CHAPTER 10
Revelations

Adam found some of his duties changed now that he was Percy's father.

Life as a parent wasn't easy, as he soon learned from every mention of "papa" seemingly getting his attention. It was different, being someone's "papa" but he was starting to understand that it was a good different. It gave him something he hadn't had in quite some time: a purpose. A purpose which equally felt oddly fulfilling, as his purpose was to teach Percy about the world, to help him grow, and moreover to see to it he one day became the wonderful man he hoped he would.

Since they'd already broached the subject of princehood, Madame De Grand Bouche had already begun work on Percy's princely wardrobe. After all, Adam's clothes were old, and growing in wear and tear. And as such, she had insisted that while they would wait for his formal attire for his "adoption ceremony" she had none the less gone out of her way to create some nice clothing for him.

Adam quietly observed what he wore today as an example. He wore a puffy white shirt, with long, black pants, and an sophisticated looking black jacket. It was something one might expect more from a prince, something that showed he was of high standing but still did not flaunt it around. A fact which was probably for the best, given if he ever were seen traveling the woods, no one would suspect something were amiss. To them, he may have been seen as a traveling, or lost noble.

But to Adam, it was really a sign that Percy was growing in the time that he had been there. He now had more meat upon his bones, he walked with far more confidence, and he looked happy, content even.

Of course, he was far from being extremely healthy - that would take time. But if this was anything to go by, he was quite glad that he had come to take the boy in permanently. As who knew what the boy would grow to be under his wing.

Most likely feeling his father's gaze, the boy looked up from his book as they traversed the grounds during their walk. "What is it papa?" he asked innocently. "Is everything alright?"

Adam merely placed a paw on his son's shoulder gently. As the smile moved over his muzzle, he simply nodded. "Merely observing how much you've already grown in your time here," he explained, his voice gentle. "Your growth seems to have improved. And you look much better with food in your belly."

He gave a small tickle of his stomach for emphasis, causing Percy to giggle. Another wonder he was slowly discovering: a child's laugh. It was infectious, of course, and oh so satisfying. "Well you have treated me far better than I was in the village," Percy explained, his voice growing distant. "They all seemed more concerned with what..."

He knew that Percy was hesitant on what to call Gaston now, and understandably so. Adam's face fell a little as he tried to think of a solution for a term to call the man without insulting him. After all, Gaston was in no way his "papa" anymore, and the mere thought of sharing the title with such an animal made him snarl quietly.

So with a bristle of his fur, he carefully turned to overlook the grounds from a window. His eyes turning to Percy with a look of gentleness. "More concerned with what Gaston's needs," he finished for the boy, saving him the trouble. "Your village certainly held that monster in such high regard. It makes me question the morals of its people."

Percy stopped in his tracks, and looked thoughtful. "He was the most revered hunter of the village. So I guess they had to. He brought in many meats for them," he explained, his voice quiet. "Some of them were starting to notice after maman died, though. Starting to speak up."

"And how did he take that?"

Percy frowned - of course, Gaston had not taken it very well. Not when people noticed his health further deteriorating without his mother there to help. Or the building up of the bruises on his body. "He hated it of course. Called it rumors and anyone who spoke ill of him stupid," Percy was silent as he rubbed his arm slowly. "Especially those who said that he killed maman."

There was a certain tone in the way that Percy spoke that last part. One which made Adam question the comment, was Percy at all certain that his mother had died from a sickness... Had this Gaston...? "Percival, do you think he...?"

"I... I don't know if he killed maman. But he moved on from her very quickly," Percy replied, his voice unsure. "I was there when she died though - she died in her bed. So he couldn't have, could he? I mean, she wasn't sick for very long but it had to be illness as he said..."

"Did you ever know what illness took her?"

As Percy shook his head, Adam's mind wandered. A sudden illness of unknown origin... Adam hated to think that Gaston had poisoned Belle, he wanted to think maybe it wasn't the case. And yet, this man seemed so savage. And he was no doubt aware that Belle never loved him, that her heart always belonged with that of another, with him...

Even the villagers had suspected it.

"Papa?" Adam turned to his son as he spoke up in confusion. "Do you think...?"

Adam hesitated to respond to the question, his lip quivering. There was little doubt in his mind that Gaston had probably, indeed, poisoned her until he was given reason to believe otherwise. But this was not a subject an eleven year old should be exposed to. Especially not until he had any proof that he had done so. No one wanted to believe that their father had purposely done away with their mother.

Again he laid a paw upon his shoulder gently, and chose his words carefully. "It is best not to speculate on such matters. Think nothing of it, Percival. Until one can prove it, it may just be that, rumors," he offered, leading him away from the window. "Your father may have been a cruel man, but to be a murderer..."

"Sometimes I wonder," Percy replied honestly. "It really felt like he was trying to kill me through starvation..."

Adam felt the hairs on his back stand up at the thought. And at just how disturbingly disgusting that seemed. Had that been why he'd been starving him all this time? Because Belle never loved him? Because that somehow made Percy, in his mind, the product of a union he'd come to realize he hadn't wanted? Perhaps, Gaston had wanted to wipe the slate clean after realizing just how unhappy a life he had.

The beast swore to himself that if he ever came to find this was the truth... Well, he would certainly make sure that the man was paid back in full.

The wind howled that night, as if reflecting the dark subject matter of the day.

Adam had decided to take his thoughts to the West Wing again until he had calmed down. But even after that, and a pleasant dinner with Percy, he found himself sitting up in his chair long after he had put the boy to bed. He watched the glow of the fire quietly, and allowed himself to think it over for what seemed like the millionth time...

Was this Gaston really this cruel? Was he a murderer? And moreover, had he also tried to kill his own child?

His thoughts were ended by the small sound of someone walking in. Though he was thankful to find, after a short silence, that it was not Percy. "Funny, these days I find myself moreso askin Prince Percival why he is up at such an hour," Cogsworth pointed out, though another footstep seemed to come up behind him. "I told you he was bothered by something, Lumiere."

There was a silence before Lumiere spoke. "Master, what is the matter?"

Adam leaned forward in his chair, turning his neck to look back at his two servants, and closest friends. He frowned, trying hard to think about how to even broach the subject. "It has come to my attention... That Belle's death, nor the state we found Percy in were an accident," you could cut the tension in the room with a knife. "Some things Percy said of her illness today pointed towards the possibility she was poisoned."

"Sacrebleu!" Lumiere was around to stand before his master within moments. "Do you believe that Percival was as well?"

Adam shook his head as he stood from his chair. "No, I believe that Gaston may not have been sure of what to do with him yet. So he was starving him as he decided," there was a deep growl in the beast's voice as he contemplated it. "Either way, Percival claims Belle became sick and died within a matter of days. And that Gaston was quick to move on..."

Cogsworth twitched his nose with anger. Clearly, all three of them could make the same conclusion, it was not hard to see it with the facts presented to them. "Does Percival... Understand that makes him appear quite guilty?" Adam's face showed him that it was unlikely. "Better to keep it that way. That is a dark sentiment, to know one's father killed his mother. Let alone that he may have been scheming to kill him as well."

Lumiere's anger was less restrained. "What I wouldn't give for your family to be in power again. To put a man of such cruelty on trial for treason," both looked at him rather confused. "Since Percival is now our young prince, I'm sure we could make an argument for it."

That certainly was the truth. Adam would have relished in putting the man on trial for everything he'd done to Percy. Sure, he may never be able to prove that Gaston had purposely tried to kill his son, or that he had killed Belle. But at the very least, he would love to see that man squirm for what he did to them both - no matter the reason.

Sadly, he doubted that he would ever get the chance.

The beast carefully made his way to the fireplace. Setting his hand upon the mantle, he tried his best to keep his own anger restrained. As hard as it had been when he had come to this conclusion earlier in the day. "Innocent or guilty, should he find us... If he truly is searching for Percy. He will stand our own "trial"," Adam spoke with a voice that was dangerously angry, even for him. "He has much to answer for."

"I'm certain we can find a sufficiently small cell in the tower for him," Cogsworth noted. "Though if we are thinking of execution. My first choice would be to hang him from the-."

"Papa."

All three nearly jumped at the sound of Percy's voice traveling into the parlor. Adam found his son standing in the doorway, rubbing his eye as he stepped forward. "Yes, Percival, what is it?" he asked, trying to calm his voice a bit more. "Another nightmare?"

After a moment, Percy nodded his head. Adam sighed, wishing that they would go away. They'd seemed more prevalent now, and he knew why of course... They'd talked about Gaston more lately and he was starting to believe it was bringing dark memories to surface in his dreams. All the more reason to drop the subject for the moment, and revisit it later.

Pulling an arm around Percy's shoulders, he merely turned his head back to Lumiere and Cogsworth. "We shall discuss this further another time."

"Of course, master," Lumiere then asserted. "But we will speak of it again."

Adam didn't even need to reply as he led Percy back towards his bedroom to comfort him after the nightmare. God knew there was only one thing on his mind right now, and that was that Gaston would answer for the things he'd done... Come hell or high water.

A/N: Yeah, I know this chapter got really dark. But eventually this did have to come out, since the real reason behind Percy's starved state, and Belle's death had to come out before this story ended.