Beauty and the Beast Chapter 6

Chapter 6
Back at the small village things were about to take a turn for the worse.
Mathieu's Grandmother sat staring at the door. She had been watching the door for her grandson's arrival since about 11 o'clock that morning and now it was 7 o'clock in the evening. She sighed what was taking him so long? Mathieu should have been home by now!
A knock on her door, startled her out of her thoughts. Could it be Mathieu? No he wouldn't knock.
"Come in." she called maybe it would be the old man from the book store with news of why
The door opened to reveal the old man from the book store.
"Ahh good evening Ma'am," the old man greeted her. "I was just wondering if you had gotten any news from your grandson while he's visiting his father."
The feeling that something was wrong that had been niggling at the back of her mind since shortly before Mathieu left exploded.
"No, he...he told me you were having him deliver another book!" the old women exclaimed.
"What?" the old man asked confused, why would Mathieu have lied to his grandmother like that?
"Mathieu can't have gone to see his father! We have to go help him! He's being held prisoner!" The old lady sobbed hysterically.
She knew what had happened to the residents of the palace. And she knew what the prince had become. Something terrible must have happened! What if the prince killed Mathieu?
He probably just didn't want to worry her, the old man thought as the old woman began to get hysterical. "I'm sure he was just side tracked, after all he hasn't seen his father in a very long time. I'm sure that they're just catching up." The old man comforted. "He'll be back by tomorrow. Just you wait and see."
After he had comforted the elderly lady he gave her the supper that his wife had prepared for her, comforted her some more and when he was sure that the old woman was fine he left.

That night Mathieu's grandmother stayed up late staring into the fire. She had to do something! She couldn't lose her son and her grandson to that, that monster! She'd, she'd get help! If the old man from the book store wouldn't help her she'd get some other help, but WHO? That's when it came to her, Alfred. He was in love with Mathieu and he always wanted to be everyone's hero! He would help her!
She stood up and grabbing her can and cloak headed off for the local tavern.

Alfred stared in the fire.
"HOW DARE HE!" Alfred bellowed so suddenly it would have 'caused a few patrons to drop their drinks except for the fact that Alfred had been wallowing in self pity prone to random bursts of shouting for the past two days.
"I've been publically humiliated! Made a fool of! Why I'll make sure that stupid brat knows his place when we're married!" He huffed and began to sulk again.
Im-yong soo sighed and picked up two mugs of beer. He walked over to his depressed friend and offer him a mug.
"Come on Al have some beer party, be happy!"
Alfred grabbed both mugs and chucked them into the fire. "How can I be happy when I've been so embarrassed by that little, that little," Alfred's face screwed up as he tried to think of a name for Mathieu. "That little baby maker!"
People had long since given up on telling Alfred that Mathieu was a boy and so couldn't actually have babies.
"What? Alfred are you kidding?" Im-yong soo exclaimed. "Al, everyone here wants to be you!" he gestured wildly about the room, trying to make his point.
Alfred gave his friend a dirty look and curled into a ball to sulk some more.
Im-yong soo sighed time to stroke the ego.
Al, you're the coolest guy in town! All the girls love you. You're every ones hero!" Alfred just mumbled something. Im-yong soo sighed, and prayed that they could avoid singing the song this time.
Racing back over to the bar Im-yong soo grabbed another mug of beer turning around to face the rest of the tavern, "To Alfred" he shouted, "the coolest, strongest most handsome man in town!" everyone cheered.
When Alfred was depressed like this there were two ways to cheer him up, the first a whole bunch of toast to him telling him how cool he was and the second was the song, the song was the last resort and always worked. Im-yong soo hoped they wouldn't have to sing it.
There was a slight stirring in the chair. Usually a good sign, time for another toast.
"To Alfred" he shouted again grabbing the belt off of an unsuspecting man who was flirting with one of the serving girls, the man's pants fell down revealing his underwear. Everyone started laughing at the poor guy. He ran up to Alfred and looped the belt around his thick neck. "The most awesome specimen of the male human being!" everyone cheered again. Alfred was sitting up now, but he was still sulking.
"To Alfred" someone called from across the room, "the slickest and quickest guy in town!" more cheers, Alfred sat up a little straighter.
"To Alfred" someone else called, "everyone's favourite guy!"
"To Alfred, the greatest fighter!"
"To Alfred, the greatest shooter!"
"To Alfred, the burley and brawniest of all of us!"
"To Alfred, the HERO!" someone bellowed.
That did it Alfred was sitting up straight now a cocky smile on his face. "YOU BET!" He screamed, "look at all my biceps!?" Alfred flexed his arms showing off his many rippling muscles.
"SHOW US THAT TRICK ALFRED!" came a drunken shout. "THE ONE WITH THE BARMAIDS!"
"ALL RIGHT!" Alfred hollered right back. "so ladies" he put on his 100 mega watt smile, "who wants to sit on the bench?"
Immediately a fight broke out among the barmaids as they each fought for a place on a simple brown bench that had been pushed away from a table. Once the three of the women were sitting on the bench Alfred bent down and picked up the bench and held it over his head, after a few minutes he took one hand away so that he was lifting the bench in the air with one hand. Alfred switched hands every few moments to show off.

Alfred sat in his chair happily flirting with the barmaid who had brought him his beer, when suddenly the door slammed open letting in the cold fall air. Everyone turned to see who had come into the tavern. There in the door way stood Mathieu's grandmother.
"Please! Please I need help!" she begged, tears making wet tracks down her cheeks.
Everyone stared at the old woman in shock wondering what on earth could be wrong.
"Please! Mathieu," the old woman stumbled further into the tavern, "Mathieu's been stolen by a beast!" The old woman sobbed.
There was a stunned silence for a moment than the whole bar erupted in laughter.
"Was it a big beast?" One man asked, coming up behind the woman raising his hands above his head to look bugger and loomed over her.
"Yes! Huge" the old woman sobbed. She didn't actually know what the beast looked like but she'd say anything to get help!
"With a long ugly snout?" Another man questioned, holding an empty mug up to his face to mimic the snout.
"Horribly ugly!"
"And sharp cruel claws?" This man curled his fingers like claws.
"YES! Yes! Will you help me?" The old woman begged crying harder now.
"All right old woman," Alfred said motioning two men forward. The two man stood beside the sobbing woman each tacking an arm. "We'll help you out!"
The two men lifted the old lady up and carried her outside, depositing her outside the tavern door.
The two men walked back in laughing.
"Who knew that the old lady was such a nut." They laughed as they walked back in slamming the door in the old woman's face.
As the men in the tavern laughed, Alfred began to do something he rarely did, he began to plot.
"Im-yong soo." He said a wide smile spreading across his face. "I have a plan that will guarantee Mattie will marry me within the week."