"This is impossible…" Jolie said shaking her head.
She rest her head in her paw and thought about she was ever going to find love. In her condition?
Adam got up from his seat and walked over to his depressed daughter, taking her paw in his and kneeling so they were face to face. Jacques looked away in the opposite direction, trying not to stare at them. He felt rude if he did.
"Jolie," Adam said as Jolie to look into her father's eyes, "Nothing is impossible. The word itself says, 'I'm possible…'"
Jolie smiled. He had a point. Look what happened with her father! Belle showed up when the rose had began to wilt. He didn't have much time and yet they had still managed to fall in love and break the curse. Jolie was hoping the same would happen to her and Jolie gathered her father into a hug. Although Adam was even questioning himself. Belle had come to him and they were locked in the castle, away from society so they could bond. Jolie on the other hand didn't have that. She was a 16 year old young woman, disguised as a beast and everyone would look at her and run. Some might even die of fright. Everyone except…
"Jacques," Adam said standing up.
Jacques looked back at Jacques, his elbow in the arm of the chair and cheek leaning against his cheek. He looked at the King and said, "Yes?"
"Do you know when Jolie's rose is going to start wilting?"
Jacques immediately looked sad. "I'm afraid I do and it's not as long as yours…"
Jolie looked over with concern. Adam became serious and asked, "How long?"
"She only has a month to find someone to love her…"
Belle drew more pictures in her cage. She had nothing but faith in Jacques. She was wondering where he was now. Did he make it to her father's? Has he seen Adam and Jolie yet? Something was telling her that everything has turned out good so far. That Adam had found Jolie and Jacques was working his hardest to make everything right.
She drew herself, Adam and Jolie in the dirt. Almost like a family portrait. It wasn't the best picture but it kept her hopes up.
Adam knew about Jolie's feelings for Jacques and he was happy to know that Jacques had the same feelings toward her. But he couldn't tell them to kiss and fall in love. It was like his curse. Telling the two would be cheating and it wouldn't count on magic's terms. They had to discover for themselves. And who better to help him than his own castle servants? They helped her and Belle without telling her what was going on. And they did it so well!
Adam looked at Jolie anxiously. "We need to get you to the castle Jolie. You too Jacques."
He ran to the door and said, "We have no time to loose!"
Jolie and Jacques looked at Adam like he was crazy. "Father, why are you so jumpy all of a sudden?"
Adam realized he was getting really excited. He knew the way to break the spell and help and save his daughter but it was so hard to hide it. He cleared his throat and loosened his muscles a bit. "You'll be better protected at the castle. Also, all the servants will be wondering what has happened to us. They might be able to help."
"I am telling the truth," Adam thought to his own defense, "I'm just not telling everything…"
Jolie and Jacques looked at each other and then back at Adam who was still waiting by the door. The two teens walked cautiously to the door. It was night time now and it was a good time to go to the castle. There was less a chance of anyone in the village seeing Jolie.
"Wait!" Jacques cried.
Adam and Jolie stopped just before they walked out the door and turned to look at him. Giving him the same confused look. You could definitely tell they were related, even if Jolie had more hair than Adam. "Remember how my mother was out in the village today?" Jacques asked, "She might have also looking out for me and we have to pass my mother's house to get to the castle. You can't risk being seen with me!"
Adam rubbed his head. Jacques did have a point. But then he had an idea. "Jacques, your mother thinks your in her side, right?" Jacques nodded. "Then go to her now. Tell her your acting as an ally to get information from us. Tell her we're trying to go into hiding but you don't know where exactly yet. If she suggests the castle, tell her it's too obvious…"
Jacques thought the plan was brilliant and agreed quickly. Afterwards he would ride Philippe Jr. who was left at his mother's house, to the castle and meet them there.
Jacques went to walk out the door when Adam said, "Jacques…"
Jacques stopped and turned his head to look at Adam. "And please tell me how Belle is doing…"
Adam sounded so depressed and worried. Jacques nodded and ran out of the door, heading to his mother's home.
Adam and Jolie prepared quickly for their journey. "Thank you for all your help," Adam said to his father in law.
"It's no problem! Just fix this whole situation and get my grand daughter and my daughter back!" Maurice said with the highest hopes for Adam.
Jolie walked over and hugged her grandfather. Sad to leave him but knew she must. Adam then peeked his head out the door and gestured to Jolie to run with him across the yard and into the woods and they did just that. "I know a shorter way to get to the castle through here," Adam said.
"What happened to your horse?"
"One of the servants met me before I found you yesterday. He took my horse while I told him that you and Jacques were exploring in the woods. I didn't want to get their worries up until I knew everything that was going on myself," Adam said navigating through the trees.
Jolie stayed close behind Adam. Her father knew these woods better than she did but she was also a beast and ready to defend if necessary. "We should be there within the hour," Adam said ten minutes later.
Half an hour after that, they arrived at the castle gates. Everyone who worked in the stables had gone to bed by now so there was no one outside. "Wait in the stables," Adam said, "I want to let everyone know what's going on before you go in. So there won't be such a big shock when you walk in. They've seen worse but it's been years."
Jolie knew her father was talking about himself but she went inside the stables and waited for her father's return.
The horses were a little startled by her at first but quickly settled down when they realized she was no harm. Jolie sat in a pile of hay and took a deep breath. Everything was turning out alright.
Jolie closed her eyes and thought about her mother. She was always so happy and optimistic about everything. Then she thought about what she saw when she saw her father's memories earlier that day. How sad and lonely she was when she gave herself up for Maurice. It was still hard to believe that her mother could be like that. And so hard to believe how angry and pessimistic her father use to be!
Then Jolie smiled when she thought of how Belle saw Adam better than he could. If something like that could happen, Jolie was more confident that her spell would be broken.
Jolie hadn't seen her mother since the morning her and Jacques went to go see Adrienne. Jolie worried about her mother very much. Was Adrienne torturing her? Was her mother a chew toy or did Adrienne just like to see Belle in pain and misery, knowing her daughter was cursed into a beast and Adam wasn't around? From what Jolie knew of Adrienne, the last thought was her answer. And Jolie frowned at the thought of her unhappy mother again.
"Jolie."
Jolie opened her eyes and saw her father standing by her. Jolie had forgotten she was here. "They're all in the courtroom. They know what has happened and what's going on and they want nothing but to help you. But they said they need to see you first."
Jolie stood up and wiped the hay out of her fur. "If they've been through this before, how come they need help believing it?"
Adam laughed and Jolie started walking with him to the courtyard. "The last time this happened, they were all enchanted objects themselves. They're not use to being human when one of us is not."
Jolie laughed. She remembered what they looked like in her father's memories. It made sense.
Adam pushed open the great door and Jolie walked in behind him. Everyone gasped at the sight of Jolie. Not in a horrific way. In a more concerned way. They felt sad for her.
Jolie noticed only a few were there.
There was Chip, Mrs. Potts, Cogsworth, Lumiere, Babette and Madame De La Grande Bouche there. "Oh you poor dear!" Mrs. Potts said holding her hand to her mouth.
Chip, who was now in his early twenties, looked at her shock. Lumiere was holding Babette and Cogsworth mouth hanged open. But the head of the household shook his head and stood up promptly. "I understand this is a reminder of a horrific time in our past but we must look past it and help what is now present!"
Jolie smiled. Cogsworth was doing what he does best. Taking charge, even though it didn't always work. "Father," Jolie whispered, "Doesn't the rest of the castle know too?"
"Yes," Adam whispered back, "But they all went back to their duties. These people are closer to you. I thought they would be more help."
Cogsworth went on. "I see a damsel who requires our help in her time of need. So, being the head of the head of the household, I say that Mrs. Potts start up dinner. It's only 6 in the evening! Babette, clean the child's room up! Madame, make sure there is a clean wardrobe for Miss Jolie! Chip, wait outside in the stables for Jacques and Lumiere…"
Cogsworth stood speechless while the rest of them went to their duties. Lumiere stood eager and ready to do whatever was told of him. "Uh, Lumiere…" Cogsworth said making something up, "You make sure Jolie has company!"
Cogsworth turned to Adam and Jolie who were smiling so big, it was almost taking up their whole face. "I shall make sure everyone is in place!"
Cogsworth hurried off and as soon as Adam and Jolie made sure he was out of earshot, they burst out laughing. Lumiere smiled and said, "What did I do?"
Jolie shook her head trying to catch her breath. "It's not you. I'm just really glad to be home…"
Belle looked at the dirt picture of her family. She sighed deeply and lied down to go to sleep. Then she heard footsteps approaching the door. She immediately stood up and listened.
The door opened and footsteps came running inside. "Mother!"
Belle smiled. It was Jacques. Hopefully Belle would hear some news of what has been going on. "Jacques," Adrienne said sternly.
Belle stiffened. Something wasn't right.
"Yes mother?" Jacques asked acting like nothing was wrong.
"I heard you were heading toward Maurice's house. Is that true?"
He got to Maurice! Belle became excited but listened more because Adrienne heard about it.
"Yes, mother I was," Jacques said, "But I was acting as their friend. Getting more information on what's going on with them."
Adrienne smiled, walked over to Jacques and kissed him on the forehead. "You're just like your father! He could always charm people to do his biddings as well."
Belle stuck her tongue out at the remark but then thought, "At least he's doing it for a good cause…"
"Unlike some of us who used him instead," Adrienne said toward the cage. Belle knew that was meant toward her.
"So what did you find out?" Adrienne asked excitedly.
"They told me they're going into hiding. I didn't catch where exactly before they ran off," Jacques said very straight forward.
"What about the castle?"
"Too obvious. That's the first place anyone would look," Jacques said.
Belle smiled because she knew Jacques was lying about acting like an ally. She knew he was an ally. He was a good actor. That was one thing he got from his father but he was using it for good. And he was fooling his mother which is all they needed.
"I'm going to search for them more," Jacques said walking over to the rose, "I know Jolie after all. I know how she thinks…"
"You're such a brilliant young man," Adrienne said sounding so proud of him.
Jacques stared at the rose, and thought of Jolie in her beast form. "Exactly how many more days until the curse is permanent?" Jacques asked still starting at the rose.
"She has a week. I decided to cut the time down a bit," Adrienne said pleased with her decision.
Belle's eyes widened and yelled, "You're pure evil!"
Adrienne turned to the cage and smiled, simply replying, "Thank you…"
Anger boiled up inside of Jacques. He wanted nothing more but to turn around and pin his mother to the wall, forcing her to give more time to the curse. But he had to act like he was agreeing with the plan. It took everything he had to keep staring at the rose so Adrienne couldn't see the anger on his face. He quietly took a deep breath and turned around with a grin on his face as well. "You're brilliant mother! Just brilliant!" he said through lies, "But in order to keep track of them and get information that they wouldn't give me right off the bat, I need something to change form. I can get more information from the villagers. They'll tell more to a loved one than to a stranger."
Adrienne smiled. "I'm impressed on how well thought out this is Jacques."
"I only take after my wonderful father," Jacques said almost gagging but managed to hide it.
Adrienne ran to her cupboard and took out a vial with yellow potion in it. "Drink this and think of the person you wish to portray. It must be someone who exists or has existed. You can't make them up."
Jacques gently took the vial from Adrienne's hand, touching her fingers and feeling a bit of a tingle when he did. "Thank you mother. I'll be back as soon as I have any news on their whereabouts."
Adrienne kissed Jacques on the cheek and scooted him out, wishing him luck. Jacques turned around before he opened the door to leave. "I have one question to ask," he said.
"Yes?" Adrienne responded calmly.
"If I do find their whereabouts, it will be clear that Adam will ask how his beloved Belle is doing. What should I tell him?"
"Tell him Belle is fine. She is well fed and has a joy of time when she hears about the curse and the other magic I can perform," Adrienne said through a grin.
Jacques knew she was telling the truth although he could argue on the last bit. He nodded and walked out the door, closing it and Belle and Adrienne could hear Jacques ride off on Belle's horse into the village.
Belle let out a deep breath. She knew Adam and Jolie were at the castle and Jacques was heading there now. He was tricking his own mother right under her nose and she didn't suspect a thing. The only thing Belle could do now was wait and hope more good news was coming her way.
Jacques arrived at Maurice's house. He thought he would tell Maurice what has been going do far and then head to the castle to see Jolie again. Jolie was all he thought about…
Adam walked to the stables to check up on Chip who was lying in the hay, bored. "Has Jacques arrived yet?" Adam asked.
Chip shook his head. "It's been an hour since your arrival. He hasn't shown up yet," Chip responded.
"Well come on in then. I'll keep someone at the door incase he shows up. Hopefully Adrienne hasn't figured out what's actually going on," Adam said helping pull Chip up.
Chip thanked the master and ran off into the castle. Adam made sure the horses were alright and started heading toward the castle himself when he heard hooves galloping behind him.
Adam turned and saw Philippe Jr. Jacques?
No. It was Maurice riding the horse. Adam immediately ran to open the gate and let him in. Helping the old man down and putting the horse in the stables.
Maurice didn't say a word. Not a sound, reaction. Nothing. This was unlike Maurice. Adam led Maurice inside where he could rest.