Chapter Text
Once upon a time, in the hidden heart of France, lived a handsome young prince within a beautiful castle. Although he had everything his heart could ever want, the prince was lonely and wished for nothing more than to meet another who shared in his heart's one particular desire. So to ease the ache upon his heart, he filled his castle with the most ornate and exotic objects in hopes of luring happiness into his somber world. Yet, when the thrill of acquiring a new trinket failed to please him, the prince grew bitter and unkind. Even the lavish parties thrown in his honor felt empty and cold despite the exquisite display of the town's best dancers, musicians and jesters performing for the court.
Then one night, a most hideous old woman and her beautiful daughter arrived at the castle seeking shelter from the raging storm outside. As a gift, she offered the prince a single rose, and the promise of her beautiful young daughter's hand in marriage. Repulsed by her horrid appearance, and the offer of the young girl's hand, the prince turned both women away with a coldhearted sneer. But the old woman saw into his heart, and called him out for the monster that she believed him to be before the court, for this prince could never love a woman. As punishment for his sins, the old woman then revealed herself to be a most powerful enchantress, and cast a wicked spell upon the prince and all those who resided in the castle for his dismissal of her beloved daughter's hand, and in the end transforming the prince into a hideous beast.
As days turned into years, the cursed prince and his servants were forgotten by the world, for the enchantress had erased all memory of them from the townspeople. As for the rose; it truly was an enchanted one. If he could find another man with the same desire within his heart as the prince before the last petal fell, he and his kingdom would be restored. But should he fail, he would be doomed to live as a hideous beast for all of time. As the years passed, the prince fell into despair; for who could ever learn to love a beast?
"Bonjour Billy!"
"Morning Monsieur Rogers," the young man smiled shyly up to the handsome Captain perched upon his impressive dappled steed, the older man returning the grin widely as his mount shifted its bulk beneath him.
"Finished that one already?" The blond guard asked as he tipped his chin in the direction of the book tucked neatly under Billy's arm, the bright blue cover familiar to the man from just the other day. Really, the boy's ability to read an entire novel within just a matter of days impressed him. Especially since reading was more of a chore than a pleasure to the Captain of the Guard.
"Oh...yes. I could barely put it down," blushing lightly as he looked down at the book he clutched protectively, Billy grinned sheepishly up at the man who chuckled much like an older brother would at his younger sibling's antics. This tugged harshly at the dark haired boy's heart, but he quickly dispelled the pang away with a forced chuckle of his own.
"Well I hope the next book you choose takes you somewhere amazing, Billy," the Captain smiled broadly once again, tipping his tricorn hat in goodbye, before spurring his horse onward onto other business. Watching the handsome man go, Billy sighed heavily as Captain Rogers vanished down the cobbled streets now brimming with the townsfolk, his heart aching slightly as he turned upon his heel and headed as quickly as he could to the tiny library to return his book before anyone noticed the pining glance he cast after Captain Rogers as the man disappeared out of sight.
Slipping through the door, Billy inhaled the intoxicating scent of drying herbs, leather bindings and aging paper as a happy smile spread across his lips. Looking up at the colored sunlight filtering through the stained glass skylight, the young man felt all his worries and sadness bleed away from his heavy mind, his dark eyes closing momentarily before a shuffling of feet off to his left caught his attention.
"Oh Billy; finished already? My goodness boy, I've never met anyone who could read as quickly as you," looking up from the stack of papers he carried, the older bookkeeper almost glared at him from over the rim of his wire glasses, before a crooked smirk crossed his roguishly handsome features.
"It's not every day you get new books in, Monsieur Strange," Billy replied as he stepped over to see if any new reading material had arrived within the last three days, not the least bit surprised when he found nothing but the same old books. Setting his most recent story down, Billy then searching along the familiar titles stacked neatly on the small shelf the town afforded for a so-called library, until he plucked out a well known, and well loved story in a faded brown leather binding.
"Well damn boy, you could have savored it a little longer! We won't be getting anything new for a while after all," Strange huffed as he shuffled through the papers now spread out upon a table, side eyeing the boy he only pretended to be mildly annoyed at with a fond smirk. Truth be told, Stephen Strange cared for the boy as if he was his own nephew, as he was the only one within the small village to care as much, if not more so, about books as him. Ever since Billy had arrived in town seven years ago with his brother and adoptive father, he had grown upon Strange despite the other villagers chastising Billy for his odd tendencies.
"Savor it? I could barely put it down! It was amazing; I felt as if I was in Constantinople myself!" Billy breathed out wistfully as he clutched his current book to his chest, a far off look in his chocolate eyes before he came back to the present with a start when Strange barked out a rare laugh.
"I do enjoy your enthusiasm, Billy. You are a breath of fresh air in this piss-poor excuse of a town. Don't ever change," Strange smiled genuinely at the young man who returned it brightly, before shooing him away with a flick of his hand. "Now go have a new adventure. Bon voyage!"
"Thank you, Stephen," Billy quipped as he waved the book before departing, the bookkeeper rolling his eyes then chuckling under his breath when he realized what book the boy had chosen once again.
"Such a sweet, queer boy that one," Strange mumbled to himself, before turning back to his paperwork with a now truly annoyed grumble.
"Where the hell have you been?" Finding himself at the pointy end of a pitchfork, Billy stiffened up for a moment, before his brown eyes met narrowed green ones at the other end of the dirtied tool turned weapon, quickly relaxing with a roll of his eyes upon seeing his brother.
"The library, Tommy. I had to return my book," pushing the fork down and away, Billy slipped past his twin who eyed him coldly, setting his book down upon their porch before picking up a bucket of seed and tossing handfuls to the gathering of chickens now circling his feet.
"It took you an entire hour to return a book? You know you owe me, I had to cover your half of the chores this morning!" Tommy huffed as he returned to spreading fresh straw around the lean-to the motley of farm animals all used, sending icy glares over his shoulder every so often to his darker haired brother who seemed a bit too chipper.
"Well I was talking to Monsieur Strange, and I," Billy started out strong, before dropping his voice to a mumble in hopes Tommy didn't hear the next part, "and I ran into Captain Rogers."
"Seriously? You need to get over this little...infatuation of yours, Billy! What if someone finds out? How will I protect you then?" Tommy tried not to shout as he slammed the pitchfork down into the soil, the four iron prongs penetrating into the earth deeply, causing their horse Phillipe to snort and toss his head when the fork just barely missed cutting into his rear limb.
"Oh Tommy stop it! It's not like that anymore! Yes he is...handsome, but my feelings for him aren't like they used to be. I know it is wrong, and I do not want to bring any humiliation to you or Papa. So I've let it go," Billy sighed as he set the now empty bucket down, moving over to grab a stiff bristled brush, running it over Phillipe's graying fur to sweep the drying mud patches he had rolled in off his shoulders, withers and flanks.
"I pray to God you have. Papa and I love you, and we accept you for who you are...but the others? They'll burn you at the stake, or...worse," Tommy said with a shudder, shaking away the image of his twin burning, hanging from a noose or even beheaded in front of the entire village for something Billy couldn't control.
"I promise," Billy said as he stepped up to place a comforting hand upon Tommy's shoulder, offering up a small, sad smile when green eyes turned to look at him. Forcing a smile in return, Tommy then wrapped his one arm around Billy's neck with lightning speed, his other hand coming up to ruffle the mop of unruly brown hair upon the other boy's head with his knuckles before Billy could escape. "Stop! Tommy!"
"Told you you owed me for skipping out on your chores this morning!" Tommy laughed before letting his brother go, ducking out of the way when Billy attempted to swing at him, before the dark haired boy huffed and tried smoothing his hair back into a more neat state. Opening his mouth to scold his twin, both boys jumped in surprise when the front door of their home slammed open with a resounding thwack, the heavy wood clapping loudly against the cob siding of the house, causing the drafty windows to rattle audibly from the force.
"Boys come quick! I did it! I actually did it!" Came the gleeful shout from their adoptive father, who looked all the part of a crazed man standing in the doorway waving his two sons inside.
"Bloody hell," Tommy muttered as he and Billy headed into their humble abode after their father, both boys waiting with baited breath as one never knew whether they would enter a complete disaster or not. When it came to their Papa, it was usually a disaster.
"Feast your eyes, boys!" Their father beamed as he struck a comical pose of absolute pride beside the contraption now taking up the bulk of their tiny main room. At first glance the boys thought of it as nothing more than an old pot-bellied stove strapped to a wooden cart, but upon further inspection, the boys took note of their best axe attached to a pulley system intricately rigged up to the stove, as well as their only teapot now permanently secured to the iron pot ring on top. And the most ridiculous item mounted to the oddity, was an old armchair sporting a set of wooden pedals off a dismantled bicycle on the front of the worn cloth seat.
"Um...what is this?" Tommy, for once in his lifetime was at a loss for words, only managing to scratch at the back of his neck idly instead, exchanging a glance with his brother before turning towards the older man who was still beaming with excitement and pride at his work.
"Its my greatest invention! With just some steam power, this wondrous machine will making chopping wood that much easier. See? You start a fire within the stove, that heats up the water in the teapot, then you take a seat and pedal until the pulleys activate the axe," their Papa explained with wild gestures of his gloved hands, taking no heed to the confused looks his sons were throwing each other and eventually him.
"So...the fire and water is for what exactly?" Billy asked as he stepped forward to circle the machine, taking note that the pulley system really had no connection to the stove or teapot except for being wrapped around it for security.
"For tea of course," the older man stated matter-of-factly, before throwing a sheet over the contraption and securing the cloth into place. "I'm leaving first thing in the morning for the fair. This will be our ticket, boys. I just know it!"