Lost Wanderer

Beast had been running and running and running. He'd gone farther and longer than he ever had before, and he was still lost. Honestly he was well pissed off. He should have been back in his castle with his Belle. Nothing really happened there and Belle wasn't too much company anymore but that's where he was supposed to be. Instead, he'd finally found a river and begun to follow it, hoping it would lead back to his castle but he was in some forest. He growled and paced quickly along. He heard some sounds in the distance--people he thought, perhaps a town. Maybe he could figure out where he was and how to get home if he talked to someone. Not that people would easily talk to a hideous beast, and not that he wanted to admit to being lost, but...he didn't want to stay lost.

Jasmine had resupplied in Andalasia and then followed the river from the nearby Forest to where it led her now, the outskirts of a town. She sat down on a nearby rock and took off her shoes. Her feet were tired. She had spent so many days walking in the harsh deserts of Agrabah and then again in another strange land, and now she found herself in yet another unfamiliar place. She took off her cloak and laid it on the grass, leaving her knife in the cloak's pocket. She wondered if she looked like a Princess anymore. She still wore her royal outfit, but she felt so odd after all this walking. She felt like a peasant. She was kind of excited at the thought since she had lived only one type of life. But now, she can do anything she wants. She is no longer restricted from being a princess.

She sat down on the grass against the rock and closed her eyes. She couldn't remember the last time she had just stopped and relaxed. She listened to the noises around her, finally relaxing for the first time in what seemed like years.

Beast came to the edge of the forest and looked around. He could see, hear and smell the town in the distance, but much closer was a different scent. He looked and saw someone, a girl sitting nearby. She appeared to be resting, maybe even asleep for all he knew.
He contained his growl, and instant reaction to seeing an stranger. He really just wasn't a friendly person. But maybe she knew where this was, and where his castle would be? It would be much better to ask one person and deal with their reaction then to deal with a whole town. Less embarrassing too, and if he had to, one person was easier to kill.
He kept watching her waiting. If he were lucky she would come into the forest, and he could remain in the shadows questioning her without having to reveal himself.

It was a few minutes before Jasmine finally stood up. She stretched and looked around her. It wouldn't hurt to look around, would it? Jasmine felt excited, like a child. She left her cloak and shoes at the rock and she wandered around. She stumbled into a small forest. She enjoyed the silence and the smell of it. She saw a small creek. She looked back, to see if anyone was there again, and she dipped her toes into the water. It was refreshing. She thought it wouldn't be a bad idea to bathe in the water.

Jasmine rushed back to get her shoes and cloak and placed them adjacent to the creek. She was just about to start undressing until she felt odd. She felt like she was being watched. She looked back, worried. The calming atmosphere of the forest turned ominous. She thought she heard something, and she knelt down to her cloak, and reached for her knife. She left her hand in her pocket and decided to call out. It was probably just a rabbit or something. She could have a nice, meaty supper if it was. Just to assure herself that it was an animal, Jasmine nonchalantly called out, not expecting anything else to happen. "Hello?"

Beast stayed in the shadows, his instinct to remain hidden and unnoticed but that wouldn't help him get home. Still, even when the girl called out to him he didn't know what to say.
"Tell me what forest this is and whose lands it belongs to." He said trying to keep his voice low and commanding but not overly frightening--yet.

Jasmine almost fell backwards, not expecting someone to answer. She tried to remain calm as she tightened her grip on her knife. She looked around, trying to find the source of the voice. She avoided the question and cleared her throat and tried to sound as tough as she could and yelled back, "Tell me who you are. I'm armed."

Beast held back his growl again, beginning to get annoyed. "That's none of your concern, just answer my questions!" He snapped.

Jasmine was starting to figure out where the voice was coming from, if she could keep him talking then maybe she could sneak up to it and ambush the voice. She looked around to the side, and started tip-toeing towards a few bushes.

The voice seemed to be getting impatient, and for a moment Jasmine hesitated, unsure if she was pushing it. "I do not need to answer to you! Show yourself, and you will be spared."

Beast growled at her arrogance, as if she could hurt him! He stepped around the bushes, directly into the light and stood to his full height well towering over this girl. "We shall see who is the one being spared." He growled glaring at her and giving her a full view of his large razor sharp teeth.

Jasmine's eyes widened and she dropped the knife. Her body froze. She was paralyzed by fear. She stared at the, the thing in front of her and it's teeth. She gulped, and looked to her knife. She didn't know what it would do if she tried to reach for it again.

She closed her eyes, and tried to regain her confidence. "P-please. I mean you no harm." She opened her eyes and gestured her head towards her cloak and shoes. "I have nothing, see." Her voice trembled, but she hoped that it was enough for this beast to take pity on her, hopefully. "Please. I have food, and money, I will give it to you."

He growled again, pleased that she understood her place. "I want nothing from you, only the answers to the questions I asked. Where is this place?"

She raised her eyebrow. She expected worse. Her voice still trembled, but she sounded more confident. She wondered why this beast was so determined to find out where this was. "I believe," she took a deep breath and looked deep into the Beast's eyes, the only part she felt comfortable looking at. "I believe we are in what is called Illusia, but I am not sure. I am just a wandering traveler. But, I have money, I can go into town and buy a map. I need a map, anyway." She squinted her eyes. "I am sure that the town would be frightened if you were to enter town."

Beast thought about it. He was pretty sure that Illusia bordered his kingdom Laovina, but unless he knew where in Illusia he was, he wouldn't know which direction to go in to get to his castle. Quite frankly he didn't really know which part of Laovina his castle was in. As a beast, it wasn't like he'd ever bothered to study.
But did he trust this person to help him? What if she went to get help attacking him or something?
"Go get a map then--but if you bring someone back with you, I will kill you both, and if you try to run...I know your scent. I will find you, and kill you for running." He threatened. He hoped she didn't run, and that all she did was get a map and show him how to get home. He didn't feel like killing anyone right now.

Jasmine looked at the Beast for a little bit longer before putting on her cloak and shoes. It seemed like he'd dropped his guard down, just a tiny bit. She thought about running, but then thought perhaps he could be of use. She'd have to gain his trust first. It would be exciting to charm such an abnormal creature. Thoughts raced through her mind of ways to trick him.

Jasmine walked into town, and it was quiet. The silence gave her more time to think. She bought a map and stopped when she saw a few Wanted posters. She looked around to see if anybody was watching and then took them off of the wall they were on and stuffed them in her pocket. She walked the way she had came and found the Beast waiting. She held the map in her arm and opened it. "We are in Illusia, and not too far from a neighboring kingdom." She tilted her head and pursed her lips. "Do you have a name?"

Beast gave a toothy grin. "Beast." He answered somewhat condescendingly. He was very glad that she had come back alone and with a map. He almost wanted to move closer to her to see the map for himself but he knew better than to get too close so he stayed put. Not like he could really figure out a map very well anyway.
"Which direction to Laovina? And the city Oset?" If he could get to the town, he could easily find his castle.

"Whoa, slow down there." Jasmine studied the map a little more. There was a swamp near Oset, and she heard rumors that the Magic Carpet was in the Swamps of Siosire. Having the Magic Carpet would be very useful. She made sure not to hand the Beast the map and she slid it into her cloak pocket. "Judging by this, Lavonia is not too far. It's just south, it shouldn't take more than a day from where we are."

She glanced at Beast and smirked. "But, you must take me with you."

Beast snarled annoyed. If he had to travel with this girl it would slow him down immensely. Plus he didn't know if he could trust her, plus he didn't really like company.
"Why?" he asked trying to keep from getting too irritated.

Jasmine made sure her back was turned to Beast before smiling. "Why? Well, I mean, after all I did buy you a map with the little money I have. Besides, I'm lost, too, like you." She turned around and raised her eyebrow again.

"I can give you something that can help you. Something that can grant you three wishes. Any three wishes." She repeated for emphasis. "A Genie's lamp. I know it exists." She started walking towards the direction of Lavonia, swaying her hips tauntingly and alluringly. "What would you do with the ability of having phenomenal cosmic powers by your side? Isn't there something under all that fur that you desire?" She stopped walking and glanced back. "But you don't need me, do you? I'm just a poor, defenseless girl, right?"

Her guilt trip left him pretty much unaffected. Things like that didn't bother him anymore.
"I don't care if you are lost, and for getting the map you get to keep your life." But he wondered about that lamp. Any three wishes? Anything he wanted? What did he want? There really wasn't anything; besides occasional boredom he was fine roaming the castle with his Belle nearby. Would Belle want the lamp? He didn't really know, she didn't speak to him much anymore.
"How can I trust you?" he asked with another growl.

"Don't you know manners, Beast? When I asked for your name, I expected you return the same question. It's only common courtesy. But, I suppose it's expected of the cursed prince." She turned around and smiled again.

"I am Princess Jasmine of the fallen kingdom of Agrabah. You don't think I wouldn't know who you are?" She started to circle the Beast. "I thought that the rumors of the whole beast thing weren't true. Turns out that the rumor itself came and surprised me in the forest." She smiled smugly. "I don't underestimate you. To be honest, I'm scared of you. Who wouldn't be? Since you're so desperate to get back to Lavonia, we can work together. Think of how powerful we can be if we were to work together. Of course, your wife can be fit into this as well. If you take me to your castle where that fabled magic mirror is, I can find out where that lamp is and I'll keep my end of the bargain." She raised her arm up and placed her other arm over her chest "You have the promise of a princess."

Beast did not like her high and mighty attitude, he liked even less when she started walking around him. He instantly darted back and slunk into the shadows again. Stealthy and with all the animal grace in him, he moved through the shadows around her.
"So you know the curse of the Rose? Do you think I care? That curse was broken! I am a beast in every way now and I don't care for your manners, or titles, or promises." he snarled still circling her. "And the promise of a displaced princess doesn't mean much to me."

He paused for a moment to let her absorbed all that. The he spoke from a little behind her: "But if you take me to my castle, we shall see if we can help you find your lamp."

Jasmine wrinkled her nose, frustrated that the Beast was not so easy to persuade. He'd at least agreed, so it wasn't as bad as she thought it could be. She shifted her weight to the side and crossed her arms. "Okay." She frowned. She would find some way later to make him regret humiliating her, or to at least find some way to crack him.

She bent down to retrieve some water from the creek to fill her canteen with and the wanted posters fell out of her pocket. She looked up to see if the Beast had seen them and then quickly placed it in her pocket again unsure if he did or not. She tried to think of something to say quickly. "Are you ready to start moving?"

Beast saw Jasmine messing with something in her bag, very quickly like she didn't want him to see. He almost thought about demanding to know what she was hiding from him but decided that he didn't care.
"You start, I'll follow." Beast said choosing to melt back into the shadows. He was still wary of this person. "How long until we get there?"

"Patience," Jasmine looked back at him. She wasn't sure to be more frightened of him now or careful. She shrugged it off and pointed at the nearby river. "We just need to follow that river and west to it should be Oset, and your castle."

(( ooc: Do you mind if we just skip ahead to it? I'll just make a topic in the castle since I'm not sure where else to put it, okay? ))

OOC: sure sure **skips ahead**