Second Chance

Chapter 18 Empty

Rumples POV

I appeared around the corner and clutched my heart.

Hitting my back against the concrete wall behind me, sinking to the floor, gasping for air. 

But no air would come. 

I can't breathe.

Not now. Not without her... 

She- she said yes! She's going to marry him! Gaston!

How...how could she.... 

How could... how could i...? 

This is all my fault... She would never marry him, if i had not let her go. 

He does not deserve her!

NOBODY DESERVES HER!

His arrogance will shine through and then as soon as they are married my beautiful Belle will be whisked away, shut up somewhere, where she has no power, nothing but a pretty thing to hold on to the King's arm when he wants - on his terms. He only wants to marry her because of how she will look next to him. To make the rest of the kingdom jealous. Yes I always felt a little smug walking around with her on my arm because she is, well, incredible... but not to make anyone jealous, not to show her off as my, my pet! Which is nothing less than what she will be to him! His pet.... Only allowed out on his terms, just to show people he has the most beautiful girl in the world - and to let them and her know that she is his and his alone. Then as she soon as he is bored of her, she will be cast aside again, hidden away again in some giant, cold, castle - the kind which I know Belle hates! 

Belle has told me that all her life she was brought up to be the most perfect little wife. Everything she was ever taught was to make her a better wife and mother to a future heir. She hated it. She really did. But she had no other choice but to go along with it, because as a princess she had a duty to her kingdom, too her people, to the king, her father. 

But marrying him....him! She doesn't love him! Not even when they were engaged many years ago! It was a marriage of convenience - nothing else! So why now? Why! 

Could she really, truly, my Belle, have fallen in love with another so quickly? Yes it's been a few months, but, she said I was her true love? Maybe she was wrong? And now she has developed stronger feelings for Gaston... Besides, Belle does not take the subject of marriage lightly! Our wedding... it was...perfect she looked - she was perfect. In every single way. And continued to be in our marriage. Why did i throw that away?

Does she even remember what he did to her in Storybook?! He kidnapped her! Kept her for weeks! And then one of his minions, he - he - took advantage of her.

I grit my teeth, still wanting to inflict pain on that piece of scum even now for what he did to her. 

My eyes widened. 

If he was that careless then, could that happen again? Could it? He has many guards - is in charge of a whole army for goodness sake! And I know first hand what soldiers like to do when they are not on shift or are home for a few days... He is obviously not going to be with her much during the actual marriage, thats for sure, so he wont be able to control what they do to her... They could do anything! And even if he did know I doubt he do anything about it. 

It was then that i realised that the inside of my tightly balled hands were wet. I opened them out to see a violent shade of glittering red. I'd been so angry, so furious that my nails had dug into my palms creating deep gashes. 

I stared at them, the blood a captivating colour. The blood rolling in-between my fingers and down my wrists as my hands were shaking.