True, That He's No Prince Charming...

You approach a dark castle sitting on top of a hill amongst the trees. You feel yourself trembling but you keep walking forward, up the bleak pathway. You’re at the front door. It looms before you, tall and imposing. Using all of your strength you open the door a crack and squeeze yourself through.

                “Hello,” you call, softer than you meant to. You speak again, “Is anyone there?”

                The castle seems empty and you turn to leave, feeling both relieved and disappointed. Suddenly you hear a voice from the side of the entryway.

                “Bonjour!”

                “Who is that?” you say fearfully. You do not recognize the voice and it is certainly not your father’s. You see a flicker of light out of the corner of you eye. You eyes adjust to the sudden change and to your shock you see what appears to be a candlestick with a face. A moving, living face starting directly at you.

                Obviously, you scream. You fear yourself grow faint.

                Next thing you know, you’re lying on the ground in a cold dark place. You sit up and hear a familiar voice.

                “Is that you?” You turn and you see him beyond the wall of bars separating you.

                “Father!” you call out in relief. Your father glances around, frightened.

                “What’s wrong? Where are we?” you ask.

                “I don’t want him to hear us. He might get angry,” he answers vaguely.

                “Father, tell me what’s going on,” you say desperately. “We need to-“ Your words are cut off by a terrifying roar. What you see next you cannot believe. A hideous monster with a face the size of a bear’s, eyes like a wolf’s, a snout like a lion, and terrible horns. It’s huge claws move towards you.

                “What are you doing here?” it growls. In your fear you cannot even form words.

                “Answer me!” it howls.

                “Please, I just wanted to find my father,” you plead, finding your voice. “We’ll leave right now.”

                “Leave?” it snarls.“That thief isn’t going anywhere!”

                “Save yourself, please run,” your father begs. Shaking your head adamantly, you turn to the monster again.

                “My father is not a thief!” you say defiantly. The monster laughs coldly.

                “Tell that to my garden! He took a rose from me and he shall pay.” You feel horrified instantly. A rose. That is all you had asked from your father when he left on his journey. Now his imprisonment was all your fault.

                “It was for me,” you whisper. “It’s my fault he took it. Let him go and take me instead.”

                “No!” your father yells. The beast sniffed in disdain.

                “Very well,” it replied, slightly amused.

                Suddenly the beast grabs your arm and leads you out of the dark dungeon.

                “Father!” you yell as you catch a final glimpse of him before you are pushed into another room, this one with a bed and furniture. The monster slams the door and you are left all alone, wondering what your future holds for you in this place.