Chapter Text
Once upon a time, in the hidden heart of France, the handsome Prince Dazai Osamu lived in a beautiful castle.
Dazai stood in front of a mirror, preparing for a ball. A dark suit and tie with his many bandages created an air of mystery in the young man.
Although he had everything his heart desired, the prince was selfish and unkind.
He finished tightening his tie when his butler called out to him. “It’s time, sire.”
He taxed the village to fill his castle with the most beautiful objects and his parties with the most beautiful people.
Raised above the dancers and servants, Dazai sat on his throne. As a redhead began to play the piano, the prince watched as the ladies and men danced. He stood and joined. A talented singer with long black hair pinned into an elegant, braided bun began singing.
(Akira) “Oh, how divine,
Glamour, music, and magic combine,”
Dazai moved gracefully from partner to partner as they attempted to keep his attention.
(Akira) “See the people so anxious to shine,
Look for a sign that enhances chances,
They’ll be his special one!”
As the music swelled, the dancing became more intricate. The women and men whirled around Dazai, gowns flaring as they pirouetted and leaped around the dancefloor.
(Akira) “What a display,
What a breathtaking, thrilling array,
Ev’ry prince, ev’ry dog has his day,”
Dazai moved smoothly through the sea of dancers to the front, standing with his back to the hall’s doors as he watched and enchanting spectacle before him.
(Akira) “Let us sing with passion, gusto,
Fit to bust oh!
Not a care in the world—”
A knock sounded at the door. Freezing in place, all the dancers turned in shock as thunder struck and door blew open. In stepped an old, haggard man, battered from the raging storm. The wind howled as it extinguished the candles on the chandeliers, throwing the ballroom into darkness.
Then, one night, an unexpected intruder arrived at the castle, seeking shelter from the bitter storm.
Dazai was handed a candle so he could see as he approached the man. Angry at his fun being interrupted, the young prince loomed over the beggar.
As a gift, he offered the prince a single, strangely green rose.
Scornful of such a “pitiful” payment, Dazai laughed derisively. His guests joined him.
Repulsed by his haggard appearance, the prince turned the old man away.
Smirking with smug pride, the brown-haired young man dropped the rose to his feet, showing his disdain clearly.
But the beggar warned him not to be deceived by appearances.
The candle in Dazai’s hand blew out without a gust of wind to affect it. All sound quieted. Tension weighed heavy in the air.
For beauty is found within. When the prince dismissed him again, the old man’s outward appearance faded away…
Picking up the rose, the beggar began to glow gold. Dazai and his companions look on in shock and building fear.
…to reveal a handsome sorcerer.
All the fearful guests hurried to move away as the sorcerer floated into the air, surrounded with power and magic. Dazai fell to his knees, understanding the gravity of his current situation and regretting his previous actions.
The prince begged for forgiveness, but it was too late, for the sorcerer had already that there was no love in his heart. As punishment, he transformed the prince into a hideous beast and placed a powerful spell on the castle and all who lived there.
The man held the rose up and watched as Dazai’s form changed to match the twisted shape of his heart.
As days bled into years, the prince and his servants were forgotten by the world. The sorcerer had erased all memory of them from the minds of the people they loved. But the rose he had offered was truly an enchanted rose. If the prince could learn to love another and earn their love in return by the time the last petal fell, the spell would be broken. If not, he would be doomed to remain a beast for all time.
A hopeless, monstrous Dazai gazed at the emerald rose mournfully. He reached out and caressed the glass protecting it, longing for its petals to stop falling.
As the years passed, he fell into despair and lost all hope. For who could ever learn to love a beast?