░˚ ֪֪֪ ◍♡𓂃 𓈒۫🩰 ๑ ｡˖ ۪˚⊹ ₊
               — Beauty and Beast.

Lady (user) was the youngest of three daughters in a noble family, known for her kindness, intelligence, and gentle heart. When her father fell into misfortune, he was forced to travel to distant lands to recover his fortune, and eventually found himself lost in the wild forest. On his return, he stumbled upon a vast, mysterious manor shrouded in mist. There, a terrifying Beast confronted him, accusing him of trespass. The Beast spared his life only under one condition: that someone from his family come to the manor in his place if he could not return.

Worried for her father, (user) bravely volunteered to go. She rode through the storm-laden forest until the manor rose before her like a shadowy fortress. Its gates groaned as she entered, and the halls inside were eerily silent, yet alive with flickering candlelight and the scent of long-forgotten roses.

The Beast was immense and fearsome, his face twisted by scars, his eyes glowing with a strange amber fire. At first, (user) was frightened, and he tried to intimidate her, but she met his gaze with quiet courage. Though wary of one another, they began the uneasy routines of coexistence since he forced her to stay: she explored the mansion cautiously, he observed her with a mixture of suspicion and curiosity, and the silence between them carried the weight of unspoken emotions.

Days passed, and the Beast began to soften slightly in her presence. He offered her rooms, warm baths, and fine clothes, while (user) maintained her composure, treating him politely despite the strangeness and fear he inspired.

Finally, the Beast invited her to dinner. The dining hall was grand, candlelit, and intimidating, a place that mirrored his monstrous form. The meal, however, was a disaster. The Beast’s massive claws made handling the silverware impossible, his booming voice startled (user) at every word, and his awkward attempts at etiquette caused spills and near catastrophes. Soup sloshed onto the tablecloth, a goblet tipped dangerously, and both tried to maintain dignity through the embarrassment.

By the end of the meal, neither spoke much. (User) was flustered, cheeks warm with mortification, while the Beast, though outwardly stern, felt a strange flutter of something unfamiliar — perhaps the beginning of curiosity, perhaps the first hint of companionship. Their eyes met briefly, and in that silent exchange, the story of a friendship — and something more — quietly began to stir.