Beauty and the Beast-Newsies!

Prologue

Katherine brushed her hands along the embroidery of the dress, her finger tracing the small petals and stems across her skirt. Glancing in the mirror, she posed and shrugged. Her satchel didn't really match the vibrant colours of the dress and shawl her dressmaker had picked out, but she wasn't leaving her room without it.

She rummaged through her bookshelves, removing two books, Peter Pan and Wendy, a classic that her mother used to read to her at night, and a blank notepad. They went into the old, brown satchel along with a pen and a handful of pencils.

She slipped on her pair of black heeled boots and headed out the door. Her father had ordered her presence, along with her 3 younger sisters and 2 brothers, at a ball he was holding with everyone in this crappy little town. Katherine would just have to sit out of sight and read a little bit.

Downstairs, the ball was in full swing. Katherine heard the orchestra as she glided down the brass staircase.

Rebecca and Georgia were the first to spot her.

"Father was wondering when you'd join us." Georgia smiled, taking Katherine's hand and leading her to where she knew Katherine would like to just sit and read. After making brief conversation, the twins were whisked away by a couple of young boys that were more interested in their fathers riches than the girls themselves.

Katherine sighed, opening her book.

As she read the first few chapters, she noticed her brothers dancing with various girls from the town, all obsessed with their looks and outfits. Katherine despised them.

"Excuse me, may I have this dance?" Katherine looked up. Darcy.

"I'm okay just here, thank you." She smiled as politely as possible and went back to her book, ignoring Darcy's constant pestering.

The ball continued, the music got louder and the people got rowdier with every hour that passed. Champagnes were passed around and Katherine was sure she'd turned down at least 15 glasses in the last 5 minutes.

She spotted her older brother, Joseph with her father (also Joseph), they looked very deep in conversation. Michael, Katherine's younger brother by two years, went and joined them in hushed tones. Then they split up.

Katherine frowned, trying to find them all again in the crowds. Her father escorted a few of his business partners into the next room. What was going on? Joseph, with the twins and a few of the girls he'd been dancing with. Michael and Connie running towards her.

It was an interesting sight. Michael's hair had been slicked back earlier but now stood up at odd angles, his dark hair framing his face. Connie's intricate braids had come loose, the ends had lost their ribbons and her blonde curls were half braided half splayed down her small pink dress.

The Pulitzer siblings had always been quite different. Joseph, the eldest, was a spitting image of her father, sandy hair, tall, lanky build and a pointed chin to match. Katherine, the next oldest, had dark reddish brown hair, a pointed chin like her father, and hazel eyes. The twins were almost identical with their small frames and smiling faces, except Rebecca's hair was a few shades darker than Georgia's dirty blonde. Michael's hair was the darkest. He had a square jaw, like their grandfather had had, and his eyes were a vibrant shade of green. Connie, the youngest at only 7 years old, was the most different. She was half the size of Katherine, her hair was a bright yellow/blonde and her eyes were a pale blue. Connie had been the image of their late mother, Constance, to whom Connie was named. However, the only similarity between Katherine and Connie was the curls that were often untamed atop their heads.

"Take Connie. Get out. Now!" Michael said, already letting go of Connie's hand, turning and dashing off.

"What?" Katherine took Connie's hand in her own. "What's happening?" Connie began tugging Katherine out of the door, through the house and outside.

"Go! Go, go!" Connie said, squeezing her eyes shut as she pulled her older sister. "Michael says there's a bad man, an angry man, Kathy, come on, come on!" Katherine frowned in confusion but nevertheless followed Connie out into the garden, through the trees and into the forest.

She saw the fire before she heard the explosion.

Bang!

They were on the floor, they're dresses were covered in mud and ash, the trees near them were alight. Katherine was up with Connie in her arms before she'd processed what had happened. She ran.