The Huntress || Gaston

Monsters and Mothers

Gaston and LeFou walked from the stables to the tavern in the pouring rain, LeFou going on about his guilt, "Every time I close my eyes, I see Maurice." He said as they walked into the tavern to find it quiet with Maurice himself seated at a table.

"Maurice, my we've been looking for you for ages." Gaston said after an awkward silence, stepping slowly down into the tavern.

"Gaston, did you try to kill Maurice?" The headmaster asked Gaston, looking almost fearful.

"Now, tell me, why would I do such a thing?" Gaston inquired looking around at the tavern, then turned to face Maurice, "Where's your proof?"

"Agatha," Maurice said simply and she lifted her head at being acknowledged. The whole tavern was so engrossed in the dramatics that no one heard the door open then shut, and no one saw Ada step towards Gaston until it was too late...

"Agatha? You expect us to believe a tired, old hag?" Gaston asked, looking from Agatha to Maurice, not yet seeing Ada, who was beginning to fume. Agatha looked at her daughter to tell her not to say anything but family was family, and Ada would not allow anyone to speak to her mother that way. "No offense, Agatha."

"How dare you!" Ada cried, hearing gasps from all corners of the room. Gaston was bewildered, happy to see Ada but then to hear her stand up for the town beggar was confusing for him, he didn't understand.

"Ada," he said, taking a step towards her and she met him, chest-to-chest except glaring at him instead of the greeting Gaston was hoping for.

"How dare you, that is my mother you were speaking of!" Ada cried and more gasps arose, astonishing everyone...except for the blacksmith who had a look on his face that could only be read as stupidity. Gaston reached out for her but she brushed past, embracing her mother instead, "No offense? That's how you cushion an insult?" He made an attempt to get a word in but Ada cut him off once more, "It's just right that none of you would know. Who would want to speak to someone dressed a little dirtier than you? Someone who stands on the corner of the street where she grew up and honor her parents by doing as they did. There's nothing wrong with that. And I'll have you know that between the two of us, we probably make more than any single man in this room." The room was silent, no one spoke. Agatha had tears in her eyes, so proud of her daughter; Ada also had tears forming in her eyes, but it was only when she looked at him. "And you, I thought you were better than this. I trusted you."

Both Ada and Gaston's hearts broke.

But Gaston had dug his grave, and now he had to lie in it.

"Ada, you don't understand. This is bigger than that. That man has been raving on about a Beast." Gaston turned from Ada to Maurice just in time to stop Maurice from slapping him across the face. "My, my, Maurice, it seems you're a danger to yourself as to others. But don't fret, we have a place for you where you can ease your mind." Three men emerged and grabbed a hold of Maurice, who sputtered and struggled. This was an outrage. The tavern began to exit after the three men and Maurice.

"Gaston, you can't be serious." Ada said, stopping in front of him.

"Ada, please, for your own good." Gaston begged of her, his hands gripping her arms and moving her out of his way. She didn't stop,

"No! I can't let you do this." Gaston walked away as another man came and pinned her arms behind her back, "You brute!" Gaston stalked to the head of the crowd with LeFou and the man who had Ada in tow as the three men threw Maurice inside the wagon for the asylum.

"He needs a hospital, not an asylum!" Pere Robert yelled from the crowd and earned a few dirty looks and shoves to the comment. Gaston slammed the door and the wagon went a few feet before stopping due to a beautiful rider in an elegant yellow gown.

"Papa!" Belle cried, reaching for his hand through the barred window. "Let him out!"

"I'm afraid we can't do that, Miss." The keeper drawled and Belle turned to Gaston,

"Tell him my father's not crazy."

"You know how loyal I am to your family, Belle, but your father has been making some ridiculous claims." Gaston shrugged with crossed arms, not really wanting to let him go anyway.

"It's true, Belle," the baker said. "He's been going on about a beast and a castle, and talking tea cups!"

"I've just come from the castle!" Belle protested.

"You'd say anything to help your father." Gaston pointed out. "Where's your proof?"

"Proof? You want proof?" Belle looked hesitantly down at the mirror then requested it show her the Beast. "There's your proof." The village people gasped in horror and Gaston took the enchanted mirror, observing its display then showing the people.

"Look at this Beast! Look at its fangs! It'll take your children and your wives." Gaston bellowed, earning cries of fear from the crowd.

"No! He's kind, and gentle." Gaston looked both appalled and shocked at Belle's words.

"I've only heard of dark magic, but if I didn't know any better I'd say he has her under some spell, she may even care for the monster!"

"He's not the monster, Gaston!" Belle argued, "You are."

"She's going to try to warn the Beast, lock her up, too." Gaston said with a sneer and somehow got the whole village to do as he commanded, all eager to kill the beast. He tried marching on bravely, he really did, but when he saw that the man was going to drag Ada along, he dismounted and grabbed her roughly by the arm, dragging her over to the wagon where Belle and Maurice were being held.

"You're mad!" Ada sneered at him when he pinned her against the carriage since she was struggling.

"Yeah? Then why haven't you cut me with your knife?" Gaston questioned harshly in her ear. The two looked at each other, glaring, hearts broken and friendship a mess. His eyes lost their fire and hers formed new tears, trailing slowly down her cheeks as he cupped them gently and placed a loving kiss on her head with his own tears falling on her face. Gaston couldn't bear to throw her into the wagon, so the keeper had to as Gaston hurriedly leapt onto his horse to lead the mob to the castle...to kill the beast.

"There's a beast running wild, there's no question, but I fear the wrong monster's released." LeFou sang softly to himself while the mob sang and chanted threats. Gaston had heard his friend and turned just enough so LeFou could see how much going through with this was hurting him for the hero of the town had tears in his eyes still. Gaston was a monster. He was just glad that Ada wasn't there so he couldn't hurt her even more than he already had.