Red Queen One Shots

Beauty and the Beast? (not really) Pt I

Note: this is kind of a funny thing and not serious at all. It's just here for the lols :) and few things will be different from the original story. 

The song above is my current obsession, like it's so beautiful it makes you want to cry.

The breeze floating in through the window was warm, offering no respite from the heat of a summer's day. Sunlight painted the wall in a soft shade of yellow and dappled over the curtains that swayed softly and brushed against the wooden floor. Despite it's simple beauty, Mare wished she was anywhere else but here. This town, simple and sweet, was a little too quaint for her liking. Everyone was ridiculously happy here and it annoyed her to no end.

She wished for adventure, like the heroine's in her books. The fearless ones who met any challenge head on. Being a thief was surely worth a good rush of adrenaline, but the people in this town didn't mind much if she swiped at roll sitting on the baker's window, or snatched up a few bolts of thread for Gisa. Once, the baker gave her an extra roll when he caught her dangling from the windowsill with her spoils still in her grip. It was ridiculous. When she had lived in the Stilts, thieving was dangerous. You risked death whenever you slipped your finger in a pocket.

But still, as strange as it sounded, Mare had enjoyed the chase. It gave her day purpose. Now living in the French countryside, life had become dull and quiet. Sure there was the stupid chirping of those birds every morning and the happily whistled tunes from the market, but Mare had learned to tune those out lest she scream in some poor farmer's face.

But today lay an adventure and Mare couldn't keep still in her seat. Only every two days in a year did her father leave the village to trade with nearby towns and this year she had finally convinced her father to bring her along. In contrast to Mare's excitement, her older brother by year, Shade, was anything but. He fussed over her like their mother used to before she...

Mare swallowed down the tears that threatened to spill over at the memory. Shade bustled around the kitchen, checking her bags for the third time. "Are you sure you have everything?" he asked her, clearly fretting as he pawed through her stuff. Mare huffed at him, crossing her arms. "Yes Shade. Besides, shouldn't you know? This is the hundredth time you've been in my bag. I'm starting to think you're just stealing things," Mare replied, tucking her knees to her chest while eyeing his hands still in her things.

Shade shook his head, ruffling her hair fondly. "No, Mare. I leave the thieving to you," he winked. Mare made a sound of protest and smacked his hand away. "Stop, you'll ruin my hair!" she exclaimed. Mare smoothed back the deep brown strands from her face while Shade laughed at her. "Since when did you care about your hair?" he teases. "Looking for somebody special?" Shade yelped as Mare smacked him again, though this time harder.

"Can't a girl just look nice for herself?" she said crossly. Shade's smile faded slightly. "Of course Mare, I was just teasing," he said gently and Mare softened. "I know Shade," she apologized. "I'm just nervous," Mare admitted, fingering the soft material of her cloak that Gisa had sewn for her. Shade tapped her chin making her look up at him. He gave her an encouraging smile. "You'll be fine, Mare Bear. And don't worry about the rest of us, we'll be fine," he reassured her. 

"Are you ready, Mare?" her father asked, still buttoning his own coat as he came to stand in the doorway. Mare stood up and adjusted the folds of her cloak. "I'm ready," she called out, reaching for her bag. "We have to stop off at the stables where I left Philippe and Arianne for some food and rest last night," her father informed her and Mare groaned. She knew that Maven would be there along with his sidekick, Tommy or something like that. Shade crossed his arms, immediately going to into protective brother mode. "Is that Maven boy going to be there?" he asks our father.