Beauty and the Beast

Prologue

Once Upon a Time, 

In a faraway land-Evercrest-there were a king and a queen. Their names were Morris and Ruthedea Buckingham. The pair had three boys Jeff was the oldest and next in line for the throne. Then there were the spares. Greg was second in line for the throne, and finally, Lindsey was the third in line. Morris and Ruth felt bad for Lindsey. He was never going to be a king and he was going to spend the rest of his life in the shadows of his brothers. It was settled that when he would turn sixteen he'd have to go out and find a job in the streets of Evercrest. A shoemaker, or a baker something along those lines. 

However, it was a weird twist of fate that a mysterious illness fell upon the whole time. While most survived, there were few who did not. Among the few of the fallen were King Morris, Queen Rutheda, Prince Jeffry, and Prince Gregory. Leaving Lindsey alone. He was only twelve and he was thrust into the world of ruling over Evercrest. Because he was so young, he wasn't mature enough to handle it. He had everything his heart desired in a matter of months, sure he missed his family but he was finally something more than the youngest Buckingham boy. And he used that. He was spoiled, selfish, and unkind. 

But then, one Christmas eve, when he was only 18 an old beggar woman came to the castle. She was looking for shelter from cold blowy night and only offered him a single rose in return. The prince quickly turned her away. She warned him about turning her away-something about Kindness being the only way humanity could prosper and that he need not only think of himself-but he still turned her away. She deduced that there was absolutely no love in his heart and changed into a beautiful woman. He tried to reconcile and make amends but she quickly refused. 

She enchanted the castle. He nor any of his servants were allowed to leave the castle. People could come and go as they pleased but if anyone of his servants or himself tried to leave the barrier that she set up then they'd be struck down with pangs in their heart-almost that of a heart attack-The boundary was the waterfall that marked the start of the trail that led up to his castle in the mountain. 

Ashamed of what he had done, though still keeping his reign over the small country, he locked himself away in the castle. There was no use in leaving anyway because he couldn't go further than the waterfall, but he banned any visitors. There were no lavish balls that Morris and Ruth were known to give. No tours of the town to win the favor of the people, just total isolation. Even within the walls of his castle. No celebrations, No Holidays. A Magic mirror being his only view of the world outside. 

And the rose, the rose was special in itself because the sorceress told him that it would bloom until his 36th birthday and if he didn't learn to love someone and receive her love in return by his 36th birthday the curse wouldn't lift and they'd all die alone with no connection to the outer world. No chance of living a normal life again. 

***

Among the townspeople of Evercrest, was a baker and his wife. Jess Nicks was the baker and his wife Barbara ran the town's library. They had two children together Stephanie the oldest and Chris the youngest. Though none of them died in the disease outbreak, Stevie was thirteen when it ended, Christopher eight, their mother died from Pneumonia five years later when Stevie was seventeen, and Christopher twelve. Stevie left school and went to work at the Library. 

***

As the years passed-seventeen to be exact-the young King fell into despair and lost all hope of ever seeing the outside world again, contemplating his actions when he was first appointed king and though he regretted it there was no way he could fix it. For who could ever learn to love a beast.