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

Agathe's Story

The first day of the search yielded no clues towards the missing man, not even with Gaston's expert tracking skills. The group tried not to become too discouraged, and continued with their search early the following morning after making camp for the night.

As he was ahead for the most part, the others following behind, and as he was concentrated on the task of tracking, it took Gaston a while to realize how fidgety his companions were, jumping at any slight noise or movement. It was like LeFou's behaviour the day they had found the dead deer.

Noticing this, Gaston drew the group to a halt, assessing his four companions. "Boys," he said. "I cannot help but notice that you all seem - distracted." He eyed them, watching as they all exchanged a glance.

"It's just," Dick began, speaking for the whole group. "We can't help but be a little nervous, with this man's disappearance and all." The others nodded in agreement.

"And your findings before, the deer and wolf," added Tom.

"And especially with the rumours going around," piped up Stanley. "The beast." He spoke in a near whisper during this last part.

Gaston sighed, a near scoff, and rolled his eyes. "Oh not this again."

"I thought even you were being cautious now," said LeFou.

"Yes, but it's always good to be cautious. And until I have better evidence, I'm not going to jump to conclusions and believe in some magical creature. Now come on, don't let that distract you from the task at hand." He motioned for them to follow him. They exchanged another glance before hesitantly doing so.

They searched all morning, stopping briefly to rest and have something to eat before continuing on again.

That was when Gaston noticed something on the grass - a dark red spot. He knelt down and ran his fingers over it, they coming back red. He sniffed them - blood. And quite fresh at that.

He wiped his fingers off in the grass and signaled for the others to follow, remaining cautious.

Fresh blood. That was never a good sign.

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"You seem rather quiet," observed Maurice the following morning as Belle cleaned up after breakfast. "Must be deep in thought." He knew his daughter well.

"Yes," sighed Belle. "It's Gaston. I think I might have allowed our relationship to slip beyond friends, or gave him the idea of that. I just don't want to lead him on, and then hurt him in doing so." Times really had changed - here she was worrying about hurting Gaston.

"You've told him that you just want to be friends, and he agreed?" She nodded. "Well then, I think you can be assured that you've not given him the wrong idea."

"But it's Gaston."

Her father chuckled, and it was only then that she realized she had spoken this thought aloud. "Perhaps. And I suppose reminding him wouldn't hurt."

Belle thanked her father for his council and then headed out on her morning errands. It was when she was almost done when she noticed a face she hadn't seen in a while.

"Agathe!" she called. She was sitting on the steps of the chapel and Belle came over to join her.

"Oh hello dear." The woman smiled.

"I haven't seen you around lately," Belle said, sitting down beside her on the steps.

Agathe shook her head. "No, I don't come to the village often, just every once in a while. As you have seen I'm not quite welcome." She chuckled a little at this.

"You're just different from what everyone is used to," Belle said, hoping to comfort her. "Coming from a fellow village outsider, I know how it feels."

Agathe gave her a smile. "But it feels good in a way, to be different, rebellious!" Her eyes lit up when she said this.

Belle nodded in agreement, recalling her conversation with Alice the previous day. "It does."

The two women sat in silence for a little while, Belle hardly realizing her thoughts had trailed off again, much like this morning.

"You are troubled." Belle jumped at Agathe's words, only realizing then that she had been lost in another thought-trance.

"Sorry, my thoughts have been busy lately."

"Need someone to talk to?"

Although Papa's advice had been good, Belle did feel like it would be nice to have the advice of another woman. "It's just, Gaston-"

"Ah." Agathe nodded. "Where do you begin?"

Belle chuckled. "Yes. You see, I told him a while back that I just wanted to be friends, and he agreed and it's actually turned out to be quite pleasant, more so than I ever would have thought. But now I wonder - and worry - if I'm giving him the wrong idea."

"Tell him how you feel." Belle waited for her to elaborate and when she didn't, Belle guessed that that was her full answer.

She didn't have long to ponder over it before Agathe spoke again. "Speaking of, where is Gaston? Usually he's quite noticeable amongst the crowd."

"He's out in a search party for a missing man from another village," Belle explained.

"And you're worried about him." Belle wondered how Agathe was gathering all of this, and all truthfully too. "Well yes, a little. I know he's good at his job, but - have you heard the rumours?"

Agathe nodded. "Ah yes, about the beast. You know, there are many stories concerning that."

"Oh?"

"Yes, of the creature's origin, where it came from. My favourite goes like this: there was once a handsome young prince who lived in a castle very near here - this was very long ago mind you, so it's all gone now, if it was even ever there at all." She paused before continuing. "Though handsome on the outside, the prince was very arrogant and spoiled-"

Like someone I know, thought Belle. Or used to know... Gaston had improved his behaviour she had to admit, even if only just a little. And of course, she had taken to being less harsh towards it after learning of his past upbringing.

"-This led him to be greedy and unkind and slowly, as he grew more and more so, his outer appearance began to change so that it mirrored his inner self, so much so that he eventually transformed into a fearsome, hideous beast."

Belle now sat listening intently. This sounded like something in one of her books.

"Time passed," Agathe continued. "And the prince became less and less human and more beastly. There was, however, a way he could change back into his human self."

"How?" Belle asked eagerly, feeling like a child again when her mother would tell her stories, she always interrupting impatiently wanting to know and not wanting to wait to hear the rest, just wanting to know then and there.

"If he realized his wrongdoings, admitted he was wrong, and if he learned to love and earn that same love in return, be less selfish, he would transform back, and if not, well-" She gave a little shrug. "He would be doomed to remain a beast for all eternity."

Belle had a feeling she knew where this was headed. "He didn't, did he?"

Agathe shook her head. "No. He never found love, nor did he admit that he was wrong. He was too stubborn and selfish to admit it and so the creature overtook him and he has been roaming the deepest corners of the woods ever since. But it may be just a story, of course. And of course, that is just one version of the story. But all stories come with warnings and lessons, this one being the destructive power of vanity and pride if taken too far."

Belle nodded. That was a very powerful story. "But could it really be true?" she wondered aloud. "I mean, his curse, that was the doings of magic, right?"

"Yes, magic." Agathe's eyes shone again. "A curious thing, magic."

(Yeah, magic! Got to love the magic :) and don't worry, it's not our beloved prince who's the beast, at least not in this story! Haha thanks so much for reading, and the over 100 votes!)