The Fall of a Beauty

by PDSmith

Slash - Two disney characters meet and accidently fall in love. A story of the depth of their love & what happens before, during and after one of them goes evil. Every disney Princess, some villians and TONS of supporting disney characters.

The Fall of a Beauty

Chapter 1

Distress

Snow White opened her office door, peeked around the corner and looked down at the gnome sitting at a desk. "Has Aurora arrived yet?"

"She's in the waiting room. She showed up over an hour ago." The little girl answered with a smile.

"I asked her to show up an hour early, I wanted her to panic a bit." Snow White explained with an equal smile.

"I'd say you succeeded. She's been pacing and mumbling to herself the entire time."

"Then it's time to bring her in. Can you have one of the dwarves bring her into my office through the dungeon entrance?" Snow White paused for a second, "On second thought have Happy bring her; he's good at telling tall tales and really good at a few fibs. She needs to sweat this visit. Make sure he knows to remind her to address me as Ms. White." She paused and then added more, "Oh, and to get really creative with his stories."

"Yes Ma'am." The gnome said with a chuckle.

The dungeon was cold and wet and yet the famed 'Sleeping Beauty' wouldn't be deterred from such a dank place. The Dwarf; Happy, she thought his name was; lead her through the deepest part of a dungeon. "Isn't there another way to see Snow White?" She asked stepping into a cold puddle of what she hoped to be just water.

He turned with a smile, "That's Ms. White to you, and nope, just this way. And over here her maid, Jami, spent an entire week in this cell for not polishing the famed black Snow White shoes." The Dwarf said pointing to an empty stone cell.

He continued to prattle on how this person or that person stayed in which cell and why in a voice that made her wonder how Snow White was even able to be in the same room with him. "I don't care." She thought to herself, "I need to get away from him. This is torture in itself!"

It had occurred to her from the very moment the two of them entered the dungeon Happy hadn't stopped talking, let alone paused to even take a breath.

The moment had not been lost on her the second the Dwarf finally did stop talking. His demeanor had changed to concern and sadness as he pointed at one tiny cell in a dark, damp and very cold corner, "And this cell, as you can see by the small cuffs and chains, is where Princess Cinderella spent a night for not paying closer attention to the children at Mr. D's private property, or as he prefers to call it, D'Land."

Aurora was stunned by such a thing, "Really? Ms. White would do such a thing?" She had known Snow White for decades, and this was very out of character, even for her.

"She has to maintain control somehow." He said somberly. Silence loomed over them for the rest of the walk until ended it at a plain looking door. "Your appointment," he said quietly. "I hope for your sake you don't become a guest here too, But, if you do, I'll sit and talk with you to keep you company."

Thinking to herself, "Which is worse, the jail cell or him? Him! Definitely him!"

Aurora walked up to the wood door hoping she could plead her case and not be locked up with Happy as her only company. Taking a deep breath, she gently knocked on the door.

"Enter." A voice called out from the other side.

Opening it slowly, Aurora peeked into an office that screamed power and control. Making her way in; she found statues of Snow White and various awards and letters of recognition adorning the walls. The most disturbing part of the room was the twisting of iron work in the windows that cast evil shadows on the floor in the shape of a hangman's noose.

To make matters worse; Snow White was behind the same desk, not in her traditional clothing, but in a business suit much like the one's Mr D's lawyers wore whenever they came to 'visit'.

Even though Aurora and Snow White had known each other for over sixty years, been close friends, enemy's for a time, and then friends again, protocol demanded that the owner of this office be given respect beyond royalty or friendship. "Ms. White, you wanted to see me?" Aurora tried to keep the slight panic hidden from her voice.

"Yes, I do. Have a seat." Snow White's tone was cold and very businesslike, just like Mr. D's lawyers. Snow White motioned across her large oak desk to a small wood stool on the other side.

Hating the idea that a princess would sit on a stool and not a proper chair grinded a bit on Aurora's nerves, but then Snow White was the head of the Princess Council and liaison to Mr. D., so what Snow White said, did, and wanted was the gospel.

Snow White watched Aurora feign indifference to the seating arrangement, "Aurora, the reason I've called you in is because over the last few decades you have been the model princess, however, over the past few months, and more recently the last few weeks, you have been less than marginal."

"Oh," Aurora said looking at the floor.

"I would expect the kind of behavior you have demonstrated from a first year princess but definitely not you. In fact, your behavior has caught the attention of Mr. D and his lawyers, and it has left me with only one choice."

Aurora burst with emotion, "Oh please, Ms. White, don't put me in the dungeon! I'll do better I promise! I can do better." She pleaded.

"It's not my call." Snow White said with a frown. Inside she hated to do this sort of thing. She looked down at the letter from Mr. D.'s lawyers. They demanded immediate corrective measures or they would come in and do it for her.

"I…I…I can explain and I really need your help." Aurora blurted out.

"And how can you explain away four months of poor behavior?" Snow White said surprised at this change in attitude.

"It's hard to put it into words." Aurora said as she placed a small stack of photos from her pocket on Snow White's desk.

Snow White leaned forward in her chair. Her interest piqued as to how a few pictures could explain away Aurora's problem.

Picking up the large number photos Snow White spread them over her desk. Each image depicted a young man in various states of what one would call bondage at the hands of Maleficent. Most disturbing was the fact in each image he seemed to be enjoying himself, that ever so tell-tale indication from between his legs. The last image was the most damning; the young man's hood had been removed, only to reveal Prince Philip, Aurora's savior and betrothed.

"It's gross," Aurora said into a tissue. "How can he do that to me? I thought he loved me?"

"How did you get these?" Snow White asked softly, seeing how Aurora had fallen instantly into tears.

"The Great Mouse Detective; I hired him a few months ago to follow Prince Philip."

Hiring the Mouse Detective always came at a steep price. Everyone knew, if you wanted the best and to be discrete, he was the one you hired.

"Please, start from the beginning. I want to hear everything." Snow White asked sitting back in her chair.

Aurora stood, turned all the photo's over on Snow White's desk, then went to stand by the window and looked out over Snow White's Garden and castle lawn; the same garden and lawn Mr. D had used for the Nutcracker Suite in Fantasia. "About four months ago is when everything fell apart. I was grooming my horse after a peaceful ride along the country side; I had gone to Philip's horse's stall for a different brush when I found a piece of a thorn bush on the ground by the stall gate. At first I thought it was a left over from when he came and saved my kingdom from Maleficent, but the weed wasn't old and brittle; it was fresh and green. I tried to ignore it, but that type of thorn bush only comes from one place in all the realms, Sn…Ms. White." A tear dripped on to her cheek, "Then I realized how he had acted different from a few months ago. There was the lack of affection after he would return from a lengthy trip, and, as the number of trips increased, he grew more and more distant. I started to wonder what he did on the trips that made him so distant, so I asked at dinner one night, and he just answered 'prince stuff.'"

"And?" Snow White said slightly intrigued.

"So I hired the Mouse Detective. A day later he came back with those pictures. My God, Snow," both ladies realized Aurora's slip in not addressing Snow White as Ms. White but let it go considering the current topic. "He's been lying to me. He's been sneaking off to Maleficent's castle and spending all his time with her," Aurora started to sob into the apron of her dress. "And doing that. It's disgusting."

"Did you try to talk to him about it?" Snow White asked stacking the pictures together.

"I didn't show him the pictures, but, when I tried to talk to him about our lack of time together, he was offended and said he had little time for me and my childish 'princess' games."

Snow White pulled a small book from her desk and started to flip through the pages. "I'll be honest; I'm not really the person to talk to about this, but I think I know who is."

"I don't think anyone can help me." Aurora said picking up the pictures and putting them back in her apron pocket.

"I'm going to send you to someone I turn to whenever I have a problem. She's always been there to help me and comfort me through all sorts of problems." Snow White had a smile that gave Aurora a glimmer of hope for the first time in months.

"Who?"

"Belle." Snow White looked down in her book, "Says here, you'll find her in a 'little town'. Every Tuesday and Thursday inside a little tavern on the other side of the forest from Beast's Castle helping the chef stir up food to deliver to the needy and hungry.

"How much is she going to ask to help me? The Mouse Detective asked for an incredible amount of money, I can't keep paying that kind of money without my parents finding outand if they do, so will Mr. D. and his lawyers."

Snow White came out from behind her desk, put a comforting hand on Aurora's shoulder, and with the biggest smile she could muster. "When you see Belle, tell her I sent you, and when she asks for her payment, don't even hesitate. Trust me, once she gets to helping, you will forget about this issue. It won't matter anymore."' Looking out the window almost lost in a memory, Snow White pulled Aurora close in a hug, "She has a way. It's hard to explain, but she has a way that will…Just trust me, Aurora…. Go see her, and tell her I sent you."

A little suspicious of Snow White's reaction, "Well, okay." Aurora replied.

Chapter 2

A New Friend

Three days later Aurora found herself standing at the outskirts of the 'little town' Snow White had described.

A number of the peasants had looked her over and continued with what they were doing. While she looked around; her fingers kept walking over the pictures in her dress pocket. She kept asking herself, "Was this the right thing to do?" . She tried to speak to someone for directions; but everyone seemed too busy, well, all but one, an older, gangly man carrying a stack of books. He looked her over and spoke to her like he knew her, "Belle's in the tavern across the street."

"Thanks you sir, but how did you know I'm looking for her?"

"I'm the town book shop owner. I've read your story many times, Aurora. Only you and a few others are in the same league as Belle," He said with a smile.

"Oh, why thank you sir!" She said surprised.

"Not at all," He said, shaking his head, smiling and thinking he had had heard Belle use the exact phrase. "Princesses…"

Walking over to the tavern, Aurora stopped a few feet from the door. She noted all the windows were boarded up; most of the door's windows were also boarded up, grease and grime caked the door's handle and door mat. "How could she come to a place like this?" She thought, but then she remembered how Belle was different from the rest of the princesses on the Royal Council. Belle wasn't a real princess; she was just a commoner in fine clothing, and asking a commoner for help didn't feel right.

Swallowing her pride, she pushed the door open.

An invisible wall of sweat, food, alcohol, and smoke mixed in a poorly lit cauldron of a room hit her unexpectedly, as well as the sheer volume of the patron's voices. They were all extremely loud for such a small room. Aurora stood at the entrance looking all over the room for Belle, hoping to find her and leave this dreadful place.

"I said what can I get you?" someone said.

Aurora turned to find a short, round woman behind a wooden counter with a bosom threatening to burst out the top of her dress.

"Oh, sorry. I'm looking for Belle, but I don't see her here."

"She's back in the kitchen. Who should I say you are?" The barkeep yelled over the noise.

"Aurora."

"A ror…who?"

The laughter and noise grew as some tall muscular man stood on the table, demonstrating his use of an imaginary gun.

"Aurora." She yelled over the noise to the barkeep.

"What! I can't hear you over the noise!"

Exasperated, Aurora leaned over the counter. "Sleeping Beauty," She said into the barkeeps ear.

"I'll tell her, but I doubt she'll know the name." The barkeep said and headed to the kitchen.

A few moments later the barkeep came back, followed by Belle pulling off a dark, stained apron covering her normal, pristine, white apron.

"So what can I do for you?" Belle said giving the traditional hug she always gave her fellow princesses and council members. Aurora shivered; to even touch, let alone hug, a commoner bothered her.

Remembering what she had been told. "Snow White said to come and see you. I have a problem, and she said you'll know what to do."

Belle's face dropped the cheerful smile to replace it with a serious expression. "I'm listening." Belle said in an equally serious tone. Something about Aurora gave Belle the impression this was wasn't a time for joking around. Tears were floating at the edge of Aurora's eye's.

Aurora pulled her stack of pictures out of her apron and hesitantly placed them in Belle's hands.

Belle flipped through each image without a bit of emotion. Aurora looked around her and smiled noting how the noise in the room had died down moments after Belle arrived in the room. Apparently the burly hunter and the rest of the crowd knew how to behave in the presence of royalty, or pretend royalty such as Belle.

Turning back to Belle, Aurora lost her smile at seeing Belle flip to the last image. Aurora couldn't hold the single tear back as it rolled from the corner of her eye. "I'm…trying to…its horrible Belle. My heart, my love…my Prince, He's left me...for that," she said between renewed tears and sobs.

Belle pulled a handkerchief from her dress and handed it to Aurora. Taking Aurora by the arm, she led her over to the bar, pulled two bar stools out for them and sat. Belle sat in silence and waited patiently for Aurora to dry her tears and find her courage to speak. "Take your time. Tell me everything." She added.

Aurora whiped her eyes, took a deep breath and gripped the side of the bar tightly. "As..As you know since Prince Philip awoke my kingdom from the terrible sleep because of Maleficent." Belle nodded, it was common knowledge to all the princesses of Aurora's story. "Since then the two us have been living the happily ever after dream well until a few months ago. sob He said he was off visiting distant lands and doing court business. sob Then he stopped loving me."

"What do you mean?" Belle asked feeling Aurora was jumping ahead of some key information.

"We used to share a bed, but then it stopped, and now when he touches me, it's cold, and he acts like it's a chore to just hug me."

"So it's just a phase. Maybe he wants this sort of thing." Belle said looking through the pictures again. Something didn't seem right. Belle knew Maleficent had a secret that no other in the magical realm knew, and what she saw didn't seem right.

Maleficent's secret was she wanted to be a man again. Belle's discovery of 'his' situation was purely by accident and in the strictest of confidence was asked to never tell another soul. Belle agreed in exchange for a favor to be called upon in the future. What Belle learned was Mr. D. had asked the king's magician to play a woman for Aurora's movie. He agreed, but now because of Mr. D's magical contract; Maleficent was now trapped in the feminine gender which was sadly compounded by the fact no one but the King, Mr. D. or Malcolm; the Magician knew or could remember the truth. This was the sole reason he hated Aurora's Father beyond measure. The King wouldn't lift a finger to help set things right. Mal's hatred for Aurora was only due to the fact that as long as Aurora lived; Maleficent would remain female.

However looking over all the images Mal' was acting the part of a man so that would mean Prince Philip was playing… Belle shook her head; 'it couldn't be that easy' as she flipped back and forth through a couple of images.

At seeing Belle shake her head, Aurora continued "I know it's terrible. I can't believe he's doing that with her. A couple weeks ago I hired the 'The Great Mouse Detective' to help me find out what Philip was doing and where he was going. He brought me those pictures...OH GOD ITS HORRIBLE! SOB Philip told Maleficent that he and I had broken up and he only wanted her in his life. How can he stand her and let her do those things to him?"

Belle looked again at the photos and felt some sort of spark ignite in her. She didn't like what she saw, and her guess at what the truth was between Maleficent and Prince Philip just made matters worse. This was beyond cruel. It was sick and twisted; to take your enemy's child and seduce their lover to be your own love slave. Pure evil.

Aurora, still not sure what to say, continued to explain her problem, "Snow White said to talk to you. She said you had a special way to make all the problems seem small. You have the perfect marriage, and I've never seen Snow happier than with the gentleman you matched her with. SOB Oh, please, Belle can you help me?" Aurora figured if she turned up the water works and sobs Belle would forget to charge her money and help her for free.

Belle looked over the photo's one last time; a sense of anger crossed her face. "A kiss," she whispered before she had even thought what to say.

"A kiss?" Aurora asked extremely shocked.

Realizing what she said, Belle explained her reasoning. "A kiss woke Snow White from the dead. A kiss woke you from your sleep. A kiss made Ariel get her voice back. A kiss made Beast human. A kiss turned the frog into a prince. Kiss me. That's my price to help you." Belle said firmly.

"Kiss you?"

"Is a kiss really that much to ask?"

As gross as it seemed, Aurora leaned forward and kissed the commoner on the cheek.

Disappointed, Belle stood up, pushed Aurora's knees apart and moved closer. "A real kiss, a kiss of passion, a kiss that tells me you truly trust me, because if you want my help you're going to need to trust me implicitly."

Not sure how to take this, Aurora stood, took a deep breath and swallowed her pride for the second time that day and gave herself over to the commoner; 'Princess' Belle and the hope that she could help.

At first it was just a tentative kiss, but then Aurora felt something she never felt before. Real happiness, joy, new found freedom. Belle felt the same thing, to her, it was like a giant puzzle and the final piece had fallen into place. Warmth spread and blew across and around the two of them from their lips to the tips of their touching fingers; it was everywhere. When they both opened their eyes and looked at each other, that was when the kiss turned to one of passion.

All the patrons, including Gaston stopped what they're doing when they too felt the warm wind come from nowhere and blow circles around Belle and Aurora.

Aurora thought to herself as her lips continued to press to Belle's "So this is how she captured the Beasts heart and why Snow White's eye's glazed over talking about Belle. This...She's..OH MY GOD!" She realized. "I'm in love. I'm really in love for the first time…and it's with BELLE!" A smile crept across her face at the satisfaction of feeling true love and how simple it was to find it, standing right in front of her all the time hidden behind a blue peasant s gown and apron, in, of all people; a commoner. Snow White was right. Prince Philip was no longer a problem.

Pulling back just long enough to get a breathe, she saw everyone in the tavern staring at the two of them and whispered into Belle's ear, "Is there someplace we can go a little more private?"

With an equal smile on her face, Belle took Aurora's hand and went for the door, but not before Belle pulled the pictures from Aurora's dress and through them into the fire and watched them start to burn. "Follow me," Belle saidand once the tavern door closed behind them she added one word that never felt more right than at that very moment.

"Girlfriend."

Chapter 3

Dreaded Discovery

The following morning Aurora awoke to find herself in Belle's castle bedroom. The shock of waking in a different room hung to her for a moment till she remember what happened at the tavern and what the two of them did for the rest of the evening, talking into the late hours in front of the fireplace, holding hands, and kissing each other. Absolute happiness filled her heart to find Belle sitting on the edge of the bed just watching her. "How did you sleep my dear, Sleeping Beauty?" Belle asked mockingly. Aurora had never really taken the time to realize just how beautiful and musical Belle's voice was until that moment. It was intoxicating to just listen to.

"I've heard that question a million times and hate it, but coming from your lips, it sounds divine. I slept wonderfully." Aurora said slowing sitting up and then realized her camisole had rolled up into her neck and shoulders. A small gasp from her and she quickly rolled the fabric back down.

"You're absolutely beautiful in the morning." Belle said softly.

"Well with my breasts exposed for all to see its not surprising someone would say that." Aurora responded.

"I wasn't looking at your breasts; I was looking at your face."

"Oh."

"I'm amazed, how can your prince not want to wake to such a beautiful face and not desire to kiss those amazing lips?" Belle continued the thought in her own head "But then the idea of Maleficent and Prince Philip being together may be the reason."

"Amazing? You're the one who seduced me last night in that 'little town' with the 'little people' in a 'little tavern' with but a kiss." Aurora said with a huge smile. The idea of being in true love for the first time, with a woman, let alone that it was with Belle; a simple commoner, would have bothered her to no end less than a day ago, but now she relished the fact.

Belle leaned over placing her hand on Aurora's hand and touched Aurora's lips with her own ever so gently. "A kiss like this?" Aurora closed her eyes, wishing and dreaming that she could forever enjoy Belle's feather like kisses. No one had ever kissed her like that. With each passing moment Aurora could feel her heart drop and a pit in her stomach would open up further. "Please, don't let this be a lie".

When the kiss faded away she opened her eyes to see Belle had pulled back and then teasingly kissed Aurora again playing small feather like caresses to her lips. Aurora had never felt a wanting need for another person until now. Now she had feelings and desires for Belle she couldn't explain; to just feel the fullness of this wonderful woman's mouth on her own was a desire in itself.

"There will be more today." Belle said reassuring her new found love and her need for more caresses.

Belle pulled the belt from her thin, satin, gossamer robe. "Normally I would think a lover would wrap this around their lover's hands or waist and pull them along. But after seeing those pictures of Prince Philip and Maleficent, I definitely think a more loving and feminine touch is what you need. Today there will be no belts, no ropes, and no chains for you." The belt was coiled and dropped on the floor.

"But…" Aurora was about to interject.

"You, my sweet princess, are about to be pampered beyond anything you have ever dreamed."

"But I'm pampered all the time." Aurora protested.

"By who? Your maids? Your servants? Let me guess….Never by another princess. Am I right?" Belle said with a mischievous grin.

Aurora started to laugh, "Well, yes...no... I don't know what to say."

Belle stood and offered her hand to Aurora to stand also. "And did any of them ever pamper you with this?" Belle said and pulled Aurora into her arms and kissed her again. This time Belle's hands went from holding Aurora's hand to around her

waist and into the small of her back, pulled her gently closer, the curves of Belle's body molded into her own and the warmth; "Oh god…,please, don't leave me," She wished to herself.

Any concern Aurora may have had faded with the pressing of Belle's lips to her own. A sweetness she had never experienced pushed past her lips, teeth and played against her own tongue.

That was when it happened again; Aurora's legs went weak the moment the sweetness was replaced by something more intimate, Belle's tongue touching her own. An unexplainable connection between the two of them fell into place.

It was incredible to Aurora how a simple kiss, a small hug, even the gentle physical presence of Belle could inspire such thoughts of happiness. Everything about Belle seemed to be focused on joy, happiness, beauty and love. Belle had no faults she could think of; being a commoner was now her greatest trait.

Aurora opened her eyes to see Belle smiling down at her, Belle's hold on her hadn't relaxed. "If you want more you're going to have to follow me to breakfast, but first put this on."

Aurora watched as Belle pulled a yellow satin and lace nightgown from her closet. "I want you to wear this." Aurora was a bit resistant at first, but as Belle helped her remove her clothes and dress in the gown, she relaxed. Seeing herself next to Belle in the mirror wearing Belle's gown was one of the most non-sexual, intimate moments she could ever remember. It looked and felt like Belle was wrapped around her.

Belle smiled and pulled her into a hug and gave one more kiss. "Follow me."

"Always..." Aurora whispered.

Aurora followed, never once letting go of Belle's soft hand. A butler stopped in his tracks seeing the two princesses running down a hall of the great castle. He smiled at Aurora as Belle continued to pull her along. She could only imagine what he thought of seeing two princesses running so carefree.

Belle came to a stop in front of two huge wooden doors and pushed herself up against Aurora and the wall. "One more kiss until later." Aurora nodded and relaxed as Belle's soft, warm, moist mouth fell to her own. The kiss lasted a moment, but was enough for Aurora to feel and know Belle felt the same as she did.

True love at last.

And for the first time in her life Aurora realized she was wrong about royalty and commoners…there wasn't a difference. They're all just people, ordinary people with different jobs, looking for love, a friend, someone to share life with. She vowed at that moment to make amends to every person she had wronged… starting with Belle, her new girlfriend and lover.

Aurora and Belle breakfasted in a large glass room, sunlight pouring in warming them despite the cool fall morning. The servants arrived with trays of fresh fruit and tender meat. Aurora looked at each servant with an eye of confusion, for both servants were masked and dressed in a black fabric covering them from head to toe save but their hands, mouth, eye's and a pony tail of dark hair.

"Last night. Is it always like that?" Aurora asked Belle try to ignore them.

"What do you mean?" Belle replied, waiving a hand to the two servants to leave the room.

Aurora watched both servants depart while still speaking with Belle. "I have never felt so secure, loved, and appreciated in all my years. I must wonder if last night were but a dream?"

Belle's head tilted back, a truly heartfelt laugh escaped from her lips. "It was no dream. The touch of another is one thing, but what we felt last night had to be the type you find when you have finally found your one and only true love."

"But what of the Beast? He is your husband? I thought he was your one true love?" Aurora asked suddenly perplexed at the fact that the entire realm knew and saw Belle and Beast as the model marriage.

"To the world he is my husband, but we are not, nor have ever been, wed, nor shared a bed," Belle said with all seriousness.

Aurora sat in silence while Belle sipped her tea, stunned to hear this for the first time.

"Is it because he no longer takes the shape of a fine and beautiful prince?"

Belle placed her tea cup down in its saucer without as much as a sound. "My prince remains in the shape of the Beast because I have asked him to. Every day I am surrounded by beauty, luxury, decadent fineries, gold, and silvers, and every day I must remind myself to not take it all for granted… even the Beast. As our fairy tales go, Beauty is only skin deep, but love, romance, and caring come from the heart. I am ready to marry the Beast, but he is not ready to marry the Beauty. "

Aurora watched closely as Belle raised her hand and did a small circle with her fingers. A butler from the side of the room stepped up to the table. "Pool robes, please and a change of clothing for the two of us brought to the summer tub." She asked the butler.

The butler nodded, left and addressed two more of the maids privately, also completely covered head to toe but their hands, mouth, eye's and ponytails.

Aurora's proper upbringing prevented her from asking Belle about her maids but remarked silently to herself to uncover this mystery.

"Summer tub?" Aurora asked.

"I should think you would wish to bathe and have a change of dress."

Belle stood and offered her hand in a gesture to stand as would a suitor to dance but still maintained an air of femininity. "Please come with me."

Two black clad maids stepped up and helped Aurora and Belle into full length bath robes, which Belle removed the belts from and coiled them onto the table.

"I promised no ropes or belts. Your hand my lady," Belle said and then escorted Aurora to the outside and along the paths surrounding the castle. Neither spoke but remained holding hands as they walked the castle lawn and grounds. A chilling breeze blew around them as they made their way to some distant corner of the grounds. It wasn't the chilly air, so much as the fact their belt-less robes blew open exposing their undergarments for any prying eyes to see, that quickened their step.

Breaking the silence between the two of them and in her best cheesy prince-like voice, Belle placed her arm around Aurora's waist, "Fear not fair maiden for I will protect you from the elements." Aurora replied in the stereotypical giggle required of all princesses when flattered by would be princes.

Aurora's giggle stopped short when she was led into a small courtyard with high stone walls, a courtyard lined with marble paths and steps all leading to a sunken marble pool of steaming water. "Our bath." Belle remarked gently lifting Aurora's robe from her shoulders.

The whole courtyard was filled with roses, tulips, orchids and flowers of types Aurora had never seen. Everything was beautiful and feminine. It would have been perfect but for the four maids dressed as before at each corner of the pool and one behind her taking her robe that Belle had just removed.

Belle was about to remove the last of Aurora's clothing when she stopped her out of feeling overly exposed in front of these strange maids. Belle noticed her hesitation, "Fear not, they will tell none what they see here today." Belle raised her own arms and two of the maids stepped up and began to undress Belle. Aurora could only watch, stunned at Belle's casualness and openness around her maids. "Do you really trust them that much?," she asked Belle, unconsciously undressing Belle's naked body with her eyes.

"With my life," Belle said, gently guiding Aurora's chin and eyes back up to her own eyes.

Belle stepped first into the pool offering a hand to her fellow princess, then guided her to the center of the pool. "Beast and I have many maids, butlers and servants, but I have five maids that I keep dressed the way I do. I love them and trust them more than anyone else, but before you ask, at one time, yes, I resented them with all my heart, but like my love for the Beast, I now love them unconditionally."

Belle placed a scented bar of soap on Aurora's bare shoulders and began to gently rub the soap and lather over her skin.

Giving into curiosity and decorum, she had to ask. "Please forgive the asking then, but why the covering?"

"Because they do not love me."

"I'm very confused."

"I love each and every one of them; they just don't return my love. Once they do, I will allow them to dress fitting their position."

"And if they said they loved you right now?" Aurora asked feeling Belle's hands rub her lower back under the water.

"Our kiss in the tavern last night," Two of the maids appeared to be shocked by the revelation, which both Belle and Aurora noticed but Belle seemed to ignore. "I've been hugged and held many times by them, each time they say they love me and care for me, but, unlike our kiss last night, it is a lie."

"So you sleep with your maids?" Aurora asked turning to face Belle.

"That's disgusting! I would never sleep with them! They are my maids. Someday I may call them by another name, for now, they are just THE maids." This last statement Belle seemed to say a little louder for each of the maids to hear while she looked each one in the eye.

Aurora, clearly confused at the fact that Belle was now in a woman to woman relationship but rejected these maids as disgusting was confusing at best. The material clung to their every curve. There was no doubt these five women were absolutely beautiful, but there seemed to be one missing detail about these women she couldn't figure out. Rather than dwell on it, she decided it best to move to another subject equally as compelling.

"So tell me about this little arrangement you and Beast have. How is it that he is willing to let you have other partners?" Aurora was stunned to feel Belle's hands caress her body in ways no maid, friend, or lover had touched her. It was intimate, but not stimulating in any way. Amazingly, Belle was able to do it all under the cover of the soap bubbles floating on the surface of the water.

"A magical contract was written that I could not take another man to bed, which I agreed to and am now bound by magic to accept."

"A loop hole." A smile played across Aurora's face at how Belle was able to take a female lover and what her hands were doing to her body inches below the water's surface.

"Not exactly, you see Beast wrote the contract so he would not take another woman to bed but me. I didn't realize until after I had filmed Mr. D's, Beauty and the Beast that Gaston and Beast had been rubbing hairy chests and backs against each other in their trailers since the start of the filming; even more so now that Gaston has discovered how beautiful the Beast is in human form."

Aurora held her hands on Belle's waist as Belle soaped Aurora's neck, shoulders and what skin of her chest that crested above the warm water. "You must have been devastated."

"For a time, but once I spoke with Beast in what one would call the temper tantrum of hell, he pointed out the loop hole. I wanted a man in my life and I sure as hell wasn't going to have any sort of relationship with a woman," Belle's hands slid down Aurora's body. Leaning forward and pulling Aurora closer she whispered into Aurora's ear. "I suspect I may be having a change of heart." Both ladies smiled at that, "So as I was saying, at that moment, Beast stood there and tried to explain what the alternative was and didn't see a problem for me. In fact he encouraged it. If I had Snow White's friend, the Woodsman and his axe at that moment, I might have had Beast's privates under that damn glass jar instead of a rose." Aurora noted that Belle's grip had gone from gentle rubbing and message to the point she suspected she may have a bruise on her hip in the near future.

"Oh…I can think of a good use for that axe on a certain Prince right now." Aurora said with a slight grin, while pulling Belle's hand away from her hip.

Belle leaned forward placing a small kiss on her friend's forehead. "Sorry, I would never hurt you. So onto a different subject, I talked to a few 'frenemy's' this morning while you slept."

"You're not going to have him killed, are you!" Aurora panicked, thinking of a woodsman hacking her betrothed to pieces.

"Heaven's no. Turns out Maleficent was rightly ticked to find out you two were still together. She was told he had dumped you and desired her only." Belle kept private the part where what she had suspected of Prince Philip and Maleficent was in fact true, and, surprisingly Prince Philip had approached Maleficent first.

"She's going to kill him!" Aurora was shaking scared.

"Relax, I spoke with her over a 'Call Crystal''. She's not going to kill him, and she's sorry to hear your upset…"

"Really?"

"Not really. She still hates you, but she hates liars even more." Belle could only imagine what would happen if Mr. D., Aurora's father and Maleficent were locked in the same room for ten minutes, two liar's trapped with a scorned 'woman'.

"So what is she going to do?"

Belle guided Aurora to turn around in the pool and floated her over to a bubbling vent. "Feel better?" Belle asked.

"Kind of but what is Maleficent going to do to him?"

"Well, as Snow White and I have discussed…"

"Yeah, what is up with you two?"

"Later," Belle said placing a gentle kiss on Aurora's forehead. Aurora smiled; she had never been kissed so many times in one day and feel the love behind each

caress. She now wished she could go back and start over with Belle, the intellectual nerd, the pretend princess, and commoner. Belle was all that, and more; wrapped up on one wonderful loving package!

"You're smiling?" Belle said looking down at Aurora's lips.

"I misjudged you…I'm sorry." Aurora said.

Belle kissed Aurora again and again the love was there behind those soft lips, "All is forgiven, for what I don't know, but you're forgiven. So as I was saying, Snow White being as old as she is doesn't see a day, a week, a month, hell even a year as a time frame. Maleficent sees things the same way, she would like to spend the next ten years teaching your dear sweet prince about respect, honesty, integrity and most of all to never, ever, ever lie again. He will be returned to you a much more attentive and gentle lover."

Belle kept the other half of her conversation private. She had suggested to Mal', "This will give you ten years of a steady lover, and no one will question you if your methods of loving or as the public determines it, disciplining Prince Philip are discovered. 'I owe you two favors now. Thank you Belle." Mal said bowing to Belle in the 'Call Crystal's' image.

"Buy why? She hates me." Aurora asked bringing Belle back to the present.

"She owed me a favor and but said she would do it for free. Especially after I offered a tall, strapping, thick necked, muscle bound, hairy chauvinistic hunter after she's done with your Prince. It would keep her busy and not thinking of evil things to do to your family." Belle smiled while thinking back to the rest of her conversation with Maleficent, "Chalk that up to now twenty years of a steady lover, Mal'."

Aurora giggled thinking of Gaston tied and gagged before Maleficent.

"And what is to happen to me in the mean time. I mean, I'm expected to be all prim and proper and I can't go parading myself around to every other prince, stud, or single guy in the realms. I'd be the whore of the land."

"Spend it with me; think of it as an extended girl's night out."

In almost a whisper and unable to contain her happiness, "Really?"

"I would love for you to be here, but and this is a big but, you're not the only one here, if Beast finally comes around to fully love me all bets are off, I'm for him

and him only from then on.." A touch of sadness crossed her face while looking down at Aurora's beautiful eyes and lips, "It's what the public expects."

Silence filled the courtyard as they both just stared into each other's eyes.

Both of them realized no matter the new found feelings they had for each other, what the public expected would always come first.

Aurora was the first to speak up, "Belle, after last night, I would love to be with you for as long as possible? But I have one small request."

"Yes?"

"Please teach me where and how in the hell you learned to kiss like that."

"Like this…" Belle did more gentle taps to Aurora's nose, chin, open mouth and lips before gently gliding her tongue over 'those beautiful soft lips'. Aurora closed her eyes, tipped her head back, wetted her lips and opened her mouth to the expectation of another intimate and wonderful kiss.

"That is extremely inappropriate Belle!" One of the maids yelled.

As though Aurora didn't even exist, Belle let go of her, dropping her into the pool and moved angrily to the edge of the bath and out. Resurfacing; sputtering and whipping water out of her eyes and hair, Aurora watched in surprise as Belle's anger had over road all thoughts of decency to cover herself or the fact that other maids had the audacity to actually grab, let alone touch a Princess without permission. The punishment for such a brazen behavior would result in ten lashes with a whip.

But what came next shocked her even more so.

"Belinda, I don't care what you think, never have, never will. You've had your chance to make yourself better and I am ever so proud to say, you failed. So shut it!"

"I'll go public with this behavior." The maid threatened her.

"Would that be wise? How much do you have to lose?"

"Seeing you humiliated would be enough."

The other maids stepped in and held the screaming princess and maid from coming close enough to grab each other.

"I won't let you." Belle screamed in pure anger.

"You can't stop me!" Was the reply, spit flying from her mouth as she yelled.

"Belinda, don't you get it, I own you. I own all of you" Belle said sweeping her arm toward each of her maids.

"No one can own anyone." Was the response.

"I do! When my Daddy died he left everything to me, whatever was left of the money…was now mine. The house he slaved to keep together by working long hours as a merchant…now Mine! The land my brothers tilled to feed the family…mine! The very brothers that protected me and comforted me…Mine by order of the will. And the best and damn do I love this…because my five vane, self-centered and loveless sisters had failed to move out and find a man that loved them before he died…you are now MINE!"

"I FUCKING OWN YOU!"

Aurora covered her mouth in surprise to hear a princess use such vulgar language even if it was Belle of all people.

"Not if you're dead!" Belinda screamed into Belle's face, two maids where now trying harder than ever to hold Belinda back.

Belle's voice dropped from a scream to a relaxed tone, her body relaxed, her composure reflecting that of a queen and not a bratty child to which the maid holding Belle saw and felt. They looked into each others eyes and came to an unspoken agreement. The maid released her hold on Belle's arms and stepped to the side, her head bowed and arms behind her back.

"You don't understand do you, Belinda? You really don't." Belle smiled. "Because when I signed my name to that magical movie contract, like Aurora's parents did, we became Immortal, I will exist for all time, you could never hope to even attempt to kill me. The only person who can kill me is me and I plan to live a very long life, especially now that I have Aurora!"

"I'll find some way to get away from here and I'll destroy you, I'll tell the world you're a lesbian!"

"Leave. I'm not holding you here against your will. The gate is that way, but without me, you're nothing, you will get nothing. No one would believe you anyway…I have 'the perfect marriage'...to Beastand I promise you the history books will never even know your name."

"You wouldn't dare." Belinda said softly but stilled filled with anger.

"Belinda. I love you, just as I love the rest of you and I want the best for all of you. But you are all so vane and conceded; Cinderella's step-sisters have a better chance at life and love than you. I'm doing this to teach you."

"BULLSHIT, you're doing it to humiliate us!"

"I'm doing this to teach all of you that love is more than just skin deep. It's about what comes from the heart. It's about companionship; romance, being truthful, about simple kisses when someone isn't looking. Saying you're sorry even when you're right. It's not for the gifts, the clothing or the fine dining."

"You lie!" Belinda's voice straining with new found hatred.

"I want that for all of you." Belle said dropping to her knees, emphasizing her next few words, a tear falling from her cheeks. "I hate doing this, I hate it with all my heart, but like Beast was hidden behind a mask for all those years, so must you."

"Lies! You hate us, I see it in you! You have evil in you! You just don't see it! You won't even let Beast be human. How can you live with yourself?"

Belle continued as though she hadn't been interrupted, "Belinda, I love you, I used to look up to you. You are the big sister I wanted to be like. But all of you need to see what it's like to be taken for granted, shunned or even hated for the way you look and why it's so important to love, to love unconditionally…and why Beast and I care for each other so much…"

Two of the girls helped Belle stand and placed a robe around her naked body, while another girl helped a stunned Aurora out of the pool and covered her.

Belinda still held by two other girls yelled with more spit flying into Belle's face. "Fuck you Belle! You're a slut, a whore, a lowly bitch in heat. You hate us, you fear we may one day take your place, that's why you hide us. And the Beast…he is a mongrel dog that should have been put down years ago. I hope you both rot in hell!"

Belle's looked at Belinda in shock. No one insulted Beast, he was generous and kind to a fault. There was never malice in his voice to those under his roof anymore. Fearing what she might physically do, Belle turned away from Belinda like she didn't exist and faced the girl who had held her a moment ago and firmly spoke, "Please remove her from the grounds, don't bother packing her belongings, just burn it all, and see to it she is forbidden to return to this land and any of the other princesses land, and lastly, remind her…as my sister I will always love her…only in memory." The girl looked up at Belle in shock, but nodded in understanding.

Belle held out her hand to Aurora and the two princesses walked out of the courtyard never turning back nor acknowledging the screams of hate, followed by pleadings of forgiveness. Nor did they turn to see how the other four of Belle's sisters unceremoniously dragged their disgraced sister across the grounds toward the back gate.

Once Aurora and Belle were back in Belle's lavish bed-chamber, Aurora watched Belle as she dropped her robe and clothing to the floor. The desire to reach out and touch Belle, if even to comfort her was lost by the tone of her voice when Belle addressed a chamber maid. "Something black as dark as coal and dead as night."

The maid pulled out a long black dress from the closet. No markings, no decoration, not even a bit of lace adorned it. "That will do, Anna. Now if you could be so kind, please seek out my sisters. Ask them if they have completed their task, if so, have them brought before me in the council chambers."

"Yes ma'am," the maid curtsied and departed to leave Belle to dress.

"May I help?" Aurora asked.

"Please,"

The dress wasn't soft or light as Aurora would have expected, it was heavy and made of wool. The lining of the dress had obviously been ripped out years ago, but Belle gave no indication of its feel as she adjusted the last of the fabric to lay flat against her bare skin.

Belle placed her fingers and thumb on Aurora chin and pulled her close, the thought of another kiss from Belle fluttered in her stomach. And again Belle left her shocked if not a bit shaken. "You saw nothing. You heard nothing."

The very tone of voice left Aurora frightened, she had heard Maleficent and other evil queens use such a tone, but to hear it first from a princess was unimaginable.

"I understand." Was all she could squeak out.

"If you wish to leave, I won't hold it against you, it's not every day you…"

Aurora cut her off. "I said I understand, I don't have to like it, but I understand. I can also tell that right now you need a friend more than I need my prince."

At that, Belle's stately appearance washed away and she fell to her knees holding Aurora around the waist and began to sob.

There was nothing Aurora could do but hold Belle's head and run her hands through Belle's hair and whisper words of comfort. Something about Belle's sobs gave her the feeling there was more going on behind the scenes that just her banishing her

sister. And then there were certain words that Belle whispered between sobs, words that grammatically were incorrect; 'I don't want to do it.' Shouldn't have Belle said 'I didn'twant to do it." When it came to banishing her sister?

A voice from the doorway shook Aurora from her whispers to Belle, a tall butler stood at the door way. "Belle. Belle, your sisters are waiting for you." His tone was very demanding even for a butler.

"They can wait a few moments longer." Aurora said to him, annoyed by the fact a male butler would enter a princesses room.

"No it's okay, I did this, I need to see them." Belle said is a whisper.

"Are you sure?" Aurora asked kneeling down to look Belle in the face.

"Yes."

The butler stepped up and offered his hand to help Belle to her feet. Instead of walking to the door, she turned to the butler and hugged him. "Thank you Robert."

"Don't thank me Belle you made this happen and now you have to live with it. She was my sister too."

"Is there no limit to the surprises this castle holds?" Aurora thought to herself.

"But do you…?" Belle asked looking up at Robert.

"Love you? Like a brother to his little sister? Yes. But I hate you for what you did. You may as well have summoned the woodsman and his axe to end her life. If she survives the next year, you will have gained an enemy beyond measure."
Aurora watched as Belle listened to her brother, his words cold and measured. Belle, the ever pillar of control and presence seemed to have lost it all. A simple common peasant girl in a black dress was all she could see now. Aurora's father had taught her, 'A royal should and will never feel remorse for any decision.'

When Belle's brother finished talking the silence in the room seemed to grow for all three of them. Robert took Belle's hand and led her out of the room. Aurora followed but at a distance. Belle's spirit was broken, but part of Aurora found it hard to take complete pity on her, this was her doing and she had to live with it.

The Council chambers were almost identical to the Council chambers from Aurora's royal court. The room was lit with monster size sky-lights, torches and candles to light the shadowed corners. Belle walked in, her head up, but still lacked that touch

of being a princess. Robert held out his arm blocking Aurora, preventing her from following Belle to her sisters. "As a royal, you may watch, but you are not family, so I must ask that you not intervene." He whispered.

"What will they do?" She asked.

"One can hope they do the wise thing." He answered.

Belle walked over to her sisters, each still hooded and fully covered. Aurora heard murmurs and parts of words, but could only surmise what was said. One of the sisters nodded and then the other three also nodded to Belle. A few gestures more from Belle and the sisters were now removing their hoods.

Aurora's hand covered her mouth when she saw each sister each was almost as beautiful as Belle but in their own unique way.

Belle extended her arms gesturing something to each of them. Two of the girls hugged Belle and kissed her cheeks; another stood with her arms crossed but nodded some sort of acknowledgement to Belle.

The last one waited for Belle to finish hugging her two sisters then shocked Aurora and Robert. She stood with her arms also crossed but then dropped them to her sides and spit at Belle's feet.

"Please not another one." Robert whispered his voice quivering with emotion.

The last girl stepped back and watched as Belle took the cloth she had been holding to whip her tears earlier and whipped the spit from her shoes and floor. But nothing else happened. Aurora still very surprised what she saw waited as

Belle curtsied to her sisters and left them. More tears streamed down her face as she returned and took Aurora's hand and left the Council chambers.

The two of them were stopped in the hall by yet another butler with a monster sized pocket watch. "Another brother?" Aurora asked. "Robert is the only one living here." She said and then turned to the butler, "How may I help you?" she asked.

"The master understands your loss and recommends a service or wake be conducted to end the morning period. He would be honored if you allow him to attend. He however wishes to dine with you this afternoon." And then glanced at Aurora, "Alone. As for your family and guest Belle, they may join you and the master for this evening's dinner," now he looked straight at Aurora, still dressed in only the bathrobe from before. "Preferable better dressed by then."

"Tell him, I will attend to his wishes shortly." Belle answered but annoyed by his comments toward Aurora.

Chapter 4

The Plan

Belle returned later that afternoon to her wing of the Castle in the largest common room, a room that overlooked a huge private lake. Over by the windows she found Aurora speaking to one of her sisters, this sister was dressed in a long satin blue dress, while another sister sitting across from her was in a matching style but of a dark forest green.

Looking around Belle found another sister sitting in a corner window sill reading a book, she too was dressed in a beautiful dress, but in red. And then standing in a corner by the door, Belle found her last sister dressed not in a dress but her black maids outfit with hood in place. "You may change if you wish." Belle said standing before her sister.

"Yes ma'am." Was the cold response.

"Bara, please."

"Forgive me ma'am, but you have, in short, killed my sister and then think that you may reward my tolerance to it by dressing like you. No thank you."

"So be it." Belle said and then turned to walk toward Aurora and two of her sisters.

"And what are you ladies up to?" Belle asked giving no more thought to Bara.

Aurora answered up once she saw Belle's sisters were afraid to speak to her. "They were telling me about this annoying little girl they used to know." Neither sister with Aurora smiled at the joke.

"I know of no such girl." Belle said with a grin then sat down beside them and took one of their hands into her own.

Growing up in a royal court Aurora had learned to read a person's face and at that moment she saw on Belle's sisters' face, fear, but for only but a moment. Aurora also noticed how the girl sitting beside her had also stiffened just a bit when she had seen Belle take her sisters hand.

An idea crossed Aurora's mind.

"Oh my gosh, I just forgot, I need to call home. I didn't tell them I'd be staying here longer than last night. Can I use your call-crystal?" She asked Belle.

"Use the one in my chambers it's the closest."

"Thank you," Aurora said to her and rushed out.

Aurora ran down the hallway as fast as possible, her dress very much in the way of her legs and feet.

Slamming the door to Belle's chambers, she flipped open the giant 'call-crystal', Belle used to call her other princesses in the magic realm.

"Come one, come on," She said dialing in a number on the crystal.

The back of someone's head appeared in the image above the crystal.

"Hey sexy girl, what can I do for my gorgeous goddess and fantastic kisser?" Snow White answered.

Aurora cleared her throat.

"You're not…Aurora? What are you doing on Belle's crystal?" Snow White asked.

"Well that answered that question" Aurora said with a grin. "Hey, Snow, I need a favour, well Belle needs one and it's a biggy." Snow White was glad to see Aurora smiling, obviously Belle had done something to help her and now she wanted to return the favour.

"Anything…and I mean anything for Belle."

After her call to Snow White she called her father and said the one thing she couldn't ever remember saying to him. She loved him and then stated she would be staying with Belle for a few days. "The pretend princess?" he asked.

"I would prefer if you no longer call her that. She's my … friend and a member of the Royal Council. Please respect that dad." She added.

"I disapprove of you even being near that thing she calls a husband." The King said.

"Good bye father, I love you." Aurora said for the second time in her life. 'I was really that rude?" She thought to herself, "Time to make changes." She then sat down on the floor, 'the last place you would find a princess' and began to write a letter to Belle explaining who she once was, who she wanted to be and why she wanted Belle to be forever a part of her life.

Twenty minutes later Aurora walked out of Belle's chambers only to find Belle's book worm of a sister standing outside the chamber room doors.

"Will Princess Snow White help us?" Aurora was asked. Before Aurora could asked she know who she called, "Maids have short cuts and spy holes all over the castle." I saw you talking to her and your father.

"Really? Well Snow might be able to but from what I've seen and heard, you and your sisters still need to meet Belle halfway."

"But it's so hard she asks so much. You did it with just a kiss how can we do that?" The girl pleaded, obvious accepting of her sisters' and Aurora's relationship.

"Is it so hard? To put your own needs and wants aside for someone else?"

"Well if you put it like that."

"That's all love is."

"But…"

"Think about this. Yesterday before I kissed your sister I hated being near her. I was born a princess; my father was born in royalty, as his father and his father before him. You, Belle, your sisters and brothers were all born just commoners. I believed you worked for the royalty and you slaved for the royalty. And after that kiss I realized I was wrong…horribly wrong. We work for you. I can't change what I did but can change what I'm going to do. Your sister, I hope will be my guide to being a better person. For the sake of love I'm going to change whatever I need to be with Belle. That's what love is… making personal changes for that other person."

"If that's it why doesn't Belle just tell us?"

"This is going to sound cheesy, "knowing is half the battle"."

This brought a smile to the girls face. "Some of those military guys are pretty handsome."

Aurora put her arm about the girl and walked with her down the hallway back toward Belle and her other sisters. "Looks aren't everything; true love is more than that. Look what your sister went though with Beast and is trying to teach you. Try to remember that and you'll find this servitude to your sister ending a lot sooner."

"So what's to happen with Belle?"

"Call it a Princess intervention and as a princess I'm not required to tell except that she may be taking a small vacation in the near future."

The two of them turned the corner to find Belle sitting and playing some kind of game with two of her sisters. The third one still standing in the corner looking the room over with dead like eye's.

"And that will be the first thing that needs fixing" Aurora said looking Bara in the eyes and then grinned.

Chapter 5

The Fire

Five days later flames as high the tree's licked the sky, sounds of cracking wood and flames snapping filled the air. However it was noticeable to any observer that the lack of sound from the people surrounding the fire was almost disturbing.

Belle stood while three of her sisters sat and watched the fire burn. Bara stood at the furthest end of the sisters away from Belle still dressed in black. Beast had just arrived behind Belle. He whispered his apology for his lateness and placed a hand on Belle's shoulder. Aurora watched as Belle leaned into his paw and rubbed her face into his fur. "She really cares for him," She whispered knowing privately that she held Belle's heart when it came to love. Robert leaned closer to her, "And they would marry sooner if Gaston would stop coming over here all the time." He pointed to a shadow lurking in the green house windows and reason for Beasts' lateness.

And just past the green house Aurora spotted what could only be a drunken man making his way toward the group. "Who's that?" she asked Robert.

"No idea? I thought it was your solution for Belle."

"She told you?" Aurora said looking down at the girl beside her.

"One thing you princesses need to learn is the help knows more about what is happening in the castle than the royals. But we do respect Belle's need for privacy, so your relationship with her will be kept secret to all but her sisters and I." Robert whispered reassuring Aurora of her fears of a royal scandal.

"I'll keep that in mind." Aurora said with a grin looking at how Robert and his sister smiled at each other.

But then there was the new visitor. Aurora didn't know what to think of this other person. The drunken man staggered and tripped his way toward Beast and Belle.

Removing his hat allowed a single stand of beads to fall to the side of his face. His bow more clumsy than professional. "mmm'lady.' He said addressing the Beast.

"mmmsorrrry' he said looking up at the Beast. Stepping to the side he stood before Belle, 'madam…burb'. His face contorting into a smile as he seemed to enjoy the taste and smell of alcohol on his breath.

"I found something of yours." He said and pulled out a black hood from his back pocket.

All the sisters gasped, one of them had said, "Belinda". "I have lost nothing." Belle said glancing at it.

"Suite yourself, but….burp….looking at those fine ladies beside you say you have love."

"What do you have for me, Pirate?" Belle's tone quite firm.

"I've taken…a lady, well what's left of a lady…burp….on my ship….mmmmm the Black Pearl, mmmm a lovely ship, not as lovely as you." he said looking at the girl closest to him.

"Beat up, that one was; tied and fettered to a cask of rum. Barely a stitch of clothing but for this dang locked hood."

Somewhere from the folds of his clothing he pulled out a flask and drank deeply.

"Magically locked," Belle said softly.

"Yup, falls off when the owner says it can or the wearer's gone to Davy Jones' Locker…." The pirate said eyeing Belle and the other girls.

He continued seeming to enjoy how all the other sisters were listening to his every word, tears watering the edge of their eyes but Belle's.

"Pirate, focus…." Belle said firmly.

"I have her on me ship, Well what's left of her…She's dead that one, dead in the eye's, dead in the spirit and…burp..dead in the heart. But still breathing. Very odd. But locks don't do well around me…fall apart they do…anyway, "

Everyone watched as he tossed the hood on to the fire seeming to forget what he was about to say.

Beast turned to face the Pirate. "I think it best if you leave right now." His voice deep and rumbling with a growl.

"Mmmmm yup, yup, That's it…need to set sail…next stop! He said with his hand in the air while walking away, "Port Royale!"

"The real world…she'll age and then die there." Bara whispered.

The Pirate ran back and right up to her, nose to masked nose, looking her straight in the eye, drunkenness gone from his face or stance, "But maybe she'll learn to live before that happens."

He then left mumbling or singing some drunken sailor tune.

After the fire had died down and everyone had returned to the castle, Aurora took Belle back to the pool/tub courtyard and the two of them in whispers; spoke of love and new found happiness doing nothing more than just holding hands and small gentle kisses. Aurora did her best to keep Belle from souring the happy mood between them.

Upon their return and at Aurora's urging, Belle gave parting orders to her sisters that they were free to remain as they were dressed a little longer, or at least until the following morning after breakfast.

Aurora then took the lead and pulled Belle into Belle's bedroom, where the two of them shed their clothing, never once breaking skin contact. Slowly and gently Belle learned for the first time what it felt and meant to share the intimate touch of another. Late into the night they collapsed into a deep sleep, exhausted, spent and thrilled to the core to feel true love; emotionally and finally physically.

Chapter 6

Kidnapped

Sometime in the middle of the night Aurora awoke to a slight tapping on her shoulder. "Shhhh." As her eyes slowly focused she found the voice belonging to a person floating beside the bed, a moment later and still straining to focus, she could just barely make out Jasmine kneeling on her flying carpet in the moonlight, but had no problem focusing on the person with her, standing in the center of the room of all people; Jefar."

Jefar pointed a finger toward a closet and the door opened. "In there please." He whispered.

Slowly pulling herself from Belle's arms and legs, she took the small bit of fabric Jasmine offered her. Trying to cover her naked body, she ran quietly to the closet where the door almost completely closed behind her. Grabbing one of Belle's other night gowns; she held it against herself unable to pull her eyes from what was happening in the bedroom chambers.

Jasmine and Jefar moved silently through another doorway and partially closed that door and to her amazement she heard her own voice coming from behind the door. "Oh owwww, Belle, please Belle, help me, oh owwwww…"

Belle awoke immediately, turned and noted that her bed was empty and then turned to hear Aurora's cries of pain from the other room again. Ignoring her covering, Belle ran naked across the room to the door as fast as she could.

Aurora watched, marveling at Belle's beauty and grace as she ran across the room. But slightly disturbed she never even took notice of the Arab print carpet on the floor in front of the door.

Part of her wished this intervention didn't have to happen, but after discovery of a document the night before in Belle's desk reaffirmed the need for this intervention.

Belle ripped the door open, screamed in shock then covered herself.

"Good Morning Belle" was all Aurora heard from Jasmine then watched the flying carpet trip Belle into itself, pick up Jasmine and fly out the window.

Just as Aurora was stepping out of the closet, Jefar's long fingers wrapped around her wrist and pulled her out and dragged her up painfully.

Jefar held her arm up, her toes barely touched the floor, their faces level. "Snow White says you have a house to put in order," Jefar let go of his scepter, which now hovered in the air and he ran his long finger nails down the side of Aurora's exposed naked body; her chest, waist and then just barely stopping at her exposed pelvic bone.

"I offer my services…for a price." His eye's raping every inch of her naked body.

Chapter 7

Six months of Hell

"You have got to hurry 'mon," the crab said, wind blowing hard in his face.

"I'm going as fast as I can."

"Fly faster, 'Aree-el' need dis note and soon."

The albatross with his crab rider circled the shores of the island town one last time.

"There it is, at the end of 'dat pier." Sebastian said pointing to a huge sailing ship docked at the end of a pier.

The albatross dive bombed the ship and crash landed on the ships gangway throwing his rider across the ships quarter deck. "Told you we'd get here in one piece."

"Oh my head, ar' you'd trying to kill me?" Sebastian said rubbing his head with a claw.

"You can always walk next time, you have six feet."

"Sebastian!" Ariel screamed picking up the crab and holding him in a bear hug. "It's so wonderful you're here. You should hear about all the places I've been to with Captain Swann."

"Aree-el, we have a letter from de palace" Sebastian said prying himself loose from Ariel then pulling a letter from the travel pack on the albatross's back.

"What is it?" Ariel asked perplexed at Sebastian's urgency.

"A royal summons." Sebastian said handing her the sealed scroll.

"What does my father want now?"
"Not dat kind of summons."

Arial began reading the scroll ignoring everyone around her.

"May I help?" Captain Swann asked walking up the gang plank.

"I have to go." Ariel said with a touch of sadness in her voice.

"Go where?" The Captain asked.

"Here," Ariel said showing the map attached to the summons.

A dwarf of a man looking over the Captain's shoulder from a yard arm, 'that's three weeks from here; she'll never get there in time."

Yelling at the top of her voice, Captain Swann started to give orders to set sail. "Raise the recall flag, shore-leave is cancelled. Someone fetch Arial's husband and daughter. Bring on as much provisions as possible. We set sail at high tide, which is in…"

The Dwarf looked at his captain and finished her sentence, "In five hours."

Captain Swann turned to Ariel placing a hand on her shoulder, "You will need to contact your father and have him help with the winds."

Elsewhere,

A short Asian servant girl stood before Mulan. "A messenger from the palace stands at the gates. He says the message is for you." She said looking at the ground.

"Please bring it to me," Mulan said being held to the ground with a wooden sword, "I seem to be a bit busy."

"He stated that only you may have the summons."

At this comment, a small red dragon popped his head out of a ceramic jar his face and body covered in sugar. "Summons, palace? Oh what's it say, what's it say, come on lets go, we gotta see what sooooo important for little old defender of the land and hero to all."

"Susshh dragon," Mulan said taking a hand up from her sparring partner and brushing the dust of her outfit.

"Little one," Mulan's father called to her. "A summons?"

"I think so; I'm going to find out now." Mulan said to her father. He was on his knees in his personal refuge…'Tranquility Garden' he called it.

At the gate Mulan found the messenger kneeling in the dirt; his sheathed sword resting a top a scroll. "You are Princess Mulan?"

"Just Mulan," she replied.

"This summons is for 'Princess Mulan' and only 'Princess Mulan'. Are you she?"

Shock crossed her face. No one in the province referred to Mulan as Princess only one place called her Princess. "I am, as decreed by the Royal Council." Mulan said holding her hand out for the scroll in his hands.

The messenger stood and handed her the scroll "By your leave your highness?"

Caught up in opening the scroll Mulan looked up at the messenger, "Um, sure."

Dragon scurried up Mulan's leg, around her waist and then perched on her shoulder. "Ah man! It's written in the funny language you guys use. What's it say, what's it say?"

Mulan quiet at first spoke in measured words; not hearing her father and mother walk up behind her? "It's a royal summons and I need to leave now."

Mulan's mother spoke up first, "But what about the celebration?"

And then her father "Is it from the Emperor?"

Mulan's voice sounding quite firm, "It comes from much higher than him…"

"It's from Snow White."

"We convene the council in one week." Snow White said, her image floating above a dark blue crystal.

"But my wedding is in a week!" Pocahontas said, leaning forward to the crystal trying to make her appearance seem more threatening to the viewer on the other side.

"Postpone it." Snow White said in a soft voice.

"What?" she screamed pounding her fist on the table in anger. "I will not!"

"You heard me and you will especially if you value your position on the council."

"You can't replace me! Without me and Tiana, your little gang of princesses are just a bunch of racist, ethnically challenged, white girls."

"This isn't for discussion. One week. Bald Mountain. If you're not there, Alice will take your place…permanently." And with that Snow Whites image above the crystal disappeared.

"Argh! I'd scalp her if I could!" Pocahontas screamed lifting the table over and throwing its contents to the floor.

One week later,

All the Princesses arrived at a castle built into the side of Bald Mountain. Below the castle a grand glass hall protruded, unmatched in size or design by any of the

Princesses' own castle halls. Inside; the occupants were dressed in exquisite clothand jewelry. Servants rushed from one girl to the next, seeing to their every need or want.

Cinderella and Jasmine stood looking out a window at the forest below. Ghosts and Sprits running from one tree to the next in a childish type game of tag.
"Why do they do that" Cinderella asked one of the servants.
The girl bowed to them, looked out the window, "They are the spirits of all the children from all the lands taken before their time."
"Taken before their time?"
"All of them died as a child, the circumstances of how doesn't matter, just that they died as a child."
"But what of the Demon of Bald Mountain?" Jasmine asked.
"My lady he is no demon he is the protector and provider of the children. No harm shall ever come to them again. Here they may not be summoned, conjured or brought back for evil purposes. The harpy's are their guards, teachers and playmates"
"But why try to scare us away?" Cinderella asked.
"Because unlike them, you are still alive you remind them of what they don't have. If you will please excuse me?" the servant asked but did not retreat until Cinderella thanked her for her time and allowed her to leave.

At the center of the hall by the huge fire pit, Mulan, Ariel, Pocahontas and Tiana sat by the fire keeping warm. Alice sat reading a large book on the other side of the fire, seeming to be ignoring them, but listening intently.

Looking around, Pocahontas whispered to the other girls, "Did you hear about Belle?"
"What is it this time?" Mulan asked with disgust on her face.
"This time? What's going on?" Ariel asked them looking from face to face.
"Over the past few months, Belle's been acting real weird." Tiana said.
"Like what? Spill the beans?" Ariel asked.
Pocahontas smiled how she was again the center of the attention. "Well it's like she's not herself. Like last week at the summer festival, Beast and Belle were all dressed up looking fantastic I might add and well Beast put his hand well paw on her shoulder and tried to lean down and kiss her."
"So?" Ariel said looking around for Belle.
"She stopped him."
"What?" Ariel now turned to Pocahontas giving her full attention.
"She stopped him. It was a playful stop but she wouldn't let him kiss her." Pocahontas whispered for added effect.
"I thought she loved to kiss Beast, human or monster form?"

"She does, but I don't get it? She's been like this for over six months." Mulan said.
"Any idea why?" Tiana asked
"Well there was the death of her sister." Mulan said quietly.
"I heard it wasn't a death, but Belle banished her?" Pocahontas said with a straight face.
"If she was banished where would she go?" Tiana asked.
"The real world." Alice said, unable to hold back the truth.
"Who asked you?" Pocahontas said callously.

Just then two huge doors opened up at the center of the hall, Snow White at its center. "Princesses, thank you for coming. If we could get started?"

Snow White stood at the door and greeted each princess as they filed into a huge round room. At the center of the room and carved from the very floor and walls; a round stone table commanded everyone's attention. Very distinctive and ornate chairs circle the table; one chair molded much like a throne sat at its head. The entire outer edge of the council room; chairs and benches and other decorations covered every inch. Each princess took up a chair from around the table and sat in silence waiting for the last of them to be seated.

Before closing the doors, Snow White turned to face Alice who had remained seated by the fire pit; her face down looking to the floor. "I'm sorry Alice, maybe next time."

"S'okay. I had nothing better to do today." But Snow White could hear the sadness in Alice's voice as she got up and walked to the castle entrance.

Snow White felt bad for Alice, even worse when she closed the doors of the council chambers which made a heavy sounding boom. "Someday she'll join us." She thought to herself. "She would have been the third member of the council…I was so selfish back then."

Snow White made her way around the room the only sound came from her dress brushing against the cavern's black marble floor. All faces followed her as she chose not to sit but stand, "Before we commence this emergency meeting, I'd like the ruling members of our sister council to join us this evening."
Pocahontas leaned over to Tiana, "If Alice is here, Lesser Princesses she means."

Had Snow White heard her or not she gave no indication. Turning to the side she addressed someone sitting in the shadows. "Doc, if you could please bring in our guests."

Everyone watched as the portly dwarf made his way to a side door and ushered in the guests. The first to enter stood taller than any of the Princesses, draped in black and white except for the gold crown atop her head. "Queen Grimhilde" Cinderella gasped. The next to enter was Lady Tremaine, Maleficentand six of their servants covered head to toe in black cloth. With the assistance of their servants the three guests took a seat at the furthest end of the round table from Snow White and never once uttered a word as various Princesses shuffled or moved in their chairs noticeably uncomfortable with their new visitors.

Snow White turned to face another dwarf, "Bashful, please begin taking a record of this meeting."

"Yes, Ma'am."

Snow White looked to each member of the table taking note where everyone sat and who was in attendance, from her left and around the table; Cinderella, an empty seat, Ariel, another empty seat, Maleficent, Queen Grimhilde,

Lady Tremaine, Tiana, Pocahontas, Jasmine, Mulanand to her right, Rapunzel noting that Aurora and Belle were both absent. "Please note for the record, the follow absecen…"

Just then the cavern's main door opened and quickly closed. From the shadows Aurora came running in, curtsied to Snow White and upon seeing Queen Grimhilde turned and curtsied even lower, her legs crossed and knees almost touching the floor. "I'm terribly sorry for being late and have no excuse."

Snow White and the Queen bowed their head in recognition. Though the Queen seemed to wait a bit longer than expected and Aurora continued to hold her curtsy with her head down patiently waiting until the Queen voiced ever so quietly "Accepted." Aurora then rushed to a seat next to Cinderella.

Maleficent leaned over about to say something when the Queen raised her hand and made a tight boney fist. Maleficent saw the gesture, sat back up in her chair and nodded to the Queen in understanding.

"As we are all now in attendance let us begin." Snow White announced.

"But what about…" Rapunzel was about to ask looking at the other empty seat but Mulan placed her hand on Rapunzel's hand and shook her head.

"First to go over unexpected but joyful business first, Rapunzel is new to the Princesses and like all others before her it is up to us to decide by vote if she is to take her place with the Princesses of this council or with Alice and her council.

"Lesser council." Pocahontas said under breath.

Frowning at Pocahontas, Snow White continued, "All in favor of her joining us raise their hands." Snow White looked around the room, "Let it be written and stated that Ariel, Pocahontas, Mulan and Tiana voted for and Cinderella, Aurora, Jasmine and myself voted against, and one abstention."

Pocahontas stood up, "Excuse me, but there was no absten..what ever…Belle ain't here, she got not vote!"

"Please sit down Pocahontas." Snow White asked politely.

"I ain't sittin and I'm just say'n. You said if I don't come you'll give my seat to Alice, Well Belle ain't here and Alice is; give Belle's seat to her." Pocahontas said her voice edging with anger.

"I asked you politely to sit down." Came the reply.

"Hell No! You made me cancel my wedding for this bullshit meeting. Call Alice in here and give her the seat!" Pocahontas pounded her fist on the stone table.

Snow White through firmly gritted teeth "SIT. DOWN. NOW. And I'll explain."

Ignoring Snow Whites' demand Pocahontas continued, "You threatened me with removal and we all know you have a soft spot for Belle, hell you're probably 'boffing' her on a daily basis." Pocahontas said with a grin.

Everyone turned when Queen Grimhilde stood quietly and turned to Pocahontas. "Young lady. Two things; One; I will not tolerate that kind of language in my presence and Two; I believe my daughter asked you to sit down. As she is the head of this council and you are but a member. You will abide by such authority." The Queen then sat down again with the assistance of a huge muscle bound servant.

"Hag, you ain't one of us so don't try to boss me around." Pocahontas said raising her hand and imitating a gesture she had seen used in D'land. She raised her middle finger at the Queen.

The Queen turned to Snow White. "If the council head would indulge me for a moment?"

Snow White smiled and gestured to her mother with a hand in approval toward Pocahontas.

Queen Grimhilde stood with a grace, presence and controlled anger everyone in the room could feel and glad it was not at them but at Pocahontas, "You are a spoiled little thirteen year old child. You lack the discipline, maturity or even the presence of mind to be known as a princess. Given the fact you seem to know how to lie on your back and spread your legs for a thirty year old pedophile doesn't make you out to be as privileged as you might think. Now do as you're told child and SIT. DOWN."

Pocahontas sat like her legs had given out from under her yet she continued to argue. Though some of the strength of her argument had left her as well. "No wonder everyone hates you. Belle ain't here so her seat should be given up."

"Close your mouth child you are embarrassing yourself." The Queen said sitting back down and then ignored Pocahontas's demands and orders. Almost everyone's eyes were on Pocahontas as she turned to Snow White. All except for Jasmine and Aurora who instead were watching the Queen gesture to one of her servants to come forward.

"Remove your hood girl."

The servant removed her hood revealing a woman with a shaved head and small bruises on her face and neck. "Servant," Maleficent had called her, but everyone turned to look at her, there no mistaking it, it was Belle. Even Pocahontas had stopped her tirade at Snow White in pure shock.

Maleficent started again, "Servant, you are in the presence of royalty. Bow to them."

Belle looked up for the first time, eyes wandered around the room looking at each princess, confused and not recognizing them. Lady Tremaine looked from one princess to the next enjoying the shock on their faces but slightly disappointed at Jasmine and Snow White's neutral face, but it was Aurora's reaction that made up for them and then some. Shock and sorrow.

Maleficent stood and rounded around behind Belle. With no anger, malice, or even enjoyment in her voice, "If you won't bow," Maleficent's staff struck the back of Belle's legs, "then you will kneel." The sound of bone hammering the marble floor as Belle fell to her knees, echoed through the chamber, followed by Belle's cries in pain and the equally shocked gasps and heads of some of the princesses turning away from around the table at seeing the horrible sight.

"Stand." Maleficent ordered of Belle a few moments later.

"I can't" Belle sobbed laying on her side holding her knees.

"Servant. Stand or it will get worse." She warned in a tone flat and neutral. The base of her staff pressed to one of Belle's ankles.

All of Princesses watched in horror as one of the most respected members of their Council, slowly stood, fell with a thud and slowly stood again grunting and wincing in pain. It was unsettling to all the princesses that one of them could be humiliated and abused into such a state.

Once standing, Belle slowly swayed side to side trying to find some way to take the weight off of her knees. A new huge red mark graced her forehead from when she had hit her head at some point.

"Mind your manners, a servant never shows her displeasure." Lady Tremaine added.

"Yes…ma'am." Belle's voice was nothing like they knew, the ever memorable softness and musical joy people felt at her every word was gone, now she sounded raw and hoarse like she had been yelling or screaming.

For. A. Very. Long. Time.

The Queen, who had never taken her eyes off of Pocahontas spoke to her but addressed the entire table, "You see; she is quite present."

For the next several minutes the room erupted in complaints, yells, accusations and just plain screaming at Snow White and the three visitors.

Maleficent had sat back down, now leaned back behind the Queen toward Lady Tremaine, "Told you with would be fun." The Queen sat very silent not once looking away from Snow White; watching her intently.

Snow White tied in vain to calm everyone, "Let me explain. Please, please just calm down. Listen to me." But no one was listening.

Jasmine, stood up on the table, "SIT DOWN AND SHUT UP!"

"Fuck you!" came from Tiana.

"And so well educated." Lady Tremaine said to Maleficent. Again, the Queen didn't move.

"You're not helping things." a sadden Aurora said to the three of them. She hadn't once taken her eyes off of Belle.

The Queen nodded in agreement. "You are right. Maleficent, I believe this has gone on long enough. Please assist my daughter in silencing this unruly group."

"SILENCE!" Everyone turned to find Maleficent standing four times her size at the end of the table. The head of her staff had then pounded the center of the table shaking everyone from their train of thought.

Everyone slowly sat down, but Snow White.

"Thank you, honored guest," Snow White said to Maleficent and then turned to the rest of the table's seated ladies. "As I was about to explain, we have a problem."

"No shit" Pocahontas said aloud.

Snow White ignored her, "Each of us has an opposite, Queen Grimhilde is mine, Lady Tremaine is Cinderella's, and as you all know Maleficent is Aurora's. Each person sitting at this table has someone like that, 'checks and balances'. Everyone but Belle. Some think its Gaston. But he is a rival for Beasts affections not her opposite. Belle has lost touch with being a princess and if not corrected," She indicated the three ladies at the end of the table, "could become a member of their council."

Queen Gimhilde turned toward Belle while Snow White continued to talk to the other princesses. Tears were trickling down Belle's face as she swayed side to side trying to stand. "They're talking about you dear."

"Me? Why me? I'm just a servant." Belle replied hoarsely in a whisper.

"A servant to the people." Lady Tremaine corrected.

"Yes, Ma'am. Did I do something wrong, your majesty?" Belle asked, but did not look up.

"So it would seem. Listen and learn."

The Queen turned to watch Snow White sit and then Aurora stand and begin to her tell her tale of an afternoon spent with Belle; and how Belle had invited her to stay at Beasts castle after hearing of Prince Philip's lies to her and what Belle had found out. Not only had he lied to her but had lied and hid his continuing though strained relationship with Aurora from Maleficent. Maleficent had agreed to assist Belle and Aurora with correcting and showing Prince Philip the error of his ways and lying. This all due to a few favors Maleficent had apparently owed Belle.

A momentary bit of trepidation flowed over Maleficent for fear that Belle would have told or shared 'her' secret to this waif of a girl, but as Aurora continued to talk, Maleficent relaxed, Aurora gave no hint or indication she knew of Maleficent's history or desires. Belle as agreed had kept her promise to tell no one. Maleficent gained a new level of respect and trust for Belle at that moment.

Aurora then spoke of an incident the following day where Belle had banished one of her sisters from all the lands, but mostly how one of Belle's sister's cringed like a beat puppy when Belle held her hand and how the other sisters cowered in her very presence.

Aurora continued to explain of a ledger she found of the fact everyone in the room, as well as every princess from Alice's court and surprisingly every villain, owed Belle a favor or two but never once been asked to collect on it. Maleficent's favor hadn't even been marked off.

This all paled in comparison to how Belle controlled the Beast, making him remain in Beast form all the time. An effect that if continued would make him more savage than before and in time he would lose his humanity. The ending result would be his lands, money and castle; magically transferring to her.

"She's good." Maleficent said under her breath looking at a silent Belle swaying from one foot to the other. Though she had a new level of respect for Belle it changed nothing for the task requested of the three villains at the table.

Snow White stood, "Thank you Aurora. Now ladies, for over the past six months with Jefar's spells and help. Aurora has been changing her appearance to look like Belle for many required public appearances and has been slowly undoing the damage Belle has caused.

"My name is…Belle?" a whisper came from behind Queen Gimhilde.

Lady Tremaine, turned in shock, which Maleficent nodded to Lady Tremaine. Maleficent bolted from her chair, backhanding Belle across the face, sending her to the floor. "A servant speaks only when spoken to and not before!" Seeing that Belle wasn't even trying to get back up, "Get up, it's not dignified to lay on the ground like a house hold pet." Respect or not, a lesson needed to be taught.

Seeing this, Rapunzel ran from the table in tears crying and voiceing, "I don't want to be a princess."

"No need for another vote." Jasmine said with a grin.

The comment earned a cold stare from Snow White.

Snow White realized she was slowly losing control due to side comments and poor princess behavior. "We have a problem ladies. In Belle's absence, Aurora has been playing double duties, running two kingdoms; Pretending to be Belle in her absence and for her own kingdom. And it's starting to take a toll. As everyone knows at this table all of us are required to make public appearances and conduct ourselves in a manner befitting our benefactor," She paused for a moment to add weight to her next words, "Mr. D."

Everyone was now focused on Snow White; the mere mention of Mr. D. always caused heads to turn.

"Not once in the past eight months have we all appeared together. And the public is starting to notice."

Tiana raised her hand. "I don't understand. So what if Belle is out of the picture for a while, it's not like people are hammering at your door." Referring to Snow Whites recent history of less and less appearances. "Besides what's so special about Belle anyway?"

Aurora, raised her hand to respond. Snow White was quite pleased that decorum had returned to the table and upon looking at her mother was happy to note that the Queen was pleased as well.

"Princess Tiana," Aurora stood and spoke quite firmly, "If you haven't noticed the public, as a whole looks to Cinderella, Snow White, Ariel, Belle and I and as the central core of the Princesses. You can't deny that and unlike a few months ago, I no longer desire to push it into any of your faces. But what you have to realize is that by my taking on double duties is done so with a certain magnitude of sacrifice."

Pocahontas not raising her hand, "Magnitude? You make it seem like pretending to be two Princesses is really that hard of a job."

Reaching into a pocket. Everyone watched as Aurora opened up a small leather pouch from her gown and poured a number of large green diamonds into her hand.

"Pretending to be Belle and being myself, that would be easy but pretending to be all of you? That's killing me." She said coldly.

Snow White watched as Jasmine cocked her head a side like some thought just came to her and was equally surprised when Jasmine covered her mouth and nose with both hands whispering with dread, "Oh no!"

Pocahontas didn't notice Jasmine, but continued to barb Aurora with demands and accusations. "All of us? What are you pulling out some sort of sympathy card? Why would you care what happens to Belle? It's obvious she's falling to their side, think of the press. Let her go. Their side could use a good shake up." Pointing at the Queen and Maleficent."

Aurora threw the diamonds onto the table, "I would do anything for Belle but mostly because I love Belle, not just as a friend or fellow Princess. I LOVE BELLE. Emotionally, spiritually and physically."

Tiana covered her mouth but still said aloud, "Dyke."

"Yes. Yes I am." Aurora said proudly, "The moment I kissed Belle I fell in love with her. I spent five days in her embrace. Five days learning I was a spoiled, terrible and mean princess, five days of Belle teaching me to be a better person and lover. five days of Belle's kisses; her kisses are feather like, dreamy and pure sweetness and heavenly," Jasmine noted that Snow White inadvertently agreed by nodding

her head as well. "And lastly five days realizing Belle, that woman over there, is my one true love. And I would do anything to get her back." Aurora tapped a diamond in front of her. "Even this."

Six diamonds scattered around the table came to life revealing images that left the room silent. Even Maleficent and Lady Tremaine were caught off guard.

Each diamond projected a moving scene; of a Princess, being chained, whipped, beat, slapped, sodimized or just being raped by Jafar. Each time the image changed, it would start with Aurora being transformed to one of the other Princesses of their court as well as the lower court then forced to submit to his personal twisted desires.

As each member at the table watched in horror, as Aurora continued to speak. "Every night since the day Jasmine took Belle to be re-educated, broken, brainwashed, whatever those three are doing. I've had to endure Jafar's sexual or just physical frustrations and abuse. Like everyone else at this table, we are all immortal so I've endured a physical pain and torture that would end the life of anyone else. And I'll continue to endure it. And why hasn't Jafar broken my spirit? I'm doing this for Belle. That's what she means to me!"

Ariel upon seeing herself depicted with Jafar and the word MILF carved into her chest in one diamond, rushed to the side of the chamber and threw up onto a container. Others flinched or covered their eyes. Not even Maleficent and Lady Tremaine could watch for very long as each scene played out worse than the one before. But most of all they seemed equally disturbed at the depths Jafar would go to humiliate one of the Princesses. The Queen however seemed to watch it all never flinching at the gruesome scenes.

"Interesting."

Aurora turned to the Queen a bit upset that she could be so casual about the whole thing. "And I'll continue to do what he asks until you finish what you have been asked. I love her and want her back."

"As so you shall, sooner than expected." The Queen answered.

Snow White recognized her mother's tone and facial expressions. "Mother, what is it?" The images still continued to play out around the table. All at the table were

thankful something else was happening to take their eyes off the disgusting scenes.

"This does not leave this room, if it does, I promise you, each and every one of you; that person will take her place," Pointing to Belle, "For a punishment far, far worse than what is happening to her." The queen said now pointing at a diamond.

"Mother?" Snow White asked again.

"You will notice in each scene Aurora is playing the game with Jafar with one exception, one person isn't depicted." The Queen turned to Aurora and in a surprisingly kind voice but the look was still evil, "And you know that exception don't you my child."

Aurora felt small and weak looking into the Queen's glare and could only whisper the word, her hands shaking as she gripped the table trying hard to find some sort of strength;

"Belle".

"Exactly. Jafar has been a thorn in my side since the day he came to my council and continues to de-throne me on a regular basis and now I know his weakness. I need to get her back in place as soon as possible."

Everyone turned to look at Belle standing with her hands and fingers clasped in front of her while still swaying sided to side.

Noticing that the room was quiet and no one was talking, Belle looked up to see everyone looking at her. Feeling a horrible guilt in her stomach she looked to the Queen. "I'm sorry your majesty I'm trying to stay still."

"And failing miserably." The Queen said, looking to the other servants, "Remove her from this room."

Belle raised her hands in protest to the two large male servants that grabbed her arms. "My Queen? I'm sorry. Please don't. I want to stay, I'm sorry." Her voice sounded even more raw and panicking.

"Five lashes for speaking out of turn." The Queen said firmly.

"My Queen! I'm sorry. Please forgive me. I'm sorry! Please don't! Please...Mercy!" Belle said in fear and desperation.

"And ten more for insubordinate and unsightly behavior."

Belle's pleadings turned to screams of sheer terror as she struggled to fight her two huge captors. All in the room were affected by Belle's struggles and ear splitting screams as she was dragged fighting across the floor and out of the Council Chambers; save but one person who never once moved. The Queen. She glared at each princess around the table daring them to make a move to save Belle.

"I wish you were dead." Aurora said wiping a tear from her cheek looking at an unemotional and unmoving Queen.

Belle's screams of protest continued outside the chamber doors.

"Many wish I were dead child and I'm ever so proud to say it will never happen. Snow White, are we done here?" The Queen asked turning her attention away from Aurora.

"Yes. Please go. We will speak later." Snow White said coldly, turning off the diamonds around the table.

The sound of a whip crack from beyond the Council chamber doors filled the room stopping everyone from what they were doing.

Belle's screams were suddenly higher pitched and more nerve wracking than before.

"Did you have to do that here?" Snow White asked her mother, visibly shaken by Belle's screams.

"Punishment should never be delayed; the purpose would no longer be valid." The Queen responded calmly.

One crack of a whip after another filled the room while Belle's screams further cut to the core of each princess. The screams sounded primal and inhuman with each crack.

Rapunzel screamed from behind a bench along the wall, "Make her stop! Please God make her stop!" and then just to herself. "Please make it stop. Please make it stop…" while burying her face in her hands and knees through a torrent of renewed tears and sobs.

Aurora stepped over to the Queen as the other two guests began to head toward the door. "You are a…" She said while about to slap the Queen, but found her hand held by one of the Queen's other servants.

"To strike a royal is worthy of the whip," Aurora's heart sank at the voice. "To strike a Queen is immediate death." Aurora turned to face the servant, dread filled her as she recognized the eye's of her Kingdom's savior and future betrothed; Prince Philip. The rest of him was indistinguishable like the rest of the servants; locked and hidden behind a leather mask and suit.

More whip cracks and screams filled the room.

The strength in her resolve disappeared as Aurora watched her former betrothed release her wrist and stand once more behind the Queen.

The screaming and whipping stopped.

"Come servant," The Queen smiled at the silence and beckoned her bodyguard, "I believe we have given the princess something else to consider."

"Bitch." Aurora mouthed but did not say aloud.

Once the doors closed. Snow White addressed the room while holding back her own tears. "I caused this." She thought to herself; but in a clear voice to the other Princesses, "Mary Poppin's has offered her services to assist in the re-education aspect of Belle, once the other three have completed their half of the request."

Pocahontas raised her hand to which everyone noticed that the stubborn attitude of Pocahontas was gone. "Two questions. Why didn't we just ask Ms. Poppins first or do whatever needed fixing ourselves? Nothing Belle could have done deserves that. What did she do?"

Snow White remained silent as she seemed to take in everyone's looks. "Belle had plans, plans that never need to be discussed. Ever." And at that she sat down.

Aurora had been staring at the floor in shock; finally turning slowly she moved back to her seat only to stare at the floor and ignored the conversations around the table.

Jasmine; had her face covered. Shamed in the fact she had a hand in what was happening to Belle. Slowly put her hands down on the table and looked to Pocahontas, "As for why them? Because they have the skills, time and temperament to do what we can't."

Ariel, who was just coming back to her seat, looking pale and tired, "But together we could have fixed or shown her what she was doing was wrong and without their help."

Jasmine, turned to Ariel, "And who would be the first to make that difficult choice. Which one of us would raise a hand to another at this table let alone a whip?"

Silence. Jasmine's mere reminder of Belle's whipping caused some to believe she knew more than she let on and led to the idea the Queen wasn't using it for just her own twisted desires. Belle really had done something evil.

Jasmine continued, "Some of us at this table, to use the phrase, 'talk the talk' and cannot even come close to 'walking the walk'." She then turned to Aurora. "And I'm so sorry, Aurora. He offered to help for a small price, but when I asked him, he said the two of you made an arrangement. I'm sorry. I'll stop him as soon as we leave here."

"No you won't and no one can tell him." Aurora said sitting in her chair looking at her lap. "Without Jafar's spells of transformation Mr. D. and his lawyers will know what's happened to Belle…" Aurora just stopped talking.

Snow White stood and picked up where Aurora left off. "Put an end to Aurora's magical contract due to her involvement with Jafar. She would be dead to the Princess line of power, who would be next? The lawyers and the public would revisit our stories with renewed interest and questions. Pocahontas? What would the world say finding out you're just thirteen and to be married to a pedophile? Or Mulan, who suffers from sexual disphoria and is an outright cross dresser. Or for me; my Prince, the necrophiliac who opened my coffin looking for another corpse to love. Think of it! All of us at this table would be scrutinized in ways we would never recover. The life we know and cherish would be gone in moments."

Silence.

Even Pocahontas seemed to have gotten the idea and remained silent.

A normally silent Mulan spoke up for the first time. "What do you need of us?"

Snow White seemed to relax, took her seat and folded her hands in front of her. "When I first convened this meeting I thought it was only to help Belle, but it seems Aurora is in need of help as well. Here is what I ask and propose to all of you…"

Jasmine raised her hand to gesture for Snow White to hold off in her plan for a moment. Seeing a shadow standing in the corner, Jasmine waved the person forward. Despite her feelings and vote, Snow Whites plan may need everyone and then some to help. Rapunzel stepped out of the shadows and stood beside her chair unsure if she should stay, sit, or run away.

"I want to help." Rapunzel said through sniffles, her eyes and cheeks red from wiping away tears. "I grew up watching Princess Belle and her stories; she's why I wanted to be princess. She is and always has been my hero, the person I look up to and want to be like. I may not get the chance to ever join you, but I want to help her," She looked across the table while pushing away another tear, "and Princess Aurora."

"And so you shall." Snow White said gesturing her to sit at the chair provided to her. "Once Belle is returned to us, Ms. Poppins will begin working to get Belle back to herself and show her what she did wrong along the way. Ms Poppins has also asked everyone at this table, if she calls you, you are to drop what you're doing and

come to her aid and do exactly as she says. Be it a meeting, royal court gathering, a festival, or even a wedding; leave. She will need your help and asks you to never question her."

For the first time that evening everyone nodded in understanding.

"Second, as Aurora and the Queen have asked, No one is to stop, discuss or even hint we know what Jafar is up to. All I ask is that if Aurora calls for anything and I mean anything! We help her." Turning to Aurora. "Will this help?" Snow White asked concerned.

Still looking down at the floor, tears dripped off her nose into the lap of her dress. "Some." Aurora mumbled. Her chin started to wrinkle and lips tremble.

"Is there anything else we can do?" Jasmine asked clearly concerned for Aurora.

Aurora collapsed into Cinderella's arm and emotionally let loose everything she'd been holding back since Belle had been dragged from her life almost seven months ago.

Her voice echoed through the entire chamber loud and clear.

"I WANT MY BELLE BACK!"

Chapter 8

Changes in Ownership

The council chambers, usually dark but for meetings of the princesses, was again lit but only around one side of the table.

"And you agree to the wording of the contract?" Snow White asked.

The next voice was also a woman, but cultured, proper and very distinguished. "I do but I hardly believe this necessary. She is…"

"A Servant and will be addressed as such while under my authority." Was the quick response.

Lady Tremaine leaned forward on the table. "We have spent nearly nine months working around the clock…"

Snow White leaned forward on the table much the same as Lady Tremaine, "and will receive the payment."

Queen Grimhilde sat back holding the contract, folded it and slowly ripped it in half.

"What are you doing?" Maleficent screamed from the shadows.

The Queen looked at her daughter and then to Mary Poppins. "I have no need of this agreement." Looking back at her daughter, "Snow White, if we are ever to have common ground between us, I want to start here. I did a favour for you and your council, now I ask that you and Ms. Poppins make sure to instill that favour to your new charge. Agreed?"

Both women stood and shook the Queen's extended hand. "Agreed."

"Maleficent bring the servant forward please." The Queen asked.

Maleficent leaned into the servant's ear, "Step up to the table. Servant."

Slowly walking to the table, Snow White and Marry Poppins watched as the girl moved forward and stop almost exactly two feet behind the Queen's chair.

Without turning around the Queen spoke into the air. "Remove your hood."

The girl slowly pulled the hood off and then bowed to the back of the Queen's chair.

Snow White's face saddened as she watched her friend. Belle's head was still clean shaven though unmarked by the bruises she had seen the last time. There was a new sense of defeat in Belle's face and movement. She was also thinner and leaner in appearance, not very princess like.

The Queen looked at Snow White but it was clear she was addressing Belle, "Servant, have you been listening?"

"No ma'am."

"What are my four rules?" she added suspecting a lie.

Dead in tone and style, Belle spoke slowly and clearly, while staring at the floor. "Rule one; a servant never lies. Rule two; a servant never speaks unless spoken too. Rule three; a servant has no place in society. Rule four; a servant lives only to serve."

Marry Poppins looked at Belle suddenly concerned. "Explain rule number four." She asked the Queen.

The Queen smiled, "Servant, explain it to her in your own words."

"Yes, your majesty," Belle bowed to the Queen's chair and then turned toward Marry Poppins but did not look up. "I am a servant; I serve only to make the life of the person who owns me better. My life is insignificant in the grand scheme of life and may be given up if deemed so."

Marry Poppins leaned back in her chair, her arms resting on the arms and let out a breath of air. "I'll take her now." She said in exasperation.

The Queen slowly stood; a sense of pride had crossed her face. Standing beside Belle she extend her hand in front of Belle and said nothing. Belle responded by slowly pulling the front of her outfit forward and pulled a long chain out of the bodice and placed it on the Queen's hand.

Wrapping the chain in her hand the Queen continued to twist the chain in loops till the chain pulled tight from the collar around Belle's neck. Belle gave no indication facial or otherwise when the Queen jerked and unclipped the chain. She then threw it on the table in front of Mary Poppins.

Turning back to Belle. The Queen whispered in her ear just loud enough that only Belle could hear her. "You disappoint me; not even worth selling. You belong to her now."

Whether Belle was upset or not she gave no indication, she didn't even look up when she asked Mary Poppins a question. "How am I to address you ma'am?"

"Please call me Mary or Ms. Poppins." She said warmly.

"I am forbidden to use names ma'am. May I ask that I call you Mistress then?"

Taken aback by such a term, Mary responded harshly "You most certainly will not. I have told you, either Mary or Ms. Poppins. Which will it be?"

"Ms. Poppins." Belle answered slightly defeated.

Walking to the council doors with Maleficent and Lady Tremaine, The Queen laughed wickedly as she heard Belle and Mary Poppins. "Yes, she is properly broken." She thought to herself.

Mary then turned extending a hand toward Snow White. "And this is Snow White; you will refer to her as Snow White or Ms. White."

"Ms Poppins please forgive me, but she is a Princess and should always be addressed by her royal title; Princess Snow White." Belle seemed to cower a bit at her attempt at correcting Mary.

Snow White sat up looking closer at Belle. "So you remember me?"

"Yes, your highness." Belle bowed extremely low to Snow White. "I beg your forgiveness for my outburst the last time I was here. It was improper and undignified to act as I did in front of you and your royal council."

Mary picked up the chain and dropped it in her purse. "Oh do we have our hands full."

Snow White continued to watch as Belle never moved from her bow until it occurred to her. "You are forgiven."

"Thank you your highness you are most kind." Belle said standing and placing her hands behind her back but continued to look at the floor.

"Kind? How long were you going to stay bowing?" Snow White asked quite shocked.

"The servant will remain bowing as long as the royal deems." Belle's reply sounded more like it had been beaten into her than a simple comment.

Mary pushed in her chair and then turned to Belle. "And by what name shall we call you?"

"I am referred to as Servant, Ms. Poppins." Belle said looking to the floor.

"No, not your title, what is your name?" Mary asked again.

"Ma'am ? I am a servant. Thus I am addressed as Servant." Belle said perplexed still looking at the floor.

Snow White looked at Belle and realized that Belle wasn't lying. "What was your name before you were with my mother?"

Both ladies watched as Belle fought with some inner battle. "Princess Snow White, Ms. Poppins. I've always…I've always…I don't remember anything before being with Her Royal Highness."

Mary crossed her arms and looked very sternly at Belle. Out of the corner of her eye Belle saw the look Mary had and started to stammer. It had been a week since she felt the sting of the whip. "Ms. Poppin's it is the truth, I am not lying."

Mary dropped her arms, "I know child that's what bothers me." Belle looked up for the first time at Mary Poppins; who was stunned at seeing Belle filled with so much fright for just a mere moment. Belle quickly recovered from such a display of emotion and now looked the same as she had when she arrived, neutral.

Mary moved to stand before Belle and gently put her fingers under Belle's chin. Stared into Belle's eyes for a few moments reading into Belle's eyes and soul. Then asked as gently as she could "Tell me child, by what name do you call yourself in your dreams?"

Belle looked shock at such a question; both Mary and Snow White watched a slow transformation in Belle; from a cold neutral tone, attitude and stance, to one of a person completely terrified and on the verge of an emotional breakdown and starting to figit with her fingers.

Belle looked from Mary to Snow White and realized neither one them was upset with her. They actually wanted to know. Belle started to form a name on her lips and then swallowed; she tried again only to have the word caught in her throat.

For the first time that she could remember someone asked her a personal question, not an order or demand and she didn't know what to do.

She turned to face Mary, licked her lips and tried to say the word.

"It's okay child. I promise you nothing will happen, just tell me the name." Mary said ever so gently.

Belle tried one last time to form the word, tears swelled in the corner of her eyes. 'Belle' she blurted out and dropped to her hands and knees at Mary's feet.

"And that is what I will call you from now on." Mary said gently guiding Belle to stand up.

Mary then turned to Snow White, who was picking up the ripped papers and readying herself to leave. "I will take her back to my home. I will call you in a week or so to give an update."

"Sooner the better. I'm down one Princess and about to lose another if we don't hurry."

"So I've heard. Give Aurora a hug from me. It sounds like she needs one. Good bye Ms. White."

"Good bye Mary Poppins and good bye to you too Belle." Snow White said and rushed out a side door.

"Princess." Belle said and bowed and remained bowing until Snow White left the room.

Mary looked down at Belle and shook her head. "Come long Belle it is time for you to get out of those dreadful clothes.

Chapter 9

New Beginnings

Mary was sitting in her office library on the couch in front of a fire with a blanket covering her legs. In her hand she held a small diamond with Snow White's image floating above it.

"Ms. Poppins how is she doing?" Snow White asked.

"Being only a week? Better considering. There have been a few minor setbacks and a few things I'm trying desperately to change."

"Set backs?"

"Since bringing her to my home, I've had her assist in the nanny duties of two very undisciplined children. All was well until the little ones decided to play a game called. Bad house maid. One of the children thought to swing a switch at Belle."

"That's horrible!"

"From the way she was screaming in terror, the children thought she was playing the game with them, even after I rushed into the room and stopped the children, she screamed for mercy. I had to call for Burt's assistance in removing the children, who kept taunting her. I then spent the better part of the day and evening soothing her and talking her down.

"I don't understand?" Snow White said, surprised that Belle wouldn't calm down. No one she knew of was immune to Mary Poppins' calming voice.

"I had promised her she would never be struck by whip or switch again. She thought I had lied."

"And the other issues?" Snow White asked quite surprised someone would think Mary Poppins' would lie.

Mary looked down from her chair where Belle lay sleeping naked on the hearth pad with her back to the fire. "Some scars may never leave her. Let us just say this may take longer than expected." Mary said with sadness.

"We may not have much time."

Marry looked back at the image of Snow White floating above the diamond. "Oh?"

"It would seem someone has leaked my predicament to Mr. D and his lawyers." Snow White said dryly.

"I take it you are working on a solution?"

"Alice has contacted some lawyers to counter the court order from Mr. D. The Law Firm of G, G and C have submitted a stay of court proceeding for one month. Mr. D is threatening to completely revoke all privileges, magic or otherwise, unless we can produce two certain princesses before the judge."

Mary Poppins cocked her head to one side, "I'm not familiar with the Lawyer Firm G, G and C?"

"The Brothers Grim and their co-partner Lewis Carrol." Snow White said with a grin.

"Of course. Now I remember. Well I'll do what I can for the time being, but please remind your council that I will definitely need their help."

"As of right now you and Alice are the only two that can help us. We'll be where ever you need us, just call."

"I will, Good night Ms. White."

"Good night Ms. Poppins."

Mary placed the diamond back in its leather pouch and wooden box only to hear Belle starting to whimper in her sleep. "Oh for heaven's sake," Mary said exasperated. Between uncovering herself and kneeling down beside Belle. Belle had awoken with tears running down her face.

"I'm sorry Ms. Poppins I didn't mean to bother or wake you." Belle said concerned that Mary would do something drastic to her. The last time she bothered the Queen at night, she ended up standing on a stool naked for an entire day in the center of the servant sleep chambers.

"Don't worry about me I'll sleep later but for now I'm taking you back to your room and dressing you. If Burt where to see you like this? Well let's just say it wouldn't be proper for a girl like you." Mary said, covering Belle with her blanket and guiding her to a separate room.

"But Queen Grimhilde taught us that all servants are to remain undressed at night even after they earned the right to be clothed as a servant." Belle said as a matter of fact.

"Belle, I'm not worried you will run away in the middle of the night. I'm quite sure in fact that you enjoy it here. So please take the clothing I give you and wear them."

"Yes ma'am."

"And dear. No more sleeping in front of the fire. That's why you have a bed."

"But…"

"No buts, you are under my roof now."

"Yes Ma'am." Belle said with a grin.

Another week later,

Mary was sitting on a whicker stool in the park. Belle was kneeling at the edge of a sandbox entertaining a couple of small children. Burt was no more than a few feet away sidewalk painting but keeping a close eye on Belle.

Pulling out a leather pouch and its diamond inside, Mary placed her call to Snow White.

Immediately Mary noticed that like herself it appeared Snow White hadn't slept much either.

Ignoreing her initial plan to give an update on Belle's progress her instincts to help came first. "Is there a problem Ms. White?"

"It would seem the judge is on Mr. D's payroll and shot down the stay of court proceedings, we convene in a week. And I expect we will lose everything. Our lawyers are not very optimistic; and don't understand why we can't produce two certain princesses in court."

"What will happen to Belle if she doesn't…" Mary looked up to see that Belle was obviously listening to what Mary and Snow White were discussing. "I need to go now; I'll be at the council chambers in two days."

"We'll all be there." Snow White said with some optimism.

Belle walked over and sat next to Mary. A fact that two weeks ago Belle would never have sat pleased Mary more than she let on; now if only there were a magical way to make her hair grow back to normal. The stubble on Belle's head had caused many heads to turn and speak in hushed tones that she was either 'touched' or had special needs.

"Are you going to sell me?" Belle's tone of voice was neither upset or angry…it was just Belle as Mary had come to term it.

"Heavens no. I'm concerned about your future. You may wish to move on in life. " Mary answered putting her hand on top of Belle's hand.

Whispering so just the two of them could hear each other, "The Queen gave me to you, so I belong to you. You own me, now and forever."

"No one owns anyone, Belle."

Chapter 10

Re-Introductions

Two days later,

The council chamber was fully lit but the only people in the room were Snow White, Mary Poppins and Belle standing together at the head of the table. Belle noted Snow White and Mary Poppins were both dressed like they were attending a ball, where she was dressed in a traditional blue and white peasant dress.

Mary held Belle's hand while she spoke with Snow White, "Belle has asked if she may address the council. She wishes to apologize for what she said and did in front of the rest of the princess the last time they saw her."

Snow White turned and nodded to Belle. "That day a lot of things happened, no one wishes to talk about. Consider it enough that you apologized to me and I will let the rest of them know all is forgiven."

"Oh thank you Princess Snow White!" Belle said with excitement and curtsied instead of bowing to Snow White.

"Belle," Snow White explained, "The Princess's may greet you when they come in, if they do, just thank them and nothing more. If you would like, you may even stay by the door and watch our meeting."

"Oh! Why thank you Princess White. I'd be honored to stay." Belle said excited holding her hands to her chest in happiness, her voice sounded soft and musical like Snow White always remembered it to be.

Snow White was also astonished at seeing and hearing the ever so familiar method and use of words Belle had thanked her with. For that single moment Snow White held out hope that maybe things might just get better for her and the council.

"I will sit beside Belle and answer any questions she may have during your session. For now I'll sit by the door and watch you two prepare the table." Marry said while

picking up her purse. Belle was amazed how Ms. Poppins was able to appear as the absolute authority in every situation. 'Practically perfect in every way.' She mused to herself.

Snow White Extended her hand to Belle who looked at it quite shocked. "Your highness, I am a serv…commoner, sorry your highness, is it proper for me to really take your hand?"

"For now we're just two women." Snow White still held her hand out. "At this table there is only one princess who is a commoner. Everyone else came from Royal or established respectable blood. I have and always will hold that one princess in the highest regard above all the other princess."

Eye's wide like a baby dear. Belle tentatively took Snow White's hand, "Can you tell me which one she is before she comes in?," she asked as the two of them walked to a cart full of papers, glasses, bottles of various drinks, and other items.

"I'm afraid I can't. She's been gone for a while. I was kind of hoping she would be back by now." Snow White said eyeing Mary Poppins. Mary nodded to Snow White in acceptance of her reasoning.

The two of them silently made their way around the council table, with the cart and began placing papers and drinks and other items in front of each chair. Once done, Snow White brought Belle over to the chamber doors.

Pushing the chamber doors open; Snow White stood in the entry way with Belle slightly behind her.

All the princess gasp at seeing the two of them. A few smiled, but none could compare to the size of Rapunzel's.

Her childhood hero had returned.

"Ladies, I'd like to introduce a new friend of mine," Belle turned to Snow White with a huge smile. No one she could remember had ever called her a friend. "This is Belle. You may recall she has been here once before as a servant when my mother and her 'friends' where here last." All the princesses looked at Belle either out of recognition or surprise; Belle didn't know which. "Belle has apologized for her outburst and all has been forgiven. And just so everyone understands Queen Grimhilde gave Belle to Mary and I. We felt she deserved better after what we remember and I'm sure all of you will agree." Snow White said with a smile toward Belle.

All the princess nodded or answered in agreement to Snow White.

"Shall we begin?" Snow White asked.

Each princess greeted Snow White with a hug and then gently offered their hand to Belle and greeted her as well, "Good morning Belle" to which Belle did a gentle curtsy to each princess, but stopped and stared when a princess in a pink dress offered her hand.

"A pleasure to meet you." The princess said in a dry tired voice. Her face gaunt and eye's drooping.

Belle just stared as she passed by her. Realizing she had forgotten her manners, Belle called out to her, "Your highness, I'm sorry." The princess continued to move silently around the table, ignoring everyone else and sat stiffly in her chair.

Snow White closed the doors and in a whisper to Belle, "Time to sit and watch."

Sitting down; Belle waited while Mary Poppins discussed something with Snow White. Both of them looked at Aurora while talking. "What's wrong with the princess in the pink dress?" Belle asked when Mary Poppins began to sit down beside her.

Mary looked over at Aurora, then pointed to an empty chair, "You see that chair over there. The empty one. Well figuratively speaking; Princess Aurora is just as empty. She's in a lot of emotional pain and when that other princess comes back only she will be able to fix Princess Aurora's problems."

"Ms. Poppins' how can one person be the only one to fix a problem and if she's so important why isn't everyone or at least someone bringing her back now?" Belle asked innocently.

"We're hoping she comes back very soon. Now shhhh, Snow White is talking."

The meeting passed without much emotion or fanfare. Snow White with the help of Alice explained the current legal situation, how the Brothers Grim had offered sanctuary to all the princesses if Mr. D. revoked all magical contracts, but were disappointed at no fulfilling a simple request from the judge. Two certain princess in court side by side…now. Alice then apologized to Pocahontas stating the lawyers or anyone else had stepped forward to cover or protect her from Mr D. and his court demands. Her real-life story as old as it was made it difficult to find a surviving owner to her story, but wasn't going to quit looking. Pocahontas only nodded in acceptance.

Snow White then began to talk about proposed plans and events for the next few weeks and thereafter.

Cinderella stood suddenly as Snow White was about to go over minor court details, thanked everyone for coming and helped an exhausted Aurora out of her chair and to a side chamber room door. Snow White waited until the two had left and then addressed the room in a serious tone. "Forget the plan. We're done playing nice. Cinderella would be completely against this, but we have to stop him." Everyone in the room but Belle knew who she was talking about. Glancing at Belle and then looking at each seated princess Snow White continued to speak. "You heard Queen Grimhilde, there is only one person who can stop him and save Aurora, but since it looks like she won't be coming back before court is reconvened in a few days, I need to take extreme measures. In a few days' I will be calling our final meeting. I'm dissolving this council. Then he'll no longer have sway over any of us, and especially Aurora."

Mulan raised her hand, "But what about Princess…"

Snow White cut her off before she could finish, "As I said she probably won't be coming back. I had high hopes, but it doesn't look like that will happen. So, as it will be our final meeting please dress in your best gowns. Mulan, I'm sorry, I know how you feel about it but you will need to be in a dress just this one last time. I will also inform Alice's council of the plans as well. So for this gathering all both councils please look your best."

Looking down at Belle's seat at the table, "This isn't what I had planned..."

Snow White sat back in her chair folding her fingers in her lap. "It's my fault this happened. Aurora came to me because she," Looking again at Belle's seat. "was changing. I thought this was the best thing to do. It seemed right at the time. I told Aurora everything would be taken care of and not worry…I'm sorry." Snow White lept from her chair and left the room covering her face.

Everyone sat in their chairs looking at each other until Ariel stood silently. All eye's turned to her "As the ranking member in this roo…," She glanced for Belle for less than a second and then back down at the table, "at this table," She corrected herself. "I adjourn this meeting." No one seconded her, no one said anything, they just nodded and moved away from the table, merely glancing at Belle with forced smiles as they left the room.

Rapunzel stopped in front of Mary Poppins', she couldn't bring herself to look at Belle beside her. Her hero was still bald, physically didn't look like she used too, and most of all…she had no idea who she really was, that hurt the most.

"Ma'am, I'm sorry to ask this, but I don't know who to ask. Ms. White keeps inviting me to the meetings in hopes that a final vote may be cast. Should I come to the final meeting? It's not like it will matter, the councils will be gone anyway."

Mary placed her hand on Belle's hand but looked at Rapunzel with a wide smile, "Rapunzel, you are as much a part of this council as anyone else. This is a council of the people, not some club of special girls." Mary pointed to Belle's chair at the table, "That seat belongs to a commoner, not some princess, general's daughter, or even an heir to a throne, but a servant of the people. I think that lone Princess, the one we all knew before things went bad would see that and just by your asking me says you're not about status but something else," Mary smiled like she suddenly knew or remembered something, "you are bound for something...bigger. Come to the meeting and at the very least you will always have the memory of being here."

"Thank you, Mary Poppins, it means a lot coming from you." Rapunzel curtsied to Mary. "I will see you both in a few days." Rapunzel closed the council doors leaving Mary and Belle alone.

Belle and Mary Poppins sat in silence looking the room over. It was obvious to Mary something was bothering Belle. Her breathing was sometimes slow, other times quick and the few sniffles that always came with tears. "Is something wrong Belle?" Mary asked.

Belle stood and walked around the table, her hand sliding across the backs of each chair stopping at the mysterious person's empty chair, "Everyone respects this person. I don't even know her name. Everyone seems to tiptoe around that fact. You said she's a commoner. A servant of the people. Maleficent used to call me that. You also call me a commoner and not a servant. Princess Snow White said 'it looks like she'll never be able to return in time' and looked at me. Everyone says they're looking for this missing Princess but you and Princess Snow White said "when" she comes back which leads me to think both of you or at least she knows where the princess is.

Belle barely took a moment to take a full breath, "And then there's Princess Ariel, she was about to say she was the ranking member in this room, but changed it at the last second to say 'table', she looked at me before she said it." Belle started to speak even faster, "Each of those princesses looked at me as they walked out like they wanted to say something, Rapunzel never once looked at me. And. And. And. Princess White said it's probably better that this missing princess never knows. Why is… everyone…acting... so…" Belle stated to hyperventilate and grabbed the back of the chair to stay standing, almost like her life depended on it.

Her face suddenly twisted in absolute terror. For a second she saw something; was it a dream, a memory, or just an idea? She didn't know. But for that one second she saw an entire world of people bowing before her. That didn't bother her as much as the fact she saw all the royal princesses dead at her feet.

Seeing what was happening, Mary ran as fast as she could around the side of the table and barely caught Belle as she lost her grip on the chair and fell. Belle's eyes started to role and eye lids fluttered when she looked up at Mary Poppins.

"Oh my, I know who she…" Was all Belle said as she started to hyperventilate further and when she couldn't get enough air, went into convulsions and then suddenly lay perfectly still in Mary's lap.

Chapter 11

Unwanted Discovery

"Go get the Mum, tell her Belle is waking up." A Voice yelled.

"Please not so loud." Belle answered covering her eyes from the sun light. "Where am I?"

"You're back home. In the day room" A voice said.

"How did I get here, I was just in the council chamber talking to, to... I can't remember" Belle said aloud still covering her eyes from the bright sun light. One moment she's laying papers and drinks on a table and now laying here. "What happened?" she asked herself.

"After you fainted, Snow White's dwarves brought you back here." Another voice said, very cultured with a hint of an accent.

Eye's still closed, she slowly sat up. Her chest and ribs hurt like a book case had fallen on her. "How, how long?" Belle asked holding her ribs and chest.

"Two days" Mary Poppins said.

"I know that voice…OH MY!" Belle said and rolled off the bed onto the floor landing on her hands and knees. "I'm sorry Mistress Pop…Ms. Poppins; I didn't mean to pass out. Please forgive me." Belle said bowing her head even further to the floor.

Belle didn't look up, but had the feeling she had disappointed Mary Poppins. Mary had let out a breath of exasperation and was tapping her foot like she did every time something bothered her. Belle also noticed out of the corner of her eyes the distinctive style of shoe belonging to Princess Snow White standing behind Mary Poppins.

"Please get up, Belle. The floor is no place for you. Just sit in the chair until you feel better." Mary turned to one of the maids, a short lady with ginger hair. "Ellen, please see to it that Belle does not get up until YOU think she's better."

"Yes, mum." The maid said with a smile.

The maid and Belle watched Mary and a very silent Snow White leave the room, both with a look of determination and disappointment their faces.

Mary entered her office complete exhausted followed closely by Snow White, who partially closed the office door. Burt placed a large cup of steaming tea in Mary's hands. "I take it she hasn't returned?"

"No. And I'm at my wits end." Mary sat down in her desk chair. "I'm guessing we're going to have to accept it. She isn't coming back."

Snow White slumped into the deep leather chair at the far side of the room by a lit fire place. "I don't know what to do. I can't tell Mr. D. The Grimm Brothers will 'have my hide on a wall' and I don't mean figuratively, have you read their stories? And Beast, Mercy, what will he do when I tell him about Aurora pretending to be.."

Belle appeared at the door of the office. "Princess Snow White, I don't mean to interrupt but is there anything I can do? You and Ms Poppins have spent all this time giving me a life I feel I don't deserve. I'm sorry to say this but I keep having this feeling I've done something terrible."

Snow White sat in silence staring at Belle. Mary Poppins could tell an idea was forming and waited as Snow White started to smile at Belle. "You haven't done anything wrong. But there is one thing I think you can do to help us."

Mary took a sip of her tea, watching Belle very closely.

Snow White beckoned Belle over to her and met her with both hands to hold Belle's. "Tomorrow, I convene the Princess Council, all the princesses from the upper and lower courts are going to be there and with a lot of makeup, a wig and fancy dress. Could you play the part of our missing princess?"

"I couldn't. Really Princess White, I can't. I'm just a maid, a lowly servant; it wouldn't be my place to be there. I…" Belle continued to ramble on barely taking a breath.

"Belle, I'm not asking you to be a Princess. Just to look the part. I would very much like everyone to have a complete picture of the council, just like old times. Can you do this for me? Please?" Snow White asked.

Belle, still holding Snow White's hands turned her head to Burt and then Mary Poppins.

"Splendid idea!" Burt said with a huge goofy smile.

"I see no harm in it," Mary Poppins added with a slight smile to Snow White.

Belle looked to Snow White who seemed to be happier now than she could ever remember. "Fantastic."

Mary started to dig in her desk looking for something and then popped up with a smile, "Now I remember where I left it. Belle if you could please, in the guest room I have a carpet bag sitting on the dresser, could you please bring it to me?"

"Yes Ma'am, I get it straight away." and left the room.

Snow White looked at Mary Poppins confused. "What's in the bag?"

"My calling diamond, you're going to need help calling ALL the princesses before tomorrow aren't you?" Mary Poppins waited long enough so that everyone knew Belle wasn't close by, "We will need to tell everyone the truth about Belle."

"Oh yes of course." Snow White said sitting back down.

A few moments later, Snow White and Mary Poppins heard the sound of a bag falling on the floor and a few things rolling around. Mary looked up at the ceiling with a smile. "It would seem Belle found my bag."

Both sat and listened as they heard Belle scramble across the floor, obviously picking things up and then silence.

"What's in the bag?" Snow White asked.

"A mirror, hat stand, clothing, books, umbrella, a lot of small items." Mary said with a grin.

While both ladies continued to wait for Belle to return, Burt seemed to be preoccupied with adding wood to the fire, prodding and blowing on it to stay lit. Once he was satisfied, whipped his hands on his pants then noted the clock. It had been over a half hour since they last saw Belle, turning to Mary. "Shall I go see what's taking the little lady?"

"Yes, please." Both ladies said at the same time.

Burt turned outside the hall and heard the distinct sound of a woman crying. Fearing that Belle had hurt herself when she dropped Mary's carpet bag, ran up the grand stair case two to three steps at a time.

At the end of the hall a strange green light kept flashing from the guest bedroom, the same one with the sound of Belle sobbing. Burt ran down the hall and into the room expecting the worst for Belle.

In all his years, Burt had seen more than someone would see in a normal life time. Nothing could have prepared him for the scene he discovered. And somewhere deep inside his mind a voice was screaming for him to do something, anything, but watch. All he could do was what he always did when there was a problem and scared out of his wits. He screamed the name of his childhood nanny. "Mary Poppins! MARY POPPINS! HELP!"

His legs give out from under him at that very moment.

Moments later Mary Poppins with Snow White close behind, ran up to the guest room to find Belle sitting on the floor against the guest bed. Burt upon seeing Mary and Snow White crawled on all fours across the hall, into another room and closed the door behind him. "Pure evil." He mumbled.

Scattered on the floor in front of Belle were six green diamonds with images floating above each one, depicting Princess Aurora as one of the other princesses in a comprising and sometimes painful position with Jafar.

Belle turned to the door sobbing her heart out. "How can you do this to her? Queen Grimhilde would never allow this to happen to anyone…How. Can. You?"

Snow White's answer wasn't what Belle had expected, her tone was bland and unemotional; "It's hard to explain Belle."

Belle stood and walked to Snow White with as much determination as she could show. Disappointment and anger crossed her face as she looked eye to eye with Snow White. "She's one of your court, a founding member of your court, a princess, a daughter, a loved one and most of all," with each comment Belle felt her strength returning. "She respected and loved by millions of people. And you're letting this happen. He's killing her in ways you have no idea," then turning to Mary Poppins, "and you had those diamonds and didn't do anything either?"

"It's why I'm dissolving the council. It has to stop." Snow White said in a whisper, awed by a physical feeling of energy coming from Belle.

"It should have stopped the second you knew. It doesn't matter the reason you had to let it continue, there is no excuse. NONE!" Snow White flinched.

Now it was Mary Poppin's turn, she too could feel some sort of energy coming from Belle and chose her words carefully. "Belle you don't understand."

"Your right I don't." She turned back to Snow White, "If I were part of your council, I would never have let this happen, this is inhumane and inexcusable." Belle stood within inches of Snow White. "As far as I'm concerned," tears continuing down her face, "You don't deserve the respect of being a princess. And you even dare or have the audacity to call Maleficent evil, she would never do this, you are vile and evil to ignore Aurora's pain and do nothing; As for tomorrow? I'll stand in for the sake of the other Princesses, but it's not for you or you." Belle said facing from one to the other. "Both of you…pathetic excuses for human beings."

"Know your pla…" Mary tried to demand but was cut off.

"I know my place. After tomorrow, I'm returning to a place where integrity and respect mean everything." Belle turned to Snow White and stepped close enough that Snow White had to step back for fear of whatever Belle was creating around her might explode. "I'll be returning to your mother's castle."

Snow White was about to grab Belle by the arm, but thought better to just try to explain herself. "Belle we did this for her, Aurora asked us to let it go on. She's doing it out of love."

"Love? You call that love? THAT'S TORTURE! He should pay for it. HE SHOULD BE KILLED FOR THAT!" All six diamonds crumbled into powder at a wave of Belle's hand.

Seeing the amazement at her magic, Belle took the opportunity to step past the two surprised ladies and walked into the hallway and down the steps.

Snow White started to follow after Belle, only to stop in mid stride hitting some sort of wall. Belle turned with an evil smile, "Living under Maleficent's rule not only taught me self-discipline and control but I also picked up a few magic tricks."

Mary called out from behind Snow White, "Just where are you going?" in a cross tone of voice. No one should have been able to use magic but her in her own house.

"I don't know," Belle turned to face Mary Poppins, just as she was out the front door. "Mistress Poppins."

Snow White fell forward as soon as the door shut. "She's going to try to kill Jafar." She said to Mary Poppins.

Mary leaned up against the wall opposite of Snow White watching her slowly slide down the wall and sit on the floor. "She may succeed. I guess there are only two things left to do. Call the other princesses as planned. And call your mother."

"Oh that's going to go over well. 'Hey mom, you need to go save Jafar, Belle's coming to kill him.'" Snow White said staring at her shoes.

"I don't think she would stop her." Mary offered her hand to Snow White. "Come along, no sense sitting around and worrying. Let's get this done. Belle said she would stand in tomorrow. Let her settle her temper. I'm sure she will be back before nightfall."

"I guess." Snow White said slightly defeated taking her hand.

Chapter 12

New Found Freedom

Belle had no idea where she was going. Just that she needed to get away from the house. For the first time she could ever remember she now walked with her head up and was equally proud she had taken a stand. Tomorrow she would be her own woman and then return to work for Queen Grimhilde maybe even Maleficent, but not as a servant. "Oh no, not again, as an employee." She vowed.

Spending the rest of the afternoon walking the town, Belle saw the world through different eyes, not as a servant, but as its equal and yet she couldn't shake the images from the green diamonds from her mind.

"Why would Princess Aurora want it to continue?" She asked allowed.

"No one can be that important to WANT to suffer that kind of pain."

"It's not fair to stand by and just watch and wait for someone to return."

"He should be punished!"

"Love can't be that strong?"

"Can it?"

Belle heard some old lady whispering behind her as she made her way along the sidewalk. "That's right officer, I heard her talking something odd about that one. Look at her hair; must be 'touched'."

A masculine voice answered. "Thank you ma'am. I'll look into it."

Belle smiled hearing the man walk up behind her. "Is there something I may do for you officer?" Belle asked as she turned around.

The officer's hard cold face froze upon seeing Belle. He stammered out of pure recognition of who Belle was. "No ma'am. Yes ma'am. Is everything okay?" he asked, perplexed at Belle's simple though altered appearance and lack of hair.

"Fine. For now." She looked around realizing for the first time she had no idea where she was. "I seemed to have gotten lost."

Recovering from staring at Belle, the officer removed his hat and put his night stick away. "A lady such as you shouldn't be out alone." He stated.

The old lady turned to her friend, "He's a good man, really knows how to work with 'special cases' he does."

"May I escort you to where ever you need to go?" the officer asked offering his arm to assist and ignoring the old woman's comments.

"Um, yes please." Belle responded taking the officers arm.

"And where would her highness be staying?" The officer asked.

"Highness? Oh you are most kind and a true gentleman. I'm staying with Mary Poppins till tomorrow, though I have no wish to return right now, it would however be proper manners to return before dinner." Belle said looking around herself and noting that everyone seemed to be gossiping and staring at her.

"Pay no mind to them. We shall get you there soon enough. If I may add you are a long ways from home aren't you sweet princess." The officer said guiding her down the sidewalk.

"Please kind sir, dispense with the 'highness' and 'princess'. Please just call me Belle." she said with a smile.

"Then Belle it is." The officer said with a smile and new found pride.

Belle and the officer chatted the entire way, as she had nothing but questions about what he did for a line of work. The officer was more than enthusiastic to have the sole attention of Belle, The one and only Princess Belle of Beauty and the Beast, though as asked he only referred to her as Belle.

Belle was returned to Mary Poppin's home quicker than she had wanted.

Mary and Snow White greeted the officer; thanked him for his time and patience. "Just doing my duty ma'am." tipping his hat in salute to Mary, "Until the next time something or someone goes missing from your home." He said with a large smile. "Your highnesses." Pure joy filled his chest that not only had he met Belle but also the famed Snow White in one day. A perfect way to end any day.

All three ladies watched him round the corner and continue down the side walk, whistling a joyful tune.

Snow White stood beside Belle the entire time just looking at Belle. "Princess White, it is improper to stare. Is there something you wish to say?" Belle said coldly.

"He called you 'your highness?".

"Double speak. He addressed you correctly but he was flirting with me. He called me princess, a lady, your highness the entire time he escorted me. " Belle said. "he was one of the most polite gentlemen I recall ever meeting."

"And you felt nothing?" Mary asked.

"Why should I? He was only being polite. Nothing more. Now if you will excuse me, I will retire to my room. I seemed to have picked up a chill while out. I apologize if I will not be serving you dinner tonight as expected." Belle said and left the two ladies to stand by the front door.

"Double speak?" Mary asked.

Belle placed her hand upon her chest like she had been wounded. "Possibly."

As Belle closed the servants quarters door, Snow White turned to Mary with a slightly disturbed look on her face, "She lied…"

"How do you know?" Mary asked.

"Princesses are not only immortal; we are also impervious to the heat or cold. It's why we can wear the dresses we do and not be bothered by a simple thing such as the weather." Snow White then added quietly. "Princesses can't lie to other princesses…"

"We may have the wrong 'Belle'." Mary Poppins whispered looking back at the chamber maid's door.

Chapter 13

History Revealed

The following morning, Belle resumed her duties as a maid of the house but said little to either Mary Poppins or Snow White.

Just as Belle was departing with the breakfast plates Snow White hesitantly held Belle's arm for just a moment, "When you are done please meet us in Mary's office; we'll prep you for this evenings meeting and etiquette."

Belle looked down at Snow White's hand and then looked her in the face. "As you wish ma'am." It wasn't missed by anyone of the fact that Belle for the very first time, did not refer to Snow White as Princess or even by her name.

Once Mary and Snow White were alone Mary began laying out the plans. "First, we need to remind the other princesses not to refer to her as princess. After her fainting in the council chamber, I fear her mind will completely crack. She can't remember what happened that afternoon. So it looks like everyone will have to come to terms with the loss of the Belle they knew. Those three 'evil and vile' women did more damage than help."

"And what happens to her afterwards? She said she's going back to my mother, but I can't let that happen." Snow White said stepping out into the hallway following Mary Poppins to her office.

Mary stopped in the middle of the hallway and turned to face Snow White. "I did some thinking last night after my comment about the wrong one coming back. This may sound cruel, but maybe we should contact Captain Jack Sparrow. She can't stay here or anywhere else in the realm. Everyone knows her and she's bound to realize she's not who she thinks she is." Mary turned and opened her office doors. "And after yesterday's spells and change of tone, it may be safer for this realm if she were trapped in the other realm, powerless and without resource."

"And Aurora?" Snow White asked, nodding in agreement to Mary Poppins reasoning.

"It's hard to lose someone who means a lot to you. She's lived a long life and she'll continue to live an even longer life after this. She'll get over it…someday." Mary said closing her office door behind her

Snow White circled around a crate in the middle of Mary's office, marked with the royal emblem of Beasts royal line burned into each side. A note lay on top written to Princess Snow White, "I hope this helps." it said and signed by someone named Bara. Pulling the crowbar fixed to the side of the box. Snow White obviously not used to handling such a tool began to pry open the box. Once open Mary pulled out a long yellow ball gown, while Snow White pulled out matching heeled boots, gloves and tiara.

"Boots?" Mary asked.

"She has weak ankles. Strictly for support," Snow White said looking at them closer, "They do look comfortable."

Belle arrived at the door knocked once and pushed the door open, but did not step in. Both Mary and Snow White turned to see Belle with her head down, but obviously things had changed. Belle was standing up straight and shoulders back, she was not the submissive maid from yesterday. "Ladies." Belle said coldly, or as Snow White felt and shivered; 'with a touch of evil'.

"Come in Belle," Mary said, pulling a stool out for Belle to sit upon. "Right now I'd like to just do a quick run through with the wig and makeup. Afterwards we will fit you into the dress and make changes as needed while you wear it."

"Reasonable." Belle said flatly.

Snow White let out a gasp of air in frustration. "Belle, for just today, lets look past this hatred and work together. Tomorrow you can hate me for the rest of eternity." Belle cocked her head slightly lost at the meaning and context of her comment.

"May I ask for one small consideration?" Belle said softly.

Both ladies appeared mildly surprised at Belle's tone of voice and agreed.

"I have been thinking about Princess Aurora and the emotional trauma she's going through. You said she asked for this, but it was obvious she hates this 'Jafar' person. I know she's doing this for a fellow princess but I want to know more."

"Just remember she's not doing this out of respect, friendship, or even kinship for another princess she's doing this out of love." Snow White said with more emotion than Belle or Mary Poppins expected.

"So, this is out of love for a fellow council member?" Belle asked slightly confused.

"More than that."

Mary Poppins and Belle both had the same look on their face at Snow White's revelation. Surprise.

"Should I be hearing this?" Mary asked.

"You were bound to find out eventually." Snow White said.

Mary went to the door but instead of leaving closed it and turned the lock. "I believe what's said in here should stay in here."

Snow White nodded and leaned up against the edge of Mary's desk, while Mary picked up the wig and set on Belle's head and began tucking and pulling the few wisps of hair laying out of place and then went to work on Belle's makeup, both Mary and Belle listened intently to Snow White's explanation.

"I'll need to start back a bit. Starting with me, this isn't a confession but more along the lines of giving you a better understanding of what life is like and how it's better with our missing princess around."

"I think it was three years ago when things took a hard turn for the bad in my life. I had a huge problem and being the head of the princess council I had no one to turn to. Keeping it locked up inside of me was just making my life miserable. The reason; the prince who claimed he loved me so much; didn't really. He was there for the money and only the money. How did I find out? Someone had to explain it to me. Point me in the right direction. The princess you're going to be playing the part of tonight was that person. "

Belle frowned, "One thing everyone including you two haven't done is say her name. Everyone and I mean everyone avoids saying it like they might catch the pox or blood fever if they say her name."

"Bella" Mary Poppins quickly answered, knowing of Snow White hesitance to lying to a fellow princess, "It's Italian. It means Beauty." Mary explained.

"Oh." Belle said clearly lost in thought all of a sudden.

Snow White continued feeling better that Mary had found a creative way around out right lying to Belle, "Bella came to me during a ball she held at her castle. She took my hand and led me outside. What felt odd was how she kept looking at me with a frown as we walked into the forest far beyond her castle walls or grounds. Let's just say it was far enough away so prying eyes and ears wouldn't bother us. "Talk to me Snow." she said. That was one of her greatest qualities she was up front and she didn't pry or work around a problem. She got to the heart of it and fast. She wasn't a princess first, in fact I don't think she was ever really princess material. She was a commoner to the core. Much the same way you were with me yesterday, you spoke your mind and stood your ground."

Belle smiled inwardly, it felt good and almost powerful to be in charge for once.

"So I did the princess thing and tried to hide it. Pretend there was nothing wrong and she saw right thought me. She did one of two things no one would ever do to me. She pushed me. Pretty hard actually. Up against a tree and threatened to drag me from one end of the forest to the next until I 'fess up my issue'. I avoided her question by saying I was tired. She did the other thing no one would ever do to me; she called my ruse of changing the subject, in words and profanity that I've never heard a princess use. Again I was reminded she came from being a commoner and often acted like one."

Snow White watched as Mary Poppins picked up a box of makeup and never touched the tools to the makeup powder or container and apply nothing to Belle's face. Then press the back end of the make up pencils and such to Belle's face. Again no makeup was ever put on Belle's face.

"Continue," Belle said. "I'm intrigued by her so far."

"Well I confessed what I thought was my problem. Now it doesn't seem like a big deal but back then it was everything. You see every relationship has its ups and downs. My relationship had lasted over seventy years without a problem or so I thought. The emotional relationship was there between my lover and I; but the physical wasn't, it was dead…literally. She pointed this out to me. It was his preferences that she forced me to confront. He preferred his lovers without a pulse. Her exact words 'Why the hell did you think he was there in the forest? He was looking for another corpse to screw Snow!'"

"Gross!" Belle said.

"I whole heartily agree. So she held me in a hug and promised to be there for me as I broke down and sobbed into her as I finally came to terms with my problem. Now I had someone to share my problem with, someone to talk to. She held me tight and I mean tight, I tried to fight her once I started to think that she would use it against me. I couldn't push her off of me and got mad and started to punch her, telling her it was none of her business and to leave me alone. She wouldn't let go, "I said I'd be here for you. I meant it Snow." she said, "I now regret every hit." Mary and Belle looked to Snow White, when she had stopped talking and could tell she was quite serious about her regret almost to the point of being upset. "God Belle! I'm such a evil witch! I never even said I was sorry!" Belle didn't know if this was directed at her or not.

"I'm sure she would forgive you. She sound's the type to not hold a grudge." Belle's voice carried a tone Snow White missed most; Soft, musical, caring but most of all understanding.

"I hope so." Snow White took a deep breath and continued with her story, "So when I realized that she wasn't going to let go and really was there for me. I fell in to her arms and let her take control. She told me the most important thing I've ever been told. And it took a commoner to say it. "I had a friend."

"You see being a Princess and hanging around with other princesses has its perks, but having a friend is more important. Since that day, I'd give my life for her at a moment's asking. Immortality be damned."

Belle sat silent for a bit as Mary seemed to be putting lipstick on her face. Once done Belle puckered her lips and faced Snow White. "If this princess were here, it sounds like the two of us would get along." Belle said firmly. "I'm still waiting to hear about Aurora." She added.

"I'm getting there just wait. So Bella and I spent a lot of time together. I had a friend that didn't judge or seek to take my place at the head of the Council table. She didn't change in private or at council. She was the same person and encouraged me to do the same. Over time I learned to trust her like a lover, if that is a good use of the word. She did a lot for me that no one else knew or will ever know. I am forever in her debt."

"For three years things only got better for me, I found myself in a new relationship. She introduced me to a gentleman who had it all, good looks, velvet voice, strong but gentle and we're perfect together. I also had better friends than

before. She showed me just how cruel and self centered I was. Many people suffered because of my rudeness." Snow White thought of Alice at that moment. "Life changed everything was and is fantastic for me now, but on the down side I was starting to spend less and less time with Bella. I felt a debt to her and wanted to find her friend, someone I trusted with the one person who had the biggest heart I knew.

"Aurora." Belle said with a smile.

Snow White shook her head to say no. "Sure I've known Aurora for over seventy years; I could trust her, but she didn't seem to be the type of person for Bella to be close friends with. Too self-absorbed and bent on making herself look better. Honestly Aurora was the best example you could use when describing a rude and self-centered person. There are a number of other people I know, better and much more attentive as a friend and only one of them was intellectually at Bella's level. But a week before I was going to pair Bella with the one person I knew perfect for her; things changed. Aurora had a problem and I had to send her to Bella."

"Aurora's story went like this; her betrothed; Prince Philip was caught cheating and she was taking it very personally and falling apart like me but way worse. I was able to hide my problem from almost everyone but Aurora's problem was eating her up and Mr. D. could see a problem and told me to fix it or she would be replaced."

Belle looked at Snow White confused. "How can he just go and replace Sleeping Beauty? She's the one and only."

Snow White continued, "Sleeping Beauty is just a title of a person; Aurora's kingdom was selected as the basis for the story before she was born. It wouldn't take much to re-imagine the story with a new twist and kingdom. Ta-da, new Sleeping Beauty. But I couldn't let that happen. So I sent Aurora to Bella. Not to be Bella's friend mind you, but to someone who knew how to fix problems. Bella has a reputation throughout all the realms as someone who fixes problems, big or small. What happened next I didn't expect." Snow White ended with a smile before taking a small drink of water.

"Mary you're doing a fantastic job," Snow White said of Mary's pretend makeup on Belle's face. "How about we start putting the dress on her and then we'll work out the last bit in her hair."

"I could use a break, if you could keep telling your story and take over that would be helpful." Mary said.

After Belle was stripped naked of her maid's clothing and dressed in bloomers, corset and various other undergarments. They pulled the yellow satin dress over her head and slowly stitched and buttoned her into the dress. Both women kept their comments to themselves upon seeing the huge number of bruises, welts and whipping scars crisscrossing Belle's back; from shoulders to legs.

"Okay I'm pretty much locked into this dress please continue." Belle asked innocently.

Snow White smiled trying to forget what she had just seen. "Bella asked Aurora for a kiss; as payment."

"A kiss? You're kidding? Lame!" Belle exclaimed.

"If you want to hear the rest, then sush! Now my knowing Bella it wasn't just a simple kiss; it had to mean something. And as everyone knows one kiss from the Beauty of Beauty and the Beast and the Beast was tamed and human again. Aurora kissed Bella and fell in love and to this day is still completely in love with her missing lover."

"So Aurora is a lesbian? Ewww!" Belle said wrinkling up her face.

"Quiet or I'm done. What Bella and Aurora are to each other is something everyone should pay close attention too. If you learn anything from me then take this to heart and never forget. When you get close to someone and realize you love them. Make changes, make the sacrifices, do what you need to keep their love. Bella and Aurora changed for each other with a single kiss. So don't be so quick to judge them."

"Still Aurora. And Bella? Lesbians? Yuck!" Belle said holding her hand to her mouth for emphasis.

"When you've seen the things I have you may not always think that. Anyway, as Aurora came to know Bella even more, she learned not everything about her new love was good and wholesome. Bella had a dark side that rivaled my mother's council and then some. Aurora figured out very quickly if things weren't fixed very soon it would consume her lover, then her and then those she came to cherish most. That is the kind of love Aurora has for Bella. She is so much in love that she would follow Bella into hell and live with her there."

"Still find it hard to accept two women loving each other, holding hands, hugging, kissing…oh my gosh! The sex…?" Belle shivered. "Gross!"

Snow White placed her hands on Belle's hips and twisted and pulled the dress into place until all the buttons up her back were straight. "I'll hold you to that comment," Snow White said with a smile. "So Aurora didn't want Bella to go all evil and such so she called me to help. I called a few other people and we all agreed to work together and help fix this spiraling problem. Tons of calls later I had a better idea about Bella. It would seem our missing princess has friends everywhere and had tons upon tons of favors owed but never once asked to collect. She did things out of the kindness of her heart…"

Belle turned around to look at Snow White as she adjusted the dress's collar. "If Bella was so kind and gentle how can you say she's evil?"

"I'm getting there, oh so impatient one," Snow White said with a forced smile. Belle suspected what was about to be said wasn't going to be cheerful. "Bella was kind and loving to everyone, except for when it came to the home front. She was evil personified. Aurora, Jasmine and I went through Bella's office and books. What we figured out," Snow White shook her head, "she was so evil in ways that scared us to even be in her office. She did everything according to a plan which we only found part of. The rest she was evil in ways psychologically that put her in a class unmatched by any villain in all the realm."

"What were you doing in her office?" Belle asked while Mary and Snow White started to pin the dress.

Snow White gestured with a single raised finger to wait. "Her sisters were terrified of her. She had even banished one of them to another realm, stripping this sister in name, title, or even a future in the magical realm. Then there was the Beast, her husband, so we thought until she confessed the truth to Aurora."

Mary, quite out of character blurted out, "Oh my…I thought she was cheating on him."

"The Beast has my eternal sympathy for she was the cruelest to him. Not far into the future he was guaranteed to lose his humanity if he stayed as the Beast, when that happened everything would go to her. The everyday servants would be the first to feel the effects of her plan and transfer of power; they would be spelled back into household objects."

Belle spoke with the tone of voice she had used mere months before, "Rule three; a servant has no place in society. Rule four; a servant lives only to serve. What happens to them doesn't matter."

Mary stood and grasped Belle by the shoulders, "What do you mean it doesn't matter? Haven't you been paying attention to the way we treat you? Everything matters, you matter and they matter."

Snow White started her story up again once Belle nodded in understanding. "You see, Bella had plans that required her Kingdom to be dissolved."

Belle interrupted Snow White thinking she knew where this was going. "So Bella didn't want to be a princess anymore, big deal."

"Belle, it isn't like that, I found a small shred of her plans in a burn box and I've never told anyone else but it's tearing me apart knowing this. Once Bella's kingdom fell, it would dissolve from the realm, but I'm guessing because of ALL the magical favours everyone owed Bella, everyone's kingdom would dissolve with it. Good, Evil, Hero, Villain, or innocent…they all would disappear. Gone. The Realm would be completely destroyed overnight. And nothing Mr. D, his lawyers or even the Lawyer firm of the Brothers Grimm would even know what happened. Her final plan was something called 'End-game'. I don't know what it meant. But believe me when I say, You, Mary or I wouldn't be here anymore if she followed through with it" Snow White sat down almost in a panic thinking how close things had gotten to being over for everyone. In a whisper; "Every living creature gone in a single moment."

Both Belle and Mary Poppins fell silent at Snow White's summary. Mary looked up from behind Belle in awe of being so close to possibly, correction, THE most evil being in the entire realm.

Belle turned to face Snow White, "End game is a term used when all other options are out and you have one choice...to end everything. It would seem she planned an ending that wasn't so Happily Ever After. So how does this play into Aurora?"

"The night everything took place and our misguided princess was taken out of play and sent to some unknown location to be taught the error of her ways. One handoff after another and Bella disappeared. No one was to know where she went to be shown the error of her ways. In the mean time Jafar offered to assist for a price; with his magic Aurora would appear and conduct business as Bella."

"Aurora went to work to put an end to Bella's cruelty and spent the better part of two months unraveling 'End Game' and putting a stop to it. Aurora called Jasmine and I in to help go through Bella's office. To answer your question; we found a few things which was enough to shake us up. That office was the birth place of an evil I can't even begin to describe and not only did we know it; but could feel it, it climbed and crawled over your skin. We had to take turns going in that room for three days. But not everything was uncovered; unfortunately some parts of it are locked away or just can't be figured out. But enough of that, back to Aurora."

"Thank you." Mary mumbled through a row of pins in her mouth. The talk of evil and Belle in the same subject really bothered her.

"Jafar and Aurora had an agreement. What it was? No one really knew. Well, that is until Pocahontas poked and prodded too much at a council meeting. Next thing we know those recording diamonds are all over the table playing back the last six months of Aurora submitting to Jafar and his sick twisted wants and desires."

"We were equally distressed when she just stood there and demanded it to continue while her...I have trouble saying this too, lover was being treated and re-educated. But somewhere along the line we lost both of them. That's why I need to dissolve the council, because as long as our missing princess doesn't come back, Aurora will continue spiral down until I fear we will never get her back to the way she was. Her missing lover, the abuse, the double duties of running a kingdom and constant threat if she were ever found out to be in any relationship with Jafar is too great for one person to take. She's sacrificing too much for just one person. "

Belle placed her finger on her lip deep in thought. "So Aurora really is doing this out of love?"

Mary looked up for the hem of Belle's dress as she stitched a small hem. "Yes and we are not trying to hurt Aurora, we want it stopped as much as you."

"oh" Belle said sucking on a pinky and again deep in thought.

The room filled with the sound of swishing skirts, underskirts and various other fabrics. Belle seemed further lost in thought as Snow White and Mary Poppins continued to make small adjustment to the dress. At one point the two ladies winked at each other thinking that this may be the moment Belle came around. Mouthing the word 'please' to each other.

Finally Belle dropped her finger and tapped Snow White on the shoulder.

Snow White looked up expectantly, hopeing with all her heart that this was the Belle she hoped for. "Princess Snow White, forgive me, I didn't know."

Snow White's and Mary Poppin's heart dropped. "Of course."

Then turning to Mary Poppins, "May I stay on as a maid? I know my conduct was…"

"It's okay Belle. And yes you may." Mary said standing up and looking Belle in the eye. "For every good deed you have done, I think this one little mistake is easily forgotten. Now if you could step over to the mirror and take a look at our missing Princess, I'm sure you're in for quite the surprise."

Belle stumbled over to the mirror in her high heeled boots, "I'm not used to heels." She said trying to cover up her awkwardness

Snow White leaned into Mary's ear, "She always kicked off her heels and put on slippers." Both turned to see Belle place her hands together and hold them to her chest out of surprise.

"This is what she looked like? She's beautiful!" Belle said with excitement.

"Tell me what I need to do and say. I don't want anyone to think ill of me pretending to be her." She said kicking off her boots and running over to Snow White and Mary Poppins.

Both Mary and Snow White were amazed how she was able to have her boots off without undoing the many lacings. The body knows who she is, if only the mind would work it out. Mary thought to herself.

"When Cinderella sends her pumpkin coach, we well explain everything then. In the mean time just sit here and relax while the two of us get dressed."

Chapter 14

The End of a Princess

Two hours later Snow White and Mary Poppin's arrived back in Mary's office to find Belle sitting on the desk cross legged reading a book. "Belle?"

Belle slammed the book shut and then realized she was wrinkling the dress by the way she had been sitting. "I'm sorry I just found this book and it was so good. I didn't know these books were full of such wonderful stories!" She tried to brush out the wrinkles in the dress while putting the book away. "They won't go away…I'm ruining her dress." She panicked.

Snow White placed her hand around Belle's waist and guided her out of the office toward the front door. "Don't worry, it wouldn't be the first time that dress was wrinkled because of a book."

"She read too?"

"All the time" both of them said at the same time. Mary continued, "I would venture to say that she was probably the most educated and intelligent of the entire princess court, her only rival might possibly of been Alice." Snow White nodded in agreement.

Burt met the ladies at the front door and placed a coat on each lady as they went out into the evening air. "Belle, though you may not be the princess, tonight you look just like one. Tonight the council will be graced by someone greater; Princess Belle!" He announced to the front court yard, he knelt and kissed her hand.

Belle stood stunned as Burt remained kneeling before her.

Snow White and Mary Poppins froze at his exclamation to the night air.

Burt remained kneeling until Belle realized that she had to say something. "Um please, r…r…rise kind sir."

"Yes your majesty" Burt said grinning. Opening doors and gates he led the women to a crystal pumpkin carriage waiting in the street. Belle followed behind Snow White quite like lost in thought.

Mary pulled Burt aside as Belle and Snow White sat and tried to get comfortable in the carriage. "You may have over done it. I told you what happened the last time she started to figure it out. I still have bruises on my knees and hands from helping her to stay breathing."

"You are right, you're always right Ms. Poppins, it shan't happen again.' Burt said bowing low.

"You know what I like about you Burt? You're honest, even when joking your honest and never mean or cruel. Thank you." She said and for the first time kissed Burt on the lips, even if it was only a peck.

Once Burt helped Mary into the Glass pumpkin, he checked the door to be sure it was closed and watched in awe as the carriage horses took a few steps forward and lifted off the ground and into the air. Belle gripped the arm rest, digging her nails into the fabric. "I've never been in one of these" Belle said looking out the windows. Mary and Snow White looked at each other and grinned knowing the truth.

The rest of the trip was a blur of scenery as the carriage moved at an incredible speed in the late afternoon sun toward their final destination. Snow White and Mary Poppins took turns going over the plans for the evening and how to address the others at the ball / meeting. "Tonight you are their equal, they know who you really are, but they will treat you as an equal. It may feel odd but for just this night think of it as a dream come true."

As Bald Mountain came into view over the horizon the carriage slowed. Belle thought she saw little tiny crystals floating around the mountain, only to discover as they flew closer the sky was full of crystal pumpkins like their own, each one landing in a castle courtyard built into the mountain and then taking off again.

Belle was even more surprised as other pumpkins moved or hovered out of their way as their pumpkin moved to the front and landed. "One of many perks of being council President." Snow White explained while stepping out with the help of a maid.

Snow White stopped Belle just as she was about to get out. "I will need to address the others before you come in." Looking at Belle, "There are some matters that are still very private and must be taken care of first."

"Of course." Mary said gently guiding Belle back into her seat. Though understanding Belle was disappointed she wasn't going to be part of everything.

The carriage slowly lifted off the ground and began a slow tour around the mountain and surrounding forest. Mary had dozed off shortly after taking off the second time and Belle busied herself looking out the window watching the ghosts and sprits running through the trees playing games.

An hour later the carriage descended again, their carriage was the only one circling the mountain. A maid arrived to open the carriage door.

"Princess Snow White has asked the two of you to join the festivities." She said in a grumpy tone looking at the ground. Upon looking up at Belle, she stared and bowed with the largest grin Belle had ever seen someone have.

Belle just placed her hand on the maids shoulder, "Thank you."

"You're most welcome Princess!" The maid said standing up and running, with greater enthusiasm to open the castle doors for Belle and Mary Poppins.

"Well done Belle." Mary whispered.

"Thank you, I was scared poopless. I thought about telling her off, but Bella wouldn't have done that." Belle whispered back with a smile.

Belle was led around by Mary, introduced to each Princess from both the Upper and Lower council. Everyone curtsied to her which she returned to each princess, but watched to make sure they both stood at the same time. "You're doing very well." Mary would whisper.

"But it doesn't feet right." Belle would answer.

"Then let me introduce you to someone who feels the same way." Mary said and made a bee-line to a wall-flower of a girl; short, extremely long blonde hair and in a bright red dress.

"Belle, I'd like to introduce you to the one and only person who may never know what part of this council she belongs to." Mary said with a touch of sadness.

Mary did a little dip of a curtsy/bow. "Rapunzel, I'd like to introduce you to Belle."

Rapunzel turned slowly to stare at Belle's dress and slowly looked up at Belle who stood there with hands clasped together. Belle curtsied to her, "A pleasure to meet you." Belle said and extended her hand.

Rapunzel just stared up at Belle, her mouth open. "Is everything okay?" Belle asked looking down at Rapunzel.

Mary took Rapunzel's hand and placed it in Belle's, "Rapunzel if you could, please take Belle around to meet the rest of the princesses. My feet are very tired."

Rapunzel regained her composure, quickly agreed and took Belle on a whirlwind tour of the entire Ballroom. Belle noted she had couldn't ever remember meeting someone so short and so full of energy.

One princess after another and barely taking a moment to stop before meeting the next one, Belle had to slow Rapunzel down. "Please, I need to rest, I don't like these heeled boots and I just need to slow down."

"Of course Princess." Rapunzel said guiding Belle over to a few open chairs by a window.

Belle sat and gently nudged her boots off and slipped a pair of slippers on that she tucked secretly into a pocket she found sewn into the bottom of the dress.

"Just Belle please. I'm no…" Looking around Belle couldn't find Rapunzel and then when she was about to get up and look for her, Rapunzel appeared in front of her with a red rose.

"You are as beautiful as this rose. Please take it." Rapunzel asked staring at the floor.

"Rapunzel, I can't accept this, it belongs.."

"I brought it from home. I was going to give it to someone else but she didn't show up. I'd like you to have it."

"You mean the princess I'm pretending to be."

"Uh uh." Rapunzel said quietly, her chin wrinkling like she wanted to cry. Belle felt sorry for Rapunzel, Bella must have been someone very special to her and this council; to have everyone in the room have this kind of devotion for one person was absolutely incredible.

"Then thank you." She said and hugged Rapunzel, hoping with all her heart she could do justice to the memory of Bella.

The mountain gave off a slight rumble, which everyone fell silent. No one knew what to say or do and then slowly conversations slowly picked up again.

From far to the other side of the ballroom, Snow White panicked upon seeing Rapunzel had given a red rose to Belle. "It's too late now," Cinderella said holding Snow White's arm. "If there is any part of that girl we know in the yellow dress, it's gone now."

"What?" Snow White said in shock.

"A few of the others saw Rapunzel bring a red rose with her, we figured she would try to bribe her way into the council by giving it to Belle, but it looks like the Belle we know isn't here either."

Exasperated Snow White walked with Cinderella to the council chamber doors and opened them wide. "Well let's get this photo op over with," and then in a much louder voice, "Will everyone please come into the council room for the group photo.

All the princesses filed into the room, Mary Poppins sat on a chair by the door watching each princess file in and chuckled as there was a big commotion to have

Belle move from the back of the group to the front and sit at the table with the rest of the senior council members.

By the time all the photos were done, each and everyone complained of eye sores and stiff back and necks from twisting for the 'goofy' photographer to get everyone in.

Shortly after midnight and after hours of story telling, Snow White announced that it was time to bring their gathering to an end. Everyone nodded and those not of the senior council made their way out of the room. Belle looked across the table

and saw Aurora for the first time that night. She was sitting in her chair but barely coherent of those around her; her eyes and cheeks sunken, her hair had turned ratty and dry and a dazed look appeared to be permanently etched to her face.

Belle was about to get up, when Snow White addressed her specifically, 'Remain seated.' She ordered.

Alice was the last to leave. She said her goodbye's and closed the doors. The thunderous closing sounded even more ominous than usual. Turning to those around her, Snow White pushed her chair back and addressed the room. "Tonight I have the unfortunately task to do something I never thought I would have to do. I formed this council a little over fifty years ago for a few reasons, first and foremost to assist and hold each one of us accountable to the other princesses."

Belle, lost track of what Snow White said as all her attention was dedicated to watching Aurora try to stay focused to those around her. In her hands Aurora fumbled with a small mirror decorated with a red rose on the back.

Belle still had the rose that Rapunzel had given her and looked at it and felt there was a connection between the two but couldn't seem to figure it out. Still there was that ever present unwanted feeling in her stomach when she thought of the

green diamonds and their terrible images of Aurora and that evil creature exploiting her for an agreement gone wrong.

Her thoughts still focused on Aurora turned to what it would feel like finding out your own betrothed had cheated on you and how it must feel to lose someone so important. Someone you loved.

Belle looked up to Snow White as she continued to speak.

"Each princess came to us confused, but instantly loved by all. It didn't matter from where they came. A princess, a step-daughter, a general's daughter, a daughter of on a chieftain, or even,"

Snow White looked directly at Belle, "A commoner. We all came from someplace special and it made us special. We are looked up to.."

Belle looked at Rapunzel and thought of the girl who would never be part of either council. Belle gazed down at the rose in her hands and unconsciously voiced a little too loud. "My father gave me one."

A little cross for being interrupted Snow White looked over at Belle, "Is there something you wish to add?"

A bit shocked herself Belle covered her mouth and apologized.

Snow White continued. "As time went on, Mr. D. opened his property to children so they could meet us. Realizing that not just children but every one of all ages wanted to meet and greet us as they had come to see our stories. He granted us many magical abilities. Abilities that I'm sorry to say we will not have for much longer."

Belle tuned out Snow White after as she went into detail of the problems each princess had over time and how things got to where they were now, then finally the decisions that led up to Snow White's needing to put an end to the council for the sake of a missing member and ailing member.

Not really paying much attention Belle looked over to Rapunzel and waited until they had made eye contact. Holding the stem of the rose she brought the flower to her lips; mouthed thank you and kissed the rose.

Belle immediately felt something wasn't right. The room was silent but Snow White continued to talk; it was like being a cave and she could hear her own breathing.

Then memories she wasn't sure were her own started to flooded her. It was so much to take in at once, she dropped her rose on the floor as she gripped the sides of her chair for stability and out of fear. Fear that she was losing her mind. She now remembered what she saw the last time she was here in the council chambers, all the princesses' dead at her feet, but now it was followed by a vision of herself. Sitting at a desk penning a letter…titled 'End Game.'

Dread filled her, "It was me…" her lips moved, but she said nothing.

The entire Royal Council continued to listen to Snow White describe the heart wrenching feeling she had and was interrupted by the sound of stone rumbling. "It would seem the mountain isn't too happy with this idea either." Snow White said with a forced chuckle. "Twice in one day?" Snow White thought to herself.

Mary Poppins had sat in silence the entire time watching and listening to Snow White's speech and paying little to no attention to Belle. But after the mountain's rumble she was now watching Belle very closely.

Belle was looking around the table and seemed very lost in thought, "These people love me…I would have killed…", she thought, her eye's took on a panicked and unfocused look to them. Mary had seen that look once before and feared the worst. Quietly standing she walked around the edge of the room quickly working the shadows so as not to disturb the other princesses.

Rapunzel also noticed a change in Belle; she was breathing fast and obviously starting to sweat. Gently tapping her finger on the table she was able to get Jasmine's attention for just a second. They locked eyes and Rapunzel did a little finger gesture pointing at Belle.

"I don't deserve to be among them." was Belle's final thought.

Jasmine looked at Belle and watched as Belle's head rolled back against her chair and then slump forward almost lifelessly. Slamming her own chair back Jasmine ripped the long satin train off of her dress in a single pull; all that remained were leggings and a mini underskirt. Snow White stopped her speech and everyone watched in awe as Jasmine jumped up and ran across the table toward Belle, while Mary Poppins; who seemed to step out of thin air pulled Belle out of her chair and the two of them knelt and tried to lay a now convulsing Belle gently on the floor.

"Go get Doc!" Someone yelled.

Once on the floor Belle's convulsions had stopped. She now lay unmoving at Jasmine's and Mary Poppins' knees.

"She's not breathing!" Jasmine yelled after trying to listen to Belle's breathing.

Everyone in the room felt a sudden snap in their minds. A connection to Belle had been severed. Snow White was the only one to speak up, "she released the favors." Jasmine and Mary looked up in shock.

"MOVE!" Mary Poppins' was quick to recover and yelled at the first princess heading to the door. Releasing the favors could only mean one thing. Ariel feeling the heat of Mary Poppins' voice ran into the common room and to her relief the first person she saw was Alice; "We need your help!" she said pushing away her tears; no longer feeling Belle's wlink in her mind could only mean one thing.

Inside the Chamber; Mary guided Jasmine to move beside her. "Don't think. Just follow my lead. Place your hands here and here and cover her mouth with yours and blow as much air as you can into her when I tell you to."

"Yes, ma'am." Jasmine said quite serious.

Mary and Jasmine began to give CPR to Belle as the other princesses did as Snow White and Doc directed.

Rapunzel, not sure what to do went over to Aurora and helped her out of her chair and moved her toward a row of chairs at the side of the chamber.

Aurora looked up to see everyone standing in a close group by the Chamber's grand table, "What's going on?"

"Bel…Someone is sick." She said in a quiet voice. Looking over her shoulder she could barely make out Belle or her dress between the rest of the princesses kneeling or standing around. What hurt most where the calls of desperation in everyone's voices to help their fallen friend and Rapunzel's greatest hero.

"Can I see who it is?" Aurora asked.

Instead of waiting for Rapunzel's answer she struggled to stand and made her way back to the crowd.

"Now Breath!" Mary yelled. "One more time!" She knew she didn't need to yell, Jasmine of all people would understand but fatigue had set in; this time with Belle was harder. Previously Belle had recovered in just a few compressions and breaths now it felt like Belle had just given up and didn't want to live.

Doc kept checking Belle ever few minutes for any sort of change, he too knew from experience Belle should have recovered by now, something was terribly wrong.

Everyone watched as Jasmine continued to blow big breaths of air into Belle. Her body still lay limp. "Breath damn it!" Jasmine said between breaths. "We're immortal you can't die." She said during another set of compressions from Mary. Unlike the other princesses who were upset, Jasmine was driven by anger. Anger at herself for her part in Belle's 'fall', anger at Jafar for his lies and what he was doing to Aurora and anger at The Queen for the extent she went in destroying Belle's psyche. Softly she pleaded into Belle's ear, "I need you. We need you. Come on Belle, breath! She needs you now more than ever, she'll die without you...please don't do this…"

" 1. 2. 3. 4. 5. I need someone to take over, I'm getting tired." Mary said doing compressions on Belle's chest, sweat dripped from her face and arms. Mulan moved in beside Mary and after a quick instruction began to trade off compressions and breaths with Jasmine. Tiana offered to take over for Jasmine but was pushed away, "It's my fault! Got it! My fault! She dies…I die!" It wasn't a comment; it was an oath.

Six girls from the Lower Court came running in behind Alice and Ariel; with a stretcher in their hands. Shock stopped the new arrivals in their tracks upon

hearing Jasmine's yelling, seeing the dwindling condition of Belle and the general attitude of the senior princesses surrounding her.

Aurora being led by Rapunzel pushed their way past Snow White and a very tired Mary Poppins. Aurora looked down at Belle; her wig had fallen off revealing a head full of short stubble brown hair. "I don't know her but the dress is familiar. The person who should be wearing it, is always full of life."

Pocahontas came up behind Rapunzel and Belle. "It's natural selection at work here. We should let the girl die."

Before Mary could scold Pocahontas for her comment a blur of a red dress and blonde hair spun in front of Pocahontas. All anyone saw was Pocahontas falling over chairs, banging her head on the side of the table and holding her jaw.

"Don't you ever speak like that about anyone! EVER!" Rapunzel screamed with hatred.

The mountain rumbled one last time only this time it didn't just stop its thunderous rumble...it faded away.

Doc yelled something; critical and urgent but all eyes and ears had turned to watching Rapunzel and Pocahontas.

Pocahontas stood with incredible speed and just when everyone thought she was going to hit Rapunzel, she dropped her fits to her side. "I'm not going to hit you. I'm going to do worse. Remember this day 'little' girl, you will remember it for the rest of your life. You just punched the wrong princess. So savor this moment, this is the last time you're ever a part of this council…I take back my vote and vote against you. I vote against you ever being a princess at this table!"

Moments later; from the center of the council table the sound of stone grinding against stone echoed through the room.

"No…" Rapunzel whispered.

A sphere of orange light slowly rose from the center of the table making its way high above everyone.

Pocahontas tapped Rapunzel on the shoulder. "That's for you." She said with a huge smile.

"No it isn't fair. Belle has to vote!" Rapunzel said under a breath.

"Life ain't fair. Get used to it." Pocahontas then pushed Rapunzel away from the crowd.

Long orange flame tendrils danced in the air from the ball as it circled above the table looking for its intended victim.

"But Belle was supposed to vote." Rapunzel said again looking up at the ball as it had begun to descend on her, its tendrils expanding to encompass her.

"And she ain't gonna," Pocahontas said pointing to Belle on the floor, her head still cradled in Jasmine's hands.

Rapunzel looked at Snow White, tears forming as she spoke. "Belle was…Please don't. Belle was supposed to..." She turned to look at Pocahontas through a ring of rainbows as tears rolled down her cheeks. "I'm sorry…"

Rapunzel could begin to feel the magic of the ball pull at the tips of her hair. "I'm so sorry."

"I'm not." Pocahantas said with a grin and crossed her arms across her chest.

"Please…please don't." Rapunzel stared at the floor as the edge of the ball touched the top of her head. Her only thought now was how pretty each tear was in the light as it fell off her face and to the floor.

Pocahontas looked down and saw the rose Belle had been given and slowly rolled her foot over the flower in satisfaction of knowing Rapunzel's added distress.

The light grew and grew until every corner of the council chamber room was filled with the orange light. Once Rapunzel was completely encased; her cries, pleas and begging of forgiveness faded into the ball.

"Beautiful!" Pocahontas said with joy.

The ball grew in light and size. Colors swirled and circled its skin then it slowly faded from orange to a rainbow of other colors and ended with a soft yellow.

One collective gasp filled the room; hands leapt to cover mouths while others pointed toward the ball in surprise.

"No!" Pocahontas screamed, "It's supposed to turn red. She isn't a princess! She can't be one! I voted against her! Which one of you changed your vote?"

Snow White was the first to speak up awed by the sudden and surprising change. "Once a vote is cast it can't be changed."

Tiana responded almost in a whisper. "I think she…she voted." Pointing down at Belle, "She said Rapunzel's name and then..."

"…No! It can't be. It's not fair!" Pocahontas screamed and ran to the chamber doors continuing to scream in anger.

The magic ball doubled in size giving off deep thunderous rumbles ending with an unexpected thunder clap blowing those few girls who were standing to the floor.

Pocahontas flew the last five feet into the chamber doors from the shock wave. All anyone heard after that was "I quit!", swearing and then a chamber door slamming shut. Later it would be agreed what she had said would have had Belle even blushing.

More rumblings and thunder claps came from where Rapunzel once stood.

Some of the younger princesses turned to Snow White questioningly; no one had ever seen or felt this sort of explosion and changes before. Snow White just shrugged her shoulders just as confused as them.

One minute drew on into the next the princesses watched from the floor as the magical ball slowly worked its magic. Wisps of smoke and vines of magical lighting twisted away from the ball.

Everyone was surprised when they saw the first change to come over Rapunzel as the ball opened at the top. A much taller Rapunzel stood in its light. Her head rolled to the side as though in a deep sleep, some would have panicked at such a sight but the smile on Rapunzel's face put everyone at ease.

"I could never grow tired of seeing this." Ariel said with an equally huge smile.

"Its too bad Belle didn't get to see the last one." Tiana said holding Belle's limp hand.

"Aurora too." Cinderella added looking down at Aurora fitfully sleeping in her lap. The force of the explosion had blown an already weak Aurora into Cinderella's arms.

"Not if I can help it," Mary Poppins said crawling on all fours and digging into Aurora dress pocket. She held up two new green diamonds. "She won't need these recordings anymore." She rolled the green diamonds on the floor at Rapunzel's feet.

"Record." Mary Poppins and Cinderella said it at once. Everyone sat in silence watching Rapunzel and her magical transformation.

Seeing the ball was slowly about to release Rapunzel from its hold. Snow White stood and made her way around the entire group laying on the ground. "Ariel, if you could help me catch Rapunzel. You know how disoriented you were." She said with a very forced smile. Belle still hadn't moved, Aurora was pretty much unconscious and Pocahontas just quit the council before it was officially disbanded. Could the evening get any worse? This was the one and only bright spot she could think of and didn't want to ruin it.

Ariel and Snow White locked hands on each side of Rapunzel as the last of light disappeared into the floor. Rapunzel's arms were wrapped around her chest, her legs were crossed and dress twisted around her legs from the magical winds but most of all her head was leaned back and she had the biggest smile anyone had ever seen on her. She hovered for a moment and then fell into their waiting arms.

"It feels good." Rapunzel whispered and relaxed into their arms.

Everyone slowly stood and began to pick up everything and lay Aurora and Belle in the stretchers and head out of the chambers. No one spoke a single word.

When the doors opened all the princesses of Alice's court ran to form two lines to honor their newest senior council member and fallen friends. All watched in silence as an exhausted Rapunzel, held up by Ariel and Snow White lead the remaining princesses and volunteers carrying two stretchers, one with the sleeping form of the famed Sleeping Beauty, the other; her one true love; Belle.

Jasmine and Mary followed behind everyone else; Jasmine carried Belle's wig while Mary followed a few steps behind; carrying in her hands; a broken mirror and a crushed red rose.

The following day at high noon the current princesses who now included Alice and Tinkerbell; gathered in the Forest of Bald Mountain dressed in black forming a circle around a blazing funeral pyre. Jasmine, Aurora and Belle were noticeable absent from the group standing. Snow White sang very softly while a single bagpipe played in the background.

Amazing Grace, how sweet the sound,
That saved a wretch like me.
I once was lost but now am found,
Was blind, but now I see.

Through many dangers, toils and snares
I have already come;
'Tis Grace that brought me safe thus far
and Grace will lead me home.

Yea, when this flesh and heart shall fail,
And mortal life shall cease,
I shall possess within the veil,
A life of joy and peace.

Amazing Grace, how sweet the sound,
That saved a wretch like me.
I once was lost but now am found,
Was blind, but now I see.

"…will be missed." Snow White whispered with a tear.

Chapter 15

Full Circle

The sound of breakfast and chatter awoke Aurora. Looking around she realized she was in the guest chambers at Bald Mountain.

A pink robe and slippers lay on the chair waiting for her. A note pinned to it said "Two Days."

Picking up the robe and putting it on, she felt nothing but dread. Two nights of not being with Jafar? She felt guilty and horrified; fearing his repercussions.

Dragging her slippers on she made her way to the Princess lounge. A room reserved for the senior members.

"Good Morning Aurora." A quite tall Rapunzel said with a smile. A spatula in one hand and a pan of scrambled eggs in the other. "Fresh orange juice and coffee." She said pointing to a tray beside her.

"I don't know you." Aurora said depressed but did thank her for the offered drinks.

"Good morning sleepy head." Snow White said with a smile.

"Nothing good about it." She grumbled drinking the entire glass of orange juice and then sat in a deep pillow chair with her coffee on her lap.

"And how is my Sleeping Beauty?" A voice asked across from her.

Aurora looked up to see a woman with short spiked hair on the couch across from her; dressed in a blue and white peasants' gown that didn't seem to fit her right. "Peasants don't belong here. And if this a joke? It isn't funny. That girl ever caught you in her dress she'd kill you." Aurora said looking back into her coffee.

Aurora looked up again to see this strange woman get up and saunter over like she owned the room and place her hands on the arms of her chair. Aurora looking back down into her coffee voiced herself loud enough so the strange woman would get the point. "Don't care who you are, but I ain't in the mood to play fucking games right now."

"I don't play games when it comes to someone I should love." She said and took Aurora's coffee and set it on the floor.

Cinderella grabbed Tiana and Ariel by the hand. "Come on we need to leave this is going to get gross."

"I wanna see what happens." Rapunzel said smiling while being dragged out by Snow White, who also had a huge smile. A trail of pixie dust appeared and trailed out of the room.

Mulan looked around the room one last time and realized Jasmine was missing but still pulled the door closed giving the two women some privacy.

"Woman, you had best back the hell off." Aurora said getting frustrated as this weird woman invaded her space.

"A year ago you were asked for a kiss as payment. A kiss that said you could trust another. Well I'm here to carry on and return that trust." The woman said putting her hand on Aurora's exposed leg.

Aurora looked up into her face, not even a glimmer of recognition crossed her mind. "By the count of three if you don't have your hand off of me and back off I'm breaking it."

"One…Tw…"

Aurora was slammed into the back of the chair when the woman jumped into her lap, wrapping her arms around Aurora's shoulders, covering her mouth with her own, and held her tight.

At first there was the shock then anger flooded through her. Aurora slugged this crazed woman as hard as she could in the ribs and chest trying to get her off of her. Jafar would do this to her all the time. Pretending to be another princess and molest her which would lead to other more terrible and painful things.

But here at Bald Mountain, the refuge of all the princesses and to be attacked like this drove Aurora into a frenzy doing whatever she needed to drive this 'woman' off of her and to damn well stop kissing her.

But something was wrong. This couldn't be Jefar. It didn't feel like Jafar's idea of a kiss. There was warmth to it.

Aurora slowly lost some of the will to punch and fight this woman. Somewhere in the back of her mind something screamed at her to accept this. The room was getting warm, not hot, but nice; a comforting warmth. Aurora remembered a very long time ago she had felt something very much like this.

She didn't know the person but it dawned on her she knew the kiss. Her punches had stopped; her need to fight this woman off; fading.

"STOP!...Stop…" She murmured through the wonderful kiss. Everything about this woman was bothering her. There was a familiar and yet strangely unfamiliar feeling about this woman. Her name! What was her name! She screamed at herself.

She fought for a breath, took it and went back to kissing those soft lips. What was this stranger's name? Aurora looked up for the first time and realized the room was filled with long stem flowers all the flower petals were white with red edges. Rose's! Rose!…it had something to do with a rose!

Everything was happening so fast. She had to slow things down and think it through. But this woman wouldn't let her go she seemed dead set upon forcing herself on Aurora and in some weird way it felt good.

Tears formed as she fought so hard to remember a name. She couldn't believe she was obsessing over a simple name. She didn't want to stop kissing and feeling the warmth of this person. This person wasn't attacking her; she was kissing her out of love.

No one did that anymore, no one held her, no one hugged her, no one took the time to just sit with her, no one spent longer than a few moments with her, everyone was afraid of her. This person wasn't.

And it had been so long since she had felt the warmth of someone, anyone, let alone someone who loved her. Whoever she was this stranger wasn't squeezing her or trying to hurt her. She was holding her like a mother holds a child. True love. Tenderness. Her name that would solve the puzzle! "Your name." she gasped.

"Not tell'n and I ain't gonna let you go till you say it."

Aurora' felt the woman's lips make a line of caresses from one ear around her neck and chin and back up to the other ear. Aurora licked her lips and tasted the salt of tears, her own tears and but something else was there; a sweetness on her lips that screamed in her mind of only one person. She could barely remember the dream persons face but what she could remember kind of looked like this person. The hair was all wrong; this woman had short spiked hair. She was also thinner and defiantly stronger and a hell of a lot more tan skinned. Her heart sank at her next thought…

And that other person has been ripped from her life. Not even a chance to say good bye.

The kisser had stopped kissing and was looking down on her. Aurora looked up and felt her tears roll to the sides of her eyes. Even through the blur of tears, this woman was so beautiful and had the look of someone who really wanted to care for her; The ONLY person who seemed to care about her anymore.

"Please don't stop. Please. It's been so long…Please kiss me..please." She ended her asking in a whisper, wondering if she would ever get another chance to feel this kind of love again.

The stranger's lips grazed her own with small feather like caresses followed by more gentle taps to her nose, chin, lips and ending with the fullness of a heavy kiss to her mouth; a tongue grazed her own at the last second. Sparks lit in her mind. Someone had done that exact thing to her before. Aurora closed her eyes trying so hard to bring up that long lost memory of a name… Her hands started to shake as she panicked she would lose this wonderful person. The dream person she remembered wore the same outfit as this person but she also wore yellow; a huge yellow ball gown in the shape of a…

…bell!

Aurora took a deep breath out of pure joy, her heart pounding harder than she could ever remember and hoped with all her heart and soul, what she said next was true. "Belle?" She whispered.

"Welcome back girlfriend." Belle said. And for the first time Aurora realized Belle had also been crying. The next kiss was larger and more fulfilling than any they had before. The bond they shared a year ago was there again and stronger than ever.

The mountain gave a small barely noticeable rumble and to Aurora's surprise she thought she heard cheers coming from the ballroom. But Belle's hugs and kisses brought her back to what she was doing.

The kiss, the hug, the holding and pulling each other closer than ever before was all they could think to do. "Don't let go." one of them whispered.

Then they broke from the kiss, they held each other tight, looking to each other and savoring the other's beauty.

"Why the tears?" Aurora asked feeling Belle's tears fall on her cheeks

"Because you did this all for me." Belle said placing her head on Aurora's chest.

"I'd do it again."

"I know and that's what upsetting. I don't deserve you. You stopped me from making a terrible mistake."

The two of them cuddled in the chair wrapping up in a blanket. Both of them ran their fingers over each other's skin, feeling the others curves' and warmth. But it was the fact that the other person really was there again that meant the most to the two of them.

Belle's voice was a whisper, "He hurt you didn't he?"

"It doesn't matter now."

Belle placed a hand on Aurora's stomach, "Yes it does, I watched you yesterday. I saw you whimper and sniffle in your sleep. Hell, we all heard you scream last night."

"It doesn't matter." Aurora reassured her.

There was a huge silence between the two of them.

"I took care of him." Belle said in a whisper.

Pushing Belle away from her, "You can't, you can't do anything evil." Aurora got up and started for the door. "We're over! Done! I can't lose you a second time!" Her body trembling at each word she hated to say it but it had to happen.

"And you're not going to lose me. Queen Grimhilde went with me. She did the evil act I was just a shield." Belle pleaded

"I don't want to lose you again! But I can't be near you. You plan evil Belle!"

Belle placed her hands on Aurora's shoulders and confronted her firmly. "Jafar's magic works on royal or high borne. I'm the only Upper Council Princess he can't hurt. He abused you. I couldn't let it go."

"You plan evil! I read what you were going to do." Aurora said pushing away a tear.

"And you stopped it. I realize my mistake, that's why I asked Snow White for help. I've never asked for help." Belle said through renewed tears of her own. "Ever." She added. Going from being in the arms of the one person she loved more than life itself, to having her heart ripped out was a torture far worse than any whipping.

"But in the movie you…" Aurora was about to say.

"A script, a story. Not me." Belle said interrupting her.

Aurora fell silent. She didn't know how or why she knew but she could see it, Belle was telling the truth.

"Snow called her mother. Aurora you have to believe me, I've never been so terrified in my life than the moment I had to ask Queen Grimhilde for help." Belle's legs went weak at just the thought of reliving that experience.

Belle sat on a wood chair holding Aurora hands and looking up at her. "The Queen' s exact words were "What would a servant want with a Queen?", Do you know how hard it was to correct her? Last time I did that..."

Belle looked at the floor shaking her head trying to forget the physical feeling.

Looking back up at Aurora, "God Aurora, I was almost in tears scared of that woman." Belle fell back into an old habit, "Princess Snow White held my hand but it didn't matter. The only thing I could think of was you. If you could stand up to Jefar, I could stand up to Queen Grimhilde."

I said, "I am not a servant to you, I am a Servant of the People." And the Queen just smiled at me, "Correct you are. Welcome back Belle."

"A few hours later the Queen, Princ..Snow White and I are heading to Beast's Castle to put an end to Jefar's abuse. I almost climbed the walls in sheer terror of being in the same room let alone carriage with that woman. But I kept reminding myself I had to do this for you. I could only think of you Aurora. I had to help…"

Belle swallowed deep at her next words, "my one true love."

"No more plans, no more manipulations, no more secrets?" Aurora asked.

"And no more Beast. It's only you and I from now on. I don't care if Beast ever does come to love me, he lost his chance. For twenty years I've been waiting for my true love now I'm holding 'her' hand. I only want you Aurora…If you will have me?" Belle wasn't sure she was doing the right thing but where love for this woman was concerned nothing was a sure bet.

"But whatever you did to Jefar you had a hand in…you still have evil in you…I can't have that." Aurora demanded

"Believe me, I had nothing to do with it. Come see this." Belle said, hoping this one thing would bring Aurora back into her arms.

Belle led her to the grand hall; sleeping bags, blankets, pillows, stuffed animals of every type lay everywhere in the grand hall. The room was packed with girls from every one of Mr. D's movies. Everyone stopped and turned as word spread like lightening of Belle and Aurora stepping into the hall; holding hands.

"What's all this?" Aurora asked.

"A celebration sleepover with every single princess and little girl in honor of our return and something so much bigger; but that will have to wait." Belle said with a smile seeing the room explode with a sound like thunder rolling as every girl of every age ran in a single wave to surround the two princesses.

Hugs, kisses, congratulations and more hugs and kisses were showered over them. A few even rubbed Belle's spiked hair out of curiosity.

"Do you have her gift?" Belle asked of Snow White over the noise.

Aurora turned as some little girl no older than five gave her a peck on the check and handed Aurora a dog. Confused as to why Snow White would be bringing a dog let alone Benji of all dogs.

"Take him." A few voices called out.

"You turned him into a dog?" She asked confused at Belle.

Snow White smiled, "It was an idea but this was Rapunzel's idea. My mother has granted a seat to Rapunzel any time she wishes to go evil. Look at Benji's collar." Rapunzel now stood a full head taller than everyone else in the room smiled down at a confused Aurora. Aurora could feel something coming from Rapunzel that told her Rapunzel wasn't just any princess. She was a member of the Royal Council. "When did she become a princess?" she thought to self.

"He's a dog collar?" a still confused Aurora asked looking back down at Benji and spinning the collar around looking it over.

"Here." Belle said turning the collar around so she could see a very tiny Jafar. He was banging on the inside of a gem hanging from the collar. But at closer examination, he was a she in a cute little mini skirt version of his outfit.

Rapunzel placed an arm around the two Princesses, "He treated you worse than anyone should ever know. So I thought he should know what it's like to live life as an animal. Now he sees the world from a dog's eye view, including a few things he, I mean she'll never wish to see. Put Benji down for a second."

As Aurora bent over putting Benji down Belle started to explain Jefar's problem. "His fist spell was cast at me. That was when we realized I'm immune to his spells. His spell was to change what he thought was you from looking like me back into you, but it barely touched me and fired back at him and changing him into 'the true female form' as his spell was required. The Queen never gave him a chance to change back."

Aurora looked up to see huge smiles filling the room. Apparently everyone in the room knew about his newfound predicament and how it happened.

Rapunzel knelt down beside Benji. All the other princesses formed a huge circle around the three princesses and watched as Rapunzel demonstrated her idea.

Benji looked around at each girl surrounding him and then felt the sudden sting of a hair pulled out of his back leg. He drove his mouth to bite the sore spot and sooth away the pain.

All the girls laughed at once scaring Benji for a moment but then he went back to biting his leg and licking the sore spot.

What the girls saw was the gem that encased Jafar was now bouncing against and around Benji's privates and rear as the dog bit and licked his hind leg.

"I love it." Aurora smiled and took Belle's hand in hers, wrapped her other arm around Belle's small waist and she rested her head on Belle's shoulder. "I don't care if Prince Phillip ever comes back. I've got you and I'm not letting you out of my sight. Ever."

They kissed long and hard, which brought a ton of cheers, wolf whistles, clapping and a single "Gross"' comment from a mocking but smiling Snow White, "Two women living together, holding hands, hugging, kissing, and oh my gosh! The… Gross!" Belle tilted her head back and laughed hard at a memory of her saying just that no more than a few days before.

Snow White winked at Belle, then with the help of Cinderella and Rapunzel led the crowd away and started up a few games, while others took a seat and sat around the fire pit at the center of the room. Alice sat with a book open and began to read to the little girls as they circled around her.

Once the crowd had opened up; Belle and Aurora saw Jasmine standing against the wall and walked over to her. "You have no idea what it means to me, to see the two of you together." Jasmine said.

Belle stepped up to Jasmine and gave her a hug. "Yes I do and thank you. For everything; I remember everything you said. And now I have a gift for you," Belle whispered into Jasmine's ear, "I release you from your oath." Jasmine relaxed and returned the hug and kissed Belle on the cheek, "Thank you."

Belle stepped back from her hug, "You don't need to stay here. Go spend time with your loved one. Tell Aladdin how you really feel. Then go to the one person you love more than life and confess what's in your heart."

Jasmine nodded, snapped her fingers with a smile and jumped on her flying carpet and the two lovers watched Jasmine fly out an open window.

"Where's Pocahontas?" Aurora asked looking around.

"She left the princess; permanently. A funeral was held to honor her yesterday." Belle voice was soft and surprisingly quite respectful. "She quit the council and unfortunately since she went to the other realm and no longer had the protection of princess magic of immortality," Belle paused. It really hurt to say this about another princesses, "She never made it."

Aurora pulled Belle back into her arms clearly upset at the thought of a princess dying. Whispering; "I need to know before we pick back up what was 'End Game'?"

Belle became even more sullen and serious than Aurora would have liked.

Taking her hand, Belle led Aurora to a far corner of the room by a window and love seat. A couple of little girls were in the seat jumped out and did their version of a princess curtsey which Belle returned with a smile and watched them run to join the rest of the girls their age by Alice.

Figuring this was going to be the way of their relationship Aurora was gently guided to sit down in Belle's lap in the love seat. "As I said you were right in what you, Jasmine and Snow White did. But I had a very good reason."

Belle took a deep breath, "I heard Mr. D was putting an end to the princess line and I couldn't let it happen. So to ensure our continued existence and longevity, I worked the system from behind, and purchased every princess and villains contract, as well as locking every princess and villain into a magical spell."

"The favors." Aurora said in understanding.

"Hmmm," She nodded, "Well all but one contract. The real life story from the other realm was out of my reach to purchase. But I still managed to lock her in with other spells. And before you ask, "Where did I learn magic?" I 'borrowed' Madame Mim's book of spells.

"So as for the plan; I was willing to give up my status as good and innocent to save both Princess councils and Queen Grimhilde's council. I would be evil incarnate to everyone but one sacrifice to save an entire realm…not much a problem for me."

"Why didn't you tell someone?" Aurora asked nervously. A part of her feared she would lose Belle again at any second.

Belle kissed Aurora and hugged her tightly. "No one needed to take the fall with me. I was protecting everyone. End Game wouldn't have happened but certain things where starting to happen to show its necessity. So I kept all the plans going. The plan called for Beasts' psychological demise and my sister's bondage so it would guarantee they would forever be distanced from me and thusly be protected when End Game reached its peak. That being; where the entire magical realm reformed into one world. One single magical realm locked away from Mr. D, The Brothers Grimm, everything and everyone. And it would all fall under my sole immortal rule. Remember the old phrase; Absolute power corrupts absolute? I would become ultimate evil by temptation alone."

"oh" was all Aurora could muster to say unsure if she should stay with her lover or flee.

The two of them just held each other watching the world outside of Bald Mountain. Aurora kept rolling the thought around her head of what life would be like under Evil Belle. Knowing what she did about Belle the polar opposite of her would make Jefar's abuse have seemed gentle in comparison.

Just as Aurora couldn't take the thought of thinking of Belle as evil anymore, or the fact that she had just spent the last few minutes tracing what she thought was a line of fabric of Belle's dress was in fact a whipping scar on Belle's back. Aurora quickly changed the subject.

"So what happened yesterday?"

Belle's face lit up in a huge smile, a smile that Aurora was glad to see once more. "When it became apparent you may not be coming back to Beast's Castle. Jefar made a public announcement and displayed to the entire realm some images of the two of you in some very nasty situations."

Dread filled Aurora's heart instantly; she could only imagine how much time she had left with Belle and the rest of the Princesses once Mr.D arrived to take back the magic from her and her family.

Belle felt the small tremor come from Aurora and pulled her close, kissed her and gave her a huge hug; her smile had never faded. "You're going nowhere Aurora."

"Queen Grimhilde made an announcement a few hours later from Beast's Castle. She pointed out Jefar's claims of you two being together and my disappearance were less than honest and not keeping with the traditions of 'wholesome evilness'. Deceit is one thing, but out right lying, never. She pointed out I was just fine, I was wearing a wig of course, with her now standing beside Beast and myself, although she was on the other side of Beast at my gentle urging to him and she showed the realm another image of the 'famed Sleeping Beauty' 'doing what she does best'…sleeping at Bald Mountain."

"Mere moments later Jefar came storming out in the hall and for everyone to see, he attacked me on 'realm-wide gem viewers', "I'll show the world who you really are…Aurora!" he said. He cast a spell which failed and the entire magical realm watched him become the sweet innocent looking girl he is now. The rest you already know."

"After that we, as in The Queen only, took care of Jefar for the world to see."

"I had more important things to do. Excused myself and privately sent an anonymous tip to the Brothers Grim pointing out the outright plagiarism Mr. D had done to theirs and others stories. They took him to his own emergency convened court session and demanded our return and compensation. Mr. D. and his lawyers in order to save face upon realizing they no longer had contractual control of the Princesses and Villians gave into the demands of the Brothers Grimm, Mr. Lewis Carol and the anonymous tipster. Here is the other part of today's celebration. All magical abilities and endowments have been given to ALL the princesses and villains and financial restitution has been donated to charity. The one contract I couldn't and wouldn't have purchased anyway, stipulated to force that person to change her name from Pocahontas to Rebecca Rolfe. (It's in the history books folks). It's unfortunate what happened to her, she could have stayed in the realm.

"You really hated her didn't you?"

"I never hated her personally; it was her real life story that bothered me. It glamorized pedophiles and that is definitely not the Princess way." Belle's tone was quite serious.

Aurora looked up at Belle, "Only you and I know the full truth of 'End Game'?"

Belle nodded.

Aurora tipped her head into Belles neck "I guess you now own me."

Belle face fell even more serious and in a tone she had only used once before on Aurora.

"No one owns anyone."

"Please don't use that tone on me again. Please?" She asked quite shaken again.

"For you? Anything."

"Then never ever leave me. Never keep a secret, be my friend, my princess, my one true love, but most of all, would you please…" The last words Aurora couldn't seem to say.

Using her new found strength Belle picked Aurora up and carried her as a husband would his new bride and gave her the biggest kiss she could.

"I will always love you; I will always be here for you; and to answer your unasked request; I would be honored to call you my Briar Rose."

"You have no idea what that means to me Belle" she said and kissed her lover again and again and again…"Wait! That's what all those flowers are in the lounge!"

And as it was said in the past.

They lived happily ever after.

And just as everyone sat down to the evening feast and banquet;

she proposed

…and she accepted.

Facts or Minor Trivia.

This story came about due to a request to do a 3D image of Belle and Aurora in a romantic embrace. Spending close to four days doing up the peasant dresses for them, I could only think 'What could bring these two together?' I hope you liked it.

In the original version of Snow White. The Queen was her mother and not step-mother as later told.

The Evil Queen was named Queen Grimhilde in publicity papers only.

Beauty and the Beast – there seems to be so many retellings of this story, it's hard to pick which one is valid. I chose a more obscure version that allowed for a couple of brothers and sisters.

As for the use of Belle's name; everyone knows the name, however the use of Bella was used to serve a double purpose, one in Italian it means beauty, but the flower version of Belladonna is also known as Deadly Nightshade or Devil's Berries. Thusly adding to Belle's evil side.

Aurora – Why did I portray her so rudely at the beginning? Because of all the princesses other than one specific princess I really didn't care for her. Her character just seemed to be self-centered and self absorbed. Only through Disney type magic would it even seem possible for my most favorite and second least favorite to be paired together.

Ariel for those are slightly shocked at my marking her with MILF must surely realize that of all the Disney Princesses, Ariel is the only significant princess with a daughter.

Pocahontas – Yup I hate the character; need I really go into why?

Maleficent was a complete re-write. I've never felt that a fairy with a grudge for not being invited to a birth would be able to hold onto that anger for years upon years, let alone decades. What I chose I felt would be fuel for the fire for decades and a whole lot more personal. And why the homosexual tendency then? I didn't – Mal is female and is only pairing 'herself' with the equal alternative; a male. But the desire to subdue the male into a female submissive role…that's just revenge playing out. Trust me in my head; Mal' is the most complicated character in the story and playing by very tight rules.

Beast- In every version I find, he's portrayed as selfish and then suddenly changes and everyone is happy…yeah…spit!. No freaking way! He's still going to have some selfish characteristics so playing it up helped flesh out the main characters and added a few humorous twists.

Gaston – He loves himself so much I guessed the only way he could find a lover as 'great' as him would be someone as selfish and manly.

Jasmine – She's probably the worst person to portray the Arab nation…she's strong willed, honor bound, dominant, free spirited and not about to live under the rule of a man. But perfect as the voice of control and reason on the Princess Council, if you're wondering who she could love more than Aladdin, you really need to watch the movies and tv shows again…her father.

Rapunzel – Young and Niave. At the time I started writing this story she wasn't even an idea, but after I learned the Disney Corp was ending the Princess line with Rapunzel, I had to throw her in.

Prince Philip – Why would he want to play the game of bondage? Check out this link…need I say more? .com/spots/leading-men-of-disney/images/1117385/title/prince-phillip-maleficent-photo and as for why would he want to be with Maleficent? Easy. She's hot and green. Does the name Elphaba mean anything, She-Hulk, Twi-lek's from Star Wars or how about Star Trek – Orion women. Green is the new hot!

Alice – Why in the hell Disney Corp. didn't make her part of the official Disney Princess collection is beyond me. Why they haven't fixed it now, is still beyond me. Look at the facts. Google the following names, Snow White, Beauty and the Beast, Sleeping Beauty, Cinderella, or Tinkerbell. What numbers did you get? 10 million to 22 Million. Now do Alice in Wonderland. 30 million…nuff said.

Mary Poppins – I tried as hard as possible to keep to the original character as possible. "Practically Perfect in every way."

Jefar – He's evil. Anyone who can sport a fag 'stash and beard like him and make it look good has got to be evil. I just played him up even worse.

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