Belle also sighs.

He nuzzles her knee, and then picks himself up and goes after Chelise.

Chelise is curled up in a ball in the window seat in her room. She may or may not be crying.

She leans into him but does not lift her face away from her knees.

He nuzzles her shoulder comfortingly.

"Does she like anybody? She can't even like you that much, if she won't talk to me even a little if you asked her..."

"She likes me fine," says the Beast. "She is learning magic so she can help me. And she would rather you avoid each other than that she take time away from that to get to know you."

"But it could take so long for her to learn what she's trying to learn and we all have to live with each other in the meantime," says Chelise, a hint of a whine entering her voice.

"It's a big castle," says the Beast. "You don't need to be near her if you don't want to. And you could always try to leave. Maybe the forest will let you go."

"She said it wouldn't, that we were stuck here," says Chelise suspiciously.

"She is. I am. You might not be."

He follows after her to say, "I don't know that you can. But I don't know that you can't."

"Will you be terribly upset if I go - I don't want to leave you alone with only her, it's just I don't think I can take it -"

"I would rather you be with your friends and happy than here and miserable."

"Thank you," sighs Chelise, and she pecks the Beast on the shoulder - his face is out of reach when they're both standing - and she throws another stick of bread into her bag and makes for the exit.

He curls up outside next to a rosebush and waits to see if she comes back.

He wraps his arms around her and nuzzles her hair.

"All I want is to be around people who want me around, and I like you but there is only one of you," sobs Chelise.

"I'm sorry," he says, cuddling her.