It was a quiet winter evening at the castle. Belle sat near the fireplace, the leather couch underneath her warm from its flames. Across from her sat Adam, who was looking out the window at the falling snow. She closed her book at sat it next to her. There was a question she'd been wanting to ask for a long time, and she'd finally gotten the courage.
"Adam?" she asked. Immediately her husband looked over. He was always eager to talk to Belle and it was often difficult for him to stay still when she was trying to read.
"What was it like being a beast?" she asked. "If you don't mind."
"It was very lonely," he said.
"I suppose it must have been," Belle said. "But what was it like to have such a different body? To have four legs and fur?"
"Smelly," Adam said.
"You were so strong then," Belle said. "Not that you're not strong now, of course. But it was different then. There was so much raw power. It must have been thrilling sometimes."
"You sound like you miss it," Adam said, sounding put out.
"Oh no, you're much handsomer now. It's just so fascinating to think of how primal it must have felt. When it was just you, you could do anything you wanted. You could run around the castle naked or tear up the stairs on all fours," Belle said.
"If you want to run around naked, I won't stop you," Adam said. "We'll have to turn up the fireplace, though."
Belle laughed softly, like it was such a silly idea. But then she stopped herself. I've come this far. I'm going to do it.
"I think I would like that," she said. She blushed madly, even though she knew there was nothing wrong with being naked around her husband.
Adam looked up sharply and almost fell out of his chair. His eyes flickered to her breasts, which were covered, but soon might not be.
"You want to be a beast?" he asked, and there was a tremor in his voice.
"Not quite what you were. Just some sort of animal. I read so many books and I think so much. Sometimes I'd like to turn it all off and be carefree, like a dog. Yes, that's it. A dog," Belle said.
"Surely you would be a pretty French dog," Adam said.
"And you would be my master. A very loving master," Belle said.
"I would buy you ribbons and comb your fur," Adam said, half-jesting and half-seriously so he could gauge Belle's response.
Belle got on her knees and crawled across the room to where Adam was sitting. She felt the soft fibers of the rug beneath her legs and loved the familiar feeling on a new part of her body. She felt like she didn't have to think about anything but Adam, and the freedom was intoxicating.
"I would sit next to you and put my head on your leg," she said. She looked up at Adam and loved the squirming uncertainty mixing with enthusiasm on his face. She glanced between his legs and saw the approval he wasn't ready to voice.
"But dogs don't wear clothes," she said, while Adam was still figuring out how to react. She wiggled out of her dress and tossed it away, leaving her in nothing but a slip. Her body tingled as she shed that as well, leaving her naked under Adam's gaze. She felt surprisingly confident, like it was only natural that she should be naked, so Adam could see every bit of her. The draft from the window was cold, but the warmth radiating from the fireplace was pleasant on her back, and on areas that weren't usually exposed.
"W-what does one do with a dog?" Adam asked.
"You're the master. Dogs don't talk," Belle said.
Adam rose from his seat. "Right. I'm the master," he said. He moved closer to the fireplace, and Belle followed. She felt a sudden craving inside herself. She wished he would walk to the ends of the earth just so she could obediently follow.
"A dog needs a name. I would feel very silly if my dog had the same name as my wife. I shall name you... Brigitte," Adam said.
Belle thrilled at her new name. What she liked most of all was that Adam had picked it. She didn't have to do any thinking or deliberating. He did all the work, and she could just enjoy it. She also loved having a new name at all. It made perfect sense. Belle was a clever, compassionate woman who thought for herself and made her own decisions. Brigitte was a playful, sometimes mischievous dog. It was a new, unexplored part of her that was a secret for only her and Adam to know.
"Brigitte, sit!" Adam said, and Belle loved the authority in his voice. She wanted to please him and make him proud to own such a good dog. She sat up on her back legs, looking up at Adam.
"Brigitte, shake!" Adam said. He put down his hand, and Belle took it. A streak of wickedness went through her, and she quickly licked his hand. He pulled it back, acting shocked.
"Saucy girl. I need to train you better," he said. He crossed his arms and put extra sternness in his voice. "Brigitte, roll over."
Belle had been hoping he would say that. Her stomach and upper legs trembled as she lay herself flat on the ground, facing up at Adam. The soft plush of the carpet pressed into her back as she rolled over, her legs splaying out and affording Adam an unobstructed view of her. Adam paused to collect himself before he gave the next command.
"Brigitte, stay," he said. Belle froze on her stomach, her arms tucked underneath her breasts. Adam walked across the room like she was no longer there and sat down.
You're just going to ignore me? Belle felt like she should have been insulted, but instead she felt insatiably drawn to her master. She wanted to do something to make him look at her. All other thoughts left her head, leaving only her warring desire to obey and her lustful need to draw Adam's attention.
For perhaps thirty seconds, Belle was a good dog. She stayed frozen on the carpet, watching Adam as he nonchalantly looked out the window and pretended to leaf through a book. Then, she could contain herself no longer. When Adam turned away to watch a bird peck at some seed, she quietly crept closer, stopping beside the leather couch. She had one arm up on it when Adam looked back.
"No! Bad dog!" he said, running across the room at her. Belle darted behind the couch and crouched down, peeking out from behind it apologetically.
"Bad dog!" Adam said again, shaking his finger at her. Belle looked down at the ground, pretending to be very say. Truly, she liked being a bad dog. She relished the stern strength in Adam's voice and the powerful alacrity with which he'd come to discipline her. She timidly drew closer to him, laying her head on his knee and looking up sadly at him.
Adam sighed. "It's all right, Brigitte. You're still my good girl." He stroked her hair and let his hand run all the way down her body, ending on the curve of her thigh. He pushed the couch closer to the fireplace and sat on it. "Come sit with me."
Belle arranged herself between Adam's feet, sitting upward facing the fire. She shivered under its heat and with the wonderful feeling of Adam's hand on her hair and her naked back. There was nowhere in the world she would rather be. She knew that after the moment was over, when she had put her clothes back on and was a demure lady again, she and Adam would both imagine the moment they tried this again. And they would try it again. Sometimes she would be Belle, the composed and bookish princess. And sometimes she would be Brigitte, the sometimes good and sometimes very bad dog.