The Beauty Within

Little Town

Once upon a time, in a faraway land, a young prince lived in a shining castle. Although he had everything his heart desired. The prince, however, was spoiled, selfish, and unkind. He had taken the throne when his parents passed away when he was seven. Life as a young king had changed him drastically.

But then, one winter's night, an old beggar woman came to the castle and offered him a single rose in return for shelter from the bitter cold. Repulsed by her haggard appearance, the prince sneered at the gift and turned the old woman away, but she warned him not to be deceived by appearances, for beauty is found within. And when he dismissed her again, the old woman's ugliness melted away to reveal a beautiful enchantress.

The prince tried to apologize, but it was too late, for she had seen that there was no love in his heart, and as punishment, she transformed him into a hideous beast, and placed a powerful spell on the castle, and all who lived there.

Ashamed of his monstrous form, the beast concealed himself inside his castle, with a magic mirror as his only window to the outside world. The rose she had offered was truly an enchanted rose, which would bloom until his twenty-sixth year. If he could learn to love another, and earn her love in return by the time the last petal fell, then the spell would be broken.

If not, he would be doomed to remain a beast for all time. As the years passed, he fell into despair, and lost all hope, for who could ever learn to love a beast?

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The sun rose over the hills that surrounded the small town that sat away from the castle. One house in the town stood out from the rest. It was a normal sized cottage with white stone walls and a red roof. The cottage wasn't far from the village, just a few minutes walk away. Directly behind the house sat a valley with a winding riverbend.

A boy emerged from the front door and walked down the stone steps, down to the dirt path. The boy had pale skin which contrasted with his jet black hair and dark violet eyes. He was dressed in a pair of black pants, a dark violet blouse, a dark grey jacket, and a pair of brown boots. With him, he carried a small brown basket. Inside sat a small pouch of gold coins and a book with a dark blue cover.

The boys name was Keith, he had lived in the village since he was six. He had moved in with his uncle who was an inventor, after his parents had died. Keith wasn't like the others in the village, he stood out from the rest. He never really socialized with anyone, instead he read books. He read to escape the judgemental world he lived in. Something the townspeople found off and strange. Thus he was labeled as "the outcast".

"Little town

It's a quiet village

Every day

Like the one before"

Keith's boots echoed on the wooden bridge as he crossed over to the stone walkway in the village. It was early and everyone was just starting to wake up and start their day.

"Little town full of little people

Waking up to say"

As if on cue, windows and doors started opening.

"Bonjour!

Bonjour!

Bonjour!

Bonjour!

Bonjour!"

Despite being the village outcast, everyone would always say hello to him.

"There goes the baker with his tray like always

The same old bread and rolls to sell"