Beauty and the Beast

  CHAPTER 5

THE CONDEMNING SACRIFICE

 

Belle had softened considerably toward the Beast. She saw his compassionate side and could tell that he wanted to learn how to be more selfless. She felt bad for only calling him Beast, but then she didn't know if he had a name, and by now she felt too awkward to ask. Everyone else at the castle just called him master, and that was certainly not something she was willing to do. 

Some of the books that they had talked about were about history and technology. He told her about far off places in such vivid and illustrative ways that she could almost see it in her mind. 

She began to allow him to join her as she explored different parts of the castle. Rooms he hadn't bothered to enter in years. They would bring a book and read it together. He was patient with her every night as she fled from him at the question he always asked. He knew he was unlovable, but he still had to try.

He was pleased with her reaction to his invitation to a special evening. They planned to eat an exotic meal followed by dancing. 

It surprised her that she was so excited about it. She felt she had finally found adventure, even though she could not leave the castle grounds. 

In a way it made sense. She had always been an introvert and felt overwhelmed with the amount of people in her small town, only to find refuge in books. She loved the diverse spaces that she found on the grounds and in the castle. She felt a sense of freedom in her isolation. But there was more to her happiness than the lack of unwelcome noses in her life - it was also the companionship she found in this gentle Beast. 

There was clearly more to him than the hardened and harrowed outward appearance. 

He listened to her. He learned from her. He enjoyed her company for who she is and not just for what she looked like. They found connection through hardship. One was known only for being beautiful, the other, only for being hideous. Both superficial. Neither showing what they truly had to offer.

Belle dressed in the most glamorous golden ball gown with roses embroidered into it with real gold thread. She wore silk gloved up past her elbows and shoes that glimmered in the candlelight. 

The Beast was nervous. 

He had felt something change inside of him. When around Belle, he felt like a person again. It seemed as though she could see through the disfigured face and body into his soul. He felt he could be vulnerable with her. He had told her about his fears and loneliness and the tragic loss of his parents at a young age. He wanted to tell her everything, but even more than that, he wanted to hear what she thought and hoped for, and dreamed of, and loved. He wanted to know what worried her, and what made her who she was. He loved her. And he wanted to tell her. So, he planned a special evening just for her. An evening to include all the things she said she loved from the books she read. Formal dancing, different cultures, delicious dinners. He wanted to give her everything she had ever dreamed of. He wanted to make her happy.

Dressed in the finest suit, and freshly groomed, the Beast waited for Belle at the bottom of the stairwell that led to her wing of the castle. His breath caught in his chest as the butterflies in his stomach launched into a flurry. She descended in seemingly slow motion. His gaze never left her as he climbed the few steps to meet her. She took his hand and he led her to the dining table. It was romantic. It was fun. It was nothing short of magical.

The Beast nervously stood to ask Belle for a dance, 

“Would you care for a dance?” The Beast asked nervously as he held out his paw. 

“Of course,” she replied and joined him.

As they waltzed, Belle said she felt like a princess, twirling around the ballroom. She dizzily fell into his arms, both of them smiling and laughing as they swayed together. 

They danced onto the balcony, but the Beast tripped on the threshold, pulling Belle over with him. 

“Are you all right?” The Beast asked, crouching over her, worried that he had crushed her.

Belle laughed. "I'm fine, you big pillow." Her hand still around his neck they gazed into each other's eyes for a long moment. Then he rolled onto his back to lay beside her. They looked at the stars in the sky, watching them glimmer.

"If you could wish on a shooting star, what would you wish for?" The Beast asked.

Belle smiled at the thoughtful question. "You know I'm happy here," She started.

"I'm glad."

"You've given me so much of what I've always dreamed of. But if I could wish for anything, I would wish to see my family again. My father is all I have left, and I miss him."

The beast's heart pricked.  He had planned to ask her to marry him after telling her how he felt. But instead of telling her how deeply he loved her, he showed it. 

"You can see him again." He whispered. 

"What?" She asked, not knowing what he meant. Was he going to let her leave? She felt a sadness creep in at the thought of it. 

"Come with me." The Beast said as he stood and effortlessly lifted the delicate girl up as well. 

Belle's thoughts were racing. What could this mean? Is he going to leave his castle and take her to see her father? He can't do that; people would kill him. He led her to the west wing of the castle and carefully lifted a mirror from the mantle.

"This looking glass lets you see what you ask of it, but like a mirror, what you see is real but not always true." He explained and handed it to her.

"Show me Papa, please."

Her face disappeared to reveal her father all alone, pale, and gaunt. He was in his bed and looked close to death. 

Belles’s heart dropped. She had been picturing him happily working on inventions while munching on treats like he'd always done. Before she could say anything, the Beast said, 

"You have to go to him."

She looked at him in dismay. 

"He needs you more than I do."

He knew that if she left the curse would never be lifted and he would never know love again. But he couldn't bear to see her suffer, and he knew that if he didn't let her go see her father now, she would never get over that. And she would hold it against him. In a way it was selfish, but in the most unselfish way. 

Belle hugged the Beast tight and long. When she finally pulled away her hands trailed down his arms. Part of her didn't want to leave him. He needed her. And she had come to care so deeply for him. 

"Thank you."

She said and hurried out of the room.

"Come back to me." The Beast breathed the near inaudible hope that he knew would never come true. Then quoted a poem by Ms. Browning, which had recently become his favorite. 

I love thee with a love I seemed to lose

I love thee with the breath, 

Smiles, tears, of all my life; 

I shall love thee better after death.

Belle left that night. A beautiful black carriage with red velvet cushions took her all to her doorstep. She rushed through the door to find Baxter serving her father soup.

"Baxter?!" Belle gasped, shocked to see him in her home wearing her apron and more shocked to see him doing something for someone other than himself. 

"Belle!" Both men called with surprise.

"Are you all right?"  She and her father asked each other in unison. 

"How did you escape that awful beast?" Maurice coughed.

“He let me go. To come back to you.” 

Baxter's brows pulled together. “It's a ploy, he's manipulating her to get what he wants.”

“No, he's actually not so bad,” She blushed, thinking about their dance and conversations.

"That's good, sweetheart," her father took one of her hands in both of his. "I will never let you be in danger again." Maurice took one of Baxter's hands and joined it with Belle's. "Baxter is strong and brave. He will never let that beast near you again."

This time Belle's brow furrowed. "Father...?" She pulled her hand away from both of them. 

"He can protect you. And he will be a good husband. "

Belle felt the room wobble. "Then you've made an arrangement with him? "

"I won't be around forever, or even much longer, and I need to know you'll be taken care of. "

Belle excused herself, needed air and space to think. She looked around for the carriage that had just dropped her off, but only heard a small voice call her name. 

She looked around to find chip. 

"What are you doing here? "She asked. 

"You left without saying goodbye. I had to come along. You're family. "

At that she knew what she had to do and returned inside. 

"Father, I'm glad to see that you're okay. But I have to find my own way, and this is not it for me. I'm going back. And you can come with me!"

"What?!" Baxter slammed his hand on the table spilling the soup. "I've spent weeks with this pathetic old man, just to be rejected and passed over for a hideous beast?" He was furious. 

He slammed the door on his way out and blockaded it with barrels. 

"If you won't have me," He yelled, "You won't have anyone!" 

Then he went to rile up the rest of the town to go kill her beloved beast.

First draft of this chapter was written me. 

Illustrated and Edited by me.