Beauty and the Phantom

Chapter Eleven: Visiting The Past

Later that day, Erik was reading out in the garden. It was the same area where Maurice tried to pick a rose for (Y/N). He found this part of the castle nice. And it was a quiet place to read. As he read, (Y/N) walked over to him, wearing a winder cloak given to her by the staff.

"What are you reading?" (Y/N) asked Erik

Erik quickly closed the book, "Nothing."

But (Y/N) saw the title as she walked to sit next to him, "Guinevere and Lancelot."

"Well, actually, King Arthur and the Round Table. Knights and men and swords and things.

(Y/N) hummed, "Still... it's a romance."

"All right," Erik admitted

(Y/N) just smiled fondly. But to discuss books was not why she was there.

"I never thanked you for saving my life," (Y/N) said looking up at him

"Well, I never thanked you for not leaving me to be eaten by wolves," Erik said, adding to the thank yous

(Y/N) laughed at his comment, knowing they both had something to thank each other for. In the distance, the two could hear the castle staff in the kitchen, having so much fun. Erik turned to the noise, smiling fondly at his staff having a good time. Especially in such a rough time. 

"They know how to have a good time," (Y/N) commented

"Yes," Erik agreed, "But when I enter the room, laughter dies."

(Y/N) sighed, "Me too," Erik looked at her in curiosity, "The villagers say that I'm a funny girl... but I'm not sure they mean it as a compliment."

"I'm sorry," Erik apologised before trying to lighten the mood, "Your village sounds terrible."

(Y/N) gave a small laugh, "Almost as lonely as your castle."

Erik then got an idea, "What do you say we run away?"

(Y/N) looked at him slightly confused. So, Erik took her to the library. There, he took a book from a shelf that hadn't been touched in years. As he unlocked it, he explained that the book was another gift from the Enchantress. A book that allowed him to escape. Erik blew the dust off the pages before placing it on a book stand. On the pages was a map of the world with golden smoke floating around it. Erik felt as if the book was the Enchantress's cruelest trick of all.

To have a book that could take him anywhere in the world and not be able to go anywhere just because of his appearance. But he knew that (Y/N) could get better use out of it. Erik put (Y/N)'s hand on the book, telling her to imagine a place she had always wanted to go. As (Y/N) thought of where she wanted to go, the golden smoke started to rise as it took them to a windmill just outside of Paris. Like the others around it, the windmill wasn't in great condition. Everyone had left a long time ago. 

"Where did you take us?" Erik asked (Y/N)

"Paris," (Y/N) said, looking around the windmill

"Oh, I love Paris!" Erik walked over to the window, "What would you like to see first? Notre Dame, The Champs-Élysées... No? Too touristy?"

"It's so much smaller than I imagined," (Y/N) continued to look around the windmill

As she looked around, (Y/N) found some old drawings left on a chair. One of them was a sketch of a baby.

'This is the Paris of my childhood. These were the borders of my life. In this crumbling, dusty attic, where an artist loved his wife. Easy to remember, harder to move on knowing the Paris of my childhood,' (Y/N) picked up a rattle in the shape of a rose and sat on the bed, 'is gone...'

Erik suddenly realised why (Y/N) had taken them here. Judging by her words, this was once her home. But there's one detail in (Y/N)'s life that Erik was curious about. 

"What happened to your mother?" Erik asked

"It was the one story Papa could never bring himself to tell," (Y/N) explained, "I knew better than to ask."

On a chair near him, Erik found an old, discarded mask.

"Oh. A doctor's mask," Erik picked it up and examined it, only to realise what kind of mask it was, "Plague."

(Y/N)'s mother had died of the plague. A dangerous disease that had ever fallen upon Paris. As a final request, her mother told Maurice to take (Y/N) away before it could take her too. So, Maurice did just that, taking (Y/N) to the village to start anew, leaving his dear wife to succumb to her illness alone. Now realising how terrible Maurice and (Y/N)'s past was, Erik finally spoke up, saying something he should've said a long time ago:

"I'm sorry I ever called your father a thief," Erik apologised, sounding genuine in his apology. 

All (Y/N) could muster was, "Let's go home."

Erik was surprised at (Y/N) calling the castle 'home' but he didn't argue and the two returned to the castle. Meanwhile, back in the village, Gaston and Lefou finally arrived back. It was storming outside. Lefou had been trying his best the whole trip back to convince Gaston to go back for Maurice to set him free. He felt bad for him and knew that what Gaston had done was so cruel. But Gaston had no intentions of going back. He had his plan and he was sticking with it. So, the two just entered the tavern where Lefou voiced why he was trying to convince Gaston to help Maurice.

"It's just... every time I close my eyes, I picture Maurice stranded alone. And then when I open them, he's..."

Lefou was cut off when he saw Maurice, alive, and having some food with Pere. 

"Maurice!" Lefou said, sounding happy yet shocked that the man had survived the night.

But everyone had been told of what Gaston had done and what he tried to do. And a lot of the villagers weren't happy.

"Gaston," the keeper spoke up, "did you try to kill Maurice?"

Gaston decided to play dumb, "Maurice! Thank heavens! I've spent the last five days trying to find you."

"You tried to kill me," Maurice argued, "You left me to the wolves."

"Wolves? It's one thing to rave about your delusions. It's another to accuse me of attempted murder."

"Maurice..." Jean spoke up, "Do you have any proof of what you're saying?"

"Ask Agathe," Maurice pointed to Agathe who was warming up by the fire, "She rescued me."

Gaston laughed, "Agathe! You'd hang your accusations on the testimony of a filthy hag? No offense, Agathe."

Agathe gave a quick raise of her eyebrows, showing that she took no offense. So, Maurice turned to the only other witness.

"Monsieur LeFou," Maurice said, looking over at him, "He was there. He saw it all."

"Me?" Lefou asked, unsure whether or not to tell the truth or stick to Gaston.

"You're right. Don't take my word for it. LeFou..." Gaston put his hands on Lefou's shoulders, "my dearest companion... did I, your oldest friend and most loyal compatriot, try to kill the father of the only woman I've ever loved?"

"Well, it's a complicated question on a number of accounts..." Gaston turned Lefou to him, giving a look that practically threatened him to side with him, "But no. No, he did not."

Everyone mumbled at this sudden news. The only other people who were there had both lied their way into being innocent. Angered by this, Maurice walked up to Gaston to slap him. But Gaston grabbed his wrist, stopping Maurice from hitting him. Gaston twisted Maurice's hand to the side, stopping him from trying. 

"Maurice... it pains me to say this, but you've become a danger to yourself and others. No wonder (Y/N) ran away. You need help, sir. A place to heal your troubled mind," Gaston nodded to three men, becoming them over, "Everything's going to be fine. Just fine."