The woods held a special place in her heart. Since she was little, she could feel it calling out to her. Like someone constantly calling her name. There was a siren song to it that drew her thoughts back to the woods all the time.

These tall, majestic oaks surrounded their little village, like stalwart protectors that held the wilderness at bay. An unmoving wall of trees that would stumble even the strongest army.

Unfortunately, not many in her village shared her outlook. To them the woods were full of unseen dangers. Creatures that, given the chance, would surely rampage through the quaint village, destroying everything in their path.

Even her normally sensible father share the rest of the villages view. It was a point of confusion for Belle. Her father had always been the most intelligent person she knew, not one to subscribe to pointless fears. But even he had warned her about venturing into the woods.

It still wasn't enough to stop her. The siren call was too strong, drawing her ever deeper into the tranquillity of the forest.

Belle thought she might have found the source of the confusion in her books. Some stories paint all woods as evil and terrible places, full of hidden dangers and creatures. Even the village abounded with the stories of some absentminded woodcutter that had gone into the woods, never to be seen again. No one knew these unlucky souls personally, but everyone know someone who knew someone who had disappeared.

Then there were other stories that described the woods the opposite. Hidden glades full of treasures and the occasional mischievous, but still helpful imps, a place of wonder and magic.

The only logic she could make of these contradictions were that every forest was different. The nature and the spirit of the woods was what defined the creatures that found home in it. Surely there were evil woods, just like her neighbors feared, but she could not possibly believe that her, yes her, woods was one of them.

They were her woods because it was obvious that she was the only one who understood the wonder of the place. She appreciated it for what it was and found nothing to fear in it.

Her father had said many times the woods were no place for a young woman like her. That if she must venture it, she should always stay on the few well-trodden paths to and from the village. Unfortunately those dirt roads that cleaved through the trees were no more the woods than the main square of their village.

Despite her father's warnings, and occasional admonistrations after he had caught her, she still had a few secret spots that she liked to visit. The little clearings where she could be alone, outside the busy town, were her favorites. They gave her a place to read, a spot where the only things that existed were she and her books.

It was in these places that she felt free to let her mind wander, undistracted by the noises and commotion of the town.

One of those spots was just the destination she had in mind as she snuck out of the small home she and her father shared.

"Belle?" She heard her father ask as she approached the door. She thought she'd be able to slip out undetected.

"Yes, father?" She paused in the doorway, fixing her dress absently. Not because she felt she needed to, just because it was something to do while she spoke.

"Where are you going at this early in the morning?" Her father's voice did not show concern, which relieved her.

"To the bookstore in the village." Belle smiled, it was small white lie, since she did have every intention of stopping there.

"Ah, silly me." Her father replied, still with no sense of concern.

"I want to hurry now, the bookstore owner said that they might be getting some new books in." That simple reason did not seem like enough to her, so she added "And I promised I would return the ones I borrowed."

All still true, but in particular she wanted to go before Gaston would be out and about in the town. She had little interest in the muscle-bound potential suitor. Even though she showed little interest in him, he seemed to have some fixation with her.

Her father shuffled to the door where she was waiting, drawing close enough to kiss her on the forehead. "You have a good day, dear. I have some work of my own to do here too."

"Thank you, father." Belle smiled, blushing slightly at his attention. She then gathered her basket and headed out into the town.

"Good morning Mr. Livre!" Belle beamed as she pushed open the door to the bookshop. "Did the new books come in?"

"Ah, Belle," the shopkeeper smiled, "so nice to see you this morning., yes, indeed they did."

The shopkeeper disappeared beneath his counter for a moment, the sounds of rustling and shifting coming up from underneath the wooden frame. "I saved the box just for you to look through first."

The idea of being the first to delve into this new chest of treasures made Belle's eyes go wide with anticipation. Only her manners made her pause for a moment, "I brought back these too."

Belle quickly pulled the trio of hardcover books from her basket and placed them carefully on the counter. Each was a treasure to her, not to be tossed about willy-nilly. Besides, she was sure she would want to borrow one or two of them again next week.

"Here we are." The shopkeeper laughingly announced as he placed the small wooden crate on the countertop. "All yours."

"Thank you!" Belle restrained herself from leaping right into the crate, doing her best to keep her manners intact. But the enticement of the new lands to discover was almost too much for her patience.

She stood on her tiptoes to peer over the edge of the crate, her fingers carefully picking through the stacks of tomes. ignoring the shopkeeper as he collected the three other books and started to carry them to spots on his shelves.

"How did you like these?" He asked, absently as he placed the first book on its shelf.

Belle had to glance at him for a second to remember what it was he was referring to. "Oh, I liked them very much."

With her hands still resting inside the crate, her mind flew back to what she had read in the books. "That one was kind of sad in the end, but still good."

She watched a bit sadly as the book slide onto its shelf. Not for losing it, but because she'd never again experience reading it for the first time.

"The princess was spoiled and rotten in that one." She suddenly said as the second book went into its place on the shelf. "But later she learns and gets better."

Belle was just about to speak of the last book when something in the crate caught her eye. A glint of gold on a green leather covered tome that her fingers had just uncovered. She spoke the title out loud as her fingers traced the words inlaid on the spine, "La Belle et la Bete."

"Oh my." Her fingers followed the contour of its spine like it was a priceless jewel of incredible delicacy. She lifted it up slowly, half expecting the entire book to be a figment of her imagination.

She held the book in her left hand, gazing over the cover of it all while under the watchful eyes of the shopkeeper. The cover had the most marvelous inlaid painting of a gruesome looking fellow, almost half wolfish, with yellowish fangs and bristling brown fur.

"You like that one?" the shopkeeper asked, softly as he returned to the counter. He did not want to distract her too much; he always loved to see the look that came across her face when she found a book she liked.

"Umhm." Belle glanced up only for the briefest of seconds, her fingers returning to caress the top of the volume, tracing the seam that held the colorful painting in place.

She had never seen a volume look so lustrous and expensive. There was no way the shopkeeper would ever let her borrow a book so expensive.

"Go ahead." The shopkeeper smiled, almost as if he could read her thoughts of hesitation. "When I saw it, I was sure it was meant for you. One of the characters even has the same name as you."

He smiled at the coincidence, thinking that that would be all it would take to convince her to borrow it.

"I couldn't." Belle replied, quickly, placing the book back down on the counter. "It's much too expensive. If something happened..."

There was no mistaking how intensely she wanted to read the book, but her common sense still told her that it was something well out of her station.

"Nonsense." The shopkeeper shrugged with a slightly annoyed tone of voice. "I can think of no one more trustworthy to lend it to. And when you bring it back, you can tell me all about what happened in it."

He could see that she still remained less than convinced. "When you finish reading, maybe you can help me tidy up here a bit."

Belle watched the shopkeeper for a moment, her mind torn between the enticements of the volume and the chances of something happened to it. If it got damaged in any way, she doubted that her father could possibly have the money to replace it.

"Go now." The shopkeeper repeated, "I won't take no for an answer."

Belle nodded slowly, swallowing with nervousness. She felt like she was signing away her life as she carefully lifted the book. She very delicately wrapped it in one of her scarves before placing it like a baby into her basket.

"Thank you, Mr. Livre!" Belle said to the shopkeeper with honest sincerity in her eyes and voice. "I'll return it first thing in the morning."

"Take your time, my dear." He replied, waving off any such thought of speed. "When you're done with it, you're done with it."

He waved as he watched Belle leave the shop, the swish of her cloak disappearing through the doorway.

"Such an odd young girl that one is." He smiled to himself before returning to his work.

Belle could hardly contain herself as she rushed down the village streets. She wanted to dive into the book right away, but wanted to get to her special spot to start.

She had to keep from running; but she felt like she could not get there fast enough.

She followed the path out of town for a couple of yards, before pausing and glancing up and down the road. When she was satisfied that there was no one nearby to see her, she slipped off into the grass and between the trunks of the trees. Hurrying along to be out of sight as quickly as possible.

Within minutes, the background noise of the village and it's well traveled paths faded into the distance. Filled instead with the sounds of songbirds and the gentle rustling of leaves in the wind. It was just a few yards further before she arrived at the small clearing she knew so well.

She broke through to the small patch of open grass, placing her basket down on one of the tree stumps at the edge of the glade. From the basket she withdraw her white blanket and shook it out, letting it fall to the ground softly to the ground.

The dappled sunlight broke through the overhanging branches, giving the glade a soft subdued light. She pulled the basket from its perch and placed it down on her blanket, joining it a moment later as she sat.

She smiled as she looked around, taking a moment to just enjoy the quiet of her surroundings. Resisting the urge to delve into the new book.

She carefully withdrew the book from the basket and unwrapped it from the protection of her scarf, then laid the book gently down on the top of the blanket. She then lay down on her stomach in front of it, almost like the book was an altar for her to pray at.

She just stared at the book reverently for a moment, basking in the sheer pleasure of being in the presence of such a treasured volume. She could feel the anticipation of the wonders that were held in-between the leather covers. Her mind already racing to imagine the adventures that lie inside.

Her fingers traced the words along the cover as she read them out loud again, "Beauty and the Beast." The title was so magical sounding, like an adventure and a romance combined.

She lifted up the cover and started delving in.

She reveled in the story that lay between the pages of the book. Reading it from cover to cover and only stopping long enough to eat the small lunch she had brought with her.

In the small-secluded glade, she was insulated from the rest of the world, allowing her imagination to populate her world. All the sounds of the woods around her entwined themselves into the narrative.

When she was finished reading she was tempted to start reading it again. But the sun was already setting and she was probably long over do from returning home.

She wasn't concerned for her father's worry though. She was sure he was probably wrapped up in his own studies as well. It would only be when he grew hungry for dinner that he would notice what time it was. Then he'd realize she wasn't there to remind him to eat.

All she needed to do was get home before her father's stomach roused him.

"Why good evening, my dear." A new voice suddenly introduced itself from the depths of the woods.

She turned over onto her back quickly, her eyes looking around rapidly. "Hello? Who's there?"

"No one of any consequence." The voice replied, seeming to shift around her, obscured behind the tree trunks and the growing shadows. "What are you doing here so late?"

Belle blinked for a moment, trying to focus on the ever-changing point of the voice. It seemed to be floating around her, circling the edge of the glade, the owner hidden behind the tree trunks and foliage.

"I was just going to leave." She informed the unseen voice, as she sat up, not really nervous. She wasn't sure if she should be afraid or not, but so for she had no reason to be.

"Already?" the voice commented, for the briefest second she thought she saw a pair of yellowish eyes where the voice seemed to be coming from. "I am not making you want to leave, am I?"

Belle shook her head slightly, "No. It's getting late. My father will be worried."

She wondered if the owner of this voice might be one of the imps that the villagers seemed to fear? She would have thought the eyes belonged to a wolf, had it not been talking to her.

"I see." The voice said, sounding a bit sad now. "I was hoping you would stay a bit longer."

Belle narrowed her eyes, trying to pierce through the shadows that hid the figure behind the voice and eyes. "Why?"

There was a brief pause and the eyes seemed to disappear. For a moment she thought the figure had retreated away, but when the eyes reappeared, she realized that the figure must have only closed it's eyelids.

"I receive so few visitors out here." The voice still sounded sad, but somewhat resigned to her decision.

She felt like a schoolteacher as she sat in the middle of the blanket, crossing her fingers together in her lap. "Can I see you?"

There was another brief silence as the eyes flickered a bit. A slight rustle came and the figure slowly stepped it's way into the dim light of the glade.

Belle's eyes went wide as she saw the spitting image of the creature, the beast, from the story she had just finished reading.

"What manner of creature are you?" She inquired quizzically, not the least bit drawn back by his appearance.

Her lack of fear intrigued him. He had expected her to recoil in surprise, probably run, just like all the others had before her.

"I'm no creature." He replied slowly, not wanting to seem to take a offense at her words. "I am a man."

She looked at him incredulously, her eyes studying his furred form and the billowing mane of brown hair about his neck. "You're like no man I've seen before."

She didn't want to doubt him, but she still felt the need to inquire further. Her mind demanded to know the answers.

"I would doubt that you had seen any like me." His nostrils flared for a moment, as he smelled the air, detecting her scent across the small glade. It was clean and only spiced with the slightest bit of salty sweat.

She watched him and then glanced back at her where she left her book, only to find it gone.

"Oh no!" she shouted in horror, entirely forgetting about the presence of the creature-man. Her eyes darted around the blanket, looking desperately for the missing tome.

Seeing her alarm he approached slowly, not sure of what had caused her such dismay. "What is wrong?"

"My book." She muttered, half panicked. She instinctively lifted the blanket and leaned over to peek under it, thinking that somehow it might have fled for cover in fright. "It's missing!"

He continued to approach, but then circled around her, to see where it was she was looking. He could see neither book nor anything else. "Where did you leave it?"

She turned and looked at him, confused for a moment. The question seemed so useless. "Right here." She poked her finger at the blanket where the book last laid.

She watched him for a moment more, "Did you take it?"

He looked at her in surprise, a frown on his bestial features. "Why would I do such a thing?"

"Woods spirits are always mischievous. It's said so in all the books I've read." Her eyes narrowed accusingly at him.

"I am no wood spirit." He replied, matching the annoyance of her gaze. "Nor did I take your book. I think you spend far too much time in them anyway."

Her eyes narrowed even further, knitting her brow. "Have you been watching me?"

He blinked at her accusation, unsure of what to say. "I... a little."

She frowned now, her brow relaxing. "Then why didn't you say anything before?"

"I don't know." He frowned for a moment more. "Do you want to look for your book or not?"

Their gaze continued to hold together, each one challenging to win. Her single-minded determination to grill him against his intention to change the subject away from himself.

"If I don't find it, I don't know what I will do." Belle finally relented, her eyes going back down to the blanket.

He approached slowly, carefully, not wanting to set her off again. "Have you tried looking in here?"

He reached for the basket that sat on the tree stump. His clawed fingers lifting up the bundling clothes carefully.

She watched anxiously, half hopeful that he would find it, half hesitant for letting him get any closer.

"Is this it?" his fingers carefully lifted the book from the basket, showing her.

She blinked as she started at it. "Yes... How did..."

She glanced back to the blanket and the last place she remembered seeing it.

He shrugged as he carefully laid it back down in the basket. "Those pesky imps that you accused me of being, maybe?"

He couldn't help but chuckle slightly. He drew his blue cape closer for a second, gave a slight flourish, and then bowed. "I will take my leave of you."