The Lady of the East is a character better known as "Beauty" from the well-known french fairytale "The Beauty and the Beast" and refers to a girl who meets and falls in love with a prince who is cursed to live out his days as a beast. By falling in love with him despite his looks, she breaks the curse on him. The Land of Stories series takes place long after the events of this fairytale- the current Queen Beauty is the Lady of the East's granddaughter. The Lady of the East is also referred to as "Old Queen Beauty". She has died, but haunts the Sleeping Kingdom as a ghost.