Chapter 23: Hold Still
Belle was warm. Blissfully so. She turned her face and rubbed it against the fur blanket that lay wrapped around her. With a contented sigh, she nuzzled in a little deeper.
The sun shined on her face and birds tweeted in the trees. Belle pointed her toes. The joints were sensitive and cramped. With a tiny moan, she pulled them up and tucked them into the blanket. It jerked slightly and groaned.
Belle paused at that.
Curious, she poked again with her frozen feet. An irritated rumble vibrated against her ear and the blanket tightened around her. Belle jerked awake immediately.
There, holding her firmly against his side, was the Beast. Belle felt panic rise in her throat. Her breath released in soft pants that ruffled his fur and tickled her nose. Her body rubbed against him. The friction caused tiny beads of sweat to form on her brow. Belle gasped in the heat and looked up.
Cobalt eyes turned to hers and Belle's limbs froze under his stare. The Beast looked down at their clasped bodies. His brow pulled forward and his deep blue gaze darkened as it searched her face. The Beast lifted a finger to touch a tender part of her jaw and Belle hissed slightly at the instant pain.
She turned her face away.
"You're hurt." He huffed, clearly angry.
When Belle didn't respond, the Beast snorted and turned his gaze from her to the clearing. Belle followed his eyes. The wolves were gone. Not only had the living ones wandered off but there were no injured or dead left behind. Belle frowned. Where were the bodies?
She closed her eyes. Immediately, the scene from the day before played out behind her lids. Belle shivered. She felt the Beast's arm tighten around her slightly. The instinctual gesture drew her attention and she looked up at him with swimming vision. He met her gaze slowly.
His shaggy fur fell forward into his eyes. Belle saw the gash that stretched from his wide forehead down to the corner of his mouth. He was hurt. The creature had almost died while trying to protect her. It hadn't made sense the night before, and it made less sense in the morning.
Belle pulled away from the warmth of his body. She instantly felt the chill of the snow and frost. Her eyes scanned the soggy ground and she frowned when she noticed large patches of blackened snow. Blood. Belle shook her head. Then her gaze traveled to the bloody branch she had swung so successfully.
"I could never hurt an animal," she had told Gaston on their awful last meeting. Now she knew better. Looking down at her hand and tracing the cuts along the palm, Belle wondered what her giant friend would think of her now.
"Thank you, for saving my life." The Beast spoke gruffly. His masculine voice in the quiet morning caused Belle to startle and her gaze snapped back to him.
The Beast was trying to stand but had only made it to his knees. His huge body was covered in slashes. His clothes were ripped and torn. Red strips ran down his white shirt front. Belle watched as he struggled to breathe in and out and heard a telling rattle in his throat.
Belle waited a moment and then mumbled, "As you saved mine."
She rose slowly. Her feet felt numb as she stood on the dead leaves and icy splotches of mud. Belle frowned. "But why?"
The Beast attempted to growl but the painful sound halted in his chest. He ran a hand through his heavy mane and grumbled. "Would you r-rather I just let you die?"
"No, of course not." Belle clasped her hands and moved a step closer to him. His neck was exposed. From her point of view, Belle could easily see the crimson slash between his shoulder and neck that still bled.
"Your hurt." She echoed his words back to him. The fact was not lost on the Beast. His massive horns swung up, barely missing Belle. She jumped back as though burned. For a second their eyes locked and Belle held her breath. Then he looked back down and she breathed again.
Belle inched a step closer.
"Let me see." She whispered soothingly. Her movements were measured and halted as she swayed closer to the injured creature. Belle felt her fingers shake as she lifted a single hand and touched the Beasts shoulder.
Instantly, Belle stumbled back as the Beast let out an outraged roar. She blinked when drops of water fell from the shivering branches above as the woods trembled. The girl felt dizzy. Her head spun as the sound rang in her head and she reached a hand into her damp and tangled hair. She shook her head and gazed up at an angry Beast with a palm raised. "Okay, okay."
"That hurt!" The Beast had bellowed at the top of his lungs. Belle watched as he grabbed a handful of snow and began to pack it on the wound.
"No, don't do that." She warned. Belle took a deep gulp of air. When she turned to the creature, she shook her head and stood again. "The snow is filled with mud. Look, I can help you. If you hold still, it won't hurt as bad."
The Beast watched the woman with a furrowed brow and instinctively pulled his shoulder back. "I think not, girl."
"We-we have to stop the bleeding or you will die in these woods," Belle answered back and placed her hands on her hips to keep them from shaking. After a slight pause she began to tear a strip of blue clothing from her gown. The ripping sound drew the Beasts attention and Belle held his gaze with big hazel eyes. "Now, hold still. This might hurt a little."
Belle had to stand on her toes to reach his shoulder even though he rested on his knees. She took the edge of the cloth and began to wipe out the wound, never looking away from her chore. The Beast growled and sniffed in and out loudly as she worked but he did not push her away. His shirt began to dampen with a mixture of snow and blood as Belle pushed his collar further away from his neck.
"Humph..." Belle paused in her work and released a sigh before speaking. "You need to remove this."
"This?" The Beast rumbled through clenched teeth.
Belle swallowed and tugged lightly at his drenched sleeve. Her cheeks burned as she spoke the words. "This-your shirt. Just for a moment." There was silence in the woods following her words and Belle bit her lip. "I can't wrap the wound if I can't reach it. It's your choice."
From her view of his arm, Belle could see him clench his hand and waited. Then suddenly the Beast was in action and removing his tattered blouse. In the early morning light, his pelt shimmered and lay in swirling waves of gold and red. The smell of his bloody fur filled her nose and Belle felt her heart leap with panic. It was a lot of blood. His body was covered with gashes, though none were as bad as the one on his neck.
Belle felt his eyes on her as she turned back to her task. Her hands were swift and hardly shook. She held hers body tight to keep from brushing against him as she worked.
Soon the mending was finished and the Beast's shoulder and chest were tightly bound in blue and white cloth. "There," Belle whispered as she finished tying her last knot. "All done."
Her eyes finally lifted to his. The Beast's expression was veiled. It was as though he was deliberately hiding his thoughts. He suddenly turned and stood. His tattered shirt fell at his feet, forgotten.
The Beast looked around the clearing and reached for Belle's cloak that lay on a damp mound of snow. Then he swiftly placed it around the girl's shoulders and strode away. Belle sighed in the sudden warmth. The cloak wasn't even wet from the frost.
Her eyes followed the creature as he disappeared into the trees. A sudden fear came over her as she determined what to do next. She had almost decided to wrap her feet in pieces of his shirt and begin walking when she heard the large Beast return.
He looked very intimidating standing upright. His heavy horns reached up for the trees as his eyes searched for her. Belle felt her gaze going to his bare fur and she shuddered slightly at the feral image.
The Beast was moving toward Belle at an unnatural speed until he stopped mere inches away.
"The way is clear. I am too long away from the castle. We must return." The Beast spoke and reached a hand to Belle. She looked down at his claws and knew he could easily shred her to ribbons. The girl shook her head and looked off into the woods.
"I can't..." Belle began, stepping back.
"There is only death in these woods."
Belle paused in surprise and stared hard at the creature. He sighed and took another step closer. His eyes were alert and looking around them for danger. Belle licked her dry lips and nodded. Her tiny hand reached forward and she allowed him to grasp it. In a matter of seconds, he had swept her up into his arms.
"Your shoulder..." Belle protested and moved to climb down. She felt his arms tighten around her as he started to stride through the trees.
"I'm fine. Hold still." The creature demanded as he began to run at dizzying speeds. Belle tucked her head in his chest and closed her eyes until she grew accustomed to the movement of his body.
It was a long voyage on foot but eventually, the enormous structure came into sight through the trees. As he reached his home, the Beast's grasp on Belle relaxed though his speed remained the same.
The great heavy doors opened as he approached. The Beast strode inside. He moved deftly to the large fire in an empty parlor and placed her on a soft chaise, tucking her cloak around her shoulders. He stared at her for a long moment before he left the room.
Alone, Belle laid her head back and gazed into the fire. Her body ached. She looked down and pulled her damp dress up to her knees. There were scratches and teeth marks along her pale calves. Blood had dried in crusty strips from her thighs to her still freezing toes. She wiggled them slightly and was thankful they still had feeling.
Just then a clanging sound rattled down the long and darkened hall that led away from the parlor. Belle's brows shot up and she quickly dropped her dress to cover herself. She listened again. The sound was moving further away.
Belle stood to follow the noise. Rounding the corner and peering down the blackened corridor, she spied the back of someone's head. It was covered in a puffy white cap that Belle recognized instantly.
"Mrs. Potts!" She called and sped up, practically running to the old woman.
At her name, Mrs. Potts turned around and stared openly at the approaching girl. Her tea cart stood forgotten as a confused smile covered her plain face. She looked exactly as Belle remembered.
"Oh, dearie, you're back!" The round woman gasped and placed a shaking hand on her chest.
Belle almost laughed for joy at seeing the older woman again. "You're back as well! I was beginning to think I had spoken to a gh..."
Belle's next words were stopped as another servant came into the hall. The woman was tall and dark haired. Her black uniform clung to her curvaceous form in ways that made Belle blush. The woman's body swayed back and forth as she sauntered around a corner and giggled.
"Oh, you tease me!" The beautiful woman purred over her shoulder to a male servant behind her.
Following on her heels was a lanky blonde man with a wicked smile. He was handsome, if somewhat slim. His long body was clothed in a perfectly starched blue and gold suit and he smelled of powered cologne. The man reached for the maid and grunted.
It took a moment for Belle to be noticed by the pair but then both servants pulled up short and stared at the girl in the hall. The maid covered her mouth and stepped back, gaping at Belle with shocked eyes.
After a second, Belle looked down at herself and shuddered. She must look a sight. Her gown was shredded, her muddy feet, bare. With a self-conscience smile, Belle pulled her cloak tighter around her shoulders and tucked a wild curl back behind her ear.
"Forgive me. I'm…" She began, only to be interrupted by a gasp from the lovely raven-haired woman.
"She sees us? How is this possible?" The maid fluttered excitedly. She turned her gaze to the handsome man. His face simply lit with a self-satisfied smile. He looked as if he wanted to say something but the whites of his eyes bulged and he took a step back.
"How, indeed." A deathly cold voice spoke from behind Belle's back. She did not need to turn to know the Beast had returned.
A.N. All rights to Walt Disney
Hello, readers! What are your thoughts on our warm blanket? Write me a note and I'll let you tend the Beast's wounds!
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