Disclaimer: I do not own "Beauty and the Beast," or its characters. They are property of the Walt Disney Company and its affiliates.
"The Beast of Waterloo"
By TwilightSparkle3562
Chapter 1
"Merde!"
It was a wild and stormy night in France. Then again, it had been a wild and stormy night every night since he returned and seized the throne from the good king in Paris. This night, was to be no different than any of the others. As Belle and I laid in our bed, we were beginning to realize of the happiest point in our lives. She freed me and my servants from the spell I had put us all under thanks to the Enchantress. Now, we were engaged and due to be married.
Unfortunately, what followed would delay our planned wedding.
As we slept, the sounds of hoofbeats grew louder and louder coming towards my castle. Stopping in front of the closed gates, the man on the horse looked up at one of the guards on duty.
"Who goes there?" one of the guards cried out looking right at the figure, flashing a torch at him.
"Open in the name of his holy emperor!" the man on the horse cried back. Without any argument, the guard opened the gate and allowed the man inside.
Soon, the quiet sounds of night in my castle were interrupted by loud knocking that could be heard throughout. Muttering, I climbed out of bed.
"Adam," groaned Belle, also having been woken up by the knocking. "What is it?"
"I don't know, but whoever allowed this to happen will be punished," I groaned. "Wait here. I'll be back."
But being the curious one that she was, Belle donned a dressing robe and quietly followed me behind. No sooner did I make it to the front door was Cogsworth already there.
"Who dares come at this time of night?" he muttered not realizing that I was coming down the stairs. "Don't they realize that the master and his beloved are asleep and…?"
"Let them in, Cogsworth," I ordered, catching my major domo's attention. "I'll deal with this at once."
Doing as he was told, Cogsworth opened the door and the wind and the rain entered the castle as the figure stepped in and removed his hood, revealing himself to be a young man in his early 30's.
"Who are you and what do you want?" I demanded.
"I bring you orders," the young man replied, handing me a scroll. "His majesty, Emperor Napoleon, has ordered that one man from every family in your kingdom must serve in France's army."
Taking the scroll, I read the exact words that Napoleon had written. He was demanding that every kingdom in France order one man from every family to serve in the army of France.
"You come in the middle of the night to give me this?" I asked crossly, throwing the scroll at the man's feet. "Ever since Napoleon has returned, my anger towards him has grown and grown. I, too, have a message for him."
"And what is that?" the messenger asked, slightly trembling.
"That I refuse to swear allegiance to a dictator," I answered, growling quietly. "Especially if that dictator is seeking to bring our Empire to shame and ruin! Now get out and never return!"
"But, you shall be branding yourself as a traitor," the messenger advised as I pushed him back against the door. "The emperor will hear about this!"
"Let him hear about it," I cried, before roaring in a loud voice. "NOW GET OUT!"
Right away, the messenger darted out of the castle and back into the storm. Slamming the door, I stormed past Belle and Cogsworth, angered by what had just transpired.
"Adam," Belle whispered.
"Belle, I thought I told you to wait in the bedroom," I hissed, not looking at Belle. "This doesn't concern you."
But Belle was quick to retort.
"It concerns me now, Adam!" she replied, stopping me from going up the stairs. "Look, I know how hard it is that we have to look up to a madman, but betraying him? Adam, do you realize what you are even doing? We could be put to death!"
"If we are, then we will do it for the sake of what France was built upon," I said, defiantly.
"Master, what are you planning to do?" Cogsworth asked, concerningly. "Are you suggesting that we consider…?"
"Possibly joining the seventh coalition?" I finished, looking down at him and Belle. "Yes, that is a considerable possibility. No, more and more a likely possibility. In the 10 years we have been cursed, Cogsworth, Europe has fallen into a storm of chaos that we cannot escape from. We must now put a stop to it at all costs!"
Having said my piece, I immediately went into my study and began to draft up a proclamation to share with the village in our kingdom. There was no doubt in my mind that all of Europe needed to be saved from Napoleon by any and all means necessary.
…
Meanwhile, the messenger arrived back into Paris and immediately went into Versailles where Napoleon was waiting for word on whether or not I would fight for him.
"Sire," the messenger said, bowing to Napoleon who was standing before him in a robe. "Prince Adam refuses to fight for you."
"He cannot refuse!" Napoleon thundered. "Rise to your feet, you witless baboon! Are you certain he refused to fight for me, his emperor?"
"I am certain, sire," the messenger whimpered.
"Sire," said another voice belonging to a red-haired man dressed in a blue French uniform with a red sash. "It's important to remember that Adam had disappeared for ten years only to return not too long ago. He must still be not caught up with all that has happened."
Napoleon sat on his throne and pondered what was said to him. His marshal had a point, in his mind, that I had mysteriously disappeared when in reality I never did disappear instead taking the form of a beast.
"Who would educate him on all we have done? You?" remarked Napoleon, waving his hand to dismiss the messenger. "I wouldn't think so, Ney. As far as I am concerned, Adam is only young, a man of 21 years age. What good is he anyway to all the other kingdoms in France? By defying me, he will get a lesson he will never forget."
"There is no doubt that he will side with either Wellington or even Blucher," remarked Ney. "If in any case, we must prepare to destroy them all."
"But where do you wish to face them?"
No sooner did Ney say those words did Napoleon start plotting his plan to destroy us all.
…
Back at the castle, the proclamation I had made up was already being taken into the village and shared with the residents. Now it was only a matter of time before preparations would be made to ally ourselves with the seventh coalition.
