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“Sacré, Belle!" Marguerite had exclaimed upon entering, and though the grandeur of the room had never dulled for Belle, it was a treat to see it through Marguerite's eyes, and only made Belle more certain that opening it to the public was the right decision. "I know. It's magnificent, isn't it?" Belle replied dreamily. Marguerite ran her hands along the gilded banisters encircling the spiral staircase. "I've never seen so many books in all my life." She turned back to Belle and gave her a wry grin. "Is it true that your husband simply gave it to you during your courtship?" A blush crept up her neck. She had thought of her time in the castle as many things, but a courtship was never one of them. "Something like that," she admitted. She wondered if she would ever feel close enough to Marguerite to tell her the truth. Marguerite let out an appraising whistle. "No wonder you married him." Belle blushed as she pulled her through the stacks, pointing out favorite books along the way. She ushered Marguerite to her favorite chaise nestled in her favorite alcove. "This spot is best for a gloomy afternoon," Belle told her, pointing to a red velvet settee next to a small fireplace, framed by a window almost as tall as the room itself. "The patter of raindrops on the glass mixed with the warmth of the fire..." "It must be heavenly," said Marguerite. "It is." Marguerite spun back around, head tilted to the ceiling, before collapsing in a heap on the plush carpet and motioning for Belle to join her on the floor. Belle acquiesced, lying down beside her friend and noting the view was even more remarkable from that new vantage.”

LibraryGirlsBelleBest GiftBeauty And The Beast Retelling
Book:Rebel Rose
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“She was heading to the Palais-Royal, armed with the piecemeal knowledge she had collected from travelers through Aveyon who told her Philippe, the duc d'Orléans, had opened the gardens to the public some years before. Belle had heard tell of the exchange of ideas that occurred there, and of the bookshops and cafés tucked into the covered arcades that surrounded the gardens. She had spent long nights imagining herself there, attending salons and taking part in lively debates with a more open-minded crowd than she could find in Aveyon. Each step she took was like walking through both a memory and a dream.”

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Book:Rebel Rose
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“Papa! You painted my nose!" "I certainly did," her father said. "But why?" Belle tried to see the purple dot on her face. Maurice grinned. "Because that mark makes you even more beautiful. Different and special from the inside out, just like your fantastic doll. And just like your mother, who you look and act more like every day." Belle eyed her father suspiciously. "A purple mark does all that?" "Yes. Because it's yours and only yours," Maurice said.”

DifferentSpecialBelleMauriceFather And Daughter
Book:Belle's Discovery
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“The broth was nearly clear and colorless, singing with notes of the sea- and Belle had never actually been to the sea. When she broke her bread to dip, the crust shattered, the crumb inside moist to the point of almost being a custard. The terrine was so rich she managed only one tiny demitasse spoonful. She and her father didn't eat fancily but they ate well enough and even had meat once or twice a week. The herbs that still flourished in her mother's garden spiced up dishes more than it seemed like they should have. They supped well, like all Frenchmen and women. But even Christmas was nothing compared to this. Belle suddenly realized she was shoveling it all in like a character from one of those stories who was tricked into eating magic food until he exploded or grew too large to escape. And a slightly more down-to-earth part of her spoke up warningly, in what she liked to pretend was her mother's voice: You are, at the very least, going to have an extremely upset stomach from this rich new food.”

Self ConsciousChildhood MemoriesBelleFather And DaughterTastes
Book:As Old as Time
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“Coming back to the village through the snow, under the dark cloudy skies, Belle felt like she had been away for a lifetime. She had, in fact, never left the village by herself before this. There were a couple of overnight trips to fairs with her father, and once or twice during mushroom season they got swept up in the fury and spent a few nights in the forest, gathering morels and truffles and camping out. But that was all, and always with Papa.”

MushroomsChildhood MemoriesBelleMauriceFather And Daughter
Book:As Old as Time
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“Of all the luxuries that came with her new life, Belle was certain she would never grow accustomed to the sheer vastness of knowledge available to her. Her library. She had plans to seek out a specific book, the one that had been gifted to her after she read it so many times it had imprinted in her mind. It had everything she loved in a book- an unfamiliar, faraway setting, magic spells and sword fights, and characters in disguise. She had brought it from home and added it to the library only a few weeks before, shelving it hastily before they left for Paris. Normally she would wander the stacks aimlessly, taking the time to pause and pull books from the shelves.”

LibraryBelleFavorite BookBrowsing
Book:Rebel Rose
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“Silverware was marching like little soldiers down the long length of the table toward Belle. Pieces of china were shoving each other precariously out of the way, vying to be in the single place setting in front of her. Little pots of mustard and chutney and other condiments hopped one after another off the shelves lining the room, landing surprisingly intact on silver trays. Too many things were moving around the room- things that shouldn't have been moving at all. It was dizzying, and more than a little ominous. "Really, this isn't necessary..." Belle said, getting ready to bolt. A fresh boule, the cracks in its crust emitting amazing-smelling steam, was carried to her by a spidery basket with alarming silver legs.”

BreadBelleAppetizersFood PreparationCondimentsLumiereBe Our Guest
Book:As Old as Time
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“Try the gougères," Lumière interrupted, popping one into her mouth before she could continue. It was warmed by his flame and melted on her tongue- nothing at all like the perfectly good but usually rock-hard ones she and her father baked. "Ohhh..." she couldn't help saying. "It's been so long since we had a guest!" Mrs. Potts danced around on the table happily, somehow managing to fold a napkin with her spout-nose. She tossed it into Belle's lap: a swan shape that gracefully unfolded as it fell, almost like it was flying. Belle shrank back, worried it was actually going to fly. "I can't imagine why," she muttered. And then she was distracted by the food. Piles of it. More than a feast- a banquet. There was a whole leg of lamb, multiple terrines and soufflés, three soup courses, a delicate fish in white wine broth, an orange ice in between to clear the palate... There was a water glass, a golden glass for red wine, a crystal one for white, and a saucer for consommé. There were seven forks of descending size and different numbers of tines, the last three whose use she couldn't even begin to work out.”

EtiquetteFood And WineBelleAppetizersFrench CuisineBanquetLumiereBe Our Guest
Book:As Old as Time
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“Yes, and then it will be just as nice to luxuriate in your thousands of books, knowing in your heart that each one has been accounted for, and that even if you lived a hundred lifetimes you'd never be able to read them all." She looked over to him, her ruse falling away. "I wish to catalog them so we can open the library to all of Aveyon, actually." He paused to study her. "Truly?" "Truly." She hated that her plans surprised him, but she hated how much it bothered her even more. "If you'll excuse me, I have to see to some things." She left him standing there in the courtyard, dumbfounded, and it gave her a small bit of pleasure.”

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Book:Rebel Rose
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“Forget your magic mirror," she decided to say. "If I lived here, I would spend my whole life in here, reading." "They're just... books...." He carefully lit the candelabra at the front and placed Lumière on the floor, dismissing him. "Just books? That's like saying Alexandria is just a library." She ran over to the closest shelf and tilted her head, reading the titles. "You don't understand. I don't understand how you don't understand. Look- here's an ancient text in Greek about astronomy... and next to it is everything Galileo Galilei ever wrote!! This whole section is about the stars and planets and the entire universe!" The Beast stood, looking slightly embarrassed, scratching the back of his neck with his hand. Belle grabbed a book and ran over to him, shoving it in his face. "Up until this man, Copernicus, everyone thought the entire universe rotated around the earth- that we were the center of it all." She flipped open to a page that had an engraving of planets and their paths, little callouts to their names and the length of their orbits. "Thanks to men like him and Tycho Brahe and Kepler, we now know nothing revolves around the earth- except the moon.”

BooksLibraryAstronomyAstronomersBelle
Book:As Old as Time
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“It had all seemed so simple after they broke the curse, when everything felt like a fairy tale. Back then, Belle would have said that their love would be enough to weather them through any storm, and she still believed it. But she hadn't anticipated that the storms would grow and multiply, or that she would find herself adrift, unsure of what side of the battle line she should stand upon. A part of her feared that by marrying a prince and living in a castle, she would become someone she didn't recognize, someone like those ignorant courtiers who had access to the best books and educations money could buy but used them to make their worlds smaller. And then another part of her feared that by resisting the change, she would move further and further away from Lio, and she didn't want that either. Her heart belonged to Lio, but what about the rest of her? Where would she be if she hadn't met him, and if the embers of revolution were stoked all the way to Aveyon? Would she be fighting alongside the men and women she had seen in the gardens of the Palais-Royal?”

BelleDifferent SidesIndecisiveness
Book:Rebel Rose
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“Belle was different now too, from the poor, provincial girl she had once been to a queen in her own right. She stood tall in a gown as golden as the sun. It hearkened back to the dress she had worn the night she dined and danced with the Beast, when he had shown her a vision of her father and let her go to him, despite the fact that leaving meant an eternity as a monster. It was hard to understand how much had changed since then, and how far they had come.”

GoldenQueenBelleCoronationGownBeauty And The Beast Retelling
Book:Rebel Rose
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“I'm the one who's different." "A princess, you mean?" She pinched his arm lightly as the carriage turned onto rue Dauphine. "Not a princess." Belle's refusal to take the title marriage to Lio would have afforded her was a touchy subject between them. He mercifully let it go. "But certainly not the girl you were then." She turned her attention to the wallpapered panel of the carriage, tracing the embossed flowers with the tip of her finger, unwilling to let him see her smile falter once more. She didn't know how to explain that she would always be that girl, that no titles or fine clothing would change her. In her bones, she was a poor, provincial peasant who had risen far above her station.”

PrincessBelleTitleRags To Riches
Book:Rebel Rose
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“Her most difficult choice had been which book to bring. She couldn't decide between something she'd never read before and one of her favorites. So, of course, she'd packed two: a pirate adventure story she'd borrowed from the bookseller just the day before and the beloved book of short stories her mother used to read to her when she was a child. A warm smile stretched across Belle's lips at the thought of her mother and the love of reading she'd instilled in her only daughter. She'd also nurtured Belle's sense of adventure. "I'm finally going on one of my own, Mama," Belle whispered. "A true adventure.”

BooksBelleMemories Of MotherFarrah RochonSense Of Adventure
Book:A Twisted Tale Anthology
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“Belle," he whispered, almost a croak. "You promised to give me my bookstore back," she said, trying not to cry. "You promised me. So I could read more stories about Jack. So I could read them... to you..." The Beast's mouth opened strangely, his pointy teeth suddenly seeming too large and out of place inside of lips trying to form words it couldn't remember. Then he suddenly shook himself- like a spooked cat or dog. He looked down at Belle, his eyes now bright with intelligence. "I did promise," he said, his voice growing stronger and more human. "And... a king keeps his promises.”

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Book:As Old as Time
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“Would you come with me, Belle? Help me do this? We may not succeed... I may always be a beast." "No," Belle said with a smile, touching him on the nose. "You will always be my prince." "Well, you're not exactly what I wanted out of a son-in-law- because of your parents, not because of your form, I mean," Rosalind said quickly. "But you're certainly a fair bit better than that Gaston fellow... what is his story, if I may ask? Was he also a patient at the asylum?" Belle almost choked on her laughter. "No, and that was not the first time he proposed to me." "I think," Maurice said, putting his arms around the couple, "we should all have one last night together before you start out... just the four of us. There are a lot of stories to tell before we see you again." "And most of them," Belle observed with a smile, "seem to almost have a happy ending.”

FamilyBelleMauriceBeauty And The BeastHappy EndingThe BeastBelle And AdamRosalind
Book:As Old as Time
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“Lucanos nodded [...] 'She's the girl who sees with her heart.' Aranae rolled all eight of her eyes. She chittered again, in a scolding tone this time. When she finished, she crossed two of her legs and gave Belle a dirty look. Belle shrank under her disapproving glare, 'What did she say?' she asked timidly. 'She said your heart needs glasses.”

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Book:Beauty and the Beast: Lost in a Book
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“Come on, let's get you an apron." There probably wasn't any real point in making him wear something over his fur and ragged clothes. Still, she tied a tablecloth up and around his neck, trying not to make him look ridiculous. Actually, if the thick white cloth had leather straps, he could easily be Hephaestus or one of his titan helpers working the forge on Olympus. But they were going to make ratatouille, not swords for heroes. "...And buckwheat crepes, and an onion tart, and coq au... um... Riesling, in a skillet," she added thoughtfully, looking at the time. The clock in the kitchen didn't talk, thankfully. "We don't have time for a true coq au vin or cassoulet. Oooh, and a tarte tatin for dessert!”

CookingBeastBelleFrench CuisineBelle And Adam
Book:As Old as Time
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“After years of yearning to see beyond the borders of her provincial little town, the thought of journeying someplace new, even if it was only to show her father's invention at a neighboring village's fair, made her heart race. Maybe she would encounter a merry theater troupe on their way to perform the latest play. Or maybe merchants traveling with their wares to trade on the Silk Road. Oh, wouldn't it be wonderful to meet a newly married couple heading to Paris or Verona to celebrate their honeymoon? Who knew what types of adventures awaited her!”

AdventuresBelleFarrah Rochon
Book:A Twisted Tale Anthology
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“The same people who'd mocked her for her love of reading, and gossiped about her father, now cozied up with a good book while enjoying a fire fueled by wood cut with her father's wood-chopping machine. Many minds had been changed those past few years. Particularly when word of her father's prize-winning invention had spread and Monsieur René le Prince, an entrepreneur (a new profession, funnily enough, born out of the word adventurer,) proposed a partnership. With Monsieur le Prince's resources, Maurice's knack for machinery, and Belle's cleverness, they had formed a formidable team. They traveled to other fairs and looked for new innovations to support, Belle often finding successes in the inventors no one else would take a chance on.”

BelleMauriceFather DaughterFarrah RochonInnovation And Entrepreneurship
Book:A Twisted Tale Anthology
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“Belle is planning to host a series of salons," said Lio, appearing out of nowhere to fill her silence. It had been his first promise to her, in those wild days right after they broke the curse, when they talked feverishly about their most cherished dreams and whispered their deepest fears to each other. Back then, Belle's only fear had been her own ignorance. She had told him of her wish to travel to Paris and attend a salon herself, perhaps one that counted some of her favorite philosophes and encyclopédistes among its members. He had said her dream was toon small and that she herself should host one. The Mademoiselle de Vignerot smiled politely. "What will the subject be?" "Oh, everything," said Belle. Her enthusiasm elicited laughter, but she was entirely serious. The comte de Chamfort cleared his throat, his lips curling into a sneer. "That is very broad, madame. Surely you have a more specific interest? My parents used to attend the famous Bout-du-Banc literary salon in Paris, but that was a very long time ago." Belle gave him her best patient smile. "I don't wish to be limited, monsieur. My salons will invite scientists, philosophers, inventors, novelists, really anyone in possession of a good idea." The comte guffawed. "Why on earth would you do such a thing?" "To learn from them, monsieur. I would have thought the reason obvious." Marguerite snorted into her glass. Belle sipped her drink as Lio placed his hand on the small of her back. She didn't know if it was meant to calm her down or encourage her. "Whatever for?" the comte asked with the menacing air of a man discovering he was the butt of a joke. "Everything that is worth learning is already taught." "To whom?" Belle felt the heat rising in her cheeks. "Strictly the wealthy sons of wealthier fathers?" Some of Bastien's guests gasped, they themselves being the children of France's aristocracy, but Belle was heartened when she saw Marguerite smile encouragingly. "I believe that education is a right, monsieur, and one that has long been reserved exclusively for the most privileged among us. My salons will reflect the true reality." "Which is what, madame?" Marguerite prompted eagerly. Belle's heart rattled in her chest. "That scholarship is the province of any who would pursue it.”

IdealisticKnowledge Is PowerBelleAcademic FreedomFrench Words
Book:Rebel Rose
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“What if les charmantes think differently, act differently than humans who don't have magic? What if we behave instinctually in ways that are basically in ways that are basically anathema to normal society?" Belle sighed. "What if you, Rosalind, my mother, act differently from humans- and everyone else? The villagers, the servants, the government? What if you personally hold yourself above the law- as a vigilante? What if it's just you? You're doing the same thing D'Arque did... applying the actions of one to a whole people. That's ridiculous. Whether you're Huguenot or Catholic or Jewish or gypsy or short or have dark skin- or blue skin. Everyone is different. Each person has his or her own destiny." Rosalind gave her a sly look. "That's very wise, and clever. You're still an avid reader.”

Mother And DaughterBelleAvid Reader
Book:As Old as Time
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“I need some rope," she said to Cogsworth as she entered the study, shaking herself into action. "Yes, of course, right away," the little clock said. "What?" "I'm not letting him free until I get some answers," Belle said, gritting her teeth. "Help me tie him up." "Tie up? The master?" Cogsworth stuttered. "He threw my father into a cold prison cell, then took me in his place! I think tying him up in front of a warm roaring fire is plenty generous, considering!”

BeastPrisonerBelleBeauty And The BeastTwisted TaleAs Old As Time
Book:As Old as Time
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“But my father..." Belle began again. "What about him?" "He needs me...." "He raised you by himself, didn't he? Seems like he's done a more than all right job. He'll be fine for a few days on his own," the Beast pointed out. Belle glared at him. Her father couldn't... he didn't... ...make their meals, tend their garden, earn coin for comestibles they couldn't grow or forage themselves, spend days inventing- all things he did before she was old enough to help him... when he was taking care of her.... Her lip quivered. Of course he was fine. Wait... "You think he did a more than all right job?" she couldn't help asking. The Beast shrugged, suddenly embarrassed. She found herself smiling. Was he- was he almost smiling back? In his eyes, at least?”

FatherBelleMauriceBeauty And The BeastAwwwww MomentsBelle And Adam
Book:As Old as Time
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“This is nice," Beast said with a sigh. "Like... one of those paintings where a nymph or Athena is reading to the gods and goddesses." "And here I was thinking you were an utterly uneducated beast," Belle said teasingly. "I am a prince," he responded with hauteur. "I am classically educated. "Plus, nymphs are pretty," he added. Belle laughed. "I could stare at them all day," he continued. His tone was carefully neutral, but his eyes never left hers. And Belle found she could look back. And not blush. And not have to look away.”

BelleBeauty And The BeastNymphsStory TellingBelle And Adam
Book:As Old as Time
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“We're prisoners here." "What would Jack do, Belle?" When did he become the insightful one? She mock pouted. "I suppose he would figure out some super clever way around it." The Beast looked at her with wry amusement. "Since you're the clever one here and haven't come up with a cunning plan, I was going to suggest brute force. Like we're a castle under siege, fighting them off. That's what I know." "That's a fair point," she ceded, smiling. "We should... round up everything sharp and cutting," he said. "And hammers and mallets to smash the panes between them." "Yes, sir, prince general, sir," Belle said, saluting him with a sparkle in her eye.”

InsightfulBelleBeauty And The BeastBelle And Adam
Book:As Old as Time
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“She waved, hoping the little creatures sealed inside the glass and bone chrysalis could see her, and tried not to cry. The Beast saw her. "I'll come back. Whatever happens," he promised. "I'm... king now. I need to share the fate of my people." Somehow that only made Belle want to cry more. "You aren't out of danger yourself," the Beast reminded her gravely. "You're in the middle of the woods with a beast as the curse grows stronger. I won't be able to control it forever." Belle had a sudden vision of her body, and blood-stained snow, like something out of a fairy tale gone wrong. She shook her head. "No. You would never hurt me." The Beast gave a wan smile.... and then leaned over and kissed her on the forehead. "I would kill myself first," he whispered.”

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Book:As Old as Time
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“Your curse still isn't really broken. The castle and everyone in it have been forgotten. No one remembers this place. You could find all les charmantes and bring them here. Bring them home. And get yourself... uncursed." "Hmmm," Rosalind said, thinking. "Not bad. It's an odd idea, considering this is the place we almost came to our end... but it's intriguing. Yes, I like it. Go find everyone and bring them home. Really, it's the least you could do after what your parents did." Maurice might have given Rosalind a little frown at that last bit, but she shrugged. The Beast blinked. "Go... find them? Me?" "Yes. Why not?" Belle said with a smile, reading his thoughts. "You would have to actually go out into the world that you've been watching for so long in your magic mirror." "With you," the Beast said without missing a beat. "I could do anything, with you." Belle grinned and started to answer... ... and then saw Maurice and Rosalind, who were both watching her to see what she would do. Belle had a family again. She had a mother- the most interesting, perplexing mother in the world- whom she had just met. There was too much to ask her, to talk about. But this was finally her chance to go out on those adventures she had always dreamed of. Abandoned Greek islands, the hearts of never-before-seen forests, even Paris and Rome.... They would travel the world looking for reclusive charmantes to bring home. Who knew what they might see!”

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Book:As Old as Time
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