Having eaten quickly, Belle and Gaston walked along the road. Gaston kept hurrying Belle, who was almost immediately tired, she was not used to walking so long, and almost ran beside him, unable to keep up with his wide strides. The hunter wanted to reach the neighboring village faster, to sell the bracelet there and finally buy a horse.

"Belle, please move your little legs," he took her hand and pulled her like a child. "I'd hate to be overtaken by those traffickers from Toulon."

"Yes. Yes, I'm coming," she said, panting. - I want to get home as soon as possible."

Finally, a neighboring village appeared on the horizon, and Gaston went even faster. Belle was already jogging.

In this village everything turned out at once successfully, the hunter simply asked the shop of the moneylender and, having invented a story that he worked in Toulon and received this bracelet for six months of work, quietly pawned it. Of course, the old bugger had cheated him and paid almost three times less, at least - Gaston did not know much about jewelry - but if there were sapphires and diamonds, it was certainly an expensive trinket, but still, the money was enough to buy a horse and food for a day and a half.

While Belle was buying food, Gaston got a knife, a bow and arrow and a flint and felt like a normal person again, not empty-handed.

The hunter had picked out a horse at the village fair; unfortunately, the horse was not a good one, teeth chipped and hollow flanks, but Gaston hoped he had the strength to ride normally for a day. He was anxious to get home.

Then they ate a quick meal at a roadside tavern and rode down the dusty road on this incomprehensible contraption called a horse.

They rode all day, and at the end of the day, the horse, no matter how much the hunter kicked it, began to walk, and Belle had long ago leaned against her husband's back to sit more comfortably, and all fidgeted in the saddle from fatigue, he had to hold her with one hand, so that she did not fall off at all.

"All right," sighed Gaston. "Let's spend the night, and we'll be home tomorrow afternoon."

He dismounted and took Belle off the horse like a rag doll.

"Oh, I'm sorry," she almost whispered. "I don't know why I'm so tired, because we had a good ride up there."

"It's because a day of racing isn't a day of steady strides, Belle, and you're tired from what happened. It's all right," he ran his hand over her cheek, "we'll be home tomorrow."

Gaston went a little deeper into the forest to find a stream and gave the horse a drink. Then he tied it to a tree and the hourse started to nibble the grass. The hunter built a fire and made Belle a place to sleep by unrolling his cloak. They had a quick supper and the girl fell asleep. Gaston gazed into the night darkness, holding his bow at the ready. As early as tomorrow, they would finally be home, safe. To hell with all these adventures and thrills. There was nothing like familiar safety.

He looked at Belle's face, which was softly lit by the flames of the fire. The worst thing is to lose each other. He still couldn't even think about what could have happened, it had ended well, and it was better not to even try to think about what would have happened if they hadn't been so lucky. What a fragile thing life really is. How fragile happiness really was. Right now, next to her, he was happy. He felt so good and peaceful.

Gaston brushed a soft lock of hair away from Belle's cheek and she smiled in her sleep. "'Tomorrow, when the moment is favorable, I will tell her that I love her,' he thought." Yes, Belle had told him she loved him then, but it must have been only a fleeting impulse, Gaston being then the only link of home and happiness. But even so, that was enough for him. They'll still be happy, start their lives with a fresh start. When you realize you could lose each other, a lot of things become insignificant. A lot, sure, but not everything, but there's a whole life ahead of him so he can make up for his mistakes. So that this forced marriage can be a happy one for the girl he loves.

It wasn't until morning came that Gaston woked up his wife and saddled his horse again.

He chewed as he rode and asked Belle to hurry up with breakfast:

- If we hurry a little, we'll be home by afternoon!"

Belle clapped her hands, washed her face and ate breakfast.

Then they mounted the horse, and Gaston began to do his best to keep the creature moving so that it might soon be home.

The animal was more alert in the morning, and, two hours after noon, familiar scenery began to be seen all around. A little longer and they would see the native forest and the rooftops of their favorite town home.

But much sooner than he saw the familiar scenery, Gaston saw some kind of devilry. He squinted and rubbed his eyes with his fist, thinking it was an illusion from fatigue and a sleepless night, but the vision didn't go away.

Ahead he could see some castle from a fairy tale, white-washed walls and sharp spires of towers, brown tops of towers...

Gaston pulled on the reins and stopped the horse, touching Belle's shoulder:

"Do you see it too?"

The girl turned around, and the hunter saw that her face was matte pale.

"Yes."

"You don't be afraid," Gaston touched his wife's shoulder once more, this time trying to reassure her. His thoughts swirled in his head, trying to come up with a plan of action. "We should go back to town, your father's there. Our cabin is on the outskirts, no one will notice we're back. You stay at home and I'll go and see what's in that castle."

"No!" Belle cried out. "No, you're not going in there."

"Don't worry, I'll be careful, and I'll get my gun and-"

"No!"

Gaston frowned, dismounted from his horse and pulled Belle down, turning her around to face him and taking her by the shoulders.

"Look, Belle, I realize you're afraid for me, but I can't sit by your skirt because of your fears! After all, I'm a man! It'll be alright, I went to the bear alone and won!"

She shook her head, it was obvious that something was tormenting her, but she couldn't say anything:

"Listen... Listen. " The girl said softly, taking him by the shirt on his chest. "This castle wasn't here before, right? Or it was, but we didn't see it, the whole town. What does that mean?"

"Mm... I guess that this castle is some kind of enchanted castle or something."

"I think so, too. You defeated the bear, all right. But can you resist witchcraft?"

It was a good question, and Gaston hesitated, loosening his grip.

"Wouldn't it be better to just go back home and ask the villagers what happened? Than to go straight out with a gun?"

That sounded reasonable.

"All right. I'll go to the tavern and talk to Lefou. He's usually the first to know the news. Assuming they're all okay," he added, almost in a whisper.

"Promise me you won't go to the castle tonight," Belle asked, looking into his eyes.

"Okay, I promise," Gaston sighed.

They got back on the horse and rode to their cabin.

Belle lay down on the bed and Gaston went to the tavern to find out the news.

When the hunter entered the tavern, Lefou was already there, sitting at a table sipping a beer. Gaston waved at him, and suddenly met his gaze with a deer's head on the wall. He remembered his promise and started to take the trophies off the wall.

"What are you doing?" Lefou asked as Gaston removed the deer's head.

"I'm throwing this dead thing away," said Gaston as casually as possible. "And then I'll go and see what kind of castle it is. Belle forbids me, of course, but I'll go anyway."

"Ah..." said the short man. "Listen, I wanted to warn you about something.

"What? And tell me what you know about the castle. You usually know more about everything than anyone else."

Lefou moved closer and whispered:

"You just hear me out to the end, I know it sounds like I'm crazy, but just hear me out. We've been looking at this castle for a week. Well, as soon as you left, the next day this castle appeared. It's like it was always there, we just got to see it. And the road to it through the woods. The whole town was very surprised and frightened... Then the bravest went there, to the castle, for reconnaissance, so to speak... It turned out that this castle was enchanted. The prince there had angered either a witch or a fairy, and she turned him into a beast. And his servants were cursed at the same time. Before he turned twenty-one he had to learn to love ."

Gaston just silently listened to this stream of nonsense, but the fact was that the castle was definitely there, since not only he and Belle, but also Lefou had seen it.

"But it doesn't matter," Lefou took a breath. "The point is that the prince was twenty-one years old and he must have fallen in love with someone or something. Everyone in the castle became human. The prince himself, his servants and his knights..."

"So is this prince going to rule us now or what?" Gaston raised his eyebrows. " We've lived so well without any princes."

"That's what I'm saying!" shouted the fat man. "This prince, Gaston, this prince ..."

"What?"

Lefou tugged Gaston's shirt so that he leaned toward him and whispered in his ear.

"That damn Prince Adam was asking about Belle."

"Asked about Belle?!"

"Quiet. Yes! He went looking for her all over town by himself, went to her father's house."

"What's he want from Belle? He can't know her."

But Gaston had already figured out why. The first thing this new ruler did was asking who was the prettiest girl in town. Of course, everyone pointed to Belle. He gritted his teeth.

Lefou looked at his face:

"That's why I say, maybe while he doesn't know you're back yet, you'll go far away with her. Even you can't handle him, he has a bunch of servants and ten knights."

Of course they can and should go away, but how will Belle leave her father? And dragging old Maurice around to different towns would just kill him. Gaston won't be able to hunt either if there's no woods around. And what's more, it's no solution. They came to Toulon, so what? A pretty girl like Belle would be spotted by more powerful people everywhere.

Maybe... Maybe try to talk to this prince? Why would he want a married woman? Even the most beautiful one. And if he tries to take Belle anyway, Gaston will kill him. And a dozen knights wouldn't stop him.

He walked slowly along the marketplace and lingered by the tin shop, staring at his reflection in some crockery, as usual. Gaston stared blankly at his face, absent-mindedly adjusting his hair. He was as pale as a sheet, so he pinched his cheeks to bring back the blush.

Belle shouldn't notice anything.