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

What Are Friends For?

Belle was very touched to say the least, that Gaston had done something for her, a man who usually expected people to do things for him and offering nothing in return. He really has changed.

And his gentility and generosity towards her - perhaps he had finally realized what it was to be friends.

So why did saying they were friends make her feel, what was it? Disappointed almost. It was the truth after all, she was the one who wanted to be friends in the first place, that and nothing more, so it made no sense. It's not as though her opinions of him or their relationship had changed since then... And she still didn't want to give him the wrong idea.

She sat pondering all this while trying to read to pass the time while her laundry washed. She had re-built her washing machine, a sturdier design this time, and kept a sharp eye out for anyone who might come along and dismantle it like last time.

"Umm, Belle?"

She was so lost in her thoughts that she didn't even notice someone else had arrived at the fountain. It was Emilie, the girl she had been teaching to read that day. With her were two other younger girls.

"Oh, Emilie, hello." Belle smiled. She hadn't seen the girl in a while, not since that day in fact. "How are you?"

"Well thank you." She appeared shy. "I've been telling my friends about you teaching me to read, and then we saw you over here, reading again. The truth is, I really enjoyed our reading lesson, and my friends are interested too so, would you help us learn?"

Belle was shocked, but moments later her lips broke out into a wide smile. "Of course I will! I would love to. Here, come, gather round."

The girls sat around her and she started by reading aloud to them, before teaching them the basics and then getting them to try reading aloud themselves, like she had done with Emilie that day. Out of the corner of her eye she could see some townsfolk stop to stare and gossip, but she chose to ignore it and went on with her teaching.

"You're really good," commented one of Emilie's friends, Giselle. "How did you get to be so good?"

"Practice," Belle answered with a smile. "Lots and lots of practice. And a want and interest in learning."

"I told you she was really good, and really nice," Emilie whispered to her friends.

"Sophie!" The four girls jumped then when a woman came storming over, addressing Emilie's second friend. "What are you doing? You're supposed to be doing the laundry."

"But we are Maman," Sophie insisted. "It's there, see, in Belle's little washing machine." Her mother strode over and snatched their still wet laundry from the machine, almost in disgust, and threw it into their basket. "I'm disappointed, here you are lazing about while you're supposed to be doing your chores. Emilie, Giselle, you too."

"But they're not lazing about," Belle said in the girls' defense, standing. "I was teaching them to read while the laundry washed, multi-tasking."

The woman scoffed. "You'd think you would have learned your lesson from last time," she said, not directly addressing Belle when she said this. "And we have no time for such silly things as reading! We're busy people."

"Yes, I understand that-"

"Do you? You seem to spend most of your time fantasizing."

"Maman, there's no need to be rude!" cried Sophie.

But her mother ignored her. "Come Sophie. And Giselle, Emilie, your mothers will be hearing about this."

"What's going on here?" Just as she was about to storm off, Sophie in tow, Gaston arrived at the fountain, having seen them and sensing something was wrong.

"Oh Gaston, she's doing it again, trying to shove her own ways onto us."

"Oh?" Gaston came to stand supportively at Belle's side.

"I'm not 'shoving' my own ways onto you," Belle cried. "They asked me to teach them and I am more than happy to."

"She's teaching girls to read again," someone complained.

"One girl reading is enough!" added someone else from the crowd that had now gathered.

"More than enough!"

"Stupid idea."

"Listen to yourselves!" cried Belle, disgusted. "Are you really all so small-minded that you won't even allow a girl to try? Give something new a chance?" Gaston watched her proudly. "If you just stopped for one moment you would see their potential I'm sure of it."

"This is not how good people behave," Gaston supported. "We should support our fellow villagers."

"But Gaston, a girl, reading?"

"Well is it harming the girls in any way?"

Silence, followed by murmurs. "W-well, n-no..."

"And are they still able to complete their chores?"

"I-I suppose..."

"I guess..."

"See, then I don't see how it's so bad. And if they want to learn, why not? And they'd be learning from the best." He smiled at Belle who looked touched.

"But even you think it's absurd!"

He looked down at Belle. "Perhaps I did, but now I see that I was wrong. Perhaps giving it a chance isn't so bad." He smiled down at her, she smiling back up at him. "This is the way it will be from now on. If you don't like it, keep it to yourself. And if you don't like it and make a point of making that known, then you'll answer to me." Then another idea came to mind. He smirked. "And answer to Belle."

This was answered by more murmurs.

"Alright..."

"I guess..."

"If Gaston says so."

Belle could hardly believe it. Here was Gaston, supporting her and her different ways. She didn't like it when he used his supposed power to his advantage, but here he was using it to her advantage. He was helping her. Gaston was helping someone, helping someone benefit other than himself.

"Thank you," she mouthed. He smiled and nodded in return.

Was this man ever full of surprises, he hadn't been lying when he'd said so. And little did she know that his biggest surprise yet awaited her.

(Oooooo, what could that possibly be? ;) I promise you'll find out in the next chapter! Thanks so much for reading and the comments and votes! Plus, I love the picture, they actually look happy together ;))