Madelaine// Gaston |1|

15

     As the next day creeped up on the city of Paris and the little town, Madelaine and Gaston had quickly traveled home to see if they could receive and invitation. Madelaine was going to visit the castle to see if Belle would be so generous as to inviting her and Gaston.

     So she stood there at the door to the palace. It seemed so much better now that everything was alive. The palace was happier. The loud noise of four bangs against the door caused Madelaine to jump back. She was not prepared for that one. As the door slowly opened, it revealed a young man with long blonde hair tied behind his head.

     "May I help you?" he asked, and Madelaine smiled. She recognized him as the Prince.

     "I'm looking for Belle, I'm a friend of hers," she nodded, breathing steadily.

     "I recognize you from the castle, right before-"

     "You changed from that into this," Madelaine finished, motioning to his figure.

     "Yes," he chuckled, smiling. "Right this way." Madelaine stepped inside the castle, taking a first glance around. It was glowing. Literally glowing. She almost stopped in her tracks to look around the entire place. It was truly beautiful to her. She was speechless. 

     "Wow," she breathed out, turning on her heels. 

     "It looks much more different now that it's not crumpling to the ground," Adam said, noticing the girls amazement. 

     "Last time I was here a candle tried to burn my foot and a wardrobe made me trip because I was kinda saving your life. I bet if those two saw me now, they would understand what I was doing." Adam nodded, a slight smile showing on his face. 

     "And for that, I thank you," Adam smiled, then looked at the stairs. "Cogsworth!" A minute later, a older man came rushing down the stairs. 

     "Yes, master?" he asked, stopping in front of the Prince and Madelaine. 

     "Show miss..."

     "Madelaine." 

     "Show Miss Madelaine to the library where Belle is," Adam said after learning the hunters name. 

     "Right away," Cogsworth turned to Madelaine with a smile on his face. "Follow me, mademoiselle." They started walking on their way to the library, nobody talking. 

     "I take it you were the clock," Madelaine said, breaking the silence. He glanced at her, nodding. 

     "Yes, I was," he responded, looking forward again. 

     "And who was the one who attempted to burn me?" she asked, crossing her hands in front of her. 

     "That was Lumiere. I'm sure he is deeply sorry," Cogsworth said smiling. He stopped in front of two large doors and knocked. "Lady Belle?" 

     "Come in Cogsworth!" she shouted back. He opened the door, peeking in. 

     "You have a visitor," he said, and she smiled. 

     "Let them in," she said. Cogsworth motioned for Madelaine to walk in. She stepped inside, causing Belle to look over. "Madelaine!" Belle sprang up from her chair and ran to her friend. She engulfed her in a hug, Madelaine having the same reaction. "Where did you go? I thought you were hurt!" 

     "No, I was just in Paris. It's a lot to explain, but for now, I need to ask you something," Madelaine said, breathing in. 

     "Anything for a friend," Belle smiled, sliding her hands to Madelaine's arms down from her shoulders. 

     "I need two invites for the ball here tomorrow." Belle's face softened into a questioning look. 

     "Well one if for you, obviously. But who is the other?" she asked, confusion in her voice. 

     "Would you be mad if I said Gaston?" Madelaine asked, cringing at the question. Belle's face turned into a smile. 

     "I knew it from the start. He never wanted to marry me because he had fallen in love with you!" Belle exclaimed. Madelaine's straight face turned into a happy smile. "Of course I can get you two invitations." 

     "Thank you so much! Now, do you want me to tell you where I have been for the past week?" Madelaine asked, hinting a smile. 

     "Oh yes please," Belle laughed, leading Madelaine to a chair. Then she started telling the story of everything that happened in the past week. 

          *****

     Gaston knocked on the door to the small cottage he was standing in front of. The owner of this small cottage: Lefou. A second later, the door opened and Lefou's eyes widened. 

     "Gaston!" he shouted, happiness in his voice. 

     "My good friend!" Gaston shouted back. "So good to see you." 

     "What are you doing here?" Lefou asked, now realizing Gaston should be traveling with Madelaine. 

     "Well, it's quite a long story," Gaston started, trying to look inside the small cottage. "But I wanted to meet the person you've grown close with." 

     "Yeah, about that..." Lefou started, trying to decide how to tell him. 

     "What?" Gaston asked growing worried. 

     "This person, well," he paused, looking back in his house. "This person isn't a girl." 

     Gaston froze in his place. He didn't know what to say. Lefou with a man? How had he, Lefou's best friend, never noticed that he wasn't like other men. He liked other men, not girls. It was new information, and it was quite surprising. So Gaston did the only thing he could do. 

     "Lefou, this is great!" he shouted, hugging his best friend. Lefou was shocked, but honestly he was happy on the inside. "I don't care if you like other men, as long as my longest friend and brother is happy then I'm happy." 

     "Thank you so much, Gaston," Lefou smiled. They were best friends, why wouldn't they support each other? 

          *****

     Belle had a huge smile on her face once Madelaine finished her story of Paris. She told Belle about the river, Philip, the streets of the city, the ball, skipped what happened later that night, then she got to Arthur. 

     "There's one more thing about Paris that I need to tell you," Madelaine said, sitting forward in her seat. 

     "What?" 

     "When I was hunting, I met a man. It was Prince Arthur," Madelaine said, causing Belle to freeze. "You know his intentions of marrying the most beautiful girl at this ball, and he called me beautiful." 

     "I, wow, I don't know what to say," Belle said scooting forward as well. "Have you told Gaston?"

     "He would murder that Prince if I told him what he said. That's why I'm telling you. When Gaston wanted to marry you, you turned him down bet he kept going. I made that stop, but I don't know how to make Arthur stop." Belle was out of ideas, and words. Madelaine was clueless, and well, Adam might have had the solution. 

     "If I could be of any assistance," he said, walking in the room and getting the attention of both the women, "I could put a word in with him that you aren't available for marriage." 

     "You would do that?" Madelaine asked standing up. 

     "Of course," he said. They all looked around, smiling. That night was going to go perfectly according to plan. 

-*-

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Didn't wanna say shook, but hey, don't forget to vote. 

Bye my peeps.