Laurent rolled his eyes. "Yes, I did judge you before you spoke to me. I judged you from the moment you told my father that he could either sacrifice a son or die. When you told him that a rose was worth his life."

Rising to his feet, Laurent approached regally along the length of the table. "My freedom was exchanged for my father's. For a rose. For the threats you made."

He stopped in front of the Beast, reaching out with gentle, elegant fingers and stroking them lightly through the fur at the side of the beast's face. "I don't fear you, monster, for what you look like. The kindest man in the world could wear a rug and a pair of horns and still be kind."

Laurent bent, coaxing his fingers under the Beast's chin to lift it as he lowered his head, bringing his lips to within an inch of the monster's maw.

"I despise you because you are a monster within," he whispered, hissing the words.