INTRODUCTION

By Lady Gato

This is a tale, like many that you know, starts in a place and a land of somewhat long ago...when princes still ruled lands, when maidens were expected to be fair of face and dependent of men, and where evil witches make other people's lives hell. But this story is a little different...this story is about a Beauty and the Beast...

Once upon a time, in Renaissance Europe, there lived a mighty (as in mighty rich and mighty good looking) prince. He had inherited the title at a very young age, when his father died in a coach accident with his "mother". All his life had been marked with loneliness and sorrow, truly a sad existence, because he had been the fruit of an illicit love affair between his father, the Prince of Grantchester and one of his ladies of his court, a countess named Elinore Beacquer. The Countess was in charge of the plays and masques given in the Prince's great hall for his court and visiting dignitaries. The countess had even started to stage plays by a William Shakespeare and sometimes acted in them, despite that this was taboo for women.

The Prince's wife, the Princess Consort Porcine was not amused...but she had been unable to give the Prince an heir and the young prince Terrence was now the Prince Royal. Unfortunately, shortly after the birth, the Countess had been banished from the kingdom, so she never got to see her son grow up. All this scandal and strife, coupled with the pressures of being brought up as a Prince Royal made for a lonely childhood for young Prince Terrence, and the death of his father in his early teens did nothing to help his mood. He was irascible, moody and angry at the world.

Fortunately, or unfortunately for this prince, he had been blessed with an irresistible charisma that attracted all sorts of women to him, yet, he didn't want anything to do with him...he had seen what love had done to his parents and as far as he was concerned, he wasn't going to marry, much less marry for duty.

One day as he was doing his favorite activity, horseback riding, he came to a dead stop in the woods. A slip of a girl suddenly crossed his path and fell under his mare Theodora's legs. There prostrate on the ground, she was crying that she couldn't feel her leg. Worried, Prince Terrence got off his mount. What he didn't know was that the slip of the girl, so innocent looking, had the hots for him and was determined to make the Prince hers...for you see, this was no innocent damsel in distress, this was Suzanne the Lame, an evil witch with equally evil powers...she had fallen for the Prince, hard and decided to entrap him.

"My lady, art you hurt? Can I do something for you?" he asked, concerned.

"Oh, yes your Highness...now that you have asked...for you see, it is custom in my country to take in to your home anybody you have hurt...I can be your wife now..." she mooned, with ready tears in her eyes.

"What trickery is this? I will have nothing of the sort!" the Prince bellowed, feeling cheated and most certainly angry at the ruse.

"IF YOU WILL NOT HAVE ME, NO ONE WILL!" cursed the Suzie-Witch.

A loud cry rang out in the forest, a deep cry of unfathomable pain.

In a neighboring country, lived a young girl of pure heart, mind and soul, independent, outspoken in spite of being a female. She possessed a radiant and petite yet quirky loveliness, manifested in her large emerald colored eyes, a dash of freckles on her nose and beautiful hair. She was lost in her thoughts in a garden of roses.

Candice White, for that was her name, lived in the estate of the richest merchant of all of Europe, taken in when her father, the caretaker of the estate had died. The estate belonged to a William Andrew, who had just inherited from his own recently deceased father. The Andrew estate was home to his great aunt, Elroy who unofficially ran the house, and to his orphaned nieces and nephews, Anthony, Alistear, Archibald and Eliza and Neil. He had always felt a kinship to the young Candice White, who was always smiling, sunny and loving to all. When she was left alone in the world, he adopted her as his heir. This served to enrage Eliza, who thought she should be the only 'princess' on the Andrew estate. She and her brother along in cahoots with Elroy sought to make young Candice's life miserable, something easily done since William was always out on long trips and rarely seen, but Anthony, Archie and Alistear defended her...Anthony in particular felt his heart lost to the lovely Candice. He was the keeper of the rose garden of the Estate and even created special roses for other great gardens upon commission. A private connoisseur had secretly asked him for one of the special roses, for his own garden. Anthony's inspiration had been Candice, and he kept one for the garden and proudly presented it to Candice, who to his delight, had corresponded his tender affections.

"One day, Candice, you and I will marry and be very happy..." he promised to her, kissing her hand as she admired his handiwork, which he called Sweet Candy...a pure white rose with a hint of green in the middle.

Alas, their happiness was short lived...Anthony died in a riding accident, leaving Candice bereft with grief.

William Andrew had come back for the funeral and prepared to make a short journey. As usual, he asked all of them what sort of gifts they would like upon his return.

"I want the biggest pearl You...you can get me, uncle William! shrieked the greedy Eliza.

"I want a copy of Da Vinci's flight machine plans, so that I may make one myself," Alistear asked.

"I want a set the finest cravats you can find," Archie requested.

"I want you to commission Botticelli for a nude of Venus..." Neil the lecher asked.

"Absolutely not! If you truly appreciated art, I wouldn't hesitate, but knowing you..." William scolded. He watched Candice in the garden, where they were assembled, gazing out into infinity with sad regard.

"And you, my dearest Candice...what treasure can I bring you?"

"Oh William," she murmured, for she loved him like a brother. "Just bring me a rose from the most beautiful Garden of the lands you are going to..." she quietly said.

William smiled. "Thou art true Beauty indeed, Candice...you will be the most precious rose in a lucky man's garden, for your true love's garden, one day..." he said gently. "Thy worth is in the deepness of your heart, the sincerity of your intentions and the strong will of your nature...and it is more valuable than any jewel or riches that I have..."

But Candice only thought of Anthony and knew that she could never love again.