Sorry it's taken so long! Ok, due to popular demand this chapter is out, and so will finish One Cannot Comprehend, The Reining Heir, and my Kingdom Keepers stories hopefully by tomorrow! I have tons of homework, and writing stories will be my breaks. And my birthday was two days ago, so I'm reading a Star Wars comic book I got for that. I am also going to write (maybe, I hope at least) Jane Porter and Tarzan's first story. I watched Tarzan three times in a row (it's one of my favorites) and that inspired me greatly to start their story. Until I finish OCC, TRH, and KK, it'll wait though. And, on the same yet different note, OCC (One Cannot Comprehend) was originally, I believe, written with Lumiere appearing to have a regular accent on text, but now I wrote him seemingly speaking with a French accent. I advise you to remember that 'er' in French is pronounced like the double e at the end of Renee. (ay)
Note that the historical facts are most undoubtedly wrong.
So anyway—
HERE WE GO!!
The twins were now a month old. Having Belle and James's daughter named Rose after the very thing that brought them together; and the prince and princess's son named after James's late younger brother, Rupert.
Rose and Rupert looked a good deal like their parents. Rupert was pale, though his body was scattered with freckles, and he had his father's bright blue eyes, with specks of darker and lighter bright blue. His hair was a light brown, just lighter than Belle's own hair color. Rose had chocolate brown eyes with bright blue and gold flecks, and she had a pale body with a small round mole just to the left of the right corner of her mouth. Her hair was dark red, so that it was almost brown.
One day, while it was Rose's feeding turn, Lumiere knocked on the door. James threw a blanket over Belle and Rose; Belle was rocking Rose in a handcrafted rocking chair, made by Belle's old librarian's son, Paul. Paul's wife, Ellie, was three months pregnant with their first child, whom they hoped would be a girl.
"Monsieur, zair is aye yong man at ze door, witz hes wife, Mademoiselle L'Ecuairee. Zay claim to be Belle's cousins. Zay are at se foyer, presently. Should I let zem com and see Belle?" Lumiere asked in his rich French accent. James looked confusedly at his wife.
"What is this Mademoiselle L'Ecuairee's husband's name?" asked James.
"Monsieur Illyich Rosier," said Belle clearly. James looked at her.
"You know of him?" asked Lumiere.
"He is my cousin," said Belle quietly, "and so I will see him. But he may not come in. I will go see him and tell the guards not to let him leave the foyer. I wrote L'Ecuairee a letter when I was five months pregnant with the twins, and shortly after James and my engagement. She is my cousin-in-law and was an old neighbor when I lived in England, before Papa and I moved to France. However, my true cousin, Illyich, was always very power-hungry. It was a mistake to write to my old friend, and I'm sure she knows that I am now Princess of France. Also, when I was nine, Illyich told everyone I was…was—w-was a—a…," Belle began; a tear fell down her cheek. Lumiere quietly excused himself with a signal from James.
"Belle, please, don't say anymore," James pleaded, hating to see her upset. It made him want to blast this Illyich and his wife to China.
"No, no. He…he said I was something along the lines of a 'young girl who didn't know anything,' and so he paid all of the boys to…to try and…and get me," Belle said sadly. She looked at her husband, whose mouth was open in shock.
"He did it until I was fourteen, and he was quite wealthy. Every birthday he would come for the party, and would pay them each one gold coin extra than last year, as well as the amount of coins he had paid them total. Until, of course, we moved to France; L'Ecuairee lived there previously. Papa never knew anything about Illyich, though L'Ecuairee did. She was my best friend, too—what could I not tell her? She liked that in a man, she said, and she married him one year later."
James was off the bed—where he had been sitting before Belle's story—and now by Belle's side. He was clutching her petite hand and watching her.
"Belle, why didn't you tell me this before? None of them actually did anything did they? I'd kill them all by myself! They're all sons of a—," James began, but Belle glared at him sternly, yet tenderly. She knew how hard it was for James to control his temper still, especially when she was upset with something or someone (which was rarely).
"No, none of them did anything! I wouldn't let them, of course. And…I was afraid, that you'd get mad at them when I first thought about telling you. You know how you sometimes are," she said, giggling. James kissed her on the cheek.
Handing James a now sleeping Rose, he took her carefully and kissed his daughter on her forehead. Belle was still quite sore, he knew—and especially tired.
"Lumiere? Could you please get Mrs. Potts and ask her—"
"No fear, dear, I am already here," Mrs. Potts said suddenly. She was slightly flushed. Coming hurriedly up the stairs, Belle saw a new look that she had never seen before in Mrs. Belladonna Potts—anger.
"Why, Mrs. Potts are you alright?" Belle asked kindly.
"That Monsieur Illyich! Have him blasted out of France forever!" Mrs. Potts muttered.
"Yes, mmhmm, I know the feeling," Belle replied angrily. Mrs. Potts was too flustered to notice.
"Please. Mrs. Potts, could you watch the twins? James and I need to have a word with Monster Illyuck," Belle said. James snickered.
"You're actually more attractive when you're angry," he noted out loud. Mrs. Potts chuckled, and entered the room in which Rose and Rupert were sleeping soundly.
Belle whacked her husband playfully on his abs, and he kissed her intimately.
"Eh hem. Master? Belle? Ze Monsieur Illyich Rosier is waiting for zyou; he zays eef 'e waits any longer he will personally come up her to zee ees cousen with Mademoiselle L'Ecuairee, and ze guards weel be be'eded," said Lumiere, mocking Illyich. Belle laughed, and took James's hand.
"I'll be holding your hand the entire time," James assured Belle. She squeezed his hand in reply, and he kissed her on the cheek as they walked.
Entering the foyer, Monsieur Illyich Rosier and his wife, Mademoiselle L'Ecuairee stood; while Illyich was boasting to Cogsworth about 'back home' and how he was wealthy and—to sum it up—blowing his own horn, his wife stood awkwardly, watching her husband puff his chest into the air and hold his chin high. Belle noticed, as her old friend came into view, that she held her hands protectively over her stomach.
"Eh-hem, I announce, their Royal Highnesses, Prince James Anthony Lucas Blake Hoodler, and Princess Belle Emmalyne Woods Hoodler, Heirs to the Throne of France," announced the Royal Announcer, Germaine.
"Thank you," Belle said. It was out of habit, for she knew she wasn't really supposed to thank the servants.
"Belle!" cried L'Ecuairee, throwing her arms out. Suddenly she remembered her place, and stepped backwards.
"Ree," Belle greeted. She rushed towards her old friend, hugging her tightly. She had done her no harm. Gingerly, Belle moved around her cousin, hoping not to touch him; in England, he had been quite the 'player'.
"How is my favorite cousin?" Illyich asked, smiling wickedly. James rushed to Belle's side.
"What do you want, Monsieur?" Belle asked icily. Illyich opened his arms and walked swiftly towards Belle. James stepped angrily in front of Belle.
Illyich had been walking so fast, he ran into James.
"Excuse me, but who are you?" demanded Illyich. "Some pompous, dim pretty-boy who married my cousin because of her beauty, are you? Well tell me, Prince James, what is it that you know about her?" Illyich asked, as though he suddenly knew everything about Belle.
"She is the woman that I love, the one that changed me forevermore. Her favorite color is crystal blue, though it changes back and forth from crystal blue to dark bright blue; her favorite outfit in her wardrobe is a green day dress that she wears quite often. Her favorite book is Treasure Island and she was born in November, on the twenty-second. Her mother's name was Anna, her father's was Maurice; she lived in England until fourteen, when her mother died."
"So you know some things. What is her dress size?" asked Illyich, smiling venomously.
James smacked Illyich across his jaw, then when Illyich was on the floor from the impact James kicked him in the groin.
"HOW IS THAT FOR A DRESS SIZE?" James roared. Belle grabbed her husband's arm.
"Please, James, control your temper. We have to know what he's here for before you kill him. It may be important," said Belle quickly, a smile nearly escaping her lips at the words 'before you kill him'. Cogsworth and another servant, Gregory, were attempting to help Illyich up from his state on the ground. Mademoiselle L'Ecuairee watched, seeming bored.
"Fine," James said, his voice cracking.
"You never answered my question, Monsieur Rosier. What is it that you want from us?" asked Belle.
"Not from both of you. From you alone," Illyich said, pointing evilly at Belle. She blinked and took James's hand.
"What do you want from me?" asked Belle, her voice high-pitched.
"You can't do anything to her," James spat.
"We'll see about that. You are royalty, now, Belle."
"And? If James hadn't been a prince anyways, I'd be royalty. He treats me well, and I think with that warning you'd better leave," Belle said, venom icing her words.
"I…I need money," Illyich admitted quietly. Belle sent away Cogsworth, Lumiere, Gregory, and Germaine. The seven guards remained, as always.
"This is what you came for? Money?!" L'Ecuairee suddenly cried out. Belle stared in shock, as did James—though the latter still maintained his angry mouth.
"B-B-But, I—," Illyich began. It was made obvious that Illyich respected and was afraid of his wife in some sense.
"I'm bearing your child, and you ask for money? I am so sorry Belle. That is not what we came for. We…we sort of did. It was my idea. I…Illyich lost his wealth when he became disowned. All the rest of our relatives have shunned us. You are the only one left, Belle," said L'Ecuairee. Belle smiled.
"James?" she said. "Excuse us. We'll just be a moment. Guards? Please escort these humble visitors to the dining room? We shall discuss this over dinner. The common one, please," said Belle. "Oh—we'll be there shortly," she added.
Leading her husband to the library, which was south of the common dining room, Belle consulted James in hushed tones.
"Belle we shouldn't trust them. Not if she loves that creature," James said sourly.
"Oh, James. Let's provide them with a small cottage, and the baby's needs. They can afford otherwise. And perhaps a job for Illyich?" Belle said.
"No. He hurt you in the past," James said angrily. "It's done."
"No, not done."
"We have to raise our own children, Belle. I'm not about to help raise a third child." Belle realized she had hit a tender spot in James's heart.
"I'm sorry, James," Belle apologized sincerely. James kissed her intimately, as if replying, 'That's alright, and you have blessed me with two of the three most wonderful joys of my life, and have forever saved me. You are my other half, for I have given half of my heart to you, so how could I be angry with you, an angel from heaven?'
Hand in hand, the two walked towards the common dining room. Giving her friend and monster of a cousin a suitable cottage for a family of four, and a job for Illyich as a baker, Belle and James quickly returned to their children.
Belle, removing half of the top of her pink dress to feed Rupert, shuddered at the thought of poor L'Ecuairee. She would have to do this for Illyich's child soon.
But then again, L'Ecuairee loved Illyich. Or so she claimed.
James was holding Rose.
"No more contact," he said. Belle nodded.
"I promise," she said. It hurt her to know James would never soften completely to the idea of family, even if he now had his own. Yes of course, he loved his children. Yes of course, he loved his wife. Like most fathers and husband do; James probably loved them more. But Belle knew it would take time for James to adjust to the idea of soon, when the twins reached about ten months old, have to have their own room. Which would mean decorating and furnishing the room. And later, spending time with his children. There was so much about James's past that she found hard to believe; but then again, her own past was hard to believe for James. Perhaps that was why they belonged to each other. Not only did they both have people taunt them growing up, their pasts were hidden internally—a blanket of readjustment to life overshadowing the pasts of James and Belle Hoodler.