Disclaimer: I do not own Belle, the Beast, or any of the objects in his enchanted castle.

Belle's First Impression

"You are to join me for dinner..." the Beast stuttered and stammered through the door "That's not a request!" His rage-filled, booming statement might as well have shaken the whole castle. Belle threw herself helplessly onto the bed he'd provided her. That monster had just imprisoned her for life, taken her father and her freedom away, and he expected her to join him for a meal?

The way she was raised, he not only owed her a visit from her father, but a sincere apology! How dare he treat her so atrociously! Until he learned to treat a lady with some respect, she would refuse to see to his request. She was to live there for the rest of her life, for goodness sake; she wouldn't have him learn now that he could just walk all over her.

"Mademoiselle!" a sweet voice called. "Mademoiselle, what do you going to wear to your dinner with zee Master?"

Belle whipped her braided hair around in circles wondering where the voice had come from. "What? Who? Who's there?"

"'Ere, I have somezing for you!" Belle had sit up straight on the bed and was now considering every possibility. One of those did not include a small feather duster bouncing onto her bed. "Mademoiselle, I 'ave zere 'ung on zee door a perfect dress for you, no?"

"Oh! You're... but you're a..."

The feather duster giggled girlishly and a crevice in the wood handle could only mean she was smiling. "'aven't you guessed yet zat zis is an enchanted castle? We are all under a spell!"

"How is the spell lifted?" Belle asked in awe. "Pardon me, but I've never seen a talking..."

"It is quite all right," she giggled again, this time bringing the soft bristles to her crevice-of-a-mouth. "As for zee spell, you will see in due time. But for now, you will need to join zee Master for dinner!"

"I can't! He's horrible!"

"Oh, you just need to get to know 'im." She explained quite convincingly. "'e just as a problem controlling 'is temper... I'm sure zat phase will pass once he gets to know you!"

Belle exhaled and let her shoulders sink improperly. "All right, I'll go."

Once she was in the pink, flowing dress that the Beast, no doubt, had left her, Belle found herself clutching the railing on her way down to the dining hall. As she walked into the hall, the Beast caught her eye. He had tried dressing up and had placed himself at the end of a long, mahogany table.

"Oh. You came." The Beast's roar had calmed to a mere mumble.

"Yes." Belle said stiffly talking her place at the other end of the table. "I decided I should."

The Beast snorted. "My inadequate feather duster demanded you come to dinner. Do not lie to me."

"Sorry."

There was a long silence; Belle wondered if he would ever speak again as she took a sip from the bowl of soup before her. Sure enough, he raised his voice again after only another moment. "So... do you have a name or what?"

His question seemed superfluous, but she answered him nevertheless. The visions Belle had imagined regarding the torture he was capable of were appalling. "It's Belle."

"Belle." A kind of sweetness came out in his voice that she didn't think existed. "I don't expect you to call me Master like my subjects. You can call me... Beast, I guess."

"Beast." She repeated. "Your feather duster told me there was a spell on the castle..."

"Insufferable girl!" he growled and swatted his bowl of soup off the table. "I told them not to divulge that information to anyone!"

"Well, it's kind of obvious, isn't it?" Belle's small voice bellowed across the hall.

He pouted. "Fine."

"I just mean, didn't you have a name before all of this..."

"No."

Another impossible stillness followed his stubborn response. Belle moved her soup out of the way to keep him feeling as though he was still in the superior position and mirrored the dish he had begun to eat.

"What do you like to do?" the Beast asked, trying to sound interested.

"I used to read a book a day – but that won't be happening anymore, I suppose." Her slumped over in her chair and started picking at her food. She'd forgotten how much she would miss reading.

"Reading? Really?" he seemed amazed that anyone could be intrigued by a book.

"Yes." Belle scoffed. "I was reading one earlier, my favourite, actually... where a girl meets her Prince Charming but doesn't realize it's him until later on..."

"A love story?" The Beast jeered. "That sounds so interesting..." The sarcasm dripping off his every word was unbearable, and Belle noticed a spoon jab him in the side. "Ow! Oh! Uh, but I'm sure it is. Tell me more!"

She raised an eyebrow. "Are you... sure?"

The Beast was hesitant, but agreed anyway. "I'd love to hear about it. I haven't read in ages."

"Okay!" Belle instantly perked up and tried to recollect all her memories about the book. "In chapter one, the girl..." She paused for a second and tilted her head. "Wait. Why are you being so nice to me? I thought I was your prisoner."

"Don't think of yourself as my prisoner..." The Beast persuaded her. "Think of it like... like... like you're our guest."