Stone Cold | Gaston | Luke Evans

12

"Did you hear?"

"Did I hear what?"

"Claire! She's getting married tomorrow!" Villagers murmured.

Gaston whipped around. He saw Marie talking to a group of people.

"You!" He said approaching her.

"Me?" She asked turning around.

"Yes. Is it true? It it true that Claire is getting married?"

"Yes," Marie nodded.

"Who is she marrying?"

"That's not my place to tell you, Monsieur Gaston," Marie replied.

"Why not?" He asked raising his voice slightly.

"Claire is my friend. If she wanted to tell you, she would have. You can ask her yourself or someone else here, but I'm not talking," Marie said turning back to the group of people.

Gaston stormed away and found LeFou.

"LeFou! Who is Claire marrying?" Gaston questioned.

LeFou hesitated, "She's marrying Louis."

"We have to stop her LeFou."

**

Claire admired herself in the mirror. Her copper hair was pulled up and she wore a beautiful crystal headband. Her lips were a pretty shade of pink. She held out her hand and watched as the diamond glittered in the sunlight.

"Thank you Marie. I look beautiful!"

"You're welcome," Marie grinned.

The church bells struck noon.

"Are you ready?"

Claire nodded, "I've been ready for months now,"

They walked out of the inn and to the church doors. The church doors opened and everyone stood up to face Claire. Claire locked eyes with Louis who was waiting up at the altar. She grinned at him. He smiled back at her.

Once she got up to the altar, she joined hands with Louis.

"You are absolutely breathtaking," Louis whispered.

"Thank you," Claire replied.

"Mesdames et Messieurs, we are gathered here to witness the matrimony of Mademoiselle Claire, and Monsieur Louis. Now before I proceed, if anyone has any objections, please speak now or forever hold your peace," the priest said.

Outside, Gaston and LeFou's horses galloped into town. Gaston leapt off his horse and stopped in front of the church.

"No," He said. "No! LeFou we're too late!" Gaston yelled, kicking up dirt around him, "We're too late!"

"I'm so sorry, Gaston," LeFou said quietly, placing his hand on Gaston's shoulder.

"This can't be happening! I'll never shake away the pain, I close my eyes but she's still there, I let her steal into my melancholy heart, its more than I can bare! But I know she'll never leave me, even as she runs away. She will still torment me, calm me, hurt me, move me, come what may. Though she's already flown so far beyond my reach, she's never out of my sight. Claire will still inspire me, be apart of everything I do. I was a fool to think that she would ever choose me over him," Gaston said.

LeFou watched him with sympathy.

"Wait, Gaston, listen! She's still in there!" LeFou said.

Gaston pressed his ear against the door and heard the priest talking.

"If anyone has any objections, speak now or forever hold your peace."

The church doors burst open. "Claire!" Gaston boomed.

She dropped her hands and gasped.

"Gaston?" She said in awe, "What are you...?"

She looked back at Louis.

"Go Claire. It's fine," He said.

"Thank you Louis. I'll be right back, I promise," Claire said.

Claire ran down the aisle and stepped out into the steps of the church.

"Gaston, what are you doing!" Claire yelled at him.

"Please Claire, please don't marry him," Gaston pleaded.

"What? No! Why does it matter to you? This is my wedding and I will not have you ruin it for me. Now please Gaston, leave," Claire said.

"As you wish."

Claire turned around as she heard his horse gallop away. She sat on the steps of the church. The door opened and Marie walked out.

"Claire? Is everything alright? Everybody's waiting for you," Marie said sitting down next to Claire.

"Im not sure," Claire said softly.

"Talk to me, what's wrong?"

"It's just, there's something sweet; and almost kind..."

"What? Who?" Marie paused for a second, "No, Claire, he is mean and he is course and unrefined!"

"No Marie, he isn't. He's the reason that I'm back in town. If it weren't for Gaston, I don't think I would even be alive," Claire said.

"What? What are you talking about?" Marie asked.

"That night that I was leaving, there were wolves in the woods. They attacked me and my horse. They bit my leg multiple times," Claire said rolling her dress up to show Marie the bandages.

"What does Gaston have anything to do with that?"

"He shot the wolves. He stopped them from killing me. If he hadn't been there, I think I would be dead. He saved my life," Claire explained.

"That's no excuse Claire."

"It is."

"Claire, everyone is waiting on your return. Louis is waiting for you. Please go back in there and marry the right man," Marie said.

"You're right. I know what I have to do," Claire said standing up.

Marie nodded.

They walked back into the church and Claire went back up to the altar.

"I'm sorry for that interruption everyone. However, I'm going to have to postpone the wedding. I'm sorry," Claire said.

"What? Why?" People whispered.

"I'm so sorry Louis, I just need some time to think and decide," Claire said to Louis before walking out of the church.