Beauty & The Beast PDF

Beauty & The Beast The only reason you remain in the village is because of your father, but at this rate, he is far too sick to be of any help. You are unwed, and you do what you can to scrape pennies off the ground and feed both you and your father. Although now the...

Beauty & The Beast The only reason you remain in the village is because of your father, but at this rate, he is far too sick to be of any help. You are unwed, and you do what you can to scrape pennies off the ground and feed both you and your father. Although now the man is a mere shell of what he used to be, he fights every single day to ensure you are safe at his side. Even he knows that the only reason you have yet to be forced to the streets is because he still draws breath. “My darling angel, every breath I take is for you. Please, don’t waste precious moments with me, enjoy your youth, take your time, and find another who will protect you better than I could protect your mother…” Your father says his frail, bony hand cupping your cheek, gently caressing just under your eye. You stare down at him with a sad smile. His cheeks are sunken, he has bags under his eyes, and you have no idea how he manages to even reach up to caress your cheek right now let alone open his eyes. He loves you, more than anyone ever could just by staying alive for you he proves it every day, the least you could do was return his love by taking care of him. “Save your energy, please Father. Even now, there is nothing I’d rather do than stay home, and read books at your side.” Leaning into his hand, you find a small amount of warmth, not as much as there was when you were a child. When he would tuck you in after reading you a book, caress your cheek, and kiss your forehead goodnight. You close your eyes and go back to those moments, it was almost enough to bring tears to your eyes. Once you open them, your father has fallen asleep, something he does frequently now that he has gotten so old. Although you don’t mind, you get up, grab the covers, and lift them to cover his shoulders so he will remain warm. Then you throw on your cloak and grab your change, preparing to leave for more groceries. This…happened exactly four– no six hours ago, early in the morning when the birds were singing, the sun seemed brighter, and everything had gone…too well. You were strong-spoken, and far too headstrong for everyone in the village's liking. Despite the disapproval of many in the village, you were also blessed with great beauty and were widely regarded as the fairest in the land. However, this outward charm belied several flaws that the village folk found distasteful. For example, you had an unusual habit of reading, which was not common among others in your village especially the young girls you were determined to share this love of learning with. Those same young girls were often forced to do their family's laundry instead of attending school or playing with their peers. Your outspoken nature often brought you into conflict with the men of the village, who found it difficult to tolerate a woman who refused to be silent or submissive. On one particular occasion, you had berated and cursed a drunken man for making unwanted advances on a young woman. While the woman was grateful for your intervention, many of the villagers looked at you with hatred and judgment. Despite this, you never found yourself one to shy away from confrontation when presented to you, nor have you backed down from your word. These are not the reasons you stand trapped in the carriage, locked away as a sacrifice of sorts from those villagers you have never once seen as friends or even as acquaintances. No, you sit as a prisoner- well, more as a sacrifice, because you rejected a marriage proposal from the village “Hero”, although he’s more of a brute to you. It was cold, the most heat you felt right now was the fire burning from within you as you beat your fist against the iron bars in that window, struggling to hold back tears. “Turles! You retched Bastard! You killed my father!” You shout for the umpteenth time tonight, and that bandit, that barbaric monster turns to you and laughs. He lets out a roar of laughter from the deepest pit of his stomach, and the others follow suit, all finding amusement in your grief. Some of the older women looked at you, others cheered along. Younger women looked on with sad eyes full of pity or sympathy, understanding that no matter how loud you screamed no one would believe you. Especially not now that your father was no longer at your side, your word meant nothing. “Look at them! Just as mad as that stubborn old buffoon! Letting his spawn learn to read, a disgrace he is! Sulling such beauty with foolish Ideals!” His tone of voice goes from laughter to straight mockery as he turns to the crowd and then glances back at you, taking several steps towards the carriage he puts on a show of them taking you away. Throwing his hands up, he smirks as the crowd cheers before he even lets out a word, and all you can do is scowl through your teary vision. “The monster's master demands a bride, in exchange for a lifetime’s worth of protection from its deathly claws! It is just our luck, we have found a suitable unwed bride fresh for the taking! One of many that is!” He says, and you aren’t stupid. He threw that last part in on purpose as if it wasn’t enough that he had your father murdered, but his insistent pursuit of your hand in marriage was enough to make your stomach churn. You cannot bear it any longer, you grip the bars of the carriage as they prepare to bring you to what you can assume to be your demise. The first thing that came to mind was your beloved father’s smiling face, fading into his corpse as it swung from the ceiling. “Curse you! Every last man, woman, beast! I curse you down to your graves! My father… he did not deserve the fate you forced upon him! Turles, you coward!” You shout, and the crowd goes quiet, especially once they see that Turles is no longer smiling. Instead turning to look at you, eyes wide with fury, mouth partially agape.  Knowing that you affected him so much, brought you some satisfaction, but knowing your fate wasn’t enough. Especially when he turned and started laughing again, this time harder than before, and once again… the men laughed with him. It wasn’t fair, watching him laugh at your pain once again, brush off your words as if they meant nothing as if a simple no didn’t result in him committing murder. You shut your eyes, turning your head away from the scene you could hear Turles jump onto his horse, and you felt the carriage begin to move. You leaned back in the seat, there was nothing left but to accept your fate. “The foolish tramp calls me a coward, and yet has lived with one their whole life! Those books have clearly done nothing for them if they can’t tell the difference between a hero and a coward!” He boasted as he hopped onto the stallion, and spewed more nonsense, how he’d save the village no matter the cost and be the hero once more. Then he slapped the horse's handles down onto it and you all began riding away. The majority of it was filled with silence, and it bothered you to no extent. Then again, hearing Turles’s voice would not have helped ease your mind, so you simply listen to the wheels as they trudge through the rough roads, which smooth out temporarily as the laughter from the village dies down at last. Your eyes remained shut, and not once have you opened them as you sat by the window, the breeze not comforting in the slightest. The last thing you expected to see when you returned home just an hour ago, was to see your father hanging from the ceiling, Turles and some of his lackeys standing there, mocking looks on their faces as they goated about you having nobody left to protect you from the fate of the streets. You remember, how your heart sunk to your stomach, how you sobbed and shoved them out of the way, falling to your knees you sobbed at your father's swinging feet, crying out to him, hoping it was some cruel joke. You can only Imagine how they celebrate your “sacrifice.”. Drinking, laughing, dancing, etc. The fun they have at your expense is sickening, but not nearly as sickening as Turles’s gaze as he stares at you while you all ride along the trail leading to the “life:” that awaits you. You don’t expect him to say anything. Unfortunately, he moved closer to the carriage on the horse and knocked on the bars. “Look at me.” He says as if he has any nerve to be frustrated when he takes everything from you. You didn’t budge, and you could feel the anger radiating off of him as his eyes glared holes into the side of your head.  “ if you’d just agree to be my bride… I could make this all go away. You return to the village, stop with those useless teachings, and be a proper wife. We’d make incredible children, and I could just as easily find a harlot on the side of the road to put in your place.” He whispers through gritted teeth, trying to make his words sound sweet but you know the threats behind them. Marry me or die, it’s as simple as that. There was nothing subtle about him saying he’d pluck some poor woman from her home, probably the next one to reject a man’s proposal or advances. It made you sick to think about how easy it was to just throw some poor woman to the wolves as if they were cattle to trade for goods. He took your silence for what it was, rejection. He banged his fist against the iron bars. “You stubborn wrench!” he berated you once again, and the road further away from the cart. Leaving you to your thoughts. Once you all inevitably arrived at your new hell, you finally would open your eyes, once they ripped you from the carriage seat, the first thing you did was slap the first lackey you were closest to. His head snapped to the side, and before he could lash out and possibly beat you till black and blue, you were grabbed and dragged away by another. Looking up, you see the ancient yet beautiful stone walls towering above you. As the carriage gets closer, you notice the intricate details carved into the stone, depicting mythical creatures and intricate patterns. The castle gates are made of heavy wood, covered in vines and moss, giving it a sense of age and mystery. ‘How long has it been since anyone has been here?’ you think to yourself and can hear Turles stifle his mocking laughter. As you enter the courtyard, you're surrounded by a variety of trees and shrubs that have grown over centuries. The castle's towers stand tall and proud, with peaked roofs and flags fluttering in the wind. The castle's exterior is weathered, but it's easy to imagine how magnificent it must have looked in its prime. You stop at the front gate, and suddenly it feels…colder. A drop in temperature, and you felt chills go down your spine, whatever was in here… it was terrifying. The sudden stop must have made him want to try again, because soon you’d feel Turles lean over, his breath at your ear as he whispered. “Just say the word… you’ll marry me, and I’ll have them turn around and bring you back, and you’ll even have the honor of burying your beloved father.” He says as if his words would change your mind for even a second. The castle's grand entrance is adorned with a large wooden door, embellished with intricate carvings of knights and dragons. He was met with silence, and you didn’t spare him a glance, which seemed to anger him further. He grabbed your arm and began to yank you further towards the castle doors, banging his fist against the door, his grip was so tight it felt as though it would bruise. “Open up! I have your bride so open the door!” He demands, a smug smirk growing on his face once the doors creak open, seemingly on its own. He was quick to throw you inside, laughing at you once you stumbled over your feet and your knees kissed the ground. You glare at the ground, refusing to look at him, his face would do nothing but upset you more. As you find your footing and stand up to look around, you're greeted with high ceilings and a grand staircase leading up to the upper levels. The walls are lined with tapestries depicting battles and scenes from the castle's history, while the floors creak beneath your feet while you begin to walk around. At some point, you hear odd...clinking noises, as if something metal fell and just kept falling over and over again, it was hard not to hear it when you were in a large castle, seemingly empty of any life at all. So you were reasonably surprised when you heard a rather gruff, deep voice coming from someone. “Ah, you must be the one they've sent to wed my son.”. You look around, trying to figure out just where that voice is coming from, and as your eyes scan the seemingly endless halls, you can’t find out where it is coming from. There was nobody there except you. “Ah, yes. Down here, dear. Look down.” You heard the voice again and repeated tapping sounds as you looked down, a bit confused by the noise and the voice you were hearing. So when you spotted a… Pendulum clock? ‘What an odd clock…it’s holding a candle, it could be a fire hazard.’ You think to yourself and reach down to grab the Pendulum clock, pick it up, and place it somewhere else, or hopefully use it as a source of light, after all, it was dark in the castle.  Before you could even wrap your fingers around it, you noticed a face on the pendulum clock, odd. It was wrinkled, like an old man, and the arrows of the clock were twisted to form a mustache and a large scar right over his left eye. “Ah, they’ve sent my son quite the beauty. I’m sure you’ll do fine by his side.” The clock’s mouth began to move, and you found out where the source of the voice was coming from. As fast as you went to pick it up, you were even faster to let it go. You let out a loud screech as you dropped to the floor and began to scurry away from the thing. Eyes wide, mouth agape and ready to unleash a loud blood-curling scream but nothing would come out from you, as if your voice had been ripped from your throat, preventing you from screaming. Quickly, you scurried off the floor and to your feet, rushing to the exit with hopes of escape. ‘To hell with the village! They could burn it down for all I care! They’ve killed my father, made a mockery of his name, and sent me off! I’ll save myself before I risk my life for their sake!’ You think to yourself as you bolt for the door. The sound of your footsteps echoed loudly down the hallway, growing louder and more frantic with each passing second. The rapid pace of your feet created a rhythmic pounding sound that echoed off the walls, filling the air with an urgent energy. The sound of shoes slapping against the hard floor was accompanied by the rustling of clothing and the occasional gasp of breath, creating a symphony of noise that seemed to reverberate throughout the entire castle. As the clinking noises of the pendulum clock got closer, the sound grew more intense, accompanied by the sound of heavy breathing and the occasional muttered curse. “Come back! Wait! I am harmless!” The sound of the damn pendulum clock was unmistakable, conveying a sense of urgency and purpose that was impossible to ignore. It was a sound that demanded attention, a sound that could strike fear into the heart of anyone who heard it, something so small..was terrifying. What if it cursed you? Or set your clothes aflame with the candle it was holding? Then you just so happened to turn to see how close, or far it was from you and you were happy to see it wasn’t close anymore. ‘Good! I’m not far from the door either!’ you think to yourself as you run and turn your head. Unfortunately, just as you turned to look ahead you were met with a hard yet fleshy surface, running into it hard, you stumbled back, nearly falling had you not caught yourself. As you paused, the clinking got louder as did the voice. “Ah! Broly! My boy, nice timing. Now, do be a gentleman, and take your future partner to their temporary room until we get your shared living quarters in order!” He says, and you immediately begin to mentally question who or what he was talking to. That was until it- or he responded. “A-Ah…yes father…” A rather gruff, deep voice coming from whatever you bumped into caught you off guard. You looked up, and as the talking pendulum clock got closer, you were able to see better. You were able to see a well-sculpted body,, the torso, the muscles rippling, rock hard as you experienced first-hand when you first ran into them, the chest littered with different scars. His left bicep had a scar, and he had an "X"-"-shaped scar on his left pectoral reaching over his left shoulder and two smaller ones on the upper-left of his abdomen, which is his most notable feature. his skin somehow tanned despite there hardly being much sun out here. His hair and eyes were pitch black, as black as coal. His hair was spiky, split down the middle reaching his mid-back with short bangs framing his forehead it was overgrown and wild like an ungroomed dog, and his face… Well, it was stern and intimidating. He has a scar across his left cheek, his lips stuck into a stern frown, and his eyes glare down at you as if you were something so insignificant to him. He towers over you, and his muscles are so large there is no doubt he could crush you without thinking twice. Your feet are glued to the floor, fear piling up within you as you are left to stare at this absolute beast of a man. There was no way you could falter, even though everything in you was screaming run. Even if you tried to take a step, he was faster which was demonstrated by how quickly he grabbed you. Wrapping two hands around each of your arms, he lifted you off the ground in a rather awkward position. He was holding you away from him as if he was someone incapable of carrying another person. His expression didn't help much either. Flustered, you began to shout and curse at the beast. “Unhand me! Let me go you brute!” Kicking your feet, screaming, and just overall being difficult as he begins to make his way up several flights of stairs, not saying much but he does some grunting as he tries not to drop you. “I said unhand me! curse you!” Your body listens to your mind for once and begins to violently thrash and do whatever it takes to force him to let go, unfortunately, it doesn’t work, and he inevitably makes it to your bedroom.  Still holding onto you, he grunts as you kick and squirm against his hold. He sits you down on the bed, he just looks at you as you huff and glare up at him, looking around the room for a second as he avoids your gaze, then runs out. Shutting the door behind him. “What the-” You start, but scoff in annoyance as you bury your face into your hands. ‘Ugh…I’m sorry father…but there’s no way I’ll find someone to protect me better than you did…I’m alone…’ You can’t help but get a bit teary-eyed at the thought of it all. Your beloved father…oh if he could see you now… you feel like he may be disappointed. “Oh come on! Don’t cry- I mean I’m sure you’ll warm up to the place eventually!” You snapped your head up when you heard a rather feminine voice come up all of a sudden. Looking around you take notice of the room. The room was a breathtaking display of elegance and luxury. The walls were painted in a soft shade of cream, and adorned with intricate gold leaf designs that added a touch of sophistication. The tall windows were dressed in floor-to-ceiling silk drapes, which cascaded down in gentle folds, allowing the sunlight to filter through and adding a warm glow to the space. The plush carpet underfoot was a deep shade of burgundy, adding a pop of color to the otherwise neutral palette. In the center of the room sat a grand, ornate chandelier, with a dozen crystal arms that sparkled in the light. The furniture was equally impressive, with a large four-poster bed covered in silk sheets and plush pillows, fit for a king or queen. A matching vanity table with a gilded mirror. Finishing touches such as fresh flowers in a crystal vase, and a tray of tea added to the overall ambiance of the room. The air was scented with a delicate fragrance of jasmine and rose due to the tea in the cup, making it feel like a haven of tranquility and relaxation. This room was undoubtedly fit for royalty and anyone who desired the epitome of luxury and elegance. You shook your head and sighed. “Oh god…I’m losing it, what’s next? Is the Candelabra gonna talk too?” You say out loud, not expecting an answer to your sarcasm. The golden Candelabra hopped around, it was decorated with dragons engraved on the gold and some curving to make the arms of the candelabra, once it turned you saw a rather humanoid face engraved in the wax of the Candle. “Well yes! Now- don’t get all down, Broly is a sweet fellow!-” It’s safe to say, your mouth fell open in shock, and the Candelabra was lucky enough to jump before the pillow you slung at her knocked her off the table. “Oh! Good, he needs someone bold!” She says as if you weren’t actively trying to kill her. Still, she talked to you with no problem while dodging your murder attempts, even when you threw a brick at her. “Oh come on, Broly is sweet. I’m sure you’ll love him eventually, he’s a little gruff but-” You snapped and interrupted her mid-speech while she was talking up the Beast you had to lose everything for. “That’s ridiculous! If he’s such a good “man” then why did that beast lock me in this cell?! Why did he threaten the village to burn it down if they didn't send a bride!? For all I know he’s a bastard!” You shout fist balled up in frustration as you glare at the Candelabra. Then you picked up the Candelabra “W-wait a second- at least give him a chance! I can expla-” Before she could finish the sentence, you tossed her down but she was caught by a nearby table, you backed away, spotted the window, and made a beeline for it. “To hell with your explanation and that blasted village!” You say and just before you could get to the window, running right towards it, you were suddenly yanked up. “Y-You can’t leave!” Some odd voice shouts and you are shoved into what seems to be a walk-in wardrobe, the doors closing around you and locking you inside no matter how much you banged against the doors and cursed. This, would not be your first attempt at escaping. Even Cheelai could tell that much, so she congratulated the wardrobe for capturing you and then hopped off to have several conversations with the pendulum clock and someone named Lemo. “Just what were you thinking Paragus?! You threatened the village to send a bride!? The curse will never be lifted now!” “Don’t question my methods, you know nothing!” the pendulum clock now known as Paragus shouts back at Cheelai who hopped forward and would’ve started a fight had it not been for Broly putting his hands between the two to stop them.  Lemo is a very pretty white teapot decorated with koi fish wrapped around it as if they were swimming in the paint. The handle at the top of the pot was citrine, a pretty top handle. “Come on you guys, Give them a break! I’m sure they’ll warm up eventually. Broly just needs to tap more into his romantic side! How about you try and get to know her! Just observe.” Lemo has a pretty good suggestion, unfortunately, he didn't have a lot of brains to work with other than yourself and the awkward beast you were supposed to be seduced by. You, of course, would try to escape...numerous times. First by climbing out the window, which was foiled each time you did it, from Paragus having thee other servants pull you back up by the sheets you used as a rope, to Cheelai and Lemo trying to melt the seal so you couldn’t get out anymore, it was recently foiled when Broly caught on and started occasionally flying outside your window which you took as a threat. Then there was the time you tried to sneak past the wardrobe but it blocked the door, you also tried to shove it, and that obviously didn’t work. Throughout these little attempts, you got to know the three main…objects? More closely. You like at least two of them, but Paragus is too pushy for you to find his presence comforting. So far you refused to eat with Broly, who just sulks and walks away when you reject the offer. He hasn’t been exactly violent, but you don't appreciate him stalking you by the window. You look at the window and could see his wild hair duck down just before you could see his eyes peeking through. Unfortunately, because of that, you have only been able to receive bread and water for a lot of meals, even breakfast, although the bread isn’t as stale as it is at dinner time, you assume it is because Paragus is in charge of dinner and he may be particularly upset you refuse dinner with his son. One day- or night that is. You stayed up, later than the wardrobe for once and you were able to find a way to slip out of the room you had been locked away in for who knows how long now. Not once have you had a conversation with that beast, and you had no intentions of it either. ‘I have to get out of here…’ You think to yourself as you begin to walk the halls, searching for an exit. As you explore the castle's many rooms and hallways, you can see remnants of its former glory. The grand ballroom with its chandeliers and ornate decorations, the cozy sitting rooms with their fireplaces and comfortable chairs, and the elegant bedrooms with their four-poster beds and beautiful tapestries. Despite its age, the castle still exudes a sense of majesty and beauty that is impossible to ignore. It's easy to imagine the many lives that have been lived within its walls and the countless stories waiting to be discovered. Eventually, you find an unguarded door, or if it was guarded it had poor guards. You strain as you open it, grunting as you pull and pull only for it to budge ever so slightly. You were lucky you could slip through the space you were able to open. Now that you were outside, You got a clear view of the area around you. The old forest was a desolate and eerie place, now made even more haunting by the blanket of snow that covered every inch of the ground. The snow was thick, almost knee-deep in some areas, and it muffled every sound, making the forest seem unnaturally quiet. The trees were gnarled and twisted, their branches reaching out like skeletal fingers into the dark, starless sky. The snow-covered branches creaked and groaned in the cold wind, creating an eerie symphony that echoed through the forest. The darkness was absolute, with only the faintest glimmer of moonlight filtering through the trees. The snow-covered ground was littered with fallen branches and debris, making it difficult to navigate. As you walked deeper into the forest, the snow became deeper, and your feet sank further with each step. The trees loomed overhead, casting long shadows in the darkness. The silence was broken only by the occasional hoot of an owl or the rustling of some unseen creature in the underbrush that sent chills down your spine. The forest had an otherworldly feel to it as if it had been frozen in time, untouched by the outside world for centuries. The snow-covered trees were like ancient guardians of some long-forgotten secret, and the cold wind whispered secrets that no one could ever hope to understand. Despite the chill and the eerie silence, there was a strange beauty to the forest. The snow had transformed it into a winter wonderland, and the moonlight that filtered through the trees cast an ethereal glow over everything, giving it an almost magical quality. But the beauty was fleeting, and the overwhelming feeling of isolation and danger soon crept back in, reminding you that you were in a place where you didn't belong. You could no longer see the castle, which coulldv’ebeen a good or a bad thing considering now you had no place to go. ‘Should I really have left?’ You couldn’t help but slightly regret leaving the comfort of such a luxurious castle behind. You quickly shake your head ‘No! They’re essentially my captors! Plus, that beastly man is a creep!’ You remind yourself why you souldn’t regret it. Soon you heard a haunting and eerie sound, a low mournful howl that rised in pitch and intensity. It sent chills down your spine but you kept going, it wasn’t like you could stop just now. The raggedy cloak you had on would only get blown away if you stopped. You didn’t have a horse to ride on, so you had to go by foot. As you kept hiking through the snow, the wind relentless as it nearly blew you off your feet a good few times, you heard another spine-chilling howl, but this time it broke into a series of short barks. You turned around slowly, only to see one grey…wolf sitting at the top of the mountain, staring dead at you. It barked, once, twice, and then several other wolves began to come by its side. Clearly, they saw you, and it was even more clear what would happen when you saw what you assumed to be its leader lick its fur and start running down the hill, where the others would follow behind. You felt your heart drop down to the soles of your frozen feet. This time you had no time to freeze up in place, you had to run or they’d likely tear you apart, you’ve read enough about wolves to know they were no friendly creatures when hungry, they were predators, and without any fire or any means of defense, you were prey. Your feet picked up in the snow a lot more now, you were kicking it away and swiping through piles and piles of it. You could hear the growls and barks of the predators behind you, you could feel your lungs forcing air into them with every painful breath you took. The snow made running a lot harder. While the wolves were used to this weather, you were not. You were used to warm weather, not being forced to run through giant piles of snow kicking up more snow with every heavy hurried step you make as you try not to fall. The wolves are fast, agile, and determined. They are closing in fast, snapping their jaws and baring their sharp teeth. The person being chased can feel their hot breath on their heels, and they know that any misstep could mean a fatal end. The wolves are relentless, their eyes fixed on their prey as they chase them through the forest. You can hear the rustle of the leaves and the snap of twigs as you run, trying to stay one step ahead of the pack. The wolves are fast, agile, and determined. They are closing in fast, snapping their jaws and baring their sharp teeth. The person being chased can feel their hot breath on their heels, and you know that any misstep could mean a fatal end. Your only chance of survival is to keep moving, to find a way to outrun or outsmart the wolves. But the wolves are cunning hunters, and they are always one step ahead, always pushing their prey to their limits. You look back and your eyes seem to widen even more, these things…weren’t wolves... At least not any you’ve ever seen. They were bigger, not to mention their claws and teeth looked sharper, if you got caught then that would really be it for you. As you desperately tried to get away, you would soon come up short, with your foot tripping over the other, you fell face first into the snow, rolling down a short hill as the wolves were quick to follow. Somehow, the situation, got even worse when you felt your ankle twist in a way that was nowhere near painless. You felt your stomach twist in a way that made you feel as if you’d throw up from the pain that suddenly jolted through your body, you felt it through your entire leg. However, you knew you couldn’t scream, you could hear those “wolves” behind you, and all you could do now was curse in your mind and grab a thick branch beside you as you desperately tried to crawl away, only managing to scurry underneath a tree as the wolves grew closer. By now you were growing dizzy from the pain, and the cold weather was getting to you, your breathing heavy and uneven as they approached. Their teeth large, yellow and bared, ready to tear you apart with them. You swung the thick branch at the “wolves”, trying to scare them away but they growled at you, sensing you were hurt and would be easy prey. One lunged at you, and as it did, you saw its claw was about the size of your head. It would tear right through your skin and spill your blood onto the snow, leaving your dead body for the others to feast upon. ‘Is this…how I die?’ You think to yourself and you see your life flash before your eyes, and in an instant, it feels like it’s so short, like you haven’t even gotten a chance to start living yet. ‘I…don’t want to die!’ You think to yourself, and you raise the stick again, but before you can swing it, the “wolf” is kicked away with a force so strong that when it hits a tree the entire thing collapses. Your breath hitched. What could have possibly had enough power to do something like that? These things were huge, clearly had more mass than a regular wolf and they were faster too. The pack was quick to back away, and as you looked at the ground, you saw who it was that managed something like that step infront of you. Looking up, slowing you saw a muscular back, slightly scarred as if clawed by a monster that got lucky or desperate enough to land a futile attack. Although most of it was covered by wild black hair. “Broly…?” His name slipped out before you could stop it. He glanced at you, but he couldn’t get a word out before another one of those creatures lunged forward, aiming for you rather than him, but he grabbed it by the back of its neck, and threw it like one would throw a ragdoll. The others don’t back down, they all start to jump at him but they seem no match for him as he casually slings them away, kicking the ones at his feet while the wind nips at your skin, another jolt of pain shoots through your leg and you feel your vision blur. He was shaking them off like water, they tried to bite and scratch, but their teeth just barely pierced his skin, and their claws hardly tore through any wounds, drawing enough blood when they constantly tore at a wound that was already there. You could only watch in shock as he tore them off, teeth in his arm and all as he threw them to the side like their attacks meant nothing. Had it been you in his place, they would’ve torn you to shreds. Even as he fights relentlessly, all you can do is sit behind as your vision cuts in and out. You try your best to stay conscious ‘No…he’s hurt…I shouldn’t…’. As his body slowly comes to a blur, your vision fades to black, and you can hear his grunts and heavy breathing along with the pained whines of those creatures as they get slung around like child’s play. Eventually, everything dies down. You can hear heavy breathing, and a whimper followed by retreating footsteps. Soon, you hear a shift in the snow, and you force your eyes to flutter open even thou you could hardly see straight. When you manage to see something, it’s Broly’s face as he leans down. He was less blurry than before and up close, his features somehow looked softer. More kind, and if it wasn’t for your dizzy vision you would’ve thought you saw a look of concern plastered on his face. You feel your body slowly being shifted around, scooped up as you’re held in strong arms, ones that feel warm and make you feel oddly secure. Even as you feel another sharp pain shoot through your body from your ankle, causing you to whimper, you feel the hold loosen a bit but at the same time remain secure. The last thing you hear are some muffled words and the sound of feet Trudging through the snow, likely taking you back to the Castle.  “So…How did you find out I left?” You questioned, breaking the rather awkward silence as he wrapped your ankle with some bandages after applying medicine brought to him by Cheelai. After waking up on one of the rather nice luxurious sofas in a sitting room in the castle to Broly throwing some logs in the firepit and Cheelai hopping over to light it up, the two of you haven’t spoken a word to each other, until now that is. “Ba came to my room, he saw you when you left,” Broly said, not taking his eyes off your ankle as he gently wrapped it. He was so careful as if it would shatter if he so much as breathed the wrong way. After that, it was silent. The crackle of the firewood burning in the fireplace was the most noise in the room. It lit up the area nicely, but all you could focus on was Broly His features were softer, he looked focused, but also sad about something. You couldn’t exactly read his expression enough to find out what he could be sad about, but before you could ask, you quickly dismissed the thought, instead, you just looked at him admiring him like a piece of art. Eventually, he was finished with your ankle, and gently placed it down. He stood up, and you got a good look at his body after the fight, some teeth marks looked bad, claw marks that seemed worse and would possibly get worse if not treated. He tried to turn away and leave, but you couldn’t let him, before you could stop yourself, you reached out and spoke. “Wait!” Your words made him halt, as he slowly turned to look at you, and you sighed. “Please…let me treat your wounds. It's the least I could do..” You say as you move to grab the basket of medical supplies and place them in your lap. He just stares at you for a moment, eyes slightly wide as if you were speaking in a foreign language. You patted the spot beside you, and after a while, he let out a soft grunt and turned his head away from you as he went to sit down beside you. The couch shifted a bit but he sat in a man spread and leaned his elbow on his knee, his head resting in the palm of his hand covering his mouth, but you could see the small blush dusting his cheeks. ‘How cute…’ You think a small smile tugging at your lips before you catch yourself and quickly shake those thoughts away. You look down and start to treat his wounds in silence, more focused on making sure he didn’t end up with an infection, afterall he saved your life, you owe it to him to at least treat his wounds. “Thank you…for saving me I mean…and wrapping my ankle.” You say suddenly, once again you were first to break the silence, and he looked at you a bit shocked before he just nodded and turned away again, his face a bit more pink now.  After that, you let the silence linger, dapping his wounds with rubbing alcohol, and rubbing ointment on them so it didn’t get infected. Then you slowly started to wrap the wound, not wanting to tie them too tightly, afterall you didn’t wanna hurt the guy that just saved your life. The soft crackle of the fire, a small yip of what you assumed to be Ba in the background. It made for an oddly cozy feeling, one that you read about numerous times but never got the chance to experience. “Do you…Not like it here?” He suddenly speaks up, and you look at him, your hands stopping as you stare at him, in shock by what he said for a moment. “Huh?” You question, and he looks away again. “I just…why did you run away? Put yourself in danger? I don’t understand it.” He says and you thought he was more upset that you tried to leave until he said he was upset that you put yourself in danger. You didn’t say anything for a while, choosing a moment of silence to gather your thoughts. “At least next time…Let me know. So I don’t have to worry about you like that…” He mumbles, your ears caught wind of his words and you look at him again before you go back to wrapping, but this time, you know what to say. “I'm sorry-” He starts, but you cut him off. “Don’t be. It’s a Nice castle, but you have to understand…I didn’t come here of my own will, I was ripped from my childhood home and brought here to marry you. I don’t know anyone here, I don’t know you and yet I’m here to be wed to you.” You explain with a softer tone than even you expected to come out of your mouth. You never would've expected something so gentle to come from you of all people. Continuing to wrap his wounds, you felt his gentle eyes on you the entire time. As if he was stuck in a trance, trapped staring at you while you focused on tending to his wounds, and after a while he spoke again. “I didn’t know…and…I really don’t know you either…” He stutters over his words, finding it troublesome to speak when you look at him, making eye contact with him as you pause the process of wrapping a bandage around his arm. His heart felt like it was doing flips, you were just so pretty, as if you were sculpted by an angle, and your hands were so soft… After a moment, he saw you tilt your head and tried to find his voice and make his words seem less…insensitive. “B-But, I’d like to…If you don’t mind.” He adds in that last part quickly, as if scared he would get a bad reaction if he missed even the smallest word. It was… appalling how a man as strong as him, a man that could destroy an entire village was tripping over his own words in front of you, his cheeks dusted a light pink as he switched from eye contact to avoiding your eyes. How could someone so strong be so nervous in front of you? “No, I don’t mind at all…I’d like to know you too.” You say with a soft smile and you could swear you saw him melt then and there, like a light just twinkles in his eyes as his breath hitched and he just nodded. “O-Okay…” He starts, but he runs out of words, so you speak up for him. “...Would you like to have dinner together?” You asked him and he nodded his head, You chuckled and looked down to continue wrapping his arm, the fire crackling in the background, but the silence wasn’t all that bad right now… actually it was quite comforting.