Beauty and Beast

  CHAPTER 8

HOW I LOVE YOU

 

The Beast lay bleeding on the balcony when Belle arrived to his room in the west wing. Her heart sank in her chest when she saw the servants gathered around the window to the balcony. She knew something was wrong. Everything was wrong. Somber and sobbing, Belle was on the balcony in a heartbeat and threw herself to her knees beside him. “No!” she sobbed, “You can’t die! You can’t leave me.” She stroked his hair and caressed his face. “Don’t die. Please don’t die. I love you. I'll marry you. Come back to me.”

Belle didn’t notice the last petal falling as the Beast drew his dying breath. Upon the exhale, his final words: “Belle, my only love.”

It seemed like everything else in the world disappeared in that moment. A crack in the air, like sharp thunder; and the wafting of a strong breeze arrived all around them as the very earth and castle shook. The servants all lost their footing and fell back into their master’s room, they then let out cries of confusion.

The fallen petals from the rose danced slowly in the air over the Beast’s body. Belle tried to shake the confusion from her mind. But the Beast’s cloak began to rise and envelope his lifeless body like a cocoon. Belle tried to keep her grip on him, but her grasp slipped as the enchantment lifted him into the air. 

The pieces from the balcony flew up from the ground and restored what had broken in the battle to protect its master. Belle braced herself as her entire surroundings transformed. The gargoyles flew back to their perch and their horns shrunk into their heads along with their wings. Their faces turned gentle, now more like cherubs.

There were cries that came from inside the castle. Sounds of breaking dishes and banging cupboards.

Still, Belle didn't move. Her eyes never left the cloak that twisted and writhed in the air. When it turned vertical, she gasped, horrified that it would drop her beloved beast off the side of the castle to a final resting place alongside the murderer, Baxter.

“No–” she murmured, but as he smoothly slipped out of the entanglement to crouch in front of Belle with his head hanging down. She lifted a hand to brush his hair out of his face and realized there was less face there than there was before. No snout. No horns. But instead, a human face with soft flesh and dark facial hair. He looked up at her with his same gentle eyes. 

“Belle”

He called her name in his same gentle voice. He shrugged out of his heavy fur coat as he stood up. She watched him grow taller as he arose, but not nearly as tall as she knew the Beast to be. She stared at him confused and concerned. 

"I love thee to the depth and breadth and height my soul can reach," He spoke quietly, but with words he knew she would recognize. "For the ends of being and ideal grace. I love thee to the level of every day’s most quiet need," He continued and extended his hand to help her up. She took it and he lifted her with ease. "By sun and candle-light. I love thee freely, as men strive for right. I love thee purely, as they turn from praise. I love thee with a passion." They kissed. 

A loud clatter of cheering, applause, and hooting came tumbling onto the balcony from the Beast’s room. 

"Beau! Prince Beaumont! We did it! Er-you did it!” Fulbright, Elgin, Mrs. Potts, and Chip all ran onto the balcony–as humans, along with Otto, the sheepdog, all hugging and examining one another’s transformations. 

“It has been ten years since the enchantress put that spell on us, but you look just the same, old boy!” Fulbright rejoiced, lifting Elgin’s arms. 

Belle watched as the dark, weedy nettles became lush green vines and fluffy purple blossoms of wisteria. “I knew it had once been beautiful.” She stretched her arms out and spun around. 

Chip pulled on his mother’s apron. “I’m hungry, Mother.”

“Well let’s go see what’s in the kitchen, my dear Chip.”

“Trueley?” Maurice’s quivering voice came from the open window.

Mrs. Potts turned towards him in shock. “Maurice!” She cried and hurried over to embrace her husband.

“I thought you were killed in that dreadful storm all those years ago.”

“No dearie, just frozen in time with a cloud over my mind.”

Belle turned to recognize her mother and then her older… er… little brother, Charles.

Mr. Fulbright lit the standing candelabra in the hallway as they all started down to the kitchen. I think this calls for more than a snack!”

“You are so right, old friend,” Prince Beaumont twirled Belled under his arm. “Let’s throw a Ball! Elgin, send invitations to all the villagers and townsfolk in the whole kingdom!”

“You mean those same villagers that were just overrunning the castle and trying to kill us?

“Oh, c’mon, Elgy! They were under a spell.” Prince Beau gazed into Belle’s face and stroked her cheek with the back of his fingertip. “They won’t remember a thing.”

“A ball!” Mrs. Potts piped up. “Oh, won’t that be splendid! But Sir, we can’t just tell them that none of us has been human for the past ten years. What occasion will we be celebrating?”

Beau took Belle by both hands, and she smiled and nodded. 

“A wedding!”

Beauty and the Beast

  CHAPTER 6

FIGHTING FOR LOVE

 

How could I let her go? 

Not only was he condemning himself to an eternity as a monster, but also his servants. It wasn’t their fault, and they shouldn’t have to be punished. If only there was a way for them to be freed, even if he could never be.

A knock at his door pulled him from his dark thoughts to his dark room. 

“What is it, Elgin?”

“It’s the villagers,” he said. “They’re attacking the castle.”

“Attacking the castle?” Dismayed, the Beast knew he was repulsive, but he never thought that Belle would send people to kill him, after everything they had been through and how much they had shared. He understood her not wanting to marry a beast but didn't think she was capable of such a betrayal. Surely, Belle was incapable of wanting him dead. 

“What are we to do?” Mrs. Potts asked in her sing-song voice. 

“Just let them come,” he turned toward their surprised faces. Maybe if he died his servants would be free of the curse. “Save yourselves. Leave me.”

“How can he say that?” Mrs. Potts asked. She never thought that he’d give up.

“We need to fight back,” Elgin stated. “We cannot let these scoundrels destroy our home.”

“He’s right!” Fulbright joined in. “We must protect our home!”

The thundering on the doors stopped only when they burst open letting floods of townsmen to enter the castle. Suddenly the quiet darkness vanished as the men ran in waving their torches and weapons. Their weapons were crude but could still damage their appliance-like bodies.

Fulbright directed many of the intruders down the same corridor Belle had first discovered, directly into the dungeon. Then he locked them in to protect his master.

Others were led into the kitchen where Mrs. Potts and her children dumped boiling tea on the men. They dropped their weapons to shield their heads. The oven flared and the knives sprang into action. These terrified townsmen tore from the castle. 

Another mass of people was headed toward the west wing. They found Belles' favorite room in the whole castle. The library. Perfect kindling to set the castle ablaze. They shoved their torches into the shelves and onto the furniture. 

"Now!" Elgin chimed just in time. The books fell from the shelved, clobbering the arsons and extinguishing the flames.

“The house is fighting back!” One of the few men who were left shouted as he ran out of the castle.

“That’s preposterous,” a plump man shook his head.

“Is it, though?” Fulbright asked. 

The plump man turned to searched for where the voice came from. “Down here,” Fulbright caught the small man’s coat’s hem on fire. 

The men in the castle dwindled to just one man as the rest ran screaming from the Beasts home. 

“We did it!” The servants cheered.

The Beast watched the townspeople scramble out of the castle and felt proud that his servants were able to defend the castle. That’s good. Maybe that’ll mean they’ll be okay after all.

His door swung open slamming against the wall. “I’m impressed you managed to–” he turned, expecting to see his servants, but a man stood in the doorway. “Who are you?”

“I’m Baxter,” he snarled. 

That's Baxter? The Beast had heard about him from Belle. She'd said she couldn't stand him. She must absolutely detest the Beast, if she ran to Baxter for refuge and protection.

“You dared to trap Belle here, but now she’s home. She’ll be my bride and I’m going to kill you, beast!”

“Go ahead.” the Beast didn't move from his window seat, rather resumed his gaze out the window.

Baxter was irritated that the Beast wasn't afraid of him. "I'm a master hunter. I kill every mark I make. And this time, you're my prey." He crept through the room with soft steps as if he were stalking his target to get the best shot. “It won’t be a challenge if you just sit there, coward. Fight!” 

The Beast stood with his shoulders hunched. He had no reason for fighting back. Belle had betrayed him, and it was too late to try again. The only hope he had left was to give his own life to break the curse on his castle and save his servants who had always stood by him.

“That’s better,” Baxter said as he drew his bow and sent an arrow into the Beasts shoulder. 

"GRRR-OWW!" The Beast growled in pain.

"Ha-ha!" Baxter laughed. "Aw, look how sad you are." feigning sympathy. "Pathetic!" He smirked and came closer to the beast. He grabbed ahold of the soft fur on the back of his neck and jerked it toward the window. There's no denying Baxter is strong - he was able to thwark the beast out of the window and onto the balcony. Disappointed he didn't fall to his death; he sent another arrow into his neck. Then he climbed out after him.

The Beast let another tremulous growl that shook Baxter's footing. His anguished cry drew the attention of one more townsperson who was just arriving to the castle. She looked up to see the two men who had persistently asked her to marry him respectively, on the roof. 

"Beast!" She called, hoping her voice would be able to carry all the way up to him. 

The gargoyles eyes glowed at the sound of her voice. They broke free of their stone fixture and flew to the Beasts aid. One took the bow from Baxter's hand two others lifted the Beast so he could see Belle and regain his hope. 

The servants had gathered in the Beasts room and were watching from the window, unable to do anything to help from there. 

"Oh dear." Mrs. Pott's poured over the whole situation. 

The Beast planted his feet and then stood to his full height, far surpassing Baxter. He took a step towards Baxter who retrieved his dagger and swatted at the hovering gargoyles. The Beast leaped toward him on the balcony to defend his castle and those who relied on him but Baxter took his opportunity to plunge his weapon into the beast's chest.  A blood curdling shriek came from the beast and his servants, as if their fate were tied to his. The balcony broke sending Baxter off the roof and down to his death.

Beauty and the Beast

  CHAPTER 5

THE CONDEMNING SACRIFICE

 

Belle had softened considerably toward the Beast. She saw his compassionate side and could tell that he wanted to learn how to be more selfless. She felt bad for only calling him Beast, but then she didn't know if he had a name, and by now she felt too awkward to ask. Everyone else at the castle just called him master, and that was certainly not something she was willing to do. 

Some of the books that they had talked about were about history and technology. He told her about far off places in such vivid and illustrative ways that she could almost see it in her mind. 

She began to allow him to join her as she explored different parts of the castle. Rooms he hadn't bothered to enter in years. They would bring a book and read it together. He was patient with her every night as she fled from him at the question he always asked. He knew he was unlovable, but he still had to try.

He was pleased with her reaction to his invitation to a special evening. They planned to eat an exotic meal followed by dancing. 

It surprised her that she was so excited about it. She felt she had finally found adventure, even though she could not leave the castle grounds. 

In a way it made sense. She had always been an introvert and felt overwhelmed with the amount of people in her small town, only to find refuge in books. She loved the diverse spaces that she found on the grounds and in the castle. She felt a sense of freedom in her isolation. But there was more to her happiness than the lack of unwelcome noses in her life - it was also the companionship she found in this gentle Beast. 

There was clearly more to him than the hardened and harrowed outward appearance. 

He listened to her. He learned from her. He enjoyed her company for who she is and not just for what she looked like. They found connection through hardship. One was known only for being beautiful, the other, only for being hideous. Both superficial. Neither showing what they truly had to offer.

Belle dressed in the most glamorous golden ball gown with roses embroidered into it with real gold thread. She wore silk gloved up past her elbows and shoes that glimmered in the candlelight. 

The Beast was nervous. 

He had felt something change inside of him. When around Belle, he felt like a person again. It seemed as though she could see through the disfigured face and body into his soul. He felt he could be vulnerable with her. He had told her about his fears and loneliness and the tragic loss of his parents at a young age. He wanted to tell her everything, but even more than that, he wanted to hear what she thought and hoped for, and dreamed of, and loved. He wanted to know what worried her, and what made her who she was. He loved her. And he wanted to tell her. So, he planned a special evening just for her. An evening to include all the things she said she loved from the books she read. Formal dancing, different cultures, delicious dinners. He wanted to give her everything she had ever dreamed of. He wanted to make her happy.

Dressed in the finest suit, and freshly groomed, the Beast waited for Belle at the bottom of the stairwell that led to her wing of the castle. His breath caught in his chest as the butterflies in his stomach launched into a flurry. She descended in seemingly slow motion. His gaze never left her as he climbed the few steps to meet her. She took his hand and he led her to the dining table. It was romantic. It was fun. It was nothing short of magical.

The Beast nervously stood to ask Belle for a dance, 

“Would you care for a dance?” The Beast asked nervously as he held out his paw. 

“Of course,” she replied and joined him.

As they waltzed, Belle said she felt like a princess, twirling around the ballroom. She dizzily fell into his arms, both of them smiling and laughing as they swayed together. 

They danced onto the balcony, but the Beast tripped on the threshold, pulling Belle over with him. 

“Are you all right?” The Beast asked, crouching over her, worried that he had crushed her.

Belle laughed. "I'm fine, you big pillow." Her hand still around his neck they gazed into each other's eyes for a long moment. Then he rolled onto his back to lay beside her. They looked at the stars in the sky, watching them glimmer.

"If you could wish on a shooting star, what would you wish for?" The Beast asked.

Belle smiled at the thoughtful question. "You know I'm happy here," She started.

"I'm glad."

"You've given me so much of what I've always dreamed of. But if I could wish for anything, I would wish to see my family again. My father is all I have left, and I miss him."

The beast's heart pricked.  He had planned to ask her to marry him after telling her how he felt. But instead of telling her how deeply he loved her, he showed it. 

"You can see him again." He whispered. 

"What?" She asked, not knowing what he meant. Was he going to let her leave? She felt a sadness creep in at the thought of it. 

"Come with me." The Beast said as he stood and effortlessly lifted the delicate girl up as well. 

Belle's thoughts were racing. What could this mean? Is he going to leave his castle and take her to see her father? He can't do that; people would kill him. He led her to the west wing of the castle and carefully lifted a mirror from the mantle.

"This looking glass lets you see what you ask of it, but like a mirror, what you see is real but not always true." He explained and handed it to her.

"Show me Papa, please."

Her face disappeared to reveal her father all alone, pale, and gaunt. He was in his bed and looked close to death. 

Belles’s heart dropped. She had been picturing him happily working on inventions while munching on treats like he'd always done. Before she could say anything, the Beast said, 

"You have to go to him."

She looked at him in dismay. 

"He needs you more than I do."

He knew that if she left the curse would never be lifted and he would never know love again. But he couldn't bear to see her suffer, and he knew that if he didn't let her go see her father now, she would never get over that. And she would hold it against him. In a way it was selfish, but in the most unselfish way. 

Belle hugged the Beast tight and long. When she finally pulled away her hands trailed down his arms. Part of her didn't want to leave him. He needed her. And she had come to care so deeply for him. 

"Thank you."

She said and hurried out of the room.

"Come back to me." The Beast breathed the near inaudible hope that he knew would never come true. Then quoted a poem by Ms. Browning, which had recently become his favorite. 

I love thee with a love I seemed to lose

I love thee with the breath, 

Smiles, tears, of all my life; 

I shall love thee better after death.

Belle left that night. A beautiful black carriage with red velvet cushions took her all to her doorstep. She rushed through the door to find Baxter serving her father soup.

"Baxter?!" Belle gasped, shocked to see him in her home wearing her apron and more shocked to see him doing something for someone other than himself. 

"Belle!" Both men called with surprise.

"Are you all right?"  She and her father asked each other in unison. 

"How did you escape that awful beast?" Maurice coughed.

“He let me go. To come back to you.” 

Baxter's brows pulled together. “It's a ploy, he's manipulating her to get what he wants.”

“No, he's actually not so bad,” She blushed, thinking about their dance and conversations.

"That's good, sweetheart," her father took one of her hands in both of his. "I will never let you be in danger again." Maurice took one of Baxter's hands and joined it with Belle's. "Baxter is strong and brave. He will never let that beast near you again."

This time Belle's brow furrowed. "Father...?" She pulled her hand away from both of them. 

"He can protect you. And he will be a good husband. "

Belle felt the room wobble. "Then you've made an arrangement with him? "

"I won't be around forever, or even much longer, and I need to know you'll be taken care of. "

Belle excused herself, needed air and space to think. She looked around for the carriage that had just dropped her off, but only heard a small voice call her name. 

She looked around to find chip. 

"What are you doing here? "She asked. 

"You left without saying goodbye. I had to come along. You're family. "

At that she knew what she had to do and returned inside. 

"Father, I'm glad to see that you're okay. But I have to find my own way, and this is not it for me. I'm going back. And you can come with me!"

"What?!" Baxter slammed his hand on the table spilling the soup. "I've spent weeks with this pathetic old man, just to be rejected and passed over for a hideous beast?" He was furious. 

He slammed the door on his way out and blockaded it with barrels. 

"If you won't have me," He yelled, "You won't have anyone!" 

Then he went to rile up the rest of the town to go kill her beloved beast.

So I'm a hippy

Trevor is a Taurus.  I am a Scorpio. 

You can have whatever opinion you want to have when it comes to the stars, the stones, the oils, or the affirmations. I choose to believe that God created all things for our good and benefit. Which means we can use these things to learn from and help us heal.

I have spent the last four months in misery. Crumpled. But it has given me time to reflect on what I truly want. I have looked at our relationship to evaluate if it was healthy. I have concluded that, notwithstanding our own weaknesses and sicknesses, yes, we had a good relationship with healthy practices. We weren't codependent or toxic. We were best friends who loved each other and knew how to take care of each other. I liked myself, who I was, when I was with him. And I liked who he was, too. 

I know what I want now, and that is not to be married. Although I still need to work through the absolute heartbreak I feel every time I think about the fact that means I don't get to have more babies. I so desperately always wanted to carry and nurse all the babies. But I do want to spend the next ten years focusing on being a mom. 

My girls and I are so close and I cherish our time together. We share a bed even though they have their own. We prefer to snuggle. I want to share my bed with them for the next ten years if they want to continue to share with me. And that means I won't be sharing it with anyone else. 

Growing and freeing the physical aspect of our relationship was the main reason I wanted to get married sooner than later. That and having babies before I'm too old. One in the same. 

I'm hopeful that this step back will turn out to be a good reset. I think our relationship is worth fighting for and working for and ignoring all the outside influences that make us feel like we should be married already and what the heck is taking so long (how about, mind your own damn business and let me live my life the way I need to and the way God leads me to).

~~~

Taurus and Scorpio love compatibility is potentially solid as they both help each other grow and involves immense trust with mutual goals. The Venus native Taurus and the Mars native Scorpio make sparks fly with their bonding and togetherness. Thus, a Taurus-Scorpio couple holds all the aces when with each other.

~~~

Tauruses are grounded earth signs who tend to be realists rather than pessimists, but it's because of their stubborn streak that these motivated self-starters will rarely ask for help. This makes them "come across as ultra-competitive."

Their bullheaded ways also make them fiercely resistant to change, looking at only the negative of a situation if it takes them out of their comfort zone.

~~~

Scorpio is like Cancer and Pisces, they are a very emotional water sign. And like Capricorn, they keep these emotions bottled up. "Scorpios typically have a hard time trusting others because of past hurt," 

Beauty and the Beast

  CHAPTER 5

A PRISON FOR A HOME

 

Belle heard voices outside her door. And not voices raised in anger as that beast's had been, these sounded curious and even… kind. Kindness in the beast's castle? She must be hearing things. A strange tapping knocked on her door.

Hello? She opened her bedroom door but didn't see anyone there. Hmm, she had expected it to be locked. "I guess I'm less of a prisoner than I thought." She said aloud to herself.

"A prisoner? Mais non! You are our guest!" The heavily accented male voice said from below her knee. 

"Oh, I didn't see you there!" Belle exclaimed as she looked down expecting a dwarf, but this was a… she rubbed her eyes and looked again. Yep, it was a talking candlestick.

"Now, now dearie, you've had quite a shock. Why don't you come down to dinner and let us take care of you for a while?" A motherly voice asked from Belle's other side. A teapot, it was a teapot. 

I must have fallen asleep. I must be dreaming. Things can't talk. And not only that, but now that I'm looking at them, these things seem to have faces. And they were smiling at her. Well, it could be worse, they could be as horrible as that beast had been.

"I'm not hungry. I really couldn't eat anything. But thank you." Belle's stomach was in knots, full of fear and sadness. She did accept the teapot, who had introduced herself as Mrs. Potts, to pour her a cup of lavender chamomile tea to help her sleep. As Belle sipped from the cup, she heard giggling. The teacup wiggled in her grasp.

"Now, Chip, hold still son, you'll make our guest spill her tea."

"But mama, it tickles!" The teacup replied.

Mama? How strange that the Beast would make some of the household objects into children.

After spending a little time warming up to the kindness shown to her, she suggested, “Maybe can tour the castle a little before bed.”

“That’s a lovely idea, child. We do want you to feel at home here.”

Before she could leave her room, however, a stout clock waddled into the room. "Ahem. It is time for bed."

Fulbright, the candlestick, came up behind him "Elgin, it is her first night here, don't be so wound up about the rules. Relax a little."

"Rules are rules for a reason"

"Rules were made to be broken"

“That’s all right. I'm sure I’ll have endless time to explore later.” She yawned, and feigned exhaustion. After thanking each of them on their way out of her room, she quickly shut her bedroom door and landed against it. There was no way she was going to wait for later to learn more about the place she was ensnared. After several minutes of silence to be sure they were gone, she snuck back out to explore.

She felt small walking down the corridor with its high ceilings and wide hallway. She peaked her head into countless doors finding other bedrooms and washrooms close to her own room. But the farther she walked the more diverse the rooms became. She trailed her hand along the wall to help her keep track of where she was and how to get back to her room.

She came to an open area with the most incredible staircase across from her. It had exquisite craftsmanship on the railings. She was drawn to it, even though it led up to a dark and eerie corridor. When she reached the top on the stairs, shivers ran down her spine as she gazed at the neglected area.

What could this area be?

The Beast sat brooding in the dark wreck that used to be his bedroom. When the curse had first taken over his body, he destroyed everything around him in his pain and anger. He had felt like that again earlier. 

Out of control. 

He thought he had grown past that. He worked so hard to get his rages under control. Sometimes he felt like there was a stranger in his mind. The dark tonight matched his mood. What a first impression he must’ve made. After his outburst, she was probably cowering in her room and would never speak to him again. He despaired of ever breaking the curse.

A sliver of light pierced the darkness. Someone had opened his bedroom door. It couldn't be the servants; they had learned long ago not to disturb him during one of his dark moods. And the behavior had stuck even as he thought he had grown better over time. None of them would dare to enter the west wing. Could it be her? Was she brave enough to venture out and explore the castle she had just been imprisoned in? 

"Hello?" Her hesitant voice echoed through the room. "Is anyone there?"

"Hello, Belle." At his voice she turned to run, but he continued quickly "I'm glad you came. I need to apologize for earlier."

She stopped and turned back to him. "You're apologizing to me? Do you think an apology will make up for imprisoning my father? For taking away my freedom?"

"No, I can't begin to make up for it. But I hope you'll forgive me someday."

"Does this mean that you've decided to let me go?"

"I'm afraid I can't do that."

"Why not? Why do you want me here?"

He remained silent.

"Am I to become another of your servants?"

"No, I have enough servants."

"Then what?"

"Belle, will you marry me?"

She turned and ran.

Marry that beast? Was that why he wanted her? 

She shuddered at the thought. Belle ran all the way back to her bedroom and locked the door. She resolved to stay as far away from the Beast and his crazy ideas as she could. As her breathing quieted and her heartbeats slowed, a little voice in her mind whispered that he had asked and not demanded. And what's more, he had apologized. Her final thought as she drifted off to sleep was: 

Maybe he's not a total beast after all.

The next morning, Belle woke feeling surprisingly refreshed after sleeping on the most comfortable bed she'd ever slept on! 

She rose and dressed for the day in a simple dress that she found in the wardrobe. Just as she felt ready to venture out, there was a knock at the door. Belle opened it to find Mrs. Potts. 

"Good morning, dear. I brought you a spot of morning tea and a simple breakfast."

"Oh, breakfast isn't served in the dining hall?"

"No, we keep breakfast a bit more simple to give the staff time to rest as well."

"And the Beast puts up with that?"

"It was his idea. He said it wasn't necessary for us to keep doing elaborate meals now that it was just him. But the master has asked that you join him for dinner each night. The rest of the day is yours to do as you wish."

"And what if I prefer to eat in my room?"

"Then the master would be disappointed, but he won't force you. You may not believe this, but the master has a lot of respect for freedom of choice."

"I'm supposed to believe that, even though I'm trapped here."

"We're all trapped here, dearie," Mrs. Potts said sadly as she left the room.

So, she expected Belle to believe that the Beast valued freedom, even though he had trapped all the servants in the castle as well? Would a magical creation feel trapped? Maybe those were others who had previously happened upon this enchanted castle. Maybe Belle needed to worry about getting turned into a dinner bell if she refused to eat with him.

After spending the day familiarizing herself with the gardens, Belle nervously entered the dining hall for dinner with the Beast. He was already seated at a small table for two. As she approached, he half stood, but she hurried to sit before he could offer to get her chair.

"Good evening, Belle."

"Hello."

"How did you spend your day?"

"I explored the gardens and the grounds. Being outside under the big blue sky, I could almost forget the fact that I'm a prisoner here." She gave him a defiant look.

“And what do you plan to do tomorrow?”

“I guess I'll spend my day in my room, staring out the window and longing for home.” Belle was almost disappointed that the Beast didn't respond to her snide tone. 

Instead, he said, “What would you be doing if you were home instead of here.”

“Oh, probably helping my father to make sure he didn't blow up the house.” Thinking about her father's antics brought a nostalgic smile to Belle's lips.

“Does he have a problem with pyrotechnics?”

“Uh,” she was surprised at that question. “Well, no. It’s just that sometimes his inventions get carried away.”

“I didn’t realize he was an inventor.”

“Yes, he was on his way to a fair to show off his latest contraption when–” she couldn’t bring herself to finish. They sat in silence for a few moments.

“What do you enjoy doing when your time is your own?”

“Mostly reading. I love escaping into a good book. It's too bad I didn't bring any reading material to the castle with me, although I didn’t know I’d be staying. I guess I'll have to find something new to occupy my time.”

"Come with me." The Beast stood and waited for Belle to do the same. Then he led the way through the castle back to the west wing. Belle hesitated as he started down that hallway. She didn't want to go back to his room with him. The Beast noticed her pause and said, "There's a room I want you to see, one that I don't believe you've explored yet."

Belle followed him to an arched doorway at the bottom of the stairwell that she had climbed the night before that led her to find the Beast. He opened the door for she could see inside. Belle gasped in surprised excitement. The room was full of books! 

"This is amazing! I've never seen anything like this. So many books!"

"Belle, will you marry me?"

She ran back to her room. It took her a long time to fall asleep that night, even on the softest bed in the world.

The next day, Mrs. Potts brought something extra with the morning tea. A slim volume of poetry sat on the breakfast tray. Belle picked it up and a note fell out.

You left before picking out a book last night. I hope you enjoy these poems. They have been a comfort to me. -B

The Beast reads? Belle was perplexed at the different aspects of the Beast she had seen. Was he the monster who terrorized her father, the evil sorcerer who imprisoned a castle full of people, or someone who treated her with kindness and found comfort in poetry? 

She barely noticed Mrs. Potts slipping out as she settled down to read. She was still immersed in the book at lunch time, which she ate in her room after being brought a tray by Fulbright. She finished mid-afternoon, and immediately read from the beginning, this time focusing specifically on trying to find the "comforting" ones. What would they reveal about this Beast that she was trapped with?

That night Belle eagerly left her room to join the Beast for dinner. She wanted to know if her guesses about his favorite poems were correct. 

"Good evening, Belle"

"Good evening. I finished the book you lent me."

"And what were your thoughts?"

"There's quite a variety of sentiments expressed throughout the book. I found myself wondering which were your favorites."

The Beast's face took on an expression she hadn't seen on him before. Was that a smile?

"I enjoy several of the poems and take comfort in them because the book was one my mother gave me before she died. For years I couldn't bring myself to open it because it made me remember the bad days around her death, but once I finally read it, I felt more connected to her. In particular, the poem, 'The Debate Between Villon and His Heart' spoke to me. Or I should say, it felt like my mother was speaking to me." He quoted a few lines:

Who's that I hear?

It's me —Who? —Your heart

Hanging on by the thinnest thread

I lose all my strength, substance, and fluid

When I see you withdrawn this way all alone

Like a whipped cur sulking in the corner

 

"That was the moment I started to change. Although you may see me as such, I don't want to be the villain in my own story."

Belle didn't know what to say. She was surprised at how open the Beast had been with her. She ate a few bites of her food while she thought of how to respond. It was delicious. She had been curious about the Beast before and why a creature such as he would need comfort. She didn't expect to relate and empathize with him.

"I lost my own mother and my twin brother, but I was so young, at only seven, I barely remember them. I suppose that's part of the reason I'm so close with my father."

She frowned and trailed off as she thought of her Papa. How could she sit here having a pleasant conversation with his captor? With her captor? How could she be feeling anything other than fear and anger toward him? Seeing that she had grown pensive, the Beast let her sit in silence for a while. 

They finished the meal and Belle rose from her seat. Maybe if she left now, she could avoid the question she feared was coming.

"Will you marry me, Belle?"

She fled.

Every day was a new adventure. Whether she spent the whole day reading or took time to explore different parts of the castle, she was never bored but rather excited to discover what else this new life had to offer.

There were rooms in the castle that were dedicated to different places in the world that seemed to transport her to beautiful and exotic places like Italy, Spain, and the East. There was a game room, a swimming pool, and the most beautiful ballroom. 

Each morning the Beast sent her a new book on her breakfast tray.  Then they would discuss the book over dinner. Belle was continually surprised by how knowledgeable and well-spoken the Beast was. And, she grudgingly admitted, how kind and thoughtful as well. But every night as the meal wound down, the Beast asked the same question and every night Belle left without answering him. 

Drella

Sometimes bad things happen to us. Things that are out of our control. It can make us feel sad, angry, and even alone. But we can choose to be happy, even when things don't go our way.

This is the story of Drella.

Drella's mom and dad got divorced. Which meant she only got to see her dad for the summers. She missed him so much, but was glad she got to spend so much time with her mom!

She had so much fun with her dad last summer that she was really looking forward to visiting him this summer. But when she got there he told her he was getting married to a lady with two little girls around her age. She liked them but they didn't seem to like her. "Maybe they're shy"

Drella still had to clean her room but her new step sisters just made messes. Drella still had to use her manners, but her new step sisters never said please or thank you. But Drella gave them the benefit of the doubt. "Maybe they never learned to pick up their toys." "I guess they didn't grow up learning to be polite."

Over the summer they learned to get along. Blending a family is hard work. They did lots of fun things. When they went fishing everyone caught a fish except Drella. "That's okay, I'm just glad I got to come along!" They watched movies and ate a special blend of popcorn with candy. 

 

At the end of the summer they had a wedding. The day before the wedding they realized that Drella didn't have a dress. "That's okay, I can just wear this." But they took her to a special dress shop.

The wedding was at a beautiful place that looked like a palace. Everyone got to dance until their feet were so tired they kicked their shoes off. 

Sometimes things happen that seem bad, but in the end it turns out to be happy after all.