Twisted Fairy Tales - Beauty and the Beast

Chapter 3: Her First Day in the Castle

Belle woke up the next morning to a pounding on the door. She climbed out of her bed with haste and opened up the door a crack to find the beast staring at her angrily. "What did I do to make you so angry My Lord?" she said, respectfully bowing her head in a small curtsy like motion as she opened the door all the way.

"You didn't come down for dinner last night or breakfast this morning. You are to eat your meals with me Belle." He said, storming past her into the room, making her clutch her robe about her as she still had her night shift on.

"I am sorry, My Lord, but I went to bed shortly after you left me last night and you only just woke me up by knocking on my door. Please do forgive me." She said exercising her patience without breaking a sweat. The Beast was stunned. She was respectful, calling him My Lord instead of a beast, even when he yelled at her and was saying it was her fault. She even called his attempt at breaking down the door just mere knocking. She had to know by the sound that it was much more. The beast pondered who this creature in front of him was. She gave a small bow before going to the door and opening it for him as a silent sign to leave.

"I said you are to eat meals with me, and I expect my orders to be obeyed." He said, keeping the door open. Belle never liked being told exactly what to do and she didn't like it anymore now that all of her freedom had been taken from her. She exercised her free will and said no to him. "Why not?" he demanded, now angrier then when he first spoke to her.

"Because I am not hungry, My Lord. Also, if I am not to carry out my Father's punishment any more then remaining here for the rest of my days and I am allowed to roam the grounds and corridors freely, then why do I have to bend to your will any further then I already have?" Her anger leaked through a bit, but she quickly reigned it back in. The Beast didn't miss this and wanted her to actually get angry at him. He didn't want her to be truly angry at him but her respect and patience was annoying him and he wanted to see a different emotion from her.

"You will eat with me now, Belle, or I will bring you downstairs and have you tied to a chair and be fed by a servant like the child you are pretending to be." He walked out of the door, expecting her to follow after him after his new display of anger.

"I said no, My Lord, and I stick to my word. I am not going to eat just because you say to do so. If I am not hungry then I will not eat. Now excuse me but I am going to get dressed for the day My lord." She said before pushing the door against his hand and succeeding in closing the door. He heard her slide the lock into place and knew he wasn't going to be getting her out anytime soon.

"If you don't eat with me, you don't eat at all Belle." He yelled at her.

"I have already said that I am not hungry, My Lord. Your concerns for me are unnecessary" She said in a clipped tone through the door before walking over to her closet and opening the door. Cogsworth came running down the hall as the sound of the argument drifted through the halls of the castle and decided to help out his master with the young lady whether he deserved it or not. Belle placed a simple blue dress onto a hook on the door before turning to try and hear what was being said in hushed voices beyond the door.

"Sire, maybe if you were to ask the girl nicely she might be more motivated to come out and learn more about you."

"Quiet Cogsworth." He rushed the words out before turning on the door again. Seeing it closed and the thought of her forcing it closed on him brought about a sudden change in how he worded his next sentence. "Please come out and eat breakfast with me Belle. It would make me very happy to know that you are eating and fairing well here under my care." The Beast said calmly to her, barely managing to keep the anger he still felt out of his words. Belle paused a moment in her slow walk to the door at the sound. The fact that he had used the same gentle voice he had with her last night didn't go unnoticed to her ears. She still couldn't bare to eat with him just yet as she was still mourning the loss of her old life, but this time she felt sorry for needing to decline.