Belle's Adventures In the Swan Princess Part 1

King William looked out of the window of the carriage as it trundled along the dusty road. His daughter, Princess Odette was asleep on the seat opposite. He smiled fondly at her. He knew that she was lonely without her mother; what she really needed was a friend her own age to play with. Still, he hoped that she might find some kind of playmate in the young Prince Derek...
"Whoa!" The guard called to the horses suddenly. William frowned; they couldn't be there yet, surely?
"Sir?" The same guard called to him and William alighted from the carriage to see what the problem was. Standing in the middle of the road was a small girl, she must have been about the same age as Odette. She wore a lilac gown and purple cardigan and no shoes, only socks on her feet. She had short brown hair and was crying. She seemed frightened as William approached her.
"Don't be afraid, little one. Come here."
"Father?" Odette, now very much awake due to the fact that the carriage had stopped moving, stepped out and stood behing her father to examin the newcomer. Her eyes sparkled at the sight of her. "Who is this, Father?"
"That is what I am trying to find out," he replied. "What is your name, child?"
The girl hesitated and then said one word.
"Belle."
"Where are your parents, Belle?"
She cried a little more. "Dead, sir. My papa died last week and he was the inventor in this town and because there was no one to take care of me I was turned out of my home."
"Oh, well, now we can't have that!" William exclaimed. "You must come along with us now, Belle, we will help you."
"Yes, please come with us!" And Odette approached the girl boldly and held out her hand. "I'll be your friend if you want. My name's Odette."
"Now, daughter, don't scare the poor girl," William began but suddenly unafraid Belle put her hand in Odette's. With a mischievious grin, Odette led her back to the carriage. William smiled. Perhaps the strange new girl could become some kind of maid or companion to his daughter. "Drive on," he said as he climbed into the carriage.
For the rest of the journey, Odette chattered along excitedly to Belle who nodded and smiled and made comment where it was needed and by and by they came to a large kingdom.
"Is this yours?" Belle asked timidly.
"Oh, no, child. This belongs to Queen Ubertta, a good friend of mine," William replied. "She's a son a little older than the two of you."
Odette rolled her eyes but said nothing until the alighted, when she whispered into Belle's ear "Father wants me to marry him someday."
"Why?"
"To unite our kingdoms. I don't even know if I like him yet. I don't want to marry him if he's not very nice."
William set both girls onto his horse and they began to gallop away to meet Queen Uberta and her son. Belle, who had since stopped her crying, felt a little better now that she had a friend to confide in. Odette felt exactly the same way.

"Welcome to our fair kingdom, dear William," the kind but somewhat eccentric Queen Uberta greeted them. "And to you, young princess. And, who is this?"
William had lifted Odette down from his horse and now he did the same with Belle.
"She's my friend," Odette said, shyly.
"Uberta, this is Belle. I'm going to take her on as a maid for my daughter." And William nudged Odette to step forwards and meet Prince Derek. Belle watched as the first seeds of a somewhat bitter and hateful relationship were planted between the two young heirs of separate kingdoms...