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

This Provincial Life

The following day would have been a day where Belle and Gaston would meet. However, since he was away, their plans had been postponed. Belle found herself to be disappointed to be perfectly honest. She missed Gaston, missed their time together. It had become a part of her life, one that she had grown to enjoy, time with her friend.

They had strangely enough become rather close over the past weeks, leaning towards, perhaps, more than friends even. She thought of the previous night in particular - he had been flirting, as usual, but so had she to some extent. And the way he had kissed her hand... So gentlemanly. She found herself smiling as she thought about it, and also felt her cheeks growing flushed.

She caught herself there. But that wasn't what she wanted, she wanted to be friends, just friends and nothing more. Had she been so careless as to let their relationship slip over the line of friends? Now she grew a little worried. She didn't want to give him the wrong idea.

She went about her morning errands, stopping first at the chapel to pick out another book for herself to read. She opened it up, thinking it might help clear her thoughts, but quickly found that she was much too distracted to read, no matter how hard she tried to focus. In fact she was so caught up in her thoughts that she didn't see the person coming around the corner towards her until it was almost too late...

Both her and the person skidded to a stop just as they were about to collide. Belle managed to regain her footing while the other person, also a young woman, lost her grip on her basket and it fell to the ground, some of the contents spilling out.

Belle quickly put away her book and knelt down to begin helping her collect the lost items. "I'm so sorry, I really shouldn't read and walk!" Although it had been more her thoughts distracting her.

The young woman smiled at her. "Oh no, my fault! My mother's always chiding me for never paying attention! Too lost in my own world she says."

As she was putting her items back into her basket, Belle noticed something at the bottom of it, where it looked to have been carefully placed as if hidden, the unmistakable shape of a book...

"Do you read?" she asked, a smile breaking out over her face.

The girl realized she had been caught and blushed. "Well, not really, but I wanted to try. However, I've had to do so in secret. As you know, a girl reading here isn't exactly what everyone expects or wants. And I'm really not very good." She took the items from Belle, smiling her thanks, and the two stood.

"I'm Alice," the girl introduced herself. "And you're Belle right?"

"Yes." Belle nodded.

"Oh it's so good to finally meet you! Most people here say you're odd, but what do they know? Most of them have never even talked to you, how can they tell?"

Belle couldn't help but smile - here was a villager who wasn't judging her just by what they saw, and was speaking with her and getting to know her, not just judging her right away because she was different. And someone she had only just met.

"I know I do things a little differently than the norm here-"

"And I like that! And you're so confident in what you do! Besides, it's nice to have a change for once, for everything's always the same."

Again, Belle was surprised. So she wasn't the only one who thought this town life was dull after all.

"I love your dress by the way," Alice said suddenly. "The hitched skirt is really lovely. My mother owns the dress shop you see, so I'm always surrounded by materials and patterns." She leaned in closer and then whispered, "and no corset?"

"No." Belle shook her head proudly.

"Scandalous!" Alice winked.

Again, Belle smiled. Boy could this girl ever talk! Belle liked her already.

"So, what's the deal with you and Gaston?" Alice asked, jumping to yet another subject.

"Oh nothing really, we're just friends."

"Just friends. Again, I like it! Gives you a chance to actually get to know the person. And lucky you! I know a bunch of girls who would die to be in your shoes! Not me though, so don't worry!" She winked again.

"So you're not head-over-heels in love with Gaston?" Belle asked, almost sheepishly. "I thought all the girls were."

"Oh they are! And sure, I think he's handsome, but with every girl after him how would I ever get the chance to meet him, let alone fall in love with him? Besides, I get enough talk of him at home with my sisters. They're absolutely mad for him, and won't shut up about it! All three of them!"

Hmm, three girls who were crazy for Gaston... This was sounding oddly familiar.

"Your sisters wouldn't happen to be the triplets, would they?"

Alice nodded. "Yes, they would! Adeline, Adrienne, and Arielle, that's them! They're always all over him, up in his face and clingy - honestly I feel bad for him!" Then she blushed and smiled. "To be quite honest, I like LeFou! I feel so bad for him, never getting any attention when Gaston gets it all, and he's so sweet and nice and funny! We go for walks sometimes, or sit in the tavern talking. He always makes me laugh! I'm not sure if he feels the same way, but that's okay, I like being friends. Like you and Gaston. What do you two do as friends?"

"Well we'll go for walks, go to the tavern, he'll tell me his war stories, and I'll read to him-"

"Read!" cried Alice. "I never thought I'd live to see the day that Gaston actually read a book! I really do wish I was better at it, I think it would be a nice pastime."

"I could help you, if you'd like," Belle offered.

Alice's jaw dropped before a huge smile spread across her face. "Oh would you?! Oh I would love that! Learn from the expert herself!"

Belle chuckled. "Well, I don't think 'expert' but-"

"Well you're certainly ahead of a lot of us here, that's for sure!"

"Alice!"

"Speaking of my sisters," Alice said with a roll of her eyes when they were interrupted by a shrill call. Belle looked to the other side of the market to see the triplets calling and waving to their sister. "Alice!"

"Well, I guess I have to go, but it was so nice meeting you Belle," Alice said, taking her hand. "I hope to see you soon."

"Nice meeting you too Alice. Yes, see you soon."

"ALICE!"

Alice gave a sigh and made a face towards Belle before waving goodbye and walking off to go and join her sisters. Belle giggled before continuing on herself.

She had made a positive influence on the village without even realizing it, and by just being herself. And as Alice had said, she admired it. It seemed she was well on her way to doing as her father had suggested, trying to open the people's minds. Her father's words repeated in her head: "And people judged her for it, that is, until they all began to look up to her." They all judged her until one day, they all began to imitate her.

"Just like you Maman," Belle whispered with a smile.

(Hmm is Belle perhaps having second thoughts on her relationship with Gaston? Hmmmm.... Haha! And she's slowly but surely making an influence on the town... Hope you enjoyed this chapter! More to come soon! As always, thanks for reading :))