The next few days after my brother and I's confrontation, were as I mentioned tense. I didn't speak to him and he didn't speak to me. I knew that Belle and her father were coming back soon but I didn't know when.

One evening I noticed that the beer supplies were running low and I'd not seen hide or hair of the damn beer merchant for over a month. Well that was to be expected considering the war...but it meant I'd have to leave town and purchase the damn beer myself from our alternate buyers….and I HATED dealing with those asswipes. Their beer was utter piss and they knew it. But with the war going on my regular suppliers from over the Rhine were obviously having much biggers concerns.

Which meant that when I stomped up the stairs I had to walk over to my brother and break the silence. He was nursing a stein in his fur-clad chair by the fireplace.

Standing behind him I cleared my throat. "Gaston."

There was silence for a moment, "Yes, Pierre?"

Taking a breath I continued, "We're running low on beer and Piet hasn't come in. I'm going to have to go to our alternative suppliers."

There was a longer silence, then, "The St. Germain brothers? Their beer's awful."

I groaned, "I know that...but we don't have a choice. Considering what's happening over the Rhine right now we're not likely to get any of the good stuff for a while."

Longer silence, "Then that means you'll have to go yourself."

I couldn't resist and said, "You know you could come yourself, you're the better negotiator and you know it."

"You know I can't, Elliot won't speak with me." He responded, slightly annoyed now.

"If you just apologized…." I started heatedly then I stopped took a deep breath and continued. "Never mind. I'm going to be gone for the next couple of days and likely won't be back until late. That means you're running the tavern for the next three days. Which means you need to get Andre back in here. And please don't let him drink up our supplies for free. Dock it from his pay if you have to but no free samples. We can't afford that sort of bite into our profits right now. Especially after…" I stopped again.

Gaston grunted a bit as he rose and turned to face me. "After I paid off d'Arque." He finished, his blue eyes defiant.

I grit my teeth, "I still think it's a damn foolish idea and you can't change my mind."

"And you won't my mind either Pierre. Besides the money's gone and the old ghoul isn't going to give it back anytime soon." Gaston retorted.

I sighed and turned up towards bed, at the top of the stairs I turned around and said, "She doesn't love you and she doesn't want you and nothing is going to change that. It would be wise if you just let it go and find someone else."

Gaston didn't say anything at first, then he said, "Just you wait, by the time you get back I'll have walked Belle down the aisle. One way...or another."

"I pray for your soul brother. Good-night." I then headed for bed.

I left early the next morning, hitching our cart-horse Louis to the beer wagon we kept for such purposes. By time I was heading down the road, my brother was already gone, up into the tree-covered hills for another hunting trip was my best guess.

I sighed again, my brother had always been as proud as a cat and never took insult well especially to his ego. But while he'd always been an arrogant prick, this was something new entirely, this was a dark road my brother was going down, one that I knew that if I didn't do something about was going to end in his death. If you'd asked me before my metaphysical transfer, I'd have said let the bastard die. I'd have likely volunteered to push him over the side.

But now? After twenty years of living with him? With memories of the two of us running all over the village and surrounding hills? Of climbing everything that could be climbed? Of him always pulling me up when he always beat me? Coming to my defense when we were little and the older boys decided to kick us around?

He was an ass but dammit he was my brother. This obsession was going to get him killed. And what kind of brother would I be if I didn't try to prevent it.

I returned a few days later, right on schedule. I'd taken the news about Austerlitz with a better mood than I'd expected. I'd been iffy on where Austerlitz was in relation with France but when I'd figured out from some of the workers for the St. Germain brothers' brewery that Austerlitz was in eastern Bohemia hundreds of miles from our home-town, I'd become quite relieved. It seemed that Gaston's massive 'donation' to the d'Arque Asylum WASN'T going to result in us not having the money to pay off hordes of fleeing soldiers. That also meant I needed to apologize to the bastard for that much...even if everything else was vile to the extreme at least he was endangering our home town...small joys and all that.

As I'd noticed storm clouds gathering I'd decided to get on the road in one last push before the rains started and made the roads a muddy nightmare. It was about an hour before dawn when I was at the last stretch before home and a nice nap before getting ready for the evening. As I turned the last bend and spotted our town I noticed there was a lot more movement in town than was normal. Spotting the baker's wife Marie standing outside her house, I asked, "What's going on?"

Madame Marie turned and her face looked fearful, "Oh Pierre, thank God and the Virgin Mary you're here. Belle and her father just returned home this and when Monsieur d'Arque came to take Maurice to give him the help he needs Belle tried to stop him, we learned that there really is a monster up there and it's warped the mind of poor Belle. Oh Lord preserve us I can't imagine what that monster did to that poor girl to make her act like that."

My eyes widened in horror, "Where's my brother?"

"Oh Gaston and the men have gone up to deal with that monster. You'd best go as well, they'll need all the help they can. I saw the face of that monster through that mirror Belle had on her, most likely some sort of spying device for the beast. I nearly fainted from fright just seeing its teeth." She soon started to shudder from the memory of it.

I'd not seen her reaction, instead taking Louis as quickly as I could back to the tavern, unhitching the wagon, shoving his saddle on and getting him to gallop towards Maurice and Belle's home.

When I arrived I heard pounding from the cellar door. Seeing that the doors were locked with a heavy padlock I simply grabbed the handles and pulled. My brother was a strong man, able to take on at least three other men in a fight with relative ease and I'd never beaten him in a fight myself. But that was mostly because he was faster than me and had a mean-streak a mile wide. When it came to sheer brute strength I doubted there was a man in the whole of Alsace-Lorraine who could match me.

I expected I wrenched both doors clean off their handles...I was going to have to apologize to Maurice for that and pay for the damages...but that was later.

Flinging them aside I stuck my head in, and was nearly brained with a heavy wrench. Flinging myself back with a curse I stood up and shouted, "Wait! Wait! I'm here to help!" I shouted.

There was silence then I heard a female voice. "Pierre? Is that you?"

"Belle, Maurice? Are you alright?" I asked looking in. Belle and her father were standing at the base of the stairs, Belle held a large wrench in both her hands a frightened look on her face.

"Pierre? What are you doing here?" Belle asked, suspicion in her voice.

"I've been out of town for the past three days I heard from the baker's wife the story." I said, ignoring her question.

I offered my hand and helped both of them out of the cellar. Looking around I spotted their horse Phillipe already trotting over. His intelligent eyes focused on Belle and Maurice, then he spotted Louis and narrowed them in anger, Louis also spotted him and both Stallions made to fight right then and there.

I did NOT need this shit right now. "Oh for the love of...You two idiots can fight over Rosemary some other day. Right now we need you to take us to wherever the hell my brother's gone. If you don't put it aside right now I'm going to turn you two horn-dogs into GLUE MYSELF! DO I MAKE MYSELF CLEAR?!"

Both horses stopped dead in their tracks and stood at attention like they were in a military parade. Good.

Nodding to myself I turned back to Belle, "Right, now that's settled for the moment. I need you to lead me to this castle I heard about."

Her face grew defiant. "I'm not letting you hurt the Beast! I'll die before that."

"Belle calm down that's not what I want. I'm trying to stop my brother before he gets himself or anyone else killed." I said, trying to calm the spirited young woman down.

She stared for a moment. "Wait, you don't think he's a monster."

"If you say he isn't then he isn't." I said.

"And you believe me? Just like that?" She said, still amazed.

I sighed, not the time for this really! "Belle, I may not have talked with you much when we were younger, but I never thought you were crazy. You're also not one to lie, especially not about something like this."

I then turned to Maurice. "Maurice, from the bottom of my heart I am SO sorry for what's been done to you and your daughter. I've been keeping my head down for too damn long but it's high time someone knocked some sense into my brother. I don't understand why they're so ready to follow Gaston in locking you into the loony bin. Sure you might have blown a few things up over the years...but you'd think they'd have made you the town hero after you set up that chilled beer dispenser system I asked for last summer? The ingratitude of some people…."

"Oh Pierre.."Belle started but we were interrupted when a male voice called out. "Hey! What are you doing?"

Turning around I spotted the two assistants from the asylum walking around the house. Their hands reached for the clubs at their side.

"Don't have time for this!" I growled out, then marched over to the two goons grabbed them by the side of their heads and slammed them together. They dropped like marionettes with their strings cut.

Giving them a good kick to make sure they stayed down I nodded in satisfaction. "Right then let's get a move on. Maurice, get dressed. Belle I'll help you saddle Philippe, I'll follow you to the castle or wherever this beast is."

The two stared at me in surprise. Belle was the first to speak, "Pierre...I don't understand….why are you doing all this?"

I stopped and said, "Just because I didn't fight with my brother doesn't mean I ever agreed with him. I've always told him he was nuts in his relentless pursuit of you when you obviously weren't interested...but he never listened...he's always been like that. Now let's get moving!"

"Hey don't leave me behind." A small boy's voice shouted.

Turning around I spotted what had to be Chip the teacup hopping down the stairs. I stared at him for a moment, seeing him on screen was one thing. Seeing in person was another. Shaking my head I said, "Never mind you can tell me later. Let's go!"

A few minutes later the two of us were riding through town at full gallop, passing the tavern I shouted "STOP! I need to get something be just a moment."

I quickly dismounted, rushed into my bedroom and pulled out the long package wrapped in burlap. "I hope I'm right." I said to no-one and dashed back out. Strapping the long package to my back and remounting Louis I said, "Alright let's get moving."

With that we dashed through town, up the mountain path, over several streams. Rain began to pour as lighting crashed overhead and across the mountains but still we rode.

Through the trees we spotted the castle and we could see the torches of the mob. "There they are!" I shouted.

I kicked Louis' sides and rode faster soon outstripping Maurice and Belle. On the final stretch I could hear my brother's voice.

"Take whatever booty you can find. But remember, the Beast is Mine!"

Now or never, grabbing the package I quickly unwrapped it and flung the burlap aside. Grasping the item in both hands I brought one end to my lips and blew with everything I had.

When I was little I remember asking my grandfather if there was a way to interrupt a Song and Dance number. He'd thought for a while then said that there was but it required several things. First you needed a VERY loud instrument. Second you needed a tune, a loud tune that was completely different from the tune that was already going. Third, and this was most important, you needed incredible will power because every instinct in you is going to fight you interrupting the music already going on but it WAS possible.

Taking this knowledge to heart I started making my plans when I was about twenty years old. It took a lot of work to gather the materials, put them together and practice without anyone knowing about it.

And the results of all that work had me riding on a galloping plough horse, with both hands wrapped around a rough facsimile of an old Gallic Carnyx war horn, blowing as loud a tune into it as I could. All while galloping in the rain, on a mountain path, towards an enchanted castle, to stop a singing lynch mob….when did my life get so weird.

(AN/ Link for the Song: watch?v=DaRnI5Hra9c)

I entered the gates right when I started playing and I galloped down the bridge towards the mob. I don't know if I played well, but I knew I played LOUD, loud enough that the stones of the castle seemed to vibrate with its intensity.

My grandfather was right, this was HARD, every instinct in my body demanded I join in the mob's song, even just as accompaniment. But I held on. But it hurt….God above did it hurt. My lungs and throat clenched and demanded I stop but my will was strong and I was going to stop this insanity right here and right now. So I kept blowing, and kept playing, eventually the mob stopped singing and turned to stare at me. I kept playing.

They set down the ram. I kept playing.

They lowered their weapons. I kept playing.

I passed through the second gate into the courtyard. I kept playing.

My brother approached me. I kept playing.

The power of the mob's song faded to nothing. I kept playing.

I kept playing until Gaston grabbed my leg and said, "Pierre, what are you doing?"

I stopped playing. I gasped for air, I felt pains in my sides and lungs like I had run a marathon. Holy Fuck I hoped I never had to do that ever again!

Realizing my brother had spoken I turned, sucked in my breath, and slugged him in the face. He dropped to the stones of the courtyard, more stunned than hurt.

I got off Louis and walked over to him. He'd quickly gotten up. "Pierre, what are you DOING?"

"Stopping you brother, from making a huge mistake." I decked him again. He went sliding across the wet stone towards the castle.

Spitting out blood he stared at me. "Why? There's a monster in there that needs to be stopped."

"The only monster I see is the one standing before me where my brother once was." I said in a voice as cold as ice.

"So you're against me to then? Brother?" Gaston said, his eyes wild as lightning flashed overhead. Then they narrowed, "I see...you want Belle as well? Don't you? I should have known you two bookworms wanted each other, the only two obsessed readers in the village, it never made any sense that you didn't try to make a move on her...I always thought it was because you knew she was meant for me. But I understand now, you were too much a coward to try. Just like you've always been with all the other girls in the village.

But when you thought I might really make her mine you couldn't just sit to the side anymore. Well it's too late brother, Belle is mine! And not you nor any beast can stop that!"

I stared at him for a while, then I did the only thing possible. I laughed, I laughed so hard I bent over, I clutched my sides, my booming laughter drowned out the thunder itself.

Gaston didn't take that well. "Wha..why are you laughing? Stop laughing! Stop laughing dammit!"

I stopped, wiping a tear from my eye. I wheezed one more time and said, "Oh Gaston. You couldn't be more wrong brother. Belle is so far beyond our league we might as well be reaching for the stars. There's a man worthy of her but it isn't either of us."

Gaston snarled, "I AM worthy of her! I am the best there is! There is no one like Gaston! No ONE!" He charged me, his fist cocked back for a strong punch.

I simply stood and waited, when he threw his punch I raised one hand and caught it. It stopped dead. Gaston recovered quickly and tried to pull out his fist from my grip but found he couldn't.

"It seems I'll have to drive the point into your skull the only way you know how." I said in a voice as hard as Iron.

Gaston, still as full of bravado as ever, smirked and said. "You've never beaten me before brother, and you won't now!" He pulled back his other fist. I caught it as well.

Something stirred in my soul….I see well it certainly fits….with a few lyrical modifications.

'And who are you?'
My brother said,
'That I must bow so low?'

I headbutted him, hearing cartilage break as I did so.

'Only a cat of a different coat,
That's all the truth I know.'

Letting go of one hand I cocked back and punched him in the ribs with everything I had. It sent him flying backwards actually sliding fast enough to hit the base of the stairs before front doors of the castle.

Dazed he sat there while I advanced.

In a coat of Gold or a coat of Red.
A lion still has claws.

He stood back up and advanced again, this time his hunting knife out.

And mine are long and sharp brother

As I sang that I grabbed his wrist holding the knife, clenching hard enough to make him drop it.

As long and sharp as your.

I slugged him again, this time in the jaw, I heard bone crack as he went down.

And so he spoke

I kicked him

And so he spoke

I kicked him again.

My dear brother Gaston

I picked him up and threw him against the front doors of the castle.

And now the rains weep o'er his head.
With not a soul to care.

I advanced up the stairs, the other men of the village parting like the Red Sea before me. I picked up my brother by the front of the shirt. His eyes were wide with terror.

The last part of the song came in almost a whisper.

And now the rains weep o'er his head.
With not a soul to care…

I cocked back my fist one last time and punched him again. He was out like a light.

I checked his pulse to make sure he was still alive, then pulled him out of the way of the door. I stood up and worked my fingers, damn but he had a hard skull.

I turned around and saw the rest of the village staring in stunned awe, they'd known for years that Gaston was the best fighter in the village, but Pierre, quiet Pierre, had just destroyed his brother without getting even touched.

Right then Belle and Maurice came thundering over the bridge and entered the courtyard themselves. The men seemed to tense at their approach. "Don't touch them." I said. None did.

Belle dismounted and ran towards the door, she paused and gasped as lightning crashed overhead and she saw Gaston's unconscious body leaning to the side of the door. She turned back to me, a questioning look in her eyes. "Pierre…?"

"My brother and I had an argument. He needed some….aggressive persuasion before he saw things my way. Now I believe there's someone inside you need to speak with...allow me." I turned and pounded on the door, then in a loud voice I called out. "To the Lord of this Castle, I believe there is someone you know who wishes to speak with you."

There was silence, then the front door creaked open slightly. "Well go on Belle. I'll make sure you aren't interrupted."

Belle looked at me again, then touched my cheek and said, "Thank-you." With a smile she dashed in. The door slammed back shut. Nodding to myself I turned around to look at the gathered mob. None of them spoke. I noticed Maurice holding Philippe's reigns.

"Hello Maurice." I said, prompting the other men to turn around and look at the man. "I believe you're owed an apology. From all of us."

There was some muttering among the mob, "I said you're owed an apology from all of US!"

Faster than you could blink each and everyone of them were lined up to apologize to Maurice, who was more than a little taken aback at the deluge of regret coming at him.

As they lined up I turned to look as LeFou was helping my brother to his feet. I shook my head, why the little guy stuck with him like that I'll never know but it was comforting I guess to know my brother had a friend that loyal to him.

Gaston's face was a swollen mess and blood flowed freely from his nose. "Why? Why?" Was all he managed to say.

"Because the man for Belle is in that castle. And you almost broke our most sacred oath. Look at the sigil over the front door."

Everyone turned and took a closer look. When another bolt of lightning flashed and illuminated the sigil carved into the stone their eyes widened in shock and horror. There over the door was the personal coat of arms of the Royal Family of France.

"W-what?" I heard one voice call out.

"I remember a few months before it was announced that the Dauphin was dead, there were a group of cloaked strangers who came to the tavern late one night. I was already in bed when they came but I was still awake and I watched them from my window as my father let them in. They stayed one night and left before dawn up into the mountains.

I'd stayed up to watch them leave, and as they rode away I noticed that there was a smaller shape, listless in the arms of one of the riders."

There was silence as the horror of what the mob, bone-deep royalists all, had almost done began to settle in. Men crossed themselves, began to pray, others fell to their knees and wept.

"Mea Culpa! Mea Culpa!" Was heard from more than one throat.

"But the beast?!" LeFou said.

I turned to him. "Remember those old stories, about a witch hiding in the mountains who'd prey on unsuspecting travellers….I think there might be more truth to those stories."

As I said that there was a sudden shriek as fireworks seemed to shoot from the upper parts of the castle, and the sky cleared instantly, revealing a brilliant dawn.

We all watched in awe as the monstrous black stone of the castle and it's grotesque carvings were passed over by a line of white light, like paper being set on fire, but leaving behind beautiful white stone and carvings, the dead fines replaced with vines of roses.

Behind the door we saw a flurry of flashes of lights coming from the windows. We heard voices, male and female coming from the other side. Then the door cracked open and a pretty red-haired girl stuck her head out and said. "Well are you still here with hostile intent or not?"

I chuckled despite myself and said, "Mademoiselle, we're not here to cause any harm. Not anymore. Rather….we've come to pledge our loyalty to the rightful king. Louis XVII, King of France and Navarre. Right boys?"

I glanced over behind me, the men all nodded and voiced their agreement enthusiastically.

The girl, who I now saw was dressed as a maid, looked me hard in the eyes then nodded and said. "Very well...but you will dry yourselves off before coming in. Understand?"

The seriousness of her tone and the incongruity of her concern considering what nearly happened. Set me laughing yet again. I recovered and said, "Very well Ma'am we'll be sure not to tread mud or rain water anywhere. Now please let us in, we're soaked and freezing out here."

The doors opened wider and I led the others inside, where several hundred people were dancing around, screaming, laughing, crying, hugging, and kissing, and dancing around.

They seemed to take no notice of us. Then they stopped as at the top of the staircase stood Belle in the arms of a big light haired young man with the bluest eyes I'd ever seen, even more so than my or my brother's eyes. His clothes were torn but his face was regal and his bearing upright.

I stepped away from the others, my boots squashing across the carpet, the maid who'd let us in squawked in outrage for an instant but said nothing else.

I walked to the base of the stairs, looked him square in the eyes, then knelt, "Your majesty. I apologize for my brother and fellow villagers. We did not know you were here. We remember who is the true king and we stand ready to fight and die for you. So say I Pierre LeGume."

The other villagers soon copied my actions, saying their names and offering their oaths, even LeFou and my brother followed suit, too awed by what they had seen to do otherwise.

None of us noticed the black raven that flew away from the open front door. If only we had.