A/N: So I don't think the ball at the very end of the movie happens immediately after the transformation; mainly because they would all need time to adjust to being human again (get the pun?) before being able to throw a successful ball.
Their Happily Ever After - Beauty and the Beast
Aka- what happened after the transformation?
The first few days after the transformation were a little awkward. The entire household was suddenly two handed, two legged humans instead of a variety of inanimate objects suddenly able to move and talk. It took everyone quite a while to adjust to how they were before the curse. Especially the Beast. He did have the advantage over the servants in the fact that he had the ability to walk on two legs as his cursed form, but he still had to adjust to not having the muscles of the Beast, or the hulk of the Beast.
He also found that he still had some anger management issues from his time as the Beast, but he was willing and wanting to deal with this issue and worked with a few of the servants on coping techniques. He was also working on regaining the use of his academic mind. He worked with Belle to recall his reading skills before moving onto writing. He hadn't written in many years as it was nearly impossible to do with claws instead of hands. But he found the skills coming back to him much easier then when he first learned them. He gave all the credit to Belle's teaching.
Belle was wonderful teacher; patient and full of praise for his successes and the Beast didn't want to disappoint her and strove to re-master the skills every prince should have. He also found himself in the library with her after or before lessons reading some of the books on anger management and finding new coping techniques. He practiced them and started seeing some results. Of course if Belle was anywhere near him as he struggled with his anger she merely hand to touch his arm or chest and he would calm down.
Belle too was adjusting. She had grown used to the castle the way it was during the curse. She adjusted to the servants being human again fairly quickly, helping the kitchen staff with relearning how to use arms and hands to cook instead of just having come because they were what was cooking the food as the object not the person. It took a few days and quite a few meals chocked down before the food started to taste as it should. Bella had the hardest time adjusting to the Beast being human again.
In those first few minutes after he changed she was unsure of what happened, but after looking into the man's eyes and seeing her Beast's eyes she started to believe, and then when he embraced her and kissed her, the event that triggered the castle's and the servant's transformations, she knew it was him. But she was still adjusting to seeing him in his human from when she expected the Beast. She still called him Beast because she never knew his given name.
But as the days went on and she watched him try to master being a human and his temper again, she started to see the Beast. She saw the same Beast who she played in the snow with last winter, who managed to get a small bird to feed from his paw, the same Beast who gave her the library. She found herself wanting to help him and started to encourage him to take ahold of his life and would always laugh a little at his enthusiasm to earn her praise as he re-mastered his academic skills. And she found herself falling even further in love with him.
One day about a month after the change occurred, she was helping the cook to bake a pie for dinner that evening when she stepped to a window overlooking one of the courtyards and saw Beast playing with Chip and the dog. Chip ran towards him and jumped into Beast's arms and the Beast threw him up in the air and caught him as he came back down. Chip was laughing and the dog was bouncing around Beast's feet yapping, his tail going pretty fast.
Belle started mindlessly washing a few dishes as she watched, deep in thought as she watched him with a child. Though in her mind she didn't see Chip; she saw their child, a little girl with her daddy's eyes and her mommy's hair. She was so lost in that thought that dream, that she didn't hear Mrs. Potts come in.
The older woman didn't see her youngest son playing with his prince, she only saw the future princess doing dishes. So she came forward and spoke.
"You know it's not your job to do the dishes, that's what the scullery maids are for." She told the princess, not realizing she hadn't heard her entrance and watched as Belle jumped, soap bubbles flying around her as she whipped around. A wet hand was placed over her heart as Belle faced the kind older lady.
"Sorry dear, I didn't realize you didn't hear me come in." Mrs. Potts said softly coming forward to embrace the young woman. Bell smiled as she returned the embrace before pulling back.
"I would have heard you if I hadn't been lost in a dream." Belle chuckled turning back to the window in time to see Chip thrown into the air again. Mrs. Potts saw this too and chuckled.
"The Prince would make a wonderful father," she sighed before laughing. "Ten years ago, if you had asked me that I would have laughed and said I prayed he never sired a child." She chuckled and Belle smiled the image of her little girl still in her head. Mrs. Potts noticed and just chuckled before leading the princess to be out of the room towards one of the courtyard doors.
"Go to him," she urged and pushed the younger woman out the door before yelling for Chip to come in for his lunch and to feed the dog. Belle smiled as the young boy stopped and bowed quickly to her before following his mother. The dog stopped and she knelt down to scratch behind his ears before he ran off to get his own food. She stood up to see him watching her with a smile. She smiled back and ran to him.
He caught her like he did chip, but instead of throwing her in the air, he spun her around with her head just above his. Their laughter rang out and as he lowered her back to her feet, she pressed a kiss to his forehead, which he reciprocated.
They stayed there for a few long minutes, just staring at each other with smiles on their faces. Both loved to see the other happy and smiling.
"What's got you in such a good mood today?" She asked him. Her arms still around his neck.
"I haven't had an anger spit, and I've finished the book you gave me last week. And playing with Chip usually makes me laugh." He answered kissing her forehead once again, her eyes fluttered shut as she leant into him her arms wrapping tighter around him.
"Then today is a good day," she started looking up at him, her eyes open again. "The staff barely ruined breakfast and seemed to put a delicious lunch out. The rooms are all clean and everyone is adjusting to being human again." She finished before kissing his cheek.
"Will you help me make it a better day by having lunch with me in the garden?" He asked her, stepping back from her. She simply smiled and took his hand in hers. Her 'yes' silent and understood. He intertwined their fingers and led her out of the stone courtyard over past the stables into the garden. The flowers were all in bloom, their bright colors adding to the green of the other plants.
A blanket was on the ground near the duck pond, a basket resting on top and Beast lowered himself down before lifting a hand to help her down. When she had arranged her skirts around her, he turned to the basket and pulled out the sandwiches that he had made with the cook for lunch, along with some fruit. They ate the food in silence and when they were finished, she packed up the dishes and containers back into the basket before moving the basket off of the blanket as he lay down on his back. She followed his lead and the two of them stared into the sky, looking at the clouds.
She started to scoot over closer to him, until she had her head resting on his chest, head under his neck. She could hear and feel his pulse and she sighed with content. His arms found their way around her and pulled her to rest on top of him. She smiled and closed her eyes. He then had one hand lower to her lower back and keep her steady while his other hand massaged her scalp. The actions and warmth surrounding her lulled to sleep.
The Beast smiled and pressed a kiss to her forehead before hugging her tighter to him. He daydreamed about his future, for the first time in many, many years. And the future he saw was very happy, as long as Belle stayed with him and loved him.
His thoughts then turned to the wedding. The staff had started to plan the wedding after becoming semi-comfortable at their humanity again. But even though they still had months to go before they were wed, he wanted to do something special for her. The most obvious answer was to get her a piece of jewelry, and he wanted it to be a diamond ring for her to wear before getting a wedding band at the wedding. He wanted to do that, but didn't have a ring that was perfect for his bride in the castle; all he had were gaudy pieces that royalty wore to show off their wealth.
He would have to go into a village or town to get what he wanted, but that was easy. Next thing that popped up was the Phillipee would have to go back with Maurice to help him carry his inventions, so she wouldn't have a horse. He could get her a horse, a beautiful mare. And one for him and a few for guests and to help carry loads; yes horses would be good.
But then another idea came to him, when he moved a bit and stirred Belle. She clutched him closer to her and murmured, "Beast," before falling asleep again. He had never told her his given name. Well that was something he could tell her when she woke up.
He didn't notice the clouds that had gone from funny shaped white and sparse to dark almost black and covering the entire sky. He did, however, notice Cogsworth coming towards him. The stressed out man pointed up and Beast looked up and noticed the clouds. He carefully shifted Belle into his arms as he stood up and the other man grabbed the basket and blanket and the three of them rushed into the house. Cogsworth took the blanket and basket and Beast took Belle.
He carried her up the stairs and into the south wing that was home to the library and the ballroom. He took her to one of the couches and let her head rest in his lap on a pillow while he put his feet on an ottoman and relaxed. Belle started to stir twenty minutes later and was slightly confused to find herself asleep on Beast's lap in the Library when she had fallen asleep on his chest outside in the gardens.
"Now I don't want to spoil your good mood, but can you tell me about the curse?" She asked looking up at him from her place on his lap. She watched as his eyes darkened and felt the muscles in his thighs clench but soon he relaxed his muscles, even if the tension didn't leave his eyes.
"An older beggar woman came to the castle when I was 11. My mother had passed away giving birth to me so it was just me, dad and my older brother. My father had told me to net let anyone into the castle. So one night a day or two after they left to hunt the wolves and get meat for the rest of winter, she came to the castle. At this point a village was just under the cliff, about a half day's ride from your village. I denied her entrance to the castle as my dad had ordered and offered to give her the gold coins needed to pay for a room for a night plus three meals.
"She refused and then offered me a rose in return. I told her I was under orders to not let anyone into the castle. I refused her again, but I didn't tell her who gave me the orders, and she transformed into a beautiful woman and cursed me.
"About a month later, after a messenger brought news of my father and brother's deaths due to a winter chill while hunting, another enchantress. She was the daughter of the first one. She heard what happened and came to get my side of the story.
"After I told her what happened, she grew mad at her mother. She apologized that she couldn't get rid of the curse on me, but could lift the curse on my servants. She did so and they all talked and half of them left to find new work, and those that remained plead to the enchantress to do something to break the curse. She decided that those who remained would be turned into something having to do with their jobs then took the rose her mother had offered me and enchanted it. She told me it would bloom until my 21st year, than it would slowly start to wither, about another year before the last petal fell. Then she laid another enchantment on me and the castle. When the New Year dawned the other inhabitants of the castle would transform and the conditions of finding love and earning their love was placed.
"The last few weeks of that year were filled with my staff saying good bye. I sent my horses with them, I sent most of the dogs with them took but one stayed and wouldn't leave." He said and laughed at that very dog, which had followed them and curled on the floor in front of the fire.
"Does said dog have a name?" She teased. She actually hoped to be able to earn his name from this.
"We called Kip as a puppy and the name stuck, so he's Kip." He answered and the dog's tail thumped the ground.
"And what about you? Your given name could hardly be Beast…"
Beast almost hit himself; he had never told her his name. Well he could rectify that almost immediately.
"No, you would be correct. My given name is Adam." He told her, voice tinged with a couple emotions about not telling her his own name.
"Adam," she tried the name, it fit him, and it really did. "Your name suits you." She told him. He laughed and she sat up, maneuvering to sit close to him and rest her head on his shoulder.
"Thank you. Though my name pales in comparison to yours." He told her before kissing her temple. She smiled before turning her head and meeting his lips with hers. Both seemed to realize that this was really the first kiss they had shared since the night of the transformation. Both silently promised themselves to not let them go even a day without a small kiss.
They were still in front of the fireplace exchanging small, lazy kisses when Lumiere came to tell them dinner was served, smirking at what he found. Adam was glad it was Lumiere who found them and not anyone else. The Ladies Man would not fault him or scold him for the type of kisses he had been sharing with Belle, his bride to be. Belle, who was blushing, was also glad for the person, knowing the Cogsworth would have a conniption and Mrs. Potts would merely state that they should wait for the wedding, and Chip would just ask what they were doing.
So Adam escorted the still slightly pink Belle to the dining room for dinner. She lost her blush by the time they entered the dining room and he watched as she slowly relaxed over dinner. When they had finished eating he escorted her to her room and kissed her goodnight, telling her that he had to go into the village the next day. She then kissed him again before falling through the door into her room.
By the time she woke up the next morning, Adam and Chip had already headed into the village. Mrs. Potts and Maurice, who was recovering from his illness at the castle, told her that he took Philippe with him and Chip. So she spent her time reading rather risqué books in the library to pass the time. She took her lunch before deciding to take a little stroll around the gardens.
She was just walking towards the garden path leading to the gates when she heard hooves. Thinking that Beast, no Adam, was back with Chip and whatever he needed from the village, she ran towards the gate and found Philippe and Chip. The horse was streaked with sweat and a stable hand was already on his way to take the tired horse, but what caught Belle's attention was the sheer fright in Chip's face. The little boy saw her and crawled off the back of the horse and ran to her. She lifted the little boy into her arms and began a brisk pace to the castle.
"Chip, talk to me." Belle encouraged him and all he said in return was.
"Wolves attacked us." By then they had reached the kitchen were Mrs. Potts was watching the other maids work. She looked up and immediately moved to take her son.
"Is he still out there?" Belle asked the little boy and he nodded. She didn't see him explain to his mom what was going on, she had returned to the stables and resaddled her horse. She nudged him to the gate and told him to lead her to Adam.
Philippe had had time for a few laps at his water and a few bites of his food and had been brushed down, getting rid of the sweat streak and was ready to head out again. He burst into a gallop and headed to where Adam had sent him and Chip to the castle.
HE slowed to a trot when he heard the sound of the wolves and Belle swopped down from the saddle and grabbed a thick branch. They rounded a corner and she watched in horror as the wolves rushed towards Adam, only to be kicked by one of three male horses as Adam tried to protect the mare and something in the saddle bags attached to her.
Belle spurred into action and ran down the wolves, banging some on the head with the piece of wood until they gave up and headed back deeper into the forest. She then dismounted and rushed to Adam, who was sporting a wound in his thigh from a wolf's bite. She helped him mount one of the new horses and tied the other three to lead reins attached to Philippe before grabbing Adam's horse's reins and holding it in one hand as she nudged Philippe in a silent command to return to the castle.
When they returned to the castle Mrs. Potts had a few of the stronger servants waiting and they helped Adam off the horse and carried him inside while stable hands took the horses into the stables and Belle followed the men with Mrs. Potts.
They had brought him to the parlor and laid him down on the floor in front of the fire where a pot of water was already starting to boil. Mrs. Potts and Babette brought in clean rags and Babette went to the pot and threw some of the rags in and Mrs. Potts started to pull Adam's pants off so she could repair the wound.
Belle went to his head and cradled it in her lap, he was unconscious. When the water started to boil it was removed from the fire and the women went to work, they cleaned the wound and Mrs. Potts stitched it up before using the rest of the rags to form a bandage. A final rag was dipped into cool water and given to Belle to wash his face.
Adam was out for the rest of the day and the strong men had fashioned a litter to carry him into his room, with Belle following to keep an eye on him. He woke up just as the sun set and saw her and relaxed. She came over and kissed him, telling him to never scare her like that every again. He promised he would try and asked about Chip.
Belle told him the boy was fine, if a little frightened. He relaxed and fell asleep again after getting her promise to not leave him. Belle had anticipated that and had her nightclothes and things brought up an hour earlier. She changed before climbing into his bed and curling into him and falling asleep herself.
Adam had a limp for three months as he oversaw the repairs to the castle, hiring new staff to fill out his staff and the training of them; he even hired the boys from Belle's village to hunt the wolves and sent them off. He also ordered the apple orchard to be brought back along with the other farmland on his estate. He hired the staff needed to farm and maintain the land and spent hours with Belle.
The day after the attack he had asked Lumiere to bring him the saddle bags on the horse from yesterday. Inside was the paperwork for the horses and he handed her the paperwork for the mare, telling her that the girl was hers because Maurice would take Philippe back with him. He also gave her the beautiful diamond ring for her wedding ring finger. She smiled at the simple diamond on a yellow gold band and had him slip it onto her finger.
She slept in his bed again that night, and every night after, though they hadn't gone further than sharing passionate kisses. Belle wanted to wait until he had healed more.
So three months after the attack, Adam was still walking with a limp, Belle still slept in his bed, in his arms, and she wore the ring on her finger as she and the female servants planned the wedding. He grew anxious for the next six months to pass so he could marry the beautiful woman who he could call his. Belle too wanted the months to hurry up so she could marry her man.
At month four since the attack, he had started walking without a walk and was able to pin Belle into the bed as they kissed at night, moving his lips from hers down her face to her neck to her laughter. Five months until the wedding.
A month later (five since the attack and four until the wedding) he was back to normal activity and he and Belle would ride through the orchard and to the fields of wheat and other agriculture. They would return to the castle for lunch then part with a kiss. Belle would go to her library or the stables to get to know the other horses. When in the library she would be reading up on the acts that consummated a marriage after it was consecrated. She wasn't all that nervous and was rather anticipating the acts and felt even more the desire for the next four months to pass.
She and Adam went to dinner before returning to what had become 'their' room. They would ready for bed and lay against the headboard with books and read for an hour or so, before turning their attention to each other. They had moved up the passion scale again and Belle would find herself on her back as she threw Adam's shirt to the side and run her hand over his muscular chest as they kissed. Something would always stop them from going farther and they would lay side by side and fall asleep.
Two months until the wedding and the nerves hit them both. Even though both were sure that they wanted to do this and that the other wouldn't suddenly run before reaching the altar, the event still caused some nerves to surface and they comforted each other. Their kisses became desperate and Adam's shirt wasn't the only item of clothing to be shed most nights. One night all of their clothes had been discarded as they joined no longer waiting for their wedding night. He broke her barrier and marked her as his both inside and on her neck.
He was gentle this first time, reading and being told that the first time always hurt for a woman and was determined to only bring her pleasure and not pain.
Two months later and it was the day of their wedding. Belle had been forced to return to her old quarters for the night and in the morning light they woke alone and vowed it would be for the last time.
That afternoon he found himself in his best clothes, the same style as those he wore to the little evening he had with Belle while he was still in Beast form. He was at the head of the alter with Lumiere beside him as Maurice escorted Belle, dressed in misleading white down the aisle to him and her future.
They exchanged generic priest given vows and she slid the diamond ring from her left hand to her right and let him slide the yellow gold band with an even smaller diamond onto her finger as she gave him a matching wide gold band. And they exchanged their first kiss as husband and wife.
Dinner was served and a few toasts were made to the happy couple before the musicians started playing and Adam escorted his lovely bride to the floor and they shared their first dance as husband and wife. The second song had the other couples in the audience joining them then they separated each dancing with other members of their new family and then Mrs. Potts took her away and changed her from her wedding dress into the dress she wore that fateful night he let her go.
When she returned to the ballroom he swept her up in his arms as he lead her back to the floor for the final dance of the night. As they spun across the floor she heard chip from his mother side ask.
"Are they gonna live happily ever after Momma?"
Her thoughts echoed the older woman's answer.
"They certainly are."
-Fin-