A/N: Hello, Beauty and the Beast fans! I am back with another fanfiction for you! So this one is my second one-shot fanfic. I'm starting to like making one-shots. Anyway, I didn't forget about Living in a Different Life. I just need ideas for chapters for that story, that's all. If you have any ideas, PM me, please. Oh, and also, this one-shot takes place way before the events of Beauty and the Beast. I also have to tell you that the characters in this look like the exact characters in the 1991 movie, but just younger versions of them. I hope you enjoy this one-shot.
Disclaimer: I do not own Beauty and the Beast. It is owned by Disney. Also, I do not own the song "Remember Me." It is owned by Disney/Pixar's Coco.
It was a lovely evening in the provincial little village in France. People were finishing their duties for the day, and the children were just getting inside their parents' houses after a long day of playing outside.
In a particular cottage in the village, there lived a man named Maurice and his 5-year-old daughter named Belle.
Maurice was a hard-working man. He worked on various inventions that could be useful for the world. Although he was hard-working, he deeply cared about Belle. He was a good father, and he wanted to do what was best for her. For his physical appearance, he was a chubby man who had brown hair, green eyes, and a brown mustache. When he was working on his inventions, he would have his work clothes on with brown shoes. Sometimes he would have different clothes when he's not working.
Right now, the man was cooking dinner. He had a frown on his face. The reason that he was sad, was because he had to tell his sweet, happy daughter the most important thing in his life: that her mother died. It was so hard for him to do it. He wanted to tell her when she was older, but he realized that as the months pass by, it was just getting harder and harder to tell her. Maurice couldn't forget Belle's reaction. He remembered the way her hazel eyes were welling up with tears, the way her little lip was quivering, and the way her small chest was rising up and down quickly. As any father would, he did his best to comfort her. Eventually, the little girl stopped crying.
Maurice was still sad, stirring the beans in the pot. He really missed his wife, Celine. Belle looked so much like her. The man couldn't believe that five years today, he was taking care of a little girl on his own. The inventor remembered when Belle was just an unborn baby in her mother's stomach. Maurice was nervous that he wouldn't be a good father, but today, he was working on different inventions AND taking care of a small child at the same time. That right there shows how good a father he was.
The chubby man reminisced on the day when his wife was pregnant with Belle.
Somewhere in France in an average house, Maurice's wife Celine was sitting in a chair in the living room, reading a book. She was 8 months pregnant, and her stomach was plump and rounded.
While she was finishing a sentence, she felt her baby girl move. Her hand went to her stomach, feeling the movement.
Maurice went up to her. "Hi, honey." He kissed her cheek.
Celine giggled softly. "Hello, Maurice. Here, feel quickly." She grabbed Maurice's hand and placed it on her belly.
The soon-to-be father smiled, loving this moment. He adored feeling his unborn daughter kick and move. To him, it was one of the most precious moments in his life.
"It's amazing, isn't it?" his wife asked.
"Yes, very amazing." He rubbed her belly. Maurice then spoke softly to it.
"Hi there, little one. It's me, Papa. Mama and I are really excited to see you." He kissed her stomach.
Celine giggled. "Do you have any names for the baby?"
"Hmm..." Maurice thought for a moment. He then thought of some names.
"I like Cassandra, Alyssa, Darcy, Jewel, Macy, Sheryl, Sophia, and Trista."
"Those are good names," Celine said, "but do you know what name I really like?"
"What is it?" Maurice asked.
"Belle."
Maurice thought about the name, then grinned. "Belle sounds lovely." He stroked his wife's hair.
"I'm glad you like it. Belle means beautiful." Celine rubbed her swollen tummy.
"She will be beautiful, just like her mother." Maurice kissed his beloved wife.
Celine did a warm, soft giggle that Maurice always liked.
Maurice sighed. Poor Belle, he thought. She will never get to experience having a mother in her life.
Celine died when Belle was just a baby, but she loved her daughter so much. She would feed her, bathe her, change her diapers, calm her down when she was upset, and sing her lullabies. The most lullaby that she would sing to her was "Remember Me." Celine made up that lullaby all by herself, and oh how Maurice loved that little song.
Finishing up cooking the beans, Maurice decided to check on Belle. He walked to her room.
The 5-year-old girl was sitting on her rug, playing with her dollies. Her pigtail braids with little blue bows at the ends swung around as she moved them, and her interesting hazel eyes focused on the dolls.
Her father smiled at the sight. He loved to see his sweet, little girl happy.
Belle saw her papa. "Hi, Papa! Wanna play dollies with me?"
"Maybe later, honey," he replied. "Papa's busy making dinner."
"Oh, okay." Belle continued on with her playing.
Maurice smiled and walked away. Belle had a sweet, caring personality to her, but she was kind of smart for her age. She would read books all by herself without no one helping her. She really loved to read.
Later, Belle and Maurice were eating dinner.
Belle chewed on her piece of French bread efficiently.
"How's the dinner, sweetie?" Maurice asked.
"Delicious! You are the best cook, Papa!" Belle's little face had a bright smile on it, white small teeth staring at him while her eyes sparkled.
Maurice blushed a bit. "Aww, I'm not exactly the best, but thank you."
"To me you are! You are also the best inventor ever! And I believe one day, you are gonna be famous," Belle commented.
Her papa blushed once more. He was completely flattered by what she said.
"Why thank you, sweetheart." He continued eating his dinner.
Belle finished hers. "I'm done, Papa! May I go feed the animals now?"
"Sure," he answered.
His daughter got up from her chair and went outside. She picked up the chicken feed.
Meanwhile, a boy, that was some years older than Belle, went outside for some fresh air. His blue eyes then gazed on Belle, who was feeding the goats and chickens. The boy sighed. He has known Belle since she was 2. He knew that she was different from the other children, and he didn't like that. Instead of playing outside with the other kids, she would... read.
He closed his eyes and stuck his tongue out in disgust, making a noise.
"Why does she have to read?" he complained. "It's not right for a girl to read, especially when she gets older. She will have to cook and clean, not read. All girls shouldn't read."
The boy was certainly primeval, considering that he didn't want women to be educated.
Feeling the urge to talk to her, he went over to her.
Belle saw his presence, and she gave him sort of a fake smile.
"Oh, hi, Gaston.." she said.
"Hi, Belle. Surprisingly you're not reading for once."
The girl rolled her eyes. "I read when I want to. What are you doing here anyway?"
"I just want to tell you something."
"Tell me what?"
"That you should stop reading."
Belle gasped. She couldn't stop the thing she loved most.
"Gaston, no! I will never stop reading!" she exclaimed.
"Belle, people think that you are weird for reading," Gaston stated.
"If they think I'm weird, fine! But reading makes me happy. I can't just stop reading."
Gaston shook his head. "Oh, Belle. If you keep on reading, then your head is gonna be full of ideas."
"So? What's wrong with that?"
"Every woman should learn how to take care of themselves. They don't need ideas. The world doesn't need that," he explained.
"Well, I will just be a different type of girl," Belle said.
"Okay, have it your way. I'll see you later." Gaston walked away.
Belle looked down and sighed. She felt like she didn't fit in with her village. Everybody acted the same, grownups doing their chores and their usual routines, and children playing outside. But all Belle would do was just read, sometimes play with her toys, but mainly read. The kids in the village all thought that she was weird for reading, and the poor girl would feel left out. She just wanted someone to talk to.
One of the chickens noticed her sadness and nuzzled her leg.
Belle smiled and petted it on the head.
Maurice came outside. "Hey, Belle. Is everything alright?"
His daughter sighed again. "Papa, I feel like I don't fit in here. I'm different from the other people."
"And that's what I like about you. You're special. You have a unique talent for your age, my dear." Maurice placed a hand on her shoulder.
Belle looked up at him and smiled. "Thanks, Papa." She hugged him.
Maurice kissed her cheek. "Your mother had that same talent. She read books all the time, even when you were in her tummy. Mama was really beautiful."
His daughter just smiled lovingly at him. "Maybe one day, somebody will appreciate my talent."
"I appreciate it." Maurice ran a hand through one of her braids.
"I'm glad you do, Papa," she replied.
Later on at night, Belle was getting ready for bed. She wore her blue nightgown that matched the blue little bows at the end of her braids.
Maurice came in her room. "Ready for bed, sweet pea?"
Belle yawned. "Yes, Papa." She climbed into bed.
Her father gently tucked her in.
"Can you sing me a lullaby, Papa?" she sweetly asked.
"Of course, honey." Maurice thought on what lullaby he should sing, then he thought of one.
"This lullaby is the one that your mother used to sing to you when you were a baby. She loved singing it to you."
His little girl looked up at him, waiting for him to sing it.
Maurice sang the song softly and gently.
"Remember me
Though I have to say goodbye
Remember me
Don't let it make you cry
For even if I'm far away
I hold you in my heart
I sing a secret song to you
Each night we are apart
Remember me
Though I have to travel far
Remember me
Each time you hear a sad guitar
Know that I'm with you
The only way that I can be
Until you're in my arms again
Remember me."
Belle yawned hugely. "That was a good lullaby, Papa. Papa?"
Maurice had a few tears rolling out from his green eyes. He sniffled and wiped them away.
"Papa, what's wrong?" she asked.
"Oh, Belle. It's just that I miss your mother so much. She was the perfect wife and mama," he said sadly.
Belle sat up and placed her little hand on his. "Papa, it's okay. You have me, and I love you."
Maurice smiled and kissed her on the forehead. "I love you too, Belle."
Belle smiled and laid back down. She yawned again.
Her papa pulled the covers back on her. "Good night, my little Belle."
"Good night, Papa."
Maurice patted her gently before heading out the door. He closed it carefully.
Belle looked up at her ceiling a little before rolling over on her right side. She let sleep overcome her.
Maurice changed into his night clothes. He then walked over to the window and looked at the stars.
"Oh, Celine, if only you were there to see me sing your special lullaby to our little girl," he said softly.
He knew that Celine was in a better place now. If she was still alive, she would've watched Belle grow up, read books with Belle, and most of all, be a part of this family.
The inventor went to bed. It took him a few moments to go to sleep, but eventually, he did. He managed to get a good night's rest.