Once upon a time, in the hidden heart of France, a handsome young prince lived in a beautiful castle. Although he had everything his heart desired, the prince was selfish and unkind.
In his chambers, the prince was having his makeup applied for his large party to find a bride.
"Poof poof." the servant used the brush to apply the powder before blue shadow was added on and around his eyes.
"Master, it's time." the prince looked to his servant holding out a pocket watch and looked at the time.
He taxed the village to fill his castle with the most beautiful objects.
The prince nodded before motioning for another servant to bring the candelabra closer so he could inspect the makeup on his face.
And his parties with the most beautiful people.
The prince, from his throne, snapped his fingers for the music to begin. His soprano singer motioned to her husband to begin on the piano. Once the music began, the ladies on the dance floor bowed to him. He rose from his throne as they started dancing. He'd bounce from woman to woman as they danced.
Oh, how divine
Glamour, music, and magic combine
See the maidens so anxious to shine
Look for a sign that enhances chances
She'll be his special one
What a display
What a breathtaking, thrilling array
Every prince, every dog, has his day
Let us sing with passion, gusto, fit to bust
Oh, not a care in the world...
A sudden knocking from the door behind the throne broke through the festivities. They all looked to the door as it burst open making them all back away in fear. A bent over figure started towards them and a servant brought the prince a candle so he could see in the darkness.
Then one night, an unexpected intruder arrived at the castle, seeking shelter from the bitter storm.
The prince made his way to the bent over person to see an old, haggard woman.
As a gift, she offered the prince a single rose.
The woman held out her rose to him, and he laughed at her. He turned to the crowd behind him causing them all to laugh with him. He took the rose from her, looked at it then dropped it in front of her.
Repulsed by her haggard appearance, the person turned the woman away.
She looked from the rose to him.
But she warned him not to be deceived by appearances,
The light on his candle was blown out and he looked from it to her in confusion and fear.
for beauty is found within.
She reached for the rose before her, her hand glowing from under her robes.
When he dismissed her again, the old woman's outward appearance melted away. To reveal a beautiful enchantress.
The prince watched her as her with wide eyes as the old woman became a beautiful woman glowing gold with her gown flowing all around her. His court screamed in fear and began to run away as he fell to his knees. He looked behind him for support but there was no one except his servants.
The prince begged for forgiveness, but it was too late. For she had seen that there was no love in his heart.
"Chip! Chip! Oh, my!" A woman ran after her son as he ran to see what everyone else was running from. The woman held her son to her in fear at the glowing woman as she worked her magic. The Enchantress held the rose towards the prince to link her curse to it, binding him to its beauty.
As punishment, she transformed him into a hideous beast. And placed a powerful spell on the castle and all who lived there.
Slowly, the prince was turned into a beast and he ran from the room back to his chambers. A picture of his former beauty hung staring at him, reminding him what he'd become. He dug his new claws into the picture and ran them across the one who did this to him.
As days bled into years, the prince and his servants were forgotten by the world. For the enchantress had erased all memory of them from the minds of the people they loved. But the rose she had offered was truly an enchanted rose. If he could learn to love another and earn their love in return by the time the last petal fell the spell would be broken. If not, he would be doomed to remain a beast for all time.
In his chambers, years after becoming a beast, the prince stared at the rose enclosed in its glass case and placed his paw on the case.
As the years passed he fell into despair and lost all hope. For who could ever learn to love a beast?
In another land, in another time, lived a girl who grew up on the stories she'd either created, watched or read. She'd thrived on these stories wishing she could be as strong as the heroes and heroines she'd seen on screen or in books she'd read. She was reading a book and walking to her job in the small town she grew up in when she suddenly heard someone screaming. She looked up to see a child staring in fear at the oncoming car, the child's mother was trying to make her way to him, her husband holding her back. The girl didn't even think before dropping her book and reaching for the child to pull him out of the way. The car, in an effort to avoid the child, swerved towards the sidewalk where the girl stood surrounded by people. People ran out of the way, but the girl, who'd already half been in the street, couldn't run in time. She stared in shock and fear as the white corvette barrelled towards her. She closed her eyes as the car's horn honked in warning before she saw a white light. She screamed and cried before finally opening her eyes to see a woman holding her out to someone. Most of the world was blurry but when the woman who'd been holding her arms out, at least that was what the girl assumed, held her with a tired smile on her face she stopped crying. Did she know this woman? A new face appeared behind the woman, a man smiling down on her holding a brunette girl.
"Look, Belle, this is your baby sister. It'll be your job to protect her from now on," he told the toddler in his arms as she stared at her with warm brown eyes. "What shall we call her?"
"Adelina."
