Chapter Text
In a small peasant town like the one I had been stuck in all my life, people like to talk. I guess that's how any rumor gets started, rooted in boredom and human instinct to judge. I'd always tried to avoid confrontations of the sort, resolved to indulge in a novel instead of participate in the daily gossip of the town.
There was one legend, however, that could not escape even me.
The village people spoke of a beast.
They told such stories to their children, frightening them off and preventing them from ever venturing too far from town and into the looming forest on its outskirts. They spoke of a man, cruel and heartless that resided outside of the town on an isolated ridge. They told stories of his demeanor and actions, most of them could only be described as evil and ruthless. It was said that he isolated himself in his castle, hiding from the outside world, only coming down occasionally to ravish a village or capture stray children whose wandering feet and curiosity had taken them too far. It was unavoidable that every time something went amiss, the beast was to blame.
I shook off their stories, never paying much attention to the nonsense. I'd never given it more thought than I'd given Little Red Riding Hood, a story I'd indulged in hundreds of times, and their whispers escaped me as I would often continue on with my day.
The tales of the beast were the last thing on my mind as I scoured the forest in the thick evening fog for my father. He'd been missing for a few days and I'd grown terribly worried. I'd tried to gather some of the other townspeople but none of them had seemed very concerned that my father was missing and reassured me that he would be home in good time. None of them had ever liked him much anyways, I wasn't sure they even liked me for that matter.
None of that mattered however as I followed the path through the eerie treacherous forest to a set of gates. Behind them, a dark castle that looked like it belonged in a nightmare loomed ominously in the moonlight.
I stepped off of my horse hesitantly, moving towards the gates with caution. I caught sight of my father's traveling cloak blowing in the wind, just behind the gates and gasped, lunging forward.
"Father," I breathed, rushing towards the dark castle in haste.
I rushed up to the large double doors and banged on them with all my might. "Father!" I called as the cool night wind wrapped around me, blowing my dark hair every which way.
I waited and continued to rap on the door, but no one came. Alas, I pushed it open, stepping hesitantly inside. The room was large and dark. I could barely make out a stair case towards the back through the light of a dimly lit fire. The air was still and quiet. It was warm, but that didn't stop the goose bumps from raising on my arm as I took another step into the seemingly abandoned home.
"Father!" I called again, my voice echoing off the wide expanse of the walls.
Realizing I was alone, I quickly moved to search the castle for any sign of my father. I rushed down hallways, dark and quiet, finding nothing and almost getting lost in the process. The house was huge.
At last I heard the faint sound of coughing and gasped as I followed it up a dark and winding staircase. "Father!" I called as I rushed up the stairs of what I now realized was a tower and into an even darker and mustier room.
The room was entirely made of stone, cold and damp, hay was scattered across the floor and piled in the corner.
"Y/N!" I heard my father gasp in surprise as he stifled another sickly cough.
"Father!" I rushed towards him where he was locked in a small cell in a corner of the room.
"Y/N! What are you doing here?! You must leave! Now! Run, my darling," he encouraged with sad eyes as I leaned forward to gasp his ice cold hands.
"You're freezing," I whispered. "I have to get you out of here. Who did this to you!" I demanded as I fumbled reaching for the locks and prying at them hopelessly. I tugged on the rod iron of the cell to no avail and huffed in defeat and despair.
I jumped in surprise as I heard a door open behind me with brute force and slam shortly after with the same strength.
"Who dares to intrude upon the solitude of my home!" A voice boomed in the darkness. I scanned the piercing darkness but couldn't see him, only a faint outline of his silhouette as my eyes adjusted to the dim light. "What are you doing here!" he roared, the testosterone and anger in his voice was enough to cause me to jump back in fear and grasp my father's hand tighter.
"I-I came to find my father. He was gone for so long, I feared the worst and… you have to let him go! Why are you doing this? Please, release him!" I begged as I clutched on my father's hand tightly.
"He trespassed on my property and is therefore now my prisoner. It was his own foolishness that landed him here," the man explained clearly, anger still lacing his every word.
"Who are you?" I couldn't stop myself from asking as my curiosity overwhelmed me.
"I am the master of this castle," was his short reply. "And you don't belong here. You have few moments to leave before your fate becomes the same as his," he warned in an icy tone.
"But sir, please, he is old and sick, he can't stay here, he will not survive it," I begged, the desperation in my voice surprising even me.
"That is not my concern, girl, now be on your way!" he roared, turning to head towards the doorway once again.
"Wait!" I called in desperation. He paused but did not turn.
"Take me instead," my voice was almost a whisper. I hung my head as I waited for his reply.
I saw his form turn towards me, calculatingly moving forward as he watched me.
"You wish to trade your life for his," he stated in confirmation, a hint of shock laced his tone.
"Yes."
"Y/N! No! Don't do this! I am an old man, I've lived my life. Yours is only starting, don't throw it away for me, I won't let you!" My father protested desperately. "Y/N, my darling, please, I love you, I beg of you, do not do this."
I remained silent as I gazed back up at the dark figure. After a moment and without warning, he lit a match, moving to the wall to hold it against a torch hanging there that ignited quickly. He took the torch in his hands and stepped forward, his eyes appraising me.
I audibly gasped at the sight before me. The man gazing back at me was incredibly more beautiful than anything I'd seen in my entire life. His eyes were a piercing green, staring at me with such cold calculation that had to glance away. His jaw was firm and strong, an accenting feature on his face, and his hair; soft and short, dark blond making his face glitter in a way that quite literally took my breath away. He was like a furious burning fire. That man could burn any woman's heart only if he pleases.
His eyes roamed my body, top to bottom as he leaned down and squatted in front of me, moving the flame closer to my frame huddled on the floor as he observed me. His eyes moved to my hands where they clutched my father's frail ones and then his gaze met my own again.
"Fine. You will certainly be of far more use to me than your old man. I was planning to let him rot."
Relief swept over me as he reached in his pocket and pulled out a ring of keys. He turned to me once more, hesitating as he held the lock in his hand.
"You realize that you are giving your freedom, you very life, to me," he stated evenly.
I nodded sadly and he watched me for a moment before nodding and releasing my father from his steel confines.
My father stood abruptly, moving towards me as if to embrace me, tears in his eyes. He never got the chance however as the man whose name I had yet to learn grabbed him roughly and pulled him away.
I blinked fast, tears gathering behind my eyes as I glimpsed at my father. "Can I not at least say goodbye?" I begged. "I'll never seem him again; can you not grant me at least a goodbye?"
His brows furrowed in disgust. "What makes you think you deserve one," he growled, pulling my father across the room swiftly as I raced after him, screaming that I loved him, before the door was slammed in my face and I collapsed onto the cold hard tile in defeat.
The reality of what had just happened hit me with full force as sobs began to wrack my body and the tears I'd been blinking back in the strangers presence fell with unstoppable fury.
I climbed over to the narrow window of the tower as I heard the sound of hooves trotting quietly in the night air. I watched, desperate for one last glimpse of my father as the carriage carried him away and out of my life for good.
Had I been in a different state of mind, I might have wondered at where the driver had come from and how come I had not seen him upon my search of the castle.
Alone with my thoughts and alone in the world, I brought my knees to my chest and hugged them tightly as I let my grief consume me, and my tears run free.
It was mere minutes later when the door opened again and the man stepped forward abruptly. Something about the way he held himself commanded absolute power and respect. He was dangerous, and I could see it in his eyes cold and calculating as they watched me.
I looked up, wiping stray tears from my cheeks as I gazed at him in curiosity.
"Your name is Y/N," he stated at last, having heard my father call me by it.
I nodded. "Yes, that's my name," I whispered softly. "And... what is yours?" I asked hesitantly.
His brows furrowed.
"You do not speak unless spoken to or otherwise told, is that clear?" he roared in anger as his stance stiffened.
My own eyebrows creased in anger at the motion. If there was one thing I hated, it was being told what to do.
"You cannot tell me when I am allowed to speak! That is a right of my own choosing," I spat.
In a second he lunged forward and was kneeling in front of me, his face inches from mine; his breathe escaped in angry spurts and hit my face.
He reached forward and wrapped one large strong hand around my neck, the force of his fingers alone leaving me gasping for air.
"You are my prisoner now and therefore you are mine. I own you. Every fucking bit of you, sweetheart," he growled, his eyes wandering my body before reconnecting with mine.
"You lost each one of your rights when you swore yourself to me in exchange for his life. I tell you when to eat and when to breathe and any resistance of my control or backtalk will strictly not be tolerated. Did I make myself clear?" He whispered his words harsh and sharp as he spat them at me.
I nodded feverishly, hoping that if I complied his hand would release its death grip on me and I would finally be able to taste precious air again.
He drew his hand back and I clutched my neck, gasping as I stared at him with wide eyes.
His eyes bore into mine as he stood, shooting me one last warning glance before turning towards the door.
"A few days in the tower will do you good. Start learning your place here, girl, you won't be leaving any time soon," he warned before slamming the door behind him and leaving me alone in the cold damp room with my thoughts, fears and the never ending tears.
Beautiful, but beast!