The Beast traveled best on foot. Crawling through the evening trees, the deep and utter disgust for Gaston that first spawned in his heart grew with every moment he spent in the deathly chill. Two trails of smoke billowed from his twisted nostrils, cobalt eyes scouring for any sign of that madman. Amidst the sounds of the forest, however, he heard a soft sob. He paused, poised upon three limbs, ears focusing under the curled horns for the quiet crying. There, in the thicket, he saw the moonlight catch the ghostly white skin of some maiden's heel and the blood spilling over it. He swiftly leapt to the thorny bush, rose blooms hiding Belle's tainted face. "Belle," he whispered, pushing away the daggered stems. She looked up, wiping at her dark eyes and cowering a bit in the pinching greenery. "It's all right," he said, extending a heavy paw. She placed her shivering hand in it as he gently pulled her from the dirt.
"What are you doing…" she asked, even more lost than before. Her head hurt as gashes covered her shins and arms.
"Look at you," he gasped; the harm he held was nearly blue. "What did they do to you?"
"I meant to come back," she wept, losing the feeling in her legs. He felt her slip from his grip, and his massive arms kept her upright.
"I…Belle…" His eyes searched over her broken form as her dark pools fluttered shut. "They…they are the monsters!" His voice thundered through the ever-watching trees. He gently swept her feet into his side and turned back to the manor. He would have to deal with them later, for Belle's body was limp and cold in his grasp.
He entered the castle with a blink of silent lightening. The terrified eyes of the servants fell upon the bundle in Beast's arms. "Master, is that…?
"She's stopped breathing," the Beast muttered. "Lumiere! Cogsworth! She's stopped breathing!" He began to mutter incoherently, laying Belle down on the same bed he was nursed upon and pacing madly. However, the enchanted objects began gathering things to quickly revive her. With a warm blanket about her and the cloak rack wrapping her wounds, she was already beginning to gain color in her cheeks.
"She's deathly ill, Master," Ms. Potts uttered. "It seems you two run into trouble more than each other."
"Save her!" the Beast shouted. "She will not die!"
"Master, she's going to be fine," Lumiere stammered while rubbing his warm waxes near her face. "Who did this to her?"
"I found her along the side of the road," the Beast quietly explained. Pain filled his eyes with more concern than he had ever felt. "She looked…she looked so broken…"
"Why was she running?" Chip asked, having slipped out from behind his mother.
"Chip, dear, don't bother!" Ms. Potts scolded softly.
"Running?" Cogsworth repeated. He scooted to the edge of the tray so he could see her uncovered feet.
"Look, Cogsworth, her shoes are split through!" It was true. The tiny face of the clock drew in a gasping shock as he saw the cut heels of the lass through her thin maiden's shoes.
"They chased her like dogs," Ms. Potts cursed under her breath. "Master, what if they followed her here?" Lumiere looked up to the stalking Beast, the soft glow his hands gave highlighting his frightened expression. The trapped prince began watching the grand bay windows, the front yard bare of any ruffian hunters. Suddenly, the creatures clambered back as Belle bolted upright, chocolate orbs wide with terror.
"No!" she screeched, "leave me be!" The Beast strode to her side, his wide shadow blocking the firelight. Each of the servants peeked about his shoulders.
"Belle, you're safe," he spoke, stroking her soaked tresses. Her brow was clammy and lined in sweat. The cloak rack laid another cloth across the pale, wrinkled crown. Very slowly, she reclined, but did not relax. Her hands clenched the side of the soft sofa, her eyes darting from face to face.
"You're among friends, dear," Ms. Potts sighed.
"Don't you remember us?" Chip whined softly. She froze before her visage collapsed in helpless despair, tears falling from her eyes like rain across the stained glass windows. "Mommy…I made her cry!"
"Chip, go, please!" Ms. Potts demanded.
"What's the matter with her?" Beast pleaded. "She's hysterical!"
"She just needs rest," Cogsworth replied worriedly. "Master, I suggest humbly that you watch out for whoever chased her here." The Beast thought for a moment before spinning back to the front foyer. He called back with a sense of insecurity in his tone.
"Nothing is out there, yet."
"We'll send the rest of the candelabras out to watch for them," Cogsworth announced. Lumiere nodded, saluted, and shouted to the walls for the lanterns to assemble. One by one, the suspended fires arrived from the castle corridors and began lining the castle ledges. For once, Beast did not feel safe in his fortress. He did not feel alone, either.