Beauty and the Beast

  CHAPTER 1

A MONSTEROUS CURSE

 

Once upon a time - No. 

This is a story of a monster. A monster who never dreamed his story would be a happily-ever-after tale. A monster who had been cursed for so long that hope seemed as elusive as his happy memories. But he had grown to accept that, for if he didn’t hope, he would never be hurt.

It all happened so long ago that he’d lost track of time in his prison, even though he remembered that beguiling night as if were just moments ago.

The pouring rain blew through his open window making a massive mess in his room. 

"How could you let this happen?" He scolded Mrs. Potts and demanded she clean it up immediately. "How is a prince to live in such a sopping state? This should have been taken care of hours ago, before I had to ask." Mrs. Potts didn't spend much time in her master's room, unless she was bringing him breakfast in bed, or asking for his dinner requests. There were plenty of other servants who attended to him, but they were all about their own business in other parts of the majestic castle.

The curmudgeon prince looked out his window down into the rose gardens where he spotted something glimmer. 

“Elgin!” He called his advisor.

“Yes, sir?”

“What is that light over there?” He gestured, but the light was gone.

“I don’t see anything, sir.”

“You don't see it?"

Elgin gulped.

"You think I’m lying?" He rolled his eyes, tired of being treated like a child. "Fine, I’ll check it out myself!” He grabbed his heavy fur coat and stormed out of the room.

“Sir?” Fulbright turned away from lighting the chandeliers as he saw his master burst through the front doors into the rain. 

By the time he made it to the rose gardens he was soaked through, even with his coat on. He looked around for a moment until he spotted the flickering light. It was coming from an old hag, who had taken shelter under his favorite rose arch.

“What do you think you’re doing there? You’re going to burn down my roses!” He grabbed the small lantern and threw it to the ground. The glass shattered and the abrasive rain quickly doused the flame.

“Please sir,” her voice was gravely and full of age.

He recoiled from her; he didn’t want her old age to rub off on him. “Please what?”

“Please give me shelter, and in turn, I’ll give you this rose.”

“A rose? Look around, I have plenty of roses–” he paused. “Wait, did you steal this rose from my garden?!” He grabbed the flower and threw it down. “How dare you think you could offer my own rose to me in attempts to bargain for something.”

“This is not one of your roses. This is an enchanted rose.”

“Get out before you kill the rest of my plants with your disgusting looks,” He turned her away.

“Don’t be so quick to judge someone,” she picked up the crumpled rose from the ground. “There's more to a person than what meets the eye.”

“I said you can’t stay here, and you don’t get to steal from me either!” He reached for the crumpled rose in her hand, but she pivoted her body as she pulled a carved wand out of her cloak. With a graceful swish from her waist to her head she transformed into a beautiful enchantress right before his eyes. 

“I told you, it’s an enchanted rose, and appearances are not always as they seem.” 

He gaped at her. “Wow! I’m sorry miss,” he said. “Of course, you can come in and get shelter from the storm.” He held his hand out for her, but she just looked at him.

“I have seen what’s inside of your heart,” she sung. “You are selfish, and greedy. You take no interest in the feelings of others. You are a coward with no patience." Then with a smile she said, "That will all change.”

He didn’t understand what she was saying. She held up the rose and he watched as it returned to its former state of beauty. Then he fell to his knees in anguish as fire shot through his bones as he crumpled to the ground.

Screams came from the castle, and he blacked out from the pain. 

“You need to learn to love another and be loved in return as a wife loves her husband. If you fail to do this by the time the last petal falls you will lose your humanity forever.”

When he opened his eyes, the enchantress was gone but the rose was floating in front of him. Beside it was a magic mirror with a note that read:

This looking glass will be your only window to the outside world. But it will only be a reflection of reality.

As he reached for the flower, he saw claws and fur-covered paws. He felt his face and found a snout instead of his perfect nose. He found twisted horns coming out from the top of his head. Sorrowfully, he let out an angry growl.

He spent countless days reliving that wretched night. He was told that he needed to learn selflessness, charity, compassion, patience, and true love. But his monstrous form forced him to remain in his solitude. He grew angry and depressed. And he worried that he would remain in this form forever.

For whom could ever learn to love a beast?

First draft of this chapter was written by my sister, Kimberleigh Dixon. She did a beautiful job reimagining a favorite tale as old as time. 

Illustrated and Edited by me.