𝐂𝐔𝐑𝐒𝐄𝐃 | 𝐭𝐰𝐢𝐬𝐭𝐞𝐝 𝐭𝐚𝐥𝐞𝐬

𝐗𝐕𝐈𝐈. 𝐓𝐡𝐞 𝐑𝐢𝐠𝐡𝐭 𝐏𝐚𝐭𝐡

𝐂𝐄𝐋𝐈𝐍𝐄'𝐒 𝐉𝐀𝐖 𝐃𝐑𝐎𝐏𝐏𝐄𝐃. Her heart pounded against her rib cage. Her mind desperately told her to turn and run away, but her legs remained frozen in place.

"Celine?"

She blinked and finally looked away from the ring and at Gaston. The smug look had melted from his face and turned to concern as if he was worried she might turn him down.

She took a step back and slowly shook her head. Gaston reached out to take her hand so that she might not leave.

"This isn't right," she said quietly. She shook her head again. "It was supposed to be Belle."

"Celine, please—"

"No!" She turned, pushing him away. "It's always been about Belle, so what's the angle here?"

"Angle? There is no angle," Gaston protested as he tried to place himself in front of her. He once again offered her the ring. "For once in my life things are suddenly clear—"

"No, it's delusional," she contradicted, "You might think you love me, but you just love the attention. Belle wasn't giving you the light of day, but as soon as she looks your way you'll run back. People don't change, Gaston."

"They can," Gaston protested, "You've shown me that I'm capable of doing so."

Celine shook her head. "No, you haven't changed. You still think that it's all about you... I feel sorry for you."

"Celine—"

"This is more than just you, Gaston." Celine offered him a look of sympathy as she turned down the ring again. "I have a lot of questions that need to be answered and I won't find them here... I'm sorry."

Before he could try to persuade her, she turned and ran back toward the cottage. However, she stopped in her tracks as she reached a fork in the road. The path to the right led back to the cottage, a place she once called home but had started to feel as foreign as the village. The path to the left led to the comfort of Belle's home. She would certainly be welcomed with warm arms, but was that where she really wanted to go? Her eyes drifted to the center path that led into the forest.

She couldn't explain how, but she knew that hidden castle held the answers that she desperately sought. She bit her lip as she debated her choices. Her heart, her mind, and her instinct each chose a different answer.

Her instinct told her to go home. The cottage was safe, predictable, and far away from suitors and the village noise. However, it now also served as a cage. Her mother hadn't explicitly said so, but Celine could tell that once the doors to the cottage closed, she would find it difficult to leave.

Her mind told her to seek out Belle. Belle always knew what to say to make her feel better. She was open-minded and never treated her like an outcast as the villagers did. But Belle was different... Her bravery had taken a hard blow and the girl was more susceptible to accept the pressure of uniformity.

Her heart told her to run into the forest. The forest was dark, dangerous, and forbidden, but it also offered closure. There was so much that she didn't know about her youth, almost like the memories had been repressed... or hidden from her. However, she could feel them returning the longer she remained on the castle grounds. She was beginning to think that her decision to leave was made hastily.

She closed her eyes, took a deep breath, and made her decision. After all, the candelabra had said that she was welcome to return at any time.