A Kind of Beauty and the Beast Story
Part 1
By C.J. Young
Copyright 2016 Jessica Chapman
Smashwords Edition
Smashwords Edition, License Notes
Thank you for downloading this ebook! This book remains the copyrighted property of the author, and may not be redistributed to others for commercial or non-commercial purposes. If you enjoyed this book, please encourage your friends to download their own copy from their favorite authorized retailer. (I would very much appreciate it too!) Thank you for your support!
Table of Contents
Chapter 01- A Kind of Beauty
Chapter 02- A Kind of Beast
Chapter 03- So the Story Begins
Chapter 04- Now Things Are Getting Interesting
Chapter 05- An Unexpected Turn of Events
Chapter 06- As Fate Would Have It
Chapter 07- Now the Trouble Begins
Chapter 08- From Bad to Worse
Chapter 09- The Beast Reveals Himself
Chapter 10- Out of Time
Chapter 11- A Change of Heart
Chapter 12- Facing Your Fears
Chapter 13- New Discoveries
About the Author
Connect with Me!
Sneak Peeks!
Chapter 01- A Kind of Beauty
Lila stopped dead in her tracks and read the sign again. Then she smiled, a surge of excitement flowing through her.
It was a beautiful day in her home town Mirth, a small village just east of the Lana River. The farmers could be heard selling in the market, as well as the herds of cows, pigs, and sheep in the fields nearby. Out here in the countryside such sights and sounds were common place. But as of today there was something new happening in the village square. A royal contractor from the castle had come, and he was offering people the job of a lifetime.
Lila walked passed the sign and approached the elegant stall hesitantly. She saw a man inside sitting next to a tall stack of papers, while another man stood outside shouting to those passing by. She took a moment to listen to his announcement carefully.
"We are seeking the most skilled men and women in all the land to come and serve in the royal castle. Come and serve His Highness!" He kept repeating loudly.
Lila smiled once more. So it was just as she thought! These men were offering a good paying job to anyone interested, male or female, young or old! This was just what she needed.
Lila took a deep breath and slowly walked up to man inside the booth. He was busy writing something down on a large scroll.
"Hello good Sir!" She said quietly.
The man stopped what he was doing and looked up to face her. His skin was very pale and his eyes had dark bags under them, as if he had not been in the sun or even slept in years. But he gave a friendly smile and tipped his hat to her.
"Oh hello! Have you come to accept a contract?" He asked.
"Yes I have." She replied.
The man nodded. "Very good milady!"
He then grabbed a paper from off of the tall pile next to him and handed it to her.
"Just sign your name here." He said, showing her the fancy dotted line.
Lila took the paper and signed it with her best writing. Then she held it up with pride and smiled. This was just so amazing! She could not have imagined a better opportunity than this even if she had tried!
She gave the paper back to the man. He rolled it up, tied it with a ribbon, and placed in a new pile of similar scrolls.
"The carriage will pick you up along with the others at sunrise. When you arrive you will receive back the contract, and when you reach the castle you will present it to the administrators there." He instructed.
"Thank you Sir!" Lila said with growing excitement.
The man smiled and tipped his hat again. "Not a problem lass! Good-day to you."
"Good-day to you as well!" She said.
Then she turned and headed back home. She was so eager to tell her father the great news that she ran the whole way there. The sun setting in the distance cast an orange hue along the road surrounding her, causing even the fields nearby to glow in its light. Lila admired the lovely view as she crossed over the little creek leading to her family's farm. Once she reached the house she burst through the door and ran straight up to her father's room. There she found him in his bed, just the way she had left him that morning. He smiled when she entered and beckoned her over to him.
"Hello my dear! How was your day?" He asked in a weak voice.
Lila ran right into his arms and squeezed him tightly.
"Excellent Papa! I have good news to tell you!" She exclaimed.
His eyes lit up with surprise. "Oh really? What is it?"
Lila proceeded to explain the day's events to him as quickly as she could, unable to control her excitement as she did so. But when she mentioned the part about accepting the contract to work in the castle, her father's face suddenly went pale.
"No! You cannot agree to this job my dear it is far too dangerous!" He said with alarm.
"But I have to father! You know we need the money." She said stubbornly.
"My dear, there must be another way other than this..." He replied, looking very anxious.
"I have already signed the contract, and I will be leaving tomorrow morning." Lila said with her arms crossed.
Her father just sat there in his bed looking helpless.
"But it would be better for you to stay here and work, even though it affords less pay." He argued.
"Father nothing around here can pay near enough! I have looked high and low already." She replied persistently.
Her father groaned and closed his eyes. "My child, why do you cause me such distress?"
Lila blushed with embarrassment. For a split second doubt crawled into her mind. Was she truly being foolish right now? It was possible she supposed. But it didn't really matter what the risks were, because this was the way it just had to be now. They both knew it deep down.
"I do not care what the rumors say Papa, I am not afraid to work in the royal palace." She said.
Her father shook his head. "But I have heard many things from the neighbors and they have family who already work there. These are not mere rumors we hear!"
Lila crossed her arms again stubbornly.
"I shall do my utmost to avoid trouble then. I am sure my stay there will be quite uneventful, and that there is nothing at all to be worried about." She said.
He shook his head and rubbed his forehead.
"Remember father," Lila began, always getting emotional whenever she had to mention this. "Your illness is not getting any better. I fear that if I do not earn some money for the medicine you need then you will never be able to recover! Besides, our debts are getting larger by the day and you know we cannot borrow any more money."
Her father sighed deeply. "So this is all my fault then?"
Lila came over and sat on the edge of his bed and put her hand in his. He would not look her in the eyes as he squeezed it back. Her father was such a tall and strong man, and to see him so sick and frail was absolutely heartbreaking for Lila. He tried to hide his true concerns about it, but his dark eyes betrayed his thoughts much like her own often did. Both of them knew full well his condition was serious and that he might not be able to recover on his own. He might even get worse if things continued this same way.
"Papa I am twenty-two, plenty old enough to make my own choices! And you know you do not need to worry, I can take good care of myself." Lila said gently.
Her father shook his head and looked away. She gently leaned in and hugged him again.
"I will send back the money for your
medicine and return as soon as I have earned enough to pay for it all." She promised.
Her father squeezed her back and rested his head on hers.
"I guess it is too late for me to stop you. But please; be careful my dear! I could not live if I lost you." He said quietly.
Lila nodded. "Of course I will father."
"You know I will miss you everyday, and worry greatly for your safety until you return." Her father said, obviously still trying to guilt her into staying.
Lila rolled her eyes. "I will be okay Papa! Nothing is going to happen."
He grumbled. "Well I suppose I have no choice but to hope such an outcome takes place here from my bed."
Lila sighed. She knew he feared for her safety, and for good reason. But she preferred not to worry, else her conviction might falter. Instead, Lila focused on the prospects of working in the royal castle. She had never even been beyond the boundaries of Mirth's small countryside, so this grand job opportunity was truly beyond anything she could have ever imagined. It was almost a little exciting in a way!
Of course this opportunity did come with a price, the very aspect that her father feared; the King of the castle himself. Everyone in the whole kingdom knew the young man was unstable, cruel, and unpredictable. He had a reputation for punishing people over any little thing and tossing his own servants into the dungeon. But Lila wasn't in the least bit afraid of the castle or its rumored dangers. Rarely anything scared her more than the thought of losing her father to his illness. Ever since her mother had passed away when she was a young girl there had always been just the two of them. Their days on the farm were often long and strenuous, with many hardships and toils to deal with. But the two of them also enjoyed many laughs and joys throughout her life, with every memory being precious to Lila.
However, when her father fell ill just last year he had become too weak to handle even the easiest of tasks around the farm. But the medicine her father needed was very expensive, so Lila had no choice but to borrow the money for it. For a while his symptoms seemed to improve with its help, but when they could no longer borrow the funds necessary to buy anymore his illness returned. Now they were in deeply indebted, hardly having enough food to eat some days. So like Lila had told her father earlier; there was nothing else for her to do but accept this well-paying job.
That night Lila's father helped her pack a travel bag with anything she could need. Some food for the trip, a clean change of clothes, and some favorite keep sakes to remind her of home. He also insisted that she take what little money they had left in case she decided to return. She accepted it, but only to appease him.
Maryann, their good neighbor, agreed to watch over her father and provide anything he needed in Lila's absence. She was a very kind woman, and had always been there to help their family in times of need in any way she could. She also seemed to care especially for her father, although he never seemed to realize it. For Lila though, she was the closest thing she knew to having a mother. She was so grateful for all the kindness Maryann had shown over the years, and most especially now.
Lila lay awake in bed that night thinking of the day ahead. She wondered what the castle would look like, or how a simple country girl like her was going to fare in a lavish castle. Surely it must be a very big place with lots of people. Would she even be able to fit in? Would she be able to handle the job assigned her and earn enough to pay off their debts and buy her father's medicine? She had no idea really, but she supposed that worrying would do little good in the end. So she closed her eyes and eventually let herself fall asleep.
The next morning Lila rose early, before the sun even came up, and started getting ready. Her father even insisted on leaving his bed and coming to the door to see her off. Maryann soon joined them, bringing with her a small wrapped gift.
"Thank you Maryann. I do not know what we would do without you right now." Lila said honestly.
The woman smiled and gave her a hug.
"I only wish I had been able to loan you the money." She said sadly.
Lila smiled. "You both need not worry yourselves, I am going to be just fine!"
"Just be careful dear Lila. Leo here will never forgive you if you should get into trouble." She said with concern.
Lila nodded. "I will be back before either of you can even miss me!"
Her father grunted and folded his arms with aggravation. Lila just smiled and gave him another big hug and kiss.
"Take care of yourself as well father, so that your illness will fade and I can return to you sooner." She said.
He sighed and wrapped his arms around her tightly, almost taking her breath away with his embrace.
"I love you very much my dear." He said quietly.
Lila had to fight back tears her tears in order to avoid worrying him any more than she already was.
"I love you too father." She said quietly.
"My dear you will miss the carriage if you do not hurry!" Maryann said gently.
Lila gave them both one last hug and then quickly made her way towards the village station. She ran in the gloom of the early morning, and her father watched from the door until she could no longer be seen. It was only after he was no longer in her sight that she let a few tears finally fall.
Lila reached the station just as the sun was starting to shine bright orange. Many people stood there already waiting, probably lured by the same prospect as her. Usually simple country folk were not sought out to work for the royal family, but since the King was especially frightful it seemed it was not easy to find workers among areas where better opportunities existed.
Lila looked among the crowd to see if she could spot any familiar faces. She felt a little relieved when she did not, happy that none of her neighbors were in the same dire situation as her family. But just as Lila was looking over the people again she caught sight of the most beautiful girl she had ever seen, and surely the most beautiful girl in the whole entire world! She had a heart shaped face, bright blonde hair, big violet eyes, and perfectly tanned skin. Lila suddenly felt a bit self-conscious. She often became this way when standing near such pretty girls because her own looks were quite plain in comparison. Her hair was red and wild, her eyes were an unimpressive grey color, and her skin was covered with freckles and constantly sun burned. Indeed, Lila was not a beauty by anyone's standards. Except for her father of course, who often said she perfectly reflected the features of her late mother.
A man soon approached their group and blew a horn to get everyone's attention. Lila watched as another man stood up on a stool in front of them. He started calling out people to step forward and present themselves. When each person walked up he gave them their contract, which they needed in order to work at the castle, and he then directed them to a coach. When one carriage was full he sent it off and started loading another.
Eventually Lila heard her name called. She walked up and saw that those standing around looked quite frightened still. So when she reached the man she took the contract from him fearlessly. The man smiled at her with admiration and directed her to a seat. Five more people were crammed inside the small coach before it was sent off. But much to Lila's dismay, the most beautiful girl in the world happened to be sitting right across from her in the carriage.
She sighed quietly. So much for avoiding the inevitable comparison between the two of them! She did not like being judged by others. Perhaps though she could try to pass the time and avoid any stares by focusing on the scenery outside.
Hours creped by quietly as the carriage slowly made its way through the countryside. No one spoke a single word because of their nervousness, but Lila was busy admiring the beautiful farms, hills, and creeks that were passing them by. Gam was often praised for its fertile land and lush fields, with no other Kingdom even coming close in comparison with its wealth and prosperity. It was little wonder the Kingdom and royal family flourished so greatly in the span of just two hundred years! Lila for her part favored the views Gam afforded more than anything else. It
was early summer so the flowers were in bloom, the birds were singing, with a wide variety of lovely butterflies flying around. A perfect way to start the season!
Lila tried to keep track of how far they were raveling as the carriage passed one familiar landmark after another. When they finally crossed over the Lana river, she was as far away from home as she had ever been before. For a brief moment Lila felt quite anxious about going so far from home, but then excitement overcame her fears. This journey was truly a once in a lifetime experience for a country bumpkin like her! She would do her best to make sure she enjoyed it to the full before returning. Hopefully it would turn out to be a grand experience indeed.
After a while some of the passengers fell asleep, everyone else occupied themselves with a book or continued staring out the window. Lila for her part was forced to pull herself away from the view outside by the sound of her own growling stomach. She had not eaten anything breakfast that morning and felt absolutely famished now! So she rummaged through her bag, which she had been holding on her lap to keep from any potential pocket pickers, until she found the small package Maryann had packed for her. It was soft, and smelled almost like fresh baked bread. She might have been imagining it, but then again perhaps she was not.
Lila quickly unwrapped the gift and much to her relief found a loaf of nut bread, her very favorite kind of bread, gently cradled in the napkin and nearly still warm to the touch! Maryann had obviously baked it late last night just so she could eat it that morning.
Lila smiled. Truly, no one could deny that woman's love for her family. She would be sure to discuss these facts with her father when she returned home. Perhaps one day he too could come to think of her as more than a close friend.
Lila tore off a small piece of the loaf and began eating it. But as she enjoyed the first bit of her food, she suddenly noticed someone staring at her from the corner of her eye. Lila looked up, and was surprised to see the most beautiful girl in the world looking her way. However, she quickly realized that the girl was staring not at her, but at the piece of bread in her hand. As soon as their eyes met though the girl immediately turned away with embarrassment and started gazing out the window. It was then that Lila also noticed the girl did not seem to have a travel bag of any sort, nor an overcoat, or anything at all with her for the trip. Lila immediately felt bad for her, so she torn the remainder of her loaf in half and held one of the pieces to the girl.
A Kind of Beauty and the Beast Story Page 1
