A/N: This is not the Disney La-Di-Da singy version. Don't get me wrong that's a fine version, but I'm just warning you this is not that!
This is the Royal Shakespeare Company version (written by Laurence Boswell), which my school did for our Fall Play (I was Beauty!). It's a lot closer to the original story. I'm sorta working off the script, which I do not own, but I do own the parts which aren't from the script. As if that doesn't confuse you.
Prologue
Long ago in a city far away, there lived a merchant who was so successful in all his business speculations that he grew enormously rich. Which was handy, because he had six children – three boys and three girls – and a staff of twenty-seven!
The merchant's eldest son, Andre, was incredibly intelligent, although he had a bad habit of staying up so late reading he'd often fall asleep right were he stood. He spent hours in the library with his head in the books, his latest obsession being astronomy.
The merchant's second son, Phillipe, loved all kinds of sport. His clothes were untidy and his knees were constantly grazed. He could never sit still.
The merchant's youngest son, Emile, was dreadfully indulged by his mother. He could often get away with many pranks because of that.
The merchant loved his sons, but his pride and joy were his daughters. The eldest girl, Veronique, believed herself to be charming and graceful, gifted as a cellist, and as smart as her older brother, Andre. The truth was that she wasn't as charming as she believed, couldn't carry a tune, and copied Andre's homework whenever she could.
The merchant's second daughter, Marie-Clare, was rather. . . different from her older sister. . . perhaps, less interested in her studies. She was rather boring and her mind was full of wedding dresses and pink ponies, romantic heroes and high status husbands. The twin passions of her life were fashion and cosmetics and her greatest talent (or so she thought) was dancing.
The eldest girls were either the best of friends, or the worst of enemies. If the eldest girls could never agree on anything for very long, there was one thing which united them always and forever. And that was the birth of the merchant's sixth child.
Even as a tiny baby, she seemed wise and confident. The merchant and his wife could find a name for her at first but then. . .
"Que. . . le monde. . . est. . . beau. . ." The child's very first words.
"How. . . beautiful. . . is this world. . ."
The merchant and his wife decided to call their daughter Beauty. His other children were incredulous.
"Parents!" grumbled Andre.
"Think of the implications!" muttered Phillipe.
"I've looked this up in a very large book, Papa, and Beauty is simply not a proper name!" shrieked Veronique. The girls had thought up a new name for the small thing that stole their parents attention.
"She should be called. . . crying blob!" Marie-Clare cackled.
"Yes, yes, crying, smelly, vomiting blob! From hell!" stated Veronique, "Couldn't we just send her back, now, Papa? Or have her adopted?"
The boys soon fell in love with their little sister, but the eldest girls could never quite forgive Beauty for coming into the world. But Beauty took it all in her stride. In fact, she was so self-contained and so modest that is was sometimes hard to believe that she was related to her siblings.
The boys worshipped their father. They listened in wonder to his tales of dangerous and distant lands where he traded spices, silks and precious stones. The eldest girls enjoyed a glamorous and glittering lifestyle, regularly attending gala evenings at the opera, the ballet, and the theatre. They entertained themselves with thoughts of marrying high into the world.
The family lived in a beautiful and expensive house in the fashionable and exclusive heart of Paris. The house had been especially designed for the merchant. It was the envy of all his business partners. It had eight bedrooms, and a staff of thirty-six. A ballroom, a stable, extensive servants' quarters, and a live in ballet master for Marie-Clare. But despite its size (twelve bedrooms, over four floors, and with a staff of forty-five), the eldest girls were always complaining. But despite the little frustrations and difficulties, the family was happy.
But the years ran like water through their fingers. The children grew up so quickly; everyday seemed to be somebody's birthday.
The 7th of May brought about Beauty's fifth birthday. The party was lavish and expensive, with many fun, games, and gifts.
The 7th of May. The day the merchant's wife died, leaving the family broken and distraught.
The merchant threw himself into his work. He spent recklessly, invested foolishly. He made dubious deals with dishonest partners.
But the merchant's business collapsed. Storms sunk his ships, and dishonest partners ran away taking all that was left of the merchant's fortune. And then, suddenly, their beautiful house, school reports, ballets slippers, toys, all burnt down to the ground.
All that was left of the merchant's empire was a derelict farmhouse, and assorted livestock in the country. The eldest girls were horrified at the prospect of living in such an isolated spot, horrified at the prospect of slugs, snakes, and provincial people.
But it was final. They were going to the country.
A/N: So that's the start of Beauty and the Beast, introducing you to Beauty and her family. The rest will be in Beauty's POV.
In case you were wondering, here are all the siblings again, with the age differences: Andre (oldest), Veronique (a year younger than Andre), Phillipe (two years younger than Veronique), Marie-Clare (one year younger than Phillipe), Emile (three years younger than Marie-Clare), and Beauty (four years younger than Emile). And the parents' names are Jean-Louis and Helene.
~HealthyShadeOfGreen