end of chapter 5 and all of 6 from Synthea's fractured fairy tale

The great animal had its front talons lodged deeply in the beast’s chest, but the beast had hold of the griffon’s beak and was slowly ripping it open. Roaring with pain, he managed at last to tear his opponent’s beak apart, and the sickening snap caused beauty to scream.

At the sound of Beauty’s scream Wisdom and Truth, stopped attacking the griffon and looked at each other, Beauty was in the room.

The beast pulled the dead griffons talons from his chest and turned around. He stood looking into beauty’s eyes for a moment, and then fell limp to the ground. Beauty leapt to the beasts side, he had many deep cuts running along the front of his body and the deep talon marks were seeping dark blood. The beast’s eyes opened again and he looked once more into beauty’s eyes. The beast began to speak

“I, I…” but his eyes closed and the words stopped

Justice and Repunzle came upon the scene, beauty leaning across the front of the seemingly dead beast, blood on the front of her dress.

They took hold of beauty, and sent Truth ahead, beauty did not resist her siblings pulling her, she felt no need to live, the beast was dead.

It was still early morning when they reached the camp. Nathalie Cried almost incessantly when she heard the beast, her transformed son, was dead.

Beauty sat silently for the remainder of the day, and though Repunzle tried to make her talk of the beast, she still said nothing.

When night fell, the group made their beds and went to sleep, after a while Beauty thought that they were sleeping and slipped away to the castle of Monrough. She entered through the great front door, and made her way to the Kitchen. There lay the beast slowly and wearily breathing. Beauty cried out in shock, she had thought he was dead. When the beast heard her cry, His eyes opened, and she ran to him.

“Why did you come back?” the beast asked in a very weary, almost whispery, voice.

“Because…Because, I…Love you.” Beauty sat stunned for a moment; did she really love him, after so short a time? The beasts eyes closed once again and he slept peacefully. Beauty felt suddenly very tired, and so she laid her head on the beast wounded chest and fell instantly asleep.

Chapter 6

The child came to her; he stooped to look into her eyes and said.

“Never trust ones face as a Judge of their character, it is the soul that makes one beautiful.” And once again the child faded from view.

Beauty reached a hand to wipe the sleep from her eyes, she had been dreaming again, that child, who was he, and what was he? It was dark in the room, and beauty had been sleeping on the floor. Odd, she thought, she remembered falling asleep on the beast’s chest. Beauty stood, and made her way across the room, arms outstretched, to the kitchen cupboards. She found a Candle, lit it and gasped. There lying on the ground close to where the beast had lain, was the prince.

Beauty stifled a scream, she had reentered the nightmare. Inching slowly along the walls towards the door, she kept her eyes on the sleeping form. She had almost reached the door when she bumped something on the counter, it made a small clanging sound and beauty froze. The sleeping Prince rolled over onto his back and groaned slightly, but then lay still. When beauty thought he was asleep again, she moved on, but the pan, which she had knocked, fell on the floor, and the loud clanging woke the prince.

He sat up, breathing heavily. The light from beauty’s candle illuminated his face, and to beauty he seemed different. He looked around startled, and then over at beauty, wide eyed. There eyes met, and then in a soft familiar voice.

“What’s wrong Beauty? It was the beast’s voice, now clear and intelligible, un-slurred. She took a step toward the beast/Prince. He slowly rose from his sitting position, when he stood he began looking at himself, seeing hands instead of paws, he stepped back, and looked up at beauty.

“Am…Am I Human? His eyes pleaded with her that she reply ‘yes’.

“You are. Were you the beast?” she turned her head to the side slightly, ready to run if he changed even the slightest.

“I am…I was; now I am, human again.” He smiled so brightly, and those pale green eyes looked so happy.

“Beauty?” he held his hands out towards her

“Yes?” she stepped forward, eagerly now, almost within reach of his hands.

He smiled roguishly, a fun light coming into his eyes.

They walked hand in hand back to the encampment. Their way illuminated by a soft yellow Moonlight. They spoke little but looked into each others eyes often. If love was ever likened to a light it would be then, for they shone more bright than the sun.

When the reached the camp, they found all asleep, except a child.

He stood glowing, changing and smiling.

“I have kept them sleeping for you, else they would have come, and ruined this happy ending.” He looked about him at the sleeping forms, and slowly one by one they began to stir, as if wakening and slowly the child disappeared.

Nathalie sat up first, and at the sight of her son, swathed in moonlight, she cried out to him.

“Ewan?” she stood and ran to him. They embraced for a very long time, tears mingling with laughter. When the old queen had finished greeting her eldest boy, Repunzle came and hugged him.

Through it all, his eyes rested on beauty, his savior, his love. He came to her and embraced her, and then looking up to the dark sky he breathed a thank you.

Fin of beauty and the beast more to come of the other siblings