Thanks again to everyone for being patience and understanding.
Chapter 10: Roses and Book
Belle awoke in the morning to the strong flowery scent. When she looked, she had found that overnight roses had crept into the room, crawling up the window. It was like in a fairytale, something that a forgotten princess would have in her room, or a lonely beast-child.
The roses were arranged in assorted colors; red, pink, yellow, orange, white and even lavender. She had heard about the lavender roses, but had never seen one before. She decided to wear the lavender gown with a cream linings and place a small rose in her hair. Taking a quick look in the mirror and was quite satisfied with herself, she hurried down the stairs, expecting Gabriel to be there, but was met with an empty room, with only a white rose for company.
She picked up the rose and breathed in its sweet scent. This must be his way of saying sorry, thought Belle. She ate her breakfast alone, hoping that at any moment he would appear.
She was nearly finished with her breakfast, when her vision was taken from her by gloved hands. "Belle, I have a surprise for you. I'll have to blindfold you, if I may."
Belle laughed, "This is a very unusual way to start a day, but I shall agree."
Before she could open her eyes when he lifted his hands, the blindfold was on her. Gabriel pulled out the chair and took her hand, leading her out of the room and to the foot of the stairs.
"Belle, there are stairs to go up to and well…" Belle could hear the nervousness in his voice. "I wouldn't want you to trip but I can't let you see where you are going, for it shall ruin the surprise, so…"
Belle smiled and raised her arms out as if to silently giving his permission. Gabriel picked up Belle very gently, as if he was picking up a china doll, but she weighed no more than a child to him.
Belle had to admit she enjoyed being held by him, he was strong and gentle, tender and secure.
Gabriel wanted to hold her forever, she was warm and close, but he had gotten to the door sooner than he had expected, but then filled with excitement again, he placed her down and guided her into the room.
She couldn't wait; she had to ask "My I take it off now?"
"One more minute." Curtains were being drawn and she asked once more, "Now may I?"
She felt him take off the blindfold and said, "All right, now."
Belle was speechless. In her old home, their library was quite big, but not as big as this! She had missed her books so much, it had been a year since she had been without a book, let alone read one. She let out a laugh, and ran around the huge room, looking at all of its splendor.
There were two levels in the room, on ground level, there were chairs and a couch covered with purple velvet with golden pillows, a desk with a Socrates bust and maps of the world decoratively sprawled across the desk. The walls facing the door had huge windows looking out into the gardens, and the other walls were covered with colorful books. The wall next to the windows to its right, had a huge fireplace with a fur rug on the floor with a portrait above. She was too excited to look at the painting closely.
To its left, were books, but above was a balcony that reached around above the door, with a black iron spiral staircase leading to the above. Belle hurried up and was greeted with more books, and there was a small table with a chair ready for the lone reader.
"Oh Gabriel." She whispered.
"Do you like it?" he asked anxiously.
Belle walked over to the balcony, looking down to the worried Gabriel and answered with a smile, "It's wonderful."
His face broke out into a smile, "I am glad, it took a lot of work into this place for you."
Belle was astonished. "This was the East Wing?"
"Yes. I remember the terrible storm that destroyed most of the castle, but I never cared to have it taken care of, until now. Once they knew that it was for you, they fixed it up in a snap. I want to give you the library."
"For me?" Belle never had anyone give her anything, other than her father and brother, that the person had expected something in return. "This is too much, and I do not deserve it."
"Oh but you do!" Gabriel hurried up the stairs, "You see, you have given me so much, you deserve something that will make you as happy as you have made me."
Belle liked the idea of making him happy, meaning something to someone, which had made her realize just how much she cared about him.
"This is so much more than anyone has ever given me. Thank you."
Gabriel smiled and said happily, "Well, go on. Read, what else is a library good for?" He was so excited for her that in a moment, he was sick to his stomach when she asked, "Oh please, would you read to me?"
Turning away, he explained, "No, this is your room, your books, I wouldn't dare to read any of your books. Please read."
"But I want you to read to me, won't you?"
"I can't!" he admitted.
"Can't what?"
Letting out a shaky sigh, he whispered to prevent his voice cracking, "I cannot read."
Belle gasped. "What do you mean? You never learned?"
"Very little and so long ago."
Belle reached for his shoulder and heard his say miserably, "I shouldn't be here, you are educated, and I am dim. You're beautiful and I am just…not. It's moments like these that I just truly hate myself."
Belle felt so guilty, just a moment ago, he was so happy, and now, thanks to her unknowingly, she made him so sad. It pained her to watch him punish himself for things that he could not help, while men like Gaston never felt shame for the beasts they were, for the things that could be helped.
"I'll go now."
"No wait! I want to read you a story."
Gabriel stopped and looked back at her. "A story?"
"Yes. Let me just find it and I shall read it to you."
It didn't take her long to find it. "Here it is! 'Romeo and Juliet.'"
"What is that?"
"It is a play by William Shakespeare. Come, I shall read it to you."
Belle hurried down the stairs to sit upon the couch, while Gabriel stayed up on the balcony. Belle looked around confused and then looked up. "No, no, come down here."
"Oh!" Gabriel hurried down and sat down gently next to her. Satisfied, she began, "Two households, both alike in dignity, in fair Verona, where we lay our scene, from ancient grudge break to new mutiny, civil blood makes…"
Gabriel listened with great intense interest as he heard her recall the story of a pair of star cross'd lovers, Romeo and Juliet. Time seemed to fly by as she read to him, often changing her voice to show a change in characters, making him laugh, or making quite silent from the sad parts of the play.
"For never was there a story of more woe, than this of Juliet and her Romeo."
There was a moment of silence, Gabriel still in amazement of the story. Finally, he said, "How tragic!"
"Yes, unfortunately not all love affairs can survive, it was their parents hate that torn them apart."
Gabriel then said rather darkly, "Well, then I suppose it is a good things that my parents are gone."
Belle would have chastised him for speaking ill of the dead, but since he hadn't sounded happy they were dead, and hearing just how awful his father was to him, Belle certainly didn't like him at all, he certainly didn't deserve her compassion.
"You must miss her."
"She was the nicest person I have ever known, that is until you came."
Belle thought of the portrait and looked over. "Is that them?" She got up to get a closer look at the painting, with Gabriel following her saying to himself more than to her, "Yes, I remember now."
The portrait was taken in a rose garden, Gabriel's mother was sitting on a swing; she had sun kissed hair with cool blue eyes, her face was round and young, Belle thought her very pretty indeed. His father stood next to the swing, he had black hair with light brown eyes. He had a kind face, which surprised Belle, seeing how cruel he was to his son. They were a very handsome couple which made Belle wonder what Gabriel must have looked like had he grown up as a normal man, he probably would have been a very handsome man.
"Where was this taken? I don't recall seeing this in the gardens."
"It is in my mother's rose garden. It was a wedding gift from my father to her."
"He must have really loved her."
"It seems to be, I would catch them at times when they didn't know I was around, being affectionate to each other."
"My mother and father were always affectionate with each other. Even when she was dying, he would never leave her side, no matter what." She paused then asked, "May I please see this rose garden?"
Gabriel pulled out his key told Belle of how when his mother was dying, she had given him the key to the rose garden for his private use. He pushed open the gate, and to Belle's surprise, it hadn't squeaked nor groaned from misuse, and with Gabriel's hand to guide her, she walked through the green archways and seemingly endless maze of rose bushes, did they finally reach the center of it all, where the portrait had been taken.
It was a sight to behold, and very much as what the painting has promised.
The Rose Garden was created in a circular fashion, with rose bushes in all different colors, even having the rarer blue rose. The bushes were surrounding the single tree in the garden, where the swing swayed gently by the wind. In the trees she could hear the birds singing and everything seemed to be at ease.
This was a small piece of heaven here, no wonder Gabriel's mother loved coming here, and why she must have given him the key, a small consolation for his hardships.
"Your mother must have really loved coming here."
"Yes, it was the only thing that truly belonged to her, which compelled me to want to take care of it, always making sure that it was just as she left it."
"Did your father know you had the key?"
"No, in fact, when she died, he didn't leave his room for a week, and then he just up and left one day. I didn't stop him, I knew it would not have done either one of us any good if we stayed together, in the end, the only thing that bided us wasn't strong enough to keep us together, even after her death."
Belle was shocked just how cruel his father was to have abandoned him, but she realized that he was right, mother or no mother; they would have done more harm to each other if they stayed together.
Belle looked to the swing as a way to change the subject, "Have you ever been on a swing before?"
"No, I have never understood how it works."
"Well, it's about time you learned, now sit."
Gabriel tentatively sat on the swing and held onto the ropes for dear life.
"Ready?"
"Not entirely."
Belle gave a push with all her might and up he flew, swinging back and forth. She could hear his laughter as he went higher and higher, crying out, "This is what flying must feel like!"
Indeed, flying is peace, flying is freedom, and for a moment, he felt free from his hideous form and was the man he always wanted to be.
Thanks to guest, .7, yellowcallalilly, TheLilyReviewer, Ally B, Wyomingbeast, xxxMadameMysteryxxx, Taniurceus-day, LuvTVDDE and Count Fagula for your love and support.
