Belle et sa Beauté (Beauty and her Beast)

Belle et sa Beauté

Prologue

Once upon a time, a glorious and dominating castle reigned over the outskirts of France. The castle, with intense gothic architecture and gargoyles sitting atop each pillar that protected it from intruders, could be seen from miles away on all sides, calling attention to it from every which way. In the front, the grounds displayed rows of gold-encrusted carriages and snow-white Lipizzaner horses, standing at attention and ready for the next trip. The entrance of the castle was a giant, iron-crossed double door that barred any entry for the common folk, with two knights on either side for extra protection. The back of the palace held acres of gorgeous flora and intricately designed gardens, with hanging vines dawning honeysuckles and columns lined with tulips and roses. It had housed many generations of royalty for years and years; some kind and fair, others malevolent and cruel.

On the night of the most recent coronation, something in the castle shifted and havoc ensued. In the blink of an eye, a blood-curdling scream ripped through the great hall and peace was nowhere to be found. Knights and armed men flooded the scene, slashing and hacking at anything in their line of sight, while the guests of the evening rushed out the front gate, hiking up their dresses and coattails, not bothering to look back at the sight. The merciless scream, which rattled nearby birds and shook hanging diamonds, was abruptly cut off, never to be heard from once more. The palace doors were immediately shut after the last guest tripped their way out, curtains were pulled, and no one ever left the castle again. As everyone ran their way back to safety, a dark cloud was seen above the tallest tower of the castle, circling the entire plot and casting a thick haze of mist over all. Thunder rolled in, the day turned to permanent night, and the view of the castle was obstructed forever, never allowing another person to see its walls forevermore.

The last thing anyone heard that night was a long, billowing sob that drowned out all. As it softened, the sound morphed into a low, dense roar.

The story of that dreadful night was passed from person to person in the neighboring village, getting twisted up over time as speculations were perceived as truths and details were left out or changed. No one dared the trek back to the castle to discover the truth, and each new generation is warned against doing so. This is not to say some are not curious, however, as each year on the anniversary of the disastrous event, the townsfolk climb to the roofs of their houses and strain their necks in hopes of seeing any glimpse of the once bold and commanding castle.

Present Day

As years passed, the village people began losing hope in anyone returning from the castle, and instead decided to move on with their lives and responsibilities. The village was a quaint and intimate plot of land, with small cabins and cottages littered across the border of the town. Markets and boutiques lined the streets, the owners of each establishment greeting their customers, hoping to win their affection and gain their business. Cattle and livestock were heard from every corner with children running around trying to rile them up, much to the chagrin of the farmers. Mothers were seen tending to their babies while finishing their housework while the fathers could be found throughout the town, bringing home produce and lumber for their families. Every day held the same affairs, every day was like the one before, the little town was home to small-minded people doing small-minded tasks.

Until Belle was born.

Belle, whose mother was an artist and father, an unconventional inventor, was known for being the odd one out. Her parents migrated to the village after the French Revolution had destroyed their home in Paris and never adopted the provincial mindset the townspeople had maintained. As a result, Belle became the most vivacious, intelligent, and peculiar person the town has ever seen. She was raised with an open-minded and fulfilling education, unlike the other women of the village, and in doing so created a rift between herself and the villagers who thought a reading woman is downright sinful. Belle's parents shielded as much backlash as they could from her, however, hoping she would keep the spark she had for learning forever.