The Beast Within (Villains 2)

They had their hands full keeping watch over Belle and the Beast, and now Gaston as well, since they had sent Pflanze to keep an eye on him. They were so consumed they never left the house for fear they’d miss an opportunity to sink their claws further into the Prince’s withering heart.

“Just look at them playing in the snow!” hissed Ruby.

“Disgusting!” spat Martha.

“Look at the way she looks at him! Peeking at him coyly from behind that tree! You don’t think she’s falling in love with him, do you?” screamed Lucinda.

“She couldn’t possibly!”

The sisters spent all their time now spying on Belle and the Beast, and with each day their panic grew. It was becoming painfully clear they were falling in love!

“Those damn servants aren’t helping. They contrive romance at every opportunity!” squealed Ruby.

Ruby, Martha, and Lucinda must have looked a mess when Circe returned from her visit to Morningstar Castle. When they heard her come in, the three of them turned as one, startled to see their little sister standing in the doorway. “Oh! Hello!” they said together, looking frightfully tired and rather crazed fro

m long nights of fretting, spying, and plotting.

Circe could see something was amiss.

“What is all this?” Circe asked.

Lucinda tried to put on her best face, though having not seen herself in a mirror for several days, she had no idea how frightful she looked. “What do you mean, dear?” she said with a twitch and sputter.

Circe narrowed her eyes, looking as though she was scanning her for some shred of the truth.

“This place! It’s a disaster! What on earth have you been up to?”

The odd sisters just stood there. For once they had nothing to say. Lucinda’s ringlets were tangled much like a bird’s nest, with little bits of dried herbs and candle wax stuck within them, while Ruby’s red silk skirt was covered in gray ash and the feathers in her hair were sticking out at even stranger angles than usual, and poor Martha—her face was smudged with some kind of orange powder.

They all stood there before their little sister acting as if their appearance was as normal as could be—like Circe was stupid or didn’t have eyes in her head to see they were up to some sort of trickery.

“Spell work, I see!” Circe scolded. “You know, whatever you’re doing, I’ve decided I don’t want to know! Honestly, I don’t feel like dealing with whatever it is! So, is anyone going to ask me how it went with the sea witch?”

Ruby croaked her reply: “And how was it, dear? Did you send our greetings?” Circe gave a start at the sound of her sister’s voice but kept her questions about what they’d been doing to herself.

“She’s very well, and was quite pleased with the exchange.” She went on, “You know, out of all your strange friends I like Ursula best. She’s very amusing.”

The sisters laughed, croakily, their voices wrecked from their endless chanting.

Circe couldn’t keep herself from asking this time, “Seriously, what have you been up to? Look at yourselves. You’re a mess, and what happened to your voices? Why are you so hoarse?”

The sisters looked at each other, and with a nod from Lucinda, Ruby took a necklace out of her pocket.

“We got you this!” She dangled the pretty little necklace from her fingertips, swinging it back and forth in an attempt to distract her. It was a beautiful necklace, braided silver with light pink stones.

“Yes! We got you a present, Circe!” said Martha as Circe narrowed her eyes at her scheming sisters.

“Do you think I’m stupid and so easily distracted?”

Martha frowned theatrically. “We thought you would like it! Try it on!”

Lucinda ran toward Circe like an excited little child, her pale face haggard and her red lipstick smudged. “Yes, try it on! I think it will look lovely.”

Lucinda went behind Circe to put it around her neck. “Okay, fine! Let’s see what it looks like if it will make you happy,” Circe said.

And when Lucinda fastened the clasp, Circe slumped into her sister’s waiting arms. “That’s right, little sister, sleep!” The three witches carried Circe into her room and placed her on the soft featherbed, where she slept blissfully so her sisters could continue their fiendish deeds undisturbed.

“We will wake you when it’s over, our sweet little sister, and you will thank us for avenging your broken heart.”