Chapter Five

"Gaston! That's the beast who took my wife!" Adam shouted as the dragon flew off into the sky.

The two men were chatting about what needed to be spoken about with Belle when the castle shook. Adam clenched his fist when the shattering noise was heard and Gaston took off. When he opened the doors, Adam watched as his former friend's wife was taken captive by the claws of the dragon. He remembered how she'd been taken away and how Gaston took off and left him alone. But Adam remembered something about forgiveness so he rushed forward when Gaston shouted.

"Belle! NO!"

Adam rushed up in time when Gaston turned and without word, sped out of the castle, as the sounds of the dragon's figure started to hide itself in the clouds. Adam knew Gaston wouldn't put a pause to a fight so he rushed behind him as he called to the servants.

"Matt! James! Mrs. Potts! Make sure the castle is secure!"

The servants complied but Adam knew Gaston wasn't going to let Belle out of his sight. Or for that matter, as the memory of the death of his wife came, Adam knew Gaston would track the beast to the best of his ability! And for that matter: Adam wanted to seek revenge for his wife!

As he rushed passed a closed room, Adam heard Gaston shout.

"Belle! No! I'm going to find you and destroy that monster before he…!"

"Gaston! Over here!" Adam called and he was thankful Gaston looked at him. The hunter was about to open the castle doors when he paused as he asked, though Adam saw Gaston's throat twisted in anger.

"Yes? What is it?"

"In here." Adam replied and he stepped into another room.

Ignoring the growl and possibly the rolling eyes, Adam pushed open another set of doors and this opened to reveal a room full of armory. Gaston was right behind Adam as he rushed over before he exclaimed.

"Well what in goodness sakes is this place?"

"An armory, Gaston! Get over here!"

Adam felt the thumping of his heart against his chest when he walked over to a set of armor. As the morning light glowed, he remembered his father informing him about this suite.

"Gaston? The two of us are going to armor ourselves for this fight. Last time the dragon was spotted: he was known to burn the men who tried to rescue any woman from his clutches! In particular," Adam answered and he remembered his wife, "those he captures for his appetites."

"You seem to have been doing some research while I've been absent." Gaston replied and Adam turned to him as he continued.

"Yes. I have done some searching since we last saw each other, Gaston. Thanks to the castle's library," here he watched as Gaston's chest tightened, "I was able to read up on the beast. Seems he's the last one of his kind but he's not finished with enslaving women for his appetite."

"And you extremely well that I dislike books for the life of me!"

"Yes; I remember that." Adam answered as he walked up to one set of armor. Like any Medieval suit, Adam narrowed his eyes as he scanned it. It glowed in the morning light and everything was in place.

"You'll need to be fitted into this before we venture out to find Belle." Adam said after a moment's pause.

"What?! The beast's within our reach, Adam! If we don't' find her: she'll be gone!" Gaston shouted and the ring echoed through Adam's ears. He ignored this and offered a prayer of courage as he replied.

'Yes. I know, my friend but we can't simply appear and shoot the beast! Unlike most hunting animals, dragons are smart. Wolves and other creatures aren't like them; they can be cunning and slick. If we're not armored: we could be gone before Belle is."

"And just how in the world do you expect me to prepare for battle? By reading books?!"

"Gaston: peace. I'm going to call James and he's going to fit you into this armor here." Adam replied as he gestured towards one out of the two sets of armor. Adam heard Gaston grumble but thank goodness he didn't curse or anything! Adam walked over towards one of the walls and after pulling a string, he knew this would beckon James to come and help the gentlemen.

"How in goodness sakes do you expect this will help us find my wife?" Gaston asked after Adam finished ringing for James. The servant appeared as Adam calculated and when he opened the doors, he was in time to hear Gaston ask this.

"Because Gaston," James replied in Adam's defense, "this dragon won't be able to stand this suit of armor or the sword which you will wield after we've put you in this armor."

Adam smiled as James helped Gaston, the former hunter of the village, over to another room as he finished.

"You're going to love this sword, Gaston!"

"And how am I going to love something like that?"

"Because this one glows when a man of nobility waves it and the dragon will go blind by it! A certain Queen gave this weapon to the first kings of the castle and she's been a valuable source to defend women, such as your wife, for centuries!"

Adam smiled when he watched as Gaston's expression turned from one of mockery to an expression of seriousness as he stood beside James. The servant was helping Adam as well as Gaston when he reached up and took the helmet from the figure before he handed it to Gaston. The gentlemen were making their way into the side room as Gaston asked.

"What is the power of this sword? And the Queen who gave you this?"

Both Adam and James looked at each other and Adam smiled as James answered.

"You'll find out soon enough once you're in that armor, Gaston. There's more to this wonderful mystery concerning this sword this Queen gave us. Even the dragon can't stand it!"

"Well: what are we waiting for?! And why am I waiting left in suspense?!" Gaston shouted and Adam watched as his friend's former anger was replaced with courage. Something Adam knew Gaston was cable of but Adam was thankful for the power of the Queen's sword which he would teach Gaston how to wield.

"Along with the armor, the helmet, the breastplate, the shield, and the shoes he's going to wear," Adam said to James after the men were inside the room, "he's going to have to practice hard to fight this dragon. He may be the last of his kind but he's cunning and he can also deceive those who aren't strengthened before going into battle."

"Well spoken, sire." James answered.

James paused before he looked at Adam as he asked.

"Are you suggesting you're not going to help fight?"

"The Queen has already helped me understand that I'm to help Gaston fight this beast, James. It's not my battle nor is Belle my wife and the Queen has informed me stepping into another's marriage is wrong." Adam replied and he remembered how the Queen herself had spoken about this to him.

"She came to you with the sword after Eve was gone, right?" James answered as Gaston placed the helmet on. Gaston was far too enthralled with the helmet to overhear James chatting with Adam about the Queen's sword.

Adam nodded when he answered.

"Yes; she did. She was lovely."

Adam replayed the memory of how he'd wandered away from his wife's death, which the dragon had taken, and how Gaston took off, when he was making his way back to the castle, a gentle voice asked from behind.

"Adam? My son? Where are you going?"

And from that moment on – Adam never forgot how the Queen told him about the power of the sword and the value it possessed. The Queen herself told him that anyone of noble heart and courage could wiled it against the power of the dragon. He was told that the light would weaken the beast and allow the knight to wedge the blade through the dragon's weakest spot and let the blood of drain out.

Adam recounted his encounter with the Queen, who'd come the day Eve was killed, and given him the sword. It was locked away in a special place but he wanted to make sure Gaston would listen to the instructions before he would practice with the sword.

"There was something the Queen told me about what the dragon does to knights who are weak." Adam reminded himself as he and James watched as Gaston looked at himself in the mirror.

"The dragon knows a knight's weakest points if he doesn't rid them before he wields the sword."

"We have to make sure he's rid of all those." Adam whispered to James as Gaston titled his head to the side.

'If I know one thing the Queen informed me about: the dragon feasts on pride and other vices. If Gaston isn't rid of them, especially his pride, he won't be able to wield the sword and Belle will be lost."

"Then let's give him a lesson! Rid him of that pride so the dragon enslave him!" James whispered back.

"And the only way it will work is by humility." Adam answered.

Looking at Gaston, Adam challenged.

"Gaston? Why don't you remove that helmet and let's put you in the rest of the armor? And would you pause in looking at yourself in that mirror? Name one thing I dislike is looks and that will get you nowhere if you expect to defeat that beast for you wife!"

This was exactly what Adam was hoping for. Gaston immediately stopped looking at himself and turning to him, he removed the helmet before he asked.

"Then why are you leaving me in high heat?! Show me what I need to do to save her!"

Adam smiled before he walked over to a side table and rang another bell. Within moments, another man appeared but he wasn't one of the servants. As Gaston's gasp could be heard, Adam introduced.

"Gaston? I would like you to meet Father Francis."
The Benedictine monk looked over at Gaston as the hunter's jaw dropped. Adam knew Gaston hadn't seen him for a long time as the monk greeted.

"Hello, my son; it's been some time."

The helmet Gaston was holding fell to the ground with a thud as Gaston's head bowed in shame. He knew what'd he'd done to betray Belle's trust and he felt all her words returning.

"I no longer trust you, Gaston."

When he looked at his friend, Adam, Gaston asked, in a voice which was emotional.

"Can… you…. Leave… us…?"

Adam and James nodded before they left the two alone. When Adam closed the doors, he offered a prayer of thanksgiving to the Queen as he whispered.

"Thank you, Blessed Mother."

Then he and James waited for Gaston to make amends with Jesus through that of Reconciliation. The small room which they left him in was none other than the castle's Adoration Chapel.