It's nearing dawn when we reach a little cabin in the middle of the forest. I had long since given up a struggle. Even if I could get away from him, it would not be long before he came up, sweeping me back onto his horse. But I'm still not giving up. Inside, part of me has died, replaced with a spiteful fire within, and I refuse to let him see me shed a single tear.
He reins up the horse, pulling me off its back. I glare at him as he pushes me into the cabin. He forces me up the stairs and into the attic. "Now be a good little girl and wait here," he says mockingly. "I'll be back with a minister soon."
"You don't seriously think I'm going to marry you?" I spit. "You are quite delusional if you do." With two quick strides, he's at my side, grabbing my face.
"Of course you will," he says. "Or I'll see to it personally that your daddy follows in your prince's footsteps." He kisses me forcefully before throwing me back to the ground. He slams the door of the attic, the key clicking into place. I throw myself against the door, shaking it with every ounce of strength in my body, but it's no use. It won't budge. And the only window is a skylight near the ceiling. Even if I could reach it, I wouldn't be able to fit out through it, and it's a long ways down.
~*~*~*~*~
I'm jarred awake by the sound of the front door slamming open. I realize I've been asleep in the corner of the attic, my exhaustion finally taking hold of me. I listen carefully to the sound of several voices filtering up the stair well. I can't understand any of them, the sound muffled by the heavy wooden door, but I would venture that Gaston has returned with a minister and several witnesses. My teeth clinch at the mere thought of him now. He will not take me so easily, and I refuse to let him harm one more person I love. I hear the stairs leading to the attic creek, as my eyes fall on an old water pitcher. He was not taking me to a minister without a fight. I leap up, grabbing the pitcher to stand behind the door as the lock clicks and the door swings open. "Belle?" a voice calls softly, and I have to stop my arms in mid-swing, pulling the pitcher away and throwing myself off balance. That was not Gaston's voice. The pitcher falls from my hand, thumping to the floor below as the crystalline eyes peer around the door in time to catch me as I fall forward. He inhales sharply, a grimace crossing his face, though he tries to hide it by smiling at me through clinching teeth.
"You...you're alive...?" I finally manage to breathe out, my face inches from his. His smile broadens and I wrap my arms around his neck.
"Yes, well, Mrs. Potts had a real fit about me coming after you, in my condition as she put it," he says with a raised eyebrow. "But she'd be crazy to think I would let you go that easily." He grin softens as he leans forward, our lips brushing.
"He's back!" filters up the stairwell. Again, the moment is cut short as we turn toward the door. His blade drawn, we can already hear Gaston and several others shouting.
"Come on," he says, taking my hand and we turn, running down the stairs. We reach the landing as Gaston pushes his way past those on the stairs, reaching the top. My prince steps in front of me, brandishing his blade.
"Haven't I already killed you once?" Gaston growls.
"You missed," he hisses in reply, lunging for the hunter. Gaston grabs for a sword from the wall, deflecting a blow with a second to spare. Glancing over the railing, I see those Gaston brought now grappling with those from the castle. I look back to Gaston and my prince, Gaston now gaining the upper hand, forcing my prince to retreat down the stairs. I run to the edge of the stairs as they continue to dive at each other. They reached the bottom floor, the crowd below parting for the men with swords. I run down the stairs, reaching the second to last step as Gaston knocks my love's feet out from underneath him. Gaston's eyes blaze, kicking the loose sword away from his fallen foe.
"Belle is mine!" he cries as he raises his sword over his head, preparing to strike.
"No!" I cry, leaping off the stairs, throwing myself at the hunter. He falls off balance, and I hit the floor with a painful thud. I lay there for a moment, unable to move from the jarring my body has received in the last few days. The room is deathly silent, I notice beyond the ringing in my ears.
"Belle?" I open my eyes, my prince kneeling beside me. I start to sit up, glancing in the direction of where Gaston had stumbled. "No," he says, taking my face in his hands. "Don't look over there. Trust me." I can read in his eyes that Gaston will no longer be a problem, suddenly remembering the collection of antlers he had pulled me past earlier in the day. I nod as he helps me to my feet. We lean on each other as we make our way out the door, neither of us having the strength to stand on our own legs.
He turns to me when we're finally alone, smiling down at me as he brushes the stray hair from my eyes. "Thank you," he says.
"For what?"
"You've saved my life more times than I want to count, in more ways than one."
"How so?" I'm not sure if I am following his train of thought, but he soon enlightens me.
"If you had never come to the castle, I probably wouldn't be alive now," he says darkly. "I don't know what I would have done, but I have little doubt it would have been anything short of destroying myself." He closes his eyes, resting his forehead against mine. "But that doesn't matter now." His smile returns, and he leans forward, pausing for the interruption that usually comes about now. But I can't wait any longer. I reach up, pressing my lips to his, wrapping my arms around his neck as he pulls me to his body. Come hell or high water, we won't be broken apart.
"By the way," I ask as we approach his horse. "What do I call you now?" He laughs, and it has to be the most beautiful sounds I have ever heard.