"We now humbly welcome Prince Casey Acosta. May the Court rise and recognize our first in line to the throne."

I gave a dry grin and waved ceremoniously to the plump, red-faced men in powdered wigs that represented our Parliament. I inwardly groaned. This was so ridiculously tedious.

"We are here today," the judge said, "to discuss the requirements that His Highness needs to fulfill before he can assume the crown."

"All right," I nodded, rolling my eyes purposefully at him, "enough with the introduction." I motioned for him to hurry up, and then traced a finger over my neck, signifying "you're fired and hanged" if things don't go my way.

The judge cleared his throat and grabbed rather briskly for the papers. Around him, members of the court murmured amongst themselves. No wonder the little shits get paid so little; all they do is sit around and gossip, I scoffed. Remind me to tell Father to cut their paychecks even further.

"Now, Prince Acosta must have completed three tasks before he can become ruler."

"Number one - he has to be twenty-one years of age." I smiled down at the ring that my Father gave me last month to celebrate my twentieth birthday. I was turning twenty-one in 11 months and 4 days.

"Number two - he has to be agile, mentally and physically; fit to rule." Pah. I could pass those stupid tests with my eyes closed.

"Finally, three - ah yes - the prince must be married by the time he steps up, in order to ensure that there will be another heir to the country."

The judge looked pointedly at me, and could not hide his satisfaction when I was not wearing my usual satisfied smirk on my face. He knew as well as every other person in the room that I did not find any damsel in the kingdom to be up to my standards. All of the village girls were loud, high pitched, and squeaky whenever they saw me. My looks were sort of famous throughout the kingdom. Couldn't blame them, could I? But nevertheless, my ears hurt to think of them.

The judge banged his black gavel. "Court dismissed."

I walked up to my bedroom, took off my dressy clothes, and called in the maid to help bathe me. We had just hired a new one; a middle-aged women named Corinne, who only responded with one answer words half the time.

"Corinne!" I bellowed. She didn't answer. After a couple more tries, she finally located her hearing and came to see me.

"Are you deaf?" I spat. "I called you at least three times. Next time, you're out on the street, you understand?"

Maddeningly, she didn't respond. She drew my bath, adding oils and salts to it silently. I slipped into the warm water.

As I soaped up, for the first time she turned to me and talked for longer than five seconds. She refused eye contact, though.

"Tonight is the International Ball. Your father organized it for you to court some ladies before your birthday. I have laid out your garments on your dresser."

I didn't respond. I stared silently at my pruning fingers until she got up and went next door to make my bed.

I finished up my bath and walked into my chambers. Corinne finished my bed and made me step into my ball suit. Lastly, she grabbed a red rose off the dresser and reached to pin it onto my jacket.

I smacked the rose onto the ground. "What the hell is that?" I said, motioning to the ground.

The maid looked shocked. "Roses are a symbol of beauty and power. It would go very well with the essence of the ball, your majesty."

"Roses," I said with my teeth gritted, "are a symbol of weakness." It was bad enough that I was known as a "drama queen" around town, the last thing I needed was to be toting some stupid flower around.

Petals were strewn around on the floor. I marched out, leaving her to clean them up, when I bumped into the most beautiful girl I had ever seen.

"Sorry," I said, as I had just almost knocked her down the stairs. She gave me a small smile to be polite, and was about to continue walking when I grabbed her arm.

"I didn't catch your name," I said, flashing her my famous grin. Huh. She didn't react like most girls did. Usually, I got a swoon or a blush. This particular girl, though, just gave me a small shrug.

"Sammy. I've heard...many things about you, Prince Acosta."

"Will you be in attendance for the ball?"

She nearly rolled her eyes, but stopped herself at the last moment. It was almost like she hated being here. What was she even doing here, anyway? I did not recognize her from any cities around the kingdom, and believe me, I would have remembered if I had.

"Yes," she responded. "I will."

She gave a small curtsy and continued to walk up the stairs.

I stepped into the extravagant ballroom. Ornate velvet curtains hugged the gold rimmed windows. The floors were scrubbed to where I could see my reflection in them. Silver tables lined the walls, holding red and green grapes along with twelve different types of cheeses and wines.

It smelled of perfume and lavender, the air was filled with the laughs and conversations of the most prestigious royalty.

I immediately began searching for Sammy. She said she'd be in attendance, right? I finally spotted her standing close to the food tables, eyeing the selections. I went over and re-introduced myself.

"So where do you reside?" I asked. She blushed. "I come from Wales. I hold no power or anything. I'm Princess Maria's servant. I was lucky enough to accompany her to this ball. It's so exquisite, by the way."

I nodded. "Would you like to dance?"

She hesitated, but followed me to the center of the ballroom. I put my hands around her waist and pulled her close. Why was I doing this? I barely even knew her.

At the end of the dance, I started to get a little woozy. I had drunk one glass too many of the wine at the tables.

I whispered into her ear softly, "Do you want to go upstairs?"

She blanched at something behind me, and when I turned I saw Princess Maria glaring at her. "Sorry, I can't."

"Don't worry about her."

"No. I really cannot do this."

"Why not?"

"The dance was great, yes, but...you have a...reputation around here...for cruelty. I really can't...I'm sorry. Never mind." Her cheeks a bright red, she fled over to her master.

I narrowed my eyes slightly. What was that suppose to mean? I've never even seen a girl as ballsy as her to even insinuate that.

Maria, satisfied that Sammy and I had finally peeled apart from the dance, applied some nasty pink lipstick and began to strut over in her corset that looked like it was going to burst at any second.

I couldn't get over what Sammy said. I couldn't get over HER. I took the opportunity to race out of the ballroom. I needed to clear my head.

I ran, panting, to my bedroom. And there was an intruder sitting on the bed.

It was a woman. She had brown hair, but I swear it glimmered a shade of magenta as she moved her head slightly. She wore long, draggy robes, dark green, and had matching, glowing eyes, unlike anything I had seen before. I was too stunned for a few seconds to react.

"Hello, Casey." She didn't address me by my title. Who was she? Did we hire another servant without my knowledge?

"Who are you?" I stuttered out, flitting my eyes around to take note of the weapon closest to me.

"My name is Jade. I am a witch."

I must have had more wine than I'd thought.

"I am here," she said, standing up and gliding effortlessly towards me, "because you need to be punished."

Now, I'm a tall guy, but she was at least a foot larger than I was as she drew nearer.

"I don't understand."

"YOU, Casey Acosta, have been given special treatment all your life because of your beauty and status. And you have used that to mock those...less fortunate. And you only compare others on one basis and one basis only - physical beauty."

I must have had an incredulous look on my face, because she motioned. "School year two. You invited the entire class to your birthday party, except two children, Lenny Suvitz and Chelsea Pane. You said they were too ugly to be in attendance."

"Oh come on," I said, trying to keep my cool, "that was child behavior."

"Possibly. Last year, you humiliated Sunny Philip just because she had hand-me-down robes. She cried the rest of the day."

For a split second, I did feel asshole-ish. Sometimes, I didn't know why I looked down on people that I would be ruling one day. I should be gaining their respect. But, since my father died, I really couldn't help it, I guess. Sue me.

"You're right," I said, trying to mollify her and get this hallucination out of my room so I could get some sleep, "I won't do it again."

"You are correct," she said, her green eyes flashing in delight. "You will not treat others that way again. In some kingdoms, when a man steals, his hand is severed. When he rapes, his testicles are chemically removed. So, the tools with which he commits the crime are removed, away from society."

I backed up into a corner. "What are you saying?"

"The same to you, Casey Acosta."

My room was flashing and my mind was spinning. I needed to hold onto something solid. I couldn't collect my thoughts.

She tapped me on the shoulder and spun me around to face the mirror on my bureau.

"Your beauty will no longer be an asset to you."

I screamed, "What have you done to me?" It came out a bellowing roar.

"You are now what you were on the inside."

I was a Beast.