Belle is a maid living in service of a handsome prince who she falls madly in love with. Jealous of all the other women and angry at his refusal to notice her she curses him and turns him into a hideous beast. For years they remain together in the c...
Oops! This image does not follow our content guidelines. To continue publishing, please remove it or upload a different image.
The warm aroma of meat pie fills the air wafting in from the kitchen where Sophie is still hard at work. My stomach grumbles and my mouth salivates as I anxiously wait for supper. I lightly tap my fingers against the hollow edge of the sparsely decorated table only housing four plates, accompanying utensils, a yellow tablecloth, and a single vase partially filled with the sweet white flowers that decorate Sophie's window still. Seated at the head of the table Pierre rambles on about his day, and despite having neither the energy nor interest in listening to anything he has to say I still make sure to give small responses here and there. I glance at Adrien who is sitting very quietly across from me. Much like me he isn't at all interested in what his father has to say, but he has barely been interested in what anybody has had to say having not spoken for the entire day so far. Still tapping my fingers against the edge of the table I watch as he keeps his gaze firmly positioned on the floor whilst he repeatedly tugs at a loose bit of string hanging from the sleeve of his jacket.
"... and that's why we have decided to stop hunting there," Pierre says finally finishing the long story he has been going on about for at least half an hour.
For a brief moment, the only sound that can be heard is the echo from the hollow part of the table as my finger repeatedly taps it but it is hastily cut short by a grunt coming from the head of the table.
"Valerie," Pierre snaps. It takes everything in me not to flinch at the harshness in his voice.
Slowly I shift my attention away from my friend and toward the last person on Earth I want to talk to today. Well, the second last person on Earth that I want to talk to today.
"Sorry, Pierre, I didn't catch what you said before," I say in the kindest tone I can muster without it sounding too fake.
The corners of his lips may be curled upward but I can still see the anger behind his eyes. "That's all right. It's been a long day I understand that your focus isn't all there. And you're not the only one," he glares at Adrien for a split second causing the seemingly stressed young man to shrink further away from the table. He turns his attention back to me still wearing that fake smile, "Anyway, as I was saying the men and I have decided to stop hunting near the river bank."
My brows furrow as confusion bubbles within me. "Why would you decide that? The riverbank is the best hunting ground you've got providing this town with both fish and deer. Do you know how many towns would kill to have a recourse like that?"
"Sal thinks we should find newer hunting grounds due to the construction that will start soon."
"What construction?" I ask.
"Oh, Sal's son is moving back to town with his new wife and they are going to be building their family home by the river. The spot where we go hunting will be part of their property so we won't be allowed there."
