Beauty and the Beast II

**Beauty and the Beast II**, or **Handsome and the Beast**, is a sequel to Disney's Beauty and the Beast, starring the daughter of Belle and Adam, who is born with the curse her father suffered in the original movie.

The insecure Jolie one day gains the attention of a handsome man, looking all too familiar to a past foe. Not believing to be worthy of his kindness, his intentions are constantly questioned.

It was conceived in response to the original movie never having gotten a sequel; mainly prequels that further explored how Belle and Beast interacted with each other during her imprisonment.

Artwork was first uploaded at Facebook on November 5, 2015.

## Story

> **CHAPTER 1: Introduction**Belle gives birth to her first child that alarms everyone with its appearance. The baby hardly resembles a human being and has more in common with the past transformation of the king, Adam. While the young parents fear for her future, Belle still grants her the name "Jolie" and raises her as if she were a normal child.
> The rest of the kingdom is asked to treat her the same, though the simple folk can't ignore the facts staring them in the face. Her animal-like mannerisms and larger, stronger body than of those her age are distracting, and when she attends her first ball and gets to mingle with outsiders, no child wants -or is allowed- to dance with her.
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> These experiences turn Jolie into a shut-in, though her parents keep insisting there's nothing wrong with her and she should keep living life like normal. She's tired of their sweet lies and believes their mentality will only ensure a solution to her problems will never be sought after.
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> When an adult, her father reveals he used to be a cursed beast and it might be his fault she looks the way she does. Still, it's unclear if it's punishment or a mistake, as the infamous enchantress never reappeared before them to explain.
> With again no answers or solutions, Jolie concludes it might be better to stay out of the spotlights for a while and become a forgotten memory. Belle says her future as queen will make this unfavourable and wonders if finding true love will help her lose her fur. She urges her to attend the next ball and gives her the yellow gown she used to wear herself years ago.
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> Though nauseous with uncertainty, Jolie decides to mingle once again to please her optimistic mother.
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> ***CHAPTER 2: Familiar Stranger**
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> At the ball, she's mostly smirked at by the adolescent groupies, who try to keep their comments silent enough as not to be heard by anyone but themselves. In the reflection of the polished floor, Jolie takes a second look and realizes how ridiculous she looks, not blaming the bullies. As her parents are still watching her from afar with hopeful eyes, she forces herself through the night, but with little to do.
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> A man then approaches her with questions no other person dared to ask her before concerning her appearance and the reason for it. Jolie isn't sure if it qualifies as bullying, but answers regardless. She seems to entertain him and he returns a short description of himself. His title as a celebrated hunter makes her uncomfortable, but he promises he didn't come to hang her on his wall. Jolie wants to question it, but the fact he's allowed inside the castle has to mean he's a big deal and a trusted guest, so decides not to doubt his alignment further.
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> Adam and Belle watch the interaction with curiosity, but notice something about the man's appearance. They decide to take a closer look and see he has alot in common with the late Gaston, though his face is slightly off.
> Their decision to intervene embarrasses Jolie and she leaves to get food. The man cooperates with the royal couple's cross-examination, masked as civil chatter, but Belle and Adam can only conclude he has no relation with Gaston. The man reunites with Jolie at the buffet, right when she's stuffing her face. The display earns her a chuckle, one she can't decipher whether it's of ridicule or enjoyment.
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> Because midnight is only a few minutes away, the party comes to an end and the man leaves with the other guests. He lets her know to gladly visit again, but she has no response to it. Still, she goes to ask her parents when the next ball will be. While they're happy to see their daughter so carefully eager, the man raises questions and they don't want her to become too fond over someone this quickly.
> Jolie is almost offended and says he's a stranger, though they believe the lack of social interaction she suffered could make her glorify any type of attention. As the man checks off many of the boxes that made the last villain, they ask her to be cautious.
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> ***CHAPTER 3: The Stranger Got Stranger**
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> A fair amount of time passes and Jolie has lost that initial glint of excitement by the time the next event comes around. The man from last time returns, but the room is also fuller than usual. Adam guesses the news of Jolie's existence has left their borders and suspects the man to be the tattletale. Because all guests are big names the kingdom is officially in good standing with, he knows he can't deny them entrance, and thus his daughter becomes the spectacle of the evening.
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> Nevertheless, Jolie hardly notices the difference from the usual staring and walks around with the same amount of uneasiness.
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> The hunter approaches and attempts to turn her frown around, which is appreciated, but after what her parents said, she scolds him over his casualness towards a princess and not having shared his name yet. He says it to be Amedee.
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> His offers to dance or bring her drinks are denied and Jolie stays purposely distant with all the guests. Amedee expresses confusion to see a woman this dissatisfied to be in a pretty dress at her own party, to which she replies not to be a woman. He opposes that remark and gives her a stereotypical list of female hobbies for her to go through.
>  Because she matches his expectations; and likes to cook and sew, while having no interest in reading and professions that are predominately male, Amedee takes it as confirmation of her womanliness and his own expertise in the gender. Jolie addresses his surprisingly basic views, to which he responds all his girlfriends were the same way. His views and the news of his many girlfriends visibly displease her.
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> He continues to ask why she doesn't like being a woman, to which she replies it's the stereotyping that doesn't sit well with her, whereafter she excuses herself.
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> Jolie leaves the room after passing by her parents, saying they were right about the man. Belle and Adam feel somewhat disappointed they weren't proven wrong. Adam mutters to his wife they were right assuming she was fond of him.
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> They watch Amedee standing by himself, carrying expressions of doubt and boredom, whereafter he leaves.
> Belle is saddened by the ruined evening, but Adam stays hopeful and thinks they should keep forcing company onto their daughter until she's comfortable being around people. Now she's a fully matured adult and shed her wild tendencies, he's assured she'll fit in like any human being and it's her own uncertainty that's holding her back now.
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> He mentions a nearby town that used to host many forms of entertainment for him when he was a child, and believes a lighter setting will attract better people. Belle is happy to hear her husband accept the common folk for their daughter to consider after all the snooty aristocrats, and supports the plan.
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> ***CHAPTER 4: Today We Party, Tonight We Hunt**
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> A week later, after some hard convincing, Jolie leaves the castle grounds and shows herself out in the open for the first time. On their way to the village, her father rattles on about his childhood and the things he used to do there, while her mother gives comforting words and keeps trying to pull down the hood over her head.
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> The residents from said town are seen welcoming in the royal family from afar, setting the tone for what's to come. There are sections on every street with circus acts, food stalls, wood sculptors, and more, with overly eager performers ready to impress the princess. Jolie wonders if her parents ordered them to be this cheerful around her and can't quite get in the mood because of it.
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> In an open field, she watches a series of archers and hunters skillfully hit their designated targets and the passing geese in the sky. The sounds of their weapons make her nervous, but before she can move on, one of the men steals all the kills and brings down the entire flock in the blink of an eye. He quickly heads over to offer the heap of dead animals as a gift.
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> She recognizes it to be Amedee. Surprised to see him again, she asks if he lives here, but he replies to be a hired performer. She clumsily compliments his hunting skills, but says not to be interested in his gruesome gift. Amedee says to know, as animal corpses are not very lady-like. By his face she can see it's a continuation of the conversation from back at the ball, but she has no interest in arguing with him again and leaves him standing.
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> A stall with threads and beads then catches her attention. Belle explains the point is to make your own necklace and it's popular with children, still exciting the adult Jolie, until she can't get a single bead in and gives up on it. The family takes a break at one of the bakeries, where Amedee shows up. Jolie nearly gets a heart attack and feels embarrassed when he catches her once again with cheeks full of food, but he keeps his remarks to himself and hands her a necklace. She sees it has the same beads her large fingers tried to grab earlier. She thanks him for it, but is then shielded by the guards, who advise Amedee not to leisurely approach the royal family. As Jolie isn't yet sure if he can be trusted, she doesn't tell them off.
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> The day ends with her concluding to have had a decently good time, though in her head wonders if the villagers enjoyed showing off to a monster for hours on end. Adam remarks they're good people who had alot of patience for him; admitting he wasn't the most pleasant child to deal with.
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> Then, their horse carriage loses a wheel and collapses onto the ground. Not thinking much of it, the family exits to make it easier for the soldiers to do the repairs, but then a group of wolves appear and seem to have their eyes on Jolie. The guards aren't given time to free their hands to help and the animals sprint towards her. Adam and Belle try to smack them down with branches, but they won't even give them the time of day and act oddly organized. They mercilessly bite Jolie's ankles and try to jump for her throat, forcing her to run off into the woods and abandon her family. The guards are unable to keep up with their speed, and when more wolves start to surround her, Jolie is unable to turn back.
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> In the distance, she sees people running around. She calls out to them, but the weapons they pull are targeted at her. She hears them shouting commands to which the "wolves" respond, and soon more conventional-looking dogs join in on the hunt.
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> Men on horses start pulling up next to her and try to shoot her down from up close. Jolie shouts at them that she's a human, but isn't listened to. She briefly considers fighting them, but learned from experience that this never made any situation better and keeps dodging.
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> When the hunters start setting fires as to trap her, she manages to use it against them and makes her escape. After running for hours and finding herself lost, she falls unconscious.
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> ***CHAPTER 5: Be a Pet If You Want to be Kept**
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> She wakes up in a large bed in a cottage, feeling feverish and confused. The walls are cluttered with animal heads, scaring her greatly. Her voice catches the attention of Amedee in the kitchen, the owner of the place. She's distrusting, and after noticing to have been stripped of all her clothes, gives him a high-pitched scolding. He responds unusually bashful and says they needed to be washed, but he wasn't sure if she needed replacement because of her fur. To have been reminded of her beastly form upsets Jolie and she announces her leave, but Amedee pushes her back down and suggests she should stay.
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> Because Jolie believes to have been kidnapped and he wants her skin, he clarifies he lives in a village of hunters and she became a wanted trophy after her existence got confirmed. He asks her not to be afraid of him; wouldn't he have already killed her if that was his plan? Jolie nervously replies he might like the challenge of wrestling his prey. Amedee pauses and jokes that to be true.
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> She watches him cook and clean the house, sparking the question why he's doing things he believes is a woman's job. He smirks at the jab, and says to still be an adult with responsibilities any adult should follow. She's surprised he values those kind of life lessons, which in turn surprises him. He asks if she'd prefer he matched her biases and take over his chores, whereafter she's only heard silently coughing in response.
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> Upon bringing her a cooked drumstick of a familiar-looking goose, she swallows the thing whole right from the plate and carefully excuses it by saying cutlery hurts her hands. He shrugs it off saying it's less dishes for him.
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> Jolie feels comfortable in this homely setting, but uneasiness strikes upon hearing the barking dogs and voices outside. She wants to know when she can go home and Amedee guesses it'll take a few days until they stop actively looking for her, whereafter it should be safe under the cover of night. He warns that traversing the land will be more difficult then and she shouldn't leave unprepared. She understands by this he's asking her not to run off without telling him.
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> The next couple of days, Amedee nurses her back to health, while the desperate hunters in town can't leave him alone and keep knocking his door to ask for help catching the vanished beast. Jolie is forced to act like a Saint Bernard every time one of them lets himself inside, earning her laughs from Amedee afterwards. These moments connect the two, but he also wins himself points by buying her gifts.
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> His neighbours show curiosity for the roses and jewelry he keeps bringing back, and one day ask who the girl is this time. The conversation is loud enough for Jolie sitting inside to hear, so is cut short by Amedee.
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> She happily takes his gifts like always, but feels disheartened by the reminder Amedee is a womanizer. He picks up on her downer mood, and swears not to be the kind of man she thinks he is. He explains that relationships just don't work out sometimes and then you can only try again, but Jolie admits not to know, as she lacks that experience. He smiles she's his longest girlfriend till date, to which she swiftly replies they're not together.
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> Suddenly, the front door is kicked open. Thinking it's the townspeople, Amedee picks up a piece of furniture to throw at them, but then sees the royal guards standing in the living room. His attempt of assault is not taken well and they forcefully restrain him. Jolie asks what they're doing and is told they came to save her from her kidnapper. She says they're mistaken and was cared for all this time, but the soldiers say there might be a chance everything that happened was a scheme and Amedee needs to go on trial.
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> Jolie doesn't think it adds up, but when her eyes again meet with a mirror, she starts to doubt. She convinces herself nobody could genuinely love her and it's not far-fetched to believe Amedee's plan was to set up a situation that would force them together with the end goal of becoming king. Because he's an outsider and it's his town that wants her blood, she admits a trial might be best.
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> ***CHAPTER 6: Kangaroo Court**
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> At the trial, Amedee insists he's innocent and there's no proof of the allegations against him, but keeps getting silenced by the guards. The distrusting Adam comes up with more "what abouts" for the Gaston lookalike, until Belle recommends getting someone else's testimony on his character, since he's still a stranger to them. Jolie is asked to fulfill this role, but the responsibility makes her uneasy and she refuses, saying she isn't good at expressing herself and worries she'll unintentionally pronounce him guilty. Her father is startled by her words and asks if she believes he's innocent then, but she can't make up her mind and sobs in her confusion.
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> Belle pays close attention to Amedee's face when her tears start to fall, who makes an excellent attempt at suppressing his misty eyes. Though relieved to see him give a sign of care for her daughter, his fighting against it doesn't sit well with her and she asks him if he's too manly to shed tears. He concurs and argues it won't help him in his unfair trial, pointing his eyes at the hostile Adam.
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> Because Belle believes there's no real evidence and Jolie expresses the desire to give him his freedom back, Adam has to declare him not guilty, but adds never wanting to see him around his daughter again. Amedee is kicked out of the castle without given transportation or tools defend himself, while the other men of his village are brought in for their own trial.
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> Amedee picks up a stick and sharpens the end with a rock to take as protection, and carefully moves through the notorious castle woods. He comes across a wild horse, making brief eye contact with it, whereafter the animal gets approached by a starved bear. Amedee uses the moment to put distance between him and the predator, but notices in time a young wolf sneaking up on him. He kicks it away, but its shriek of pain catches the attention of the bear, who abandons the nimble horse to chase Amedee instead.
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> He sprints off and keeps it at a distance with help of his spear and well-timed jabs, but its long claw eventually hits and trips the exhausted human. With his last energy, he turns on his back and points his spear, but another creature shows up to swipe the bear off of him.
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> Amedee watches with widened eyes how Jolie battles the powerhouse, with sounds and movements like that of a rabid tiger. The once vicious bear cowers in fear after its defeat and runs off, whereafter Jolie stands there to take in what she has done. She looks down at her ripped dress, showing her clawed feet, and her beastly hands trembling with left-over rage. She takes a quick glance over her shoulder and sees Amedee carrying the same expression still, filling her with mortification and disgust for herself.
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> Before she can make her dramatic exit, he comes over to take a knee and kiss her hand, thanking her for saving his life. She releases herself from his grip and says he saved hers, making them even. He replies that not to be so, as she helped him at the trial as well.
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> Since she's reluctant to talk, he continues wanting to see her again, but Jolie reminds him of her father's verdict and says he can do better than a beast. He jokingly opposes that remark, but she isn't in the mood for it.
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> He keeps trying to get her to look at him and agree to a meeting, but she can only muster a few words saying not to feel good. She begs him to keep a distance, but he doesn't understand her warning and keeps trying to touch. Jolie explains it's been years since she behaved like an animal, and it's a state of mind that's hard to control or step out of.
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> He shows no concern for this reveal and claims to have seen people act wilder than her. Concerned for his safety, Jolie pushes him onto the ground and runs off. Thoughts of regret already start entering her head, but when she notices to still be running on all-fours, she becomes emotional at her inability to control her own body. She quickly heads for her bedroom before anyone can see her.
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> The large mirror standing near her bed welcomes her, showing the state of her expensive dress. While trying to look for the means to repair it, her large trembling fingers knock everything down. In desperation and rage, she rips the clothes off and takes a second look at herself. The pointlessness in wearing clothes hits her and she falls down to sob.
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> Her father appears behind her door shortly after, asking if she's doing alright. She refuses to answer and he enters. Jolie responds bashful in his presence, but as Adam doesn't even get why, she stops covering her unclothed body and goes back to self-pity. He notices the destroyed dress and comments it's been a while he's seen her clothes this beaten up.
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> He joins the floor next to her and hesitantly asks if she thinks he made the right decision concerning Amedee. She huffs why he's asking her now that the hearing's already over. Adam sighs and calls her a copy of her mother, since she apparently said the same thing. Jolie mutters to hardly be a clone of her flawless mother.
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> Adam stresses his intention was to do the right thing, but now that everything's calmed down, isn't certain anymore. Jolie understands his worries and expresses her disappointment in herself for not testifying. He asks if she wants to do so now, but she repeats not to know if there were bad intentions hidden in Amedee's kindness. She can only confirm he was the one person who treated her like a human woman, a beautiful one, more noticeably. Adam smiles because she is, earning him a face of skepticism.
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> Because the curse hasn't been lifted, though, she doubts there was romantic interest and asks her father when he started changing back into a human. He admits not to be sure, as he lost consciousness before it happened. He guesses the feeling needs to be strong enough for one to want to confess and his death might've made Belle panic.
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> ***CHAPTER 7: Nightmare**
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> Later that night, Jolie has a nightmare where she's chased by a sea of gunfire and dogs. She claws and bites at every human and animal that tries to take her down, until one of the hunters is shown to be Amedee. Her ability to speak has disappeared and she can only greet him in heavy growls. Amedee takes a dagger and approaches her with a devious grin. Jolie feels her paws and lips twitching in response, wanting to attack, yet keeps backing away until a wall of fire stops her. With her only option being to kill him to safe herself, she gives up and lets him stab her. When she falls down, an enchantress appears to help her back up. The woman smiles and Jolie awakens.
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> The following morning, Amedee arrives in his village. Exhausted after the trip, he prepares his bed and dusts off his sheets from Jolie's many left-over hairs outside. He gets approached by the townswomen asking for the status of their arrested husbands. He answers not to know, since he was kicked out of the castle right after his trial. The women respond with annoyance and curse king Adam and "his spawn from Hell", whereafter they leave.
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> He shakes his head at the insult and heads to bed. He dreams about Jolie interrupting his sleep by grabbing his throat shut. While struggling for his life, he grabs the gun next to his bed and aims for her face, but can't get himself to fire a shot. When he lowers his arms and lets her take his life, she releases him and turns into the same enchantress from Jolie's dream. She gives the hunter a content smile, whereafter he wakes up.
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> The meaning of it puzzles him and he can only guess he has underlying fear for Jolie. Not satisfied with this, he contemplates on meeting with her in secret to talk things over.
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> When he exits his house, the townswomen approach him with relief, saying he slept for three days. They get to the point and ask him to lend them his strength taking down the devil's castle. Amedee doesn't understand what they mean by that, so they clarify they've spread the knowledge of Jolie and their imprisoned husbands and are busy assembling an army of talented fighters. The announcement stuns him and he asks how many volunteers have signed up.
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> The amount of people they've convinced of Jolie's wickedness concerns him, and the women pick up on his odd responses and ask if there's something he takes issue with. They add to have noticed the large hairs on his bedsheets and know of the dog that disappeared since the day the royal guards showed up. Amedee claims he was looking after someone else's pet, then requests time to consider joining their plight, since he's fallen ill after the trip.
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> Though suspicious of him, the women turn around and let him escape back inside. Amedee stuffs his bed with pillows and silently prepares himself for his long walk back to the castle. He sneaks out through the backdoor and leaves his horse standing, knowing its absence will only notify the villagers he's left.
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> ***CHAPTER 8: Message Received**
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> After another strenuous trip, he arrives late in the evening. He puts the lack of light and his talents as a hunter to good use and moves past the gates unseen. He climbs the castle's tricky walls, looking for whatever window leads to Jolie's room, though the castle's scale and many bedrooms make this a regrettable chore.
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> Amedee finds his luck when a nearby window lights up and he catches a glimpse of Jolie walking around. He looks for a pebble to throw, but takes too much time figuring out what charming pose to strike afterwards and the lights inside start to dim. In a panic, the throws the pebble, hitting a crack in the glass. Jolie thinks an enemy is aiming for her and cowers in fear, but then collects the courage to check out the whispers.
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> Upon seeing Amedee climb her balcony, she hastily closes the door of her room and opens the windows, though not without objecting to his improper level of persistence. He says he came to warn her, as the castle has become a target for revenge. Jolie is caught off-guard by this and asks what she's done to anger the townspeople, insisting the prisoners deserve their sentence. He answers stupidity doesn't need a reason.
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> Jolie wants to know when they're coming and if they're even a threat to the armies of a king, to which he guesses it might take a month or a year, but she shouldn't underestimate the power of fear-spread. If they can convince another king to believe the fiction, it'll become a real war.
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> Jolie thinks to herself for a while, but then is distracted by Amedee's shivering. She says he looks awful. He replies the comment hurts his feelings. She suggests he should rest if there are no direct threats, but he argues it's better to leave before he's seen and she should tell her parents now. He's princess-carried and tucked into bed anyway, and Amedee can only laugh it off.
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> Overtaken by exhaustion, he stays put, and asks if she'd like to be the hunter, so he can be the princess. Jolie smirks that being a princess is the one thing she knows the works of. Amedee says that not to be true and mentions her fight with the bear, making her uncomfortable. He insists she shouldn't be ashamed over her abilities, but Jolie mutters he doesn't know what he's talking about and dims the lights.
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> She absent-mindedly peers through her window. Now that the jokes are over, she has time to take in Amedee's warning and weeps silently. She wonders what it would mean for her if she never turned human, or if there was ever a future for her, and falls asleep on the floor with these thoughts.
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> ***CHAPTER 9: Appease the Enemy**
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> The next morning, she finds Amedee still knocked out in her bed. Not wanting to disrespect the effort he put in coming over, she musters the courage to look for her parents and give them the bad news. She finds them in the garden, but as their mood is especially cheery and playful, she can't get herself to tell them about the enraged villagers. When Belle notices she's not sharing their good mood and looks like she has something to say, Jolie decides to do the next best thing that enters her mind. She asks her parents to release the prisoners.
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> Adam is shocked by this and reminds her of the fact they hunted her for days on end, but she argues that releasing them might convince them of their benevolence. Belle warms up to the concept, but admits to prefer punishment. Jolie says the scare of their sentence is the punishment.
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> Though unsupportive of her logic, Adam wants to lift her spirits and gives it a try. The hunters are released from their cells under Jolie's name.
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> Some time later, she steals leftovers from breakfast to take to Amedee. Upon entering her room, she initially thinks he has left, though finds him emerging from a hiding spot. He says staff come in and out constantly and he hasn't been given time to escape.
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> She gives him the food and thanks him again, while he expresses gratitude for being listened to after their unpleasant separation. She has nothing to say to that. He brings up his desire to meet up again, to which she says nothing has changed since last time; and they're not allowed to. He suggests visiting her room like he is now, but Jolie finds that indecent and to require alot of effort from his part. He claims not to mind.
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> The interaction leads to a passionate kiss, but when Jolie notices her claws are still the same as before and no "spell" has been broken, she cuts it off with disappointment in her face. Amedee asks what's bothering her, but she can't tell him and instead urges him to go before anyone sees them like this. He takes it for what it is and contentedly climbs out her window.
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> Jolie inspects the rest of her body and confirms nothing has changed. Many possible reasons start flying through her head, one of them being the chance Amedee is the mastermind her father said he was, and doesn't truly love her. The more she thinks about it, the more she starts to doubt the genuineness of their kiss, even finding his willingness to treat her like a human being laughable. She enters a short mental episode where she keeps exclaiming to herself she wants to be left alone, the noise catching the attention of the staff in the hallway, though none dares to check on her.
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> When Amedee arrives back at his village, he's surprised to see a group of men -first imprisoned- now surrounding his house, but boldly approaches them anyway. They ask where he's been, and he grants them the excuse he was out hunting. Amedee changes the subject to their sudden release and learns Jolie granted them their freedom. Not knowing how else to respond to the foolish decision, he carefully praises her for it, though there's no gratitude from the men and they announce to be joining the fight their wives organized. Amedee is irritated by the hunters' thanklessness, and his lack of excitement for the plan catches everyone's attention.
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> He's asked if he'll become a part of it, but Amedee believes it to be a pointless endeavour. They misunderstand his answer and think he means the beast is undefeatable, further asking him if he's fought with her. He's unsure on how to answer the question, but then a random townswoman takes away his slight chance of getting out of trouble by accusing him of hiding Jolie and being a spy. The men give mixed reactions.
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> The loved hunter tries to dig himself out of the predicament, but more villagers join the discussion and everyone starts to share their own discoveries and opinion. With the puzzle pieces coming together, Amedee's loyalty is questioned more and more, until the riled up villagers decide to use him as bait to see for themselves what his connection with Jolie is.
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> He protests violently, but is grabbed and tied up.
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> ***CHAPTER 10: The Enchantress Speaks**
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> The castle is sent an unsuspicious-looking letter addressed to Jolie, as to ensure it reaches only her. Upon reading it, she learns of Amedee's capture and is ordered to go by herself if she values his life. She figures to be a trap and doubts anyone has a reason to assume they have a relationship worth extorting each other over, so ignores it and thinks to confirm her suspicion that way. But the next day, another letter is sent, this time filled with Amedee's hair and a last warning.
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> The scent confirms it's his and Jolie begins to doubt herself. After thinking it through, she heads out to look for him at the mentioned area, but cloaked on horseback as a safety measure.
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> She carefully enters the forest near his village, and stays purposely silent during her search. After having visited every corner, she wonders if it was a weird joke after all, but then finds him tied to a tree in an open area. Amedee looks pale and messy, insinuating he has been sitting there since the first letter was sent to her. Jolie calls out to him, waking him up in time to warn her for the booby-traps placed around him. He urges her to leave, as the area is checked often and someone will be there soon, but Jolie doesn't listen and rips off a thick tree branch as if it were paper to smack onto the ground, setting off most traps and creating a pathway.
>
> Amedee applauds her cleverness as she claws through his ropes, whereafter she leans his cold body onto her furred chest. She wishes to take him back to the castle to heal and Amedee doubts he's welcome still, but she argues the fact he was targeted makes him an undeniable ally.
>
>
> As she turns around, her horse speeds off without them, whereafter one of the hunters approaches and triumphantly pats himself on the back for being right about her and Amedee. Amedee tells her to run, but before she can make a move, an arrow hits her in the ankle and she drops him during her fall. More men show up. Amedee yells they're wrong about Jolie, but this upsets the villagers, who demand an explanation to how a human can give birth to a horned, fanged beast if it's not a devil's curse. His comment a human being isn't defined by their outer appearance is met with laughter. They reply a monkey can stand upright and wear clothes as well.
>
> When one of them unsheathes their blade and jokes to skin Jolie to see if there's a woman underneath, Amedee loses his patience and throws sand in their faces. He tells Jolie again to run, but an archer still on guard tries to shoot her down. The shot is evaded, whereafter she leaps over the other traps towards the hidden man, startling him into a fall.
>
> The hunters look at Amedee as if their point was just proven, but he argues she didn't even attack him.
>
>
> One of the hunters is discontent with her escape and quickly holds a knife to Amedee's throat as an attempt to make her turn around. Amedee elbows him off of him, saying he won't be a damsel in distress any longer. He continues to scold the villagers for their mistreatment of him and sick obsession with the princess, getting through to some of them, though two men notice a beastly stare from the shadows and want to take this chance to lure Jolie out. One sprints at Amedee with his knife drawn, but he spots it in time and hold back the weapon. The man struggles to get close, but the ill Amedee still outperforms him and manages to keep the pointing knife at a distance. Amedee scolds the man gone mad for his action, while the other men watch with uncertainty. While Amedee's distracted with his assailant, the other man walks up to Amedee unseen and stabs him in his chest.
>
> Not a sound is heard from his open mouth and his face can only mimic that of surprise as he collapses. The watchful Jolie releases a thundering roar and attacks the group. There's instant regret when her strength is shown to be unlike any animal they've dealt with. She starts ripping trees out of the soil and everything in her path gets flung around mindlessly. After getting heavily wounded by her and their own traps, their only option is to flee from the mess.
>
>
> Jolie inspects Amedee's lifeless body and cries loudly when confirmed dead.
>
>
> Then, a woman appears in front of them with a ghostly appearance. Jolie is cautious of the sight and asks her what she wants.
>
> The woman doesn't answer the question and instead speaks of a long time ago, when she was assigned to visit and cast a spell on a selfish prince. Jolie asks if she's the enchantress from her father's story, but she continues, and tells how her mother was too late -and also on time- confessing her love for him, causing the curse to get broken, but the beast to stay alive in Adam's blood. Resulting in her birth.
>
> She explains her job was supposed to be done and her life to end after the resolve, but Jolie's existence kept her on Earth, though in a weakened state and of little use. Jolie listens to her story in silence, but can't form an opinion and only holds onto Amedee.
>
> The woman then reveals that Jolie has finally learned how to love and believe in it, giving her the magic needed to grant her a miracle. She asks if she wishes to become human, but Jolie just gives her the dead body of her lover and begs for him to be saved.
>
> The enchantress informs her that restoring a life will take everything out of her and isn't a guaranteed success. She'll never become human, but Jolie doesn't care and wants Amedee revived.
>
>
> The enchantress obeys her request and lays her hands on him as her body starts to break into pieces. After she has fully disappeared, Jolie watches the body, but little seemed to have changed.
>
> Then, Amedee reawakens, but still hanging on a thread. She carries him back to the castle, and Adam and Belle are informed of what happened. The criminal hunters are sought after, but Amedee's village has disappeared into thin air; with no one to arrest. On the field, where once houses stood, are only roses to be seen.
>
>
> Amedee and Jolie marry a year later.
>
>
>
>
>

## Characters

### Jolie

Jolie (*pronounced: "Sho-lee"*) is Belle and Adam's daughter. She is 25 years old.

Because she was born a beast and nobody can tell her why, she grows up insecure and pessimistic, though allows for her parents to drag her out of her room when persistent enough. Her delayed maturing added to the reason why people show reluctance to interact with her.

Her birth was only recognized within the borders of her own kingdom, and while many of the local residents approach her with hesitance, they obediently kept Jolie a secret for many years. Not until another villager from Amedee's hometown happens to visit the castle alongside him does the news spread.

As a child, she was a slow learner and more animal than human. She walked on all fours, was destructive and unruly, couldn't stand to wear clothes or speak complete sentences until she was 8 years old. Even as an adult, she has trouble with things like reading and holding cutlery, as her fingers can't bend properly.

While there's undeniably a human being inside of her, there's also a real animal her education hasn't fully gotten rid of. In extremely desperate situations, her old self tends to take over and clutters her ability to think and speak. As a born beast, she greatly differs from her father in demeanour and strength.

Despite this, she's aware of her flaws and is cultured. Many of her parents' teachings stuck with her, yet the way Amedee perceives women is something she feels conflicted about. While her mother is living proof they can be more than a pretty face, the fact he sees and treats her like a regular woman flatters her. Still, not until Amedee shows he has self-knowledge and he points her on her own biases is she willing to interact with him again.

Jolie is an introvert and most comfortable being alone, yet feels lonely and hungers for the confirmation she's human. She has a phobia for hunters and weapons, as she fears to get mistaken for an animal one day and "end up a rug". Besides that, most of her animalistic behaviour has been replaced with almost an overcompensating amount of feminine interests. She adores the look of jewelry, make-up, and bombastic dresses, but has to deal with the fact her body isn't made for them. She doesn't mind adjusting these dresses herself and does this often with help of tools specially made for her by her grandfather. The courage to wear them is absent.

Though she stays skeptical of Amedee for the entirety of the story, at the end she recognizes the sacrifices he's made and gives up her only chance of becoming human to restore his life.

Jolie is tall, has blue eyes, sharp black nails, fangs, small horns, a tail, and is covered with fur mostly the same colour as her mother's hair. She has a deep, but feminine voice.

### Amedee

Amedee (or Amédée) is a talented hunter from a distant town, and a red herring villain. He is 30 years old.

He came to see Jolie in person, who only existed as a rumor in his community. Despite his dubious job and his liking to her fur coat as a professional, his intrigue for her personality surpasses that of her looks and he immediately becomes fond of her.

He's a man with beliefs typical for the time period and has alot in common with the villain Gaston. He thinks all women desire flowers and children, while all men like beer and should do paid work. Because the people around him match that which he already believes, convincing him that the outliers are the rule is out of the question, nevertheless, there's no evil intent in him and Jolie teaches him that it's important to hear someone out before drawing any kind of conclusion. While he has certain expectations of women, his intrigue for her is over the fact she doesn't look like the traditional woman. Her positive reception to his gifts and pampering is expected by the over-confident man, and charms him.

He was a scholar before he changed goals and became a hunter. He is charitable and more intelligent than Jolie and her parents first assumed, and the character exists as an example that anyone can have hurtful biases.

He is tall, muscular, has half-curly black hair in a ponytail, blue eyes, and wears an orange shirt with black pants.

### Belle

Belle is the mother of Jolie. She is 45 years old.

She feels sad for her daughter's predicament and constantly tries to downplay the situations she enters as an attempt to calm down everyone involved. Though Jolie's upbringing was hard and stressful, Belle's efforts turned her into an intelligent young woman, though she regrets failing to unite her with the residents of their kingdom.

She and her husband have little trust in the hunter, Amedee, who looks related to the overly masculine Gaston. When they learn of his job as a hunter and pick up on the amount of interest he has in Jolie, it feeds their suspicion.

When proven wrong, Belle is disappointed in herself for having judged a man before getting to know him.

### Adam

Adam is the father of Jolie. He is 49 years old.

He feels responsible for his daughter's appearance and is pained by his own obliviousness on how to help her. He mainly follows Belle's advice and tries to ignore it, but knows from experience that any mirror will remind her of the facts and pretending won't help her self-esteem.

When Jolie has grown into a fully matured adult, he starts to get hopeful again and wants to show her to the outside world as much as possible in order to find her that special someone that'll lift the "curse". At the same time, his disdain for the long dead Gaston makes him not like the hunter, Amedee, who is told to back off, even after recognizing he has not committed any crimes against his daughter and she harbours feelings for him.

### The Enchantress

The Enchantress is the woman who originally cursed Adam.

Her origin is vague, but she makes it apparent to have been "assigned" to Adam specifically to gauge his generosity and either grant him a reward or plague him with a curse. She was supposed to disappear from the world if the curse were to get lifted, but because Belle confessed her love on the exact second the last rose pedal detached itself, traces of the curse stayed in Adam's blood and transferred itself to his firstborn child. This kept the enchantress in the realm of existence; her task wasn't deemed done.

Stuck in a mostly powerless state, she was unable to disappear or help Jolie. Since it's the same curse Adam suffered, love was the requirement to lift it, but Jolie's uncertainty made this difficult to achieve. When she trusted that Amedee's feelings for her were genuine, the enchantress was given the strength to cast one spell; to turn the beast back into a human. Still, Jolie asked her to overexert herself and bring Amedee back to life instead.

## Trivia

* "Jolie" is French for "pretty".
* The name for Beast that got accepted by fans, "Adam", was never revealed by Disney themselves. Beast is officially nameless.