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The Beast and Bella Swan

First Bit

"O Edward he is bold and brave, and he is fearless too,

He is the Prince of Everywhere, and he's the Prince of You"

is a nursery rhyme all kids are taught when they're little. Of course we don't have princes any more since all the monarchies have been dissolved, and all the little kids have to ask their parents what it means.

"He lives in a castle tall, ruling on his own

And when he finds his Princess fair he'll share with her his throne"

is the second verse, and I had to ask my mother about that, too.

"What's a castle? What's a throne?" I enquired, and when she explained it to me, it sounded horribly unfair. How could someone be in charge just because they'd been born to it? And how could the person they marry be entitled to the same authority? What about the voice of the people?

"Kings had to prove themselves to be just and honorable or they'd be overthrown," my mother said.

It still didn't sound right to me.

I live in a very pleasant land with a prime minister and a parliament, and no one person has all the power. Everything's fine and lovely, and it's always sunny, and my name is Isabella Swan, like the bird. I have quite a long neck, actually, and I am very white.

One day much like all the others I was wandering far from home when I noticed a butterfly, and followed it, and after that a squirrel, and after that a fawn. I frolicked and gamboled a long way following nature's woodland creatures, and realized suddenly that I didn't know where I was. Another of nature's woodland creatures appeared to me then, and this one didn't look as innocent or harmless as the others had been. It was a wolf.

"You're trespassing," it growled.

"I didn't notice any signs, and I haven't climbed over any fences," I replied.

"That's interesting," it said, its head to one side regarding me steadily. "Our castle walls are as nothing to the pure. Look behind you."

I turned. Behind us were twelve foot high walls of solid stone. They must have been invisible from the other side, and I must have walked straight through them.

"A twenty-first century virgin," the wolf remarked with what looked a raised eyebrow.

"You don't have to say that quite so loudly. It's not a fact for general broadcast," I muttered.

"It's nothing to be ashamed of," it answered. "Now, I have permanent orders to take trespassers to my master. Come with me," and I contemplated running away, but he was very tall, with very long legs, and he yawned then, and I saw very big teeth.

"You don't know my grandmother, do you?" I asked nervously.

"Is she small and sweet? I may have eaten her," he answered. I thought I'd do as he suggested instead of making a run for it, just in case he was hungry.

"Who is your master?" I asked as we walked, trying to make conversation.

"An ogre," was the response. "He's very, very ugly, and he's horrible. It's rather unfortunate for you."

We proceeded to a huge door standing alone in the middle of a meadow strewn with violets and buttercups and he waved his sweeping plume of a tail and gave a loud yip, and the door creaked open.

Though on either side of the door the meadow continued greenly, inside I saw rows of hedges with paths between.

"A maze," I breathed.

"Follow me, and pay attention, or you'll be lost. People spend years in here. Sometimes we find skeletons," the wolf warned, and he broke into a run. He wove from side to side in front of me, turning often to laugh, and sometimes jumping behind to circle me, and sometimes jumping right over my head.

I didn't mean to laugh back, I tried to be serious, but I couldn't stay that serious with his shenanigans, and we were both laughing when he came to an abrupt halt just before I lost my breath altogether. I tumbled and fell right on top of him. He rolled, and was atop me momentarily, his warm exhalation in my mouth, and his tongue panting at my cheek.

"Jacob," a voice said sharply, and we both scrambled up.

We must have been in the centre of the maze. It was a broad, manicured area bordered by trees carved into shapes and hung with red peaches and golden pears and purple plums. In front of us was a magnificent cast bronze throne, and in the throne was a creature.

It was finely dressed in a suit of velvet and brocade, but the distinction and elegance of its dress failed to disguise its dreadfulness. A huge boarlike head emerged from the lace collar, with fearsome tusks and tiny glittering eyes. Its shoulders strained against the coat, they being massive and placing such pressure upon the seams that all looked fit to burst. Protruding from the sleeves were wrist-like appendages, bulky and thick, coated in rough dark hair, and ending in cloven black hooves.

And from the trousers the story was similar - nether legs bulging and hirsute, with feet cleft like those of swine.

This, then, was the ogre.

"How did you get here?" it demanded in a rough voice, far too deep and grumbling and gruff for a human, although I had only needed one very quick look to determine its lack of humanity.

"I believe I walked through the walls," I said, my voice shivering with fright, and I shrunk two inches or so by cowering.

"Now that you're in, don't expect to get out. This place imprisons me, and it will imprison you, too," it grunted.

"Please, sir, I didn't mean to cross onto your property. Don't keep me here, my mother will be very upset," I implored. "I have to go to school on Monday."

"There are no gates in the walls, and no doors. Can you fly?" it asked coolly, before turning away.

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