Belle and the Beast

[LitShark]

The wreck was pure chaos and it was all that Gaston could do to find a wooden piece of what had once been his mighty ship’s railing to avoid being dragged under by the tremendous downward pull of the hull and masts of the ship sinking to the bottom of the sea, so many others were dragged down with it. He kicked hard to get clear of the wreckage, watching as the hulking monster lilted back to his castle on clearly fatigued wings. Gaston’s outfit was ruined and all the style had been washed out of his hair—he looked a mess.

In spite of his shabby appearance, Gaston saw an opportunity and aimed his pistol at the retreating beast, but the flint struck with a hollow clack and the powder was soaked, it wouldn’t fire.

The current carried the rail he was riding closer to shore, toward the sheer cliffs atop which the monster’s imposing sanctum sat. It was difficult to see anything from so far away, but as the monster perched again, the unmistakable feminine form of his beloved Belle could be seen. The monster dragged her against his frightful grey body. Gaston called out to her with all the strength he could muster into his voice. They bantered for a moment, but the beast had apparently cast some vile dark magic spell over her mind—she truly seemed to believe that she wanted to be with that monstrosity.

Gaston hoped she couldn’t see the disheveled state of his hair and apparel.

When the two of them left the balcony, escaping his view, Gaston kicked with all the might in his muscular, manly legs, pushing himself away from the deadly cliffs and jagged rocks toward a small cove where a sandy beach awaited.

Those who weren’t as athletically gifted as Gaston weren’t able to escape the pull of the tide, many were dashed to pieces against the rocks, even after surviving the crash itself. On the beach, Gaston found a handful of others who were fortunate enough to survive, some of whom helped him onto the beach.

“You’re a fool, Gaston!” The First Mate proclaimed, once the Captain was safe on his back in the sand, “You led us into a massacre for the sake of your vanity. Was there ever even any gold? Now we’re stranded here, it may be days before we can lash together a suitable boat to get us back to the mainland—much less get us back home! There’s no telling how long we have until that monster comes back to finish the rest of us off.”

Some were already in the process of building a fire from driftwood and lashing together a rudimentary shelter from pieces of the wreckage and bits of timber that were scattered around the beach.

“Of course there’s gold,” Gaston answered, coughing up seawater between words, “the prize I promised you all is still within reach—and my prize is no less available to me now, it will just require more stealth than previously anticipated. We don’t have our deck cannons anymore, but we’ve still got our brains—that’s how we’ll kill that monster, with our human cunning.”

“No!” the First Mate insisted adamantly, “neither I nor any of my men will lend a finger to your mad schemes ever again, and if we’re fortunate enough to survive this, I’ll make certain that everyone knows what a foolhardy, selfish Captain you make. You’ll never sail again if I have my way.”

“So quick to judge,” Gaston huffed, sitting back up, “do you think that thing will just let you leave, now that you’ve seen it? You saw what he did to my grand ship, do you think that a hasty raft will fare better against his wrath? The only way for us to survive is to kill that beast, then we may make our escape—not before.”

*-*-*

“Don’t go.”

The Beast couldn’t say much else, his lungs burned from seawater and exertion, his muscles had now settled enough for the agony of being torn and wrenched from their proper alignment. From the moment he lay down on the bed he felt the effects of his tremendous outpouring of force. He’d never pushed this new body of his that hard before and had caused himself great distress by doing so. He couldn’t rise from her bed even if he’d wanted to.

He didn’t want to.

“Stay with me, Belle. Please. I—“ the Beast trailed off, a faint catch creeping into his voice as he struggled to lift his arm enough to lightly cradle Belle’s beautiful face in his palm as had become his welcome custom lately, he felt more like Adam now than he had since the change, “I don’t want to be alone. My body is broken from what I just did, and I’m afraid. You—you’re the only thing that I care about anymore, Belle. I love you too.”

With the gentlest of urgings, the Beast beckoned Belle’s lips to his, his tongue meeting hers in welcome friction as hers had done on the balcony. He could scarcely move, but instinctually his other arm labored until his hand managed to wrap gently around her waist. He was soaking wet, his feathers and hair making her sheets and dress sodden with seawater, but he didn’t care. He wanted her with him, truly with him, and he wanted to be with her.

“I know that we’re not yet wed,” the Beast said softly once the kiss broke, his forehead pressed against hers, “but I want you. I want to be with you physically, as man and wife would be. I understand if that disgusts you, but I—I want you as a man wants a woman, even if I can no longer claim to be one.”

With that, he searched her eyes, unable to do much more than painfully lean toward her, the shredded and torn muscles of his back screaming with agony at the small movement.

“I still carry the needs and wants of a man and you make me feel like one, Belle. Will you stay with me, now? Will you love me as a wife?”

 

[Perplexia]

"rest my darling" she whispered softly to him worried for his welfare. "You must rest and once we are free from this invasion we will be free to love each other as a man and a woman do. Ney the thought does not disgust me. I am merely frightened as any woman is upon the eve of her wedding night."

She kissed him deeply and rested her head upon his chest. "I meant what i said" her soft voice trickled to his ear. "I have thought much on the subject, and after today it has occurred to me that it would be too dangerous to have another human set foot upon our island. Ney, we shall still wed but it will be a hand-fasting between us. But we must be free of this invasion first. I am certain that Gaston will not give up and all though i wish no harm upon men, his silence will only be once his breath is no longer. Please my love do not think me wicked for suggesting so."

Tears fell from her eyes as she clung to him. "you are my home Adam" she whispered before kissing him again. "How i wish i could help you recover, is there anything i can get for you? Food? a hot bath? It hurts me to see you in such a state."

She hoped she had softened the blow of rejecting his request to claim her in this moment. But it was not how she wished to remember their first time. Nor would she wish for him to be exerted further and completely defenseless is they charged the castle. No their first time should follow one of their wonderful evenings together.

In the distance she could hear shouting but couldn't make the words out. Which meant that Adam would be able to hear it as well. They were not as free as they had hoped to have been.

As much as she detested the idea of slaughtering them all she knew they had little choice. If they were to have any peace in their lives it would come from ensuring there were no survivors.

Belle clung close to Adam he was her everything.

 

[BillyRose]

Gaston shouted at the few men still breathing.

"Rise, you fools! Our time is now! This beast is wounded. We must strike while he is weak!"

The men roused, exhausted from their swim and the hard sail before it. Their guns now useless, they'd be forced to fight with blades or whatever weaponry they could find along the way. At least they knew the beast could bleed.

A short climb up the craggy cliffs found the men at the base of the castle. No one stood guard, and the gates were left open. Did anyone live here besides that horrid beast? The men raced through the garden, still vibrant with life when all else seemed dead, and searched for stairs, anxious to climb the tower and conquer the demon. Crossing through a dark hall, they armed themselves with ancient swords and battle axes which hung from the walls. Climbing the stone stairs, they headed to the room which they'd seen the beast enter from the balcony.

~~~~~~

Anger filled his blood, exploding into his arteries, expanding his veins. Weak and exhausted though he was, he no longer cared. Rejected by his love, with enemies in his house, the beast stood from his beloved's bed and stormed to the door, ignoring the woman's cries.

Throwing the door open, the beast looked down the hall. Six men brandishing swords and axes were grouped at the top of the stairs. Upon his appearance, they charged down the hall, shouting at the top of their lungs.

The beast stood as the men circled him, his eyes glowing red with hate.

The First Mate, emboldened by the pool of blood gathering at the beast's feet, swung wildly at the strange creature. His sword was knocked away by a casual brush of the beast's powerful arm. His head followed the sword, both bouncing harmlessly over the stone floor.

The five remaining men attacked in unison, hoping to overwhelm the beast with numbers. A powerful sweep of his wing knocked them all to the ground.

In no mood for mercy, the beast attacked.

His claws gashed the men to pieces while his wings bashed their bodies against the ancient stone walls. Weapons fell uselessly from dead hands. In a blink of an eye, only one remained.

What's your name, mortal?


"I'm, I'm Gaston," the man replied. "Please, I'm sorry. I will leave and never return. You can keep the woman."

Can I? Thank you for your generosity. What would you like in return for this gift? the beast growled with sarcasm.


Gaston, with hopes rising, replied, "Only safe passage home. That's all I request of you."

Home you shall go then.


With that, the beast grabbed the man by his throat and lifted him into the air, flying out from the balcony of Belle's room. Over the seas they flew, as Gaston bled out in the beasts grasp. At dawn, they reached home.

Hovering over the pier, townsfolk aghast in horror, the beast dropped Gaston's dead and mangled corpse to the ground. Then, he left.