Curiouser and curiouser

There is a castle hidden near Longchance where each day is a month and where a large and fearsome beast lives amongst his magic. Sound spooky? Disconcerting? Let's catch up on the story. Beauty's father receives a letter informing him that one of his ships has returned from being lost at sea. The ship has brought back many things to sell and has made a profit, so Beauty's father sets off to the city to settle the rest of his debts with it. On his way back he and his pony are caught in a snow storm and stumble upon a castle hidden in the woods. That isn't too strange, except the castle is in the sunlight, and there is no snow! He wanders in and eats at a table set for a banquet, decorated with a single dark, fragrant rose. As he gets up to leave, he remembers Beauty, who asked him for a rose before he left. (her roses did not bloom that year) He picks up the rose and begins to leave. That is where all the trouble starts...