Certain as the Sun

Belle did not keep the magic mirror when she went to find her father. When D'arque came for her father, she had no choice but to agree to marry Gaston. But there are some things that a simply meant to be. Belle and the Beast must now struggle past time and memory to find that true love really is as certain as the sun.

Disclaimer: Belle and the Beast and all their friends are the property of Disney. I do not own them but am grateful for the opportunity to use them in the unleashing of my own imagination.

Rating: This story is rated K+

Chapter 1

Belle looked around for a kind face in the mob of people. She was frantic, unsure, and it seemed that no one was going to help her. A voice sounded behind her.

"Tsk, tsk, tsk. Poor Belle. It's a shame about your father."

It was Gaston, the last person she wanted to go to for help. But he did have some influence in the town. If anyone could help her father, surely he could. But would he?

"You know he's not crazy, Gaston." She pleaded with him, hoping, praying that he would do something.

"I might be able to clear up this little misunderstanding, if..." Belle stepped back. There was way too much emphasis on that "if." And if Gaston really was the arrogant, chauvinistic, pig she thought him to be, that "if" wasn't something she wanted to hear. But she had to ask. She had to help her father.

"If what?" She waited, dreading the answer to her question.

"If you marry me." Of course.

"What?"

"One little word, Belle. That's all it takes."

"Never!" She spat the word. Just the thought of marry him made her sick to her stomach.

"Have it your way." Gaston turned his back on her and began to walk away.

Belle considered her options. Her father was being taken from her, to be thrown into the asylum and locked up where she'd never see him again. She had thought she lost him once when the beast had sent him away. But he let her go back to him and she wasn't about to lose him again. She knew he wasn't crazy but had no way of proving it. 'If only I had kept that mirror…'

"Belle?" Maurice called to her as the mob threw him into the wagon. "Let go of me!"

In that moment, Belle knew what she had to do. She had to give up the new life she'd so suddenly found, her new friends, her new family. She had to save her father.

Her resolve set, she turned and called out to Gaston.

"Wait!"

Gaston stopped, and turned slowly to face her. A small grin highlighted his square face. He was mocking her, daring her to turn him down. She wanted to. More then anything she wanted to get on Philippe and ride back to the castle, back to the Beast. There she'd be safe, but she wouldn't be happy, not without her father.

"A- alright" She said firmly.

"Alright what?" Belle cringed at his mocking tone.

"I- I'll marry you. But you have to promise that my father will be released and that no one will ever try to take him away again."

Gaston leered over her. "Promise it." It was an order.

Belle hung her head. "Y- You have my word." For the second time in only a few short months, those words sealed her fate.

"Done!" Gaston stomped off with a flourish and a smile. After a few short words between him and D'arque, Maurice was released from the carriage and back in Belle's arms.

"Oh, Papa!" She hugged him gratefully.

"Belle, how did you…?"

She shook her head. "It doesn't matter Papa. They won't hurt us now." She looked up as Gaston returned, still smiling.

"Come Belle. We must get ready for our wedding." Other girls in town would have fainted at these words. Belle only felt sick.

"Wedding?" Maurice asked, looking between his daughter and the man before them.

"Of course! Belle has agreed to be my wife." He said this as though Maurice hadn't just nearly been thrown into the asylum, as though it were the most obvious thing in the world.

"Belle? Is that true?" Belle could only nod.

Gaston seemed to be tired of waiting because he suddenly grabbed her arm and forced her to stand. "Come on, my little cupcake. The priest is waiting." he started to walk off with her in tow, but his word made her stop.

"Wait! Tonight? We can't possibly get married tonight!" She may have promised to marry him but getting married right at this moment was out of the question.

"And why can't we?" He ground his teeth on the word "why."

"It's too soon. I just got home. I've barely had time to wash my face. I'm certainly not ready for a wedding!"

Gaston considered this for a moment. She was going to be his forever. What's another night going to hurt? He shrugged and released her arm. "Alright then, we'll be married first thing in the morning…"

"A week." Belle insisted, thinking fast.

"A week! Why on earth would you need a week?" He was getting angry. She'd have to play her cards right to get him to do this.

"To get ready." she stated plainly. "I'm only going to be married once and so I want it to be perfect. I'll need a dress, and there'll have to be cake, and the whole town will have to be there…" she paused, and then looked directly at him with the best smile she could muster under the circumstances. "Don't you want a perfect wedding Gaston?"

That did it. Gaston couldn't possibly pass up the chance to flaunt his victory before the whole town. After another moment of consideration, he relented. "A week then. And not a day more." Belle sighed with relief. "But don't you even think about running off. You gave your word, remember?"

Belle nodded solemnly. "I remember."