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Chapter 18: The Daughter of Belle

The Castle Gardens, the Next Day

Jacqueline walked through the various paths with no particular destination in mind. A happy little smile on her lips as she went humming the tune to some odd little folk song with no name.

She was not a good singer, in fact some might say she was downright horrible, but the trees didn't seem to be taking offense.

It was a lovely day, once again the sun shone bright. Feeling adventurous she walked through the open gate, leaving the castle grounds and entering the forest. Being careful to stick to the path so she wouldn't get lost Jacqueline marveled at the beauty of this frozen paradise.

Snow covered the landscape giving the treetops the appearance of fluffy white clouds, close enough to touch. Glistening icicles clung to the branches, tinkling like chimes in the wind. Everything was so quiet and peaceful, like a lovely dream.

Smiling, she adjusted the bonnet on her head as the wind played with its ribbons. At such a perfect moment with so much beauty and when she felt so happy she never would have expected what happened next.

"Hello daughter."

Jacqueline froze where she stood, fear icing its way up her spine at the sound of the familiar voice.

With all the strength she possessed she willed her now leaden feet to move as she turned to face him.

She looked into the cool blue eyes that for so many years had refused to look at her, but now held her captive in their gaze. He was smiling as if the scene before him was the funniest in the world. Resting one arm casually against a tree whilst the other held a firm grip on his rifle.

Trying desperately to calm her beating heart she spoke.

"Hello, father."

Her voice was calm and strong, not portraying the turmoil she felt within for which she was eternally grateful.

Gaston arched an eyebrow as he took in her appearance. Her fine cloak of maroon and her gorgeous dress of peacock blue clearly even to his untrained eye of much finer material then he would ever have been able to afford. Her chestnut locks were piled high in fashionable curls beneath her bonnet, also of maroon with small ribbons blowing in the breeze. His gaze found her face which no longer looked thin and cross as he was accustom to seeing it, but calm and regal with an assured confidence that it hadn't held before.

"Death seems to suit you." He said whilst thoughtfully stroking his jet black beard. Jacqueline knew she hadn't missed the note of contempt in his voice.

She knew he was waiting for her to answer. But suddenly she decided not to and instead waited for him to speak.

Let him begin this fight.

Raising her chin in the air with dignity and pride she calmly waited for him to continue, her hands clasped elegantly in front of her as if she were some great Queen awaiting the request of a humble villager.

She saw the anger flash in his eyes at what she knew he would perceive as a lack of respect but she met his gaze with willful determination.

Gritting his teeth he forfeited the first point to her. His smile, like a hungry wolf, still fixed upon his face.

"I suppose you think you're clever? It was a good trick I'll admit, you drowning in the river. And I won't try and hide my annoyance at how easily it deceived my sons. But now the game is up little girl, and you're coming with me."

"No."

"No?" He spat with a bitter laugh.

"I am not going with you."

Gaston's face changed from cruel amusement to hardened anger. Moving with the speed of a skilled hunter he grabbed her by the arm and glared down at her.

"You have humiliated me! Running off like that for no reason and then I find you in the woods dressed like a princess! Don't tell me you've added stealing to your list of sins?"

Jacqueline felt his fingers digging into her arm but willed her face to remain calm and collected, looking at him without fear.

"These clothes were given to me to wear by my friend Porcelain." She replied evenly, then narrowing her eyes she allowed some of her righteous anger to escape through her features.

"And I had good reason to leave, I will not be sold off, by you or anyone else!"

He dropped her arm.

"Sold off is that what you think? I was providing you with a future! SECURITY! I was being a good father!"

"He is thrice my age!"

"You need to be married! A husband would have taken your head out of the clouds, made you behave as a woman should. Isn't that what all women desire, a husband and children!?"

"NO! That is what you want! And why him? Did you bet me in a game of chance?"

The slight hesitation in his response made Jacqueline realize the truth in her own question. She felt all the anger go out of her as she began to comprehend how little her father truly cared for her. Their distaste for one another was very evident to both but even she never thought he would think to bet his own daughter in a game of cards.

"You are just like your mother. Belle was always an odd one, she could never be happy, was never satisfied no matter what I did."

Jacqueline's posture became rigid at the mention of her mother.

"How dare you speak her name!" she hissed

Gaston actually took a step back, he had seen her angry many times but never before had he witnessed such intense hate in her eyes. The effect of which was like a bucket of cold water on his own seething rage.

"HOW DARE YOU! YOU KILLED HER!"

Gaston blinked in surprise. "W-What?"

"You think I don't know about Paulette? You think mama didn't know?"

"Now you listen you little…"

"THEY ALL KNOW! THE WHOLE VILLAGE! Didn't you think we would find it odd when Paulette's son looked exactly like the rest of your children? Yet for some reason those ignoramus buffoons still adore you! They still side with you and cast my mother to the side even though-EVEN THOUGH SHE WAS THE KINDEST WOMAN WHO EVER LIVED!"

Gaston's anger was gone, right now he didn't know what to think as her outburst continued bombarding him with a lifetimes worth of pent up anger and rejection on behalf of herself and his wife who could no longer defend her name.

"SHE KNEW YOU FOOL!"

Trying to extinguish the tinge of regret that was beginning to form in the pit of his stomach Gaston made an attempt to redirect his daughter's attentions.

"This isn't about your mother so just leave her out of it. This is about you, and your thoughtless, careless behavior."

"MY BEHAVIOR!"

Jacqueline was so infuriated that she didn't even realize that her hands had clenched into fists, digging her nails into her palms until blood began to trickle down her fingers.

"What did you expect from me? You have ignored me for years, constantly favoring the boys over me. Nothing I ever did was good enough for you. You have never been able to forgive me for being born a girl and in some deranged imaginary way tainting your good name with my existence. You want to leave my mother out of it fine. Then there is just one thing we have left to get clear. I hate you, I hate you for what you did to her, and for what you have done to me."

"I never did anything to you!"

"Who expects a 13 year old girl to take her mother's place? You left us that day by her grave and I had to be the one to take care of my 7 brothers. I had no idea what I was doing! And when you didn't come home we had no choice but to find you, I had to do everything without so much as a thank you."

"You're a woman it was your job!"

"NO IT WASN'T! IT WAS YOUR JOB TO BE A FATHER TO ME!"

"I NEVER WANTED TO BE YOUR FATHER!"

Both stopped yelling and looked at each other, completely drained of all fight. The truth had been spoken, and there was no taking it back. There may be freedom in truth, but there is also some comfort in lies.

Gaston looked at her with absolutely no affection, she was a reminder, a reminder of all he wished to forget…but what was he supposed to do with her.

With a much calmer voice that held no signs of aggression but merely resignation he spoke.

"I never wanted a daughter, you know that. But here you are, so what am I supposed to do with you? You have killed yourself as far as the village is concerned, but you're not dead. And like it or not you are mine, and as a father I have arranged a marriage for you that is proper and fitting. You are coming back with me, you are walking up that isle, saying the vows, and then you will no longer be my burden to bear."

With a soft voice that no longer held any malice for she was too tired to argue anymore she said.

"Don't do this father."

He looked at her and she realized from the confused look in his eyes that he really didn't know what to do. Taking a deep breath she saw her opportunity and offered him his freedom.

"I am dead…you said so yourself, to the village I am dead. What's the harm in allowing them to continue to believe it?"

She saw his curiosity be stirred by his words.

"I don't want to go back, and drag me there as you may I promise I won't ever stop running….You don't want me back either. So let me be….let me be dead so we can both move on."

Gaston's brow furrowed as he thought over her proposition. He waited so long that Jacqueline thought her heart would beat from her chest with anticipation.

"You would have to promise, to never come back. You can't ever come back and disrupt our lives again, if you are dead let you stay dead."

Jacqueline nodded her head. "I promise…"

"SWEAR IT! On your mother's grave, swear it!"

She paused, he was asking her to do everything short of actually kill herself. She thought of her brothers, she thought of Sef, of the fiddler, the tavern, of her family's graves, and of all their lives going on without her. She really thought about what he was asking her to do, to break all ties with her past, and to leave all traces of her life behind with them.

Solemnly she looked back at him with those gorgeous violet eyes.

"I swear on my mother's grave, that from this day forward the daughter of Belle and Gaston, will be no more."