Hey guys long time no see but i'm finally back again with the new chapter hope you all like it
One thing before we start, one common theme through the reviews was that there was confusion about how my story fits into Beauty and the Beast (smiles) well you'll just have to wait and see. Just keep in mind that the roles are reversed...
Dsiclaimer: I own nothing but the plot the ideas are those of Disney. Damn i wish i owned it.
Reviewers:
Leotabelle13: Thanx for the reivew. I'm glad you liked the first chapter. As for it being based on Iraq i never really thought of that, it wasn't meant to be but i can see why you would thnk that. The army thing comes back into the plot later i hope you enjoy the next chapter!
Shortstef: Thanx for the review! Im glad you liked the idea and as i said above you'll just have to wait to see how it fits into the plot. It really isnt clear just reading the prologue. I hope you read on!
Bellamegs: Thanx for the reivew and the heads up on my punctuation i have tired to improve it throughout this chapter but i really don't know whether i've managed.I agree it was one crazy chapter and i have no idea where it came from. It's a plot that refuses to leave me alone. :-D just not sure writing it was a good idea...Oh well...I hope you read on!
Dark Ninja Of Mount Hope: Thanx for the review! Glad you liked the first chapter i loved writing it. I hope you read on!
Captain Winters: Lone Rose
Chapter One: Lost
Ben trudged on his teeth chattering from the cold. The snow was falling so hard and fast now he could barely see a foot in front of him. He had broken down in the woods.
He had warned his father about using that car, but his father had refused to relent. The fact that he was using the car was because he had already totalled the three cars his dad had bought him.
But that was not the point. So he liked going fast what was the big deal? He liked speed. He should have been more careful he got that. But he had warned his dad about that car and now look what had happened.
He was stuck in the middle of nowhere.
The car he had been forced to use was a junk box. It was an accident waiting to happen. He knew he hadn't deserved a new car. He was now working towards a one of his own. But why, why had they made him drive that?
And in the snow!
He had been driving home and the car had totally stopped. It had just gave out. There was nothing left to even be able to jump-start it. It had just stopped. No warning or anything. Now he was in the middle of nowhere.
Well, he supposed that wasn't exactly accurate. He was in the middle of the Northern Woods but they were so dense he had no idea where he was, and no one stopped in these woods if they could help it.
They were a means to an end. They were just so dense no one liked to even think about what could be in there. Now he found himself trudging through the snow with no idea of where he was going or how he was going to get home.
He knew he had to keep moving because stopping wasn't smart. At least if he kept going then he might be able to keep warm and find a way out of this damn forest.
Twenty minutes later he was still no nearer finding his way in the snow. Now he was sure that he was, if it was possible, more lost than he had been when he first left the car. He knew he would never find his way back to the car again and he was starting to panic.
Ben never worried about anything. Not usually. He was young; he had everything going for him. But now he was worried. He technically knew what to do if it got to the point where he had to stop and set up an emergency shelter. His dad had taught him how.
Just when he was getting to the point when he thought he would freeze and was about to start digging an emergency shelter in the snow a dark shape came into view through a set of overgrown trees.
He stopped and glared at the shadow it was so hard to see through the snow it was getting thicker and heavier by the minute but when he looked around the lining of the trees he realised that there was a trail leading through the trees.
He frowned he knew a lot about the Northern Woods but he had never heard of any set trails. Knowing that this could be his ticket out of here. He couldn't last much longer in the cold. Not without getting hypothermia and he could do with out that, thank-you very much!
Ben turned and sped up the track, which was so overgrown that he tripped on trunks of trees that had fallen in the storm and were now covered by snow and ice. He cursed. What a bright idea this was! He thought bitterly. Now not only am I going to die I'm going to break my leg doing it.
His mood was foul as he made his way up the track. This was all his fault. He knew that but he stubbornly refused to believe it. He was going to blame the car for all he was worth. It was the car's fault he had told his father about that heap of junk!
Of course, the more truthful side of his brain acknowledged if you had been more careful and not totalled those other cars then you would not have had to drive the junk heap in the first place.
Ben snarled pushing the truthful thoughts away he did not need this right now. He would get out of this snow… Even if it killed him…ok they probably weren't the best thoughts to be having but still…
Just as he was totally depressing himself with thoughts he probably shouldn't be having Ben stumbled into a clearing.
He stumbled and fell into the snow and cursed as he felt his ankle twist. "Stupid snow, stupid forest, stupid car." He snarled bitterly. Whenever he did get home he would be telling his father that that car was the cause of all his problems. Even if he never got another one…
…Okay wait that was probably going a little too far.
"Bloody hell, I hate that car!" Ben muttered pulling his coat tighter around him swearing again as yet again he missed a branch due to the snow. He gritted his teeth cursing for about five solid minutes until he literally ran out of curses.
He was about to turn around and head back to the car, damn it he might be lost and in the middle of a god-forsaken forest, that no one ever looked in but at least he wouldn't die of hypothermia, when he saw a flickering light through the snow.
At first he thought he was imagining it. Like a traveller lost in the desert and suddenly seeing a mirage but as he hurried towards it with a renewed sense of hope he saw a shadow start to loom out of the snow.
He screwed his eyes up against the blizzard and what he saw nearly keel over with relief. He hurried on towards the massive gothic style house that had suddenly appeared out of the gloom praying that it would not disappear as soon as he closed his eyes.
The path became clearer the closer he got to the house and he sighed with relief he didn't think he could handle any more forest induced injuries.
The trek to the house seemed to take forever but eventually he made it to the front door. Ben couldn't really see clearly through the snow but he guessed that once this house would have been a marvel to look at now it just seemed dark and brooding like something had happened to it and it was resentful of its own bad luck.
Ben pushed open the gates and they opened with a creak and walked up the walk way head down against the wind that seemed to scream and attack him the closer he got to the house.
He reached the door and banged on the door. The knocks seemed to echo through the house and Ben wondered if there was even anyone there.
He pushed on the door being in there had to be better than being out here and surprisingly it opened he staggered inside a drift of snow following him inside and shut the door.
Instantly he felt relief as his body reacted to the warmth. He wasn't going to die of hypothermia after all thank god.
He wondered through the house wondering how such a beautiful house could end up in the middle of the woods abandoned. Not, that he wasn't thankful of course but he was shocked out his musings by a voice.
"Is there any particular reason you have invited yourself into my house?" Ben spun round and saw a figure on the staircase.
"I'm sorry!" Ben stammered truly sorry. "It was snowing and my car broke down. I was lost in the woods and I thought it was abandoned!"
"No one has ever found their way here before. You can't find the track unless you're looking for it." The voice said suspiciously. The voice was definitely female Ben decided and wondered why she was staying determinedly in the shadows.
"You can if you get yourself lost in the Northern Woods in a snow storm. I meant no harm I just wanted to stop myself from bloody freezing to death."
"Be that as it may you generally ask the host of the house for that luxury." "True would that be you?" Ben asked. "It would."
Ben decided there was something he did not like about that voice. Something dark and sinister though he couldn't quite work it out she sounded like in reality she was not much older than him.
"Then I'm sorry for the trespass would it be alright if I stayed here only until the storm passes." He seemed to huff like he had offended her though he couldn't begin to think why.
"If you must but I want you gone as soon as the storm passes is that clear?" Ben frowned what was her problem anyway?
He was sorry he had entered her house without her permission but the damn thing had seemed derelict how was he meant to know? Anyway who would want to live in a place like this? Totally hidden from the world.
"Crystal clear." Ben said at last. She turned to leave and he frowned again. "Hey?" She sighed and turned back. "Yes?" "Don't I even get to see the host's face?" He heard her gasp. "No. I'd rather not if it's all the same to you."
She went to move away again. Ben moved after her. "What harm could me possibly see your face do?" He wanted to know. "If you're not going to show me can I at least know your name?" "No." The woman said shortly. "Then I demand to see your face." Ben said in challenge.
He had followed her onto the landing and she didn't seem to mind no if she turned round he would see her face clearly.
Just as he thought she would she spun round and said, "How dare you!" But the look on Ben's face must have been one of absolute shock because the words died on her lips and she swore.
Ben looked into the face of the woman of the manor and could say nothing. He heard her swear and knew then that he had done the wrong thing.
But he also knew he couldn't have helped it.