Waking a Muse.

[beau_sest_leve]

I've made so many dear friends in the castle. What will they do in my absence? {She left them once before and that isn't something she wants to repeat.} I'd hate to make them worry. Enough has happened to them already.

I'm sure it was hard for them to fight off the villagers. I never meant for that to happen. Papa needed me and I couldn't leave him like that. {There is a clear "yet" in her tone, however.} I shouldn't have told them about Beast or shown them the mirror. I just wanted them to see. I wanted them to love him like I do.

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[no_prince_charming]

[ Oh. Different times. It's hard to keep track of all the rules around here, especially without Belle here to remind him. ]

Um -- yes. [ He can't mess up anything too badly by just telling the truth, right? ] Sorry I, uh, forgot that people can come from different times here. [ Which is a shame, because he's really missed Belle. ]

[beau_sest_leve]

{Tentatively, she steps forward and slowly brushes her fingertips against his cheek.}

The spell is broken? {It must have been a spell. This is...} I never thought about you changing. But you're...

{As long as he's alive.}

Oh Beast, I'm sorry for leading them to you.

[no_prince_charming]

[ He smiles a bit when she touches his face, remembering when this had happened the first time. Like then, he patiently waits for her response, not wanting to scare her away, ruin the moment. ]

I know it's...a lot. I'm sorry, I thought you knew. [ And now he's mad at the mun because it's basically her fault Belle is upset now. ] And it's okay, really! See, good as new! [ He pats his chest and gives her a toothy grin, hoping it'll get a smile out of her. ]

[beau_sest_leve]

{Tears shine in her eyes and she makes a sound somewhere between a sob and a laugh. Then he'll find himself being hugged. Her relief is palpable.}

It's not your fault. {None of it had been his fault. He had been so kind to let her go.} I wanted to come back to you. I needed to see you.

But they trapped me. I was so afraid I would find you -

{Dead.}