"Once upon a time, there lay a castle in the woods-"
"Was it a really big castle?" Sylphiel asked, blinking wide eyes at the story teller. She, along with her two younger sisters sat with rapt attention along with the other patrons in the restaurant.
"Hai. It was an enormous castle. Hundreds of door that led to hundreds of rooms, each richly decorated with finery from ceiling to floor."
"Sugoi!" Lina chirped, eyes sparkling. "Did a handsome prince live there? Did he? Did he?"
The story teller's eyes turned somber. She folded her hands on her lap and leaned in. The crowd leaned in also, the enchantment of the tale begining to take hold.
"No. There was no handsome prince that lived there. . . only a monster."
The crowd gasped as one, making the candles flicker. The blond story teller smiled inwardly. Now she had their attention.
"A monster?" the youngest of the three sisters whispered.
"A chimera to be exact. One that was made of stone, mazoku and human. His hair was silvery blue, sharp as needles. If you prick your finger, you'd bleed to death instantly. His face, made of rock, was like sandpaper. Even the feather like touch would tear at your skin.
"He had slitted eyes like a snake. Ones that would freeze you right on the spot, see into your soul and break it. His voice like a siren, that will entrap your mind and lead you astray.
"He was not always like this, mind you. Once upon a time, or so the story goes, he was a rich noble man who owned half the land in a neighbouring village.
"He loved power. That was one of the reasons he built the castle in the first place. To set it up on a hill to look over those that he controlled- and he was content for a while. . . but then he began to grow restles, wanting more power as the days passed. Not even owning all of the land sedate this hunger. He began to grow greedy and careless. The people in the village started to worry.
"As months past, the villagers began to leave. The year of the draught, just a few people left. The next year when the crops began to fail, some more families went. The year after that, a plague fell across the village, taking the young and old, crippling the healthy. . . few were spared in this epidemic. Those that did, left as fast as they could, fearing that the nobleman's greed was the cause of this horror."
"And the noble?" Lina whispered, half afraid that she might break the spell that the story teller had woven.
"The noble man was in agony. All that he had worked for, all the power he had held in his hands were now gone. He had no power anymore- there was no one left to control. All that was left was a ghost town, slowly rotting away. Baren lands, the draught and plague being unmerciful. Wolves and other demons that began to claim residence in the woods surrounding the castle. . . but he couldn't control those either.
"One night, as he wandered the halls in the big castle to pacify the the feeling of helplessness within, there was a knock on the big wooden doors of the entrance ways. All but two of his most loyal servents had left him by this time. Unfortunately, one of those two had fallen ill, the other he had ordered to stay by her side. Circumstances pending, he had to open the door himself.
"On his door step was a cloaked figure, hunched over from the cold and holding a ruby tipped staff that clinked each time the strong winds blew.
"'Please,' the man begged. 'I need shelter for the night. There is no one in the village. Could I stay in your castle?'"
"'Do you have any money?' the noble man asked. The cloaked figure shook his head. 'Any valuables?' He shook his head again. 'Then what do you have to earn your stay?' he asked in irritation.
"'Power' the cloaked figure replied. 'I can give you power. To be strong. To be able to cast magic. To control things all around.' The noble man was floored. The feeling of helplessness at not being able to stop the villagers from leaving was still fresh in his mind. To be given the chance at being in control again was tempting.
"'Yes?' the cloaked man murmered, bringing the ruby tipped staff closer. The noble man nodded in determination.
"'Yes, I want power,' the noble man repeated. 'To be strong. To cast magic. To control things. I want that power.'
"'As you wish,' the cloaked man replied, the ruby-tip of his staff starting to glow red. He tapped the ground, making the rings around the ruby tip clink together.
"Pain began to fill every part of the noble man's body. Seeping into every pore. Every cell. Even his soul." The story teller paused to take a sip from a weathered mug.
"Who was this man?" Lina whispered.
"He never did say," the story teller answered. "He did leave the new turned chimera some departing words however. 'Your greed for power has made you careless. There should never be a toll to help someone in need,' he said.
"'How can I remove this curse?!' the noble man cried.
"'The only way to remove this curse is to find someone that can save you from yourself. If you can forget your greed, to care for someone else, to love them unconditionally- perhaps, then, it will be enough. . .' the cloaked man said. He placed the staff against the ground next to the fallen man. 'Until then, you shall remain a chimera for all eternity. To live and wander these halls until you find a cure or you go insane. Which ever comes first.'
"'As for your servants, they shall forever be unseen to your eyes but will remain with you forever.' The cloaked man paused as he took a small amount of pity on the chimera. 'But this I will grant you. . .'
"'Yes?' the chimera looked up hopefully.
"'Even now you only think of yourself,' the cloaked man scoffed. 'This I will grant you- once a night every ten years on this day, your servants and yourself will be allowed to go outside the castle gates. However, you must return before day breaks or you shall die.'
"'Why not try to kill myself now?' the chimera ask bitterly.
"'Then you shall die a monster,' the cloaked man answered simply, disappearing into the night. The chimera let out a mournful cry, it made the demons in the woods stop their feeding. It echoed off the the mountains. It rang out through the empty streets of the ghost town. Those in the next town over would always remember the errie cry." The story teller sat up straight in her chair.
"What happened to the chimera?" Sylphiel asked.
The story teller blinked.
"He lives alone in the castle and I assume that he still lives there to this day," she answered, getting to her feet.
"Where does he live?!" Lina cried, jumping up to her feet. She waved around her hands, conjuring up and imaginary word. "If I ever meet that guy, I'll- I'll-" Finding no words, she gave a energetic slash with her 'sword'.
"Lina!" Sylphiel riprimanded gently.
"Sylphiel!" Lina mimicked in reply. She jabbed the air infront of her, prettending to take out the chimera with a victorious slash.
"Yatta!"
Sylphiel lowered her voice. "It was only a story."
The story teller. . . sweatdropped. Her attention focused on the littlest girl there. She stood chewing her lip, her big blue eyes staring up at the story teller in child like innocence. Tears glistened in her eyes.
"Daijoubu?" the story teller asked, bending down to the girl's four year old height.
"Daijoubu," the little girl murmered.
"I'm sorry if the story scared you."
The little girl shook her head, her short black hair bobbing around her. Tears slipped down her cheeks.
"What's wrong?"
"That poor man," she sniffed, rubbing a small hand across her nose. The story teller smiled reasuringly, reaching into her sleave for a hanker chief. The little girl blew her nose rather loudly, elicting another sweatdrop.
"Will he ever become human again?" she asked.
"Perhaps," the story teller said mysteriously. She got up and headed towards the door, the light in the restaurant a bit dimmer than when she had arrived.
"Oi!" Lina spoke up. "You never answered my question. Where does he live?"
"Lina!" her older sister riprimanded again.
The story teller looked into the darkness of the empty streets for a moment before smiling slightly at the patrons.
"Sore wa himitsu desu, " she answered, before walking out into the night.
"Unfair," Lina pouted.
The story teller slowly made her way down the street. She had a long ways to go now before she could rest. As she walked past two more buildings, she noticed the shadows shift in the alley way between the butcher shop and the orphanage.
"You stole my line again," the moving shadow said in amusement.
"Gomen nasai," she replied lightly, not slowing down in her walk. The shadow fell into step with her, reaching out and taking her hand in his. They fell silent as they continued on their way. Through town. Through forests. Through a village. They never stoped until they reached the huge wooden doors that served as the entrance the dark castle and it's dark secrets.
"So, here we are again, koishii," the shadow whispered, bringing the story teller close, trying to memorize every detail of her face.
"Hai, Baka-chan," she whispered right back, placing both her hands on his cheeks. They both knew that there wouldn't be another moment like this for a long time.
"Another ten years. . ." she murmered.
"Another ten years. . ." he repeated. "No regrets?."
"None," she answered.
Slowly, she stood on tiptoes while he bent down lower. Their lips met halfway between them, silent tears streaming down their cheeks unseen. They stayed that way for a moment, like two statues framed in the twilight.
"Sayonara, Filia."
"Sayonara, Xelloss."
They broke away, stepping inside the castle just as the sun's rayes appeared over the horrizon. The door closed shut as they disappeared from sight.
Another ten years. . .
A.N: I was suffering from Xel/Filia withdrawl. (Filia/Xel is Dira's case ^_~)[Dira's notes : hai, hai *^^*] I haven't seen a take on Beauty and the Beast yet so, here it is! Wahh. I'm so tired. . .
As always, sorry that my writing sucks. [Dira's notes : no, it's not!]
