Once upon a time there was a young girl, named Blair living with her father in a small village in France. The girl and her father, Monsieur Harold, had a little house on the border of the village where they lived alone. The mother of the girl, Madame Eleanor, had run away when the girl was still a baby to become dressmaker in Paris. Nor Blair or her father hadn't heard from her ever since. But although the both of them were a happy family. Monsieur Harold was innovator which was the reason that the people in the Village whispered about him every time they saw him.
Belle was a beauty. All men were at her feet but she didn't like the villager that much. She didn't like the monotony in the Village. The only thing she liked was the book store and the lovely old man that owned it. He always borrowed her the most beautiful books about princesses, princes, castles and fairytales and foreign countries like India or strange animals like tigers. She adored these stories because they made her dreaming about leaving the village. She always knew that she would leave one day to discover all these places and things the books described. But as long as her father needed her, she would stay right where she had to be.
"Blair bear, would you do me a favor?" her father asked when they were sitting on the breakfast table.
"What is it, papa?" she returned.
"I need you to go to the Village today and buy some pieces I need for my new machine. This time it will work, I know it!" Harold said with enthusiasm.
Blair didn't dare to say anything, she just smiled. Her father had done many of this projects but had never been successful – yet.
"Of course, papa. I'll go right after the breakfast." she answered.
She picked up a white blouse to wear under her blue dress and a matching blue headband before Blair took her basket and walked right down the hill to the Village. The Village was placed in a tale surrounded by hills and woods. When Blair had made the half way down the hill she spotted two horsemen on the opposite hill who headed to the Village as well. One of them were blond, tall and the other one was short and grey-haired. Owe, Monsieur Archibald and his manservant Blair thought.
Monsieur Nathaniel Archibald was a handsome, blond, tall, thewy young man and the most beloved bachelor of the village. Every girl felt into daydreams when it saw him – except Blair. She hated his arrogant, selfish behavior and tried to avoid him as good as possible. Unfortunately tried Nathaniel the opposite of this. He found that Blair was the most beautiful girl in the Village and nothing less he want to marry. That was what he had decided a time ago, when he was in the tavern and let the villager celebrate him and his great hunt abilities.
When Blair left the ironware shop, Nathaniel made a jump and stood next to her.
"Bonjour, Blair. What are you up to?" he asked curious with a wide smile.
"Bonjour, Nathaniel. I just bought some things for my papa and now I've to go to the book store." she answered gentle.
"Ow, books. Do you know that the villager already talk about you and your reading. You're a beautiful girl. You shouldn't read, you should marry. In fact, you should marry me." he explained nonchalant.
Several meters away stood three girls from the village who watched the scene. Two blonds, Serena and Jenny and one scarlet haired, Georgina, who all adored Nathaniel. They couldn't believe what they heard. Georgina opened her mouth because of the shock. Serena pouted and Jenny started crying. All of them always tried to get some attention of Nathaniel but he refused them. They were beautiful, yes, but he wanted the most beautiful – which was Blair.
"Nathaniel, I feel honored but I cannot finish this discussion. I need to hurry. My papa is waiting for me!"
Serena, Jenny and Georgina starred at her in disbelief? HOW on earth could any woman reject handsome Nathaniel?
"She must be crazy!" Jenny whispered.
"Told you." Serena answered.
"Let's take the chance, girls. NATHANIEL!" Georgina shouted. And the girls walked over to Nathaniel but he didn't care. How could she dare to refuse him? Nathaniel would her make his wife, no matter what.
Blair almost ran to the book shop. The opened the door and the bell rang above it.
"Blair, my good child. What a pleasure to see you again!" the kind old man shouted as he saw her.
"Hello, Mr. Smith! I bring your book back. Do you have something new?" she asked.
"No, my child, nothing new since yesterday." he chuckled. The girl came nearly every day to borrow another book.
"Well, then I'd like to borrow this!" she took a small book with a red cover from the shelf.
"You already borrowed this one three times. Isn't it getting boring?"
"No, it's my favorite. I love the story." Blair answered and stroke the cover of the book.
"It's about a girl that finds her prince. Isn't it?" the old man asked.
Blair nodded. "But in the beginning she didn't realize that because the prince is bewitched."
"You know what? Keep the book, it's yours."
"Wha….oh no, Mr. Smith. I couldn't do that." Blair answered shyly.
"Yes you can. But you need to promise me something, Blair."
"What is it, Mr. Smith?"
"If you ever find your bewitched prince, don't be so stubborn like the girl in the book." the old man smiled.
"I promise." Blair responded "And thank you very much, Mr. Smith!"
Blair left the store and couldn't believe that her beloved book now really belong to her. She ran the way home to tell her father the news.
When she arrived, her father was in the barn. When Blair got closer, she decided to look first before she entered. Her father affixed a cogwheel on his new machine and tried to make it work. But it didn't. She saw his face fall.
"Papa, I'm back!" she shouted. "And look what Mr. Smith gave me!"
"That's wonderful honey." he smiled at her. "Listen, sweetie, I need to ride by horse to the city and do some business. Would you saddle the horse for me, please?"
"Of course, papa." Blair walked to the stable and took their horse out to prepare it. "You will watch over, papa. Okay, Jimmy?" she asked the horse. The horse snorted. "Thanks. I knew I can count on you."
"Blair, is the horse ready?" her father called out the kitchen window.
"Yes, papa. It is!"
Her father stepped out. His cape around his shoulders and his bag in the hand. "Thank you honey. I'll be back tonight. Please take care of yourself, while I'm away. Okay?"
"I will. Have a good travel, papa." He nodded as response and spur the horse.