Twisted Fairy Tales - Beauty and the Beast

Chapter 1: The Old Man's Imprisonment.

***NOTE*** This is a new series I am starting. Not a series in Beauty and the Beast, but with a Fairy-tale series I call 'Twisted Fairy-tales.' The books will follow the movies or classic stories up to a certain point before changing and becoming my own. Some names have changed but most remain the same as if the was a Fan Fiction almost. If this ever becomes published later on then names will have to be changed along with minor story line details for copyright purposes. The story is mostly my own though so as with the rest of my stories they shall be first drafts as well. This time however I plan on doing a small run through for typos and grammatical errors before I post the chapters as I know that has been a problem in the past with my works and the story is being worked out before hand to help curb those pesky plot holes. I hope you enjoy my rendition of "Beauty and The Beast: A Twisted Fairy-tale." ***NOTE***

Chapter 1: The Old Man's Imprisonment.

Anglet, Aquitaine, France: La forêt de Coeur noir et vert de la Terre.

September 17th, 1895.

The old man climbed carefully to the top of the ridge, hiding behind a rock on a small ledge, pulling his threadbare cloak closer around himself to keep warm during the cold and rainy night. He could hear the snarls from the pack not to far in the distance and he fingered some of the holes in his winter clothing anxious to know how much time he had. Hoping that the wolves couldn't smell his fear he thought back on what got him here knowing that it was only because of his darling, soon to be orphaned, daughter that he even ventured from home this night.

He thought back to how he watched her walk to the village humming to herself along the way to distract himself from the inevitable. As he thought he knew exactly what she would do once she crossed the small cobblestone bridge that matched the house behind him. She would walk through the winding streets to the middle of town saying hi to the baker and his wife on the way before hopping on the milk cart to save time to her favorite store. When she gets inside she will return what she borrowed only to get something different. Everyone would be watching her strange movements and how she seemed to be lost in her own little world.

Belle and her books. The old man mentally sighed to himself over the thought before he heard a small sniff. He peeked around the side of the rock to find the pack of wolves had indeed found him, but the pouring rain was concealing his scent for a bit. His one saving grace was that even if they figured out where he was, the ledge behind the boulder was barely large enough to hold his portly frame as he sat and it was tall and wide so it would be a bit of a struggle for them to reach him. He continued to ponder over his day as he had nothing better to do then sit there in fear.

Belle came back from her morning stroll and found him in his laboratory in the basement where he was everyday. When she came back he always loved to hear of her adventures in the village. They never really changed much, but he would get the occasional new news about some of his old students. He had taught them science every once in a while during school times, but most had forgotten his wonderful experiments that had them all laughing and looking on in awe and they started to call him a crack pot for all of his inventions that always seemed to fail. One thing they did do for him though was not send him to the Asylum just past the dark forest, he knew they did that because they couldn't be bothered so he had to be careful not to anger them lest they send the old warden after him with his men in white to cart him away.

He did all of his study where no one could see him and he stopped coming to teach the kids. He knew that if he were to be sent off no one would take care of his little Belle as she was considered as weird as her father. She would be all alone in the small house and have to find work to pay for everything she needs. The old man didn't want his little girl's beauty to be spoiled by hard work all because of him, but despite all of his attempts it seems like she might have to. His only hope now was that no one took advantage of her innocence and the fact that she was alone. He replayed all she had said about the village that day in his mind.