Bassist and the Beast

Chapter 18: Caught Sneaking

Paul sighed as he followed the candlestick and clock.

His head turned to stare at the grand staircase that they stopped in front of, focusing his gaze on the hallway next to his room as George turned to Ringo.

"Hey, what should we show him next? I am out of ideas," George stated quietly.

"I do not know," came the clock's reply.

"What's down that hallway?" Paul asked out loud, pointing to it as he looked down at the two objects.

George and Ringo stared wide-eyed at him.

"Uh... N-nothing! There is nothing of importance down that hallway!" George stated a bit too quickly.

Paul raised an eyebrow.

"Um... is there something you're not telling me?"

"N-no! Your highness would no-"

Ringo stopped in his tracks, one wooden arm covering his mouth as he shrunk back. George rolled his eyes.

"Look. There is a room with a lot of books in it. I am pretty sure that thou art interested?"

Paul thought for a moment.

"Yes," He lied.

"Okay then. It is this way, come on."

George and Ringo both turned toward the area right to the grand staircase and began to move ahead, Paul staying behind as he watched them go off.

Slowly, he turned his head back to the hallway and blinked.

Taking an extra look around himself, he began to walk up the steps, staying as quiet as he could.

Once he got up to the landing, the bassist looked behind himself, making sure that George and Ringo did not notice his absence.

He walked up the staircase that led to his room and the hallway and turned, staring down the grey corridor.

As he walked down the hallway, he brushed his hand up against the cold stone wall, feeling every crack that had formed in it.

He turned his head to stare at the dull open rooms that he passed, all of which were empty.

"Huh?"

Paul stopped and stared ahead, looking at the mess in the room that the hallway directly led to.

Broken furniture, torn paintings and pictures, ripped up carpet.

The sight made him grow curious.

Slowly, he stepped into the room, seeing that it led to a balcony that was surrounded by large windows on either side of it.

His gaze turned to a torn painting on the wall, and he stepped towards it.

It was a self portrait of a man, even though nothing more than the top half of his face could be seen.

He had a crown on his auburn-haired head, two brown eyes staring blankly forward. The area below it was hanging downward, and the whole painting was covered in slash marks.

Slowly, Paul took the ancient paper in his hand and lifted it up, trying to get a complete view of the man's face.

After a moment of staring at it, Paul turned away from it, letting the paper gently go back to hanging downward.

His eyes immediately landed on a rose inside a glass container.

They both sat on a small wooden table, a small mirror resting on top of it as well.

Paul stopped in front of the table, seeing that the rose seemed to sparkle just a little bit.

Tilting his head, he gently rested his hands on the glass container, lifting it up and setting it down on the chair that rested next to the table.

He raised his hand to touch the rose, but before he could...

Growl

A low growl emitted from behind him, making Paul turn around and take in a breath.

He quickly moved to the side as the beast sprinted towards the glass container, lifting it up and placing it back over the rose.

As he turned his head, he growled again, glaring at the bassist.

"What art thou doing here?" He asked in a menacing tone.

"I... I'm sorry," Paul said quietly, taking a step back.

"Thou art not allowed in here!"

Paul flinched, taking another step back.

"I d-didn't mean any harm..."

"DO THOU KNOW WHAT THOU COULD HAST DONE!?"

The beast roared, knocking over the chair with such a force that one of it's wooden legs snapped off.

"I.. I.."

"GET OUT!"

Paul didn't need to be told twice.

He turned and ran out of the room, the beast's roar echoing down the hallway.

Calming down, the beast stared at where Paul had run off to, now realizing what he had just did.

Shaking his head, he covered his face with his paws, mentally slapping himself.

Lowering his paws down, he turned his gaze to the mirror that rested next to the protected rose.

He picked it up slowly and stared at his reflection, hoping that he had not just ruined everything.

"Show me Paul."