Cloaks and Roses: A Retelling of Beauty and the Beast

Introductions

Isabelle

***

Isabelle was going crazy with curiosity, but knew her questions would have to wait until the cloaked man woke up. She reluctantly grabbed an apple and headed out to the stables.

Felipe, her beautiful horse, was waiting for her like he did every morning. She patted his nose and gave him the apple. While he ate it, she groomed him. She patted him for a few more minutes and headed back to the barn. She fed Monique and her mother, then washed out the barn. 

By the time she made it back to the house to wash up, it was noon. The strange man should have been waking up any minute.

Hurriedly, Isabelle scrubbed her hands and gathered a tray of bread and cheese. She filled a pitcher with water and brought it to her room.

He was just beginning to stir when Isabelle opened the door. She set the tray down on her bedside table and sat on the edge of the bed. She put a hand to his forehead and was satisfied that the fever was gone.

He opened his eyes while she was retracting her hand. He immediately stiffened, reaching for the scarf and hood.

"Don't worry, I didn't remove them."

He relaxed and cleared his throat. "How long...?"

"It's midday. I've brought you your meal. Can you sit up?"

He pushed himself up, wincing when he became aware enough to feel the pain in his leg.

"It should start feeling better by tonight."

She gestured to the tray of food. "Help yourself."

He grabbed a piece of bread. 

"You are very kind. What is your name?"

She smiled. "Isabelle Baudin. And yours?"

He ignored her question. "Isabelle Baudin. It has a nice ring to it. Do your friends call you Belle?"

She chose not to push him, though it was killing her that she knew nothing about him. "My father does. My mother did."

"Did?"

She sat up a little straighter, looking him in the eyes when she replied. "My mother is deceased."

His eyes grew sad. "I'm sorry for your loss."

"Thank you. What is your name?"

"My name is Louis."

"Like the king," she remarked.

He smiled. She could tell by the slight movement of the scarf. "Yes, like the king."

"What brings you here, Louis like the king?"

He avoided her eyes. "Just traveling."

"Through those woods? Strange."

"I'm afraid I'm quite strange."

She smiled at him. "I'm beginning to believe you, Louis like the king."

He grew quiet, then hesitantly said, "It's Louis Chaput."

***

Louis

***

Waking up and seeing the beautiful girl's face instantly put Louis in a good mood, despite the pain in his leg. 

She seemed to be interested in him. He intensely glad that she hadn't looked at his face and turned that interest into disgust.

The fact that this girl had nursed him when she didn't know him, given him a place to stay, and was now feeding him made Louis feel...warm.

"You are very kind," he told her. "What is your name?"

She smiled at him. It felt like he was receiving a gift. "Isabelle Baudin. And yours?"

He would not tell her his name. His family was infamous, and he refused to make her think less of him by telling her.

"Isabelle Baudin. It has a nice ring to it. Do your friends call you Belle?"

He planned to make a clever remark about how Belle- which meant beauty- was fitting.

"My father does. My mother did."

"Did?"

She sat up straight and her face adopted the look of one who had told many people painful news and knew that to be straightforward was the best course of action.

"My mother is deceased."

"I'm sorry for your loss," he said, feeling awful for bringing it up. So that was why she did the work around the farm.

"Thank you. What is your name?"

She was stubborn. 

"My name is Louis," he said. His first name wouldn't give much away.

"Like the king."

He smiled. "Yes, like the king."

"What brings you here, Louis like the king?"

He looked away, not wanting her to see the half truth in his eyes.

"Just traveling."

"Through those woods? Strange."

He'd found his opening to change the subject, finally. "I'm afraid I'm quite strange."

She smiled, and his mood lightened.

"I'm beginning to believe you, Louis like the king."

The fact that she was so accepting was eating away at him. He finally caved and hesitantly told her what he'd never told a woman. 

"It's Louis Chaput."

Belle didn't draw away or look fearful of him. She didn't look disgusted or sad. Her expression didn't change at all. She still smiled at him.

"Ah," she said. "Any relation to Alexandre Chaput?" 

He looked away. "That would be my father, though I have nothing to do with him."

Her eyes widened briefly.

"Well, it's nice to meet you, Louis Chaput."

Louis looked into her eyes and saw that they held no judgement or condemnation- just kindness.

If he wasn't careful, Louis could see himself caring about this woman. 

He couldn't let that happen.

***

Isabelle

***

Louis Chaput was in Isabelle's bedroom. 

The thought plagued her as as she went to the market for more bandages and herbs, as she cleaned the house, and as she started making more bread for dinner. All day she thought of him, pity for him overriding anything else she might have felt.

Alexandre Chaput was a horrible man. He was a merchant who earned most of his money by ripping people off and through dishonesty and bad shipping deals. His two children were subject to abuse so bad that the police took them away from him. The boy was her age.

It happened a few years ago. She'd almost forgotten about it until now.

She wondered if Louis knew what it was like to be loved. 

She washed the dough off of her hands and her feet carried her back to her room. She wanted to talk to him and keep him company. She couldn't make up for his childhood, but she could show him kindness now.