WARNINGS: THERE WILL BE A LOT OF VERY HARSH LANGUAGE, GRAPHIC VIOLENCE, SENSITIVE ISSUES, ETC. YOU HAVE BEEN WARNED.
Title: The Beauty Within
Disclaimer: I don't own Beauty and the Beast. The characters, however, are mine, as I created them.
Summary: A new and unique retelling of Beauty and the Beast. Gwynne Hedy is cruelly traded for money, by her father. Her new owner? The Demon Lord, Kisten Waldron.
Rating: M – Mature
Genre: Romance/Adventure
Chapter One…The Meadow, and the Beginning
"Oh," Gwynne sighed. She sat in a meadow, staring at the sky, savoring the luxurious scent of the flowers surrounding her. She caressed a yellow blossom, the smooth petal like silk beneath her fingers.
Gwynne was a pretty girl of sixteen, with long waist-length ivory-blonde hair, porcelain-pale skin, and deep green eyes.
She knew she should be getting home, as it was well after seven o'clock, and her dad had clearly told her she could never come here again. But it was just too much to leave behind, too beautiful a sight. She just couldn't stop coming here, and she wouldn't, not even if her Goddess Nicia commanded her not to come.
Sighing once more, Gwynne though about what her father would say when she returned. He probably would yell at her again, and smack her like he had yesterday, when she'd accidentally spilt some water on his hand while pouring it.
I should get going, she decided, standing. Smoothing her long faded red skirt and white blouse, Gwynne started off.
Once she got to the main road, she turned left, where her house was headed. It was a three-minute walk from the meadow to her house, and the same in reverse. But she knew she had staid too long, and was going to pay for it when she got home.
She gulped when she spotted her house. The door stood ajar, and there stood her father, glaring at her.
"Where the hell have you been?" he demanded. "We've been worried sick about you!"
Yeah right, Gwynne thought. She knew her father hadn't been worried. Just angry. "I'm sorry," she said as she stepped into the house, the door shutting behind them. "I was just---"
"Going back to that meadow, yeah? You think I'm stupid? You think I don't know what you're up to? Little bitch." He slapped her, hard across her cheek. "Idiot girl, that's what you are. Nothing but an idiot girl. Do you hear me? NOTHING!"
Gwynne saw his hand come at her, but not quick enough. He grabbed her by her long braid, yanking hard. "You think you're smart don't you? Think you're better than me? BITCH!" He slapped her again.
Sobbing, Gwynne choked out, "Please, I don't. I'm not smart like you, I'm not. Don't hurt me, please…"
SLAP!
He hit her again. "You will NOT talk when I am, understand? You will speak when I say you can!"
"Please," she cried.
"Idiot!" He slammed his fist into her stomach. "Did you not just hear what I said?" He turned to her mom, she was sitting calmly in her chair, drinking a whole bottle of rum. "Jeez, you've got an idiot over here, aye?"
Just then someone knocked on the front door. Frowning, her father growled in anger. "Who the fuck is coming at this time?"
He turned back to Gwynne. "Go to your room, bitch. And pray when I'm done out here that I'm in a better mood." And he slammed outside.
Gwynne whimpered and ran to her bedroom.
She hid under her covers.