Your Beast, My Beauty

Chapter 9

(Dipper pov)

I ride into the town square and I see everyone's eyes widen and jaws drop. "Stop!" I hop off of Daisy and rush over to the carriage trying to open it. "Dad!"

"Dipper? My boy, I thought I lost you."

I watch as he goes into anothe coughing fit before I look at the man who I had seen driving the carriage. "Let him out! He's sick!"

"I'm afraid that I can't do that, sir. But don't worry. We'll take good care of him."

"My dad is not crazy you stupid simpletons!" I spot Gideon in the crowd. "Gideon, tell him!"

"Dipper, you know how loyal I am to your family, but your father has been making some unbelievable claims. He's been raving about some demon in a castle."

"Because it's true. I just came back from there."

"We all admire your devotion to your father, but you'd say anything to free him. Your word is hardly proof."

I reach into my messenger bag and pull out the mirror showing it to them. "You want proof? SHOW ME BILL!"

Everyone gasps as his image is shown on the mirror. I look at it and regret fills my heart. He's sitting in the center of his room with his knees pulled to his chest. His tie is thrown to the floor with his suit  jacket and the extra sleeves of his shirt are ripped off.

"This is dark magic!" Gideon snatches the mirror from my hands. "Look at the demon! His fangs and claws!"

"No, don't be afraid. He is gentle and kind."

"He has you under his spell! If I didn't know better, I would say that you're falling in love with this monster."

"You are the monster, Gideon, not him! Bill would never hurt anyone."

"I have heard of the effects of dark magic, but never seen it with my own eyes before! This is a threat to our very existence!"

Everyone starts chanting his name and I watch in horror as they start getting torches and pitchforks ready.

I try to stop them but two of Gideon's friends grab me stopping me as I struggle against them. "Let me go!"

"We can't have him running off to warn the demon. Lock him up too."

"You won't get away with this, Gideon!"

They throw me in the carriage with my dad and lock us in there as I bang helplessly on the door.

I can't do anything as everyone in town marches out towards the castle. "No no no! I have to get out of here and warn him."

"Warn him? How did you get away from him?" I go back over to my dad.

"He let me go, dad, he sent me back to you."

"I don't understand."

I open the locket so he can see and his eyes widen in recognition. "He took me there. I now know what happened to mom and Mable."

"Then you know I had to leave them there. I had to protect you. I've always tried to protect you... too much, perhaps... "

"I know and I understand." I take his hand in mine gently. "But I have to get back to Bill. He needs my help now. I have to protect him like you protected me all these years. So will you please help me?"

"It will be dangerous."

"Yes. Yes it will."

He goes over to the door examing the lock. Already being two steps ahead of him I reach into my messenger bag taking out a long pin that I kept in here along with many other things. "Of course I could try to pick the lock. After all, it's only gears and springs. But I would need something long and sharp-" He smiles as I hand him the pin. He inserts it into the lock and after a few minutes he unlocks the door pushing them open.

I jump out of there going over to Daisy. I climb on her before looking back at my dad again. "Get yourself home. I will come find you when things are safe again." Flicking Daisy's reigns I ride back towards his castle.

Branches and throns rip my clothes and scratch at my face but I don't care. I don't stop until we're back at the castle, all the villagers running out of it in terror.

Jumping off of Daisy I run into the castle past everyone else I run up towards Bill's room. I slamming his door open I run to his balcony and see him on another turret, barely keeping his balance on his as one hand clutches his side. I can see blood staining his shirt in multiple spots.

I run up a turret and see Gideon aiming a crossbow at Bill, the arrow barely missing. I grab his remaining arrows and break them over my knee to his surprise.

"Dipper?"

"Where is he?!"

He grabs my arm tightly, his nails digging into my arm painfully. "When we return to the village, you will marry me, and the demon's head will hang on our wall!"

"Never!" I pull my arm out of his grip and manage to push him over the edge and kick his gun over the edge too. He manages to lower himself down safely still coming after Bill.

Running back down to Bill's room I cup my hands over my mouth as I yell for him. "Bill!"

He looks at me and I see a wide smile break out on his face. "Dipper? You came back!"

"I tried to stop them!"

"Just stay there! I'm coming!"

I watch as Gideon sneaks up behind Bill with a club in hand. "Bill, behind you!"

He manages to dodge the club at the last minute and grabs Gideon by the neck, dangling him over the edge.

Gideon struggles and I can see the anger in Bill's eyes. "No. Don't let me go. Please. Don't hurt me, demon. I'll do anything."

Bill glances at me before he puts Gideon back on his feet and lets go of him. "I am not a demon."

He takes a few steps back before he jumps over to the balcony, barely making it as I help him onto it. He hugs me tightly but before I can return the embrace he yells out in pain as a loud boom goes off and I see Gideon standing across the way with his gun pointed in right at Bill.