Beauty and the Beast

Prologue

King Herne IV Geffory

Now it was known these days that smaller kingdoms are completely left on their own. In a small town called; Lille on the border of Belgium and France lives a king called Herne the fourth. As a terrible hunting trip with his father in his early teens of a bear attack left his face and parts of his body scarred for life. Claw marks of four welts ran from above his left eye all the way across his face to the right side of his neck, taking pieces of his ear, leaving it chip and scared badly. His torso, arms, hands, and back also have really ugly claw marks.

As he was healing after his bear attack he almost passed away on a few occasions. Yet since his father was king at that particular time, he received the best hospital care, that there was at the time, but since Herne's father passed away after a rather long sickbed, he became king. But over the years Herne became bitter and he is always angry with himself the most and everyone around him.

Yet he runs is a small kingdom in the kindest gentle way. His foreign relations are far stronger and his ties to other countries are stronger than his fathers could have ever offered his people. Since he never leaves the castle at all he has his own way to see the world. Through the large computer screens as he uses Google maps and he always stays on top of all world events through the internet. Sometime he would take his horse and go for a ride just to escape the confinements of the castle walls a little as he rode on castle ground.

The only human contact he has is with his servants and his close squares. Yet they all see the potential in Herne to become a really great man the kind, that is gentle and just downright a gentleman.

But still, he seek-ed something, he just doesn't know what it is yet. Then one day he decided to get a nice unmarked car with dark tinted windows to drive around the lovely town of Lille. He acquired himself a driver and his driver would just drive him around the town slowly taking in the scenery. Weeks upon weeks they would drive around town taking in the sights he only saw as a boy. One day they were still driving, when the anger of his scared town's people will run for the hill in horror of his horrible appearance, his anger took a hold of him and they had to return to the castle where he would rush to his forbidden wing of the castle where he would rush in and storm his punching bags that hung from the roof and he would attack them with his always present anger.

The forbidden south wing of the castle is one of desolate and destruction. Herne feels at ease here because the whole wing looks like he feels inside. Weeks he would spend in this hideaway wing of his glorious castle. Marcus one of his personal servants would leave him his food on a tray outside the south wing door. Then Marcus will retreat hastily not to disturb Herne.

But tomorrow being the 5th of December it will be Herne's 32nd birthday and the staff knows to only bake a small cake sing quickly and get back to work. Herne is not much of a celebrator of his own birthday, for many years. The bakers being quite busy decorating Herne's birthday cake very specially. Herne finally came out of his hideaway after three weeks and went to his room and went straight to bed.

Today being Herne's birthday Marcus, Marinda the head cook and Juliana the head housekeeper, came in holding his birthday cake as they quickly sang Herne awake.

'What is all this?' Herne asked sitting up whipping sleep from his eyes.

'Happy birthday, your majesty.' Marcus said for all of them.

'Thank you.' He said and blew out the candles they all had a piece with coffee and returned to their work. Marcus was the only one that stayed behind. Getting Herne dressed for the day.

'What is the purpose of living at all Marcus? It all seems so pointless.'

'I am still trying to figuring out what the purpose of living is myself, sire. But I can guarantee you, your majesty it is surely not at all pointless.'

'I guess you're right Marcus. But I feel so- so...'

'Alone sire?'

'Yes, that's it. My life is on such a dull rut, living every day over and over the same way. What I would do to have lived, the adventures of all those books I have in the library.'

'You can still have that sire.'

'You think so?'

'Yes.'

'Tell me, Marcus, if the people out there see all of this, would they not scream and run for the hills.'

'I am sorry sire, I cannot really speak for everyone.'

'I guess you're right, again, Marcus.'

'But sire may I only suggest that you start your adventures closer to home first. Say a nice hiking trip in the forest nearby.'

'That sounds perfect Marcus, but isn't it how I ended up like this in the first place?'

'Not all hiking trip are like that sire.'

'I guess you are right Marcus. Maybe I can take some guards with me?'

'Indeed you can, sire.' Marcus smiled warmly.

'Good I'll do it then.'

'Wonderful. Do you want me to arrange it for today, sire?'

'That would be great of you, Marcus.' Marcus bowed and left the room. Herne got up and took a shower. The thought of having a nice hiking trip with some of his guards. Just the thought of getting out is a thrilling thought. Then again he is a little nervous because the last he was in a forest he was almost killed. Good thing dad finally killed the bear after he already attacked him. He shook his head and focus on his trip for today. Getting dressed for the snowy weather outside, Herne thought of how nice it would be to have some drastic change around here. He is really starting to hate the rut his life has fallen into. Any form of change or adventure will be a welcome relief. He thought as he finished getting dressed.