Prologue:
Once upon a time, in a faraway land, A young Prince lived in a shining castle. Although he had everything his heart desired, The Prince was spoiled, selfish, and unkind.
But then, one winter's night, An old beggar woman came to the castle and offered him a single rose In return for shelter from the bitter cold. Repulsed by her haggard appearance, The Prince sneered at the gift And turned the old woman away. But she warned him not to be deceived by appearances, For Beauty is found within. And when he dismissed her again,
The old woman's ugliness melted away to reveal a beautiful Enchantress. The Prince tried to apologize, but it was too late, For she had seen that there was no love in his heart. And as punishment, She transformed him into a hideous beast And placed a powerful spell on the castle, And all who lived there.
Ashamed of his monstrous form, The beast concealed himself inside his castle, with a magic mirror as his only window to the outside world. The Rose she had offered, Was truly an enchanted rose, which would bloom until his twenty-first year.
If he could learn to love another and earn her love in return by the time the last petal fell, Then the spell would be broken. If not, he would be doomed to remain a beast for all time. As the years passed, he fell into despair, and lost all hope, for who could ever learn to love... A Beast?
Beauty and the Beast
*10 years later*
It was a beautiful morning in the small village of Conques. In one of the cottages, a beautiful woman emerges from the door walking her way towards the town. Her name was Belle, a beautiful, book-loving girl that dreams of adventure and wants more than the little village can offer. She continues to make her way to the townfolk.
Belle: " Little town, it's a quiet village, Every day, like the one before, Little town, full of little people, Waking up to say... "
Then all the villagers came out from their cottage, greeting each other.
Villagers: "Bonjour!" " Bonjour!" "Bounjour!" "Bonjour!" "Bonjour!"
Belle: " There goes the baker with his tray like always, The same old bread and rolls to sell, Ev'ry morning just the same, Since the morning that we came, To this poor provincial town..."
Belle made her way to the bakery and was greeted by the baker. "Good Morning, Belle." The baker greeted.
"Good Morning, Belle." Belle greeted back.
"Where are you off to?" The baker asked.
"The bookshop! I just finished the most wonderful story, about a beanstalk and an ogre and..." Belle continued to talk about the book she was reading to the baker but the baker paid no attention to her as he could no understand Belle's obsession with novels but at the same time, he tried to act interested, trying not to hurt the girl's feelings. He finally cut her out.
"That's nice...Marie, the baguettes! Hurry up!" The baker said. Afterward, She left the bakery, making her way to the bookshop. Many villagers were gossiping about her.
Villagers: "Look there she goes, that girl is strange no question, Dazed and distracted, can't you tell?" "Never part of any crowd" "Cause her head's up on some cloud" "No denying she's a funny girl, that Belle!"
On her way, Belle jumps on the back of a wagon and rides through town, to the bookshop.
Villagers: " Bonjour!" "Good day!" "How is your family?" "Bonjour!" "Good day!" "How is your wife?" "I need six eggs!" "That's too expensive!"
Belle: "There must be more than this provincial life!"
Belle finally arrived at the bookshop and was greeted by the bookseller, welcoming her with a big smile. "Ah, Belle!"
"Good morning, Monsieur. I've come to return the book I borrowed." Belle said as she handed the book to the bookseller. "Finished already?" The seller said surprisingly, putting the book back on the shelf.
"Oh, I couldn't put it down! Have you got anything new?" Belle asked.
"Not since yesterday," The seller said with a laugh. Belle climbs in the ladder and browses in the bookshelf to find a book to read. "That's all right. I'll borrow... this one." Belle said as she picked a book.
"That one? But you've read it twice!" The seller exclaimed. "Well, it's my favorite! Far off places, daring swordfights, magic spells, a prince in disguise!" Belle explained as swings off the side of the ladder, rolling down its track.
"Well, if you like it all that much, it's yours!" The seller said, handing her the book. Belle tried to protest about this but the seller insisted. "Well thank you. Thank you very much!" Belle said happily and left the bookshop. Then she saw a very beautiful and attractive young woman approaching in her direction
She has light-blue eyes, a fair complexion, and a slender frame. She has waist-length golden hair with locks that frame her face. She wears a white ribbon-tie dress with a Prussian blue jacket. She also wears a white, pleated silk skirt and an emerald brooch in the middle of the ribbon-tie. Her name was Violet Evergarden. She was a new resident that arrived in the village a few weeks ago.
But she was a mysterious person and no one actually wants to get to know her. Most people see her as a person who had feelings but couldn't perceive or express them. She was also an introvert due to her quiet, reserved, and thoughtful personality. Sometimes she doesn't seek out special attention or social engagements, as these events can leave her feeling exhausted and drained. But the only person she can tolerate is Belle, who was welcoming and kind to her. "Hi, Violet!" Belle greeted her.
"Hey," Violet said softly with a small smile.
"Wanna tag along? I could use a company," Belle asked.
"I am more than welcome to," Violet said and walked their way through town.
Villagers: " That girl is so peculiar! I wonder if she's feeling well!" "With a dreamy far-off look!" " And her nose stuck in a book!" "What a puzzle to the rest of us is Belle!"
Belle and Violet were sitting in the fountain, taking a break from the long walk. Belle started reading the book she borrowed and Violet joins the reading session. A lot of eyes were focused on them. Belle and Violet were outsiders in the villagers. They were called odd, funny, and weird. But they learned to ignore them as long as they don't make a move on them.
Belle: " Oh! Isn't this amazing! It's my favorite part because you'll see it! Here's where she meets Prince Charming, But she won't discover that it's him 'til chapter three!"
Villagers: " Now it's no wonder that her name means 'beauty', Her looks have got no parallel!" "But behind that fair facade, I'm afraid she's rather odd, Very different from the rest of us..." " She's nothing like the rest of us, Yes, different from the rest of us is Belle!"
Meanwhile, geese were flying overhead, one of them was shot and plummets to the ground. a small man named Lefou made a run to the dead goose, he holds the gunnysack but utterly misses the goose. He picked up the goose, placed it in the bag, and made his way back to a big muscular man named Gaston. He was a very handsome man, egomaniacal, and rude. He is a hunter who will do anything to get what he wanted. "Wow! You didn't miss a shot, Gaston! You're the greatest hunter in the whole world!" Lefou Complemented.
"I know!" Gaston said.
"Huh. No beast alive stands a chance against you...and no girls for that matter!" Lefou continues.
"It's true, Lefou, and I've got my sights set on one," Gaston said, pointing at Belle and Violet's direction. "Crazy old Maurice's daughter?!" Lefou exclaimed.
"She's the one! The lucky girl I'm going to marry," Gaston said confidently. Lefou tried protesting but Gaston ignores him. "The most beautiful girls in town and that makes her the best. And don't I deserve the best?"
"Well, of course, I mean you do, but I mean..." Lefou said.
Gaston: " Right from the moment when I met her, saw her. I said she's gorgeous and I fell, Here in town, there's the only she, Who is as beautiful as me, So I'm making plans to woo and marry Belle. "
Bimbettes twins: " Look there he goes, isn't he dreamy. Monsieur Gaston, oh he's so cute. Be still my heart, I'm hardly breathing. He's such a tall, dark, strong and handsome brute."
Belle and Violet were making their way to the crowd while Gaston was struggling to catch up with both of them.
Villager: "Bonjour!"
Gaston: "Pardon!"
Villagers: " Good day!" " Mais oui!" "You call this bacon?" " What lovely grapes!" " Some Cheese!" " Ten Yards!" " One Pound!"
Gaston: "Excuse me!"
Villager: " I'll get the knife!"
Gaston: " Please let me through!"
Villagers: "This bread!" "Those Fish!" " It's stale!" " They smell!" " Madame's mistaken!"
Belle: " There must be more than this provincial life!"
Gaston: "Just watch I'm going to make Belle my wife!"
Villagers: " Look there she goes a girl who's strange but special. A most peculiar mademoiselle, It's a pity and a sin, She doesn't quite fit in! But she really is a funny girl, A beauty but a funny girl. She really is a funny girl! That Belle!"
Feeling their eyes on her, Belle and Violet swirl around the town, and the villagers return back to their activities. Belle was walking back home with the company of Violet. Gaston and Lefou were sneaking behind them. Gaston made his move in front of Belle and strike a dispassionate pose. Violet slightly cringed at Gaston while Belle simply ignored him."Good Morning, Belle!" Gaston greeted to Belle then turns to Violet. "And Violet!"
"Bonjour, Gaston." Belle greeted back. Violet did not say anything as she wants nothing from this narcissistic jerk. Gaston snatched the book that Belle was reading and pretends to inspect it. "Gaston! May I have my book back, please?"
"How can you read this? There are no pictures!" Gaston asked. Violet rolled her eyes, she knows that Gaston not that dumb and he was just trying to get Belle's attention. Belle just simply answered the question. "Well, some people use their imaginations,"
"Belle, it's about time you got your head out of those books," Gaston said as he threw the book to the mud, leaving it stained with dirt. Violet was taking deep breaths as she does not want to get too violent with Gaston but it was getting difficult to control herself. "You should and paid attention to more important things...like me!"
The Bimbette triplets sighed at Gaston and stared at him for long as they can. Belle picked up the book that Gaston threw and clean it up. Belle noticed Violet's face, showing visible anger in it. Belle pats her shoulder and gave her a comforting smile. Violet sighed and calms down."It's not right for women to read as well as fight. Soon she starts getting ideas...and thinking." Gaston continued. Violet glared even more at Gaston from his remark of women are not right to fight.
The thing that everyone in the village doesn't know is that Violet was a War Veteran and was raised to be a killing machine. But when the war was over, she granted her own freedom to live wherever she likes. She decides to live in the countryside where she can be at peace. Well, that's what she thought. "Gaston, you are positively primeval," Belle said sarcastically.
"Why thank you, Belle. Hey, whaddya say you, and I take a walk over to the tavern and have a look at my hunting trophies. Violet is welcome to join us," Gaston asked. Belle looked at Violet for approval. Violet shook her head as she doesn't anywhere near Gaston. "Maybe some other time," Belle said, dismissing Gaston but he was not giving up from there. "Please, Gaston. I can't. I have to get home and help my father." Belle pleaded.
"Ha ha ha, that crazy old loon, he needs all the help he can get!" Lefou said as he laughs heartily with Gaston. This angered both Belle and Violet. "Don't you talk about my father that way!" Belle cried.
"Yeah, don't talk about her father that way!" Gaston pretends to defend by conking Lefou in the head.
"My father's not crazy! He's a genius!" Belle said until an explosion was heard from Belle's cottage. She turns to Violet and said. "I have to go. See you tomorrow, Vi!" Belle said and rushed home, hoping her father is okay. Violet just gave her a weak wave while Gaston and Lefou continued to laugh at the incident. Violet glares at the men before turning her head to another direction to leave.
Until she felt an arm snaking around her shoulder. She looked to see it was Gaston. "Aww, don't give me that look. You know it was funny," Gaston said.
"Get your hands off me," Violet said with a cold voice.
"Come on, I'm just being friendly," Gaston said with a smirk. Until he was elbowed by Violet in the chest. the blow was hard like she was hit by a tone of metal, which made him fell back in the ground. Violet ignored the pained Gaston in the ground and walked her way to the grass field.
As she walked in the fields, she stops by a small hill where a tree was planted in the top. She stood next to the tree and leaned his back to it. She glances at the Emerald necklace around her neck. A tear was falling from her eye and she sniffed. "Oh, Major," She said and held the necklace around her hand, missing the person so dear to her.
End of Prologue