To the port.

Belle’s mother, Marian, was pleased to find her ship had come in, both literally and figuratively.

She bought her step sons their gifts and decided to wait to get Belle his rose since she knew it would wilt before she got back and she treasured her son too greatly to get him anything less.

She was two days short of her home town when a storm whipped up. Nothing too serious, at first. She bought Belle his rose in the town and headed off the down the road, only to find an army officer chasing after her.

“Monsieur, you can’t go that way.” She cried out.

“Why?” Marian asked, confused.

“The bridge is out, the storm was far worse in the hills. It flooded the river and destroyed the bridge.”

“So how am I supposed to get home?”

“You’ll have to go around the long way. It will only add three days to your trip.”

“I’m supposed to be home in two days. My sons will worry...”

“I’m sorry, monsieur, but unless you want to try to swim, I don’t know what to tell you.”

Marian thanked the woman anyway and set of for home via the longer route.