Bassist and the Beast

Chapter 15: Explanations

Paul sighed as he sat down on the chair, resting his hands on the large table in front of him, surprised at how spotless the ancient tablecloth was.

George, all three candles lit, stood on the table in front of him, Ringo standing at his side.

Ringo's quiet ticking was the only thing that broke the awkward silence. 

Eventually, the bassist opened his mouth.

"Um... if it isn't too much to... ask of you two..."

His quiet voice was carried throughout the room, and the candlestick and clock in question both moved forward.

"Now... My brother and I only came here because he was curious about... if this castle exists."

"Wait," Ringo said, "thy town knows of our existence?"

Paul shifted nervously.

"I mean... you are all nothing more than a legend, so not many people take it seriously..."

"Oh... so... we hast been forgotten in time..." George stated quietly, looking down at the tablecloth for a moment.

"Now... the fact that... a prince was cursed here... is the most that the town knows of... what's going on here..." Paul stated, pausing afterwards.

"If it isn't too much to ask... can you tell me the whole story?"

George and Ringo stared at each other for a moment, both deep in thought.

Ringo eventually sighed and stepped forward.

"George and I art friends of your highness.. and we lived here with all of his servants and other friends of ours. We both took Cynthia and her son in when her husband died, and aside from us, she prefers everyone else to call her Mrs.Powell."

Paul nodded, encouraging Ringo to continue.

"We both also hast our lovers here too, but thou probably has not seen Maureen yet, right?"

"No, I haven't," Paul responded.

"Well... your highness was not very kind in those days, especially to anyone who wanted him to give to others..."

Ringo sighed and turned to George, prompting the candlestick to continue.

George hopped forward and spoke.

"It was on a cold winter's night that... an old woman came to the door. She offered a rose in return for shelter, and your highness did not comply with her..."

He sighed heavily, his voice becoming quiet.

"And... turns out... she was an enchantress. And she turned into her true... beautiful form and... cursed all of us."

"Oh..."

Paul stared at the candlestick, eyes wide.

George stared up at him, looking sad as he spoke once again.

"The rose that she left behind is supposed to bloom until the 300th year since that night, and the only way that the curse can be broken is that your highness can both learn to love another and earn that person's love as well."

"And..." Paul paused, thinking.

"If the curse... isn't broken in time?"

"We... we will all remain like this for the rest of time," George stated, looking to Ringo.

The clock opened his mouth.

"Only six days remain till that happens..."

"Oh my..."

Paul sat up in his chair, silent as Ringo continued to speak.

"For about 24 years after we were first cursed, all of our family and friends visited us. But, as time went on, they stopped showing up and... we were left by ourselves for over 200 years."

Ringo took in a breath.

"I never got to say goodbye to me mom, George never got to see his brothers start their own families... We were all left behind."

The clock looked at George for a moment.

"It was not like they could do anything anyways..."

"So... My brother and I were the first people to come here in over 200 years?" Paul asked.

"Yes," George stated.

"And, no one really remembers us as being real?"

"I'm sorry... but I can't say yes," Paul stated softly.

George's three flames went out.

"So... people just moved on without us..."

Ringo looked up at Paul again.

"I just lost it earlier because... at this rate, there is no way that the curse will be broken now. You two need to genuinely be in love. And..."

"I... don't love him..." Paul whispered.

"It is not thy fault though. I understand."

Ringo did his best to shake his head.

"I guess it is over now..."

Paul's gaze moved to George, who stared up at him.

"Um... did either of you... know who the enchantress was?"

"She told us her name before she left us," George stated.

"What was it?"

"Yoko."

Before Paul could respond, the door to the dining room came open, Cynthia ding her best to push a cart inside.

On top of the cart rested a plate with some cooked meat on it, along with a slightly bruised apple.

"This is probably not what you hast for breakfast usually dear, but  we do not hast anything else."