It had been three months.  Every evening Beast joined Beauty for supper, and although he looked intimidating, they settled into a routine of him asking about her activities during the day. After dinner they retired to Beauty's apartments and had physically exhausting intercourse.

Every day, Beauty peeled another layer of humanity.  She became accustomed to his scarred features and muscular physique.  Far from dreading the time of his visit, she began to look at her pocket watch or listen out for the clock to chime announcing it was nine o' clock.  She could set her pocket watch by his punctual entrance at that hour.

Beauty had seen the happenings at home in Avon through the moving images in her looking glass. Antoine had made himself sick with worry about her welfare at Beast's palace. She longed to reassure him that her circumstances were better than she dared hoped.

That night Beauty collapsed, breathless wrapped in the warm of Beast's embrace.

"Why were you crying," Beast asked.

"I'm not."

"Your eyes are red and puffy. Are you sad being here with me?"

"I'm happy with you."

"Will you be my wife, Beauty?"

"I am your mate."

"Even when I am not with you, you feel the imprint of my body on you. Give me your heart."

Beauty blushed at his frankness but also felt guilty.

Rather than reject Beast, she said, "Do you remember what it was like being all alone before I got here?"

Beast nodded.

"Papa has made himself ill worrying about me. Please let me go see him for one week."

"If you are upset about your father, I will let you go see your father," replied the Beast. "But before you go, you owe me the truth."

"I will tell you anything you need to know."

"You haven't given me your heart because you have given it to another, haven't you."

Beauty nodded sadly.

"Is it because he is better looking than I am?"

"No, being with you has made me appreciate beauty that's on the inside more than on the outside. I have given my heart to a man who above all things has a love for improving people's circumstances especially the poor, his love for nature and for peace."

Beast replied sadly, "You may not have given me your heart but you have willingly chosen to stay with me. Only me."

"I have," Beauty said tears running down her cheeks as she pressed a tender kiss on Beast's lips, "I promise to return in a week. Thanks to you, the looking glass has shown that my sisters are in Paris buying the latest fashions, attending all the best society balls and artistic performances with their husbands. A week with papa will reassure him that I'm happy here with you."

Beast relented, "Happy with me. I like the sound of that Beauty. You shall be home when you awake tomorrow morning. Wear this ring on your finger all the time you are there but on the final night put this ring on the table beside your bed and you will teleport back to me in your sleep."

He ravished her feverishly one last time branding his heated body onto hers. Before the crack of dawn, he said her name in farewell, "Beauty."

"Beast," she sighed glowing in the aftermath of being his.

That was how he always wanted to remember her, the moan of his name on her lips.

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May, 16, 2015