Belle was stunned. "You still want to marry me? For heaven's sake, why?"
"At first it was just for your beauty," said Gaston. "But it's become much more than that." He paced back and forth, agitated. "I'm the most respected man in this town. Everyone looks up to me. No one would ever dare to defy me. Except you." He glared at her. "You rejected me in front of the whole town. You humiliated me publicly. People saw that I'm not invincible - that Gaston could be bested by a mere girl." His voice was cold with fury. "I can't allow that. Once we're married, everyone will know once and for all that Gaston always wins. No one will ever defy me again."
Belle was silent. She looked at the Beast, then at Gaston. She took a deep breath. "All right, Gaston," she said, her voice steady. "If you free the Beast, I'll marry you."
"NO!" said the Beast. "Belle, you can't!"
"I'm afraid it's not that simple, dear girl," said Gaston. "If I free him, he'll kill me."
Belle thought quickly. "If he promised not to--"
Gaston laughed. "Do you know your lover so little?" he asked. "Do you really think he'll meekly promise not to hurt me, then stand by and let you marry me?"
"He's right, Belle," growled the Beast. "If I ever get loose, I'll tear him limb from limb."
Gaston nodded. "You see my point."
"So what are you proposing?" Belle asked.
"It's simple, really," said Gaston. "Marry me, or he dies."
Belle gasped.
"And it won't be an easy death," Gaston went on. "I'll keep him alive for months, Belle. And I swear, if you refuse me, I'll spend every waking moment causing him as much pain as I possibly can. This--" he gestured at the Beast's wounds "--is a walk in the park, compared to what I'll do to him. I promise you, he'll beg for death long before it arrives."
Gaston leaned forward. "And when I do eventually kill him, it will be the slowest, most agonizing death I can possibly devise."
Belle's blood ran cold as she listened to his words. She had never realized the extent of Gaston's ruthlessness.
"How can you be so evil? So inhuman?" she cried.
"Evil? Inhuman?" repeated Gaston. His voice was soft, but deadly. "Do you really think it's wise to speak to me so disrespectfully?" Almost casually, he strolled over to the hearth and drew out a poker from the blazing fire. Thoughtfully he studied the glowing, red-hot tip.
Belle's eyes widened in horror. "NO!" In desperation, she threw herself at his feet and held her hands up beseechingly. "Gaston, please. I- I take it back. I'm sorry. Please don't hurt him."
Gaston smiled, pleased. "Now that's more like it." He eyed her with interest. "Pleading becomes you, Belle. You look quite fetching on your knees."
The Beast closed his eyes in despair. Belle was a brave woman, and a proud one. She wasn't the type to beg. But now she was reduced to it...because of him. It was all his fault.
In all those months at the castle, she had never begged for anything...except, he realized, that very first night, when she had pleaded for her father's release. Belle's only vulnerability was her loved ones. Gaston knew that, and used it against her.
The Beast wanted so much to be Belle's protector, to be her strength. Instead, he had become her weakness, a weapon Gaston would use to bring Belle down.
Gaston replaced the poker in the fire. "Since you were such a good girl, I'll reward you," he said magnanimously. "I won't hurt him - this time."
Belle sighed with relief and stood up. "All right. You've made your point," she said. "You told me what will happen if I don't marry you. What happens if I do marry you?"
Gaston nodded. "If you do marry me, he stays here, but I'll lay off the torture. He won't be harmed. You can feed him, give him blankets, make him as comfortable as you like. He can be your little pet," he added mockingly.
"And you'll never hurt him again?" Belle insisted.
"I won't touch him," Gaston promised. "You have my word."
Belle's eyes were troubled as she considered this. "I-I need time to think about it," she said finally.
Gaston laughed and said to the Beast, "Hear that? Maybe she doesn't care about you so much after all." To Belle, he said, "All right. You have 24 hours. Meet me here tomorrow at the same time. If you don't agree to marry me then, the deal's off."
The Beast moved forward, as close to Belle as his chains would allow. "Belle, listen to me," he said urgently. "You can't marry him. If you do, we'll both be prisoners. You won't really be helping me at all."
She rested her head against the bars, looking defeated. "But if I don't marry him, he'll kill you."
"I don't care," said the Beast. "I can take whatever he throws at me. And if my death means you'll finally be free of him, it's worth it. You have to be strong, Belle. Don't marry him."
Tears filled her eyes. She hurried out without another word.