Hello readers. Thank you for clicking this story! This is a mix of the Disney and original French story with some of my own twists! Oh an thank you to DivineMoonLight for getting me into a Beauty and The Beast mood!!
Disclaimer: I own neither the Disney version nor the original.
Once upon a time, in a desolate area of France there lived a young, beautiful princess in a gorgeous, rich castle. She had everything she could have ever want yet her heart was filled with greed, selfishness and she was utterly unkind.
One cold winter's night the princess was having a party in the ballroom. She sat as bitterly as the cold night on the throne watching her court. Her purple robe surrounded her white elegant dress. No one dared to talk to her.
Then suddenly there was a knock at the door and the doorman opened it solemnly and dutifully with one hand resting behind his back. A hideous old woman limped in and made way to the princesses throne. Her long black cape hung off her crooked back and dragged on the floor behind her.
"Please, kind princess, allow be to take refuge here for the night. The night's cold wind is painful on my face and there is a winter's blizzard approaching. I have but one, single rose as payment," The old woman asked in a hoarse voice. She reached into her sleeve and exposed a dazzling rose.
The princess looked at the old woman with repulsion and disgust, "How dare you enter unannounced and interrupt this party! Get out of my sight you haggard, foul wrench!"
The guards moved forward and grabbed the old woman reluctantly.
"Do not base your judgment simply on my face, my dear. True beauty lies within oneself," the old woman warned.
"I said no and that is final," the princess sneered, "Take your pitiful rose and leave my castle!"
With these words, the guards seized the old woman tighter but held only an empty black cape. Above them, floating in the air appeared the most stunning woman the princess had ever seen.
The princess fell to her knees and begged, "Have mercy on my, fair enchantress!"
"You say that only because you now see my true for. I can clearly tell that you have no kindness in your heart!"
The princess cried out in pain. Her body morphed. She looked at her once soft, light hands to find hideous paws and gnarled claws. She caught sight of herself in the mirror and was shocked. Instead of her beautiful face, there was a disgusting horned, hairy face staring evilly back at her. She smashed the mirror in disdain.
The enchantress laughed, "Now your outward appearance matches your inner!"
The guests shrieked and tried to flee the room. The enchantress locked them in, "You too are at fault! You let her become wicked. You saw it and you ignored it. No one taught her or reprimanded her, so you too shall be punished! My princess I curse you and your castle! You shall remain in darkness and the sun will never shine here! The sun will remain eclipsed by your dark heart!"
The enchantress disappeared and in her place the rose fluttered down. It landed by the deformed princess and she moaned.
The princess left the ballroom with the rose in her clawed hand. Her anger caused her to smash the chandelier. She stole away to her room in the west wing of the castle. The enchantress had left a magic mirror on her nightstand to remind her of the world she had shunned herself from.
The enchanted rose was placed in a glass jar and the princess protected it. It sparkled in the darkness. It would bloom until her twenty-fifth birthday. If she learned how to be kind and love and have another fall in love with her then the curse would be lifted. If not and the rose wilted before she succeeded then she and the castle would remain cursed for all eternity.
Several years passed and nothing changed. She fell into despair and lost even the faintest glimmer of hope for redemption. After all how would anyone see past her beastlike appearance and fall in love with her? So she sank into deeper darkness and self hate, waiting for a miracle, which would seemingly never happen.
Thanks for reading! Please PLEASE review! It would make my day!!