Second Chance

Chapter 31 Interruption

Rumples POV

I stare silently out of the top window of my tower, my mind the only thing that seemed to be working. 

It feels a lifetime ago that I was stood up here, sure that I would never see her again, only to see her walking up the path. In that moment I'd never moved so fast in my life, I had raced down the stairs to greet her. I truly believed I would never see her again. 

And here I am in the same situation, but this time - she is not coming back. 

A faint red blaze made my eyes lift a little, right to the fair end of the forest as far as my eye could see. They narrowed, a bonfire? No doubt to celebrate the news of the marriage. Over there is a different kingdom yet news travels fast and people use any excuse to celebrate. 

Is it getting closer?

No.

Just my eyes-

Wait.

I'm not mistaken.

It is.

Belles POV

I need to get out.

 I need to leave now. 

But how? 

I cant escape Gaston's clutches.

Why isn't anyone helping me? Cant they see that i'm struggling? Haven't they heard what Gaston has been saying? Are they that ignorant that they cant see I need help!

I turn my head to see my father, sweating and looking extremely nervous.

How could he do this to me? How could he! He's my father...

What can i do? 

The priest has started talking again. 

Stop!

I stare at him, letting him see the fear and anger in my eyes but he cant look me in the eye. 

"You wont get away-"

I was cut off by sudden shouting and yelling outside. 

Gaston span us both around as the guests started to fuss. His head snapped toward my father with a most unimpressed look, to which my father shot up and signalled to the nearest guard,

"Find out what's going on!"

The noise from outside got louder and louder.

Has the whole village congregated outside?

I struggled against Gaston and strained my ears to see if I could hear what was going on, what exactly people were shouting. 

Most of the guests were up on their feet now, panicked at the sudden noise, most of them noticing like I just have of the red colour that we can see through the stain glass windows.

Suddenly the doors burst open. 

A man with a flaming torch stood in the middle, now the centre of everyone's attention. 

"JOIN US!" he bellowed, "KILL THE BEAST!" 

The guests all started shrieking.

Beast? What Beast?

I looked up at Gaston.

He was furious.

"What beast do you speak of?" he let go of me and marched over to him.