The Beastie and his Princess

Prologue

At the age of six, I was still a happy little girl. I had my mother and my father. A normal family. Sure, we weren't rich, but we were happy. My father works as a police officer in our small town, spending enough time with his family. My mother was a kindergarten teacher, teaching me everything she could before I finished the 1st grade.

I used to be a giggly girl, social with most. Even for my age. I used to love our weekly movie nights. Wednesday and Thursday. Once I came home from school, my father would always cheer me up.

"Hey baby! How was your day?" My daddy smiled as he twirled me around.

I giggled, giving him a kiss on the cheek. He took a seat on the couch, then put me on his lap. "Confusing," I pouted, "I can't count coins right." My dad laughed, shaking his head.

Patting me on the head, he told me, "I'll help you, don't worry baby. But not today." I frowned at his response, ready to argue.

"Why not today, daddy?"

His eyes widened in fake surprise, a hint of a smile forming at his lips, "Baby girl, don't you remember?" My silence answered his question. "I'm sad," he pouted, "You can't remember our family night movies," he sniffed, pretending to cry.

I gasped in shock, my hands moving up to slap my cheeks. "I forgot! We're watching a movie tonight!" I squealed, my smile lighting up the room as I wrapped my tiny arms around my daddy's neck.

He smiled in delight, pushing his forehead against mine, "Now you remember. Don't scare me like that ever again," he laughed, giving my nose a quick kiss. I shook my head, giggling a little.

"I promise I won't, it's the best thing during the week!" I sang, my vibrant blue eyes filling with joy.

"Of course it is! I always make your favorite heart cookies this time of the week!" I heard a beautiful voice laugh. I untangled myself from daddy, turning to see who spoke.

There stood my mother, an apron wrapped around her. Her light blonde waves bouncing as she ran to pick me up. I squealed in delight, hugging her close, "Mommy! I'm home!" I yelled into her ear.

She flinched a bit at the volume I chose, but laughed nonetheless and held me close. "I see that darling," she smiled. Her blue eyes shone, they almost matched mine. The only difference was the burst of green surrounding her iris, making her look more lovely than I. "Do you want to pick a movie? I'll set out the cookies, and your father will get the milk," she proposed.

I nodded my head, my brown curls shaking as I did so. I kissed her cheek as she set me down, then ran to the shelf right by the TV.

"Hmmm..." I tapped my chin. I wasn't sure which movie to pick. I grazed my fingers along the cases, passing by a dozen different choices. Cinderella? No, we saw that last week. Nemo? No, my fishy just died, if I watch that I'll cry. How about Bambi? I haven't seen that in a while. Or The Beauty and the Beast? That's one of my favorites. I guess I'll ask my parents to choose.

I took the movies in my hands, then rushed to the kitchen, catching mommy by surprise. "Mommy! Daddy!" I yelled, catching my dad's attention. He set the glass he was currently pouring some milk into on the counter. With an eyebrow raised, he walked to my mother and I, wrapping an arm around her waist.

"Yes baby?" He asked, allowing me to talk.

"Can you help me?" I looked from my mom and dad, then back at the movies. "I'm stuck." I explained.

My mother bent down to reach my level, taking The Beauty and the Beast into her hands. "How about this? It's filled with love and compassion, and really good friends," she smiled at me, her pink lips lifting up.