Once upon a time, in the hidden heart of France, a handsome young prince lived in a beautiful castle. Although he has everything his heart desired, the prince was selfish and unkind. He taxed the village to fill his castle with the most beautiful objects and his parties with the most beautiful people.
Then one night, an unexpected intruder arrived from the castle, seeking shelter from the bitter storm. As a gift, she offered the prince a single rose. Repulsed by her haggard appearance, the prince turned the woman away. She warned him not to be deceived by appearances.
For beauty is found within.
When he dismissed her again, the old woman's outwdard appearance melted away to reveal a beautiful enchantress. The prince begged for forgiveness but it was too late, for she had seen that there was no love in his heart. As punishment, she transformed him into a hideous beast and places a powerful spell on the castle and all who lived there.
As days bled into years, the prince and his servants were forgotten by the world for the enchantress has erased all memory of them from the minds of the people they loved. The rose she has offered was truly an enchanted rose. If he could learn to love another, and earn their love in return but the time the last petal fell, the spell would be broken. If not, he would be doomed to remain a beast for all time. As the years past, he fell into despair and lost all hope.
For who could ever learn to love a beast?
-
Belle opened her eyes looking at the walls that she's seen all of her life. She took out her favorite white and blue dress and got ready for the day. She took a book which she will now return and borrow another one from the only library in this town. Belle has always loved books. She doesn't remember when it started but she never bothered to think about it.
Belle looked around at the little town, the quiet village. She noticed that everyday was almost like the one before. She's walking around the little town, filled with little people who'll wake up after a few minutes and say, "Bonjour!"
"Bonjour!"
"Bonjour!"
"Bonjour!"
"Bonjour!"
Belle knew the daily routine of every villager here. She watched the baker with his trey, like always. The same old bread and rolls that he always sells. She sighed since she felt like every morning was the same since the morning that she came to this town. Her thoughts were distracted when Monsieur Jean greeted her and had a little chat with her. Just as Belle has suspected, Monsieur Jean has lost something again but he doesn't remember what they were.
"Where are you off to?" Monsieur Jean asked her.
She lifted the book in her hands, "To return this book to Père Robert. It's about two lovers in fair Verona."
"Sounds boring," Monsieur Jean commented as he walked away.
Belle sighed at the simplicity of the people around her and continued walking towards the library. Her mind drifted off to what book she'll be able to borrow and whatever adventure she'll have. Even if her mind was off on another land, her ears were still there, hearing the townspeople gossip about her. She's used to it, she hears it everyday along with other normal everyday conversations.
"Bonjour! Good day! How is your family?"
"Bonjour! Good day! How is your wife?"
"I need six eggs! That's too expensive!"
"There must be more than this provincial life," Belle sighed again.
She's always felt like she's meant for something more than this simple life. She wants some adventure, some excitement. That was one of the reasons she loves to read. She loved that the books could be able to take her to places without her even going anywhere. She reached the library and went inside seeing her good friend, Père Robert, the owner of the library. He smiled when he saw Belle's familiar face inside his shop.
"Ahh, if it isn't the only bookworm in town! So, where did you run off to this week?" He asked.
"Two cities in Northern Italy," Belle replied. She sighed dreamily, remembering some of the wonderful and beautiful scenes in the book. "I didn't want to go back," she whined which got Père to laugh. "Have you got any new places to go?"
"I'm afraid not," Père said. "But you can re-read any of the old ones that you like," he offered.
Belle was a little disappointed but she liked the idea of re-reading one of the books. She looked around and her eyes landed on a familiar book that she loved so much. A huge and excited smile grew on Belle's face and she immediately picked it out.
"Your library makes the small corner of the world feel big," Belle said as she left.
"Bon voyage!"
Belle couldn't wait to get back home and start reading again her favorite book. While she was reading, the townspeople started to gossip about her again. They really find it different that a lady such as herself would always have her nose stuck in a book. The people really think that she's a puzzle.
"Oh isn't it amazing. It's my favorite part because, you'll see. Here's where she meets Prince Charming, but she won't discover that it's him till chapter three," Belle started reading again after making another wish that one day, she'll have another adventure.
While Belle was in her own world, the people are still gossiping about her. Now it was about her looks and that she is indeed really beautiful but they still find her odd and different.
Meanwhile, on the hill outside the town, there were two figures on horses. One of them was short and stout with blond red hair. His name was Lefou. While the other was a tall and sturdy man with ginger hair fixed in a ponytail. That man took out his telescope and spied on Belle. This man's name is Gaston.
"Look at her Lefou, my future wife. Belle is the most beautiful girl in the village. That makes her the best," Gaston said with a huge smile on his face.
"But she's so, well-read and you're so athletically inclined," Lefou commented as they started to go back into the village.
"Yes, but ever since the war, I felt like I've been missing something. She's the only girl that give me the sense of," Gaston paused, thinking of the word that fits her well.
"Mmmm... Je ne sais quoi?"
"I don't know what that means but here's one thing I do know. Right from the moment when I met her, saw her. I said she's gorgeous and I fell. In this town it's only she, who's as beautiful as me. So I made a plan to woo and marry Belle." Gaston walked around the busy town, looking for Belle. His admirers saw him and they silently wished that he would notice them but his eyes were only on Belle and Belle only. Gaston was able to get a bouquet of flowers and catches up to her.
"Good morning Belle!" He greeted. She just smiled at him. "Wonderful book you've got there," he said so that they won't start to get awkward.
"Have you read it?" Belle asked.
"Well not that one but you know," he let out a nervous chuckle. "But you know, books." He gave her the bouquet he was holding, "For your dinner table. Shall I join you this evening?"
"Sorry not this evening," she was trying to let him down gently.
"Busy?"
"No," she looked away and started to walk back into her house, not accepting the bouquet of flowers Gaston had for her.
Belle finally reached her house and heard a familiar tune. She went inside and saw her father, Monsieur Maurice, singing alone with the tune. Belle sat beside him and helped him a little.
"Papa, do you think I'm odd?" Belle asked, remembering some of the people that were gossiping about her.
"Odd? My daughter odd? Where did you get an idea like that?"
"I don't know," Belle shrugged. "People talk."
"This is a small village, you know. Small minded as well," her father chuckled. "But small also means safe. Even back in Paris, I knew a girl like you, who was so ahead of her time. Indifferent. People mocked her until the day they all found themselves imitating her."
"Please just tell me one more thing about her?" She begged.
Her father was silent for a while. Thinking of what to tell her. "You mother was fearless," he paused. "Fearless."
Maurice smiled at his daughter and got ready for his travel to the market. He prepared his horse, Philipe, and the wagon. He rose Philipe and asked Belle what he could bring her from the market.
"A rose. Like the one in the painting," Belle simply replied.
"You ask for that every year!" Her father exclaimed.
"And every year you bring it."
"And I shall bring you another. You have my word."
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