Hooray for me! I finally worked up enough courage to post another story on fanfiction! This story idea has actually been bouncing around in my head for three years but I spent a lot of time trying to develop the plot and how my two OC characters would fit into the story. Here's a bit of background:

Three years ago...

I was watching "Beauty and the Beast" with my sister and I noticed that she kept staring at the TV and then back at me. When I asked her what was wrong she only said, "They don't have any siblings."

"Who?"

"Belle and the Beast don't have any siblings."

It was such an innocent statement and since she didn't ask me any more questions, I completely forgot about the whole thing until I was laying in my bed that night on the verge of sleep. My muse decided that it wasn't anywhere close to bedtime yet and thought, What would have happened if Belle and the Beast had siblings? And so, in my head hatched a plot bunny for two new characters to tell their untold story.

OMG! I honestly can't even describe how excited I am about sharing this with you guys! But as excited as I am, I do have a life outside of the internet (who would have guessed?) so there might be long lengths of time between updates. Because I also rely heavily on constructive criticism chapters may be edited multiple times before I'm satisfied. It will be a long, frustrating process but I hope you will bear with me through this journey.

xoxo from Joni

Disclaimer: I do not own Disney or "Beauty and the Beast". I only own my OCs.

Prologue

Once upon a time, in a faraway land, two princes lived in a shining castle. Though both had all their hearts desired the eldest was spoiled, selfish, and unkind while his younger brother was an upright, noble, and kind man. On Christmas Eve many years ago, an old beggar woman came to the castle's door and begged the elder of the two brothers for shelter in exchange for a single red rose. But the elder brother was disgusted by her ugliness and demanded that she leave the castle's grounds. "Do not be deceived by appearances," the woman warned wisely. "The truest beauty of all is found not in the outward appearance, but in the heart."

The Prince sneered. "Leave my home. You are not welcome here, unless you fancy being charged for trespassing on royalty."

His cruel words were no sooner out of his mouth when the hag began to glow. Her ugly guise melted away so she was revealed in her true form: a beautiful Enchantress. An awesome wrath poured from her eyes and the Prince fell to his knees before her, shaking and begging her to forgive his cruelty. But his pleas fell on deaf ears, for the Enchantress could see that he held no love in his heart for any, other than himself. "You have been deceived by your own cold heart. A curse shall be upon every member of your house. You shall bear an appearance that reflects what you are on the inside: a Beast. You will have no one but your servants for companionship, doomed to remain alone and unloved until you find one to love and who loves you in return, despite what you appear to be."

The Prince remained on his knees as the transformation took place. His limbs lengthened and swelled and sprouted dark brown fur as he screamed in the agony of his bones breaking and being reformed into that of an animal. When the light finally faded from his form, the Beast collapsed onto all four legs, snarling in anger and whimpering in pain. "What have you done to me?!"

The Enchantress' eyes held no pity or sympathy, only cold truth. "I have done nothing to you, Beast. You have done this to yourself. If your heart had not been so cold and without love, perhaps I could have rewarded you for your kindness. As it is, I will leave you with three gifts, in the hope that they will aid you in breaking your curse.

In her hands, the Enchantress held and ornate mirror and the rose that she had offered the Prince in exchange for a place to stay. These she gave to him explaining, "The mirror is enchanted to show you anything that you wish to see; your gateway to the outside world. The rose will be your timer. It will bloom until your twenty-fourth year, and then die. If you have not broken the spell by then, you will be doomed to remain an accursed monster for all time."

The Enchantress turned to leave but the Beast called out, his voice turned into a rough growl, "What about my final gift?"

She turned around. "You will know it when the time comes." And then she was gone.

Soon after, the Prince's brother returned home, spared from the Enchantress's curse because of a kindness he had given her. Enraged, the Beast locked his brother in the dungeon tower and left him there to rot.

Ashamed of his monstrous form, the Beast concealed himself inside his castle with only the mirror and the rose, as it slowly counted down. He soon fell into despair and lost all hope. For who could ever learn to love a beast?

Who indeed, the prisoner thought grimly. For years, he had labored away, slowly, painstakingly etching the words into the cold stone until they could never be washed away. That was all well and good for the prisoner felt that his time was nearly up. Every day he felt his body grow weaker despite the best efforts of his servants to sustain him. Darkness was coming but he felt no fear. He was ready.

Suddenly, he heard the distinctive sounds of metal upon hard stone. The prisoner smiled it would be good to see a friendly face before death took him. Weakly, he pulled himself up to the bars of his cell and found Lumiere, the enchanted candlestick, staring at him anxiously through the bars. "I tried to find you some food," he reported forlornly, "but the Master was pacing everywhere today and I could not—"

"Peace, my old friend," the prisoner interrupted. "You have done more for me than most would have considering his orders. I'm very glad you are here; there is something I must tell you."

The prisoner had debated tell his friend this but he knew it had to be done; a last gesture of love for his friends, and perhaps a beacon of hope for them as well. "Someone will be coming soon. By what way or time I do not know, I only know that someone is coming and that there will be great joy for all."

"Is it the one who will break the spell?"

"Perhaps. But tell the Master that it will be his only chance, you must make sure he understands that."

"And if he finds out it was you who said this?"

The prisoner smiled wryly. "It hardly matters anymore. He can take my advice or forget it. I don't suppose I'll live long enough to find out."

Lumiere looked taken aback. Then he squared his shoulders (or what could be presumed to be his shoulders) and proclaimed, "I will not let you die, sir. I swear on my life that I will keep you alive."

"Of course you will, my friend. Unfortunately, I must ask one last favor of you and you must make sure every servant in this house hears it."

"Sir?"

"If I should live long enough to see your savior come to the castle—"

"And you will live," Lumiere promised.

"If I live to see that day, then you must swear the household to secrecy about my true identity. If she knows it will raise too many questions that cannot be answered. Promise me this."

"I promise you, sir."

"Good. Now go, I do not want you in trouble at my expense."

Though Lumiere did not fear his Master as much as many of the other servants did, he did not like to be on the receiving end of his temper. With one last forlorn look at the prisoner, he hopped out of the tower.

As his friend left and the darkness returned, the prisoner realized how tired he had become. It would do him good to sleep. Not for forever, the time for that was not quite here yet, but he sensed that it would be soon. For the first time in ten years the prisoner lay down and slept peacefully.

It will not be long now…