My own lil' version of Beauty and the Beast! (Just with few twists and knots here and there... nothing much...)

Authors note: well, even if I try to tell people that I hate love stories, my favorite Disney-movie is Beauty and the Beast. I don't have any idea why, but the story and the movie are soooo fabulous! It's a shame I don't remember much of the movie. But here is my own little version of the whole story! Some things may be like in the movie, but I'll change something…. And please note that I'm Icelandic and therefore not REALLY good in English. Oh, and I named the horse 'Filipé', I know it's not the real name but I think it's a cool name… or something…. and Disney owns the characters etc. etc.

Chapter one: Tale as old as time...

Belle looked quite normal. She had auburn hair with few waves in, chocolate brown eyes and tanned skin. There were many other girls in the village that looked like that. Although… Belle had more muscles than all the other girls and she spent more time in reading than cooking. This of course made all of the villagers think that she was rather odd, a little like her father who was an inventor. She didn't have a mother anymore, for she died then Belle was only seven years old. When she was nine, her father decided to move away to Labourn, the tiny village she was living in now.

"Quite boring life out here, I want to be elsewhere…" Belle hummed while mounting her horse, Filipé.

"Talking to ourselves, are we?" a male voice asked behind her.

"More like singing to my horse," Belle answered. The male, Pierre, nodded and smiled a little, Belle was the most caring girl he knew. Ah, she wasn't a girl anymore. Soon she'd be full-grown woman and FAR too many men had noticed. He was going to protect her if she needed. Well, not like that was likely, he himself had trained her in sword fighting. He'd be in deep trouble if someone found THAT out! But she really had a talent, why waste it?

"Lost in our own thoughts, are we?" Belle asked smirking.

"Oh, shut it!"

"Fine, be your old grumpy self! But tell Papa I'm off riding. Adieu!" Belle called to Pierre as Filipé ran away. Pierre smiled after her but frowned as he saw somebody riding after Belle.

"Isn't it… it's Gaston!"

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"Maurice! Maurice, where are ya, ya old coot! I need to speak with ya! Maurice!" Pierre called as he entered Belle's and Maurice's home.

"Calm down, Pierre. Now, what is it?" Maurice said as he stepped out of a room with huge goggles. He didn't have much in common with his daughter, except the fact that they were both eccentric.

"It's that boy… no, man… guy, whatever, that Gaston. 'E went after Belle," Pierre explained. Maurice frowned.

"Went after Belle? Where is Belle going?"

"Jus' for a ride on Filipé, she'll be back soon. But Gaston went after 'er and ya know how 'e has been looking at 'er zeese past weeks. You should go after her, just to be sure Gaston won't do anything," Pierre explained. Maurice nodded slowly.

"You're right… what way did Belle go?" Maurice asked as he took off his goggles and put normal spectacles on.

"In the direction of the old forest. Ya should hurry, there are s'posed to be wolfs there!"

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On the other side of the old forest stood a big castle with four huge wings. Most people in the village had forgotten about it. Few of the elders had distant memories of an arrogant Prince who lived somewhere near the village. The one with the best memories even remembered the castle but knew that now it was enchanted. Why or when they did not know, but true it was. The castle and every living person in it were cursed. They weren't humans anymore. The servants were objects, like teacups, tables, candlesticks or even curtains. But the Prince, the Master… was a Beast. He lurked in the shadows of the West Wing, grieving over the lost of his humanity and blaming everyone beside himself for it. And that was exactly the problem! When he had been younger, and human, an old hag had wanted a shelter on Christmas because of the storm. But the Prince did not want any ugly, old woman inside his castle and shoved her out. The hag offered him a beautiful rose and said that it wouldn't do him any harm in having her for one night in the castle. Still, the Prince said no but the hag turned into the most beautiful and terrifying woman he had ever seen!

And she cursed him. Said she was letting his true looks come forward. A look that suited his personality perfectly. The Prince begged her for forgiveness, to have back his humanity. After some time the Witch decided to give him a chance to regain his humanity; he had to love another woman and be loved of her in return. The Prince was very glad about it, until he realized one important thing:

What woman could ever love a beast like him?