Beauty from within

Beauty from within
Christoffer R. Nielsen.

As winds were carrying away the few remaining leaves and the ongoing rain washing away the last ounce of early winter snow, a gentle beast was making his way through the naked forest. His tender eyes were pointed towards the gray sky, offering the only windows to his peaceful nature as his horrific and fearful form was indeed suggesting something to be frightened off. His fur was lightly moist by the soft and silent but continuously falling rain, slowly removing his gaze from the sky again whilst he dragged his heavy feet through the winter dead forest. Following a familiar trail, her words still lingering in his mind…
"Please, come meet me at our tree.. Or you'll never see me again.”
Repeating the request over and over in his mind, he quickly picked up pace. Rushing down the muddy and slippery trail, whilst feeling his heart pound an urgency through his veins of another world as his mind didn’t cease to wonder… "What could be wrong..? Is she alright..? I must get there!" 


Pushing his way past naked branches and cornering sleeping trees, whilst disturbing winter-fond birds as they soared towards the sky at his mere presence, he made his way to the edge of the forest, swiftly making his way up a small hill to find his tree. The sight saddened him a bit, as fall hadn’t been very kind to it. Before something else quickly stole his line of thought, he felt a light tap on his shoulder.
He spun around to find his beloved beauty right in front of him. He looked straight into her light blue eyes as the chilly wind was dancing with her beautiful brown hair. As beautiful as she looked.. he couldn’t help but notice something in the midst of her eyes, a sadness, leaving an awkward silence to steal its claim to the moment, before he hesitantly opened his mouth to speak.

"Is... is something wrong, sweetie..?"

She lingered a bit at the question, before suddenly wrapping her frail arms around his monstrous body, embracing him tightly, as he tenderly wrapped his huge arms around her in response. Finally hearing her almost muffled voice speaking lightly against his furry chest..

"I’m so sorry.. but I.. I must go.. Forever..”

Her words of doom sent an unearthly chill down the length of his spine, as even more questions instantly began haunting his mind.

"Forever..? Why?! What’s happened..? Tell me.. Please.."

His urging questions were met with silence once again, before he could feel her leaning back slightly as she gazed up at him with her angelic eyes. She slowly ended the embrace, and took a step back as she seemed to gather her composure, her famous trademark calmness before speaking up again. She looked him right in the eye with courage.

"..I can't do this anymore.. you're a beast, and my village, family and friends can never come to understand.. they can never come to understand what you are and what you mean to me.. but my family needs me, and so do my friends.. I cannot abandon them.. for something as far out as yourself.. I'm so sorry.."

The beast felt his heart cringe as he stood emotionless, not knowing what to say or believe…

"Wha.. no! Please.. things were starting to look good.. and the rose.. what about the promise? Please sweetie.. I love you.."

Yet again the words spoken seemed to draw more silence than the answers that were needed. His beauty was eyeing the ground now whilst the rain was getting more heavy, making small puddles at her feet. Brushing some wet hair out of her face she turned her gaze towards the beast again.

"I'm sorry.. but I love you too.. I do.. but.. I need to live my life.. I have people that need me.. I must go.. I'm so sorry.. I really am.."

Her words slowly punctured holes in his soul, he looked at her with complete despair in his green eyes.

"..Then go.." 

A thunder struck a hole in the sky at the very moment after his words were spoken, knowing that he, of all people, needed her the most, but still couldn’t handle the sadness in her eyes. She stood staring at him for awhile, not being able to tell if it was tears or rain rolling down her cold cheeks. She slowly reached into her coat and pulled out a small mirror.

"..Take this.. this way you can always see me.. and know that I'm alright.."

She gently placed the hand held mirror in his hand, the design was old but it seemed in alright state. He felt himself mumble out a half hearted "thanks.." as a weak smile came across his hideous face, though well knowing that he'd never get to hear her tender words of comfort and love being whispered to him again. She managed to produce a weak smile in return before she turned around to leave whilst he watched her disappear in the gray distance.
Left in the rain with a heart torn apart and mixed emotions, the beast collapsed to his knees and stared emotionless into the void as he finally felt himself crying.


As the winter night had quickly conquered the day, rain still fell from holes in the sky as the beast made his way into the dry safety of his castle. He made his way through the highly decorated hall as he held no remorse by lashing out at servants and meaningless acquaintances along the way to his room. He slammed the door and locked it, as he tried to catch his breath, before screaming loudly, the roar echoing down the halls of the castles, a roar full of agony. As he started pacing around his room, making his way to the window, he stood and stared out into the night, listening to the rain, hoping it would overcome the sounds of his own thoughts, before suddenly catching a reflection of his hideous self in the window.

"What was I thinking..? You fool.. What could she possibly have ever seen in you..? No one would ever accept you.."

The beast spoke to himself as he felt reality poke him the back again, making little rain drops run from his own windows.

"She left me..all alone..hush and be brave, you fool.. I cannot, the best things in this world.. happened with her.. happens with her.."

The beast turned around and looked at the bag he had dropped on his bed, remembering the mirror..

“Oh god, I need to see her.."

Quickly picking up the small bag and digging his way into it, he clutched onto the mirror and whispered as he held it up in front of his face.

"Show me my beauty.."

A blue sparkling aura flashed and ignited around the mirror as the reflection disapeared and another world flashed before his eyes. Holding onto the mirror he spotted her, but a sudden chill ran down his back yet again.
There she was in the arms of a boy. The beast felt his heart implode as he saw this boy caressing her back and whispering into her ear. Handsome the young man was, clearly enjoying his happiness. HIS happiness. The beast felt like dropping the mirror, hands trembling as he could not believe what his eyes were seeing. As the young man gently lifted her head up and kissed her, the beast clenched the mirror in his hands as he felt jealousy haunt him as the young boy spoke.

"You're so wonderful! I love you!"

But then the beast spotted something. Her smile, she looked so happy. The beast felt some comfort caress his tormented soul as he smiled weakly, then lightly threw the mirror on the bed whilst he made his way to the corner and sat down, clutching his knees with his big hands as he stared out into the darkness of the room.
Suddenly his vision slowly fixated itself on a red object in the middle of his room. The rose...slowly withering. He sat and stared at it from the corner, clutching his knees tightly as his eye lids slowly closed and a whisper came from his lips..

"..Will you forget..? I loved you.."