Disenchanted, chapter 2 by COURTNEY BOWERMAN

The second excerpt from a novel-in-progress, based on the question, "What if the Beast hadn't ended up with Beauty, and had stayed a beast?"

Chapter Two

Tom sighed as he placed yet another book on the shelf. I've already read this one before, he thought moodily. I might as well do something else. He stood up and stalked out of the library.

Seven years had passed since the day the witch cast the spell on him--seven long years spent in this dreary solitude as a beast--and no one had come to try and help him. Not that he had really expected any woman to come. No one in the world knew he was here; the witch obviously wouldn't bother to help him, and neither his parents nor his subjects knew the terms of the spell.

As if they cared! Tom thought bitterly. They ran off without a single thought for me just because I wasn't human anymore...

Part of him knew that their reactions were human. After all, anyone who took one look at him was liable to run away rather than to try to look past his ugly face. Still, they were his parents! Shouldn't they love him no matter what he looked like? Did they even love him at all? They barely knew him; they barely spent their time with him. The only person who knew him was Nanny...

His heart sank. Of all the people in the castle, he thought Nanny would have stayed with him, in spite of the spell. Or perhaps she had left before it had happened. He knew that this was unlikely, but he chose to believe it anyway, for the thought of Nanny purposely abandoning him was ten times worse than his parents leaving him.

Tom wandered aimlessly through the corridors, deep in thought. Over the years, he had learned to take care of himself. He cooked his own meals, took his own bath, and kept up his schooling by reading the books in the royal library. It was somewhat of a relief not having to rely on servants for every single thing. There had been plenty of food in the kitchens to sustain him, but as a precaution, he used the various vegetable seeds left behind by the royal gardener to grow his own private garden. This, ironically, led to him becoming a vegetarian.

Of course, there were some things he hadn't been able to do by himself. As much as he tried to keep the castle clean, there were simply too many rooms to keep track of. Consequently, neglect caused dust and cobwebs to cover almost everything in the palace.

He entered the throne room and sat on his old throne. It promptly broke into wooden splinters underneath him. Since he had now grown twice as large as he had been the day he was transformed, it was too small for him. He let out an annoyed sigh and moved over to the only seat large enough for him: his father's old throne. I get to be King of Danin after all, he thought humorlessly.

Tom really didn't mind being a beast. It had been difficult to adapt to his new body, yet it became more familiar to him as time went on. Actually, being an animal gave him several advantages: he could hear better from far distances, he had a stronger sense of smell, and he was twice as strong as any ordinary man. The fur was a bit of a problem, particularly because he shed everywhere, especially in the heat. However, that was easy to cope with.

To tell the truth, he wouldn't have minded if the transformation was permanent. The only thing he did mind was how other people viewed him--as a monster. As long as he remained this way, he would always be alone.

The sound of the palace doors creaking open roused Tom from his lonely thoughts. He sat up straight suddenly, his ears twitching in apprehension. It couldn't be...but his hearing had never been wrong before...

"Hello?" an old man's voice called out. "Is somebody here?"

Tom was stunned. Nobody had come to Danin in years! Was this his salvation at last?

A shadowy figure slowly entered the dimly lit court. "I don't mean to trespass," the man's voice continued tentatively. "I was on my way back to my village when I took a wrong turn and got lost. I came to this village to stay for the night, but I couldn't find anyone here I could stay with..." He paused. "Can anyone hear me?"

Tom finally found the courage to speak. "Yes, I hear you," he said loudly. "You're welcome to stay for the night."

The figure approached where Tom was sitting. In the light of the torches, he could make out a short, heavy man wearing simple clothing and a straw hat. "Oh, I don't know how to thank you..." he began, but broke off abruptly when he saw Tom's face clearly. He let out a strangled cry and backed away from him.

Tom felt a mixture of hurt and annoyance at this expected reaction. Still, he was a prince, and he might as well act with courtesy. "I am the master of this castle," he said with as much dignity as he could muster. "As I said before, you are more than welcome to stay here. There are plenty of rooms upstairs."

The poor man was pale and shaking. "Y-Y-You're--you're a..."

"Yes, I know, I'm a beast," Tom said calmly, trying to be patient. "You don't have to look at me if it bothers you. Just make your way upstairs and pick a room. I won't bother you."

The man hesitated. "You...you won't kill me?" he asked cautiously.

"No, I won't," Tom assured him. "What would be the point? I don't eat people if that's what you're thinking. I'm actually a vegetarian."

The man looked surprised. "You're telling me the truth?"

"Yes, I am," Tom said irritably. "Now please just go upstairs and make yourself at home."

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