Disclaimer: I do not own the story Beauty and the Beast, but I do own Aglaia, Leo, and all the other characters in this story!!!
Chapter One
"Who is that girl? Nobody seems to recognize her."
The group of gossipers clustered together, whispering and looking at the mystery woman. She wore a beautiful pale blue dress and her copper curls cascaded down her bare back. She was a striking girl which caused most of the women onlookers to give her glares of envy.
"Thank You."
The object of their attentions took the glass of wine from the flustered servant and lazily looked around the room. She strolled toward the balcony, enjoying the night breeze. She pulled out a string tied around her neck to reveal a ring dangling at the end. The ring was delicately shaped with vines that met at one end, where they wrapped themselves around an oval disk bearing the word: Omorphi, meaning "Beauty".
Sighing, she slipped it on, not noticing the man entering the balcony. She whirled around when the man coughed discreetly to make his presence known.
"You startled me milord." She said, curtsying.
"Beg your pardon milady." The stranger smiled. A beautiful smile. "Trying to escape the ton?"
Her gray eyes widened at his statement. How did he know? And then she remembered that the ton was what these people called society. Smiling, she said, "I suppose so."
The man stepped beside her and studied her face. "I don't recognize you from around. If you don't mind my asking, what is your name milady?"
"I'm afraid I cannot tell you that milord. Especially since you yourself have not told me your name." She said, expecting an outburst from him. Instead, he asked for a dance. Interesting.
Curtsying, she placed her hand on top of his and followed him to the ballroom. The orchestra was playing a lively tune, leaving no room for conversation as they danced. And that was how she liked it as well. It was better if no one knew her, if no one noticed her. And yet she couldn't resist... It was just a dance, wasn't it? There was that twinkle in his eyes and the mere fact that he still asked her to dance even with her being...ugly.
The music ended, and she curtsied. "It was a pleasure dancing with you milord." Smiling, he replied, "The pleasure was entirely mine, milady but as much as I would like to stay, I have business to attend to. Excuse me, milady." Bowing, he walked away and was gone. Slightly disappointed at his disappearance, she shook her head and walked towards the throng of people, away from the ballroom. Noticing the crowd walking towards the salon, she followed suit and signaled a servant for some wine.
She found the king standing in front of the crowd, raising his hand in a gesture of silence. As the crowd quieted down, the king smiled and held a glass of wine in front of him.
"I will never find a kingdom with more loyal people than Tarimal." The king smiled as the dukes and counts and the other people of Tarimal cheered. "I thank all of you for coming. As you already know, I am to leave for a visit with the king of Agmyll to discuss a possible merger. I shall be gone for a few months wherein my son will rule in my stead."
With these words said, a man stepped up and raised his glass, "The best of luck to your journey father. May no harm come to you." The crowd toasted to that, with various 'Hear, hear's.
Wait a minute... that man looked familiar. Her eyes widened in realization. It was the stranger in the balcony! She just danced with the prince! The initial tingle of excitement she felt was replaced by a feeling of dread. How could she attract that much attention to her? She must leave at once. She hitched up her skirts and started to walk away.
"Milady..." A voice called out to her. She pretended not to notice and walked a little bit faster. Footsteps followed her outside. A hand touched her elbow and she turned around. It was the prince.
"Have I offended you, milady?" He cocked his head and studied her face, reminding her of a little puppy.
"Not at all your majesty. I was just leaving and I did not hear you call out to me." She curtsied.
"'Your majesty' is much too formal. You must call me Leopold, or Leo if you wish." Leopold! Leo! She could call him that? 'Your Majesty' was a little too formal, but Leo! Of all the women in this kingdom, why her?
The prince intrigued her by the minute. Most men, she was told, favored beautiful women. That was why she had the ring. That was why her mother gave it to her. To protect her from men. To shield her beauty from men's eyes.
"Now that I have told you my name, will you tell me yours?" He smiled, remembering their conversation in the balcony.
"Very well. My name is Aglaia."
"Aglaia. That is a very unusual name. The three graces: Euphrosyne--"
"-Aglaia and Thalia." They finished at the same time. Very intriguing indeed.
"You read Greek mythology, your maj–-Leo?" She stopped herself when she saw his twinkling eyes.
"Yes, I find it extremely amusing. My mother used to read it to me when I was young." Definitely getting more intriguing by the second. A man who enjoys mythology! Maybe she should stay. She could bear with Akakios and the others with his majes–Leo at her side.
"Your highness, your father is looking for you inside." A servant rushed out and informed him.
She woke up from her reverie. What was she thinking? He was a prince. He would not stand by her side. She did not even know if he favors her. She must go on with her plan.
Leo turned to her and smiled apologetically. "I beg your pardon milady. My father wishes to see me. Shall I see you again soon?"
Her heart leaped up to her throat. He wishes to see her again! Him–the prince! "Yes... soon." She whispered.
Leo bowed and took her hand, kissing it. "Thank you for a lovely evening, milady. I shall look forward to our next rendezvous." He looked up at her, a twinkle in his eye and walked back to the castle, leaving Aglaia astonished and more intrigued than ever.
Chapter One
"Who is that girl? Nobody seems to recognize her."
The group of gossipers clustered together, whispering and looking at the mystery woman. She wore a beautiful pale blue dress and her copper curls cascaded down her bare back. She was a striking girl which caused most of the women onlookers to give her glares of envy.
"Thank You."
The object of their attentions took the glass of wine from the flustered servant and lazily looked around the room. She strolled toward the balcony, enjoying the night breeze. She pulled out a string tied around her neck to reveal a ring dangling at the end. The ring was delicately shaped with vines that met at one end, where they wrapped themselves around an oval disk bearing the word: Omorphi, meaning "Beauty".
Sighing, she slipped it on, not noticing the man entering the balcony. She whirled around when the man coughed discreetly to make his presence known.
"You startled me milord." She said, curtsying.
"Beg your pardon milady." The stranger smiled. A beautiful smile. "Trying to escape the ton?"
Her gray eyes widened at his statement. How did he know? And then she remembered that the ton was what these people called society. Smiling, she said, "I suppose so."
The man stepped beside her and studied her face. "I don't recognize you from around. If you don't mind my asking, what is your name milady?"
"I'm afraid I cannot tell you that milord. Especially since you yourself have not told me your name." She said, expecting an outburst from him. Instead, he asked for a dance. Interesting.
Curtsying, she placed her hand on top of his and followed him to the ballroom. The orchestra was playing a lively tune, leaving no room for conversation as they danced. And that was how she liked it as well. It was better if no one knew her, if no one noticed her. And yet she couldn't resist... It was just a dance, wasn't it? There was that twinkle in his eyes and the mere fact that he still asked her to dance even with her being...ugly.
The music ended, and she curtsied. "It was a pleasure dancing with you milord." Smiling, he replied, "The pleasure was entirely mine, milady but as much as I would like to stay, I have business to attend to. Excuse me, milady." Bowing, he walked away and was gone. Slightly disappointed at his disappearance, she shook her head and walked towards the throng of people, away from the ballroom. Noticing the crowd walking towards the salon, she followed suit and signaled a servant for some wine.
She found the king standing in front of the crowd, raising his hand in a gesture of silence. As the crowd quieted down, the king smiled and held a glass of wine in front of him.
"I will never find a kingdom with more loyal people than Tarimal." The king smiled as the dukes and counts and the other people of Tarimal cheered. "I thank all of you for coming. As you already know, I am to leave for a visit with the king of Agmyll to discuss a possible merger. I shall be gone for a few months wherein my son will rule in my stead."
With these words said, a man stepped up and raised his glass, "The best of luck to your journey father. May no harm come to you." The crowd toasted to that, with various 'Hear, hear's.
Wait a minute... that man looked familiar. Her eyes widened in realization. It was the stranger in the balcony! She just danced with the prince! The initial tingle of excitement she felt was replaced by a feeling of dread. How could she attract that much attention to her? She must leave at once. She hitched up her skirts and started to walk away.
"Milady..." A voice called out to her. She pretended not to notice and walked a little bit faster. Footsteps followed her outside. A hand touched her elbow and she turned around. It was the prince.
"Have I offended you, milady?" He cocked his head and studied her face, reminding her of a little puppy.
"Not at all your majesty. I was just leaving and I did not hear you call out to me." She curtsied.
"'Your majesty' is much too formal. You must call me Leopold, or Leo if you wish." Leopold! Leo! She could call him that? 'Your Majesty' was a little too formal, but Leo! Of all the women in this kingdom, why her?
The prince intrigued her by the minute. Most men, she was told, favored beautiful women. That was why she had the ring. That was why her mother gave it to her. To protect her from men. To shield her beauty from men's eyes.
"Now that I have told you my name, will you tell me yours?" He smiled, remembering their conversation in the balcony.
"Very well. My name is Aglaia."
"Aglaia. That is a very unusual name. The three graces: Euphrosyne--"
"-Aglaia and Thalia." They finished at the same time. Very intriguing indeed.
"You read Greek mythology, your maj–-Leo?" She stopped herself when she saw his twinkling eyes.
"Yes, I find it extremely amusing. My mother used to read it to me when I was young." Definitely getting more intriguing by the second. A man who enjoys mythology! Maybe she should stay. She could bear with Akakios and the others with his majes–Leo at her side.
"Your highness, your father is looking for you inside." A servant rushed out and informed him.
She woke up from her reverie. What was she thinking? He was a prince. He would not stand by her side. She did not even know if he favors her. She must go on with her plan.
Leo turned to her and smiled apologetically. "I beg your pardon milady. My father wishes to see me. Shall I see you again soon?"
Her heart leaped up to her throat. He wishes to see her again! Him–the prince! "Yes... soon." She whispered.
Leo bowed and took her hand, kissing it. "Thank you for a lovely evening, milady. I shall look forward to our next rendezvous." He looked up at her, a twinkle in his eye and walked back to the castle, leaving Aglaia astonished and more intrigued than ever.