Chapter 17: No Time to Explain

Gaston's body refused to move. The more he struggled the tighter the hold on him became until his furious eyes were the last thing he could control. The woman gazed at him with a slight smile on her face. His resentment grew the longer he was held against his will. The urgent need to reach Belle filled every inch of his body.

"Hunter, calm yourself. She is safe, for now."

Gaston stopped his efforts and simply stared at her. His eyes squinted and bore into the golden-haired woman before him. Her face was calm but there was a turbulent energy that flowed from her body and spread out to him in bright bolts of lightning. His skin throbbed from the contact. His heart raced wildly.

Her smile grew at his glare. She lifted her hand slowly, and to Gaston's surprise, a staff appeared out of nowhere. With a slight thud to the ground, she released the grip on his body. The electric bonds pulled back and his muscles began to twitch uncontrollably. Every nerve awakened and pulsated. He fought to focus his mind as it spun away wildly.

Belle. He needed to get to Belle.

He stumbled back toward his horse, only to find that it was no longer there. Rather, he was no longer there. The trees around him, the village beyond, even Barron, were gone. All that he spied in every direction was the flickering light.

He turned back to the mysterious woman and blinked as her face swam before his eyes.

"It will take a moment to become accustomed to the light, Hunter, even for you. Perhaps it would be better if you sit." She suggested helpfully. The towering man merely sneered.

The woman laughed lightly and shook her head. "As you wish." She moved her long, elegant body to a wooden stump and sat upon it, as a queen would her throne.

Gaston crossed his arms against a sudden wave of nausea and swallowed back the bile that rose in his throat.

"It is quite comfortable here, don't you agree?" The woman asked as sparks lit her bright eyes. Gaston turned away. He measured how many steps it would take to get through the light.

"It is endless, Hunter. The only way through is by my good grace." Gaston shot her an incredulous look and she continued nonplused. "I think it is time for us to talk, don't you?"

Gaston chuckled darkly. "Woman, you do not want to hear what I have to say to you." His voice was choked and he took an aching step toward her.

The golden goddess raised a brow and lifted her long white hand. "Please, do not let that stop you. I delight in your colorful conversation."

"Is that so?" He asked, with a painful swallow. The muscles in his neck beat a chaotic rhythm and squeezed his vocal chords. His hands bit down on his biceps as he struggled against the residual pain.

"Oh, yes. I have been very entertained during your journey." She tilted her head and asked, "Would you really have shot poor Lefou?"

The large man stepped forward again until he towered over the strange woman. She didn't move back or give any sign of alarm as he loomed menacingly in her direction.

"You've been following me?"

"Oh, Hunter. That is not the question. Come, think again. I'll wait." She smiled patiently as she leaned slightly to the left on her staff. She gazed up at the furious man before her and nodded encouragingly.

Gaston frowned and ran a hand through his hair. "What do you want with me, woman?"

She grinned in approval, flashing her beautiful white teeth. "There you go, Hunter. That is the right question."

He simply watched her and waited for her to continue. He was good at waiting. Finally, she stood and met his eyes. He felt the electricity blaze around him as her gaze became more intense. When she spoke again, all humor was gone from her tone and an ancient and solemn voice vibrated from her mouth.

"You are being called, Hunter, to fight against the greatest evil man and magic has ever known. Will you join your Prince and your love in this battle?"

Gaston felt a shock rock him. It almost knocked him to his knees. When he spoke it was with desperate urgency. "Belle? What are you saying? Belle is home in Vouvant!"

The woman shook her head and Gaston saw a strange look flicker across her face. "The Savior is far from home. Her journey has begun. Never to kneel, never to yield. Do not fear for her, Hunter. Fear for yourself, fear for others too weak to defend themselves from the dark beast."

Air was heavy in his chest and he barely breathed out the words, "Dark beast?"

The woman turned from Gaston and waved her staff at the wall of light. It parted at once, opening to the massacre in the fields. Gaston let his eyes follow her movement.

The scene was the same as earlier, and yet different. The gruesome images glowed in her electric light and Gaston found himself noticing things that had escaped him before. He could almost see the struggle with the wild pack as he stared at the marks left behind. His tracker's eye was sharpened by her illumination and the dead seemed to speak to him through their remnants.

The claw marks in the mud, the splashes of blood, the broken dwellings, they all pointed to a central figure. The beast. He may not have committed each offense, but he was present at every event, if only briefly. Gaston turned his gaze back to the woman in understanding.

"The dark beast?"

"Yes. This is not his only slaughter, nor will it be his last."

Gaston's hand went subconsciously to his bow and grasped it roughly. The anger inside of him was palpable and the woman nodded approvingly.

"Good, Hunter. I see we finally understand each other. The threat to our world is growing. The dark beast has recruited the wolves."

Gaston smirked at this. Wolves.

"I will handle the wolves. But what will you do? I assume you are some sort of witch, with all of this." He waved a disgusted hand at the light. "Can't your people do anything?"

The woman stepped closer to the gigantic brute of a man and scowled. "My people, the Enchanted, gave their lives in this fight, as I would gladly do."

Gaston shrugged and turned back to the scene of carnage. "Doesn't seem to have helped much." He turned to the Enchantress with a bold expression and continued. "Maybe you should have found me sooner."

The bolt hit Gaston's chest in an instant and he found himself kneeling in the dirt. It took Gaston a moment to understand what had happened, but when he did he looked up at the woman with contempt in his eyes. Her magic held him down, but he scowled from the ground.

"Don't like the truth?" His velvety voice mocked her as his handsome face shadowed with derision.

The magical being was trembling. Her beautiful features twisted and she knelt down in front of the immobilized man.

"Never to kneel, never to yield." She sang into his ear delicately.

Gaston felt her warm breath on his cheek and turned his face away. Then with a scoff, he growled. "Hmm, not my favorite song."

The Enchantress took his face in her hand and turned it to her own. Her eyes speared his with yellow fire and she spoke in a soft, hypnotic voice. "Ever to feel, never to steal. Never to tame, always the same."

Though her words held little meaning to him, Gaston felt a rock form in the pit of his stomach. Alarm spread across his guts, but he held her eyes firmly.

"Is this how you treat your champions? No wonder all your clan is dead."

The flashing yellow and blue bolts were the last things he saw before he fell limply into the endless light.

The plump hand that slapped his face did so with more enjoyment than necessary. Gaston blinked up at his friend just in time for another swat. He heard Lefou's voice shout his name and Gaston raised a quick hand to halt another heavy hit.

"Enough." He grumbled from his place on the ground.

"Aw, man! I was just gettin' warmed up!" His friend whined and sat back on his heels with his arms crossed sullenly.

Gaston blinked up at him and frowned in warning. The impact of which was dampened considering that he was lying prostrate upon the frozen dirt. He wiped a hand across his mouth to remove the taste of mud from his lips. The large man pushed himself up into a seated position. His head spun slightly at the unwelcome movement but he managed to control his stomach.

Lefou stared at his old buddy. He tilted his head in uncharacteristic worry. "Ya get thrown?" He asked with a frown, searching for Gaston's stead. Barron was again in the clearing, munching happily on dry winter grass.

"No," Gaston answered shortly. He leaned his hands on his thighs and rocked into a kneeling position. When his short friend stood and offered a hand, he growled slightly and knocked it away. It took a few attempts but the hunter soon stood up on his own.

"You trip?"

Gaston turned incredulous eyes to Lefou and shook his head. "No."

He took a step to his horse, only pausing once to steady himself.

"Need a minute before we go? Ya look awful!" The little man shook his head as if he couldn't believe his eyes.

"No," Gaston responded again, reaching for his reins. He placed a large foot in the stirrup and swung his massive form onto the horse. He closed his eyes briefly then turned to Lefou with an expectant stare.

"Guess you're in a hurry t'get back to the village," Lefou stated as he swept his heavy body across the clearing and over to his own horse. With considerably more difficulty, he mounted and waited for Gaston to lead the way. To his surprise, his friend did not move back to the path heading home. Instead, he cut straight through the trees with a lowered head bent in purpose.

Gaston spoke over his shoulder. "We are not going to the village."

"We're not?" His friend asked in a curious squeak. "I thought you wanted to get back to…"

Gaston cut him off with his next words and Lefou could only stare after him in wonder.

"We are going to see the Prince."

It took a moment for the little man to find his words, so surprised was he at what he had heard. When he did, they all seemed to tumble out at once.

"But the Château de Beauchene is haunted. The Prince'll lock us in his dungeon if we show up unannounced. What about the wolves and beasties. Don't ya want to go see Belle?"

Gaston stopped his horse abruptly and turned to look at his friend. "I am going to the castle in the woods. There is nothing that will change my mind. You can go home." He pointed to the path behind them. "The trail is that way. Be safe, old friend, and do not linger in the dark."

With that, he turned his stallion around and continued his journey. Lefou gave a longing look over his shoulder to the road that led to his village and then hurried his horse to catch up.

"You'd be lost without me." He called up ahead confidently.

Gaston smiled faintly in silent agreement.

A.N. All characters belong to Walt Disney

Hello, readers! And the president of charm school goes to...not Gaston! He certainly has a way with women. What are your thoughts? Do you think he should have joined our band of heroes? Or would you have told her to bugger off as well? Let me know, and you too can see the light! I want to thank my reviewers, especially Alex, who is new and my guest reviewers. I would like to thank those of you who continue to review. Your thoughts have been invaluable! As always, thank you for reading, reviewing, following and /or favoriting! – S.