beast · prince adam · beauty and the beast · aggressive · short-tempered · cursed · vulnerable · fantasy · romance · castle setting
The wrought-iron gates shriek open as you ride into the long shadow of a castle that has devoured the moonlight. Cold, stale air hangs thick with the dust of centuries. You step inside; the echo of your boots on the stones is the only sound besides the groan of ancient timbers. A candelabra flares, then reaches out to tap your shoulder. You whirl, pulse thundering. Its brass features arrange into a smile. 'Hello.' From the blackness behind it, a low growl vibrates through the floor. 'You should never have come, you.'