Chapter 3

       After transporting himself from the library back to his temporary apartment, Jeraud paused for a moment and then collapsed onto a nearby couch. Even with just that simple teleportation spell, Jeraud found himself drained of his magic. Since the balance of magic had been disturbed, he discovered that his normally limitless amount of power had been slowly diminishing.

 

"That girl better hurry up getting ready. If the magic keeps decreasing this quickly, I won't even be able to turn on a TV without the remote, let alone get us to Arcadia."

 

*****

 

     Belle slowly made her way back to her family's house, hardly believing what had happened. Walking down her street, she thought back to only a few moments ago, thinking about what she had agreed to.

 

"It had to be just a dream. I haven't gotten a good night's sleep in the past couple of days. That has to be it!... But the whole thing felt so real..."

 

     As she reached her house, she noticed it was in complete darkness other than a singular light coming from a room downstairs. The house itself was very plain; although it had two floors, its width was rather small, seeming much larger than it actually was. With the wood painted a pale yellow and the roof constructed of red-brown tiling, the house appeared very cozy and welcoming.

 

     Belle walked to the front door and upon opening it, was flooded with golden light emerging from the living room to her left. Inside sat her father, stepmother, stepsisters, and surprisingly her long-time boyfriend, Brad Wilcox.

 

     Since they first began dating in high school, Brad had become even more handsome as the years had passed. His brown hair had grown into a deep, smooth, dark brown, appearing almost black. His brown eyes had also gotten dark as well. His face and physique had become hard and chiseled, and with his dark features, he seemed every bit the tall, dark, and handsome man that all women knew him to be.

 

"Belle, darling," crooned Belle's stepmother Madalena sweetly, "Brad here just dropped by wishing to speak with you."

 

"Well, no offense, Brad, but this is going to ha-" Belle began, but was interrupted by Madalena's glare.

 

"Now don't be rude to your boyfriend, dear. He's come all the way over here from across town to speak with you."

 

Belle sighed and said, "I guess I can spare a few minutes, but I'm really in a rush."

 

"That's perfectly fine," Brad said with a dazzling smile, "This won't take very long."

 

     Brad stood up next to Belle, looking down on her with adoration before turning to look at the rest of the Van Garrett family.

 

"Well, I wished to speak with alone first..." Brad attempted to imply to the rest of Belle's family, who didn't take the hint and continued to sit across from the young couple. Seeing that he would need to tell them straight, Brad walked up to Belle's father, Hugh, and said, "Mr. Van Garrett, you wouldn't mind if Belle and I had some privacy for a few minutes, would you?"

 

"Oh! Of course not, Brad! It's not like there's a bed and handcuffs handy down here or anything..." Hugh said.

 

"Dad!" Belle exclaimed, shocked by her father's comment.

 

     Laughing to himself over his daughter's obvious embarrassment, Hugh shooed his wife and jealous looking stepdaughters out of the living room and closed the door behind him as he exited as well.

 

"Now then," began Brad again, "Belle, I've been wanting to speak with you for a long time now. I've known you all my life and through that entire time, I've always felt something for you. True, I never let my feelings show until freshman year in high school, but I've always been there, watching you stun the world with your beauty and talents and all the while, I've become bewitched by you, Belle."

 

"Brad, I-"

 

"Please, let me continue."

 

"Oh, um,.. alright." Belle said, worried by how serious Brad was acting.

 

"As I've said," Brad continued, "I've been spellbound by you since the moment I first laid my eyes on you. Belle, what I'm trying to say is, I'm here to make your dreams come true!"

 

"My dreams? You mean college?"

 

"College? No, I'm referring to your deepest and most wonderful dreams!"

 

Utterly confused, Belle replied, "What could you possibly know about my 'deepest and most wonderful' dreams, Brad?"

 

"Plenty! I've known you for how many years now? Thirteen? I should like to think I  know what my girlfriend's dreams are! Let me paint a picture for you; a beautiful cottage, two floors of course, resting in the middle of a placid and serene woodland area, probably in Montana. A devilishly good-looking man tromps through the forest carrying his latest kill, bringing it home for his equally gorgeous wife to prepare and cook for their adorable little boys." Brad expressed, describing as if in a dream.

 

"Um, Brad, what's this have to do with my wishes?" Belle questioned, still concerned about her boyfriend's odd behavior.

 

"Everything!!! Belle, I've come to your house determined to ask you a question I would have asked you those thirteen years go, but back then and even now little kids can't get into that kind of relationship. I've wanted to-"

 

"Brad, please! Just get to the point! I'm not trying to be inconsiderate, but unless I leave shortly, I'm going to be extremely late for a very important meeting with a friend."

 

"Alright. I'm sorry I've been dragging this out for a while."

 

     Brad sighed and took a deep breath

 

"Belle,"  getting down on one knee and producing a small velvet box from his jeans' pocket, he asked, "Will you marry me?"

 

     Silence engulfed the Van Garrett's small and usually cozy living room. Brad opened up the box to show Belle the magnificent stone resting on a dazzling white gold band. Belle's ocean blue eyes stared into Brad's dark brown, and in that moment, Brad knew he had her right where he wanted her.

 

"Brad, I.. I... I don't know what to say..."

 

"You don't need to say more than one thing. Just one little word and your dreams will come true!"

 

     Belle, completely shocked by the proposal, could barely think. This man who she had known since she was a little eight year old girl, had confessed his love to her, wanting nothing more than for her to be his wife. She should say yes; finding love was the one thing she had always dreamed of attaining, even more than going to college. Yet, Belle knew she couldn't accept; she had no true feelings for Brad. Sure he was gorgeous in every aspect of the word, but he was conceited and self-indulgent. She would let him down slowly, so as not to bruise his ego and pride.

 

"Brad..."

 

"Yes, Belle?" Brad smiled at her stunningly.

 

"I'm sorry, but you're too good for me. I just don't deserve someone as... wonderful, handsome, and exquisite as you!"

 

"I knew you would say ye-..." Brad stopped in mid sentence, shocked by what he had just heard. "What did you say?"

 

"I'm sorry, but I can't marry you."

 

"............ Oh, well, that's okay," Brad said quickly, wanting to retain his cool and collected air, "It's not like it's a big deal or anything. I guess I should go home now. Goodnight, Belle."

 

     After finishing his goodbye, Brad leaned in to kiss Belle's cheek, but paused right before touching her fair skin, changing his mind. He left the Van Garrett's home feeling defeated and disgraced. Walking to his car parked across from Belle's house, Brad said to himself, rather maliciously, "Belle will  be my wife one day, whether she knows it or not, she will agree to marry me."

 

     Belle watched Brad drive off in a quiet fury, looking absolutely crushed by her refusal. Suddenly, the door to the living room burst open, Madalena rushing in with a livid look upon her face.

 

"Why the hell didn't you accept his marriage proposal, you little w***e?!" Belle's stepmother screamed in her face.

 

"What is my personal life to you?" Belle questioned, frightened by her stepmother's drastic reaction to the incident.

 

"You foolish girl," Madalena screamed, "That boy was our one-way ticket out of near poverty and into the easy life! Now, because you didn't say you'd marry into one of the wealthiest families in Mistveil Cove, our entire family is going to suffer and it will be entirely your fault!"

 

Belle, infuriated by her stepmother's shallowness, yelled, "Is that all I am to you, Madalena? A source of money so you can buy whatever the heck you want for you and your s****y daughters, while my father and I actually make an effort to support the family instead of driving it into the ground like you three?!"

 

"Enough!!!"

 

    Both women turned around to look at Hugh Van Garrett, who had just entered the living room after hearing the commotion the two had created.

 

"Madalena, please go upstairs."

 

"But Hugh-"

 

"Go upstairs." Hugh said in a demanding tone. Although Hugh was sickly, he still had a quiet power about him that gave him a sense of authority.

 

    Madalena walked out of the room, still holding herself with that regal disposition that she always seemed to have, but faltered for a moment. Little did Belle or Hugh know, but she was actually shocked by the girl's reaction. Usually, Belle merely took Madalena's condescending remarks, but she had finally reached a breaking point. Madalena thought to herself how interesting and dangerous this could be for her and her future before going upstairs to her study.

 

"Belle, why on Earth would you-" Hugh began, but was cut off by Belle.

 

"Dad, you have no idea how long I've wanted to do that. For years, Madalena and the twins have been torturing me day after day, taunting me and trying to break me. I just couldn't take it once she brought up that your suffering would all be my fault."

 

"... Belle, my girl, I had no idea..."

 

     Hugh wrapped his arms around his daughter who had begun to cry. In all the years he had been married to Madalena, he hadn't noticed anything out of the ordinary with the relationship between his daughter and her stepfamily, as if he was under some sort of spell.

 

"Dad..."

 

"Yes, Belle?"

 

"I have to leave."

 

"No, you don't. I'll talk with Madalena and-"

 

"No, Dad, you don't understand. I have to leave. I made a... promise to someone that I would help them and I need to leave as soon as possible."

 

"Oh. I see," Hugh seemed saddened for a moment, realizing his daughter was leaving him for who knows how long, "Well, we Van Garretts have always been honorable to our words, so you must leave quickly. Go pack your things and I'll bring you to the train station."

 

"No, Papa, not the train station, the library." Belle said with a teary-eyed smile.

 

Kissing her father, Belle rushed to her room and began packing for her journey, but realized that she wouldn't need any of this where she was going; Jeraud would provide her necessities for her. She was headed for a land she somehow knew always existed, but was always beyond her reach, and surprisingly, she wasn't scared. In fact, she was looking forward to finally getting the adventure she had always wanted.

 

*****

Later that night, Brad Wilcox pulled into the bar he had been instructed to go to. Walking into the broken down, old tavern, he noticed a empty table in a dark corner, far away from the rest of the other bar attendees. He sat down, looking around hoping to catch the eye of the person he was supposed to meet up with. Suddenly, while his face was turned, he heard a soft thud, as if someone had sat at his table. As he turned around, his eyes locked with a pair of bottomless grey/black eyes.

 

"Don't do that! You scared the crap out of me." Brad said, obviously tense.

 

"Oh, do shut up," the mysterious person ordered, "I've called you here to discuss tonight's events."

 

"You mean the marriage proposal, right? Well, I did everything you told me, but it didn't work. Right from day one you said that if I did everything you told me to do, the girl would be mine, but look where we are now! You still have yet to regain all your power and I'm without a beautiful lady tonight."

 

"You idiot! You don't think I know that? The reason I haven't regained power is because that girl is still here in this world, alive! You were supposed to marry her and move away with her into my territory in Arcadia, where she would be no threat. Then my powers could be fully restored!"

 

"Then it looks like we have a problem here, your majesty."

 

"Indeed, Gaston," the mystery person snarled Brad Wilcox's true name, "And we know each other so well, please just use my legitimate name, dear."

 

Gaston/Brad nodded his head obediently and said, "As you wish, Lady Maleficent."

 

Reviews

[Daydreamer54]

OH I get it now!
"Belle will be my wife one day, whether she knows it or not, she will agree to marry me."

And I was just about to ask, isn't this a line from beauty and the beast? XD This is so fun to read! I can't wait to read the next chapter!

By the way, i don't think her dad would order his wife upstairs, that seems like something a father would say to his daughter. ow about he tells her that he would like to speak to Belle alone?

[L. Catherine]

That line isn't exactly the same as in the movie, but based off the proposal scene and a super offensive but catchy song from the Broadway musical version of the movie. The song is called "Me".
Thanks for the review, by the way!
I get what you mean about Belle's dad ordering his wife upstairs, but I just kind of wanted to seem like the dad was implying "You're not her legitimate mother and you're part of the problem, let me take care of this."
Again, thank you so much for the feedback! :D

[K.G]

This is hillarious XD i found it very amuseing and it made my morning brighter, job well done my dear :3. . . .Srry for late commentarty :( been buisy and internet recently has been cut off. . . .(amen for school tho)

[L. Catherine]

Thank you so much! I'm glad my writing made someone's day brighter :)

[K.G]

yes it did lol ^.^ and ur wellcome love

[Grace Catherine C.]

Oh, the Me references! Loved it!

[L. Catherine]

Thank you Gracie! :D

[The Violent Wolf]

whoa O_o very cool

[L. Catherine]

Thank you!!!! :)

[Alisha Heistand]

Still perfection :)