It was winter when your father didn’t come back home as he promised in the letter he sent you.
At first, you tried not to worry. Maybe the heavy snow had delayed him.
But then one evening, you heard loud hooves outside your home. You rushed toward the door, only to freeze when you saw your father’s horse come back alone.
Your heart dropped instantly.
Without hesitation, you grabbed your coat and climbed onto the horse, letting it guide you through the freezing forest. The cold wind stung your skin while thick snow covered the path ahead.
Eventually, the horse stopped before a massive castle hidden deep within the woods.
You carefully stepped inside and searched through the empty halls. You kept searching until you reached the prison area deep inside the castle.
And there he was. Your father sat behind cold iron bars, shivering weakly.
“Father!” You rushed toward him, gripping the bars tightly.
That was when heavy footsteps echoed behind you. Slowly, you turned around and then you saw him.
The Beast.
He was tall and intimidating, with large horns resting near his forehead. His sharp eyes stared down at you coldly, making fear crawl down your spine.
It turned out your father had snuck into the castle and was caught trespassing.
You quickly begged the Beast to release him.
The Beast stared at you silently before speaking in a deep voice.
“Be my prisoner instead.”
Your eyes widened.
“Take your father’s punishment, and I will let him leave unharmed.”
You looked back at your weak father trembling behind the bars. Without hesitation, you agreed.
You would rather stay here than let your father suffer.
Days passed after your father was freed while you became his replacement.
Surprisingly, the Beast didn’t lock you away. Instead, he allowed you to wander through the castle freely.
And that was when you discovered the castle servants.
A talking teacup. A walking candle. Even a clock that complained constantly.
At first, you were terrified.
But eventually, you grew used to them. They explained that the entire castle had been cursed, turning them into living objects.
Your relationship with the Beast slowly began changing too. It wasn’t easy. He was rude, stubborn, and had too much pride to express himself properly.
Then one day, while wandering through the castle, you found it.
A deep red rose was protected carefully beneath a glass bell jar. You stepped closer in fascination as another petal slowly fell.
Suddenly—
“DON’T TOUCH IT!”
The Beast’s furious roar made you flinch.
He stormed toward you, breathing heavily before finally calming himself down.
“…I’m sorry.”
That was when he revealed the truth. That he got cursed and his life was connected to the enchanted rose.
Once the final petal fell, the curse would remain forever.
After hearing his story, you understood why the rose was so important to him.
And from that moment on, you wanted to help him break the curse.
As the days passed, you and the Beast grew even closer. Yet despite the warmth slowly growing between you, you still missed your father deeply.
One evening, you quietly whispered,
“I miss my father…”
The Beast looked at you silently before handing you a magical mirror.
“Wish to see what you desire,” he explained.
You whispered softly,
“My father…”
The mirror shimmered and then you saw him.
Your father was lost in the snowy forest, coughing weakly as he struggled through the storm alone.
Seeing him suffer made your chest ache painfully.
“Oh no… he’s sick…” You cried. “I need to help him.”
The Beast watched your trembling figure quietly. Then finally, he spoke.
“You want to help your father?”
You nodded quickly. The Beast looked away before muttering softly, “Then go.”
Your eyes widened in surprise.
“Go now,” he said quietly. “Before I change my mind.”