Madelaine grabbed her horse, putting the saddle on quickly and making sure it wouldn't fall. She needed to get out of that town, no matter what he had to say about it. She finally got the saddle on, and made Jeffery sprint for the forest. She passed the river, then passed the hill they were at that day she realized just how beautiful a monster could be.
Now she knew behind that beauty that a real monster was within. Even if he didn't want her to kiss him, he could've stopped it. And he didn't. He didn't walk away, he didn't go back to the tavern to get Madelaine. And now, look what's happening.
She didn't quite know where she was going, but she was going somewhere. But she'll never know. The only sound that filled her ears was her horse's hooves and her own sobs. She truly knew the meaning of love now, and love means getting hurt.
Because love is weakness.
*****
"Lefou!" Gaston shouted, banging on the door. He sighed, when there was no answer yet again. He ran to the stables, grabbing his horse and setting off to the woods himself. He was in a dazed state still, he couldn't process what just happened.
One minute he was happy, talking with the girl he loved. The next, he's forcefully pinned against a wall and being seduced by a different woman. It was a blur, looking back at it. It was a blur because tears were forming in his eyes.
Now he was beginning to understand now, he understood the pain. He understood what it was like. And he had that exact same feeling he had the night he was going to kill the prince. Not jealousy, not anger. Love. He felt love, and he couldn't push away his love because he was too attached to it.
And now, his love is gone. She ran away, not even thinking twice. Hell, she's probably already out of France for all anyone knows. Gaston stopped his horse, hearing himself hyperventilating as he road. Too much was going through his mind. But for sure, he knew one thing. Before getting Madelaine back, he was going to murder Arthur, even if it meant jail time.
*****
Madelaine stopped her horse, trying to calm her breathing down once she heard her own breathing. It was so fast that she swore her stomach was pumping blood instead of her heart. She climbed down from her horse, walking to a river and scooping up some water. She drank, then looked around at the peaceful woods.
Peace.
Something she didn't have in this crazy world. Which was absolute torture, none the less she dealt with it. But right now, she couldn't. All she wanted was happiness, joy, love, and peace. She wasn't going to get it, because someone followed her.
The night in shining armor. The man she met just a few days ago. Maybe four days ago? The man everyone loves. The bitch she hates. Prince Arthur himself, in the flesh to comfort the girl that he broke. Because he sent Katherine to do his bidding, he sent the one girl in town he knew would do that for him.
And it worked perfectly.
When Madelaine saw the Prince, she started for her horse, but didn't quite get to leave in time.
"Madelaine, wait, wait! What happened? What's wrong?" he asked running up to her. "Are you crying?"
"No, my eyes are sweating from me running so much," she replied sarcastically. Arthur drew a fake frown, pulling the girl into him. She realized in that moment how much she needed a hug, and wow did she like this one. It almost reminded her of when...
"Now tell me what happened," Arthur said pulling the girl away.
"If I told you, you would rejoice with happiness and get down on one knee," she snapped, glaring up at him. "For all I know you probably caused it."
"Caused what?" Arthur asked, acting utterly clueless.
"I saw... I saw Gaston kissing another woman," she muttered out, trying not to cry more, but tears fell.
"Gaston? You and Gaston were involved?" Arthur asked confused, pretending, again.
"Yes, practically everyone in the kingdom knows," she said, turning away from the prince. She sighed, holding her arms as she walked down to the river. Arthur sighed, following her and standing a few feet behind where she was. "Have you ever experienced love?"
"Love?"
"Yes, love," she said, turning to Arthur. "Have you ever loved someone so much, that seeing them hurts you. And then seeing them in the wrong place at the wrong time, it breaks you." Arthur stayed quiet, realizing what he had done. He had broke a girls heart, and she thinks it was all Gaston's fault.
"No, I haven't. I was hoping that-"
"That I would marry you and you would experience that love? Try again, but the answers still no," she said turning back to the river. "To love someone, you have to know them. Physically and emotionally. You have to feel their pain, their love. You wouldn't know that because you've never felt it." Madelaine walked away from the river, right up to Arthur. "You know what I'm feeling right now?"
"What?"
"I'm feeling pissed. Pissed that I could love someone, and look who I'm telling this all to. The man who wants to marry me and ripped me away from my happiness! Tell me Arthur, did you send that woman to break Gaston and I apart? Now if you want me to like you in the slightest, I suggest you tell the truth." She stared up at him, anger swelling in her eyes.
"I sent her," he whispered, not needing to raise his voice any higher.
"And there it is!" she yelled turning away from him and snapping her fingers. "Just who I thought you were."
"And who did you think I was?" Arthur asked walking towards the brunette. She looked up at him again, shrugging.
"Not my type." Before she could do anything else, like turn away from him, Arthur grabbed her face and kissed her. She breathed it in for a second, then let go. Madelaine pushed him away, shaking her head. "I said not my type. What more is there?"
"I'm... I'm sorry, mademoiselle. I best be going," he said and she shook her head.
"Oh, no, don't. Let me leave. I don't want to be in your presence any longer." Madelaine mounted her horse, grabbing the reigns then looking at Arthur. "Find someone who will actually love you, Arthur. Then you'll have a happy ending."
"Thank you, Madelaine," he smiled, nodding to her as she kept running away from the town. Right off to nowhere in France.
*****
Gaston had taken the time to collect himself, he mounted his horse one last time then set off to go find her. On his way to the woods, he saw Arthur walking down the road. Rage boiled up inside him and Gaston stopped his horse again.
"Oh, please. I'm the man of the hour," Arthur smirked, watching as Gaston walked up to him. When he reached the prince, Gaston socked him right in the jaw without a second thought. He pulled his hand back to his side, nodding a bit.
"If only I could make that a little bit more permanent," Gaston gritted, grabbing Arthur's coat. "Never come near me, or Madelaine, ever again."
"Noted," Arthur nodded with a smirk. Gaston threw him away, Arthur hitting a tree and hurting his back.
Gaston smirked to himself, following the trail that Arthur had taken, then following the hooves in the mud and smiling. He was going to find her, and he was going to make things right.
-*-
Okay, don't get mad, don't get mad. But, I will no longer be updating every other day now.
I will be updating every Friday/Saturday if possible for my schedule.
I'm about to graduate (not from high school or college, smh) so my grades gotta like get better that means less wattpad.
I will update on non-school nights so just bear with me here, and don't get mad. It's only until after I graduate (which is very soon :) )
So for now, enjoy this.
Have a great day, my peeps.