Authors Note: So this was a chapter that was really easy to pump out. I think it's been written in my head for a few years now, which might be what made it so much fun to splash around on paper. I know this could easily be the end of the story but…… it's not. I still have a few tricks up my sleeve. Not much further though, so don't give up on me! And don't worry. It's not going to turn into like a Lord of the Ring: Return of the King thing where it has like ten plausible endings. Trust me, you'll know when this thing is over.

I could use a few reviews on this as well. Reviews on everything. What did you think? How did you feel? Reviews on your thoughts, on spelling mistakes, whatever! Lack of reviews could be an issue. I might go crazy from wondering if people aren't thinking about anything when they're reading this and then I might have to shove little Christian back into the woods on his rear end and break his other leg! (No I won't, but you smiled! Yes I saw that…) Not too much further to go though, so hold tight. Love you all!

Song that inspired this chapter is "Your Call" by Secondhand Serenade. (They're my favorite. And it works. Christian could be an emo. Maybe. Like a stuck-up, snobby, royal emo….)

Cause I was born to tell you I love you
and I am torn to do what I have to, to make you mine
Stay with me tonight

Stripped and polished, I am new, I am fresh
I am feeling so ambitious, you and me, flesh to flesh
Cause every breath that you will take
when you are sitting next to me
will bring life into my deepest hopes, What's your fantasy?

And I'm tired of being all alone,

And this solitary moment makes me want to come back home.

Cause I was born to tell you I love you
and I am torn to do what I have to, to make you mine
Stay with me.

Chapter Thirty-Six: Constantine

Chip was not speaking to Sophia. This had suddenly made the whole trip allot less bearable. Surprisingly enough he was still communicating with Christian. In fact, Chip was making huge efforts to put up the pretense that nothing was wrong between Christian and himself. No, it was Sophia he was refusing to tolerate. Chip was clearly confused and since men don't like being confused he was going to be nasty about it. Frankly, he was not ready to make nice over the decisions that were made the previous night.

And, unfortunately, Christian wasn't really the person in his family who did the peacekeeping. In fact he wasn't really the one who did it when he was king. Oh, sure, he could manipulate a silly prince of Wales, barely out of his infancy, but usually Cogsworth trained him on what to say to best get what he wanted out of people. Unfortunately, Cogsworth was not present at the moment. And Christian really wasn't interested in getting these two to speak to each other when they were so desperately close to their destination. They would work it out later. He did, however, hate to see Sophia so sad over the loss of Chip's friendship, but it would have done him absolutely no good to try and convince the pair it would work out. Young people never believe that anyone else could know how they feel; always certain they are a complete original.

The previous nights storm had not entirely blown itself out and a light drizzle was a nuisance that left the roads so totally soft and muddy that more then once they had to stop to maneuver the horses out of a sink hole that would suck you down all the way to your knees.

At a little past noon they arrived in the village of Constantine. A pathetic little thing that held less population then what Christian housed in his own castle. But they were amiable enough if not a bit cautious. When Chip asked about the fortress just up the road they became a little more talkative and said there seemed to be allot of people gathering around in that area as of late. Chip asked for directions and gave the farmer a loaf of bread, as that was all they had to pay for services at this point. Plus, he knew they would arrive at the fortress soon and be able to find food that satiated their appetites a little better then dried fruits and meats.

On they rode, the horses sloshing through mud until they could barely continue on. Sophia still sat up in the driver's seat next to Chip, but the distance between their bodies was painfully obvious. Sitting so far away from him that whenever the wagon would wobble at a rut in the ground, she threatened to topple over.

Christian continuously scanned the horizon for the familiar tower of Constantine fortress. How completely nostalgic and inexplicable it was to be coming to this place after so many years of avoiding it. It had been the choice for possible escape destinations because it was so well out of the way and had been built at such a position as to make it impossible to be surprise attacked. And how ironic it was that he would visit the stories of his childhood here, to his daughter, a day before he was to see the place again. The incongruity did not escape him that the last he saw of the fortress was as an eight-year-old boy watching these very towers disappear in the deep stillness of the night.

Then quite suddenly they came up over the rise of a small hill and Christian nearly jumped up in surprise to see the fortress peek into view. One or two more hills and the entire establishment would be on full display for the travelers. His breath caught in his throat and he began to lean over the edge of the wagon to order Chip into a faster pace if that was possible.

Without so much as a warning there was a terrible battle cry of a roar that echoed almost above where the travelers were riding on the mud that would be a road. Another call resounded and it echoed into the trees that dotted along the pathway. Then just as suddenly, two arrows came whizzing out of the branches. One stuck itself into the side of the wagon, the other onto the bed, nearly spearing Christian's booted foot. Both horses went into a mass frenzy, rearing up on their hind legs. Sophia jumped up in alarm and upset the balance of the wagon. With one foot up and her arms out she fell over backwards off her perch and clear off her feet. Christian had just enough time to watch her make a quick movement to pull her arms in and though she hit the ground hard, she tucked in enough that her landing rolled her away from the horses mad plunging feet and the continuously rolling wheels. Chip had also stood and was doing his best to get control of the horses while hollering out curses as another arrow hit the seat where Sophia had just been sitting. Christian used his arms to hoist himself up onto his good leg using the backboard of the wagon. Once up, and was halfway steady, he pulled out the small boot knife he kept tucked into his pant leg. Holding it up, he felt completely foolish. It wasn't often, but on occasion he truly did miss his claws and sharp teeth that he gained as a beast. They were useful enough when it came to blows. And right now he was an invalid who wouldn't even be able to run away from whoever was shooting at them. Still, he wasn't going to let that show and without thinking he turned himself about to face the direction the arrows were coming from and then opened his mouth to give out an ugly snarl that they wouldn't soon forget.

When the horses finally stopped their stomping and their shrill whinnies ceased, there came a strange cough, directly above the wagon. Before Christian had time to tilt his head upwards to look, he heard strangled surprise from the owner of the cough.

"Christian?"

The man only had enough time to lean totally back and look up as a cloaked figure, hiding up in a branch of the tree, tossed his bow and arrow to the ground.

"Armand!!! This way!! Come out this way! It's Christian! It's Chip and Sophia! They're alright!!" The hooded figure started hollering.

A startled whiny from a horse came through the trees on the opposite end of the path that they were facing. Not a few seconds later, this same horse came crashing through the underbrush and onto the pathway, bearing another hooded figure still holding his bow, arrow in place to shoot. With a swift movement he caught sight of Christian's face and ripped the hood off his own head to reveal that it was in fact Armand. Christian barely had time to register this as quite suddenly Armand's counterpart took one long swing with his strong arms and jumped down from the branch right into the back of the wagon with Christian.

"Your highness!" Armand shouted with joy as he jumped down from his horse with a fluid movement.

Chip's eyes were popping out his head in astonishment. "Armand? Lamont?"

But neither of the brothers responded to their brother. With the vigor of youth, Armand volleyed the side of the wagon and Lamont grabbed his arm to pull him in. Quite suddenly the young men were no longer soldiers with bows and arrows, but children beside themselves with excitement to see their father.

One gave out a holler to be heard clear across the countryside and the other let out a ragged "Ahhhhh!" Then without even giving Christian a chance to lower his knife they rushed at him with arms held out for an embrace.

One grabbed the arm holding the weapon and stole it away so that neither would run on it. The other had just enough time to hear Christian call out something that sounded like "Don't hit my leg!" before arms were thrown around the king and he was toppled down with the accumulative of over three hundred pounds falling on top of him. Both Armand and Lamont were laughing hysterically at Christian as he grunted attempting to breath, while the boys hugged him and kissed his face the way Lumiere would. It was all entirely unmanly, but as no one seemed to notice, the boundless affection continued. Christian moaned, taking a gasp of air, "Oh, my ribs" he breathed through his teeth, as his diaphragm prepared to collapse.

"Boys?" He muttered barely able to get the words out as they continued to laugh and pummel Christian as if he were one of their companions in the guard. Perhaps this was due to the fact that Christian was the one who had given them their first lessons in swordplay, all the while learning the skills himself.

Armand rolled over onto the bed of the wagon and gained some control over his laughter.

"Christian! You're alive!"

Chip took a ginger step over the edge of the wagon into the back and kicked Lamont's boot angrily. "For now at least! What the hell do you idiots think you were doing shooting at us? And Lamont, what were you doing up in that damn tree?!"

Lamont sat up off of Christian's chest and looked at his brother anxiously. "But Chip, it was our orders. Do you know how many people have been coming through here? We've already had to put two mercenaries into the dungeon and Lucien's down there right now trying to get information out of them!"

Christian felt instant alarm at this information and pushed himself up onto his elbows to try and keep his ribs from cracking with pain. "Were these Dinsmore's orders?"

Both boys went quite still for a moment before Armand answered him. "Dinsmore is dead. He didn't make it out of Rose Castle."

Christian froze at the notion that his beloved captain of the guard could possibly have left him after so many faithful years of service. For if he had trained Armand and Lamont with the sword, at least in part, then it was Dinsmore who had trained him.

Lamont hung his head sadly, knowing just as well how this would affect his king. "I'm sorry, master."

Christian set his mouth into a thin line and nodded his head. Lamont, not able to bear such sadness in Christian, perked his head up enthusiastically and smiled

"But everything will be alright now. You are alive and we can stop mourning. Oh, I cannot wait to see the Fat Old Clock when he gets a sight of you! And Sophia!" Lamont began to turn himself around as she finally got to her feet from off the ground and was attempting to brush some of the mud from her chest and arms.

He spoke as he turned, "Really sorry about shooting at you princess but I did not see that it was--". As he finally got full view of Sophia he immediately erupted into roars of laughter that sent him keeling backwards.

"My God, Sophia what are you wearing?!" He wheezed out and reeled forward over the side of the wagon to get a better look at her.

Sophia, after having the worst journey of her entire life was not about to be laughed at by this boy she had grown up with. Swinging her muddy hand up, she slapped Lamont around the head with as much strength as she possessed. "Shut-up, Lamont! I am by far a better bowman then you and I will shoot you through your foot if you say another thing about what I am wearing!"

No one spoke for a moment and then, without cause, all four men erupted into laughter. Sophia stood with her back rigid and crossed her arms, putting on a face of such irritation that it almost overshadowed the mud that caused her to look ridiculous.

Chip made a huge attempt not to look at Sophia because then she would think he had surrendered and he wasn't about to do that anytime soon. Slapping his leg he looked at his brothers with immense love. "You both are imbeciles, you know that right? I can't believe you would just start shooting at random people. What have they been teaching you in the guard while I was gone."

Armand looked up at his older brother with a firm smile. "Well, we won't have to do it anymore. The chancellors are arriving--" Armand suddenly shot an alarmed look at Christian as if he had just remembered something important. "Christian! That's right! The chancellors are arriving in the next couple of days to speak with the Queen. They want her to come to Paris to discuss the terms of the crown! Oh, and you arriving just before them is going to stir up a bloody hornets nest!"

Christian didn't hear another word out of Armand's mouth except the one that spoke of his Queen. Snatching a hold of the boy's tunic he pulled him close and looked him strait in the eye. "Belle, she's alright?"

Armand nodded his head quickly. "Of course. Well, as all right as anyone can be when they've had their husband declared dead. She had to when none of the search parties could locate a rumor of where you were. Then when those villagers came out of the forest squalling that they had killed the king, well…."

Christian felt a hand tug on his insides and twist them out of shape. Oh, his poor Belle. How much worse it must have been for her then he and how he had not been able or smart enough to think of a way of letting her know he was all right. He had wanted to ask the boys about her from the second he realized it was them shooting at him but after their sad news about Dinsmore he was petrified that their lack of shouting about Belle meant that she was added to the pile of Christian's sorrows. The fact that she still breathed air and spoke words was enough to make him dizzy after such worry that he immediately made an attempt to push himself up. Chip grabbed hold of Christian's arm and helped him balance to his good foot and then held him steady as Christian scanned the horizon as if to see the fortress better.

Armand grimaced as he studied Christian's face. It was still a little swollen and the bruises had begun to heal which gave his features drastic color changes that were reminiscent of a toddler with a pallet of paints consisting only of blacks, browns, purples and a sallow yellow. And from the looks of the braces strapped to the leg his master wasn't using, Armand could plainly see that it had been broken and then set. Must have been painful, he thought.

"You look…terrible." He said frankly to Christian's upturned face. "Are you sure they didn't actually kill you again?"

Christian chuckled a little and then looked down at the boy at his feet. "It is entirely possible." Then quickly changing topics he continued. "Listen, I want you both to run as fast as you can to the fortress. Sound the alarm, go and find Belle. Tell them that I am coming and that I want them to come out and meet me."

Lamont and Armand smiled broadly and shouted a firm "Yes, Sire!" Both barreled out of the wagon and Lamont gave out a shrill whistle. Bursting from the forest came Lamont's horse that by some miracle had been brought along on the journey. She responded to his very calls as she had been trained to do and it made such things as crawling around in threes allot easier for him when his horse was nearby, as he needed her. She nipped at his heals pleasantly but allowed him to mount her quickly and without another word both Potts boys raced off over the hill towards the fortress.

Christian held out his arms and helped his daughter back into the bed of the wagon. Once she was carefully positioned on top of the pile of blankets and bedrolls Christian turned himself around and with a commanding tone, gazed right at Chip. "As fast as you can, get us to that fortress!"

Chip let out a hearty laugh and whipped the tired horses hard. They would be able to stop and rest for a good long while, after they arrived to where they were going. Before the fortress came into full view the large bell in the tower was being sounded so that it reverberated loudly all over the trees in the area and caused every bird within range to take flight. As soon as they broke free of the line of greenery and came over the last hill, Constantine fortress was displayed out in front of them. It was an old crumbling pile of rock that sat upon a hill and looked as if one good kick would bring the entire structure toppling down. It had a moat and several underground tunnels that would spit you out into the middle of the forest.

Christian grinned foolishly as the gates were flung open and a dozen or so riders kicked and pushed to be the first to get out. A few dozen more were shoving through, as there was a loud shout that rose up among the riders. Christian couldn't understand what they were saying because the bells in the tower were drowning out the voices but then, suddenly, a gap formed and horses backed up clumsily trying to make room for a single rider to fly through.

Christian could barely see her as she urged her horse forward. She must have leapt upon it without getting her footing because she was hardly astride the animal in a large gown that was completely unsuitable for riding. Christian wondered if she knew that the very horse carrying her was the same Arabian filly he had named 'Sophia' a few weeks ago.

He laughed out loud as she made no attempt to be ladylike, her hair whipping behind her in a mass of brown strands worth more then gold. Both her bodyguards stayed on either side of her as the rest of the riders came spilling out of the castle, some even carrying flags. Behind them an invariable army of servants and guard members, without horses, were running out of the castle to come and greet their king. The whole group looked like they had all dropped whatever they were doing the moment they had heard the alarm. It was a procession of the world's finest people led by a Goddess and Christian could only shake his head and laugh as he realized how pathetic he looked in his dirty farmer's clothing, riding along in the back of a wagon.

"Stop, Stop, Stop!" Christian ordered to Chip. The horses were forced to coming to a slippery halt as he scooted himself to the very back of the wagon and then kicked out hard with his good foot. The back swung off its hinge and Christian pulled his crutches along with him as he hopped to the ground on his toes. Then twisting the crutches out from underneath him he looked up to see Belle pull her horse to a stop and slide off the animal a little less then gracefully as her skirts shimmied up around her knees and then tumbled back around her feet. She wore no cloak and her hair swam around her face as the wind picked it up and tossed it into her eyes. She wasn't that far away from him but she made as if to take off running as soon as she had found her footing on the wet ground. All around them people were screaming and tossing their arms into the air, calling out Christian's name, laughing and crying at the same time. Belle, on the other hand, looked as if she was about to faint and Christian held up a hand, gripping the crutch with his elbow. "No," he called out to her loudly over the din. "No, let me come to you!"

When his voice was heard, almost everyone stopped their cheering and watched with awe and astonishment as their King slowly began to make his way across the lumpy, mud- filled ground on a pair of crutches. He was doing his best to keep from slipping and falling onto his backside and narrowly escaped doing so several times. It was slow agonizing work and Christian keenly felt all eyes on him, but he only kept his own on her.

When it finally came to a point that he was six or so paces away from her he stopped and could not move any further. Her face was flushed from her sudden departure from whatever room she had been in at the time and her beautiful soft cheeks were covered in tears as they flowed down like rain. She shook her head over and over not able to stop staring at him, as he could not stop staring at her. Christian parted his lips as if to speak but not a sound would escape him and he sucked in air is if it was his last. Oh, she was so beautiful to see. And how deeply he had needed to see her that he drank in the vision of her like a man dying of thirst.

Belle saw him struggle for words and her lips trembled uncontrollably. She pressed her hands over her mouth to stop the sob of every emotion that was welling up inside her. He was here. How it was possible, she would never be able to understand. God must surely love her very much to have given her so many miracles in her life. She had also never once in their lifetime together seen him look so filthy either. His hair was a tangled mess around his head and he was donning clothing she could only assume he had taken from a poor farmer. But there was something else about him that was different. A look in his eyes that made her see a wildness he had curbed for so many years. Like a thoroughbred stallion that had escaped, and in the wilderness, gone feral. It was beautiful and… a little bit frightening.

With a handsome smile that radiated over his face he held out his hands to indicate that he wanted her in them and she didn't hesitate for a moment. Rushing the small expanse between them she thrust herself onto him, not caring that he might tip over. He let go of his left crutch and crushed her to him with one arm. Pressing his face into her hair, a cry of joy came out of his mouth and she shook uncontrollably into his chest.

"Oh Christian, Christian, Christian…" she murmured as she ran her hands along his chest and arms. Reaching a hand up to his face she touched her fingers to his cheek and over his mouth attempting to somehow convince herself that he was real. Oh, the pain of having him ripped away from her, the agony of so many days spent not knowing if he was dead or alive, and the sorrow of mourning his loss after she believed he must truly be gone and her not ever having the chance to hold him one more time. It was too much for her and she wasn't sure how she would take another breath if she were to open her eyes and he not be there.

"You're alive…" she whispered, feeling the long stubble that lined his jaw and cheeks. It was beautiful and rough and she tangled her hands through his hair and over his ears letting the emotional memory take over. He smiled at her. Really smiled at her and gripped her harder as if he would never let her go.

"So are you…" he whispered back and breathed in the scent of her hair, her skin, her tears, and her breath. They smelled of summertime and soft embraces and love. So much love that it overwhelmed him.

"You came back and you're here!" She said gripping him hard around his ribcage. "How is this possible?" she asked, wanting to hear him speak more. Words would help her confirm that he wouldn't disappear into some dream.

Looking into her eyes he knew what he wanted to do but he also had something he needed to tell her. Something that would answer her question in the best way he knew how. If the entire journey had been senseless, it still would have been worth it to him because it made him realize that no matter what, these words needed to be said. Nothing else had kept him going, nothing else could match it in importance.

He squared his shoulders and gazed down at her longingly. "I had to come back." He murmured, unsure if his voice would sound as strong as he wanted it to. "I forgot to tell you something. I was a stupid fool for forgetting and I let you walk out that door the last time I saw you and I knew I should have told you then but I didn't. And Belle, I don't care what else happens to me but I had to get back here to tell you and nothing in Heaven or Hell is going to keep you from hearing it."

She looked up at him in confusion and was sure she didn't have any idea what he was talking about. "What did you need to tell me?"

Christian bit his lip and placed the hand he wasn't using to hold up the crutch that was still keeping him steady, upon the side of her neck and wrapped his fingers around the back of her head. He looked at her so intensely, almost hawk like, and paused for a moment as if making sure her attention was entirely on him. He needn't have worried if that was the case. Her entire attention had been on him since the first day she laid eyes on him.

"I love you too." He whispered so softly that the wind almost stole the words away before they hit her ears. But she heard them and they filled her soul to the very brim. Her heart started to beat once again after being long dead, thinking her life was over when she had no Christian to complete her story. He loved her. He came back to tell her that he loved her.

She remembered now, walking out the door of the West Wing and telling him that she loved him. He hadn't echoed the words and at the time she had not given them a second thought. But it had burned a hole in Christian that took being nearly killed and drug clear across the countryside in a wagon with a broken leg and a pair of bickering adolescence for him to figure out how stupid he was. And when he said that he wouldn't be stopped on his way to telling her, he meant it. The devil himself would not have been able to stop Christian.

Belle opened her mouth for just a moment and then pressed her toes into the soft ground. She didn't give her husband a moment to hesitate but reached his mouth with hers and pressed her lips to his own. Christian's first reaction was to feel a little cheated. He had wanted to shock her with their first kiss in over six year and here she was beating him to it. But this silly thought melted almost immediately as she wrapped her arms around his neck and tangled her fingers into his messy hair. Her mouth parted and pulled him in soul, heart, and mind and he loved her for it. He kissed her so softly, so tenderly and moved his mouth to keep her lips safely locked away against to his own. She was crying quietly and the tears fell into his mouth and splashed on his tongue when he realized that hers were not the only tears present between them. His face was covered in them and they blended together in a mixture of relief and joy. The servants were all crying around their master and mistress as well, and now that Cogsworth had arrived, having gotten the gist of what was happening, blew his nose noisily into his handkerchief.

Christian for a wistful moment, wished he had never stopped saying it. It would always remain true but he wished that he had never let her think for a moment that he didn't. He loved her. He would always love her. No matter what she did or where she went, whom she was with or how she lived, he would love her.

And regardless of what had happened in the past or what would inevitably happen in the future, what he would have to do to finish making everything all right, his love for her would extend beyond the grave and into eternity. And for just a fleeting moment, though it made him feel traitorous, he felt like this kiss was making all that had happened between them in the last six years worth it.

He had traveled a journey that lasted almost two weeks, been changed into a beast, was beaten to a bloody pulp, left for dead, changed back into a human, and then forced his battered body across the French countryside battling his demons and his daughter every step of the way. And in this moment he would do it all over again a thousand times for her. He determined right then and there that he would make things right by her if it took him to the very ends of the earth to do so. But for right then, he simply kissed her, balancing on one foot and ignoring the pain that he felt all over his body. He kissed his wife and let her know that those four little words were true. He kissed her till she believed them.