AN: Hey, everyone! Welcome to the first chapter of my new story, Beauty and the Beast. This is a AusHun fanfic, and is loosely based around the original fairy tale, with some elements from the Disney Film Adaption as well. Please enjoy!
Disclaimer: I do not own anything or anyone or anywhatevers. Anything used here either belongs to Disney, Gabrielle-Suzanne Barbot de Villeneuve (Wrote the first published version of Beauty and the Beast), and/or Hidekaz Himaruya. The only part of this that even REMOTELY belongs to me is the use of these people's/corporation's plot elements/characters.
Chapter One
To call Elizabeta strange was an understatement. In her village, rumors and gossip about the young woman were as regular as the change of the seasons. Weird looks and whispers followed her everywhere she went, to the point where they had become all but invisible to her. Why was she strange? It wasn't because of the way she looked. Elizabeta was, without a doubt, the most beautiful woman in the entire village. It wasn't because of anything she said or did. Elizabeta was kind and polite to those who extended the same to her.
It was the things Elizabeta didn't say and do that made her strange.
Elizabeta was 21 years old and wasn't married. She received marriage proposals from men in the village on a regular basis, but she never accepted them. She explained to the men, upon her rejection, that she refused to be some man's "little wife". She refused to accept the role the other women of the village so dutifully played. They were submissive, quiet, obedient- female. Elizabeta wore breeches, read books, practiced shooting and sword fighting, rode horses, swore and drank like the men in the village. It was this that made Elizabeta so strange. Despite these so-called "odd tendencies" of hers, the other men in the village chased after her- one man in particular more so than the rest.
Gilbert Beilschmidt was the most handsome man in the village. His foreign albino features made him quite popular among the women of the village, a small gaggle of whom formed a club dedicated to worshipping Gilbert. His combat skills and hunting prowess earned him the favor of the village males. This idolism did not go unnoticed by Gilbert. It only served to inflate his ego and give him a sense of self-righteousness. And while the cocky male could have had his choice of any woman in the village as his bride, Gilbert had only one woman in his sights-Elizabeta.
"Come on, you know that I'm totally the awesomest guy there is," he had argued upon her twelfth refusal of the day, "and loads of chicks would die for the chance to marry me. You're a lucky woman, you know that, Liz?"
Taking a deep breath to control her temper, Elizabeta spun around to face the arrogant albino. "For the last time, my name is Elizabeta. Not 'Liz' or 'Betty' or 'Woman' or any other stupid nickname you may have bouncing around in that empty head of yours!" She turned on her heel and continued walking home, her fist clenching around the handle of her basket. "And the answer, once again, is no! No! Do you understand that word? NO!" She yelled over her shoulder.
Running to catch up to the quickly retreating female in front of him, Gilbert smoothly slid in front of her, blocking her from moving past him with the extension of his long, muscular arms. "Now, now, Liz, let's not say something you'll regret later. Clearly, you're intimidated by my awesomeness. I know, it seems unlikely that someone as awesome as me would go for a girl like you, but-" He didn't get the chance to finish his thought, as Elizabeta pulled her newly-purchased frying pan out from her basket and swung at his head.
With a sickening crunch, Gilbert was face-down in the dirt, and Elizabeta was storming off, swearing profusely. "Stupid, pompous, self-absorbed bastard," she muttered "That thick skull of his put a dent in my nice new frying pan!" Pissed off, she kicked the fence gate of her home open and stormed up the walkway, silently apologizing to the startled barn animals as she walked past. Taking another breath to steady herself, Elizabeta tried her best to attempt a smile as she opened the front door. "Papa? I'm home!" She called out, setting her basket down on the kitchen table and following the sounds of indiscernible chatter down to the cellar.
Her father sat at a rather short circular table, several small chairs surrounding it. He held a teapot in his hands, and was currently filling the teacups that were set on the table. "Here's some for you, and some for you, and some for- Lizzy! Care to join us?" He asked, holding up the teapot. "I'm afraid Captain Hook is downing the tea like it's rum, but there's still some left if you want to join!"
Giving her father a smile and a shake of the head, Elizabeta glanced at the empty chairs surrounding her father and did her best to play along. "I'm alright, Papa, but I think Uni is swiping sugar cubes when you aren't looking."
Her father turned to the chair on his left and swatted at an invisible being, scolding lightly. "Aha! So you are. What have I told you about watching your sugar intake, Uni? You really do need to be more careful. And you, Tink…"
Leaving her father to his "Social Gathering", Elizabeta headed back upstairs and went outside to feed the barn animals. As she filled the horse's stall with hay, she couldn't help but think back to her father.
Ever since her mother died, her father had turned to his "Friends" For companionship. Claiming that they were invisible only to those who didn't possess magical ability or believe in them, he often spent his days in the cellar with his "Friends", the names of whom Elizabeta quickly learned in order to please her father. Yes, she knew if her father ever learned that his so-called "Friends" weren't real, it would mean the end of his spirit and the loss of her father completely.
Deep in thought, Elizabeta didn't notice the retreat of the animals around her as a figure closed in on her from behind. Suddenly, a pair of hands came down over her eyes, snapping her out of her thoughts and sending her into defensive mode. Elizabeta spun and blindly threw a punch out at her attacker, hearing a smack and a string of curses as her fist found its mark.
"Ahh! Damn it, Liz!" Gilbert swore as he rubbed his throbbing jaw. "What, a guy can't surprise his fiancée without getting sucker-punched in the face?" He asked.
"Gilbert! You scared me for a moment there!" Elizabeta exclaimed. "And what's this about me being your fiancée? I've already told you no over five hundred times. What makes you think I'll suddenly say yes?" She demanded.
Flashing her one of his cocky grins, Gilbert draped his arm around her shoulder carelessly and started walking her to the front of the house. "Because, when you see what I've done for you, you'll be so impressed by my awesomeness that you'll be asking me to marry you! But of course, I'll be nice and say yes. No need to thank me." He added as they turned the corner and Elizabeta saw what he had done.
In the meadow across from her house, where her mother had been buried, Gilbert had torn up every single flower and arranged them to spell "I AM AWESOME. ELISABETHA, MARRY ME."
Her vision blurring with unshed tears, Elizabeta shoved Gilbert off of her roughly, her hands balling into fists as she screamed. "You think this will convince me to marry you?! Are you insane?! What the hell, Gilbert! You destroyed my mother's meadow! You ruined her gravesite- and you spelled my name wrong! You think this will make me want to marry you? Go to hell, you bastard!" She yelled before slapping him across the face and running inside.
Her father came up from the cellar just as she slammed the front door behind her. "What's all the yelling about?" He asked.
Brimming with fury, Elizabeta faced him and spat out angrily "Gilbert was being a fucking dumbass. That's what. But you wouldn't know anything about Gilbert, would you Papa? Because you're never in the village to see him try to molest me every single day! You're here, with all of your "Friends", aren't you?!" As soon as the words escaped her lips, Elizabeta found herself wishing she could take them back. "Papa, I- I didn't mean that." She whispered. "I'm sorry, I-" Before she could continue, she found herself pulled into a tight embrace.
"No, I'm sorry. I'm sorry I'm not there when you need me to be." Her father whispered. "But hey, I know something that will make you feel better." He said, his tone warming as he spoke. "I know of something that will make everything better for us."
"Really, Papa? What is it?" Elizabeta asked, beginning to feel hopeful.
"I'm going out to find… A Flying Mint Bunny." Her father said excitedly, his smile grower brighter as Elizabeta's own heart sank. "Captain Hook found an old map on one of the ships he recently plundered, and he said it will lead us straight to a magical Flying Mint Bunny who will grant us wishes! We'll never want for anything again!"
"Papa, I…" Elizabeta lost the will to continue, noting her father's eager expression. She hadn't seen this much vitality in him in many years. "I wish you luck. When are you leaving?" She asked, barely suppressing a sigh.
"Tomorrow morning." Her father replied. "I wish I could take you with me, but Tink says she only has enough pixie dust for the four of us."
Elizabeta nodded, trying to look sympathetic. "Poor Tink. Tell you what, Papa, why don't you take Dusty with you? I'm sure if you're riding on horseback, Tink won't have to use as much pixie dust, and she won't tire out as quickly."
Her father nodded. "That's a good idea. Uni is still too small for me to ride, so Dusty will be perfect. That way, Tink won't have to exert herself too much. You're smart, Lizzy." He commended.
Elizabeta shrugged, trying to look modest. I won't have him hurting himself trying to fly. She thought to herself. Seeing things that aren't there is one thing; Doing things that can't be done is another.
The next morning, Elizabeta helped her father pack and saddle up Dusty, their only horse, for his trip. Not knowing how long he'd be gone, Elizabeta made sure to pack lots of food for her father, despite his claims that Uni could produce as much magical unicorn milk as he needed. With a hug, a kiss, and a promise that he would return one hundred times wealthier than when he left, her father was gone.
AN: Whaddya think? Please R&R! Also: If you find any grammatical/spelling/punctuation errors and point them out to me, I will forever be in your debt. Love you all! Stay tuned! :D