The sun lit up a small clearing in the woods. A teenage girl in a long sky-blue dress lay observing the sky, a dreamy smile playing around her lips. A well read book lay next to her momentarily forgotten the pages dog-eared and faded. She had her shoulder length brown hair tied back in a blue hair ribbon tied tightly. Her big brown eyes sleepily closed as she rested her head on her arms the sweet smell of the grass wafting over her. A light tap on the shoulder sent her scrambling into the forest a startled yelp escaped from her lips. She looked up to see a girl about her age with golden hair and the bluest eyes she had ever seen.
"I am so sorry!" The girl snatched her hand back, her eyes wide. The strange new girl had a torn blue and white dress and a smudge of dirt on her cheek. "I-I am Alice, I didn't mean to startle you."
"Its alright,Alice." She smiled,"My name is Belle."
Alice smiled back with her eyes glistening. "I was just going to ask where I was." She dropped her gaze"I'm terribly lost and I don't remember where I am..." her lip trembled and Belle rushed over and enveloped her in a warm hug.
"Shhhh" she stroked the shaking blondes hair." You are in France, Chamond to be exact, as silly as it sounds." Alice buried her face into Belle's shoulder "I still don't know where I came from..." Belle withdrew from Alice and picked up her book. Extending her hand to Alice, she tucked a stray golden lock behind her ear.
"Come with me." Alice followed her, a lost puppy in a new town, never letting go of Belles hand as though she thought if she did Belle would disappear. The two of them entered the little town hand in hand neither saying a word.
"Hello Belle." A deep booming voice rang across the street. The brunette cringed and plastered a fake smile on her face as she turned to greet the incoming loudmouth hunter. "Good day, Gaston, I'm sorry but I simply cannot stay and chat today." She turned to leave but felt the book snatched from her hand. "Still reading these confounded books instead of spending time with me." He held it just out of her reach mockingly flipping through the pages.
Alice whispered, "Excuse me sir..." Gaston hadn't heard the soft-spoken blonde and continued taunting the taller brunette. Clearing her throat she stood in front of Belle glaring up at the chuckling hunter. "Would you please give Belle back her book, sir." It was more a stern statement than a question directed at the broad-shouldered male. A sniggering Lefou with a hunting bag slung over his shoulder sauntered up to Alice.
"Gaston who does this lil blondie think she is? Cute but not very smart. obviously." He rolled his eyes and guffawed. The air of defiance deflated from Alice as she nervously twirled a strand of hair between her fingers. A sickeningly sweet smile spread across Belle's face and in a sing-song voice she called out "Oh Lefou~," She beckoned with her finger,"Come here a second," The short structured knucklehead scuttled up to her with his face red as a tomato. She knelt and her smile turned into a grimace and she slapped him across the face as hard as possible the sound echoing through the town. Gaston Dropped the book into Alice's outstretched arms. Alice herself was gaping at Belle as was the rest of the public. Belle? Slapping Lefou? Belle slapping anyone? No one had ever thought to try to comprehend it. A crowd of displeased villagers surrounded the small group, quietly discussing what Lefou could have done to turn the sweet-natured girl to violence.
"May I please ask you to never speak that way about Alice again?." She stood and gave Alice's hand a comforting squeeze and led her away from the town up the dirt road to the old rickety home that she resided in. It was only once Belle had released her hand that Alice was capable of speech.
"B-Belle... Thank you." She trailed off a light flush lit up her already rosy cheeks. She looked up at Belle who had her face turned away from Alice. Her shoulders were shaking and when she looked at Alice tears of laughter slipping down her cheeks.
"You have no idea how long I have yearned to slap that little fool." She sank the ground laughing," But when he insulted you that was the last straw." She held on to her sides gasping,"Did you see his expression on that little pug face?"
Belle's laughter was infectious and Alice collapsed into a fit of giggles right next to Belle. If Belle's kooky father had been home he would have been a tad concerned seeing his daughter and a strange girl rolling about in the dust laughing like a couple of crazies. Wiping the tears from her eyes Belle slid to her feet and helped the still giggling shorter girl into the house.
"Well we are both a fabulous mess are we not?" she gestured to their disarrayed dresses and hair."
Alice winked and did a mock curtsey "I believe we are spiffy enough for tea with their royal highness's in my opinion. "