literature

Birdie and the Beast Chapter 4

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Author's note: One of the main differences between Gilbert and Disney's beast is that Gilbert's problem is narcissism rather than controlling his temper (that's Ludwig's problem)

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Back in the village, Matthias was moping in the local tavern. He had already drunk several glasses of beer but he still couldn't forget the humiliation of being rejected by Matthew.

"I don't understand it, he was supposed to say yes. We would be the perfect couple. Heck, our names even sound similar. It was meant to be. How could he say no to me, the King? That boy has no idea what he's done." Matthias sulked into his glass. "No one ever says no to the King."

"That's absolutely right!" Peter piped up, in an attempt to cheer up Matthias. "Do you want me to refill your glass?"

"Might as well. Nothing like a beer to make you forget."

"Aw come on. He just doesn't realize how cool you are." Peter carefully avoided using any names due to not remembering who Matthew was. "Cheer up, Matthias, I don't like seeing you this way."

Peter then began praising everything about Matthias that there was to praise: his physique, his good looks, how he didn't take anybody's shit, and how he won all of his fights.  Peter even tried to get the other people in the tavern to do the same although they were less enthusiastic (Matthew wasn't the only one to find Matthias annoying). In particular, a group of four blonds in the corner were only making half-hearted comments in the hopes of cheering up Matthias enough to pay for their drinks as he had in the past.

After some time, Matthias finally began to respond. "What you're saying is true, I suppose. Even as a boy, I was exceptional."

Matthias then went into a long-winded account of his childhood and how everyone had loved him as a kid and how he could eat enough meat for three men. "…And nowadays, I eat enough meat for five!" He would have gone on, but the door was suddenly flung open and nearly fell off its hinges as Alfred burst into the tavern.

"Dudes! Dudes, I need your help. They've got Matthew locked in the dungeon!" he cried frantically, moving from person to person trying to get their attention before kneeling over as he was taking over by a coughing fit.

"Hold up. Slow down, Alfred. Who has Matthew locked up in a dungeon?" Matthias chuckled, amused by Alfred's panic.

"A-yeti! A big white hairy beast and a castle full of possessed furniture!" there was a pause before the whole tavern burst into laughter.

"What and I suppose they are aliens that abducted Matthew and have him on their spaceship." Peter sniggered.

"What? That's stupid, yetis aren't aliens." Alfred glared at the boy before turning back to everyone in the tavern. "You have to go with me to the castle and be my backup while I save Matthew!"

"So you want us to help you out?" Matthias inquired slowly, choosing his words carefully.

"Yeah!"

"…Okay." Matthias made a gesture and two men picked Alfred up and threw him out of the tavern. Alfred let out a loud "Oomph!" as he landed head first in the snow.

"Poor choice of words, Alfred." Matthias grinned as he downed another beer. "That crazy kid should be locked up-"

Matthias stopped abruptly as he considered his own words, and he smiled darkly. "Peter, I've been thinking."

"I've heard that's not good for you in large quantities."

"Shut up. I have an idea." Matthias whispered his plan to Peter, who gasped and whispered, "Really? But he-Oh I see!"

Matthias stood up. "Gentlemen and Ladies." he announced, "Dust off your oldest wine bottles, because you'll soon be celebrating my marriage to Matthew Williams! Drinks are on me!"

The entire tavern cheered (and the four blondes in the corned merely smiled), as they toasted Matthias Kohler, wishing him a good marriage to-

Wait, who was Matthias supposed to be marrying again?

***
Matthew didn't know how long he had been staring outside. He had been lost in thought, wondering whether Alfred had gotten home safely and trying to come to terms with what had just happened.  Would he truly have to spend the rest of his days in this dark and cold castle?

He would have given anything to be back in his boring village, forgotten by all but his brother and Kiku and Matthias. Actually. now that Matthew thought about it, being away from Matthias WAS an improvement. At the least the Beast wasn't trying to force him into marriage.

A soft tap at the door made Matthew look up. "Who is it?"

"Antonio."

"Hey don't forget about me!"

"…y Lovino."

Oh yeah, the Beast said he had servants. Were they monsters too? Matthew opened the door cautiously but didn't see anyone.

"Down here." Matthew looked down to see a coffeepot and a coffee mug hop into his room and gasped.

"What the maple!? You're alive! And talking!" Antonio didn't seem fazed by Matthew's surprise.

"Si! Would you like some hot coffee? It does wonders for a troubled soul, and makes the world seen brighter." Antonio poured some coffee into Lovino while Matthew tried to pick his jaw off the floor.

"But you-this isn't-you're-" Matthew backed up up into a large wardrobe who turned around and frowned at him.

"I beg your pardon," it huffed. "Please be more careful. I'm made of mahogany you know."

"Roderich, be kinder to our guest." Antonio admonished the wardrobe.

"Oh all right. Greetings, I am Roderich von Edelstein, the great opera composer." Roderich said with flair.

"Nice to meet you. My name is Matthew." Matthew stammered.

"And I am Antonio and this cute little cup is Lovino."  

"You see? I told you there was someone here but you didn't believe me, you damn tomato eater." Lovino spat, before hopping up to Matthew.

"Are you alright with that?" Matthew asked Lovino as he picked him up. Lovino made a shrugging motion. Matthew sampled the coffee and thought it was good, but needed some sweetening.

"I don't suppose you have any maple syrup I can put in this?"

"I think there might be some in the kitchens but I would have to check." Antonio told him. "By the way, what you did earlier was really brave, everyone thinks so."

"Maybe." said Matthew, "But that doesn't change the fact that I think it was wrong of your master to do this."

"Perhaps, but don't worry. Everything will turn out all right in the end. Just you wait." Antonio's optimism was contagious and Matthew gave him a small smile.

"Oh listen to me talking like una abuela (grandmother), when there's dinner to be prepared." Antonio hopped out the door with Lovino following and cussing him out for leaving him behind.

"Well then, I suppose we have to make you look presentable for dinner." Roderich said, glancing over Matthew's appearance. "Yes, I think some of Ludwig's old clothing should fit you."

Roderich began rummaging in his drawers (not those kinds you perverts!), before pulling out a fine red tailcoat fit for a nobleman. "This should do."

"Thanks, but I'm not about to attend dinner with my captor." Matthew informed Roderich who looked shocked.

"But you must! If anything, it's in good taste." A cough from behind made Matthew and Roderich turn around to see Arthur.

"Ahem, dinner is served." he announced pompously.

***
"Vhat's taking zhat kid so long? He shouldn't be keeping ze awesome me vaiting!" The Beast, known once as Prince Gilbert of the royal Beilschmidt family line, paced back and forth in front of the fireplace impatiently, Francis and Antonio observing from the mantelpiece.

"You need to be muy paciente (very patient) Master." Antonio counseled. "After all, the boy is despondent over losing both his freedom and his brother all on the same day."

Francis finally tried to contribute to the conversation. "Master Gilbert, 'ave you considered zat ze boy might be ze one to break ze curse?"

"Of course I have! How unawesomely stupid vould you have to be to not zhink zhat?" Gilbert continued pacing as Francis and Antonio began talking among themselves.

"Zis will be a piece of cake. 'e falls in love with 'er, she falls in love with 'im, and POOF ze curse is broken!" Francis declared confidently.

"That's not how it works, mi amigo. It takes time."

"Well excusez-moi for wanting to break ze curse quickly. We don't 'ave much time left. Ze cornflower started losing petals around ze time ze Master turned 21. Besides, ze boy has already brought out ze Master's softer side. Did you see 'ow 'e reacted when ze boy was willing to give 'imself up for 'is brother? It was clear 'e reminded ze Master of Ludwig, 'is own brother! 'e even gave 'im Ludwig's old room!"

"That is true." Antonio mused. He looked up to find his master still pacing.

"It's no use." Gilbert groaned, "He's so…beautiful and I'm… ZHIS!" he snarled. He felt uncomfortable thinking about the boy's soft blond hair like downy feathers and the sad violet-blue eyes that reminded him of the cornflower he kept in the West Wing. Himself on the other hand…Gilbert stared at his clawed hand and clenched it. How would he ever get someone to love him when he was stuck in this unawesome form?

But on the other hand, the kid had given up his own freedom for his brother. Maybe someone with such a capacity to care for another could one day-no Gilbert couldn't afford to let himself think such hopeful thoughts.

"Then you have to help him see the real you inside." Antonio told him.

"How?"

At this Francis and Antonio began talking at the same time, giving him tips as to how to act gentlemanly.

"Sit up straight."

"Smile at him when he comes through that door."

"Be honest and above all-" Gilbert was covering his ears from the overload of information.

"STOP BEING SO NARCISSISTIC!" Francis and Antonio yelled at the same time.

The door to the room creaked open and Gilbert looked at it nervously, but instead of Matthew, Arthur slipped through the door.

"He-Hello." he stammered.

"Vhere is he?"

"The boy? Oh yes, him, well I, uh, he..." Arthur began quaking under Gilbert's fierce stare. "He's not coming."

"VHAT?!"

Gilbert ran down the halls, leaping off of a flight of stairs until he arrived at Matthew's. He pounded on the door.

"I TOLD YOU TO JOIN ME FOR DINNER!" he roared.

"I'm not hungry." Matthew replied shortly.

Gilbert tried to calm down and he spoke through gritted teeth. "Zhe awesome me vould be pleased if you vould come out und join me tonight for dinner...please."

A pause. Then. "No thank you."

"Fine zhen. Go ahead and starve." Gilbert roared before storming away to the West Wing.

The West Wing had been Gilbert's room back when he was human, but now it was a mess, with all the furniture (the original furniture, not the servants transformed into furniture) overturned and anything broken that he could break. A former portrait of himself had been torn to shreds. The only thing left along was a small stand that held the magical cornflower under a bell jar and the magic mirror.

Picking up the mirror, Gilbert commanded, "Show me ze boy." The mirror glowed an eerie green before showing Matthew talking to Roderich.

"The master might be a bit full of himself, but he's not that bad." Roderich was saying to Matthew. Gilbert snorted. He knew Roderich was lying through his teeth. The two of them had never gotten along even before the curse.

"I don't care. I don't want anything to do with him." Matthew turned away from Roderich. Gilbert put down the mirror as the image faded, his heart sinking.

"I vas just lying to myself zhe entire time. He'll never see me as anything…but a monster." Gilbert put his head in his hands, trying not to cry.

A petal detached itself from the cornflower and fluttered down, joining a small pile of other fallen petals.
Remember, it is your comments that motivate me to write (plus I want feedback)

Prologue: [link]
Chapter 1: [link]
Chapter 2: [link]
Chapter 3: [link]
Chapter 5: [link]
Chapter 6: [link]
Chapter 7: [link]
Chapter 8: [link]
Chapter 9 (Final): [link]
© 2012 - 2024 Readswaytoomuch
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Kitten5432's avatar
In this chapter you get Austria the dresser!