Lovable

Yes, I am having a sudden obsession with my Beauty and the Beast twist.

This is Mabli, otherwise known as Daere and Alaith. When Cedrin finds his way back to her castle by unfortunate chance, and bumps into her again, he begs forgiveness from hurting her flowers. He then explains that he is being hunted by someone (the reason is still being decided) and asks to stay in the castle for the time being, until it's safe for him to leave. She reluctantly agrees. He asks her name and she replies that it is Daere, meaning demon. That night, or possibly at another time in the week, he thinks over it and decides to call her Mabli, lovable. Thus over time he ceases to think of her as a "demon" and more as a lovable woman. This is what he begins to see after a time with her, not the beast that attacked him but a very pretty girl.

Stock:
=Resurgere
sxc
~Morgiana

Below is a short scene about the moment of this picture.

~`~

Awkwardly Cedrin set the flowers beside Mabli on the bench. “I, uh, found them on my ride earlier,” he said hastily. “I never replaced that rose… and I know these aren’t as good—but I hope they help a little, Mabli.”

Her head, which she had bent to look at the wildflowers, turned back to him quickly. Flustered, he realized he had not called her that verbally before. Before she could ask questions he did not want to answer, he turned and walked quickly down the path, leaving her in the gardens.

Daere watched his retreat with faint amusement, but also with a cold, hard fear beginning to form in her stomach. Slowly she looked back at the flowers. They were cheerful, yellow. She used to love that color, before red had taken over her life. Red for love and red for blood.

Gently she picked them up, closing her eyes as she held them against her cheek. She could almost feel the way Cedrin had held them, and she imagined that through them he could hold her.

Startled by her thought, she dropped the flowers. Oh fires! Not again!

[…]

If she allowed herself to be Mabli, she would kill him.