Prompt Post 3!

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Reposting and Filling an older Prompt: Beauty and the Beast

[ioanite]

This prompt was originally posted in Prompt Post 2, but was deleted because it hadn't been labeled properly. But it caught my interest, and I wanted to fill it. The mods said I could repost it and fill it here, so here we go.

PROMPT:

Belle/Owner of the library

Belle never met the beast; and being as afraid of being wedded to Gaston as she was, she accepted the proposal of the man who I assume was the owner of the book store. She lives a quiet life as a housewife? Do they go travel the world together? She cheats on him with a young fellow? Is she secretly a lesbian? The man is secretly rich as gives her his fortune so she can live her dreams? I don't know, but you do, anon!author!

FILL: A Beneficial Arrangement, Part 1

[ioanite]

Warning; this fill is HUGE. I have no idea how it managed to run away with me like it did

A Beneficial Arrangement, Part 2

[ioanite]

“It seems likely,” Roland confirmed, “Perhaps he’ll try to woo you with hides or baubles…that’s how men like him operate. Or he could just wait a few days and then try again, assuming you’ve thought it over and have changed your mind. Either way, I believe another proposal is inevitable

A Beneficial Arrangement, Part 3

[ioanite]

While she awoke the next morning still feeling uncertain about her answer, her initial shock had faded, and she was able to look at things more rationally. Monsieur Roland was certainly a decent man, someone who always greeted her with a smile and happily tried to help her find something new to read. And the way he’d extended the offer to her had been so polite that she highly doubted he wanted this marriage solely for the potential of getting her into bed. The more she thought it over, the better the offer seemed. Her only hesitation was in marrying a man so much older than her. She knew this sort of thing happened all the time, but this age difference seemed particularly large to her. Then again, that was no doubt because Roland was about the same age as her father, and thus added a few unfortunate literary associations into the proceedings

A Beneficial Arrangement, Part 4

[ioanite]

The next morning, her father went into town to buy some supplies for his next invention. He was gone for a long time, and when he finally came back with several bags of bolts and other tools, the broad smile on his face was all the answer Belle needed. After lunch, she went into town herself, holding the two books she’d borrowed

A Beneficial Arrangement, Part 5

[ioanite]

Belle and Henri Roland were married three months later. She wore a simple white dress that she had made for her, he wore a fine suit that fitted him nicely. Her father gave her away with tears in his eyes, and the little church was surprisingly full, no doubt because the villagers were surprised that little book-reading Belle had finally managed to snag a husband. Gaston was conspicuously absent, although he did appear for a minute outside the church once the service was over to grudgingly press Henri’s hand and give an over-long kiss to Belle’s cheek, wishing them both well, and then he vanished again. Henri raised his eyebrows at her, and she had to cover her mouth to hide a smile

A Beneficial Arrangement, Part 6

[ioanite]

Belle was admittedly bewildered by all this. But as Henri’s footsteps receded, she felt an unexpected surge of affection and gratitude towards him. He really was looking out for her best interests. She clasped the book to her chest in an approximation of a hug, saying a silent prayer of thanks. Then she reached for her nightgown again and swiftly prepared for bed. Once she slid under the covers, she reached for the book again and took a closer look. The title seemed relatively innocuous, and the cover drawing of a couple embracing could be found on any other book. Curious, she flipped to a page in the middle of the book and…oh. She could feel the heat rising to her face as she looked at the picture confronting her. She’d only heard of one way to make love, but if this picture was any indication, there were many, many ways to go about it

A Beneficial Arrangement, Part 7

[ioanite]

Midway through the job, she heard the door creak open and glanced behind her. The candlemaker was in the door, looking around a little apprehensively. Henri approached him with the same pleasant smile he gave to all his customers. “Good morning, Charles. What can I do for you today

A Beneficial Arrangement, Part 8

[ioanite]

That night, he remained in the bedroom, although he still politely looked away while she was getting undressed. “Feel free to continue your reading,” he said, gesturing vaguely at the book, “I have some things to look over myself. If you have a question, don’t hesitate to ask

A Beneficial Arrangement, Part 9

[ioanite]

Before the wedding, whenever Belle had mused over the life she was entering into, she had assumed it would be fairly simple, even a little dull, but with a fairly steady influx of new books to keep her occupied. She had been right, in part; the job of a bookseller was straightforward enough. But when the shop was closed…things were quite different indeed

A Beneficial Arrangement, Part 10

[ioanite]

Once a month, Henri would leave to a nearby city to find more books for his shop. The first time, he left her in charge of the store, wanting her to have the experience. He was gone for a week, and Belle felt that the shop and the little rooms were actually too big for her, and although she diligently worked on her lessons, she felt they would have gone so much easier if she’d had Henri there to help her. That was when she realized that the warm feeling she’d always had for him had developed into something more. She wasn’t sure if it was love, exactly, but it was a contentedness that could make its absence painfully known. Belle didn’t know how to put it into words, but when Henri came back, she greeted him with an embrace and a warm kiss, which he accepted with a chuckle and a gentle smile

A Beneficial Arrangement, Part 11

[ioanite]

Twice a week, they had dinner with her father; once at his cottage, once in their rooms. Henri and her father would talk over Papa’s latest invention, Henri offering little suggestions or just staying quiet and letting her father bounce ideas off him. Belle contributed when she could, but she had her own topics of conversation as well. The three of them would talk about Belle’s studies (her father was delighted to hear the various languages), about the latest news in the village or scraps of gossip about the wider world, or about the various events in their lives. He was the first one to hear, seven months after the wedding, that he was going to be a grandfather; he nearly fell off the chair with joy, and she knew the news would be all over the town by tomorrow morning

A Beneficial Arrangement, Part 12

[ioanite]

As Henri had promised, Belle started accompanying him to the city again, this time with Émile in tow. He seemed as awed by the city as she was, and laughed and waved at everything they passed. When he got a little older, he asked an endless stream of questions from the moment they spotted the first buildings to the moment he was tucked into bed. Passerby seemed charmed by him, and would sometimes chime in to answer his questions. He might have been a handful, but Belle and Henri were delighted by his inquisitive mind. “Perhaps he will be a great scholar,” Henri mused one night, “And answer some of the world’s mysteries

A Beneficial Arrangement, Part 13

[ioanite]

As for Henri and Belle, their relationship remained warm and studious. Belle was fully fluent in the various languages now, so there were no more lessons, but still plenty of chance to practice them. There was still a constant stream of books coming in, so she had plenty to read in her spare time. And although it wasn’t as frequent as it had been early in their marriage, they did, eventually, manage to work their way through every page in the book. It might have been part of the provincial life, but it felt so much more fulfilling. There was no need to dream of the future; enjoying each moment of the present was enough for her

A Beneficial Arrangement, Part 14

[ioanite]

My dearest Belle

A Beneficial Arrangement, Part 15 (final part)

[ioanite]

“Hurry up, Émile!” Mirelle called out, clapping a hand to her hat as a gust of wind flew past, “We don’t want to arrive too late for the market to close