A/N: So this isn't going to be a long story at all, just a short fairy tale-like thing that I thought would be cute to do. I needed a small break from Elf Dawned, (which doesn't mean I'll stop writing it... just that I wanted to play with a new idea, too) and this seems to be a nice idea. This also gave me a legitimate excuse to watch Beauty and the Beast by Disney LOL. Those of you who haven't watched the original french version, La Belle et le Bete, you should. The movie may be old, but it has amazing affects for their time.

Disclaimer: I do not own Sailor Moon, or Beauty and the Beast. This story is merely a crossover I thought would be interesting to write.

Summery: Prince Darien is the beast of all beasts, cursed because of his father's doings, and must find love by his 21st birthday to break it. Serena is an ugly teenager who the village rely on to live because of her own curse, also linked to the Royal family. The two hate eachother with a great passion, but are bound by the curse and similar lifestyles, and find comfort in an understanding presence.


Beastly Enchantments

Prologue:

Once upon a time, in a land far, far away, a small magical village by the name of Thist held a castle on its highest hill. In the castle, lived a fierce King, Krong, and his two year old son, Darien. Although Krong had everything he needed, he was devastated by his wife's sudden death. The once happy, gentle King became a shadow of the past, overruled by a man who no longer cared about anything.

One dark, stormy night, on the Eve of the fair Queen Theoria's death, there was a knock on the palace door.

A woman who called herself Ekid stood outside, a bundle in her arms clutched to her chest. She had an outrageous face, heavily tattooed and barbarian-like. She refused to leave, and demanded to see the King.

Finally, the castle staff obliged, and brought the grieving man to her.

"My King!" she cried, bowing low. "I come to ask for a blessing!"

King Krong studied her face, disgust layering his expression. "Speak, woman, and I will listen."

"My daughter and I have no place to stay. Please, I beg of you, give me a job in your mighty castle. I will do anything you wish, in exchange for a roof over our heads."

"Denied," the King scoffed. "I will not be taking in every wretched tramp that comes my way. My halls would otherwise be full. Good day, and good luck."

Before the King could shut the door, Ekid grabbed his sleeve. "Please, my King. At least grant my daughter a nice warm fire for the night, and I will collect her in the morning. She will do no harm, I swear it! She is but a babe…"

"I said no, lady. Now step aside and be on your way."

Finally, Ekid stood. As she spoke, her voice changed to a more menacing grumble. "Perhaps you should reconsider. Take my babe, and let me fetch her in the morning. That is what a good King would do. What if this were you begging me to let you enter for your son's sake? You love him dearly, as I love my own daughter. Please, have some mercy. Do not be unjust like Adicia's spirit!"

"Dare you compare me with the Goddess of injustice and wrong doing? I am your King!"

"A just one, I am sure. Please, listen to Adicia's opposite number, and grant my daughter refuge for the night."

"I said no."

As the King turned to leave, Ekid's tattooes began to fade. "My King, this is your last chance. Let my daughter take refuge. Do not be unjust."

The King ignored her this time, and began to close the door. Ekid grabbed onto the handle and tugged it open, startling the man with her strength. By then, her tattoos had fallen away, revealing a godly face beneath the disguise. "I have warned you, Krong."

"Who are you!" the king snarled, pulling back. "Guards! Seize her!"

"No so fast," she said. Her hand made a slight wave in the air, and all but the King and herself fell into a deep slumber before anyone could move.

"W-who are you?" he asked once more, this time with a tinge of fright. He removed a sword from his belt, and held it out to her.

"I am Dike, Goddess of justice, daughter of Zeus. Dare you be so dreadful in my presence? Now you shall pay the price."

Recognition showed on the King's face in a matter of seconds, and this time he was on his knees. "But the Gods have forgotten us! I didn't think-"

"No excuse!" Dike snarled, holding her staff out to Krong. "A King shall always be fair to his people. Tonight, you have tainted that image of yourself. If the King suffers, his subjects will suffer."

"Please," the King cried, "what are you to do with me?"

"Not you, dear King. Your son shall pay your price, just as that woman's daughter might have died."

"Not Darien! He is but two!"

"She was a babe!"

"Please… he is the future King of Thist! There is no one to take his place if he dies!"

"He will not die, but many will wish did," she said. "As he grows, he will become uglier, and uglier still, until he no longer resembles a man, but a beast. If he does not learn to truly love a woman, and be truly loved in return, by his twenty-first birthday, he will stay so forever.

"He will make women weep, children screech. He would make the bravest of men want to claw their own eyes out. The only way he would be able break the spell is when the words "I love you" will be uttered."

"But who could ever love a beast!" the man cried.

"Someone who will be able to look past the vanity of the world and see beauty in the heart."

The King fell to his knees, sobbing.

"I am not done," Dike said.

"Please," the man begged. "No more!"

"You will take this child. I do not care what you do with her, but if she is dies, even by accident or self-infliction, you and your son will both die, and a plague will overrun the village. If your son's curse is lifted, your ties with her would disappear. If I were you, I would protect her."

Goddess Dike handed the bundle to King Krong, and vanished instantly, leaving behind the wretched curse.

A woman screamed, and in seconds was by his side. "My liege, your son! He-his-he-"

"Daddy!"

King Krong turned, and spotted his son running down the stairs. His once normal son suddenly had claws and bruises under his eyes.

And the curse was set…

...

As the years passed, Darien grew uglier, and the King grew more and more depressed. He had tried bargaining with the Gods, but they did not hear his voice. He permitted refuge at his castle for those without a home, but the curse did not lift.

The King became better, did more, was more. But nothing could have changed the curse.

Prince Darien, who learned of why he was what he was at the age of fourteen after overhearing a bunch of whispering maids through the thin walls, soon became spiteful to his father. He no longer only looked like a beast, but had a heart just as beastly.

When Darien neared his twentieth year, the King became gravely sick, and sicker still he became, until he gave orders from his bedroom.

Soon the King of Thist would die, and Darien needed a Queen to rule by his side. Not only that, but his twenty first birthday would soon arrive, also, so not only did he need a Queen, he needed someone to love.

Women from lands far and wide came: ogres, trolls, the ugliest, beastliest women that could be found. All ran screaming at the sight of the Prince. He was the beast of the beasts, and, as promised by the Goddess of Justice, women weeped and men clawed at their eyes at the mere sight of him. Children screeched.

He was alone…

As for the baby, she grew up, also, by the name Serena.

Serena was ugly. Not as ugly as the beast, per say, but ugly nonetheless. People avoided looking at her, and she avoided people.

She became a maid as soon as she was able, and had gone a few years before she had begun to crack.

The poor woman snapped and tried to kill herself as a means of revenge to the village for its cruelty and vanity of her looks.

From then on she no longer worked. She was chained and watched all day by guards, to make sure of the safety of the royal family and the village.

She spent her days reading in the garden, away from as many people as she could get. People couldn't be trusted. They were less likely to be nice to a not-so-nice face.

To say the least, the village of Thist was in tatters.

And the only way to sew it up would be to break the curse.

But, as King Krong had said as he begged Goddess Dike…

Who could ever love a beast?

TBC

A/N: So tell me how you felt about this first chapter and REVIEW. I'd like to hear your thoughts on my interpretation of it.