Rapunzel jumped a little from the candle coming to life and bouncing off the table for them to follow. When they finally stopped, she looked upon a tall, ghastly beast who was sitting at is desk, quickly jotting things down in his book. Her eyes widened as she took a step back before Red addressed him.
"It's fine," the beast answered. "But telling the others isn't going to change anything. You know that." Rising from his seat, he staggered over to her and Rapunzel before stopping in front of them. "Surely you know about the wolf. The only way you don't is if you've been locked away or are from somewhere else entirely."
"Well..." Rapunzel began, taking a deep breath before gulping. "I lived in a tower all my life before I decided to cut my own hair and escaping."
The beast trained his beady yellow eyes on her. "I've always thought that tower was abandoned, but things do change when you're... like this." He lost count of how many years he was in this form, and he had yet to find a way to break the curse. "What is your name?"
"Rapunzel."
"Hm." He dipped his head. "Welcome to our village, Rapunzel." He stepped to the side and began to make his way to the door. "Walk with me?"
Hesitating for a moment, Rapunzel finally nodded and followed behind him.
"You don't have to be afraid of me."
The beast's booming but gentle tone cause her to jump somewhat before she cautiously went to his side.
"Now, what do you know about the wolf?"
"I came across him in the woods, and I brought him back to the tower so he could find some proper game before the prince I was waiting for showed up and he gave me some poor ass excuse about why he hadn't come. I left him, and the wolf came back and tried to help me get to the village. I got my dress caught in one of the traps..."
Sighing, the beast only nodded. He could understand the wolf's frustrations as the traps made it difficult for him to hunt as well.