Just as the door clicks shut behind me I feel a cool rush of air beside me followed by the cracking of wood as an axe buries itself into the door. A startled gasp leaves my lips and my hand instinctively rushes to the knife strapped to my side. Pulling it out of the leather sheath I hold it ready to slice or stab as I turn to face the danger behind me. Fully expecting to see an intruder brandishing a sword or knife to try and kill me I was overcome with the sense of relief that the person holding the sword to try and kill me was only Gaston.
"Oh, it's only you," he sighs. The wildness plaguing his tired eyes settles and he sets his sword on the closest flat surface.
"Yeah." I lower my knife back to its sheath. "Was that really necessary?" I ask pointing to the axe in the door.
His lips press into a thin line and he shrugs. "It seemed necessary at the time." I grab the handle and with one motion manage to pull the blade from the door and hand it back to Gaston. He twirls the weapon round and round. "Although, looking at it now I suppose it was a bit overkill."
"Just slightly," I chuckle.
I follow him into the kitchen and settle at the table while he makes some tea.
"So, Adrien said you were out hunting, is that right?" he asks.
Steam rises from the boiled water as he pours some into each cup he prepared with sugar and tea leaves.
"Yes." He sets one of the cups in front of me, and I immediately pick it up and take a long and considerate sip despite it being so hot. "It's been a while since I've been on a trip like this and I've been wanting to for a while now so I decided to just go."
He sits in the chair across from me and brings his cup to his thin lips taking a small sip. "Have you been wanting to go or did you go because of the fight you had with the kid?"
Sighing, I set my cup back on the table and push it away. I knew the fight would come up. After all, he was here when it happened.
"I didn't think we would get into that so quickly," I say.
"I thought it would be best to get right into it. Avoid any awkward tensions."
I bite my lip to hold back a laugh. "Yeah, because this is certainly helping us avoid any awkward tensions."
He smiles exposing a fresh gap in his mouth from a tooth that either fell out or was knocked out while I was gone.
"Yeah, I suppose this doesn't help, but we needed to talk about this. What happened that morning, Valerie?"
I shrug, "Nothing."
"It didn't sound like nothing. And the way Adrien has been acting these last three weeks shows me that it wasn't nothing."
"He seemed fine to me," I say as I shrug again. I want to slap myself in the face for how unconvincing that sounded. A blind man would be able to see how big of a lie that was.
"Now you and I both know that isn't true. The kid hasn't been himself since that morning. He walks around like he doesn't have a soul anymore. He spends most of his days crying, drinking and getting into fights. I'm worried that he might do something harmful to himself or someone else one day." He sighs and rubs his hands down his face. He looks back up at me with his eyes shining with so much desperation that it tugs on my heartstrings. "I don't want to lose that kid. He's the only family I have left and I owe it to my old friend to make sure that nothing happens to him. I want to help him but before I can do that I need to know what happened. And since he won't tell me a thing I only have you left to talk to."
Tears well up in my eyes and I cover my face with my hands.
"He told me that he's in love with me," I cry.
A sound of realization fills the kitchen along with my sobs.
"I'm guessing you don't feel the same way about him."
My hands drop back to my sides and I look up at him with tears trailing down my face and new ones getting ready at the rims of my eyes.
"He has only ever been a friend to me. I don't know when he started feeling this way about me let alone why he loves me. I had to tell him the truth right? I couldn't stay quiet and let him go along believing that he had a chance, right?"
He nods. "You're right. You needed to tell him the truth. Things would have been a lot worse if you didn't."
"How do I make things better? Please I need to make things better I can't lose my friend," I beg surprised that the words came out through the choked sob.
Getting out of his chair he walks over to me and sets his wrinkled hand on my shoulder. I manage to get a look at the skin around his wrist quickly noticing the elevated skin caused by the scar that Beast gave him. Closing my eyes I think back to that feeling that was bubbling through me in that room. That feeling that might be love. Could I love a creature that attacked a man like this?
"Right now I think the best thing you can do is give him some space. Let me talk to him for a bit and then we'll take it from there."
I hate how logical that plan sounds. I want to talk to him again and make him understand everything from my point of view. But Gaston is right. He needs some time.
I nod. "Okay, I'll give him some space. Should I find another place to live then?"
"We don't have to go that far. Just try not to bump into him while walking inside and it will be fine. Now," he playfully hits my back, "go have a bath you smell."
"I do not..." my voice trails off when I get I smell my underarms. I purse my lips and crinkle my nose. "Okay, maybe I do need a bath."
"Yes, you do. Now go before you stink up my kitchen." I down the rest of my tea before getting off the chair and starting my way up the stairs. "And next time you go on a hunting trip try bringing back some meat!"
"I want to see you try to hunt in multiple storms!" I yell back while laughing.
"I have and I was a lot better than you!"
Our laughter fills the house and for that second I felt a lot better. Sure I still hate the act that I'll have to wait before I can speak to Adrien again. And yes I'm in for an awkward couple of days or even weeks. But, I'm sure it will all be worth it in the end. Or... at least I hope it will be.
* * * *
As Dante slowly walks us toward his stable I'm surprised to see Beast pacing back and forth on the porch.
At the sound of Dante's hooves hitting the cobbles creating those incredibly satisfying clicks and clacks, he stops his paces and hastily turns around with a smile. I flash a small smile giggling slightly at the sight of his protruding fangs which causes his smile to grow wider and wider. That sickening, uncomfortable and yet still warm bubbly feeling starts to spread through my chest growing like a weed.
"You're early," he says.
I shrug. "Gaston went to bed early tonight so I thought why not come a bit earlier," I explain. "I hope that's okay."
He waves his hand dismissing my worry. "It's more than fine. You can join us for dinner then. Fabienne felt like we should have something nice to celebrate our progress."
A growl from my stomach accepts the invitation for me and right after I get Dante settled into his stable I follow Beast into the dark castle. Silently we walk through the dimly lit passageways toward the dining room where everyone else was chatting as they set the table up.
"Well, doesn't this look fancy," I laugh acknowledging the fine plates and cutlery set on the long table draped with a fine white tablecloth. Red petals that must have been from the rose upstairs were scattered along the middle of the table where larger plates where the food would be set.
"Valerie, you made it!" Amelie squeals with excitement running around the table and throwing her arms around me.
"Of course, I did," I pull away, "Wouldn't want to miss the chance to hopefully see that one turn back into his true ugly form," I laugh nodding toward Beast.
The group laughs, and he rolls his eyes.
"It's still not funny." Try as he might I know he's holding back a laugh.
"It's pretty funny," Amelie laughs holding onto a chair for support.
"I agree," Fabienne giggles. Beast shoots her a glare but she doesn't take it seriously. "I mean it's not true but that doesn't mean it's not a good joke."
"Oh really?" I tease.
"Yeah, Henry was the most handsome man in the kingdom. Some would say in all of France."
Looking at Beast there is that nagging part of me that somehow knows she's telling the truth. Call it some strange gut feeling but I know he'll be handsome once he turns back.
Shaking the thoughts from my head I turn my attention back on the table. "When is dinner going to be ready?"
Just as Fabienne is about to speak up the door leading to the kitchen swings open and Miss Potts walks out pushing a tray of all kinds of food. Their warm and inviting aromas dance around the room causing all of our stomachs to grumble and beg.
Collectively we take our seats with me ending up sitting beside Beast near the head of the table. We watch in hunger as Miss Potts sets the dishes along the middle of the table. As the last dish is set she heads to her chair and sits down.
"Dig in everybody," she says.
We waste little time in dishing large portions onto our plates. I make my way down the table scooping up chicken, vegetables, and gravy but I stop when I get to a bowl filled with this strange grey stuff.
Maurie notices the strange look on my face and taps my shoulder. "Try it. It's delicious," he says pointing to the grey stuff.
"It doesn't look delicious," I mumble skipping over it and digging into the food I have.
"Your loss," Maurie says dishing a large spoonful of that grey substance onto his plate.
Beast leans closer to me. "Don't worry. Ninety years and I'm still not a fan of that stuff," he whispers.
"It just doesn't look normal. I've never seen food that colour before."
He chuckles and motions for me to lean closer which I hesitantly do so. "It looks like it was scooped out of drains in Paris," he chuckles.
A quick laugh rattles from me. "Well, if that's what's in the drains in Paris then I'm glad I didn't go."
He smiles. "I'm glad you didn't go either."
The rest of the dinner was filled with small talk and the occasional moment where Maurie would burst into song which all of us except Miss Potts who of course thought it was bad table manners found very amusing. As soon as we finished Miss Potts and Fabienne cleared the table taking the dishes back to the kitchen to be cleaned later.
We were sitting at the table continuing light conversations as our food was digested when out of nowhere Maurie hits the table with his hands. "Let's go dance!"
"I beg your pardon," Miss Potts gasps.
Maurie darts out of his chair and waltzes over to her.
"Dance, Potsy. I want to dance," he says.
He pulls her out of her chair and forces her to twirl around the table with him.
"For heaven's sake, Maurie, let me go," she snaps, but Maurie doesn't listen and laughs as they go round and round the table.
"Mon cher, if you wish to dance then perhaps the ballroom would be a better place to do so," Fabienne points out through a laugh.
Miss Potts finally manages to overpower Maurie and pushes him away. "And perhaps with a more willing dance partner," she says dusting her dress with her hands.
Maurie looks at Fabienne with a beaming smile on his face. "You're right my love the ballroom would be better for such an activity." He turns to Miss Potts, "And I suppose Fabienne would make a better dance partner. You're a bit too stiff, Potsy. Perhaps you could provide us with some music along with, Amelie."
With the small plan figured out we all follow Maurie into the dark ballroom. Looking around I start to imagine what this room must have looked like in full swing and every image my mind creates is more beautiful than the last.
"This room is nothing compared to what it used to be like," Beast says almost confirming my imagination.
"Remember the balls that would be held here?" Fabienne asks. Her hands rest over her heart and her eyes show just how far back into her memories she is travelling.
Maurie smiles and takes her hand bringing her back to the cold reality.
"I remember us sneaking into one of those balls by pretending we were nobles from a distant land."
Fabienne giggles at the memory. "We convinced my friend to get me that dress and that suit for you."
"You looked so beautiful that night. I wish we could go back."
Fabienne smiles and pulls him closer to her. "We won't be able to do that. And while this room looks nothing as it used to that doesn't mean we can't dance like we did that night."
Standing off to the side I watch as Fabienne and Maurie twirl around the dance floor without a care in the world. I'm so focused on that I hardly notice Beast walking up to me. He coughs bringing my attention away from the dance floor and toward him.
"Would you like to dance?" he asks holding out his paw for me.
Without much hesitantly, which shocks both of us, I grab onto his paw and allow him to pull me onto the dance floor.
"I'm not a good dancer," I say before he starts moving.
He smiles down at me. "I'll go slow. And I think it's better when we have music. Miss Potts, sing us something would you."
She sighs. "As you wish." She clears her throat. "Tale as old as time—"
"Not that one," Beast says quickly stopping her.
"That's the one I always sing."
"I know. It just... it doesn't seem right for this. Do you know any other song?"
She ponders for a moment before nodding. "I know just the thing."
Looking up into his crystal blue eyes I move along to his slow movements as Miss Potts fills the room with her sweet voice. Amelie, who must have recognized the song she was singing, gently edged herself in and the pair gave us a wonderful melody to dance to.
"You're getting the hang of this," Beast whispers after we make one full loop around the floor.
"I'm just trying not to step on your feet," I laugh.
"Well, whatever you're doing is working."
Round and round the floor we get slightly faster each time yet still in time with the song. I don't know when Maurie and Fabienne left the dance floor leaving us on our own but I don't care. Twirling here on this floor held tightly in his arms and looking into those beautiful eyes I can stay in this moment forever. But moments don't last forever and even if they could I wouldn't know how to do it. This one ends not with the end of the song but with Beast groaning and tumbling backwards.
"Beast," I gasp rushing to his side.
Miss Potts and Amelie stop singing and everyone rushes to him as he sits on the floor panting and gripping at his chest.
"Another petal must be falling," Maurie says, and I couldn't agree more. After all, he only gets these pains when one does.
"He wasn't like this when they started falling why is he like this now?" Amelie asks.
Maurie shrugs. "It might be because his body is getting ready to change back. I'm not sure. But this is a good thing."
"There's only one petal left," I say.
"One... left," he grunts between the pain. And despite the pain, he still manages to smile at me.
As the pain goes away and he starts to pull himself up I feel a rush of air beside me and notice what almost looks like a stick fly past. My eyes widen when I notice that it's not a stick but an arrow.
"Look out!" I scream. But I'm too late and the arrow pierces Beast's shoulder and his mighty roar fills the room.