A/N: Sorry this took so long! I wasn't very happy with this chapter, but I've spent far too much time trying to make it better and I have to study for finals :P I'd also like to take the opportunity to thank my reviewers who have done a LOVELY job motivating me! :D I hope you keep enjoying the story as much I enjoy reading your reviews :) I promise a personal reply to the reviews which brought up some very interesting points :)

From this chapter onwards, everything is new (meaning I haven't written down a word yet :P), and that means that your lovely reviews might influence how the story rolls... Just sayin' ;)

Enjoy and... Happy Holidays! :D

A special tent had been set up for the royals, where inside there were tables laid out with delicious food and good wine. The men entered the tent, their loud excited voices breaking the silence and startling the two servants who had been waiting to start serving their masters. A musician sat in the corner and began to play the psaltery, a stringed instrument with a sound so sweet and tender that it filled the tent with a new-found brightness.

As soon as Hubert walked in, he went straight to the table and grabbed himself a juicy leg of roast chicken. He took a big bite like a famish child and groaned with pleasure as it began to fill his stomach. The men were still discussing the swordfight they had just attended, where the infamous William Marson had once again proved his reputation and increased his popularity among the rich and the poor.

Hubert licked his fingers before grabbing another piece of chicken. "I used to be excellent with the sword myself in my younger days," he told the other men as his eyes searched the table and his stomach growled at the sight of more delicious food. "I taught Phillip most of the tricks he knows! Why, I bet that if I could be a knight travelling around from tournament to tournament, I'd win them all!" he boasted.

Stefan laughed as a servant filled up his cup with wine. "It's a shame that all your talent went to waste," he remarked, a tinge of sarcasm in his voice.

"It is, I tell you!" Hubert cried, waving his chicken leg in the air. "I was the finest archer this kingdom had ever seen!"

Stefan shook his head with another laughed then turned to Adam. "King Adam, I have not yet heard you speak," he said jovially. "What did you think of the match?"

"I thought it was exciting!" Adam replied with enthusiasm. "I had never been to a tournament before. I think the instant we get back to Molyneaux I'm going to plan one myself!" He gave Stefan a pat on the back with a broad grin. "You're all invited!"

"Ha!" Hubert boomed cheerfully. "A toast to tournaments!" He raised his cup.

Stefan and Adam raised their cups in unison. "To tournaments!"

At this moment, Stefan looked around and noticed someone was missing. "Hubert, where is your son?"

"Phillip?" Hubert looked around then shrugged. "With him I never know! One minute he's right there beside you, the next he's running into the woods after some peasant girl… But come, let us drink and eat for him! King Adam, you must be starving! Come, come! Taste our delicious food!" he urged.

Phillip had indeed not entered the tent. After the kings went in, he turned to a servant and asked where the women had gone. The servant pointed to another tent not too far away, which had also been set up for the royal family for them to rest between matches. Phillip walked up to the tent, his heart racing. He felt particularly anxious knowing that Belle was there with Aurora, his mind racing at the prospect of what the two could be talking about. He wondered if he'd always feel this way whenever Aurora was not with him. Was he doomed to live in this fear that one day she'd find out about his betrayal? Would he ever be ready to confront the truth?

He stopped at the entrance to the tent and closed his eyes with a silent sigh. He breathed in slowly and tried to erase his thoughts from his mind. However, just as he was about to enter, Belle stepped out from the tent, almost bumping into him.

"Phillip!" Belle glanced at his face then quickly looked away. "What are you doing here?"

Phillip lifted his head to peek into the tent, but Belle quickly closed the curtain. Realizing she had done it on purpose, he looked down at her in confusion. "I wish to speak to my wife." He spoke slowly and clearly, as if he wanted to make sure that every word sunk into Belle's heart.

Belle shook her head sadly. "I'm… afraid she's not feeling well." She glanced backwards before taking Phillip by the arm and slowly pulling him away from the tent. She spoke softly, making a huge effort to sound polite and diplomatic. "Perhaps you should return later."

Phillip was not pleased when Belle pulled him away. There was even something about her suggestion that made his heart jump with suspicion and fear. He grabbed Belle by the arm, but as soon as their skins touched, he hesitantly pulled away and looked around to make sure no one was near. He looked back at Belle and leaned in closer. "What have you told her?" he hissed through his teeth.

Belle folded her arms, mentally creating a barrier between her and Phillip. "Nothing!" she hissed back. His insinuation had made her nervous, but she refused to show fragility and glared back at him. "I told her nothing."

Phillip was clearly not convinced, but he stood back and let his head drop back with a sigh. He looked up at the sky then closed his eyes. "Why is she not feeling well?"

Belle tucked her hair behind her ear, slightly dropping her defensive facade. "It could be something she ate. I'm on my way now to get her some water and hopefully a piece of fruit. She's on an empty stomach. It is better she eats something, or else she will not be fit enough to attend the rest of the tournament."

Phillip eyed Belle suspiciously. "She and I ate the same food for breakfast, yet I am well," he pointed out.

Belle shrugged with a small sigh. "It could be anything. Perhaps even the weather or the pressure of public appearances," she suggested, sympathizing with the last part. "But please," she insisted. "She should get some rest now if you wish for her to attend the joust later."

Phillip stepped aside, giving Belle space to make her way to the other tent. He expected her to leave at first instance, thus leaving the pathway free for him to enter the tent where Aurora was. However, Belle was able to decipher his intentions and stood idle in her place, looking at the prince pointedly. "Prince Phillip, please…"

The prince eyed Belle for a moment then bowed his head, but there was something heavy and resentful in his actions. "Your majesty… I do not wish to disrespect you, but it is a matter of urgency that I speak to her highness, the Princess Aurora." He looked up at the tent, imagining Aurora sitting inside. "Please," he added quietly.

Belle sighed. "Phillip, I promise you, I did not speak a word of last night… and God knows it is not my intention to tell her." She paused. "Have you…?"

"No!" Phillip immediately cut in, already anticipating Belle's question. "Of course not! King Adam cannot know. Aurora cannot know. No one must know!" he insisted, his voice gradually becoming louder. "No one," he repeated. "No one! And by God you must swear to me that you will not tell her."

"Who?" spoke a soft voice.

Phillip looked up and saw the curtain open, revealing Aurora standing at the entrance. He shot one last glance at Belle before walking around her towards Aurora. Once he stood in front of the princess, he gently tucked her hair behind her ear and scanned her up and down. "I heard you were ill. Shall I summon a physician?"

Aurora shook her head. "No, I am feeling better." She glanced at Belle and frowned. "But you both look so upset… Is everything all right?"

Phillip held Aurora's hands tightly, which caused the princess to quickly turn away from Belle and look at him again. "Yes… yes it is," the prince said reassuringly, though there was a bit of hesitance in his voice. He tenderly kissed Aurora on the forehead. "You need not worry. Now come, you must be hungry. Let us go to the tent - the cook has prepared marvelous food for us!"

Instead of following Phillip, Aurora took a step backwards. "I… I have no appetite," she admitted. "I'd rather stay here and rest. But please, do not hold yourself back for me... Go eat," she said encouragingly. "I will meet you later."

Phillip glanced back at Belle before turning to Aurora again and taking her hand. "I'd rather stay here with you. I will not leave your side until you are well."

Aurora exchanged a glance with Belle. The two women remained in silence, though to Phillip it felt like they were screaming in his ears. He walked into the tent and found Queen Leah sitting on the sofa, accompanied by the ladies in waiting. Leah rose to her feet the instant she noticed Phillip walk in, a little surprised to see him there.

"Queen Leah," Phillip greeted her, bowing his head.

She returned his greet with a small curtsey. "Your highness."

Phillip looked around the tent before continuing. "I insist you go have lunch. You need not worry about Aurora… I will stay here with her and make sure that she recovers well and fast."

Aurora stood behind Phillip and nodded at her mother in reassurance. Queen Leah hesitantly started walking towards the entrance, never taking her eyes off Aurora and Phillip. Once she was at the exit, she heard Phillip's voice and stopped in her steps.

"Her majesty, Queen Belle, has not yet eaten. In case she is still outside, which I fear she still may be, I ask that you make sure she goes with you to our tent and enjoys the feast."

Leah nodded to say that she would do so then finally abandoned the tent, her ladies-in-waiting following her closely. Inside the tent remained Aurora's ladies, to whom Phillip simply lifted a hand and silently dismissed. The ladies curtsied then quickly left the tent, finally leaving the prince and princess alone. Phillip waited for a few seconds then walked up to the exit himself and discreetly opened the curtain to peek outside and make sure that everyone had left. When he turned around again, Aurora had already curled up against the sofa, her head resting on a pillow. He sighed as he ran his fingers through his hair, tormented by the fact that there was now an invisible barrier between him and Aurora… a barrier which he felt he had created himself.

Phillip took off his cape and threw it onto a chair. He slowly took two steps towards Aurora and found that she did not react to his approach. Finally, he found the courage to sit down beside her, though he stopped himself from holding her hand. He opened his mouth to speak, but no words came out.

Thankfully, Aurora was the first to speak. "You are not your usual self today. Are you not enjoying yourself? You've been looking forward to this tournament for weeks!"

Phillip looked at Aurora and tried to offer her a small smile. "I am. I just…" He let out a long sigh. "I don't know."

Aurora frowned. Instead of replying, she looked down and began playing with her wedding ring. Phillip's question still lingered on her mind. "Do you regret marrying me?" What a silly question it had been. Why would Aurora have such regrets? She slipped her ring off her finger and held it in front of her face for a few seconds before slowly and reluctantly slipping it back on.

Phillip watched her play with her ring, smiling with relief when she put it back on. Without her expecting it, he lifted her hand and kissed it before pressing it against his chin. "Aurora," he began. "There is… something I must tell you."

Aurora looked up at him, as if he had read her exact thoughts.

Phillip let go of her hand and leaned forward, resting his elbows on his knees. He ran his thumb over his lips. The tent became so silent that they could hear the sound of the psaltery coming from the other tent. At last Phillip sighed and sat back, leaning his head against the sofa. "Do you know why I fell in love with you?"

His question was the last one Aurora had been expecting, and it made her widen her eyes in surprise. She rubbed her upper chest with her hand and looked away from him as she tried to think of the answer. "You've told me before," she began. "You were riding in the woods when you heard me sing. Samson led you to me, and that's how we met. We were supposed to meet at the cottage in the glen that evening, had it not been for…" Aurora stopped herself. Talking about her past still distressed her and now, of all times, she wished not to distress herself. "Well, you know the rest."

"Aye, but my question was not how we met, but rather why I fell in love with you," Phillip reminded her. He turned himself and faced her, then held both of Aurora's hands in his. "You have never cared for my past, but I tell you now that there have been other women. Of course I was never allowed to be romantically involved with them because everyone knew that I was betrothed to the princess of Kingdom of the Dawn... but I was never one to follow rules," he said with a small smile.

Aurora managed a faint smile. She had never asked many questions about Phillip's past love life because she always felt it was none of her business (and also because it caused her discomfort to imagine him with another woman). But seeing him open up with her now urged her to push it a little further. "Were there many?" she asked him. "Women, I mean."

Phillip smiled, as if expecting the question. "Two… three, perhaps. All noblewomen, of course. They were never different from each other. They were beautiful, no doubt, and had rich fathers which made me wonder why they were so interested in a prince like me. Hunger for power, I assumed, for power was the only thing I could offer them that they didn't already have. But you…" Phillip's lips curled into a smile as he tilted his head and gazed at Aurora lovingly. "You tried to run away the instant you saw me."

Aurora smiled softly, recalling the day as if it were yesterday. "And you were persistent, for you never let me go."

Phillip chuckled. "Aye, it is true… You accused me of being a stranger."

"But you were a stranger!" Aurora retorted with a small laugh. "For all I know you could have tried to harm me!"

"I could have…" Phillip trailed off playfully, "but instead we danced. Do you remember how we danced?"

Aurora smiled dreamingly. "Oh, yes. You took me in your arms and waltzed with me by the stream until our feet got sore."

Phillip nodded. "Aye… and it's a good thing I took those waltzing lessons, for you were dancing barefoot and I was afraid I would hurt you. But then you told me you were tired and I led you to the tree, where we rested and gazed upon your father's castle. Do you remember what you did then?"

Aurora narrowed her eyes in thought then smiled. "Indeed. I rested my head on your shoulder… like this." She drew herself closer to Phillip and leaned her head against his shoulder just like she had done that day in the woods.

Phillip wrapped his arms around Aurora and embraced her protectively. He dug his face in her hair and inhaled the sweet smell of her perfume. Then he kissed her forehead and pressed his cheek against her head. "And that, my sweet darling," he whispered, "was when I realized that I was deeply in love with you."

Aurora smiled under his touch, taking pleasure in the sense of comfort which she had not felt in a long time. She wrapped her arms around his waist and mentally thanked God for blessing her with such love. "And you returned to the woods that evening," she recalled. "You went to the cottage in the glen just like I had told you to."

Phillip nodded. "And I was going to ask for your hand in marriage."

Aurora pulled back. Hubert had told her this story many times before, but she was still surprised whenever she heard it from Phillip himself. "Would you really have married me, knowing that I was nothing but a peasant? You did not know me – not even my name."

Phillip smiled. "Why, I think I knew far more about you than you think. For one, I knew you were a gifted singer," he began. "Secondly, I knew you had to be the most beautiful maiden I had ever met. Thirdly, although you were raised a peasant, you danced better than the angels themselves. Fourthly… you danced with me, embraced me, lay your head on my shoulder… but not once did you think of telling me your name. More importantly, you never bothered to ask me mine."

Aurora thought back on this. Indeed it was true… Not once had it occurred to her to ask for his name, for it seemed irrelevant amidst his kindness and gentleness. "Something about you seemed so familiar," she told him. "Every moment I spent with you felt so natural and safe. It was as if I knew you, and you knew me, and there were no barriers between us."

Phillip nodded. "I fell in love with you when I did not know your name nor heritage. I fell in love with you because you were you, and because I felt you loved me for who I was, and not for who you wanted me to be." He leaned forward and brushed the stray hair off her face. "God, how it kills me to think that I could one day disappoint you," he whispered.

Aurora tilted her head inquisitively for a few seconds, before her confused frown turned into a small smile. "Oh, Phillip," she said with a sigh. "I could not stop loving you even if I wanted to." Without another word, she pulled him closer and softly pressed her lips against his. At first Phillip lingered a bit, as if hesitant and unsure. Then he softly placed his hand around her neck and returned the kiss. Seconds later she pulled back from the kiss and embraced him.

Phillip returned the embrace without a word, his eyes closed tightly as he fought back the urge to tell Aurora the whole truth. Being in her arms and hearing her comforting words made him realize that by confessing his betrayal, he would hurt Aurora more than he could imagine. Was he really willing to sacrifice her love just so that he could relieve his conscious?

Oh, his poor, sweet Aurora. How could he have done such a thing? How could he have desired a woman he did not love? What cruel devil had possessed his soul and ordered him to commit a crime he never agreed to?

Phillip bit his tongue as he felt his burden sink harder into his heart. He continued to embrace Aurora, silently promising her that one day he would redeem himself. One day he would once again prove to be worthy of her love.

Even if that meant slaying another dragon.

When Belle entered the royal tent, she found that Adam was not inside. Stefan and Hubert were laughing at each other's jokes as a solitary musician sat in the corner gracefully playing his psaltery. Although Belle was hungry, she was curious (and a little nervous) as to where Adam had gone, and therefore decided to turn back and look for him.

She found him minutes later, standing at the top of a hill, gazing down at the fields before him where at a distance peasants laughed and danced, and some already made their way to the lists where the joust would take place. He had a small smile on his face and his arms were folded against his chest.

Belle lifted her dress and started to climb the hill, finding that it was a lot steeper than she had initially calculated. She managed to draw Adam's attention, who immediately reached out his hand and pulled her towards him. "I thought you were with Aurora," he told her.

"I was," Belle replied with a smile, pulling back her hair which had gone slightly out of place after the climb. "But Phillip wished to speak to her. I saw it as my cue to leave."

Adam looked at Belle for a moment before turning his attention to the lists again. "I would like to organize a tournament when we arrive home," he announced. "We can invite knights from all over the region! The tournament will last for more than three days, so that people will have time to party and to participate in many games… I'll make sure that it will be an event that people will never forget!"

Belle smiled at his enthusiasm. "And how do you intend do that? We've never organized such an event!"

Adam shrugged. "Cogsworth and Lumière will know what to do," he said promptly. "I'll just tell them what I want and they'll handle all the details!" He looked at Belle. "What do you think?"

"I think it's a wonderful idea! I've seen books at our library about tournaments, so hopefully we can read them together and gather some ideas!" She paused and held her hands together, then followed Adam's gaze into the horizon. "Of course, it will give your relatives a pretext to visit us…"

Adam closed his eyes and sighed. "Why do you still care about them after the way they treated you? After the way they treated me? They should respect us, yet they do nothing but tell lies about us and build conspiracies against us behind our backs."

"Well, you disappeared for ten years," Belle reminded him, "and returned shortly after your father's death and took over the throne as his eldest son."

"His only son," Adam corrected. "I did nothing illegal, yet they treat me as if I were… as if I'm…" He clenched his fists tightly, bottling up his frustration and unable to finish his own sentence.

Belle looked up at him and frowned. "A beast?"

Adam released his tension with a sigh, glad that Belle was able to complete his sentence. However, hearing that cursed word again almost made him shiver. "They believed in my father when he told them I had a contagious disease," he recalled bitterly. "Not once did they send word to see how I was!"

"Is that not what you wanted? To live in isolation until the curse was lifted?" Belle asked him. "Why does it bother you this much?"

"Because I was his only son!" Adam blurted, releasing a little bit more tension, now through the roughness in his voice. "And he left me to die in that castle! He was so ashamed of my monstrous form that he preferred to tell everyone that I was dead instead of helping me lift the curse!"

Belle shook her head, looking at Adam with a painful expression. "Oh, Adam… you blame your father because you are too coward to blame yourself. You expelled your own father from the castle, the same way you expelled mine…"

"That was different," Adam retorted brusquely, always getting a little worked up when Belle mentioned that episode. "I thought your father had come to threaten me."

Belle managed a small chuckle. "My father? Threaten you?" She shook her head. "You were the beast, not him."

"How could I forget," Adam replied bitterly, "for it seems that you are intent on constantly reminding me of my torturous past."

For the first time, Belle gently held his hand. "You shouldn't be afraid to remember it. If anything, you should be proud of it, for it has turned you into the wonderful man you are today."

Adam looked at Belle. "Yet… you're mad at me, for not wanting to tell anyone else about it," he said gravely.

"Mad?" Belle shook her head. "No…" Her tender expression turned into a sad frown. Memories from the night before flashed inside her head, causing her hand to slip out of Adam's as she turned around and embraced herself. "I am not mad at you," she said softly. "I… I believe I've come to understand you."

Adam did not turn around this time, and therefore Belle had no way of seeing the small smile on his lips. "That relieves me," he confessed. "I'm glad you understand that to learn from my mistakes there is no need for the world to know about them."

Belle rubbed her arm. "Yes… and regret is something that often does not need to be shared."

For a few seconds there was nothing but silence between them. There was not even a whirl of wind to break the silence, and the sound of peasants laughing was too far away to let itself be heard. Adam walked up to Belle and embraced her from behind. "There is, however," he whispered in her ear, "one thing I do not regret, and one thing I have no shame in sharing with the world"

Belle held his arm with her hands and turned her head slightly. "What is that?" she whispered back.

Adam softly kissed Belle's temple then rest his chin on her shoulder. "You."

Belle allowed herself to smile, even though she felt too ill from guilt to accept his words openly. "Have you never doubted our marriage, or felt attracted towards another?" she asked quietly.

Adam was remarkably surprised by her questions. He pulled back slightly and looked at her in thought. "I have never doubted our marriage itself, but rather if I pushed you into it too soon. I have never felt attracted to another woman… and, to be fair, no woman has ever felt attracted to me either! But it makes no difference to me now… I would never look at another woman."

"I find that hard to believe… What of Aurora? You mean to tell me that you have never noticed her?"

Adam blushed at Belle's remark. Indeed he had noticed Aurora's beauty and sometimes found himself staring at her for too long. Whenever he found himself alone with her, he grew nervous and quickly found an excuse to leave her presence. But he had never attributed such actions to attractiveness, but rather the common knowledge of his uneasiness around beautiful woman. After registering Belle's question, he realized he was unable to answer it accordingly and therefore found a way to quickly turn it around.

"She is, but I know better than to sit and stare at the wife of my newest ally. In fact, we should be celebrating our victory!" he pointed out, a slight cheerfulness in his voice again. "We have just formed an alliance which will bring our people more safety! When the other kingdoms learn that the sword of Kingdom of the Dawn has sworn to protect Molyneaux, our enemies will think twice before attacking us. In return we need only to grant full access to our rivers to Phillip's troupes, if they ever come to need it."

Belle turned around and smiled. "You've accomplished this alliance on your own, and for that reason I am proud. Many months ago you feared your crown would not fit you… and now you're negotiating with kings, for the sake of your kingdom."

Adam blushed again, this time because of Belle's compliment. "Yes, but… I couldn't have done it without you," he admitted. "You taught me how to be wise and… oh, what was that word?" His nose crunched up just like it always did when he found himself battling with his vocabulary.

Belle smiled faintly and tucked a stray hair behind her ear. "Cunning."

"Yes, cunning!" Adam beamed. He held Belle's hand in his and rubbed it with his thumb. Looking down, he added, "I know I have not been the best of husbands, but neither of us is perfect. We've made our mistakes in the past and I think we'll make many more in the future… but what's important is that we never lose track of who we are and what we want for each other."

Belle sighed quietly then closed her eyes and embraced Adam. "Spoken like a true king."

Adam smiled as he wrapped his arms around Belle. He looked down at her and raised his eyebrow quizzically. "You really think so?" He looked away. "Wow, it almost feels like I'm turning into a wise man."

Belle pulled back, stifling a giggle. "And that frightens you, does it?"

"A little, I suppose. It means I'm getting old, doesn't it?"

Belle turned around and leaned her back against Adam. "Wisdom comes with experience, not age," she told him softly.

Adam looked up at the skies. "I like that."

Belle simply closed her eyes and let herself go. For the first time since the incident in the stables, she allowed herself to breathe in and exhale without feeling a lump in her throat. What had happened that morning, as well as last night, would forever linger on her conscious. Yet, despite all her actions, she was now certain that she had chosen then man she wanted to spend the rest of her life with. Her burden would be hers alone, for she knew that telling him the truth would only bring pain and harm to a relationship which was still blossoming like a flower in Spring.

If only – oh, if only – she could find a way to turn back time and go back to the way things were when she first met Prince Phillip. If only she was given a chance to speak to him in private again and settle things for once and for all. If only there was a way she could erase her mistake, dissolve her burden, and be able to look Aurora in the eyes without seeing the betrayal of her husband. If only she could lay beside her own husband without reminding herself that she had so wrongly kissed his greatest ally.