Beauty And The Beast: The Story Untold

Chapter 3: The Prisoner

"Hello?" Belle asked, pushing the door open and peaking into the enormous castle. She slowly stepped inside and shut the door behind her. The castle was dark and quiet. The sound of her shoes echoed throughout the huge empty hall. Belle was frightened. As dark as the castle was, anything could be lurking around the corner or she could get lost.

The hallway led straight to a huge flight of stairs so she figured she would try there. "Hello? Father?" she called again, jogging up the steps. Walking down yet another hallway, she thought she heard voices nearby. She heard a door close behind her and she ran to it quickly and pushed it open. "Hello? Is someone there? Please, I'm looking for my father."

The door opened to a giant spiral of steps leading up to what she assumed was the tower she saw when she was outside. "That's funny. I could have sworn I heard someone...." she thought out loud. She hurried up the steps and came to a metal door. "Is anyone here?" She looked over and grabbed a torch off the wall as she made her way up the steps.

"Belle?" she heard a quite voice.

"Papa?" she asked, shoving the door open. The room opened up to show a cell on the other side. The stone floor was cold and damp and there was a small window in the cell to see outside. Other than that the room was dark and gloomy.

She spotted her father on his knees, his hands gripping the metal bars that held him in the cell. "Oh Papa! Who did this to you? Who put you in here?" she demanded, falling to her knees and holding his hands. His hands were freezing and he shivered behind the bars.

"Oh you're hands are like ice! We have to get you out of here!" Belle exclaimed, looking around for a way to open the cell door. Her heart felt warm at being so close to her father. He was the only family she had left. His eyes were wide and alert as he looked around. She could sense his nervousness.

"Belle, I want you to leave this place," he ordered, his voice stern but shaky. Something must have really thrown him off.

Belle ignored his question. "Who's done this to you?" she asked, looking into his wide eyes.

He shook his head. "No time to explain. You must go....now!" he pleaded, pushing her hands away from his in effort to get her to run.

Belle refused. "I won't leave you!" She had just found him. There was no way she was going to leave him locked away in this castle.

Suddenly she heard a menacing growl and she was whipped around, falling on her side. She dropped her torch in a nearby puddle, the room falling dark all except for a single beam of light that came from a sky light. Her eyes searched desperately but she saw nothing. "What are you doing here?" came the cruel growl.

Maurice pressed himself up against the cool metal bars, filled with fear and panic. "Run Belle!" he cried. He tried to say more, but nothing came out but a vicious cough. He was coming down with a cold.

Belle continued to search the shadows. "Who's there? Who are you?" she asked, her voice strong and stern. She didn't play games when it came to her father. Everyone in the village makes fun of him and she will not tolerate it.

"The master of this castle," came the reply. The voice was cold and stern.

"I've come for my father. Please let him out. Can't you see that he's sick?" she pleaded.

"Then he shouldn't have trespassed here!" the person growled.

Belle found herself starting to become impatient. Did this person have no heart? "But he could die! Please, I'll do anything!" And it was true. Belle loved her father more than the world itself. She had already lost one parent. She couldn't stand to lose the other.