Midnight Roses

❀Prologue: Scares❀

Hey :D So. Beauty and the Beast ... it's my favorite fairy tale (it used to be Sleeping Beauty, but then I hated how Aurora never talks). I was considering writing this for a while now. There is no magic-no vengeful fairy/witch(depending on what version you're going by)no enchanted candle sticks or clocks or teapots. ): I'm sorry Mrs. Potts!!!

This is a story of a beautiful man who became a beast. It's about human nature and how the front cover of ourselves are not always how we are on the inside. Even the ugliest man in the world can have a heart of gold.

All Rights Reserved

Copyright © 2012 by Amber Hanscom

❀Prologue: Scares❀

The night was quiet, a comforting calm had settled in the elegant bed chamber of the young Duc de Anjou. The duc, a boy of seventeen, lay sprawled on his back, utterly exhausted from a long night of bed sports. He was without a doubt the most beautiful man in all of France-perhaps even Europe. His gold tresses were mussed and tangled, sticking up in an up roar in odd places. Sweat glistened over his chiseled arms and chest mussels, his skin a perfection color of fair gold. His long dark lashes caressed his high, sharp cheek bones, making him appear all the more an angel from the heavens.

Adrien Beiste was known widely for the women he brought to his bed-and of how he discarded them. The finest beauties from all over Europe-some even hailing from Asia and India-but he kept them for a week or two before tossing them aside, besotted by some new girl, whose beauty was as remarkable as theirs.

His most recent lover lay at his side now, watching as the angelic duke slept on. Her name was Begonia Devenshire. She was the daughter of an English earl, one who had high favor with the current king of England, and was ridiculously rich. Begonia herself had benefited from her seventeen years of a life of luxury.

She was fair, with skin like the petals of the fairest white rose, her lips full and a deep crimson. Her eyes were a captivating green, brighter than Egyptian emeralds. Her hair was a pale and lusterous blond, which coiled into perfect coiling curls down to her waist.

Begonia knew she was beautiful, and she was quite used to getting her way because of it. But this particular foreign duke was proving to be a challenge. Begonia had used all her tricks, every little teasing play she knew, on him, and yet still he was not helplessly in love with her. If Begonia was truthful, she would admit that in the game of seduction-and love play-he was indeed her equal in every way. Beauty, brains-and cruelty.

Beside her, he began to stir, his thick lashes fluttering up to reveal bejeweled blue eyes. He stared at her in confusion for a moment, before rolling away from her, off the bed and on to his feet.

"What are you still doing here?" he asked, his voice a husky timber from sleep. "I told you to return home as soon as you were well rested, chere."

Begonia flashed him a flirtatious smile, her hands snaking out to wrap around his slim, toned waiste.

"I thought that we could enjoy one anothers company some more before my husband returns from York." she said huskily, her tone seductive.

But the duc was not swayed by her roaming hands and taunting body. He placed his hands firmly on her arms, shoving her away with brutal force, causing her to roll off the bed and onto the floor.

"May hap, mon fluer, I have not made myself clear about our situation. You will only grace my bed for as long as I wish-that is all this is. Any woman who comes to my bed knows that love is not a factor in our relationship-and it never will be." he said, his cold tone underlining every word he spoke.

Begonia bristled, hot fury and lust thriving through her veins. How dare he?! How dare he assume that she was so desperate, so weak, that she'd fall in love-with him of all people? But deep down, in Begonia's heart, pain was filling it up-for secretly, even she herself wasn't aware of it; she was in love with the duc de Anjou.

"You are a fool." Begonia sneered, as she climbed to her feet, clutching the flimsy bed sheet to her volumptous body. "You truly think that you can toss me aside like a common street whore? I am the heiress of an earldom! I am of pure blood, and of noble stature! If anything I should cast you aside! I am English, kin to the king!

"And who are you but a poor country French duke whose only attributes are the ones he can produce in the bed chamber?! You should be so lucky as to have someone of my lineage and stature to be your wife-let alone your lover!" Begonia screeched stomping her petite foot for emphasis.

Adrian merely regarded her calmly, not the least bit shaken or unnerved by her little tantrum. Her cheeks were flushed quiet becomingly, her chest heaving with exertion.

"Did you know, you are most beautiful when you are angry?" he asked, a chauvinistic smile spreading across his angelic face.

Begonia let out a cry akin to that of a banshee's, as she hurled herself at the man, swinging her tiny fists at his face, chest, and any other vulnerable bit of flesh.

"You are non ange, you pompus duke! Vous êtes un démon!" she cried as she whipped away from him reaching for a burning piece of branch from the hearth.

Adrian froze, his teasing and rakish air gone. "Mon Dieu, femme! Put the damn branch down before you hurt yourself. Maintenant, mon cher!"

"You, my dear duc de Anjou, are a bâtard," she said vehemently. "I would like to see how well your charm and wealth work for you without ton joli visage."

Before she was even finished speaking she sprung forward, lashing out with the burning log with a sharp and powerful back swing. It connected with the left side of his face, burning through his skin, tearing his flesh. Adrian cursed colorfully clutching at the injured side of his face.

"After this night your outward appearance will match your inward-everyone shall see the beast that you are!" she said coldly as she reached out for one of the many tapestries that adorned the walls of the chamber.

She walked past the young duke, who was still sprawled on the floor withering in pain. His vision was blurry, and his head felt as if it were being torn open from the inside. His face burned, flaming with pain as blood gushed from the gnarled wound.

When she reached the hearth she tossed a corner of the tapestry into the flames watching patiently as the fire lapped and devoured the fabric, creeping its way up the cloth. She turned toward the duke, meeting his blue eyes with her green ones.

"Rendez-vous en enfer, mon cher." she said mockingly as she tossed the burning cloth over his body.

Adrian let out a howl of pain as he fought to free himself. The fabric, the flames, clung to his flesh greedily devouring him, sering his skin as it burned him.

The fire wandered, clinging to the floor and up the walls and onto any and all available surfaces. Begonia didn't move. She didn't notice as the flames consumed the sheet that clothed her, or even stirr at the fowl odor of burning flesh and hair.

Her eyes were trained on the man who had betrayed her, as he fought his way free from the blanket. His arm became visible, the skin no longer smooth and golden, but leathery and red. Adrian fought his way out until he was free from the tapestry.

A cold smile curled across her lips as she saw his face. He was no longer the embodiment of beauty-his face was putrid, the most ghastly and horrific sight she had ever seen.

Begonia watched as he escaped the inferno, not even bothering to follow or hinder his way. No, she would serve better to perish in the flames. After this night, Adrian Beiste, duc de Anjou, would never have a peaceful rest. He would never live the joy of a woman's willing touch or know anything of love.

As the flames consumed her, Begonia's curse was set.

________________________Author's Note__________________

I would like to thank Google Translate for all of the French it supplied me with. I would like to give a shout out to my buds here on wattpad JustMe52 and ect. (sorry if i cant remember your user names -_-) And Thank God to ABC for creating the best show in the galaxy Once Upon A Time(on Sundays at 8 p.m. we find out who William Whale is next week :D) And another shot out at my fans, voters, readers and comment...ers?

Lol I hope you enjoyed it, I'm already working on chapter 1.

COMMENT, Vote, and Fan :D

Xoxox Amber A.K.A. the fairy tale freak