A Tale as Old as Time

A Tale as Old as Time is a Beauty and the Beast fan-based story that is a mixture of the adaptions of the story. This is a fan-made creation so any original characters, ideas, etc.. used are owned by Disney.

This story takes place in modern day France, with not just one story...but two.

Once upon a time, in a faraway land, a young prince lived in a shining castle. Although he had everything his heart desired, the prince was spoiled, selfish, and unkind. But then, one winter's night, an old beggar woman came to the castle and offered him a single rose in return for shelter from the bitter cold. Repulsed by her haggard appearance, the prince sneered at the gift and turned the old woman away, but she warned him not to be deceived by appearances, for beauty is found within. And when he dismissed her again, the old woman's ugliness melted away to reveal a beautiful enchantress. The prince tried to apologize, but it was too late, for she had seen that there was no love in his heart, and as punishment, she transformed him into a hideous beast, and placed a powerful spell on the castle, and all who lived there.

Ashamed of his monstrous form, the beast concealed himself inside his castle, with a magic mirror as his only window to the outside world. The rose she had offered was truly an enchanted rose, which would bloom until he could learn to love another, and earn her love in return by the time the last petal fell, then the spell would be broken. If not, he would be doomed to remain a beast for all time. The prince along side his most trusted friend and loyal servants, searched the kingdom for one that could break the spell that had been placed upon them. Days passed and the prince grew angreier, his temper slowly becoming more like a wild 'beast' than that of a human, he shifted blame from himself to those around him. Still loyal and true, his 'friends' remained at his side till one day while the prince was wondering his gardens he heard something, singing.. A voice pure as the first rays of light tickled his ears, he followed after it only to discover a young maiden. A girl from the village had wondered close even after rumors of the 'fallen prince' had chased so many away, she stood in the garden admiring the beauty that had once glistened like gems now hidden beneath decay and overgrowth. The prince watched her, fearing that she would run at the sight of him he kept out of sight...watching her leave he feared he would not see her...then the next day and the next she returned.

Each time he watched her, his servants watching him with hope in their eyes that this girl could be the one. One day while the woman walked through the garden, the prince made a mistake...he broke a large branch while hiding and fell out from a tree. The girl startled turned in fear, and was met with the bestial appearance of the prince, in her terror she was frozen unable to move even as the prince quickly got to his feet and backed away. "I'm sorry...pl...please don..don't run" he begged as he tried to hide himself. "I really do not mean harm I....I just enjoy listening to you sing". The girl stared at him, her heart still beating she would speak "w..would you like for me to finish then?" came her response and he nodded. A faint smile formed on his lips baring fangs making her flinch but she would calm herself before signing again. That single moment taught the beast that kindness did give reward, and time would pass still. Everyday the girl would return, and every day she would sing for the prince, till soon the two were sitting next to each other but it would not seem to last as one day when the girl did not show or the next till almost a month would go by. Till one day, he would hear her voice he raced out in both joy and anger and when he saw her, his rage had built. He roared out at her demanding where she had been, even when she explained her mother had been sick he still did not let the rage boil down. All his life he had gotten what he wanted, the kindness that he had learned, the lesson on how to gain it left him. He continued to yell till the girl out of fear turned in fled...he watched her fade from his sight and as she did the rage faded from his heart as he realized his mistake. He waited for her to return, but she never did as the years passed without any sight of the girl, he fell into despair, and lost all hope, for who could ever learn to love a beast?

Time would go on, and each year passed the prince and his faithful servants were forgotten. They watched as their loved ones unchained by the spell passed on, while they remained unchanged...ageless. The enchantress's words echoed in their hearts that till their prince could learn to love and earn the love of another...would they be free. The prince's heart had remained unchanged, till soon the world they knew was no longer what they knew. The years soon had proven how much time can change, the year was now 2017 and France had changed, people came and went. The once small kingdom that the prince once ruled over, merged in with others granted he retained his 'honor' however no one knew of the spell placed upon them and they had lost what he once resembled allowing him to remain in the shadows while his servants explored the world for him. Till his truest friend soon gave him the idea to attend 'university' allowing him to see the world, interact with others, so the prince enrolled into classes but did not attend them in person. He was able to participate through a computer, talking to his professors and other students but none could see him...only hear his voice...and in this classroom is were our story begins, will our prince ever learn to love?