Title: La Reine Belle
Disclaimer: I don't own any of the characters from Sleeping Beauty or Beauty and the Beast. This is purely fanmade and no copyright infringement is intended.
Pairing: Unrequited Philip/Belle, Adam/Belle
A/N: This was inspired by the lovely fic by nikki anjo called "Black Mirror." I'd never thought of a Sleeping Beauty/Beauty and the Beast crossover but the idea sort of stuck with me. I wanted to explore a situation where Philip realizes that the happy-ever-after isn't everything it seems. At this time, Philip and Aurora have been married maybe a year or two, and Adam and Belle closer to maybe five years. Adam and Belle have definitely matured and grown into their royalty, something which Philip becomes captivated by.
This wasn't meant to have a particularly detailed plot rather a character driven piece. More influences are the tv show The Tudors, as well as Edith Wharton's The Age of Innocence, if you're familiar with either of these you'll probably recognize their influence in this fic. Anyway, on with the show!
She was raised a commoner in a rural village yet she drew Philip's eye and held it, not because of her finery although it made her admittedly stunning. There was something in her gait, her regal carriage that made her distinct from any other Queen consort he'd seen. It was a nameless quality that endeared her to many, perhaps counterbalanced by her unabashed penchant for speaking her mind. That very quality that would have been considered unsuitable in a wife instead rendered King Adam deeply in love with his spouse.
The court musicians suddenly struck a lively country tune and initially the ladies appeared quite scandalized by it. He looked on as he realized that the woman who currently occupied his thoughts had ordered it and was proceeding toward the center of the ball room by herself. She did not appear embarrassed at all by the reaction her request had garnered and began to dance. Her footwork was impressive and her cheeks took on a becoming flush as she gracefully navigated the choreography so that it looked absolutely unrehearsed, as charmingly spontaneous as the movements of her skirts.
Now the other ladies were whispering amongst themselves behind their silk fans. Philip saw Aurora among them. Their expressions had swiftly changed from offended to intrigued, if Queen Belle could perfectly execute a country dance in one of the most advanced courts of all the kingdoms in the land there was no reason why they couldn't participate too.
At the beginning of the second refrain of the song, some of the ladies from Belle's retinue joined in and all together they made a lovely scene. Within a few more measures, he recognized some of Aurora's ladies-in-waiting join. The men watched with great cheer as their ladies enjoyed themselves and Philip surreptitiously noticed the pride and desire in Adam's eyes. Belle looked at her husband as she leapt and turned, and Philip saw the look exchanged between husband and wife that spoke of secret intimacy rarely found between two royal spouses.
It made Philip burn, though he didn't care to distinguish if it was because he was coveting his friend's wife or envy because he felt his marriage to Aurora was lacking. The very thought filled him with guilt as he observed Aurora while she looked on at the scene with what he knew was slight reproach masked by a pleasant smile.
The dance finally ended and the ladies curtseyed deeply—the only part of the dance that befitted ladies of their respective titles and especially a queen. They were met with thunderous applause from those all around the ball room. Philip stood motionless for a moment, still unable to look away from her, her mirthful eyes or smiling lips, her slightly ruffled hair. She rose gracefully from her curtsey and applauded the court musicians energetically for accommodating her admittedly risky request.
He dropped his hands to his sides and then he realized she was walking his way.
"I hope your Majesty isn't too embarrassed," She said with laughter warm in her voice.
Philip frowned, ready to correct her mistake with his title as he was still Prince and not a king, but then King Adam stepped forward to stand beside him and with sickening cognizance saw that Queen Belle was addressing her husband.
After a second, she turned to face Philip, but he found himself resenting her attention because its delay made him feel like an afterthought, like the little prince eavesdropping on his father's council meetings with advisers.
"Your musicians are very talented, Your Highness. I confess I feared they would not know the music of which I spoke but alas, my fears were unfounded indeed."
"I am happy they pleased you, Your Majesty," he said even as the words felt choked in his throat, "Perhaps you've just inspired a trend in my court, already the ladies are beginning to imitate your fashion and now your dancing."
This seemed to amuse her.
"I didn't think a prince as great as yourself would notice such things. Nonetheless, I am most flattered that you and your subjects have been so welcoming to my husband and me. His Majesty and I are most happy indeed."
There it was again, that maddening charm that caused him to vacillate between defensiveness and diplomacy. Her first statement implied he spent a great deal of his time pondering women's fashion and the styles of dancing that were in vogue, but if he were to take offense to that he would appear petty and exactly that which she imagined him to be. Philip strengthened his resolve to be the consummate host in spite of the queen's ability to run circles around him without making even a conscious effort.
Fortunately, King Adam's resonant voice interrupted Prince Philip's disarrayed state of mind.
"I believe the hour is late, Your Highness. My wife and I shall retire for the night so that we may be ready for the start of the negotiations tomorrow."
Philip nodded and called for the grooms and ladies-in-waiting appointed to serve the visiting King and Queen to take the monarchs to their respective chambers. He tried not to feel slighted as they followed their escorts without another word to him, but it was after all, acceptable in terms of their higher rank. Still, he watched as Queen Belle leaned into her husband's outstretched arm and took it, speaking softly to him so that King Adam had to tilt his head down to hear.
When the royal couple disappeared from sight, the rest of the attendants of the ball rose from their deferential bows and curtseys to engage in small talk once more. The music continued on but it was once more what everyone was used to, subdued, elegant, and conducive to conversation.
Philip found Aurora and swept her into a dance automatically, listening as she began to whisper.
"Well, I've never seen such a thing in my life."
"What?"
"Just now. The queen danced."
Such a simple statement injected with incredulity made Philip want to laugh but he bit his tongue as he knew it would offend her as well as draw more unwanted attention from the rest of the present courtiers. He waited for her to elaborate.
"My own mother never dances, she says after a woman is married it is unbecoming to dance alone in a public place."
"Yes, my dear, but I do not think Queen Belle particularly cares for convention."
This made Aurora's ethereally lovely features take on a look of understated disapproval. It was clearly an expression that wasn't made for her face. Philip knew his wife would be wary of any woman that thought it not only prudent but acceptable to challenge her husband in public. For some odd reason however, he was irritated with her for it.
"I would never shame you so flagrantly."
"Who is to judge if the queen's behavior is shameful? King Adam obviously admires that about her."
"It sounds as though you yourself admire Queen Belle, since you defend her so."
The accusation in Aurora's deceptively mild tone was hard to miss. Philip tightened his grip unconsciously on her hand as they continued to dance where their conversation had stalled.
"Don't be silly," He whispered sharply, effectively ending their dialogue.
They finished the dance and Aurora announced she would be retiring early for the evening. She told him to stay a while longer so as not to cut short the merriment of their guests, a task which he was only too glad to assume if it conveniently bought him more time away from his suddenly shrewd wife.
The following day was the beginning of the trade negotiations between Philip's father's kingdom and King Adam's. Relations between their two realms had been, until recently, relatively nonexistent. Adam's parents were friends of his father's when they were alive, but in Adam's grief at their deaths, diplomatic relations went neglected over the years. Now, as king, Adam had sent a message to Hubert asking that to meet in hopes of fostering a new alliance between their people. It was fortuitous timing in fact, since the merger between Aurora's and Philip's kingdoms was nearly complete depending upon Philip's imminent coronation.
In composing a new treaty, they hoped to reach a solution regarding control of the forests that provided a buffer on a shared border since conflicts between their respective citizens were escalating in the confusion as to who actually owned what land. Those forests supplied a significant amount of lumber to both kingdoms, and Hubert's people behaved as if that land was theirs and theirs alone. With the beginning of Adam's reign as supreme monarch, he was eager to prove to his people that he was their ally and protector now and through the signing of a treaty with King Hubert, he meant to make good on his promises.
It was an honorable thing to do, Philip thought. In fact, he began to think that when he became king of both his and Aurora's joined kingdoms, he would look to King Adam as a role model perhaps even more than he would look to his own father.
Then the thought struck him, did he want Aurora to look to Queen Belle as a guide? It made his stomach twist uncomfortably.
The treaty room had been long unused, but today it was resplendent as if it always been like this. The tapestry depicting scenes of legendary heroes lined the main wall behind the long mahogany wood table built from a tree of the disputed forests they were about to discuss. All of the curtains that normally covered the tall arching windows on the sides of the room had been drawn back to allow the sunlight in.
Hubert was seated at one end of the table in an ornate throne, where Prince Philip was made to sit at his right side. The length of the table was filled by various dukes and earls whose lands were affected by the issue, and even some whose lands didn't but whose political influence was important. Adam's courtiers filled the opposite side of the table, and the atmosphere of the room was one of polite and amiable discourse. The throne at the opposite end of the table facing Hubert and the smaller one that corresponded to Philip's still remained unoccupied, however.
"Good morning Your Majesty, Your Highness, Your Excellencies," came a jovial voice from the door.
Hubert, Philip and all of the men at the table stood at once to greet King Adam, dressed handsomely in a deep blue overcoat and tan breeches tucked into tall, spotless black boots. His hair was tied back and accentuated his noble cheek bones and aquiline nose. He looked every inch a king though he chose not to wear a crown, and already Philip felt chagrined that he was not seated in his father's chair as an equal of Adam's. He felt like an apprentice to his father's bumbling blacksmith when confronted by Adam's gravitas.
Hubert greeted King Adam exuberantly and all looked upon the young king with friendly expectation as he stepped into the room. Philip looked at his father, feeling guilty that he'd thought ill of him when he was in truth an aging man striving to do right by his kingdom. Then he saw his father's eyes widen in shock and he turned to see what had also captivated the courtiers around him.
After King Adam had entered the treaty room, he was succeeded by Queen Belle.
Her presence immediately caused a stir in the room but she did not look intimidated by it. When no one spoke, she simply smiled knowingly and bid them all a good morning. She wore a sober dress of black velvet with gold lining on the fitted bodice, her hair arranged in an elaborate French style atop her head that allowed the ornate cross necklace she wore around her neck to be seen. She wore a thin gold circlet around her forehead that denoted her status in a refined way, and rings of state upon her slender fingers. All in all, she appeared a formidable woman beside her husband.
She then walked to the smaller throne beside her husband's, one that was usually meant for an adviser or another man of such a position.
When Adam remained standing, Philip realized he was waiting for an acknowledgment of his queen from either Hubert or Philip.
When his father failed to move past his shock, he took the initiative.
"Good morning, Queen Belle. I must proclaim our collective surprise at your joining us as well as our most warm welcome. We look forward to opening negotiation between our realms."
Belatedly, Hubert's courtiers followed the prince's example, dampening what could have been an even more awkward scene. Adam noted their reactions but they seemed to amuse rather than offend. Philip tried not to stare at the woman directly across from him but it was an almost Herculean task indeed. He'd never seen a woman participate in diplomatic endeavors much less a queen. She looked comfortable though, she followed the ensuing conversation easily and fluently.
"The main issue which confronts us is the idea that your citizens who populate our shared border do not acknowledge my citizens' rights to live and work the land there. I do not wish to anger you, Your Majesty, after all, it is entirely my fault as a ruler to not have enforced my kingdom's borders but it is my deepest wish to curb any more violent encounters between our people." Adam said evenly.
Hubert was not a man who took offense easily, and was immediately amenable to listening to the young king's input. He agreed in wanting to reduce and eventually halt the escalation of violent disagreements and so he called for both sides of courtiers to share specific firsthand stories of what had transpired in the relevant fiefs.
Philip followed too, listening with the perspective of a future king. He saw Adam's gift for maintaining a respectful flow of debate as a benevolent moderator. Even more intriguing were Adam's frequent pauses to ask his wife her opinion, which she offered confidently as any other duke or earl.
In fact, many of them soon began to take her words seriously in spite of any of their skepticism of a woman's understanding of trade terms and border control. After the Queen told an account of an event involving the murder of a fisherman who'd drifted into a part of a river that connected their kingdoms while trying to earn his living to feed his family, the duke whose lands contained that river asked her how she'd come by the knowledge.
"My lord Elroy," She said with laughing eyes, "I myself humbly traveled there and asked them of their experiences."
The man in question gaped at her, first in surprise that she'd bothered to learn and memorize Hubert's nobles' names, and second at the idea that a queen would share her husband's duties as supreme monarch.
"Your Majesty, I must beg your pardon for my surprise. It is clear to all here that you are a most dedicated queen."
Adam didn't bother to conceal his immense pride as he looked at Queen Belle, nor did their courtiers. Philip too looked at her and wondered with a sinking heart if Aurora could become even a fraction of the queen this woman was. She beamed at them all but then with an air of stately determination reminded them that there was still far more to be discussed.
Let me know if you want more. I might write another part, since it feels incomplete. Please drop me a review!
