A/N: I do not own Beauty and the Beast.
WARNING: MENTIONS OF RAPE! ONLY MENTIONS THOUGH. NOTHING ELSE.
The Story Untold:
The caretakers told him stories about what happened to naughty boys. The ones where they end up hurt. In all of his eight years, he never thought something like this would happen. He thought he would always be safe within the castle walls.
It was just like any other day. The caretakers woke him up, bathed and dressed him, and brought him breakfast. He went through his lessons as quickly as possible, hoping he might get to spend some time with his father. Like every other day, he wasn't quick enough. After eating a hearty lunch, the caretakers sent him out into the courtyard, hoping he would tire himself out. It was here that things changed.
One of the caretakers was playing hide and seek with him, he was very good at hiding. It usually took the caretakers a while to find him. This time he decided to hide in a bush besides the courtyard walls. He knew the guards patrolled the walls regularly, so he wasn't surprised to see one walking try towards him. He will wondered where the guards partner was though. Maybe the guards was taking a break. If he was taking a break, maybe he would be willing to talk with him. He had been sitting there for quite a while now and was starting to get bored.
Deciding it was worth a try, the young prince stood from his hiding spot among the bushes. The guard spotted him almost immediately. Waving, the young prince approach the guard.
"Guard, are you very busy at this moment?" The young prince asked meekly.
"Not at this moment Prince Adam." The guard replied.
Adam, unnerved by the looks the guard was sending him, hesitated.
"Um...I was wondering if I could accompany you for a while. I meen, if it's no bother." He said briefly overcoming his nerves.
"Of course." The guard replied, leering at the young boy. "Whatever you wish my prince."
The young prince didn't return for several hours. The caretakers had started to worry before they saw him exit the trees surrounding the courtyard. While the young prince limped towards them crying, no one was able to get the prince to tell them what had happened. After that day, many in the castle felt the change. The young prince's smiles became more forced and the guards no longer received visits from the smiling young prince who admired them so much.
This was the beginning of their misfortunes.
It was a year later that news of the King's and Queen's deaths reached the castle. They had gone to visit some dignitary or other's home and were ambushed on the way back. No one from the traveling regiment returned. Among the dead was a large section of the guard, including one guard in particular.
With news of the King's and Queen's death came the coronation of a young prince, a prince too young for such a burden. Yet they forced it upon him. His caretakers soon left him for other duties and his teachers push more and more upon him. Along with having to run a kingdom, the nine year old boy now had to learn to bathe and dress himself and took on more and more work from his teachers. The stress was building, the young boy was finding it harder and harder to fall asleep at night and often had several days where others had to force him out of bed. It would only take one more push before the young boy crumbled.
Another year had gone by and after trying and failing to get to sleep once more, Adam decided as small walk around the castle might do him a little good. Walking along the dark corridors with only a small candle for light, Adam wondered. Passing the main corridor, Adam paused, hearing a slight rapping on the front entrance. Cautiously approaching, the healing prince opened the door just slightly and peeked outside. There, he spotted an old beggar woman. More than alarmed, the young boy stayed behind the door, wondering how the old woman had gotten past the guards at the gate.
"What do you want?" The young boy asked, highly suspicious and unnerved.
"I am traveling a very long distance and seek shelter from the night and the rain." The old woman rasped.
It was only then that Adam noticed the rain. Still highly suspicious of the woman, Adam declined her entrance.
"I can not let you enter."
"I warn you young man, outer beauty does not always signify inner beauty." The woman answered. "Again, I ask for safe shelter and in exchange I shall give you this rose." She said, pulling the rose from cloak.
The young boy stood, looking at the rose and contemplating her offer. It was a very beautiful rose but the woman, though wise, still bypassed his guards without their realizing.
"I am sorry, but I still cannot let you in."
After saying this, the old woman sneered. In a sudden burst of light, the old woman before him began to transform. What once was a frail old woman was now a gorgeous young woman dressed in great fineries. The woman smirked, her face becoming darkened and sinister. The woman spoke, her voice booming.
"For your selfishness and inanity, you and all your household shall be cursed!"
"Please," the young boy begged,"I beg of you to forgive me. My servants do not deserve your wrath, oh Gracious One!"
The boy continued to beg forgiveness from the beautiful enchantress, but she would not listen.
"This curse can only be broken if you find love and are loved in return. This rose will continue to bloom until your twenty-first birthday, in which it will wilt. After the rose wilts, the curse can not be broken no matter what."
With those words said, a great wind rose up and swept around the young boy and his castle. Changing the once beautiful and bright palace into a place of festering darkness. When the wind had stopped, the young boy slowly opened his eyes only to realize the the arms covering his face were covered in a thick pelt of fur.
With this realization, the young boy broke.
A/N: A sad, dark story, but I really needed to get it off my chest. This is only going to be a oneshot so if anyone feels like they want to take it further just ask. I personally want to end it here to keep the original story as is. Thank you guys for all of your support.
Ja ne~