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

Something More

A few days later Gaston was perfectly well again and was out enjoying the morning atmosphere of the market where he knew a very pretty brunette in a blue dress with a hitched skirt would be running her morning errands.

He positioned himself close to the chapel where he watched a group of women and girls as they made their way to the fountain, laundry baskets in their arms, and a line of uniformed schoolboys entering the schoolhouse.

A few minutes later she emerged from the chapel, book in hand, waving goodbye to Père Robert and skipping down the front steps, her beautiful smile on her face. The other day when she had come to check in on him and he had made her laugh they had undoubtedly shared a connection, one that was only growing stronger.Smiling himself, Gaston withdrew a few flowers from a nearby stand and approached her. "Good Morning Mademoiselle."

She turned to him with a smile. "Bonjour Monsieur."

"For you." He extended his hand in which was clutched the bouquet.

She smiled and took them. "Thank you. For our dinner table." She looked back up at him. "Care to join us this evening?"

He grinned, practically bursting with happiness. She had accepted his flowers! And invited him to dinner! "I would be absolutely delighted."

"Wonderful. We'll see you at six o'clock then."

"Splendid. What's that you've got there?" He leaned in to see the cover of her book.

"Our next reading assignment," she said. They were already on their third book. "We're on a roll."

"I look forward to it," he said, and Belle could tell he genuinely meant it.

"As do I." Still smiling, they parted.

With a skip in his step, Gaston returned to the tavern. When he entered the familiar space he found Madame LeBlanc serving a couple of unfamiliar men drinks, LeFou, Tom, Dick, and Stanley there as well.

"Bonjour gentlemen," Gaston said as he approached them.

"Sir." One of the men nodded. "I am Alexandre, and this is Jacques, my hunting partner." The other man smiled and nodded in greeting. "You are Gaston, head hunter of this town?"

"That would be me."

"Wonderful to meet you Sir. We are from the next town over. I am afraid we come on rather serious terms." He withdrew a small piece of parchment. Missing  was written at the top, followed by what looked like a description. "One of the men from our hunting party has gone missing. We all went out late last week and he became separated from the group, and we still haven't found him. The whole town is keeping a sharp eye out for him, and numerous search parties have been arranged." He handed Gaston the man's description. "We were hoping that you might keep an eye out too. We hate to trouble you, as you are a busy man, but you are said to be an exceptional tracker-"

Gaston took the description. "Indeed. Well of course I shall help you, fellow hunters. In fact we will go right away - return to your village and tell your people to rest a while. We'll find your missing man."

"Thank you Monsieur." They looked very grateful.

He nodded. "Madame LeBlanc shall ready you some lunch before your journey home." He turned to his fellow hunters. "Men, get yourselves ready. We have a man to find."

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On his way to Belle and Maurice's for dinner that evening, Gaston was slightly distracted by the news from earlier that day.

"Poor man," Tom had said after the men from their neighbouring village had left.  "Out there all alone.  And with those rumours going around..."

Gaston tried to push the distressing thoughts from his mind and instead turned his thoughts back to Belle - accepting his flowers and inviting him to dinner - it wouldn't be long now before they were married!

It donned on him then that it had been a while since he had had any thoughts on his marriage to Belle. He had been so focused on their friendship and getting her to warm up to him that all thoughts of marriage had been pushed into the back of his mind, though not forgotten . Truthfully, he was happy with where they were in terms of their relationship, however, he didn't want this to be all they were. He would marry her, eventually, that was for certain. He couldn't let himself get distracted from his goal: to marry Belle.  If that was even what he wanted anymore...

Of course it was! He'd wanted it since the first moment he'd met her.  And now he was well on his way to achieving it.

"Ah good evening Captain," greeted Maurice when he answered the door.

"Good evening Maurice," Gaston replied, clasping the old man's hand in his in a firm handshake.  The more he thought about it, the more he thought he wouldn't mind having the inventor as his father-in-law.

"I heard all about your 'adventure' the other day," Maurice said.  "We owe you again, Captain.  This time the life of my daughter."

Gaston smiled. "And I owe my life to her." From the kitchen, Belle smiled.

"Yes, very headstrong isn't she?" Maurice said with a loving smile.

"Yes, indeed she is," Gaston agreed, smiling just as fondly. He also noticed the flowers he had given her placed on the table just as promised.

Dinner passed by pleasantly, with lots of laughter and conversation, as well as many smiles exchanged between Belle and Gaston from across the table.

"Join us for some tea Captain?" Maurice offered once dinner was finished.

"I would love to Maurice, but I'm afraid I have some business to attend to early in the morning that I must prepare for." He told them of the missing man and search that was being conducted.
"We leave bright and early tomorrow morning. I'm not sure how long we will be gone."

On his way out after thanking them for having him, Belle stopped him before he left. "Gaston, please be careful."

He chuckled. "I won't have you there to help me fend off the wolves this time." Then he took her hand, dipped down, and pressed his lips to the back of it.  "Until my return."

And with that she watched him leave, a smile gracing her lips.

(Oooo they're getting flirty ;) Haha thanks so much for reading and voting! Always much appreciated! :))

(Over 800 reads! You guys are so amazing! Thanks so much!)