ma bête

[beheld_beauty]

Beast seems to be sleeping in a bit this morning. Perhaps he has had a good dream. Belle can study on her own, anyway.

Comments

[beheld_beauty]

"Maybe. Do you want me to look for that, too?" laughs Belle.

[deslandes]

"I'd like it," he says.

[beheld_beauty]

"You have very odd tastes," she says, and she starts looking, taking notes for a meta-index as she goes.

[deslandes]

He laughs.

[beheld_beauty]

A woman's voice, speaking Callian but accented with significant Albion, calls from the front hall.

"Hello? Is anyone home?"

[deslandes]

The Beast is confused.

[beheld_beauty]

So is Belle!

"Hello!" calls she-of-Albion-accent again. "I got lost, and there was a fire and it chased me here, and I'm not packed for a long trip, and I can't find my friends! Can someone help me? Isn't there anyone here?"

[deslandes]

He looks up at Belle.

"Do you want to go and explain?"

[beheld_beauty]

"I - sure. Probably best if I warn her what you'll look like to her."

Belle gets up and goes to the entrance hall.

"Oh! Someone is here! Hello - I'm Chelise - what is this place, who are you?"

"I'm Belle," says Belle. "I'm afraid you're stuck here - the castle is cursed, it's just us and Beast - despite the name he's quite friendly, though."

"Oh - well - but my friends -"

"You're welcome to try finding them, but you'll find that the curse will turn you around and bring you straight back here, and your friends will find that they're turned away if they wind up heading towards us," sighs Belle. "I'm sorry - I do understand; I was looking for my father when I got drawn in."

"But," says Chelise, "but then how long do I have to stay here - without any of my friends?"

"I'm really sorry," sighs Belle. "It's until I manage to break the curse - I'm studying enchanting - or until one of us manages to fall in mutual love with Beast."

"Oh. Well. Can you introduce me, then?" asks Chelise.

"Yes, but you should be warned that he's cursed too - he doesn't look human at the moment."

"That's all right, isn't he still a person?" says Chelise.

"Yes."

"If my friends aren't going to find me I'd better make friends with you two, hadn't I?" says Chelise reasonably.

And the two young women go into the library. Chelise is blonde and blue-eyed and a little older than Belle, plainer in the face but with a friendly expression to Belle's resignation. "Hello," she says to the Beast. "I'm Chelise."

[deslandes]

"Hello, Chelise."

[beheld_beauty]

"I guess Belle has a lot of studying to do! Let's go talk somewhere we won't bother her and get to know each other!" says Chelise.

[deslandes]

He laughs.

"All right," he says, and gets up off the floor.

[beheld_beauty]

"Show me around?" asks Chelise winningly. "Do I get my own room? Is this your castle, it's huge."

Belle returns to her books.

[deslandes]

"I've lived here a long time," he says, "but I don't think it's ever been mine. Why don't I show you the empty rooms, and you can choose one?"

[beheld_beauty]

"That sounds good to me!" says Chelise.

[deslandes]

So he shows her the empty rooms.

[beheld_beauty]

And she picks one that is near a room in his wing that he appears to use, though it's not the only member of that category.

Apparently with Belle working on escape route number one, Chelise is going to throw herself into escape route number two.

[deslandes]

...The Beast is amused.

[beheld_beauty]

Chelise sits down on her newly chosen bed. "You look soft," she says speculatively.

[deslandes]

He laughs, and sprawls on the floor with his head in her lap.

[beheld_beauty]

He gets petted very enthusiastically, and Chelise laughs.

[deslandes]

He is soft and fluffy and pettable!

And purring.

[beheld_beauty]

"Aww, you're adorable. How long has Belle been here? Did she just go straight to the magic books? That's not very flattering."

[deslandes]

"She wants to be in love with me but she does not know how," he says. "So, magic."

[beheld_beauty]

"Is there a way to magic people in love with other people?" says Chelise with fascination.