La Bella E La Bestia: Could He Be Saved?

Have An Excuse To Keep You Here

For a reason not known to himself, Leon find himself in the Conservatory with his trusted canine. The one place he hated. Since Bella watched over him, he hadn't wanted to destroy the one place which caused him the most agony. Not once had Bella criticized his behavior. No, he understood she was worried for him that evening.

Glancing along all the many flowers, he had heard the sound of walking in heels. "You're thinking what I'm thinking, aren't you?" Helene asked him.

Keeping his eyes on on the flowers, he responded, "That would surprise me." He told her.

Folding her hands, she stepped closer to him. "It would be marvelous to have it here. The reception. In the green house. Don't you think?" She inquired, smiling as she moved along.

In a certain voice which questioned his cousin, "The Reception?"

Smiling still she replied, "For Our Wedding."

Leon didn't want to cause Helene an once of pain. He caused one woman heartache recently. He couldn't hurt two of them. Bella had brought out his transformation. "Listen," He said softly.

Helene turned to face him. "You're right. To cultivated."

Leon disagreed. "No."

Helene kept giving him suggestions. "The Salon is better."

How could he tell her without her getting upset? "No, not that." He said. "I need to speak to you."

The one certainty he knew was he had to let Helene down gently. Perhaps it was Bella's influence over him. Bella was the motivation behind everything, afterall.

Leon kept his hands folding along side his back. He wouldn't dream of marrying another when he loved Bella. He had to be honest with his cousin. "You should know that I-". He stopped himself from speaking when he heard the Conservatory door open.

In the voice belonging to the young lady he longed to hear made itself know with a simple, "Excuse Me." Leon let her speak. He understood she had the talent to ease his damaged soul. "I've decided what to ask you for."

Leon couldn't help but give an amused expression. Suddenly, he whirled around and approached Bella. "Let's talk about it then, alone." He replied to her. Bella refused that option. It was not proper. He was engaged. Not to mention she didn't trust him. "There's no need." Leon stopped in front of Bella as she continued. "There's nothing that can not be said in front of your betrothed." 

Leon had remembered they were not alone. Helene was looking on. Leon inclined his head, staring back to Bella, a smiled graced his features. Would he be able to obtain her forgiveness if he fulfilled an act? Would she give me a second chance? "As You Wish." He stated to her not able to tear his eyes away from hers.

Bella met his gaze. She wouldn't show him how nervous she was. "My wish could be that you cancel my father's debt." She declared in her normal, kind voice. Her wish took Leon by complete surprise. If he granted it, he would never see her again. If he declined her wish, it would mean he was not a man of his word. In Bella's eyes, he would be seen as a brute.

Bella awaited his answer. Leon focused his eyes to her. "That way I no longer have an excuse to keep you here." When he realized she wouldn't forgive him for his treachery, he averted his eyes. Bella looked away from him.

Couldn't she see how remorseful he was? Instead, she wanted to run from him again!  Leon acknowledged he was the blame. So this was how he was forced to make it up to her? By agreeing to let her go. In his heart he knew she would marry some pretty boy and have many children. She would never recognize and accept the reality she had feelings for him! Leon felt defeated. "If that is what you want... alright." He replied.

Bella observed him. "Thank you." She said to him in a sincere tone and then she curtsied. Leon gave her a slight smile. She did the same action, looking at Helene and calmly left them.

When Bella left the room, he could hear Helene coming close to him. "What a venal nature." She proclaimed. "She could of had you." This caused Leon to look at her, a frown forming on his face. "But she preferred money."

Leon thought about it. No, she wasn't like that. In leaving him, he knew he wasn't good enough for her. He wasn't worth risking her heart, his love for her wasn't important to her. It didn't matter. He felt the anger build in him once again.

Helene wanted to continue the discussion of their wedding. "So it's decided. The reception will he held in the Salon." She announced to him, walking towards the door.

Why should he show Helene any kindness or be considerate of her feelings when she didn't care for his? She had declared his love for Bella as nonsensical.

Leon had enough this. He would not be marrying Helene. He couldn't continue with this charade any longer. If he wouldn't be marrying Bella, he would not marry! "There is not going to be any reception." When Helene whirled around and looked at him, he decided to make himself clear, once and for all. "There is not going to be any wedding." He informed her sternly.

Helene was stunned by his announcement. "You gave me you're word."

Leon smirked. "Did you really think that I'd kept it?" He questioned her,

Helene knew she had to refer to Bella. "You did with Bella." She stated to him at once. Leon moved his eyes away from her figure. "Yes." He admitted, agreeing with his cousin. He stared at Helene once more. "Yes, and much good that did." He cast his eyes downward. "Or so it seems." He turned his back to Helene.

He heard the footsteps pacing quickly as he knew Helene had run out of the Conservatory. Had Bella wished for anything else, he would have been delicate with Helene. He knew his one chance for paradise was with Bella. He dismissed the though Bella wanted money. It had been a longtime since he was around a lady, a true lady. Maybe Bella couldn't forgive him, finding the attention he had given her repulsive. Perhaps she regarded him to be nothing more than a monster, a beast who had wanted to traumatized her beyond repair.

Leon was tempted to go to her room and confront her. What good would it do? He gave her his word! Leon went to his room. Emotionally drained.

As she was leaving, she handed the coachman her map of the world. She found herself glancing up at the window which she knew were to Leon's bedroom.

Smoking his long smoking pipe, Leon knew he had to forget her. By the time she arrived back to Old Dubois, maybe she would ignore the memory of him. He pulled the tube from his month as he heard the carriage departing with his love.

Bella couldn't stop herself looking back at the chateau, regret washing over her. No, she had to stop this. She had an opportunity to have the future she always hoped to achieve. She would travel the seas with her father! Why had she let Leon get to her in the first place? They were complete opposites. She adored love in all it's forms while he was consumed in hate. Still, she found herself worrying about Leon. But it didn't matter, her place was with her father and Eveline.