what you think of him?"
"I-I." she looked back up at the painting and back down at The Beast, "I think he was very lonely." She replied. Like you. Her thoughts echoed. She approached him and curtsied deeply, "I apologize for. the way I spoke to you yesterday. It is you're house and I should pay you respect, you are the Master here and... She felt his hand on her shoulder and couldn't repress a shutter as his claws pricked her skin ever so slightly. He pulled his hand away and said softly (or as softly as he could, anyway)
"No, Serena, It is I who must apologize, you were right in what you said. I am a monster, a beast, I deserve no respect, only fear, I am no Master, but you, who are the Mistress here. You're fear is not misplaced, but I will not harm you, even in anger, I would not harm you." He turned from her then and, with a mournful glance at her he said,
"I will see you this evening, Serena, until then, good day."
Hello. Well that certainly took some time huh? All for one shaggy chapter. I'm pitiful. Well, you know the drill, review, tell me what you think. All suggestions are welcome.