Following their meeting Belle watched for Agathe in the streets, but didn't see her around. She continued to keep on the lookout.
No one mentioned her actions towards the village spinster, but she guessed they talked about it behind her back. She also thought she caught them staring more than usual.
The next outing as friends consisted of sitting in the tavern while Gaston told more of his stories. He had offered to buy her a drink but she declined.
"Gaston I've been thinking," she said thoughtfully the next time they met.
To this he chuckled. "Oh Belle, always thinking."
"Well, as I mentioned before with my reading and your hunting, perhaps neither of us really enjoy what the other does in their spare time, but we should respect what they like. That goes, of course, for friends. And seeing as we are, friends now, I was thinking perhaps we could make a bit of a compromise..." She dared cast a glance over at him. She saw that his face had fallen, and she quickly continued before he could cut in. "I was thinking we could alternate doing something that I like and doing something that you like, around our schedules of course," she quickly added. She didn't want to make this more often of an occurrence than it already was.
"Alright," he said slowly. "What do you mean exactly?"
"Well you showed me your medals and told me war and hunting stories at the tavern, so maybe this time we could do something that I like, such as go for a long walk or horseback ride–" Those were really more things she liked to do by herself as it gave her the chance to think and dream. "Or read..." she cautiously added, almost hoping he wouldn't catch it.
He scoffed. "Read?"
"Well yes, that is my favourite pastime. And it would be fair, don't you think, like I said, a compromise. Then we're both still doing things we like as well as being introduced to new and other things that we maybe aren't so familiar with. And we'd be spending time together, which is important, right?" That was what he wanted after all. It would also help make this whole ordeal she had gotten herself into a little more bearable.
He seemed trapped, desperately searching for a way out. "Oh alright," he finally agreed.
He had agreed. He had actually agreed! She had just been successful in persuading Gaston! She felt victorious. A smile formed on her lips. "Excellent! Then that's my choice of activity."
"Of course it is," he mumbled and followed her to the cottage.
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Belle made some tea and they got settled in the sitting room. She went over to the bookcase. "So I was thinking we could start with the one I was telling you about before, my favourite."
Could start with? He forced a smile. "You're the expert."
"Alright." She settled down in the chair by the fireplace, across from him where he sat on the couch. "And don't worry, it has lots of action and adventure that I'm sure you'll like. There's even a soldier." She curled her legs beneath her and opened the book in her lap and began to read.
He quickly noticed, just as he had before, the power of her voice. It was just so pleasing to the ears. He found himself not paying much attention to the actual story, but the words as they changed her voice. It was a sound he couldn't grow tired of hearing, so gentle and calm yet very engaging. Anything she said was interesting.
"So," she said, at last closing the book. Although he was glad to be finished, he was also a little disappointed – no more hearing her captivating voice and their time together for today was over. "What did you think?"
He gave a shrug. "You read very well."
This earned him a smile. "Thank you. And what do you think of the story so far?"
He sighed. "It's just so, so unrealistic. There's no such thing as magic and enchantments."
She rolled her eyes. Typical Gaston. "Well some people use their imagination. And it's a story, anything can happen – that's what makes it so exciting!"
(Oh my gosh over 300 reads! :D Thanks so much you guys!)