Beauty and the Beast

Sarah's heart broke all over again as she caught Malece's reflection staring at her. The woman was young and oh so beautiful. She should of never had to go through what she had. The pain that poured from her eyes and into Sarah's heart was almost unbearable. She needed to continue her story just to make herself feel better.

Sarah slid her hand under some of Malece's hair and ran a brush gently through it as she spoke, "That prince from the story earlier," she paused until she saw recognition in Malece painful eyes, "He was a handsome young man and full of life. From a very young age he had a way with horses that used to drive his father mad being that it was usually the complete opposite with him. The prince could whisper to a horse and calm it, whereas his father could do every trick and the beast would throw him free. It was really a humorous sight," Sarah caught herself giggling at the memory of The king on his back spouting curses at the horse.

"Being the eldest of his family, he often found himself doing exactly what I'm doing for you, but for his sisters. They were all beauties in their own way. The eldest was two years younger than the prince and the youngest was only six. The halls of their castle would be filled daily wit the laughter of the children playing childish games. You would of loved it if you had been there, Malece," Sarah had almost given away that her story was indeed memories. It was too early for Malece to learn that the prince was now the cruel beast that had order the killing other loved ones and her captivity.

Sarah cleared her through, "There, if we don't hurry, the king will be far less forgiving," she smiled at the reflection of Malece.
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"No, Gordon," if you put troops there then our forces in the neighboring regions will suffer. You should move them here," he was pointing to different areas on a small map of the kingdom. It had taken Sarah so long to get the woman ready that the two men had retreated to business.

"I understand your concern, how about if we move them from here and sent a detachment to reinforce that spot?" Gordon countered.

Vincent sat back down and thought a moment, "That'll do, Gordon," he nodded in surrender. There was a reason he had grown so close to Gordon. To have a brilliant mind like his against Vincent would be a death wish. Now he had that mind working for him. His enemies should tremble.

Suddenly the doors sounded as the handles were pulled to open and Vincent rose to his feet, "Sarah, its about ti-" his words were cut short by what his eyes beheld. Even Gordon stood stunned.

Sarah had arrived with the woman who was beyond words despite picking one of Abigail's simpler outfits.
 
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Malece could see that Sarah was feeling the pain that came from her eyes. She could see how effected she had become from just Malece looking at her. She didn't mean to make the woman feel for her more then she had to. She didn't want the woman to start crying or worse. She felt bad already for wearing someone else's clothes. She would have to ask if she could have her own clothes. She didn't want to taint the memory of these garments that seemed to mean so much to the people there.

Sarah spoke once more, continuing to tell her about the king and the good prince who sounded so sweet and kind. She wondered if this was a local legend or was this really a family that exsisted. When Sarah began brushing Malece's hair, the chocolate locks were not too tangled. She looked at Sarah as she brushed her hair through a few times before brushing her hair to the side, over her left shoulder.

When Sarah said that Malece would have liked it, with all the laughter in the halls of the castle with the seemingly happy family. Malece offered a sad smile and nodded her head. She would have loved to live in a castle, even as a maid, and to hear laughter and happiness. But in the way Sarah said it, it sounded as if Sarah had witnessed it herself. But before she could ask, Sarah pulled her hands out of Malece's hair, the ends curling softly and her hair having gentle waves in it, cascading down her back, stopping at the middle of her back.

Malece looked at herself for just a moment before she stood from her seat. She followed Sarah silently, looking around the empty halls as Sarah led her down the stairs and into a large room with a large table. She assumed it was a dinner table, although she had never seen one in person, let alone one as large as this one. She had heard talking before Sarah opened the door, but when she walked in behind Sarah, everyone grew silent. She saw Gordon, the man that had bound her to the horse and she saw Vincent, the man that had denied her in her request to bury her father and who had brought her here. Everyone was silent and it unsettled her. At the sight of Gordon, she rubbed her wrists lightly, before she hugged herself, not wanting to be there now.
 
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"Sarah," Vincent was speechless. She had done a great job cleaning up this woman with no name. Sarah smiled delightfully obviously glad her king was proud, "Did you get her name?" Vincent asked.

Sarah's smile faded as she turned to Malece. Malece had begged her not to give the king her name and Sarah felt the intense desire to honor that, "No, my king, she has barely even spoken." Sarah lied and immediately felt bad for it.

Vincent sighed, "Very well," he was disappointed. He had been sure Sarah would have gotta the woman's name, "Then I shall call her after the reason she is here, Beauty."he nodded, it fit well with her. Seeing that she made a simple dress look as if it were fit for no one but royalty.

Gordon cleared his throat as the silence became deafening. Vincent had been staring, studying Beauty. Torn from his study by Gordon's throat he spoke again, "Right, everyone sit. It's time to eat."

He nodded to the male servant waiting patiently and then slid into his chair. When he looked back the servant was gone. Gordon took his seat close to Vincent and Sarah studied Beauty waiting for her to choose a seat.

"Come now," Vincent called out, "Sit, eat, you look famished."

The food had just started to come out in waves. Roasted pig, all manner of vegetables and fruits as well as a broth to help. Drinks were served, in the fashion of water, Vincent didn't drink wine, so it was absent except for special occasions. Vincent saw no reason for Beauty to not sit for dinner.
 
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Malece looked up when she heard Vincent ask Sarah for her name. She panicked for a few seconds before Sarah answered, lying for her. She was so glad the female had respected her request. It was more then Vincent had done for her and he was a king. She looked at Vincent, when he said that he would call her Beauty. She didn't think she was all that special but she didn't want to talk all that much.

She looked down at her hands, her arms loosely wrapped around her midsection. Her arms tightened slightly, the longer Vincent watched her. She was extremely uncomfortable with the king watching her. She was about to turn around and go back to the room the Sarah had done her hair in when Gordon broke the silence. She looked to the older male, her eyes still filled with that pain filled sadness. She didn't say anything but she let her eyes say everything she was feeling. She was devastated, like anyone would be if they had been soaked in their murdered fathers blood and was then taken captive by the man responsible.

Everyone had sat down at the large table and a male servant left all of a sudden. Malece watched the male leave. She didn't make any move to go sit down until she heard Vincent's voice.

Why was he talking to her like that? She was nothing but a trophy to him it seemed. She looked at him though the pain in her eyes still. She looked at him still, remaining silent, her emerald eyes alight with anger for the man.

She closed her eyes for a moment before she moved around the table, sitting as far as she could away from both men. She didn't want to be near either of the men. She then turned to see a parade of food being brought in. She watched, not letting the shock and awe go to her eyes. She looked back at the table and she sat there not moving towards the food. She was thinking that why did he need this much food? He was one man and this much food could feed a large family. It was wasteful in the female's eyes.
 
Vincent popped a slice of Apple in his mouth when Beauty finally took her seat. She sat as for away from him as she could and at the moment he didn't mind. She was a part of his collection, nothing more. A possession to honor the memory of his butchered sisters and mother.

"Sarah," he called to the woman who had chosen a seat not far from Beauty, "After dinner, show Beauty to her quarters. She is not to leave, nor is she to have visitors. She is too value, too important for either." He took a bite of a slice of the pig and turned to Gordon, "Gordon, I want a fresh guard outside her door, every three hours. Never the same man until we've gone through them all, including yourself. Kill anyone who hasn't come with my blessing."

Sarah looked sadly at Malece. In one day the poor girl had lost all her freedom. She was to be a piece of her king's collection, never to have human interaction again outside the palace staff. She wanted to cry for the woman, to hold her in comfort. Perhaps one day, if it wasn't too late by then, the king would be his mortal self again and spend every waking hour making this right. Until then, Sarah could only watch as he continued to spiral into darkness.

"Beauty," Vincent addressed her, "what are some this you enjoy? Gardens? Views? Paintings? You name it and Sarah will show you it tomorrow. I have so many beautiful things, it would make anyone envious. But by far, the most beautiful piece of my collection is you." He didn't blush, he didn't feel heat. It wasn't meant to be flirtatious, he was simply proud of the beauty of his new 'piece'.

Gordon swallowed his bit of pig hard. He couldn't believe that Vincent didn't know how ridiculous he sounded. People can't be 'pieces' of things. They had lives to live, lovers to love. By the looks of this young woman, Gordon had no doubt there was some poor bastard that was missing his lover. Gordon held his tongue though, his loyalty far to great to challenge his king on this.

For now the three of them enjoyed their meals while waiting on the response of the 'piece' of the king's collection.
 
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Malece sat silently, only taking some fruit and vegetables to eat. She was eating slowly, not wanting to have a stomach ache later on. She had read of her mothers notes and memorized them all while she was a child. She was a good student and she knew that if she ate too quickly, her stomach would hurt later on. She remembered a woman who had been starving and she ate so much that she died the next day from eating too quickly and too much food all at once. She wasn't starved but she hadn't eaten the last two days, she wouldn't take that chance, she wanted to live and escape this place.

She looked up from her almost empty plate when she heard Vincent start talking. The words coming from the kings mouth made her sick to her stomach. She lost her appetite as he relayed that she was to be a prisoner in this place. She was never to have anyone come and visit her. She was never allowed to leave her room.

He then looked to Gordon and told him he would have to post a guard at Malece's door and the guard would change every hour.

She was growing more and more angry, but Vincent took it to a new level. He addressed her then asking her what she enjoyed. He then somewhat bragged about how he had so many beautiful things but she was his most beautiful piece in his collection. She suddenly stood from her chair. She made her way over to Vincent and slapped him hard in the face. The sound somewhat echoed in the large room, from the force she had put into slapping the man. She had tears streaming down her face, her hand stung from hitting someone so hard for the first time in her life, but her eyes, they were filled with so much hate.

"I am not a possession to be owned. I am a human being, a living breathing person. If you have any sisters, they would be disgusted in what you just said to me," she said harshly, her voice cracking slightly, her throat sore. She did not know of the kings lost loved ones and she didn't care. He did not deserve to have them if he treated her or anyone else like this.
 
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Vincent was enjoying his meal when Beauty approached him angrily. Without warning, the woman swung an open hand at him and connected to his face. The force snapped his head to the opposite direction and loosed his food from behind his lips. The echo rang through the mostly empty dining room and was the only sound heard for the moments after.

Gordon, slack jawed, but the ever defender of the king stood to his feet and drew his sword. Swiftly he placed the point of the blade under the woman's chin, "How dare you," the shock leaving his face being replaced with pure anger, "Striking the king is punishable by death."

Vincent moved to his feet, anger burning throughout his body. Not only had she smacked him, but she had disgraced the memory of his sisters with her insult. His hand rose to return the favor when Sarah spoke up.

"My lord, your collection, their memories," she reminded.

"The memories are the reason I must do this, Sarah," but he couldn't bring himself to swing. Angrily, he turned to Gordon, "Bind her in shackles, feet and wrists. Lock her in her room and do not feed her until I say so. You ungrateful woman," he was speaking to Beauty, "I spared you from death, twice, I spared you from servitude. I've decided to give you a life of luxury and you strike me," Vincent's gaze fell on Sarah, "Sarah, if this woman is fed before my word, I will kill you and your son."

Sarah's colorless face nodded silently.

Vincent stormed from the dining hall and back to his room. His feet stopped him in front of the portrait of his family. His sisters would be proud of what he was doing. He was ruling the kingdom in greater order than his father ever had. The collection of beauty, including the woman, was in honor to them. They would be pleased he knew it. How dare she say otherwise.
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Gordon went right to work even as Vincent was leaving. He slid his sword away and immediately shackled the young woman's hands and feet, "What were you thinking?" He muttered both angrily and sadly. Vincent had a habit of forgetting that he had passed down such judgments. This woman would most likely starve to death.

Sarah was on the verge of tears as she walked beside Malece to her cushioned prison cell. That's what her room had turned into now. She was torn between her evolving loyalty the young woman and the life of her son. Vincent had never been so angry and never had he ever threatened her son's life. She knew him well enough to know that he would carry out the punishment should she violate his command.

As they ushered Malece into the room, Sarah entered in behind her and shut the door. He could hear the locks fall into place as she turned to face Malece, "I'm so sorry," she was apologizing for Vincent and for the decision she had made. She needed to keep her son safe.
 
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Malece didn't even flinch when Gordon stood and unsheathed his sword, putting it under her chin. Her hair had fallen behind her shoulder, her bruised cheek on show now. Striking the king was punishable by death. So be it. "Then kill me. Kill me for striking a monster who uses the memory of his family as justification for the horrors he commits," she said looking at Vincent still, moving closer to the blade, the sharp edge digging slightly into her neck, a tiny trickle of blood sliding down slowly. She watched as Vincent raised his hand to strike her in return, but she did not look away from the monstrous king.

But he couldn't even slap her, instead he turned to Gordon and told him to shackle her and keep her without food in her now plush prison. "Ungrateful? What is it I should be grateful for Vincent? Your hand in slaughtering children? My father? Innocent people that have no part in your feud? Then you take me captive and keep me as a glorified trophy," she continued, her anger increasing, her hands balled into fists. "I'd rather be a corpse rotting on that road with the children, then be here representing false memories," she spat, her voice still cracking.

When he said to Sarah if she gave her any food he would kill her son Malece had the urge to slap him once more. "I do not know what happened to your sisters or your family but they would surely hate what you are," she said finally before Vincent stormed out of the dinning room.

When Gordon pulled the blade from her throat, she still did not relax. When he began binding her hands in shackles, she didn't fight. "I was thinking that I'd rather be dead then treated like an object," she said in response to Gordon's question. After that she remained silent as she was brought to her bedroom. Once inside she looked to Sarah when the woman said she was sorry. Malece just shook her head. "I should be the one who is sorry," she said before the door closed and locked.

Once they were both in the room, Malece worked on cleaning the wound on her neck. She didn't even do much to fix that. She moved to the window, standing there looking out into the forest. Her brothers must have buried the bodies, their fathers body. They must be helping the sick on the rest of the journey and then they would come for her. She shook her head. No, she didn't want them to come for her. She wanted them to think she was dead. At least that way they would move on. She turned and looked at Sarah. "You don't have to stay with me... or explain your choice, your son is more important then me, even if we had known each other longer then just a few hours," she said to Sarah, understanding completely.

Malece didn't want to use the bed so she grabbed a few blankets and laid them out on the floor in a corner. She would sleep there.
 
Sarah apologized yet again. On the verge of tears, the maid spoke once again, "He didn't use to be like this. He was a good man. Those of us that know that cling to the hope that one day he will remember that." She bowed respectfully to her death rowed new friend, "I'm sorry." She couldn't apologize enough.
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For the next week Vincent hid himself daily in his study in failed attempts to rid his people of this curse without changing his rule. He saw nothing errant in how he ruled deeming it all justified by the name of order. But his attention was always split. Beauty's words echoed in his mind. She had called him a monster. She had told him that instead of honoring memories he was disgracing them. It was hard for him to concentrate. What annoyed him further was that despite going without food for a week, Sarah said she looked healthy. What good was punishment, if it didn't work?

Gordon did exactly as his king commanded. Every three hours a new guard arrived. That prevented any one guard from falling under her spell of beauty. His men were charged that no food enter the room and that only Sarah and a handful of other women were permitted into the room to clean Beauty and the room.

Sarah, though, had a heart bigger than she ever considered. After a day of not feeding Malece, she gave into her motherly instincts and had begun to sneak small portions of food through out the day to her. In a short few days, Sarah had begun to love the woman, seeing so much of the same pain in her life that littered Vincent's. Both had lost loved ones to cruel men, both lived in prisons created because of those circumstances. Sarah would spend as much time as she could with Malece without risking exposure.

Until she was called for by the king that is.

Vincent was in the throne room, an extreme rarity seeing that he believed his father only deserved that chair. He had just finished official business and called for Sarah. When the maid entered, he addressed her.

"Sarah, take this letter to Gordon. It's an order to feed Beauty and give her her roaming privileges. She cannot enter the royal hall. Be sure she understands that."

Sarah struggled to hold back tears and a smile. That was a glimpse of the king as he once was, merciful. She took the letter with shaking hands and bowed and exited the room. As soon as she heard the doors close she ran to Gordon and gave him the note. Gordon was equally as shocked and smiled with the same realization that because of this young woman, their king had briefly become a part of who he once was. Hope flooded both their hearts. While Gordon walked to Beauty's room Sarah once again ran.

When she made it to the door she yelled, "Open this door, do it now!" She said through tears and a brilliant smile. The guard was shocked at first, but quickly did as ordered when he saw Gordon round the corner with a smile and a nod.

As soon as the doors were unlocked she tore through the doors, "Mal-Beauty, the king has ordered your confinement to end." She threw her arms around the still chained woman and cried. If only Malece knew what this meant. If she only knew the gravity of what had just happened.

"Gordon should be here soon to remove these damned chains," Sarah blushed, it wasn't proper for a woman to curse but she was too excited. Beauty had changed something in her king and neither one of them knew it.
 
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Malece could see that Sarah was truly sorry for the now bound female. Malece just offered her a sad smile before she sat down on the floor on her pile of blankets on the floor. She wouldn't be moving around much so she wouldn't start to feel sick for a few days, this much she knew. But without food or water, she would barely survive the week. She sighed to herself, holding a pillow to her chest, her body still very sore from the six hour trek. What was going to happen to her? She would just have to wait and see.

~

The days that passed Malece had not spoken to anyone other then Sarah. That woman was so kind to her and she found she was starting to love Sarah, above every other maid that came and went from her prison. Even with the risk of her son dying, Sarah smuggled small pieces of bread or apple slices every few hours after only one day of having no food. She was so grateful to the older woman. She even began talking more with the woman, although the pain in her eyes only dimmed slightly. She would always sit by the locked window, looking out into the forest. She missed her brothers, she missed her father and she missed her mother. The woman was the world to Malece, and she was innocent, yet she still ended up dying for crimes that she did not commit. Witchcraft... she helped bring the ill back to health. There was no magic to that, yet she was burned alive for it.

She found her days filled with talking to Sarah or not talking at all and just thinking of her family that she would never see again. Just as Vincent ordered, she did not see many people other then the few maids, other then Sarah, that would come in. She would sometimes see Gordon bring new guards every few hours each day. She would only see them if a maid was coming into her room. They would sometimes stare at her, but before they could become used to seeing her, they were replaced by a new guard. This happened everyday without fail as the long days of her confinement passed.

After the first few days, she moved to siting on the bed, since the maids would always take the blankets from the floor and never replace them. It was becoming a chore to go back and forth, moving the blankets and pillows to the floor only to have a maid remove them, so she remained sitting on the bed most of the time, if she was not looking out the locked window. She was starting to feel weaker and weaker, but with the little bits of food Sarah brought her she wasn't as weak as she should be. She hoped that no one noticed.

A week passed and Malece had grown accustomed to the daily ritual. She would be taken, at the middle of the day, to be bathed. And today was no different. She was given another dress to wear, this one was a light blue with flowy sleeves. By that time the bruises on her body were healing and fading away leaving her face in perfect condition now. She was sitting by the window when she heard Sarah yelling at the guard from outside her locked door. Malece, stood up, the chains jingling slightly as she stood to look at Sarah when the guard finally opened the door and let her into the room. Sarah looked happy but what she said next shocked Malece more then she cared to admit. She was free from her confinement? What caused the king to change his mind after just one week. Malece could still remember the anger in Vincent's eyes and figured she was good as dead.

She smiled to Sarah and looked at the older woman as she cursed, making Malece let out a gentle laugh. Malece had been given water by one of the maids, during her bathes, so her throat was not as sore and she almost sounded like herself. She looked up seeing Gordon come into the room. Her smile dimmed slightly at the sight of the man. She still did not like him but she couldn't help but see the happiness in his own eyes. "What does this mean?" she asked Gordon, her voice no longer cracking or sore. Her voice was sweet and light, the sound matching her beauty.
 
Gordon's smile reached from ear to ear. He wanted to tell her exactly what it meant, but she was still an outsider. She was still against his king so he settled with exciting, but not nearly so, good news, "You are free to roam the palace, only the Royal Wing is off limits."

"Oh, Beauty," Sarah spoke excitedly, her hands clasped tightly together, "You must let me show you the garden. It really is the most beautiful one you'll have ever laid eyes on!" She was more excited than a child in children's games.

Gordon's meaty, but gentle hands wrapped around the shackles and unlocked them. They clanked as he threw them over his shoulder to hall them away, "Try not to strike the king again, Beauty, I'm not sure Sarah could save you from a second folly." He had a warm smile.

Since finding that the king had expressed mercy, Gordon had developed a new found respect for the woman before him. She, in her grief and misery, had reached into the king's heart and pulled from him a sliver of who he once was. No one else had ever had that success. This woman could very well be the person that saves this kingdom from eternal nightmares.

Sarah didn't even wait for Malece to agree to the garden before grabbing her hand and practically dragging her into the fresh air, "You'll love it. I swear!"

The garden took up a large portion of the backyard of the palace. Four foot hedges marked the boundaries and a hedge hollowed out to be an archway marked the entrance. Every flower could be found inside. Each color flowering together to create elaborate designs and pictures. In the center of the garden, and most sacred of all spots to King Vincent, were the resting places of the royal family. Each woman's grave was covered in their favored flower.

In a sense, Sarah needed to bring Malece here. She needed to know some more of the story.

Vincent watched from his window as Sarah dragged Malece to the garden. He hadn't been in the garden in some time. It was hard for him to walk through it knowing that he was so close to those he had killed in his moment of weakness. So with a heavy sigh, Vincent returned to his research.
 
She remained silent as Gordon told her she was allowed to roam, but was forbidden from entering the Royal Wing. Why would that be? Did Vincent not want her to be near where he slept? She wasn't going to kill the king, she wasn't that stupid. Slapping was one thing but trying to take someones life... Malece could never bring herself to do it. She helped save lives she did not take them.

She looked to Sarah as the woman spoke to her excitedly about the garden. She didn't know gardens could be beautiful. She had had a garden when her mother was alive. It was filled with mostly herbs to help make ointments and broths to help sooth away stomach aches or other aliments. She had never seen any other kind of flower other then the wild flowers that grew in the meadow near her house. Malece smiled at how excited Sarah was to show her the garden. She wondered what it was that made the place so beautiful.

She heard the loud clank as the shackles around her wrists were opened and then removed. She rubbed her wrists lightly, happy to have those blasted things off of her wrists. She looked up at Gordon when he spoke, warning her with a smile. His smile was warm, something she didn't think was possible from the large male. She gave a smile in return but before she could respond, Sarah was dragging her from the room she had not left in a weeks time.

They moved quickly, down some steps and through some halls until they came to pair of large glass doors. They opened and walked out into what looked like a paradise. Malece walked out into the sunlight and looked around, her eyes wide with awe and wonder. She didn't know gardens could be so beautiful, so colorful and fragrant. She walked with Sarah, having to stop a few times to look around at all of the beautiful flowers.

"I... I've never seen these kinds of flowers before," she admitted softly as she continued to look around at the flower beds.

She looked up a few times, looking at how blue the sky looked. She then looked at the castle. She didn't remember it looking so clean and clear, but then again she had been half unconscious when she first came to this place. She spotted Vincent before he moved away from the window. She felt Sarah tug her deeper into the garden and she looked away so she could watch where she was going. They kept moving closer to what she thought were beautiful flower beds, but as they got closer, she could see the grave stones. Her smiled faded at the sight of them.
 
Sarah stopped just short of the knee high marble wall that ran protectively around the graves. She bowed respectively and turned back to Malece, "The prince in my story had grown into a handsome young man. His parents were proud of him for all that he had accomplished and of the heart that swelled with a gentle and kind spirit. One day while out in the city, the prince came across a man in a poor position. He was dirtied and appeared stuck in poverty. The prince took compassion on the man and brought him into the palace. He fed the man, bathed him and gave him four changes of expensive garments before the prince was called away on duty."

Sarah held her breath as she crossed the barrier, "While the prince was gone, the man rose in the middle of the night and let in six other men who went from room to room, sacking the palace of its riches."

She walked to the back of the headstones and placed her hand on the largest of the stones, "When the men entered the king's chambers, they murdered the king first, followed by his lovely wife," her hand moved to the second largest, "the oldest of the princess, Abigail, was raped by all six of the men and then brutally murdered." Her hand rested on the stone that had Abigail Jameson etched into it, "The middle princess, Terah, was next, her murder just as evil as Abigail's." Sarah continued until both her hands rested on the smallest of the headstones, "Young Dia, was the last to die. She was only six."

Years ran freely down Sarah's cheeks, "When Prince Vincent returned," she transitioned from a story to memories, "He found his family murdered along with several of the guards. The prince turned king believed his kindness the cause of the deaths. Believing it weakness he swore it off."

Sarah walked from behind the stones, "This does not justify his actions, he has done evil deeds since the death of his family, but those of us who knew him before this... Beast, hope that one day he will return to us as he once was. Malece, we saw a sliver of that today. Somehow, you brought mercy out of him."

Sarah studied the young woman for a response. She was not sure how Malece would respond, but because of everything that had happened, she deserved to know at least some of the story..
 
Malece looked to Sarah and then to the graves. As the story continued Malece felt her stomach flip with disgust and sadness. They perished all because a man took advantage of the good Prince's heart. But why were they buried here? When Sarah transitioned into memory, saying when Vincent returned from his duties, Malece looked at Sarah with shock. She felt her heart clench in her chest. This is what had happened to Vincent. This is what made him so cruel. This is what made him into the monster he was today. Malece couldn't hate him any longer... she knew why he was the way he was now... she couldn't bring herself to hate him.

It did not justify his crimes, but she felt like she understood why he did these things now. He blames himself for their deaths, when in reality, he had just shown kindness to someone who was a real monster. How could anyone kill children. Malece had joined Sarah in tears. She couldn't keep them in. She couldn't help but move closer to the grave stones, moving through the all, one at a time, stopping the longest at the smallest grave.

Six years old. Her life had only just begun and it had been ripped away from her.

She touched the marble grave stone, running her fingers over the etched name, Dia Jameson.

Malece looked to Sarah when she spoke again, saying that Malece had brought out a sliver of what Vincent had once been. She had been able to make Vincent have mercy. She didn't understand herself why he had done so, shown her mercy, but knowing that he was capable of it had somehow given Sarah hope that the prince from her story was still inside of this beast.

Malece moved over to Sarah and she hugged the older woman. "I didn't know..." she said softly, guilt in her voice. She had said such horrible things to Vincent but... she hadn't been lying. He was a monster, a beast but now she knew why.
 
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"It doesn't matter if you didn't know, dear. What the king allowed to be done to your father, to those people, was beastly. I am so sorry for what he has done. I cannot apologize enough and I know it would sound so much more meaningless if it came from him, but for now, mine will have to suffice," Sarah let a small smile creep across her face. It was the biggest one she could give considering their surroundings.

"The king hasn't been here in ages," Sarah turned to see that Gordon had joined them, "Sorry, his majesty would be beyond mad if I let anything befall young Beauty here." He gestured to the woman.

Sarah turned and looked up to the king's window, the curtains were closed which meant he was probably studying. When she looked at Gordon for answers, he nodded. She frowned.

"Beauty," she turned to the you woman, Sarah was sniffling out the last of her tears having finally pulled herself back together, "Is there anything else you wish to see?"

Gordon smiled, "There are paintings, and other artworks. The king collects things of beau-" Sarah's deathly gaze cut him off, "How about the city below? Or we could stay on the palace grounds, it is large and there is much to see." He offered.
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Vincent slammed his hand against the desk and jumped to his feet. Another damned book and still no counterspell. Angrily, he threw the book aimlessly and barely cringed as it crashed through the window toward the garden. He pinched his nose as he turned to look at the damage he had done.

He saw Sarah, Gordon and Beauty out still and called, "Don't touch it! I'll get it. It's my fault." He confessed. He pulled his red cloak off his chair and threw it over his shoulder. His brown shirt was loosely tied about his neck giving anyone a glimpse of the definition of his chest. His brown trousers ended around his black boots.

It only took him a moment to get out to the garden, but once there, he hesitated. Had he been paying attention, he would of had Sarah fetch the book for him rather than face their ghosts again.

Sarah and Gordon bowed out of his way and signaled for Beauty to do the same. Vincent's eyes settled on her, not expecting a bow, but just admiring. He had hurt her, murdered her father and many of the caravan that accompanied her. For this, he felt a twinge of regret. Weakness, he reminded himself.

"I've come for my book and nothing else," he justified to absolutely no one he needed to. But when he retrieved it, he found himself in the midst of the graves. His hand ran gently over his mother's stone.

"Come, dear," Sarah quietly spoke to Beauty, "We should leave him be. He hasn't been here in ages, remember?" Sarah tried to usher Beauty away.
 
Malece turned and looked seeing Gordon there. He had joined them when Malece had hoped to be alone. She then remembered she was still just part of Vincent's collection, nothing more. As Gordon spoke, Malece nodded her head. He was there because nothing was supposed to happen to the female. She was too beautiful to have that happen. She still did not think she was all that pretty. She looked like her mother, who she had always thought was the most beautiful person to Malece, so maybe they were seeing her mothers beauty.

She looked at them as they suggested things for her to do. She was about to open her mouth when a loud crash filled their ears. She looked to see a book come crashing into the garden, close to Malece's feet. She looked up, hearing Vincent yell out that he would get the book himself. She could see his frustration and she looked to the book once again. It was a similar book that she remembered her mother having. Malece acted of her own accord and she leaned down, picking the book up from the ground. She dusted it off a bit. She didn't have time to read the cover when she watched Gordon and Sarah bow, motioning for her to bow as well. She would not.

She instead looked up at Vincent. She could see the pain that he tried to hide from eyes. It was the same look she had in her eyes since her father was killed. She looked at him and did something odd. She moved out of the way and let him see the graves fully. He could stare at her later, he needed this moment to remember his loved ones, not just their love of beauty but them as people.

I've come for my book and nothing else. He said to the trio. Malece held the book out for him to take from her. But once he had, he didn't turn or leave. Instead he looked at the graves and even touched the stones.

Malece watched him as he did this and proceeded to do something odd once more. She moved from Sarah and Gordon and stood next to Vincent. She held her hands together and took in a gentle breath before she began singing softly. It was a song that her mother sang to grieving people to ease the pain in their hearts. Her voice, which was no longer hoarse and cracking, was soft and gentle and the wind picked it up and let it flow around them. The wind pushing her long hair behind her body as she sang the song until the end. When she had finished singing, she bowed fully to the graves, paying her respects to them before she turned and walked away just as Sarah had suggested.
 
Vincent was lost in his own world of grief when something invaded his ears. Music had crept its way in during his most vulnerable time. He closed his eyes as the song lifted his spirits from remembering the dead to the memories of the living. These memories stirred him a way nothing had in such a long time. Instead of feeling saddened, he felt joy. His heart joined in on a song he had never heard.

A single tear fell from his eye and fell from his chin. Only after catching it in his hand, did he open his eyes to look at it. Only then did he realize who had been singing. Her voice was just as beautiful as she was. She was a fitting addition to his memorial of beauty. But as she finished, and began to walk away, he felt the sting of guilt once more fill his heart.

"Wait," he asked, not commanded, hoping she would stop, "Beauty, I'm-," he struggled with the words he wished to say. His mind raged against him fighting against the words that were dancing on the edge of his tongue. His heart urged him on to part his lips and let them fall, "Thank you."

Those were not the words his heart called out for, but his mind had won. His heart wanted him to apologize, to tell her he was so sorry for what he had done. That he knew it was unforgivable but he hoped to make it up to her.he was growing weak, she was making him weak.

His brow narrowed at this realization and he spoke once again, "Be sure to be more pleasant at dinner, tonight." His voice was harsh, all manner of honey gone leaving only vinegar. This was not a request, but a command. He stormed past her angry that in his moment of vulnerability he had allowed her to make him weak. Back to his study he would go if no one stopped him.
 
Malece turned and looked at Vincent when he asked her to wait. She could see he was fighting with his mind, wanting to say something. Thank you, it seemed his mind had won the battle as he said the words to her. She then watched as the vulnerable man that had cried silently as she had sung, melted away and the beast returned. She watched as anger filled his eyes. He was then commanding her to be more pleasant tonight at dinner.

She knew this beast would not change after one song, but still his anger was unjustified. She watched him walk past him in anger. "Being vulnerable is not weakness, it shows your still human, deep inside," she said before he got too far from her. She did not expect him to stop or even acknowledge her words. She was just saying what was true. He was not being weak. He was showing humility and that is something very different from weakness.

She watched him leave, going back into the castle once more.

She sighed and looked at Sarah and Gordon. "Are there any large trees near by? Any apple trees, or anything like that," she asked them both. She felt an inching in her hands to climb. She wanted to feel the wind blowing past her and into the leaves. That was her music and it was something she wished to do. With this dress she had more movement like her old dresses and she could climb the tree with ease.

She wanted to just distract herself from the pain in her own heart.
 
Sarah nodded and the pair led Beauty to the apple orchard not far from the palace, "The king's father planted these trees when he was young. The king used to climb them when- well before," Sarah's eyes instinctually moved in the direction of the garden, "I will hold the basket if you want to climb the trees. I'm assuming that's why you asked?" She turned to Gordon, "You sir can wait at least two trees from us to avoid you looking for something your eyes have no right to view."

Gordon shifted his wait nervously and nodded, "Very well, I'll do that." He flashed an uneasy smile and moved two trees away.

"I'm all yours, dear," she smiled.
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Vincent plopped down in his chair behind his desk once again. He had another book opened in front of him, another spell book. But no matter how hard he tried to focus on it, he just couldn't. He had heard Beauty's words but was so embarrassed that he had shown weakness that he hurried off without retorting.

"Being vulnerable is not weakness, it shows you are still human, deep inside."

He was human, he hadn't changed. Justus method of ruling differed from his father's. Vulnerability was weakness. What did she know? She didn't let the man who killed her father in. She happened to be in e wrong place at the wrong time. Vincent was responsible for his family's death. That would never happen again.
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Time passed by quickly as he was once again able to focus. His work sucked him in as he tried desperately to find a way to lift the curse. A growl in pit of his stomach let him know that it was most likely dinner time. Like most of the other times, he was the first in the dining hall. He took his normal seat and waited for the other three before he would call on the food. Hopefully Beauty would behave herself. Vincent didn't want to kill her.
 
Malece seemed to relax more so the closer they got to the trees. She looked to Gordon. "May I have your gloves?" she asked him, having noticed the leather gloves the male had on. She didn't have her own pair so she would have to see if she cane get some gloves for her. She wondered if her boots had not been burned, but she highly thought they had not been destroyed. Once she had the gloves, she pulled them on. She then looked at Sarah and smiled before she moved to one of the tallest trees. She took in a deep breath, not even paying attention to Sarah's warning to Gordon as she began climbing the tree. She was agile and fast as she climbed.

She was smiling widely as she climbed up further and further, where the best fruit grew. She smiled to herself, the slight smell of apples filling her nose. She sat close to the trunk of the tree and she looked down at Sarah, smiling at the older woman. This time her eyes were not so pain filled. They were filled with some joy as she sat there for a few minutes. She began picking the fruit slowly, climbing down a few branches so she could put the apples into the basket.

She did this a few times until she just remained in the higher branches, after filling the basket with delicious and ripe apples. She looked up through the leaves, seeing all of the light shining through the green leaves. She took in a deep breath, feeling her chest ache a little as she thought about her brothers. They would love to be up here with her. She felt that sadness and pain fill her eyes once more and she closed her eyes, not wanting to cry again.

She began climbing down the branches until she was close to the bottom. She then proceeded to jump from the branch and land on the ground with a soft thud. She had don this a lot it seemed. She stood back up, brushing away anything that may have gotten on her dress before she took the gloves off of her hands. Looking at them had her remembering she had been using Isaiah's gloves to climb trees to get fruit. She felt a tear slide down her cheek but she wiped it away and cleared her throat. She held the leather gloves to Gordon. "Thank you," she said softly to him.

She lifted the basket up and held it in her arms, not letting anyone take it from her as they walked back to the castle.
 
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