Chapter Text
Introduction
Camelot had a quiet time and because of that Athur had decided to make the trip what did always once a year. He was going to go to the summer castle. Uther told him that his mother liked to pass the time in the enormous library what had and after his death she was buried behind the castle. When Arthur turned 16, he went to the castle once a year. He isn't interested in the library but he went to pay his respects to his mother, who died the day of his birth. Going there made him feel closer to her. He visits his grave and talk to her.
But the best part of this trip was that it was a vacation. He was accompanied with his best knights and part of the Camelot servants. Away from the obligations they dedicated to riding jousts among themselves, fighting and forgetting about the kingdom for a few days. The servants always hoped not to be chosen to accompany them. The cooks have to do banquets all day. Squires were forced to fight or serve as targets hidden behind a wooden target that they carried across the field while the prince and his knights threw knives at them. And the servants had to make sure that everything was perfect. Nothing could disturb the prince during his vacation.
After preparing everything, he left with his knights and the chosen servants. He already had several things in mind. It was like the previous years. He was going to enjoy every day off. Or at least that was what he expected because the first day turned out to be a stormy day that did not allow them to leave the castle. He sent the cooks to make a good feast that could enjoy without being able to go out and stayed inside having a nice chat with his knights. But before dinner there was a knock on the front door. Arthur tensed. Almost no one knew the location of the palace. If, for some reason, the royal family had to hide, that was where they would go. So behind the door there could only be troubles. Something must have happened in Camelot that required his presence. He sent one of the servants to open the door.
Behind the door, the servant only found an old druid woman that was looking for shelter from the rain. The servant made her wait and went to consult the prince.
- Are you kidding? -Arthur said went the servant told him the story.- This is a secret place. The locals cannot know about his existence. And the druids less. She can’t know I’m here. Don’t let her in.
- Do you really think that an old woman can be dangerous? -ask Lancelot- She must be hungry and tired.
- We can’t let her stay in the castle. Nearby there is a village. She will surely be welcome there. Give her the address and let her go. I should catch her for being a druid. She is lucky I let her go free.
The servant returned to the door to say this to the woman. Then Arthur hears her laugh. A sinister laugh that didn’t sound like an old woman’s laugh.
- So the young prince is going to leave a helpless old woman on the street under the rain.
Hering her, the young prince went immediately to the door.
- How do you know that I’m here? Who sent you?
- Send me? Nobody sends me, prince. I have to see if you are worthy of the crown. Whether your reign will be better than your father’s or will be much worse.
- A ragger old woman has no right to judge me.
- Really? I am the voice of your people.
- You are only one voice among thousands.
- Then I will make those thousands of voices see you as I have seen you today. Like a monster.
- Do you dare threaten the royal family?
- Oh dear, I dare to do much more than that. You have come with servants that you only see as objects. ou have come with knights who are sonly your loyal soldiers, And then there is you, who are just a monster incapable of taking in a poor old woman.
The sorceress raised her hands and spoke a few weird words. His eyes gleamed. Everyone present in the castle notices how the curse fell on them. Arthur felt intense pain run through him while his body was filled with hair and claws came out of his hands, his mouth had fangs and hos head horns. His body grew. When the intense pain passed, Arthus struggled to his feet and looked around. His knights and his servants had all changed. The sorceress gave him a mirror and Arthur was horrified at his new appearance.
- What have you done to me?
- Now everyone will see you as you really are. -After saying this she gave him a rose.- This rose represents your curse. Only if someone manages to love the beast before the last petal falls at the age of 21 can the curse be broken.
After saying that, she raised his hands and created a huge rose bush in front of the castle.There were red roses but in the center there were also some black ones.
- Each of these roses represents the days you have to break the curse. If any of them are torn off or die, one day will be subtracted from the remaining time. Take good care of each and every one of them. Even those as black as your heart. And that mirror I give to you is a window to the outside. You will see everything that happened and if someone really cares about you.
The beast went to jump on the old woman but she moved away.
- And if something happens to me, the curse will become unbreakable.
After saying that, the old woman left and Arthur locked himself in the castle. The news of the curse soon reached Uther’s ears, who had no choice but to keep it in secret. He couldn’t reveal that his son was under a magic spell. He despised magic and everything related to it. And according to the law his son should be executed. So he just found a solution.
And so it was that Uther announced the death of his only son and all Camelot felt his loss. The young prince could see how some mourned his death. Less than he would have expected. Others did even care or worse, they celebrated. Those who most celebrated his death were the druids. They celebrate that after Uther’s death there would be no other Pendragon to occupy the throne. And Arthur hates them. He hated all the magic wielders because it was their fault that this curse had fallen not only on him and his knights but also on the innocent servants in the castle.
His father went on with his life pretending that his son had died and Arthur feared that if he ever dared to return his father would hunt him down until death was real. So he had no choice but stay locked up with his servants and loyal knights in the summer castle where no one ever went. It didn't take long for him to give up and accept that this was the way he would be for the rest of his life. Because, even if someone found him, who would be able to love a beast?