12 The Past part 2: The Rabbit, the Wolf and the Hunter

He was not drunk when it happened.

Sure he had a few drinks, but not enough to make him see things because one moment he was walking back home after a late night celebration and the other he was being stared down by a beast.

That beast, how it towered over him like a bear. It was covered in thick brown fur, eyes that glowed yellow in that pitch darkness that was that night, and its snout was arrayed with large dagger-like teeth each one pale white in the night air, like bones, with blade-like claws that shone in the low light indicating the deadly might they carried and the lethality they promised should anyone bear their ends.

And unfortunately, he was.

Full of confusion, terror, and fear. He had no idea what to do, it was all sudden, all scary and he was sure he was going to die that night.

The beast on its two legs towered over him casting a shadow that seemed to block the entire world from him. And just as he was thinking it was the end for him, with thoughts of regret and longing, especially about making Belle into his woman, his trophy.

Into his pet

It spoke, no, it growled and rumbled, but its message was clear.

'Be gone from this place and never return, for if you do, I will kill you!'

His body was already running as if his instincts had taken over and deciphered the message before he could even comprehend it.

As such he ran, he ran for days through the forests, rivers, and hills like a dog with its tail between its legs, unhindered by hunger, thirst, heat, or cold of night and day. As a strong man, he lasted for days before only exhaustion knocked him out.

He was rescued, and even then the nightmares plagued him for months, even now. Only being drunk or in full rage would he forget the fear, but that lasts only so long.

But still for how long did he have to fear?

With a clenched fist, he remembered that stupid book, if not for it he wouldn't have gone out that night, instead he would have been home planning and pondering for his Belle.

Now here he was, with a sigh he was about to drink once more when suddenly his ears picked up the sounds of chatter and gasps of awe. With a frown he wondered why this was so, only to finally see that the commotion was well-founded or perhaps not even enough!

For within his sight angel was walking on the streets outside the window of his table. Her eyes were like sapphire, hair like wheat stalks in the open field, and lips akin to a shy rose that made his heart almost melt when they smiled.

He felt 'healed', that instant. It was a miracle.

He recognized her!

'Cinderella!?'

The instant that happened a lust took over, the lust to possess this treasure that seemed to heal his broken mind and heart, he wanted her and will have her by all means and once he is satiated he will return to his own treasure he left back home!

With blood once more boiling in his veins, the strength in his muscles felt full and boundless, he was ready to lay down his mark and have her fall for him.

After all, he knew her and she did too, he wanted her but only for the moment he would see her, she wasn't always on his mind unlike right now. It was time she got introduced to the great and charming man that was he Ga…

It was at this moment that the world fell.

He beheld an ice age.

And only three sentences reached him in that frigid and howling tundra that he was facing.

'You move, you die.'

'You speak, you die.'

'You look at her again, you die. So insect, choose your path?'

He froze.

Not a thought, not a twitch, not a word and he met face to face with piercing icy blue eyes that looked, no barely even looked at him as if he was…

'Insect, you choose wisely. You will live this day.'

And instantly like an illusion the world was whole again.

The only evidence that what he experienced was real was the fact that he was dripping wet in sweat. And the sound of the voice of both Cinderella and the being that just threatened him not a second ago.

"Eh? Dominic, why did you pause?" Her sweet melodious voice rang, perhaps not knowing the thing that was beside her.

"Hmm, haha, it's nothing much, other than me warning a cockroach to stay put where it was and not get stepped on by accident." The same voice said in teasing, no, mocking laughter knowing full well that he heard them.

"Oh?! Really?! Wow!? I can also talk to animals, but people can't seem to hear them though, we have so much in common, but I have never spoken to a cockroach before." The innocent maiden by the side of the monstrosity replied joyfully.

"Yeah, don't try to bother as they are a little dumb." It said with a chuckle.

Soon their voices were covered by the crowd as they proceeded their walk.

With deep, hollowed, and rasped breathing, he was left there, staring into the blank of space.

It was like this until the loud clanking of metal brought him back out of his mind, yet even then he didn't turn towards it as he knew its destination. Soon enough it was right beside him.

"Hah! Captain found you at last, I have something given to me by Lady Tremaine, as well as a message. Phew! I'm tired… ran all the way. Anyway, she said that you have permission to get the little rabbit she was keeping, didn't know she had other pets other than her demonic cat, and lastly about you being careful that the rabbit has a guardian or something like that in the form of a wolf? Also weird that those two a together… Now…"

He only heard the message and the bag of coins placed on the table, his mind which was already broken seemed torn to smithereens by what he just experienced.

However, perhaps that was a boon, for now, his first fear was like nothing to what he just felt.

Now he could think, understand and rationalize clearly, well, rationalize being a relative term here.

So, he went back to the night of his exile, the image froze and he saw things he didn't see clearly before due to fear, he saw that the beast he faced that time had a… dress. Something that he at that time thought was what its previous victim had, the poor woman being torn to shreds.

Another thing that made his eyes widen and shine as well as have his mouth open slightly was that the beast had… a distinctive… It was… a feminine… voice…

… Belle…

That damned book!

He leaped to his feet and swiftly drank up the last of his ale in one gulp and slammed the mug down on the table shutting up his subordinate, his true friend.

"Let us make it to the castle, Lefou! We have a beast to hunt and for it to happen we need resources!"

This left the soldier, or precisely Lefou dumbfounded at his comment.

Perhaps his boss had finally lost his mind?

'The… wolf… besides Cinderella can wait until I get the other one and use it to kill it, now this other one is very precious indeed. Oh, sweet Belle, to think you would become so very precious to me indeed, I'll use all the means to get you even if it means losing Cinderella, for now at least. And mark my words, I will make you my actual, literal, bitch!' He thought in venomous anger as he remembered the humiliation he felt, the pleasure he imagined he would cause was exhilarating.

Throwing those thoughts away he pushed open the door of the tavern, snapping his friend out of his daze to chase after him while stumbling.

"Hey! Gaston! What do you mean hunt a beast!? Wasn't that all in your imagination?" He asked worriedly.

Gaston's blue eyes shone with a wicked light as he snapped his head in his direction and peered down on his short friend, a gaze that promised a lot of pain, that Lefou knew all too well that he cowered and covered his mouth in apology.

Gaston then eased back and smiled gently as if he had forgiven him, "Haha, oh, Lefou. You will see it soon my friend, you will see it soon."

'If it doesn't turn out to be my beast bride, you will make good bait for it.' He carried on walking.

"Ah, o-okay, okay. But where are we going?" He asked fearfully as he walked behind.

"You see, in order to get what you want you to have to give something in return right?" He spoke as if teaching a lesson to a student.

"Yes that's right, but what are we going to trade and where?" Still confused by this Lefou asked, feeling a little better knowing that there was no pain.

"Well, we have Lady Tremaine to thank for the gift she gave me, see, unbeknownst to her, someone very powerful and rich has been looking for her… rabbit. Though I am torn to give it away, especially knowing that it has a guardian now." He ended his sentence with grit teeth as well as venom in his tone.

He soon after released a defeated sigh as he continued, "It will be better this way for everyone, especially me."

"Now for our destination, it is obviously the home of the most powerful and rich person in the entire kingdom." He then pointed up toward a mountain in the distance.

On it was a silhouette of a large and beautiful building.

"The royal family?" Seeing this Lefou answered still in confusion, why would the royal family want a rabbit from a poor family?

'Rich people are weird.' He shook his head.

Not caring about what was going on in the minds of his friend, he had everything sorted out and plans that needed to be hatched. And nothing will stop him, besides knowing the royal family, the thing at Cinderella's side would be hard pressed if not outright killed.

If it dies, it's a pity.

He wanted to do it himself once he returned.

"Correct, it's the king precisely. A little bird told me that the little rabbit is somewhat of royal lineage. And now that I have it, I will trade it for resources for my own hunt."

"Wow! A royal rabbit?"

"A princess." He corrected in mild irritation.

"Though I wonder, what will this wolf guardian do about such news."

With that, both made their way to the stables and got horses, the castle of the royal family of the kingdom. Not knowing the storm they were about to cause, heck even if they knew they wouldn't care.

Well, the new and insane Gaston wouldn't.

Yet, perhaps this was the plan, and all was going according to plan.

For now at least.