Yeah, Belle didn't understand the curse at the time. But it didn't matter much when she was surrounded by wolves. [Linda finds that she's getting into the story now, encouraged by Grainne's interest, and she continues eagerly] You're right--her father did try to bring a rescue, but no one back in the village would believe his story about what had happened. They thought he was crazy. And so he tried to go after her alone, but he got lost in the woods on his way.
Belle did get rescued, though. The Beast went after her himself, fending off the wolves even though they scratched and injured him in the process. He brought her safely back to his castle, and after that display, Belle started to feel like the Beast might not be as beastly as he'd first seemed. She took care of his wounds, and knowing her love for books, he promised her the castle library as a gift. Belle found that, for that moment at least, she didn't mind being the Beast's prisoner so much. The staff even set up a romantic dinner for them to share together, and after they ate dinner, they danced together. It was like the Beast was a gentleman rather than a monster.
But Belle missed her father. She desperately wanted to see him, so the Beast used a magic mirror to let her--and to her horror, she saw him lost in the woods, dying as he tried to find her again. Belle was desperate to save him, and the Beast let her go, giving her the mirror as a gift to remember him by.
Because what Belle didn't know was that the curse on the whole castle was because of the Beast himself. Once he'd been a prince, but he'd been selfish. An enchantress dressed as an old beggar had come to his castle looking for shelter with only a rose to offer him in return, and he'd sent her away. She'd transformed the whole castle, including the Beast, and he had only until his 21st birthday--10 years--to love someone and be loved in return, or he would be trapped as a Beast forever. And this very night was his last night to break the curse. If Belle left now, he'd never be human again. But he didn't say so, and he let her go. [she pauses, watching Grainne for her reaction]
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Belle did get rescued, though. The Beast went after her himself, fending off the wolves even though they scratched and injured him in the process. He brought her safely back to his castle, and after that display, Belle started to feel like the Beast might not be as beastly as he'd first seemed. She took care of his wounds, and knowing her love for books, he promised her the castle library as a gift. Belle found that, for that moment at least, she didn't mind being the Beast's prisoner so much. The staff even set up a romantic dinner for them to share together, and after they ate dinner, they danced together. It was like the Beast was a gentleman rather than a monster.
But Belle missed her father. She desperately wanted to see him, so the Beast used a magic mirror to let her--and to her horror, she saw him lost in the woods, dying as he tried to find her again. Belle was desperate to save him, and the Beast let her go, giving her the mirror as a gift to remember him by.
Because what Belle didn't know was that the curse on the whole castle was because of the Beast himself. Once he'd been a prince, but he'd been selfish. An enchantress dressed as an old beggar had come to his castle looking for shelter with only a rose to offer him in return, and he'd sent her away. She'd transformed the whole castle, including the Beast, and he had only until his 21st birthday--10 years--to love someone and be loved in return, or he would be trapped as a Beast forever. And this very night was his last night to break the curse. If Belle left now, he'd never be human again. But he didn't say so, and he let her go. [she pauses, watching Grainne for her reaction]