"Is there more firewood outside?" Maurice asked a bit later when the trio had gone back into the parlor. "Wood pile in here is getting rather low."

"There should be several cords of wood outside," Beast said. "I think they recently chopped a bunch, so there should be plenty for a while."

"We can bring a load in using...the wheelbarrow that used to be Pierre I suppose," Belle said.

"Oh," Beast groaned, sorrow making itself evident in his features. "I forgot about poor Pierre. Belle, he never made it far from the castle last night. He is still near. I found this out when I let Agathe in. He never made it back to the stable to dump his load in the manure pile. His final moments before turning completely were spent hauling poop."

So their first order of business was to get the wheelbarrow that was once Pierre over to the manure pile and relieve its burden. The Beast tried to shovel it out, but his injured shoulder wasn't going along with that plan. Maurice kindly took over.

"I'm glad the shovel is one of those that's always been inanimate," the Beast said. "I feel horrible that Pierre was hauling manure when the spell took full effect."

"It is unfortunate," Belle said.

"I don't know why we're bothering," the Beast said. "Getting the enchantress to plead our case. The odds of the curse being lifted are against us. She seemed unsure she'd be able to even restore them to life. Why do we hope?"

"Because while the odds might be poor they'd be zero if we didn't," Belle pointed out. "Having her go before the committee means there's some possibility."

"I suppose," the Beast said. "Then again taking the chance will make it worse if it doesn't work out."

"Well it sure would be a shame to not take a chance when they'd have agreed," Maurice said. "Okay, manure's out. Let's load up with firewood."

"Not in Pierre," the Beast said. "We should just carry wood. After he had to spend his last moments with a manure load how can we use what remains?"

"I know this is hard," Belle said. "But how can we not? You might ordinarily be able to carry a large load but now your shoulder forbids it. Papa and I have human strength so we can't necessarily carry as much in our arms as you might when not injured. We'd have to make several trips and would get winded before getting much in."

"It just feels so wrong," the Beast said. "Even without the manure issue...these used to be people. People I never bothered to appreciate until recently. I'd treated them so poorly. It just seems so wrong to use them like ordinary stuff. Like they never were people."

"I know," Belle said gently. "But most of what we need used to be people. We have few things that never were alive. Hopefully it's all temporary and the curse will be lifted soon, or at least life will be restored to the staff."

"But it's also possible nothing will change and they'll always be inanimate," the Beast said. "Then what?"

"Then we'll cross that bridge," Belle said.

With great reluctance, the Beast assented to using what remained of Pierre to haul firewood. After he was wheeled back outside, the trio had dinner, which had in fact appeared as Agathe had said, and then converged by the fire.

"I know this isn't what you want to hear Beast," Belle said. "But I mean to stay in the chair by your bed again tonight. Your meloncholy, while understandable, concerns me."

"No, Belle," the Beast said. "You couldn't have been comfortable last night. I woke to find you slumped forward with your head on the mattress. I'm sorry I've distressed you so much. I promise I'll not do myself harm."

"If that was my only concern that would be one thing," Belle said. "I might consider retiring to my own room. But it's that, plus Papa's mention of the possibility of Gaston finding us. That's a very real possibility knowing Gaston. And after that chew out session you gave him last night...well, public humiliation does not go over well with him. He clearly did not come out on top and he won't rest until he does. That unnerves me."

"I want you to get a comfortable sleep Belle," the Beast said. "I'll be fine."

"I could get a comfortable sleep in my own bed and find you slain in the morning, far beyond the aid of Agathe's elixir," Belle said. "If that happened I couldn't bear it."

"Then I'll take the chair," the Beast said. "If you insist on staying close, you take the comfort of the bed."

"No," Belle said. "Your shoulder is still healing. You need the best sleep your body can get so it can mend."

The Beast sighed. He looked to Maurice. Perhaps he could talk some sense into his daughter. If he was hoping Maurice to be of help though, he was immediately disappointed.

"She is very headstrong," the old man said. "When she gets the notion to make sure those she cares about are out of harm's way, even to her own detriment, it's hard to talk her out of that. You may recall how I pleaded with her not to take my place here, yet once you opened the door and let her in to say goodbye, she pushed me out and closed the cell upon herself."

"I do recall that," the Beast said, regret lacing his voice. "I'm sorry I ever put either of you in such a position." He sighed. "I'm sorry I have you in the position again Belle, of feeling you must sacrifice your own comfort on my account."

"We should see just what Gaston is up to," Belle said. "Perhaps...perhaps it's not as dire as feared. Maybe after some time he's finally gotten some sense in him and realized your wisdom. I can't say as I really believe that but maybe. Is the mirror still in your room Beast?"

"I carried it to the library last night when I came to rescue you," the Beast said. "It should be on the table by the portal book."

"I'll be back," Belle said, then ran off for the library.

Maurice looked at the Beast once the two were alone.

"You really do love her, don't you?" he observed.

"I do," the Beast said. "I suppose that fact would repulse you. Me, an animal, in love with your daughter."

"You're not the animal I'm repulsed by," Maurice said. "You've done some pretty repulsive things but you've learned from them and changed your ways. You're much more of a gentleman, and Gaston much more a beast, than either of your appearances would suggest."

"But I've become an animal, a beast," the Beast said. "Turned into one to match who I was on the inside. I may be a gentleman inside, but now I am more than likely always to be a Beast. A creature. An animal. If we'd made it in time to break the spell there'd be no issue. But since it's too late, and unlikely an exception will be made, it looks like the one who loves her, and has earned her undeserved love, shall always be an animal."

Maurice sensed what the Beast was thinking. He was a different species than Belle and, under any other circumstance, an interspecies romance would be repulsive. But, under any other circumstance, the animal in question is a natural animal, not a human under a curse. But still, as long as the Beast was a beast, there were lines both knew could not be breached.

"That does present a logistical conundrum, doesn't it?" Maurice said.

Before either could speak more, Belle re-entered the room with the enchanted mirror. They all gathered around.

"We'd like to see Gaston please," Belle said.

And they all found themselves watching the scene play before them.

"Are you coming LeFou, or not?" Gaston asked, frustrated. He sat on his chair in the tavern.

"Or not," LeFou said.

"And why not?" Gaston asked. "We know the Beast exists, we've seen him. It's just a matter of finding the part of the forest where it's always winter and downed trees right themselves. Then the castle's around there somewhere."

"And then what?" LeFou asked.

"Then it's hero time!" Gaston said. "I only got his shoulder before they disappeared. He's alive. I must go slay the monster and rescue my bride! Not to mention avenge my bruised ego! How dare he lecture me like that in front of the whole village? Publicly humiliated!"

"Gaston I've been seeing that ego of yours make you do some really disturbing things of late," LeFou said. "Honestly it was time someone knocked you down a peg or two. And hero time? What will you be the hero of, besides your own fantasy? Not the hero of Villeneuve, the Beast proved himself no threat."

"Yeah," Tom said. "He roared and made short work of the wagon door, but he only laid his paws on your shoulders."

"He could have hurt you with those claws or fangs," Dick added.

"Or killed you even," Stanley put in his two cents.

"Yet his only weapon was his words," Jean said. "He clearly had no intent to cause harm. We don't need you protecting us from him. His roar's worse than his bite."

"My friends," Gaston said, standing. "How can you say he's no threat? You all saw him! He's a Beast! A BEAST!"

"Oh there's a Beast on the loose all right," LeFou said. "But it's not the furry guy who could have easily killed you and many of us, yet just gave you a bit of advice and released you unharmed."

"What are you insinuating LeFou?" Gaston asked, moving menacingly close to his companion.

"That you're wrong this time," LeFou said, fighting through the intimidation he felt. "And no more will I let you bully me into going along with your twisted schemes. This isn't right and I'll no longer be part of it."

"LeFou's not alone here Gaston," Stanley said. "You don't have many backing you this time."

"You have many telling you you're wrong here," another villager said.

"Maybe you should consider that you've lost the majority," Jean said. "And that that should tell you something. If ten people tell you you're drunk, you should probably sit down."

"You've all lost faith in me?" Gaston asked. He had to reclaim his fanbase. Losing the support of most of his fellow villagers would never do! "Come on guys, I was just off my A-game for a moment last night! I'll kill that monster and come back here with my new bride on my arm! You'll see! Now, who's with me?"

Only four men in the entire tavern agreed to follow, and their enthusiasm was rather underwhelming.

"Just four of you?" Gaston asked incredulously. Then as he spoke, his voice became increasingly louder until he was booming. "Well fine! Most of you have just had your faith in me knocked back a bit. I'll come out the winner! I'll show you! You'll never doubt me again! As for those who will come with me, get ready boys! We meet at the edge of the village in one hour!"

The wild-eyed face of the determined hunter on the war path faded as Belle put down the mirror.

"Well he isn't wasting any time," Maurice said. "But if they leave in an hour they'll have about another hour of daylight. Unless they plan to ride through the night, since it'll take some time finding the castle, they'll have to make camp soon after setting out."

"Gaston is unlikely to stop too soon," Belle said. "Did you see that wild look in his eyes? That settles it. Beast, I'm afraid you can't be left alone tonight."

"Belle..." the Beast began to protest.

"Actually I think Belle has a point," Maurice said. "I propose we all bunk down in one room tonight. We can maybe figure out beds for all of us. But I think safety in numbers is the best approach here."

"I suppose that's true," the Beast conceded. "Very well. Let's figure out beds that can be brought in one place. We should keep the mirror with us and check periodically."

So it was decided that the mattresses and bedclothes from Belle and Maurice's beds would be moved to the Beast's room in the west wing. It was also agreed that anyone who should awaken in the night would check the mirror and wake the others if there was anything of note. At around two in the morning, Maurice awoke and checked the mirror. Gaston, who it seems had been abandoned by his four comrades, had made camp and was asleep. Maurice then asked to see where Gaston was in relation to the cursed part of the forest. He was not far, and Maurice knew when he set back out in the morning it would not take long before he was surrounded by winter. He put the mirror down and went back to bed, deciding that this information did not require waking the others.

Okay! So our friends are about to get some excitement headed their way. I should warn that if my brain keeps going where it seems headed, there may be a rather sinister twist. Should that happen I'll put a warning at the top of the chapter. But yeah, Gaston may be about to really get nasty.