True Beauty

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Philippe shrugged his large shoulders. "We used to have guests come all the time when my mother was still alive. And this castle has been around for a few centuries. I do have some travelers come and go whenever they are lost or caught in bad weather like your cousin was. Let me show you to your room."

He closed the door and walked further down the hall.
 
April continued to follow Philippe down the hall. It was heartwarming to hear that he helped people whom got lost or was caught up in storms, even though that had been exactly what had brought her there. "You've mentioned your mother a few times already, but I still haven't heard a single word of how she was as a person." She mentioned. The few times he had brought her up it had mainly been about how he had treated her badly or that guests used to come when she lived there, but no hints of how she acted. It started to make her curious. "Won't you tell?"
 
"My mother..."

He sighed. "My mother was the sweetest, most patient woman. She never raised her voice, never held a grudge. Everyone loved her. Even though I treated her like she was nothing, she still loved me and wanted everything to do with me. I wish I could take everything I told her back. She was sick for the longest time and one night, she went to sleep and never woke up."

He covered his eyes with one hand.
 
Tears started to fill her eyes, but they didn't fall down. "I am so sorry." She told him as she laid a gentle hand on his furry back, stroking down as she used to do when comforting her brother or cousins. There was nothing else she could do or say. She knew how it was to loose ones parents, she knew how it felt to miss them and having unsaid things. But never had she nor her brother treated their parents badly before their passing, so at least they didn't have those actions to regret.
 
"There's no need to feel sorry," he said, feeling her hand on his back. "But I appreciate it."

He stopped and opened a door. "This is your room."
 
"Thank you for showing me around." She told him as they came to her room. "I think I'll retire to my room now if you don't mind. I'm a bit tired." While she was physically feeling quite alert, she was definitely emotionally tired. Some alone time would be needed.
 
"As you wish. I'll see you this evening."

He turned around and walked back towards the stairway.
 
April closed the door behind herself and shortly after collapsed on the bed. Without completely knowing why she started to cry. Was it for her family, which whom she might never see again? Or was it because of the curse that had forced the beast into such a lonely state, which also had resulted in her being made to stay there. Or was it because her family would have to make up an excuse to Rupert to why she weren't going to come back and he eventually could force them out of the house if the didn't get the right amount of money? There was a lot of things being in her mind, but non of them seemed to be worth crying for, as they all had something good to them also.

Maybe she just needed to break down for some moments even though there wasn't much to cry for. Philippe was treating her nicely, and maybe her cousin one day would visit if he dared. Her family would now save money as they did have one less mouth to feed and could give Rupert more and pay of their debt faster. And Philippe seemed certain or at least hopeful that the spell soon would be broken, so why shouldn't she?

She soon fell asleep, exhausted after a night without sleep, traveling and crying. After some hours she woke up and it was early evening. A sigh escaped her lips. "I hope this doesn't mean I won't be able to sleep tonight." She mumbled to herself before getting off the bed. After having yawned and stretched her arms she walked towards the door and out into the corridor.
 
Philippe paced back and forth in the dining room. What if she decided she didn't like him after all? What if her family decided to come back for her? What if someone comes after her? What if...?

He shook his head. There was no use trying to answer these questions right now.

He looked up when he heard April coming out of her room.
 
"Philippe?" She called as she walked down the stairs. She wondered if there was any chance for her to get some company from the servants at some point in her stay there, but she guessed the chance was slim as they didn't seem very keen on showing themselves. At least she had one person to keep her company. While she wasn't certain how to feel about Philippe yet, she at least knew he was trying his best, and so far he hadn't been a bad companion even though he brought up some awkward matters, like marriage, sometimes.
 
He turned his head and saw April. "I noticed that you didn't emerge from your room for a while. Are you all right?"

Don't bring up marriage again, don't bring up marriage again...

He walked over to the chair and pulled it from under the table and patiently waited for her to come down and sit.
 
April blushed and turned her eyes towards the ground. Had she been gone for so long that he started to worry?

"I fell asleep." She confessed as she walked towards the seat and sat down. "I didn't get any sleep last night." She then explained, though not telling him why as that probably would make them both depressed.
 
"Oh, all right. I was just wondering."

He cleared his throat. "Would you like to eat?"
 
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"You don't have to be so nervous." She told him with a smile, definitely feeling some tension coming from him. "And yes, I would love to eat dinner with you." At this point she had clearly decided to do the best of her situation, and try to make it easier for both of them. Making sure she included him was one step, making sure they were both feeling comfortable was another.
 
"It's not that I'm nervous," he replied, taking his seat, "it's just that I haven't really had any type of interaction for such a long time. It's rather difficult for someone like me to have interactions with another person when I have basically been alone."

He folded his hands for a moment before he filled his goblet with some wine. He gestured at April if she wanted some.
 
April became slightly embarrassed for having assumed things, but she tried to keep her spirit somewhat high. "Well... Just try to relax a bit." She suggested. When he asked her if she wanted wine with a slight gesture, she shook her head. "No thanks, I get drunk far too easily. My body can't handle any kind of alcohol very well."
 
"I'll remember that. Would you like me to pass you anything?"

Philippe was helping himself to some of the ham.
 
April reached for some potatoes close by and laid up a few on her plate. "Could you pass me the chicken?" She then asked as it stood much closer to him.

"So is this castle a family heritage, or was it your parents that bought it?" She then asked curiously. His mother seemed like a somewhat social person from the little she had heard, so thinking that she would want to move into a place so secluded seemed slightly odd. People had been able to get there obviously, but still. If it was something that had been in their family for generation on the other hand, then it probably would be hard to just leave.
 
"Of course." He picked up the platter of chicken and passed it to her. "This castle has been in my family for countless generations. My mother didn't seem to mind that the castle was secluded. She still had the servants and the people who were close to her."

He picked up the tiny fork and knife and started to cut some of the ham on his plate.
 
April took the chicken and laid up two pieces on her plate before she started to eat. "Why did your servants stay after the curse was put on you? If they're so uncomfortable by just being in the same room as their master, why not try to find another place?" She asked. They were clearly afraid of him, or at least didn't want to be close to him, wasn't it just self torturing for both parties? Them because they are afraid of the master they have to serve, and Philippe because he knows exactly what his servants thinks of him.
 
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