Glad to see you liked my curse. And yes, he would adapt after a while, but even that will have it's difficulties. And yes, Maurice will remember everything after the year and Agathe will reunite him with his daughter no matter the outcome. And the servants would come back as soon as they manage to lift the curse, if they do. Haven't written that far yet, so can go either way.

ImagineATale, I already took all of that into account, having known a blind person. But like the curse specified, as the petals return so will the castle rebuild all damage caused by the curse. This means the layout changes, so navigating through the castle would remain an issue for him. Also I have already written about Madame de Garderobe in this chapter, I think you'll like it considering an earlier review of yours. Mustard Lady, glad to see this plot exceeds your expectations!

Chapter 9

Beast woke up very early and he was glad to see Belle was still asleep. She would not have approved of his sleeping arrangement. He grimaced at the thought of what her reaction would have been.

She started to stir a little in her sleep, "I love you Beast," she murmured softly.

She really does, he thought. She had done so much for him these last few weeks and now she was willingly cursed, just to help him save their friends.

He got up and walked to the balcony, the attached petal drawing his attention. One year was all they got this time. They had to make the hunter see the truth and get him to admit his wrongs, but considering the degree of delusion that man was under it would not be easy. Then there was their own part of the curse, Belle might have a forgiving nature, but he certainly didn't. That vile man had tried to kill Maurice and himself, and threatened Belle. Was he still unconscious or had he woken up at some point?

"Good morning."

Turning around he saw Belle had sneaked up on him and was right behind him. He pulled her in for an embrace, "Did you sleep well?"

"Yes, so much happened yesterday and I was exhausted. Has he awoken yet? It might be best if we were there before he does. He might panic again and he needs to know what is expected, the sooner the better."

Both were still dressed from the previous day and Belle had to retrieve her clothes from her old room. She smoothed out the wrinkles of her skirt and held out a hand for Beast to take. Gently taking her hand in his paw, he led the way to the East Wing. He wasn't looking forward to confront the man again, but it was inevitable. Belle's expression matched his, she wasn't looking forward to it either.

They neared their destination and heard a crashing sound, follow by a cry for help. They broke out into a run and yanked the door open.

Gaston woke up feeling disoriented, he opened his eyes. Yet he still didn't see anything. Where was he anyway, the room was very dark and unfamiliar to him. He got up to find a curtain to open, he felt his way around the walls till he felt fabric touching his fingers. He tore open the curtains and felt the warm rays of the sun on his skin. Still darkness, what was happening? Why couldn't he see anything! Slowly he remembered a voice of the day before,

cursed to be blind...

one year...

No, that was a nightmare it couldn't be! He backed up and hit something hard. He fell down and started to panic. He felt the carpet and tried to find his bed, he needed sleep, that was all and then this nightmare would end! He kept going till he crashed his head hard against the nightstand. No, no, no...he was truly scared now. Fear took over and he yelled for help.

Belle and Beast entered the room and noticed an overturned table and Gaston lying on the floor. He had a small trickle of blood going down the side of his face. Cautiously Belle stepped forward, "Gaston? It's me Belle. Try to calm down, I'm here to help you."

"B-Belle? Where are you? I can't see!" He tried reaching for her in the direction of her voice, and he felt someone take a hold of his outstretched hand.

"I'm right here, that's it," she helped him get up and took a good look at him. He looked horrible, dull eyes and dishevelled appearance. His hair hung loosely around his face and his clothes were dirty. Totally the opposite from his otherwise immaculate appearance.

Beast looked on in wonder as the man regained his composure and slowly got up. The cocky man did look awful, he thought satisfied. For now he opted to stay silent, lest he scared the man.

Needing to know what Gaston remembered of the day before, Belle started to ask some questions, "Gaston, I need you to listen and answer my questions." Seeing a small nod she continued, "What do you remember of yesterday? More specifically after you arrived at the castle?"

Flashes appeared in his mind of a monster and a glowing woman, and were those words again, cursed and something about a year... "It wasn't real, magic doesn't exist!" He shook his head, wanting to deny what he knew had to be true. "It can't be real..." he whispered.

Belle sighed, "Gaston, I'm sorry but it did happen and I want to help you. But you need to tell me exactly what you remember."

He shook his head, he didn't want to remember. He wanted everything back to normal and leave this place, never to come back. But even he knew deep inside that it was impossible, he had to know for himself what had happened to him. He thought back and remembered something, "I was fighting, you came in and stopped the fight...," then he drew back and started trembling, "It was you! You did this! You and that monster of yours!" He tried to crawl away from her, only to be backed into a corner.

"No Gaston, it wasn't me or Beast. Take a few deep breaths and think really hard what happened next," she urged him. Belle was getting worried though, this was not the overconfident man she had come to loath over the years. This man was a shell of his former self, but true to form still blamed everyone but himself. Still if they wanted to make any progress, they had to make him remember everything.

In the meanwhile Beast had taken a few steps closer, ready to step in should the man lash out. While he thought the man got what he deserved, he still felt a tiny trace of pity. He knew how difficult it was to come to terms with a curse. He himself had lashed out violently, but this man was responding the total opposite.

Gaston remembered a sting in his arm, followed by a bright flash coming from Belle. No that wasn't Belle, it was that glowing woman. "A glowing woman, she pointed something at me and was talking." What was it she had said to him? He didn't remember, was he now also losing his mind? "I begged, I remember feeling more scared than ever before. Something about a curse and a year, I don't know what it means..." Then he raised his head, "Her pet tried to warn me about something! No, not pet, the monster."

Beast glared at the man, at least he corrected himself this time. Belle shot him a rather amused look at the comment.

"Yes, he warned you. That glowing woman was an enchantress and she placed a curse on all of us, which we only have one year to break. Do you remember anything else?"

"I remember it becoming darker and hitting my head, and waking up here." One sentence of what Belle said had stuck in his mind, a year to break his curse. It could be broken and he would see again! "You said it could be broken, how?"

"Yes, it can be broken. You have to learn to see the truth, not what you want to see and hear."

He could see perfectly fine before, he never missed his target. He was blind, how could he possibly see anything! "I could see perfectly well before, she set me up!"

Belle sighed, "There are other ways to see, Gaston. I told you I would never marry you, but you continued on like I never refused you. That's what she meant. If you had accepted that fact, you wouldn't have come here and this wouldn't have happened to you." Though she was a bit angry with him for ignoring her refusal, she couldn't help but being grateful at the same time. His stubbornness gave them the opportunity to break the first curse, so perhaps there was some useful side to him.

"Why don't we eat breakfast first and continue later?" She was starting to get hungry now.

Gaston just nodded his head. He was done trying to remember for now, his head hurt just by thinking too much. He always knew it was dangerous to think too much.

"All right, I'll hold your hand and guide you to the dining room." Gently she pulled him forward and guided him out the door, when she passed the Beast he shook his head and pointed at the wardrobe.

After observing the man's behaviour he decided the man would pose no threat for now. Madame de Garderobe loved to perform and he would carry her downstairs and set her on the stage, next to her husband. Then he would just have to find her dog somewhere in this castle, but when he did he would bring him to reunite them all.

He gathered all of Belle's dresses and carried them to the West Wing. He put them down on the bed for Belle to sort through. Walking over to his nest, he cleared the area to make room for his bed. He then went to the next room and checked the bed there to see if it was in a good condition. Being satisfied, he held the bedposts and dragged the bed to their room and put it in place.

On his way back to the East Wing he decided to make a slight detour to check on Belle. Checking the kitchen first since Belle would gave to go there to make breakfast. Seeing she wasn't there he walked to the dining room, the door was open and he looked inside. He saw Gaston, might as well call that sorry excuse of a man by his name if he's staying, sitting at the head of the table and Belle at the side. She was helping him finding his drink. Seeing he was right, that Gaston wouldn't pose a threat for now, he continued up to the East Wing.

"I'm sorry," he whispered to the wardrobe and he lifted her up. Taking a few breaks, considering the weight of his load, he managed to get her to the ballroom. He lifted her up onto the stage and moved over to Maestro Cadenza. He then proceeded to lift him up on the stage right next to his wife. While he had never talked to Madame after the curse, he knew this is what she would have wanted. He had heard her husband about him missing his wife on several occasions.

By now he had worked up an appetite and decided to join the others. Gaston would have to get used to him anyway, why delay it any more then they had? Taking the main entrance this time, he opened the door and saw Gaston stiffen.

Belle intervened, "Gaston, it is just Beast. He won't hurt you, if anything he'll be able to explain a lot more then I can. The same enchantress that cursed you is the same one that cursed him many years ago." She looked up to Beast for some support.

Sighing Beast began, "Yes, though unlike your curse, mine has already become permanent. But we'll talk about it later, first try to come to terms with what you've remembered so far." He stalled a little, not feeling like talking himself. He took a seat where Belle had put a third plate for him, right next to her.

They finished their breakfast in silence, when suddenly Gaston suddenly started to speak. "You warned me even though I tried to kill you, why?"

"Maybe because having been witness to a curse once was enough. But I will try to help you breaking your curse, since it also keeps Belle trapped here. You weren't the only one cursed." He started thinking, if it wasn't for Belle, would he have helped him? The answer was simple, no. He wouldn't have helped the man if he was the only one involved, but as it was, it was also about Belle and his servants. He would help for them.

"I'd like to go back to my room, I want to try and familiarize myself with something." Gaston asked, if he could manage things by himself, he would be able to try and escape here. Everything started when he set foot in that forest, with those strange wolves and all the snow. If he could make it past the border of the cursed part, he would get his sight back. He didn't need their help and certainly not that of a dangerous animal. He would bide his time and find his own way out, he didn't need their pity or help. He was Gaston and he could do anything he wanted.

Any questions you have leave them in the comments and I'll try to answer them as much as possible without giving away anything I have already planned.