Twisted Fairy Tales - Beauty and the Beast

Chapter 4: A Ruined Celebration

Aquitaine, France, La forêt de Coeur noir et vert de la Terre: Le Château de la bête.

October 17th, 1895.

Over the next month remaining in the fall, the Beast let Belle do as she pleased. The nights were getting longer and the days colder and he knew that soon no one would be leaving the castle as blizzards would set in and freeze over the grounds and the one small path through the forest and back to civilization. Routine finally set back into the castle along with some new patterns. The Beast woke Belle every morning before escorting her down to breakfast and then Belle would go for a mid morning run on Felipe before helping Mrs. Potts prepare lunch in the kitchens with Monsieur Curie. Over the past month he had become eager to see her every morning, and it only grew, he hoped the same feeling grew in her, but he never knew and he dared not ask. She never asked again about the curse placed upon him and his court, but he was almost willing to tell her now as she had become a dear friend to him, not even referring to him as a beast but as her Lord and it was title he was coming to loathe. He had only five months to break the curse, the beginning of Spring would bring the end of his hoping and wasn't entirely sure if they would ever get out of the awkward phase that kept them from moving forward in their relationship.

Belle woke up early on this particular morning and dressed up special in her old peasant dress. She had worked over the past month to repair the rips and tears from over the years and she added some ribbon and lace she had found in an old storage room that matched the color. She didn't tell the beast about this, not wanting him to make a big deal of it or get mad, but today was her birthday. She was astonished to realize that by the end of the day she will have been here for exactly thirty days. She was now 16, officially a woman, and she smiled a little brighter as she put on the blue dress she had worn in the village for her last birthday, even if she wore it most often. She also tied her hair with a blue ribbon and prepared to go downstairs. She opened the door and found the beast about to knock.

"You are up early Belle. Why is that?" he said curious to her behavior.

"Oh no reason. Today just felt like a good day to get up early. I will see you in the dining room in a little while!" she called out as she ran down the hallway. The beast stood stunned in her door way, his hand still up and ready to knock on her now open door. Belle ran outside and went out into the garden and picked some of the last roses of the season, putting them into one of the pockets of her apron. She then went to the fields and picked some wheat before taking them both to the kitchen. She cut the flowers before putting them in a crystal vase and on the kitchen counter before preparing the wheat for the mill. She walked out to the one they had and made some course flour in no time with the help of the enchanted servants. According to the clock in the kitchen it only took her half an hour to make the flour where as it normally takes her two to properly grind the flour. She found the salt and yeast easy enough before she had to go draw water from the well. When she came back the oven door was open and ready for her and all of the ingredients were ready for her water.

"Hello? Is anyone awake?"

"Oui, we are Mademoiselle. We didn't want to disturb you as you seemed a bit lost in the moment, but we are at your service." No sooner had the man said something did a face come out of the stoves high backing.

"Oh!, I still find myself forgetting that everything in this castle enchanted. Good morning Monsieur."

"Bonjour, Miss! If you need any help please don't hesitate to ask us."

"I am truly sorry, but this is a tradition I prefer to do alone. I would be willing to help with dinner tonight if it pleases you though? I bet I could do more than the utensils since I have hands, although I do not mean to insult the utensils."