Author's Note

This isn't a Beauty and the Beast story. I just didn't know what category to put it in. I came up with this story while watching Maleficent for the umpteenth time. So far, Maleficent is my favorite live-action Disney princess movie that they have done so far. But I'm sure that will change when Beauty and the Beast comes out in the theaters. That has been my favorite Disney princess movie since I was two. Anyways, here is the full story description before we go into the first chapter. Enjoy and please leave comments!

.Story Description

I didn't think it would go like this. I certainly didn't want this. I would have rather stayed with my family. But, as usual, I didn't have a choice.

I met up with the rest of the girls who had been on the wagon with me. They chatted excitedly while I looked at the ground, unknowingly playing with the necklace around my neck; a nervous habit of mine.

And then the chatter ended, the chatter ended and I looked up as four people entered the room. I immediately averted my gaze when I saw it was the royal family coming to inspect us and decide where we would work.

The king and his queen stayed near the door, talking to Jasmine while the other two, whom I assumed were the princes, studied us. The older brother pulled a girl put of the line.

The other prince just walked back and forth in front of us. My heart began to beat faster the longer I stood there.

"Well, Armin?" the queen called. "You need to hurry up and choose someone as your personal maid." My heartbeat grew faster and louder. I felt like I couldn't breathe.

Prince Armin, as the queen had called him, stopped in front of me. I held my breath, my heart feeling like it was going to explde in my chest at any minute.

"I'll take her." Armin said, and I swore my heart stopped.

This was not happening.

Temper

Arcadia

I pulled the bowstring back, taking careful aim at my target. I exhaled, releasing the arrow. It zipped through the air, hitting the apple that clung to the branch that I couldn't reach. My arrow disappeared into the sky, but the bright red apple I wanted fell from the branch, landing in my outstretched palm. I grinned triumphantly and bit into the apple, its flavor exploding in my mouth.

"Arcadia!" my older sister called. "Where are you? You have chores to do! Father will be angry if you don't hurry back home!"

I sighed, knowing she was right. Father hated it when I didn't do my chores. Reluctantly, I slipped my bow and quiver off my back, and hid them in a hollow log. Father would be furious if he found out was I doing.

"Weapons are not meant for girls." He told me six years ago. "They are meant for men. Warriors."

I trekked through the woods, listening to the familiar crunch of leaves under my feet. I finished my apple and tossed the core over my shoulder. I made it to the edge of the woods where my sister was waiting for me, her arms crossed.

She frowned at me. "Must you always be in the woods, Arcadia?" she sighed.

"Must you always act like Mother, Netis?" I mocked.

She scowled at me. "I worry about you, that's all. You never know what's in those woods. Father would not approve."

"Well Father doesn't know." I shot back.

Netis shook her head, a strand of her honey blonde hair falling into her face. She brushed it away and looked at me with her arctic blue eyes. "He'll find out sooner or later. He always does."

I hated it when she was right. "Please, Netis, don't tell him."

There was uncomfortable silence for a while as we walked home. Finally, Netis sighed, and I knew I had won the conversation. "Fine, but don't make me regret this."

"I'll do my best." I smiled.

Once arriving at the family farm, I walked into the barn my great-great grandfather had built. Picking up a bucket of food for the chickens, I made my way outside. I stopped next to the chickens' pen and sprinkled the food out on the ground that they greedily gobbled up. A few of them looked up at me and clucked, as if they were asking for more.

I returned to the barn where I went to groom Mother's horse, Daisy. The bay Clydesdale mare let out a snort of happiness as I stroked her mane with the brush. I smiled and continued to groom her. She loved the attention and always enjoyed it when I groomed her.

By the time I was done, it was dinnertime. I put away the brushes and picks and put Daisy in her stall. I hurried to the house for dinner, dreading the other chores I still had to do. I hurried inside the house and helped Mother finish the soup she was making.

"Thank you, Arcadia." She said with a smile. "Will you please set the table?"

I nodded and placed five wooden bowls on the table along with cups and spoons. I filled each cup with water from the pitcher before spooning the soup into the bowls. Father came in just as everyone except me had sat down. I was helping Deene into his chair. My three-year-old brother laughed as he climbed into the chair with my help. I sat down quickly as Father did the same.

Supper was rather dull. The soup was amazing, as it always was when Mother cooked, but the mood was somewhat depressing. Mother looked distressed while Father fidgeted anxiously.

"Mother, Father, is something wrong?" Netis asked, sipping her water.

Father sighed. "I was in town earlier today and I heard Anthony say that some of the king's men were going to be rounding up girls around Arcadia's age to go work in the castle."

I immediately stopped eating, having lost my appetite. "Will they come here?"

"I'm not sure." Father admitted. "We are on the outskirts of the town. It's likely that the king's men might not come here. But we shouldn't get our hopes up."

"I don't want to go!" I exclaimed.

"Arcadia," my Father's voice was firm. "This is not up for debate. If they come here and take you to the castle, you must go. This is the king's orders."

"So I am supposed to be taken from my home and dragged to the palace with other sixteen-year-old girls?" I practically yelled. I knew it wasn't my place to say these things, but my temper was rising.

"Young lady," Mother scolded. "You will not use that tone of voice on your father."

"But it's true, isn't it Mother?" I said hotly. "There's a possibility that I might never see you again if I'm taken."

"That is enough, Arcadia." Father warned. "Go to your room this instant."

I got up from the table and stomped up the stairs to the room Netis and I shared. My fists were clenched and I couldn't hold back the tears of anger that escaped my eyes. I furiously wiped the tears away. I changed into my white nightgown, laying down on my bed.

An hour or so later, my door opened and Netis walked in, changing into her nightgown. "It was not your place to talk to Father and Mother like that."

I sat up and glared at her as she sat down on her bed that was opposite of mine. "Father acts like he doesn't care if I get taken away or not!"

Netis sighed. "Of course Father cares. But we can't ignore the king's orders."

"I don't want to go." I frowned, laying back down.

"You don't have a choice. If the king's guards come here and take you, then you have to go."

"I hope they don't come here."

"I understand, Arcadia. But if they do, please be on your best behavior."

I ignored her, and closed my eyes, listening to the chickens' clucks as they wandered around their pen. I heard Daisy and Father's horse, Phillip, neighing to each other. It made me wonder what they said to one another. Much sooner than I thought, I fell asleep, only to be awoken a few hours later by our rooster.

Reluctantly, I slipped out of bed and changed into my brown skirt and white shirt to begin another day of chores. I braided my thick brown hair and slipped my feet into my brown shoes before hurrying outside to be greeted by the rising sun, a gentle breeze, the chickens' eager noises for breakfast, and Daisy and Phillip whinnying for me to give them attention.

I prayed that I would stay here on the farm forever.