Twisted Fairy Tales - Beauty and the Beast

Chapter 9: An Old Man's Lament

Notice! This story, and Red Riding Hood Meets The Wolf, are entered in The Wattys! Help promote this story and I'll do the best I can to keep updating on a regular basis!! Also! Tomorrow is my first day of College! Wish me luck on both ventures please!!!

Anglet, Aquitaine, France: Le village de la terre verte.

September 18th, 1895.

He clawed at the inside of the carriage, helplessly trying to find a latch to try and pry the door open with so he could jump out and run back to that wretched place. When he couldn't find any he resorted himself to kicking at the supposed door before giving up on that as well. It was useless he would have to wait until he was released to go after his dear Belle. He would gather supplies at his house before going to the village and gathering some people to help him storm the castle and kill that horrid beast. The rid back to the village was bumpy and he was being thrown about the small confines of the carriage as if he were a rag doll. Before he knew it the blasted door became unstuck and was thrown open right as the hard seat shoved him out the opening and into a pile of leaves at the base of the steps to his house.

Belle no! I love you! Don't do this! Those were the last words he spoke to her, that he would probably ever speak to her, and he couldn't even say it to her face as he was being dragged down a bunch of steps. He couldn't even hear her reply of requited love before he was out of the tower, the Beast dragging him along so fast he barely even felt the stone steps along his back. He tried struggling against the beast's strong grip the whole way down the stairs and through the grand entrance hall until he was thrown inside the horrible carriage. Maurice could barely believe just how quickly he had gotten back home. A three hour ride by horse plus an hour long chase through the woods to get to the castle only took, at most, an hour and a half to get back from by magic carriage. He said magic because as he watched the carriage run off and leave him he noticed that it lacked any horses. He made it inside his cabin to warm up and heal a little from his injuries before venturing out to save his daughter. He would need all the strength he could possess to go after the beast and Maurice had gained enough wisdom to know he couldn't possibly do so while sick; it would be foolish to try.

,~'*\/*'~,

Anglet, Aquitaine, France: Le village de la terre verte.

September 25th, 1895

It had only been a week, and Maurice felt both stronger and weaker at the same time. He had managed to stay off whatever sickness would have otherwise taken over with what was left of Belle's medicinal herbs, but his house felt empty without his precious daughter in it. He had always wanted to invent and tinker with items since a young age, but without his Belle he couldn't bring himself to pick up a simple screwdriver to fix the squeaky hinge on the kitchen cabinet. He packed a knapsack of food and flags and picked up a small knife before leaving the house for the forest. He was determined to be smart about saving his daughter, he wasn't going to go off in a rage and get lost and leave her at the mercy of the beast.

Once he reached the forest edge he made his first mark in the trunk of a tree with his daughter's initials. He walked ten feet inside the tree line, trying to follow what was left of the carriage's tracks before placing a flag at the base of the next tree. Looking at his compass he could see that the castle was based west of the village. And he was going to go in that direction as best he could. If going off the beaten path was best for the beast it was damn well going to be the best for Maurice.

,~'*\/*'~,

Anglet, Aquitaine, France: Le village de la terre verte.

October 17th, 1895.