Beauty and the Beast

The beast lived in a beautiful castle. He did not often have guests on account of his appearance. So his companions were the staff of the castle. This didn't bother him so much since he preferred solitude. Is favourite place was the glorious library. Every wall was covered in bookshelves from the roof to the floor. It was a safe space for him, quiet and full of stories of better lives. Each day he would lose himself in one of the books. Only to resurface when it had turned dark oustide and the world was sleeping.

It was in his library that he first caught sight of her. Nose burried in a book his peripheral eyesight had picked up a blur of movement. One wall had huge arched window to let the light in. Through this window was where the movement had occured. It was strange enough to see movement through this window that the beast had put his book down and crept over to the window. He stared out, eyes travelling over the grass, the rose bushes, the hedges, even the tress at the far edge of the garden. Nothing was out of the ordianary. No blur of movement, no unnatrual colour. So the beast went back to his books.

Three days later, the beast dared to venture oustide to look for what was going past his window. The blur of movement had captured his attention for the last three days. Although he never saw more, so today he was in the garden. Lingering between some rose bushes that gave him a view of his library window he waited. The longer he waited the more restless he got, it wasn't often that he remained oustide for this long. He began to realise how much of a recluse he had become. Then from around the hedges came a flurry of movement and colour. The beast focused in on the figure and found, a girl? It was a girl wearing a blue dress with auburn hair flowing along behind her as she ran. Why was she running and why was she here in the first place? The nearest village was half an hour away. Surely this could not be the blur he had been seeing go past his window each day. He leapt over to interrupt her path, stoppping her in her tracks.

"Hello" it came out as a growl, how embarassing. The beast cleared his throat tentative to speak again. Now that he was standing up close the girl was actually a woman, and more beautiful than any he could remember. Grabbing a red rose from a nearby rose bush he offered it to her hoping it would soften the interaction. She took it looking up at him with big brown eyes.

"Would you like to come in?"

She responded with a small smile and he lead her inside the castle. The staff did not come out to greet her but watched from the shadows. The beast led her to his library and suggested she make herself at home. Returning to the foyer he tore into his staff, mainly the footman and head housekeeper.

"WHY WOULD YOU NOT GREET HER? SHE IS A GUEST AND THAT IS YOUR JOB!" He paused hanging his head in his hand. "It has been many days since there has been a guest here. Have you forgotten what to do? Bring some tea to the library!"

"But did you see her? She's simply beastly!" whispered the housekeeper.

Upon returning to the library, he found the woman browsing the books on his shelves.

"What is your name? How did you come to be here?" The beast had so many more questions but did not want to overwhelm her.

"My name is Belle, I am from Villeneuve." Her voice floated through the air like music, enchanting his senses. "I was travelling and got lost. I wandered through the forest until I came upon your castle. I was scared to approach without knowing who lived here so I tried to glimpse the inside through the windows." She placed the red rose on the desk at one end of the library. It almost looked as though it was floating, the beast thought it must be the effect of the sunlight. "I am grateful you approached me, I may never have built up the courage to come inside."

"So, you are not scared of my appearance? You do not think my manner is brutish?" The beast wondered at how she could be so comfortable in his presence, he had always been told he was hideous and scary.

"Oh, not at all! I think you are wonderful. This castle and library are just gorgeous. Do you live here alone?"

“Not alone. Though it is just me and the servants. There was a time the castle was full of life. Those days have been long over.” James lost himself in a reverie, thinking back on what life used to be. Rousing himself he looked over at Belle, she was enchanting. She must stay here; it could bring the castle back to life.

“Please Belle, you must stay here. At least until we can find you a way home. I no longer have horses you see.”

“If you’re sure it wouldn’t be any trouble! I would so appreciate it.” She shot him a dazzling smile while he called for the housekeeper.

Mrs Potts showed her to a bedroom she could stay in, wary of her as they went. Belle was paying close attention to the rooms they walked past. Mrs Potts thought this most unusual behaviour. Perhaps she has never seen the inside of a castle. Or a house, she was rather unkempt.

Over the next few days, the servants watched on as James spent every waking moment with Belle. Staring after her and seeking anything she wanted. They gossiped and whispered, unable to understand why he was so enchanted by her. …She held a resemblance to a toad. It was upon cleaning the library that they really became concerned. The rose the beast had given Belle on that first day was still in perfect condition. Not a single petal had wilted.

That night Mrs Potts tried to warn James, catching him in a rare moment alone.

“Sir! I fear Belle is not what she seems. You must be careful.”

“How dare you question a guest of mine!” He responded angrily then his face softening he continued, “I’ve never met anyone like her. So beautiful inside and out.”

Mrs Potts paused wringing her hands before deciding to be honest. “Forgive me my Lord, for that is not what I see. I do not see beauty inside or out.”

He snarled at her “Get out of my sight!”

The beast did not heed her words.

The next day no one laid eyes on James or Belle. They appeared to have left the castle and not told anyone they were going. Mrs Potts tried to keep herself busy cleaning. Every time she walked past the library door she would see the rose, stare at it a moment, and then a chill would go down her spine. Finally, after sundown he returned. Calling all the servants to him for an announcement.

“It is with my great pleasure that I announce I am to be married. Belle shall be my wife! Tomorrow night. Send out invites to everyone and get the castle ready at once.”

Gasps went around the room and shocked looks passed between each other. James looked rather displeased at the reception he had received. He stormed off, presumably to see his future wife.

“Oh, what are we going to do? Did you see how he’s changed? Mrs Potts fretted to the other servants. The beast whilst not actually looking beastly before, had begun to change. His face had lost its colour and his hair had grown wild. Nevertheless, it was their duty to fulfill his will, so they began preparations. The lower servants carried the last-minute invites to all the contacts they had. It had been a long time, though this castle had once had many friends. Mrs Potts oversaw the cleaning and decorating, the ball room had not been touched for some time. Bustling about well into the night they got it all done. Then onto the food preparation, to bake a cake for a wedding at this hour was ridiculous. This Belle really had the beast under her spell. He would never have asked this of them before she came.

The ballroom was dazzling, it had been decorated with gold streamers and all the chandeliers had been lit. The light bounced all over the room and in the middle, stood Belle and her beast. Many guests had shown up regardless of the last-minute invite. Most likely out of curiosity, they wanted to see what had become of the castle and the young man who had lived there on his own for so long. Or to see the woman that had pulled him out of seclusion. It is fair to say there were many whispers going around the ballroom that night regarding his beauty.

The priest performed his duty and Belle kissed James. To the surprise of the room he fell from her lips, straight to the ground. It was as if she had drained the life and soul from him, he had lost all colour, his hair a matted mess, his teeth rotted, and spots had shown up all over his face. Meanwhile Belle also went through a transformation, she became the most beautiful woman. With a smile from ear to ear she looked around the room,

“And now this castle is mine! I have stolen his beauty for my own and you shall bow to me.” The rose appeared floating above her palm, she looked into the faces of the guests as she lit the rose on fire.

Stunned the guests remained silent, unsure what to do next. Terrified of this witch. Mrs Potts raced to James’s side.

“What has she done?! I knew that rose was unnatural! I should have done something.” She fussed over him, he was still breathing but what kept him unconscious?

Belle chuckled, “You cannot wake him, I have stolen his inner beauty. It makes for far better beauty on the outside. You can serve me from now, my dear.”

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