𝐂𝐔𝐑𝐒𝐄𝐃 | 𝐭𝐰𝐢𝐬𝐭𝐞𝐝 𝐭𝐚𝐥𝐞𝐬

𝐗𝐈𝐗. 𝐂𝐡𝐢𝐥𝐝𝐫𝐞𝐧 𝐌𝐮𝐬𝐭 𝐋𝐢𝐬𝐭𝐞𝐧

𝐀𝐋𝐓𝐇𝐄𝐀 𝐖𝐀𝐈𝐓𝐄𝐃 by the window. It had become a habit of hers as of late. Her conflict with Celine had yet to actually be absolved, but she had yet to realize there was still a problem to begin with. The girl was young and confident in her personality, but she was not rebellious when it came to her mother. However, Althea couldn't help but doubt the lies she continued to tell herself.

She sighed as the sky grew dark and her daughter had yet to make her appearance. A couple of weeks had passed since the initial argument, and Celine had grown uncharacteristically distant. The girl would leave early in the morning and return late at night, and the only evidence of such would be a misplaced object around the fireplace or a used dish in the sink.

Althea had no idea where her daughter ran off to, but she trusted her enough to believe Celine would listen to her mother's instructions. How wrong she was. If only she caught on just a little bit quicker that her daughter had continued to explore that cursed place, perhaps she could have dealt with the issue before she walked down the path that did not provide a way back.

The last remnants of pink in the sky were replaced with a deep purple hue. If she hadn't been so worried, Althea might have taken notice and admired the scenery.

She released another sigh and finally gave up, stepping outside to set up the lantern so that her daughter might be able to find her way home. However, she stopped herself as she caught a glimpse of a figure moving in the shadows. She lifted the lantern higher in the air to force the shadows to retreat.

"Who's there?"

The reply to her question was delayed, but also silent as the rider lifted his own lantern up high enough to reveal his face. Althea's lips pursed into a frown of disapproval as Gaston dismounted his horse and now stood just a few feet away.

"Good evening, Althea."

"What do you want?" Althea asked, simply trying to get to the root of the problem while avoiding all formalities that she might attempt with someone more likeable.

"Is it too much to believe that perhaps I came to visit out of the kindness of my heart?" Gaston asked, plastering the falsest smile possible on his face.

Althea's frown remained.

He sighed, dropping the charade. "Is Celine here?"

"What do you want with my daughter?" Althea asked slowly, cautious for the answer that might come. However, her accusation that followed was quick and sharp, "I thought you finished using my daughter in your pursuit of the bookworm?"

"Belle?"

Althea remained stoic. Her expression didn't waver, implying that the hunter had guessed correctly. As Gaston shook his head, she raised a single brow, now confused by his intentions.

"I thought I knew what I wanted," Gaston explained, stepping closer as if it would help his case, "But then I realized I'd lost true beauty—"

"I'm going to stop you," Althea interrupted, holding out a hand to distance herself. "Allow me to make myself clear, Gaston LeGume. I have no intention of allowing you near my daughter ever again. You're manipulative and have no regard for anyone other than yourself. You lack common human decency. What fool would I be to allow a demon to taint mon ange?"