The Dreamer and the Hunter - A Beauty and the Beast Story

The Fair

The day of the fair arrived and Maurice and Belle awoke early and headed out to their neighbouring town of Petite Fleur where the fair was being held, the start of the Autumn Festival. They arrived a couple of hours later.

"This invention may be the start of a new life for us," Maurice said hopefully as they set up at the invention tent.

"Do you need any help with anything else Papa?" she asked once they were all set up.

Maurice smiled. "No, no, you run along and explore." He had seen her staring around at everything curiously.

She smiled back. "Thank you Papa. I promise I'll be back in time for the judging and prizes."

Leaving the inventions she wandered around by herself for a while. Even though it was still early the fair was already a bustling, busy place. She had thought that it would be small, but no, it was a whole assortment of things, something for everyone's liking. There were stalls selling varieties of everything, from dresses to weapons, to household objects, food and drinks, and even games for the children. Overall, she was impressed. The villages and their inhabitants kept surprising her.

"Belle!" As she was wandering through the clothing section she heard the call of her name and saw Alice making her way through the crowd towards her. "Oh, thank goodness I saw you!" Alice said. "Gives me an excuse to leave my sisters! A welcome excuse, of course." She winked. "How have you been?"

"Oh, well," Belle lied. "And you?"

"I've been good. I heard about you and Gaston," Alice said. "I'm sorry."

"Did everyone hear?" asked Belle, recalling Père Robert saying so.

Alice looked as though she wanted to tell her different. "Yes..."

Belle groaned and buried her face in her hands.

"That and, they all talk about you standing up to him, and how no one has ever done that before, especially no woman! You've changed him, and the village. You are just what we needed!"

Belle didn't know how to react to this.

There came a great cheer then from a fenced-off area nearby.

"Oh, it's starting!" cried Alice.

Going over, the two found that it was the archery competition. A line of five targets had been set up, and before them stood five archers, one of which happened to be-

"GASTON!!!" shrieked the triplets, supposedly cheering him on.

Alice sighed and rolled her eyes. "So embarrassing," she whispered, making Belle giggle.

They watched as the archers readied their bows and arrows at the instruction of the judges.

"Um, would you like to continue on?" asked Alice.

Actually, she was kind of curious to stay and watch, though she hated to admit it. Belle knew that Alice was trying to be gentle on the subject of her and Gaston.

"A-alright," she finally said, and the girls moved on.

They stopped by every stand, every tent, seeing every corner of the fair. There was even dancing lessons, cooking lessons, sewing, and knitting. They had a little bit of everything.

Belle and Alice spent the day together, laughing and talking, and Belle began to feel as if she had found a true friend. It was also just what she had needed, a distraction from the events of the past week.

They were trying on an assortment of hats at one of the stands when the clock tower chimed. "Oh, the time!" Belle cried. "It's almost time for the inventions!"