Belle gritted her teeth,

"Humble? I think you need to recheck it with her.

"

"Why are you so upset with the truth?

" asked the woman named Gwen,

"Is it because your man didn't give you an actual ring? Because he cannot afford to get you one or is it because he is unsure about it?

"

"I don't need to know how much I am worth with a piece of jewellery. It is the thought that counts but I think in your case it is the weight of the jewel on you, am I wrong?

" Belle crossed her arms, and smiled,

"I can bet that you will truly break it off if the man was not wealthy.

"

Gwen laughed, pushing her man aside and walking around to come to stand in front of Belle,

"Take back your words right now. Not only are you rude to be interrupting my time with my fiance but also go on to slander my name here.

"

"You have slandered your name enough that even the shopkeeper pity's your fiance right now,

" Belle retorted back. This had the shopkeeper turn red, and he looked away not to meet the woman's eyes because it was true.

"You look pitiful. Go back to wherever you came from, perhaps somewhere where you picked the twigs,

" said Gwen. Belle glared at the woman.

"Is it where you came from too?

"

"What?

" the woman narrowed her eyes at Belle.

"A person who has not seen money wants to hoard it all—using your subtle words to get what you want from your fiance. So what if I don't have a ring, I don't expect it because I believe the person who is with me will forever be with me without me needing to ask for assurance,

" said Belle to Gwen.

"You're calling me insecure?

" Gwen looked appalled by the accusation,

"How dare you! Even the man you have come with is not speaking anything only shows how rude you are that he isn't speaking a word.

"

"Excuse me, milady,

" Lucas stepped in, placing his hand around Belle's shoulder,

"You should be careful of what you say to her in my presence. I am a man who won't bother to see if it is a woman if you know what I mean,

" he smiled, looking at Gwen, who opened her mouth and closed it.

"Parker!

" she called her fiance,

"Look what they are saying about me.

"

"You don't have to look,

" said Belle, you can spend your time mocking at others who you feel is beneath you to make yourself look good.

"

Belle then walked to the shopkeeper and placed a silver coin on one of the sweaters and said,

"I will be taking three of this,

" and the man only nodded at her, happy to have a full silver coin which she didn't ask for the change in return.

Lucas bowed his head at the people who had come and gathered here to see what was going on. A polite smile on his lips before he accompanied Belle out of the shop. He saw Belle walk ahead, her footsteps angry on the snowy ground that had hardened because of melting and turning cold again. He couldn't help but smile at what just happened.

"That is not the direction to leave the town,

" Lucas said, and Belle stopped walking, turning around to meet his eyes and her lips that were pursed together.

"What are you smiling at?

" asked Belle to him, and this only made him smile at her more.

Lucas took two steps forward and patted her head which she hadn't expected, his hand gentle on top of her head,

"Some people are not worth looking or talking to. The best is to ignore them,

" he said to her.

And the closed can burst out with Belle saying,

"She doesn't even know us to go speaking about the ring or how cheap it looks or how she wants a jewel and actual metal on it! She could have been subtle, but she chose to speak loud enough for me to hear it. You heard her,

" said Belle to have Lucas nod patiently,

"Just because it doesn't hold to her standards, she didn't have to belittle the ring. If it's not to her liking, she should have kept the thoughts to herself than make sure that I hear. And what if it's made of twigs, I love it, and it means something to me. It is my choice, people who are going to ridicule and consider that its worthless should mind their words and mouth-

"

Lucas had pulled her into his arms, hugging her to place his chin at the top of her head,

"She is not worth wasting your breath on. People will say numerous things, and they need not be true. But you know that already,

" he then kissed the top of her head,

"I must say I have always found the little brawl entertaining.

"

There were times in the past where Lucas would have often stepped in when Belle was ready to pull out her claws, but times had indeed changed. He had let her speak without interrupting her.

"You didn't stop me. Why?

" she asked in wonderment.

"You are no longer a child but a woman,

" he said, pulling away from her,

"And I think the other woman needed to hear what you had to say to her. So it's all good. Sometimes us reapers can be petty too,

" he smiled looking down at her.

Belle then took hold of the red muffler. Standing on the tip of her toes, she put it around his neck, which he let her,

"Who is the other two for?

" he asked her.

"For Barron,

" answered Belle and Lucas gave her a look.

"The other one is for Greed?

"

"I thought it was one way to avoid him from attacking me in the future.

"

Lucas gave her a nod,

"It is a good step,

" and holding her free hands, they left the fair behind them.

.

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