Chapter Text
Once upon a time, in a land far away, there lived a handsome prince of a small town. His parents die in an accident, suddenly leaving him to handle the affairs of their small town at the age of eighteen. Angered by the sudden loss of his parents' lives and the immense responsibility of caring for his town falling on his shoulders, the young man became bitter and closed himself off to the rest of the world.
His anger at the loss of his parents turned him into a broken shell of a man, and he drove everyone away with his quick temper. The only ones who stayed were just a few of his servants who have been loyal to his family ever since he was born.
One stormy night, a frail, elderly woman approached the castle where he lived, seeking shelter from the storm outside. She asked if she might be able to stay, perhaps drink a glass of water or have a bite of bread to stave off her hunger, but the man was wary of strangers, believing them to be thieves or murderers. He loudly turned the elderly woman away, his uncouth manner of speech insulting her. The wrinkles on her face faded away into a youthful glow, and her white crown of hair became a river of luscious raven locks.
"On this day forth, I curse thee, Yami Sukehiro, to turn into an unsightly beast! You must learn to love someone more than you love yourself. And, they must love you in return. You must do so before the last petal of this rose falls. Should you fail, you will remain a beast for all eternity!"
With a wave of her hands, the prince transformed into an enormous, hulking monster, covered head to toe in thick, black fur. He grew jagged teeth, pronounced fangs, and large paws with sharp claws. He glances at a mirror and roars, a sound that terrified all who lived in the town, and forced them to flee. The townspeople believed that the prince may have been murdered by a beast, and the rumours of a monster living in the castle have ceased any more attempts at the prince's life or his riches.
*
Just a few miles away, there lived a humble family blessed with a daughter with sunbeams for hair and blue skies for eyes. All throughout her village, she was praised for her incredible appearance, but she was more interested in becoming strong than being beautiful.
Because of this, many found her to be cold and aloof. Men still adored her, constantly asking for her hand in marriage, while women were jealous of her, believing that the gift of beauty was wasted on someone who did not care about appearances.
Her parents, however, allowed the girl to exist as she is. Their only hope was that their daughter will one day find someone who would share her interests and someone whom she could rely on.
One day, her merchant father prepares to travel to sell his wares to a nearby town. "Charlotte, what would you like me to bring back for you?"
"Nothing, father. I am content with everything I have now," she replies with a smile, giving her father a kiss on the cheek and bids him safe travels. As his only child, her father asks again, "Are you sure? Nothing is too precious for my daughter."
"Hmm," she thinks, "Bring me back an item that reminds you of me. Anything will do, Father. As long as you come home safe, that would be the best gift of all."
He smiles, stroking his daughter's cheek, "Alright, my dear. Take care of your mother while I'm away." And with that, he rides off into the familiar beaten-down path, his horse drawing the cart full of knick-knacks to sell. The merchant's wife and daughter wave him goodbye, as the horse carries him away.
The day wears on, and the man finds himself lost in the woods, sunset fast approaching. That's strange, he thinks. He has been on this road many, many times before, but the ground appears unfamiliar today. Sol, his horse, whinnies and wearily flicks her hoof to rid itself of the mud caked on her hoof. The merchant tries to backtrack, but the growth on the ground and the patches of mud have erased what little trace of where he had come from. The dwindling light of the sun also did not help in finding his way back to where he started. Hearing wolves howling from a distance, the merchant scans his surroundings for a place to stay, and sees a stony castle looming in the distance. With trepidation, the man guides his horse and carriage towards the dark castle, hoping to find brief shelter in the storm.
He finds a tall gate of iron guarding the castle entrance, surrounded by a wall of stone. The merchant hesitates to enter, but he could hear shuffling in the trees nearby, so he pushes the gate open. Just then, a trio of white wolves with glowing red eyes attack him and his horse. Before the merchant could reel her in, Sol runs away, spooked by the ferocious beasts. The man has no choice but to run towards the wooden door of the castle, which opens automatically before he could even knock, and shuts itself quickly before a wolf could latch its fangs on the merchant's arm.
Frightened by the experience, the man slowly rises from the floor, taking in the sight around him. A dimly-lit castle greets him, not a soul stirring, yet he finds a lit candelabra on the ground where he had fallen.
"Is anybody home?" he calls out. The echo of his voice is seemingly the only proof that someone is alive in this castle. Still, the merchant thinks it would only be polite to ask, "I need a place to stay for the night. Please pardon my intrusion."
Curiosity bests him, and the merchant explores what is left of the castle, where many household objects lay scattered about. He finds a neat wooden clock, a teapot and a chipped teacup, a feather duster — random, unrelated items grouped together in a pile on the corner.
In the corner of his eye, he spots a hedge of roses through the windows facing out from the back of the great room. His eyes widen at the sight of full, blue roses blooming under the moonlight, and immediately thinks of his daughter. He goes out into the garden, walking towards a hedge, and plucks an enormous bloom carefully. This will be the perfect gift.
However, his excitement is short-lived when he hears a terrifying roar coming from inside the castle and heading to where he is now.
"Who dares to steal from me?!" the voice booms, terrifying the merchant so much that he drops the rose from his trembling hands. He stands frozen in place. All he could do was wait for judgment to pass.