𝐂𝐔𝐑𝐒𝐄𝐃 | 𝐭𝐰𝐢𝐬𝐭𝐞𝐝 𝐭𝐚𝐥𝐞𝐬

𝐗. 𝐀𝐧𝐨𝐭𝐡𝐞𝐫 𝐃𝐞𝐚𝐝 𝐄𝐧𝐝

𝐌𝐀𝐔𝐑𝐈𝐂𝐄 𝐓𝐔𝐑𝐍𝐄𝐃 𝐇𝐈𝐒 𝐇𝐄𝐀𝐃, but only grew more lost in the process. He crossed his arms over one another pointing in both directions. "No... I'm sure this is the way."

LeFou tensed up at the sound of a wolf howling in the distance. "You hear them too?"

Gaston nodded his head, cautiously checking his shoulder. "Where there's one, the pack is bound to follow..."

"We must be getting close," Maurice insisted but failed to find his sense of direction.

Gaston shook his head. "Look, enough is enough. We have to turn back. The storm is only getting worse and I have no intentions of being eaten alive tonight."

"Stop!" Maurice shouted then sprinted toward a fork in the road, separated by a large tree. "That's the tree! I'm sure of it. It was downed by lightning at the time. But now... it's resumed an upright position through some sort of magic or other..."

LeFou leaned closer and whispered, "You really wanna marry into this family?"

"My only other option appears to be the town witch," Gaston retorted.

LeFou sighed. "We really need to update your taste."

"So, that means... that the castle is that... No. No, it's..." Maurice got turned around again. "That way. Definitely, that way."

Gaston shook his head and placed a hand on the old man's shoulder. "I am done playing this game of yours. Where is Belle?"

With patience, Maurice again tried to explain, "The beast took her and she—"

"There are no such things as beasts. Or talking teacups. Or magic!" Gaston snapped. "But there are wolves, frostbite, and starvation."

LeFou stepped between the two and tried to get Gaston to calm down. "Deep breaths, Gaston. Deep breaths."

Gaston took a deep breath and placed a pleasant but pained smile on his face. "So, why don't we just turn around? Go back to Villeneuve. I'm sure Belle is at home, cooking up a lovely dinner."

"If you think I've made all this up... then why did you offer to help?"

"Because I want to marry your daughter!" Gaston shouted in exasperation. "Now, let's go home."

"Belle is not at home." Maurice shook his head and pointed toward the trail. "She is with the—"

"You say beast one more time..." Gaston threatened, taking a menacing step closer to Maurice, "I will feed you to the wolves!"

"Gaston! Stop it! Breathe!" LeFou grasped Gaston by the shoulders and began to massage the tenseness out of his neck. "Think happy thoughts. Go back to the war. Blood. Explosions. Countless widows."

"Widows," Gaston repeated while his eyes remained closed.

"Yes. Yes." LeFou nodded and breathed with him. "That's it. That's it."

"Maurice! Please, forgive me, old bean," Gaston apologized, "That's the hunger and the cold speaking, but it's still not the way to talk to my future father-in-law... now is it?"

"Future father-in-law?" Maurice questioned.

Gaston nodded his head, practically striking a noble pose while flashing his signature grin. "Yes!"

Maurice shook his head and turned his back. "You will never marry my daughter."

Gaston's face turned red and his hands clenched into fists. LeFou's eyes widened as he realized what Gaston's next intention was; however, before the hunter could knock the old man unconscious, a nearby crash interrupted his thoughts.

The three turned and sprinted toward the source of the noise. In the center of an iced over clearing, a carriage laid in pieces. From the looks of it, the carriage was horseless and had no driver, leading to the assumption that it had become unhitched and crashed against the trees. They remained entirely unaware to the fact that it had once been enchanted and simply slipped on the ice. They were far too concerned with the delicate creature within.

Gaston gasped and practically tore the door from its hinges before lifting an unconscious Belle from the stomach of the carriage. Had the roles been reversed, Gaston certainly would've rubbed it in the old man's face that he'd be right about Belle being trapped in the woods, but Maurice did none of the above. Instead, he approached his daughter's side with great concern and sought for some sign that she was still alive.

Gaston's eyes quickly dashed back and forth between the trees before he noticed a familiar set of wind chimes hanging from a low pair of branches. "This way... the witch's hut isn't far. She should be able to help us."

"Not to mention you'll be viewed as a hero in Celine's eyes for bringing Belle back to the village safely," LeFou whispered while wiggling his eyebrows.

Gaston rolled his eyes. "Even better, I'll be viewed as a hero in Belle's eyes for returning her home safely. She'd be a fool to reject my proposal now."

"But what about Maurice?" LeFou questioned.

Gaston glanced over at the old man. Maurice's eyes remained trained on Belle. Gaston silently chuckled and shook his head. "He'll come around. He's her father. He only wants what's best for her, and I'm the best thing for her."