Disclaimer: I don't own Beauty and the Beast, but I do own my OC's
Chapter 6
Belle woke up in the middle of the night. She was now walking around the castle, looking for a specific room. Belle finally found the room she was looking for. No, it wasn't the library, or the kitchens, or the art room. The room she was looking for was not a room, but the grand hallway. That hallway had something important to Belle and Adam. Belle walked through the hallway all the way to a large painting.
Belle looked at the painting with watery eyes. The painting was a family portrait. In the painting, Adam had one arm around Belle, the other behind little Emilie's head. His hair was tied back into a messy ponytail. His face was smiling a wide smile. He was wearing his gold ballroom outfit, the same one he wore when he first danced with Belle as a beast, the one when he danced with Belle for the first time as a human, and the one that he wore for their first Christmas together as humans. Emilie was wearing a fuchsia-colored dress with three ruffles at the end and sleeves that became a flower-like shape when it reached her wrists. There was a ribbon around her little waist that was a lilac color and had a matching collar around her neck. In her hair she had a big bow that was the same fuchsia color as her dress. She had a very happy face, even for 1-month old.
Belle was wearing the same golden dress she wore when she dance with Adam for the very first time and when they danced together when Adam was a human again. She was holding Emilie. Her hair was up in a bun, with the same lock that always falls out of place in her face. She was smiling brightly, happy that she had a loving husband and lovely little girl. Now, though, Belle didn't have her lovely daughter. She was glad she had her husband, but she wished she could have her daughter back.
Belle heard heavy footsteps coming, she knew it was Adam, but she didn't look away from the painting. She felt a hand, or rather a paw, on her shoulder. Belle reached out and gently touched the painting, as if it would bring back Emilie. "I know. I miss her too, Belle." Adam told Belle. Belle continued to stare at the painting. Belle finally spoke. "I wish we could see her now." She looked at Adam before returning her gaze back to Emilie in the portrait.
"Me too, Belle. I wish we could see her now." Just like magic, the paintings surface started to ripple like water. Soon the painting was replaced by a place outside. A small figure laid on the grass. Belle and Adam were taken back. They looked at each other then back at the painting. "Is this…" Belle started. "Our daughter?" Belle asked the painting. The image quickly changed to a man nodding his head. The image went back to their daughter.
The image now showed their daughter's face. The moonlight helped see what she looked like. She was asleep. It looked like she has been crying hard. Emilie looked like a spitting image of her mom, except smaller and younger. She also looked slightly malnourished, but Adam and Belle couldn't tell. "She's beautiful." Adam remarked. Belle nodded. "Just like her mother." Adam added. Slowly the image of Emilie faded away. The painting started to ripple again before showing the painting of the royal family again. "It's just like the magic mirror, except it seems to have a mind of its own." Belle stated.
"Yes. Does that mean we can see Emilie whenever we want if we ask the painting?" Adam replied. The painting changed to the man nodding his head again. "Okay, so we can actually see her now. Just not in person." Belle added. "I'd rather be able to see her, just not in person. I think she'll scream or faint if she saw me." Said Adam.
"Or she'll think you look like a cuddly dog." Belle joked. Adam rolled his eyes. "Very funny, Belle." The two walked away together, arm in arm.
Soon morning came and Bella awoke with it. At first she was confused on why she was outside, but last night's events came flooding back to her. Bella started to cry as she got up. Emilie heard a horse running nearby. She went to the gate and saw a lady on a horse. Bella recognized the lady and smiled. The person slowed their horse. The lady got off her horse and smiled. She knelt down to Bella's height.
"There's my little Rosabella!" Aunt Allaire exclaimed. Rosabella was a nickname that Allaire had given Bella when she said that she loved roses so much."You're back! You're back!" Bella cried. Bella ran into Allaire's arms. She hugged her tightly. Aunt Allaire returned the hug. "Yes, I'm back! And I can now see some of your latest drawings!"
"I've made some really cool ones! Ones like me and Jinx on adventures!" Bella cried happily "Alright, let's go inside!" Allaire and Bella went inside. Bella lead Allaire to her bedroom and showed her numerous drawing, paintings, sketches, and a few miniature sculptures Bella made. Some artwork showed a character, some a place, and some showed people in a place. Allaire kept making remarks like" This is amazing" or "This is incredible!" or "You have a gift!"
Soon all of the new pieces of art that Bella made were shown to Allaire. "Bella, you have a real gift. You continue to draw and create art. And continue to create the sketches of those amazing inventions of yours. They could really help the world some day!" Allaire said as she got up. She patted Bella on the head before leaving. Bella smiled. She then organized some art into piles before slowly descending down the stairs. But before she reached the third-to last step, she heard her mother yelling.
"Oh no." Bella thought as she got on her hands and knees. She peaked through the railing to see her mother and aunt in the living room. Her mother was twitching a little and her aunt was shaking ever so slightly. "You shouldn't be encouraging her! She is a stupid little girl with stupid ideas!" Mother yelled at Auntie Allie. Allaire stood up straight and barked at mother "She is not stupid! And she has wonderful ideas! She should have a better family! One that loves her and her ideas!" Mother seemed to be taken back by Allaire's remark. But then she slapped Allaire hard enough to cause her to fall. "Allaire! Don't you dare talk like that ever again! If you do I will throw you out into the streets!" Mother almost screamed at Allaire. Allaire looked up at mother, her cheek turning red from the slap. She nodded her head.
"Good. Now go and cook some eggs for lunch." Mother then turned and headed for her room. Bella came down the stairs. Auntie Allie was already in the kitchen distracted trying to make lunch. "A-auntie Allie? Are you okay?" Bella made Allaire jump. Allaire turned to see Bella. "Goodness, Bella! You scared me to death!" Allaire put her hand over her chest. "I'm sorry, Aunt Allaire, but I wanted to know if you were okay."
Allaire looked slightly baffled. She looked quickly from left to right before returning her gaze back to Bella. "Why wouldn't I be okay, sweetie?" Bella looked at the red mark on Allaire's face. She pointed at it. "That's why." Bella said firmly. "Oh, sweetie, I just..just…" Allaire stuttered. "You got hit by mother when you spoke your mind." Bella answered. "Oh, sweetie. I didn't want you to see that." Allaire hugged Bella.
"Do you and mother hate each other?" Bella asked.
"Oh, Bella, we don't hate each other. Siblings fight. But we don't hate each other." Allaire explained. "Okay, Auntie Allaire. I love you." Bella then left the kitchen. She went to her room, grabbed her special sack, and left to climb some trees.
It's been a month since Bella has seen that moment with mother and Auntie Allaire. She was told not to worry about it. So Bella tried not to worry about it. She still worried about sometimes.
Bella was turning eight in a week. Her birthday was on September 27. Bella was excited about turning eight, but sad because she knew that if she threw a birthday party for herself nobody would come. She learned this last year when she turned six. She threw a party, had some games and decorations, but nobody came. She thought of a song for it, but she didn't wright it down. Bella remembered the song. She had to remember a lot of things.
Bella thought of another song she composed, based on what almost everybody in town calls her, "Crybaby". The two songs were played on the piano. Bella was able to play the piano because a kind gentleman named Robert allowed her to play his piano. He was going to teach Bella, but she declined. She said that she wanted to learn how to on her own. Bella became interested in the piano when she kept on hearing monsieur Robert play song on the piano in the church. Robert was glad that Bella was interested in learning the piano. He gladly allowed her to play the piano.
Bella was about to continue to paint when she heard her aunt Allaire scream. "Auntie Allie!" Bella cried as she ran to go to her aunt. She entered her aunt's room to find her on the floor. "Auntie Allaire!" Bella went to her aunt's side. Mother soon came. "What's going on in here?" She asked, looking at the scenery in front of her.
All Allaire did was look at her sister in pain. Her breathing was ragged, and her eyes had a slightly glassy look in them. "Mother, get the doctor!" Bella cried. "Fine, but I bet she is alright." Mother said as she left. "It'll be okay, Auntie Allie. Everything is going to be fine. You'll be alright, auntie." Bella told Allaire. She sounded like she was trying to convince herself instead of Allaire.
Allaire didn't hear a thing either of them said. She sort of spaced out and could only feel the pain in her chest.
Almost 20 minutes went by until Adelpha came back with the doctor. The doctor started to examine Allaire. Bella and Adelpha had to leave the room. When he was finished he told them that Allaire had an unknown disease and that he could tell by how many times her heart was beating that she was going to die soon. The doctor started to pack up and left without a word.
Bella cried. She went to her aunt Allaire and hugged her tightly. Allaire barely returned the hug. Adelpha came over and barely hugged them. She then turned and left the two of them. Allaire suddenly shook her head vigorously. Bella loosened her hold on Allaire. "Auntie Allaire, are you all right?"
Allaire looked around the room before landing her gaze on Bella. "Bella." She said. "Bella, help me into a chair." Bella helped Allaire getup and into the chair at the vanity. Her breathing was steadier, but still ragged. She looked at Bella with loving, caring, eyes. But there was a hint of sadness in them. "Bella." Allaire said again. "I want you… to know something before… it's too late." She took a hold of Bella's hands. "I want you to promise me… that you will be fearless and be kind throughout your life." Bella nodded. A single tear escaped her right eye.
"I want you to know that… you are not Adelpha's real daughter or my real niece. You are…you were an orphan. Adelpha adopted you because she wanted to have a beautiful daughter that would be like her. But when you started to show your own personality, she began to despise you for it. I loved how kind and fearless you were. You didn't…judge others based on how they look. You judged them based…on their personalities. I… love you now and forever, my little Rosabella." Allaire finished her sentence with her eyes closed.
Bella panicked, thinking that her aunt was dead, but when she saw her chest rise up and down, she relaxed. She kissed Auntie Allaire on the head, covered her with a blanket, and left the bedroom.
She went to the kitchen to sit down at the table. She rubbed her temples. It seemed so obvious, why she looked so different from Auntie Allaire and mother, why she had auburn hair with blue eyes, and why she seemed to act completely different from the two of them, mainly her mother. Bella was still trying to process the information she just received.
"I should just go to sleep now. It is almost 8 o'clock." Bella went up the stairs to her cramped bedroom. She changed into her night gown and climbed into bed. She tossed and turned, and numerous tears fell from her eyes, but she managed to fall asleep. She once again dreamed of the two figures holding her hands in a peaceful meadow.
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