Here, have a bit of fluff. You might need it for later. . .
Adam's POV
Winter had fallen upon the castle once more, laying soft, clean blankets of snow over rooftops and fields emptied of their harvest. It was during this time strangely when Adam found himself reminiscing almost fondly of his time as the Beast. He recalled how he would climb up onto the sloping roofs of the castle's towers during those cold days, regardless of snow or ice his paws were sure, never failing him. Adam had enjoyed sitting perched like some massive bird or another gargoyle on the highest peak, breathing in the crisp, cold air, snow flying into his face. It was a time where he could feel free despite the prison of his form, feel like he could fly into the cold wind, so fresh, so clean, unaware of the monster it touched.
Of course, the winter also reminded him of the time he had spent first getting to know Belle. He had protected her from the perils the season brought, from the wolves on that one dark day to the cold winds on more pleasant ones. And he had spent many a comfortable winter's day with her, ice skating, reading, weathering storms over hot cups of tea and warm fires.
There had been many winters since then, each one providing the gift of new memories to treasure. This winter, his and Belle's sixteenth winter together, was no exception.
"Oh, look Papa!" Brigitte cried and rushed to the large window beside the table where they had been working on her arithmetic together. "It's snowing!"
"So it is," he said calmly, watching his daughter's joyous face as the snow fell outside. She was thirteen now, becoming quite a lovely young lady, her spirit only highlighting that. She was still so wild, and in many ways still such a child with her wonder for the world around her. Her brother was much more reserved, more mindful of his dignity. It was past time to tell him of the enchantment, being the same age Brigitte was when she learned of the secret. But Adam kept putting if off, unsure of Edmund would take it. Not much longer, he promised himself, and brought himself back to the present.
"May we go outside?" Brigitte begged. "Oh, say we can!"
Adam debated this for a minute. Brigitte had yet to finish the task before her, but she was nearly done and there was no urgent need to finish it as of yet. And how many more times would she beg him to play in the snow with her?
"All right, mon ange," he agreed. "Why don't you go get your brother and I'll find your mother, and we'll really make a thing of it." Brigitte seemed to like this idea, for she bounded from the library to do as he suggested. "Bundle up!" he called after her. Adam followed her out more slowly and went to find Belle in the sunroom. It was chilly in there with all those windows, but Belle was fairly invisible amongst the blankets she had wrapped herself in.
"Your oldest wants to go play outside with us," he said and sat on the sofa beside her, tucking a fold of her blanket back over her shoulder from where it had moved when he sat.
"She does love the snow," Belle laughed as she marked her place in the book she had been reading. "I'm surprised she didn't want Cherine or Chip to play with her though."
"You know how busy Chip is. And I think Cherine is a bit too grown up for snowball fights," Adam replied, thinking of the pair of now twenty year olds.
"Gods, how they've grown," Belle sighed, then paused and laughed. "And now I've apparently gotten old enough to say something like that."
"Maybe that's true, but it isn't fair how you haven't shown those years," he said, tucking a strand of her silky hair back into place.
"Flatterer," she said, blushing. She never got used to his compliments about her appearance, which he found endearing. "Best not keep them waiting," she said and began detangling herself from her blankets. When she was free, Adam offered her his arm and they made their way to the West Wing to collect their outdoor things. Several minutes later, they joined their children by the door to the large gardens at the back of the castle.
"C'mon!" Brigitte begged as they came into sight. "It's so beautiful!" Taking her brother's hand, they bolted through the door and Adam watched as Edmund promptly tripped and fell. He bounded up a moment later, however, and chased after his sister. Adam and Belle stood to the side for a little while; he, for one, was enjoying the sight of his children running in the fallen snow, making snow angels and then helping each other up so they might not ruin their creations. He heard Belle beside him sigh and he glanced at her to see her smile dazzling. He was about to say something, a comment perhaps though he hadn't quite decided yet, when he was startled into silence by a snowball to his chest.
"Oops, sorry Papa!" Edmund called, Brigitte laughing beside him.
"Not as sorry as you're going to be!" he replied with a grin and bent to make a snowball of his own. His children shrieked and scattered in fits of laughter as he launched snowball after snowball in their direction. It wasn't long before he cornered them against a tree and he made a show at making a large arsenal of snowballs intended for them, stacking them in front of them as they giggled and allowed it. Adam noticed too late though that their gaze was directed over his shoulder. Just as he started to turn around, an avalanche of cold, wet snow fell upon his head and down the collar of his overcoat, making him yelp in shock. Belle was standing behind him, laughing and already armed with another snowball. The great battle began. Snowballs were flying every which way, their laughter echoing against the nearby castle wall.
The battle was short-lived as they wore themselves out. They were all too breathless from laughter to go on and Adam grinned at the flushed faces of all three of his loves. Instead of admitting defeat and going inside, Adam instead bent and began making another snowball, this time rolling it along the ground, picking up more snow as it went. He glanced up to see that Brigitte had joined him nearby, rolling a snowball of her own.
"C'mon, we'll work on the head," he heard Belle say and glanced to his other side to see Belle helping Edmund roll another ball.
"How's this, Papa?" Brigitte asked, standing beside a ball that reached nearly to her knees.
"No, bigger! This snowman is going to stay up till July!" he declared, earning giggles from all three of them and a special sparkle in Belle's eye. At last, when Adam's ball was level with his chest, he could push it no further. Brigitte appeared to have given up some time ago, as did Belle and Edmund, each standing beside their work.
"Wonderful, wonderful!" Adam praised, feeling like a boy himself again. "Now, let's get the middle up." He moved to help Brigitte get her ball as close to the bigger one as possible and began the task of getting them on top of each other.
"I don't think that's going to work," Brigitte said, skeptically, measuring the two giant snowballs with her eyes.
"So little faith in your Papa," he teased and readjusted his grip. Adam managed to get the ball up against the larger one a foot or so off the ground, then turned to leverage the ball up with his back.
"Careful, Adam," he heard Belle warn, but Adam only chuckled and easily pushed the ball on top of the other. His children cheered and Adam grinned. The ball wasn't that terribly heavy, only awkward, and he was strong.
"Uh oh," he said as he turned to survey his work.
"What's wrong?" Edmund asked.
"We might need a giant to get the head on," he laughed, looking up at the place where it was to go, several inches above his own head. Adam could easily get it up there, but it would probably crumble if he forced it. "Brigitte, would you go get some sort of step ladder?" he asked.
"And something to make the face with," Belle added as their daughter sprinted towards the castle.
"And we can find some branches suitable for his arms while we wait," Adam said to his son. Their hunt came up successful after a few minutes, which gave Brigitte enough time to return not only with a basket of supplies for their snowman hanging from her elbow, but also with Chip carrying a step ladder, but with several others in tow as well.
"I see you found some friends," Belle chimed merrily as the group approached.
"I met Aunt Clarice on my way to find a step ladder and. . .well it just sort of caught on," Brigitte explained with a laugh.
"I can't resist building a good snowman," Clarice confessed. "and I thought it was time for my Henry to get outside for a bit."
"I like being inside," the fifteen year old explained sullenly. Adam secretly wished Clarice had left her son to his own devices. The boy kept to himself, and that was usually for the best. He wasn't the most pleasant of people, preferring to cause mischief when he chose to interact with people at all. He was a snitch and thought much too highly of himself, and Adam did his best to avoid the boy since his arrival at the age of six. Clarice's two girls had also come out though, which softened the presence of their brother. They were sweet, gentle, and honest, everything their brother was not and it showed in their activities in the snow. While Henry sulked on the outskirts of the new group, kicking at trees and pushing snow off railings and bushes, Fleur was busy helping Edmund decorate the head of the snowman before it was too high to reach and Cherine was teasing Chip with a snowball in her gloved hand.
"It's past time those two married," Clarice muttered so only he and Belle could hear.
"Give it time," Belle said to her friend, linking their arms at the elbows. "Chip has so much more responsibility now, I wonder if he's just trying to come into his own."
"It's ready, Papa!" Edmund declared, drawing his attention away from his wife and her friend.
"All right, Brigitte, the step ladder!" he requested, holding out his hand as if he were the ring leader of a traveling fair. Brigitte put the step ladder in place and steadied it, smirking at how he was acting. He winked at her, smiling himself. "Stand back!" he declared as he went to pick up the snowman's head. Everyone (except Henry) had gathered around to watch and cheered when the smiling head was put in place.
"He's the most handsome snowman ever, Papa!" Brigitte declared, slipping her hand around his elbow.
"I agree, mon ange," he replied, looking down at the blue hood she wore on her head.
"I'm getting cold, Papa," Edmund said, coming up to take his other hand. Adam instantly knelt down and pulled his son's cloak more tightly around him.
"Here, this will help," Adam said and took the boy's sodden gloves off and replaced them with his own less damp ones. They were much too big for the boy, but they would keep his fingers warm. Edmund thanked him and Adam lifted his son to sit on his shoulders. He was getting too big for that, but it was a day of maybe-lasts for his children, and Adam savored it. Belle came up beside him, leaving the others to play amongst themselves, and joined the three of them admiring their handsome snowman. He couldn't help but look at her though, his Belle, his love. She was faintly smiling and Adam could see some snowflakes had caught in her hair and eyelashes, making her seem like a sort of snow fairy from one of her books.
"What?" she asked, noticing how he was staring.
"I love you," he confessed and bent to kiss her gently.
"Blech," Edmund said from atop his shoulders, making him chuckle.
"What do you think, time for some tea and hot chocolate?" Adam suggested, jostling his shoulders a bit to shake his boy.
"Yes, please!" Edmund agreed readily. "Bye, Fleur, we're going inside!" The nine year old girl waved back and Adam grinned, wondering where this friendship might lead for his son.
Belle's POV
They made quite a cozy little camp beside the large fireplace of the library. Blankets and pillows were folded and piled to create a sort of fort around her and her family. When they were all settled, Belle reached to pass out cups of hot chocolate and tea from the tray just outside their circle of comfort.
"Much better," Brigitte sighed as she raised the cup to her face, soaking in the steam that rose from it.
"How are your fingers, Edmund?" Adam asked.
"Back to normal, thank you Papa," the boy replied, flexing one hand as proof. Adam nodded, convinced, and Belle smiled at his concern. He was so good with the children today, so full of life. She loved seeing that boyish energy from him and adored even more how much he loved his children.
"Now then, what shall we do?" Belle asked as she sipped her tea.
"I wouldn't be opposed to a story," Brigitte said carefully.
"You're not too old, mon ange?" Adam asked, his voice teasing but Belle knew he was afraid such a thing might be true.
"Never," Brigitte replied confidently, making Adam laugh and reach to touch her cheek tenderly. Belle picked the nearby book of fairy tales and opened to The Snow Queen. She thought it might be appropriate for the day.
They settled down as the story enveloped them. Edmund had found his way over to her, snuggling up beside her and resting his head on her. She draped one arm around his shoulders, pulling him close and smiling though she did not halt her story. Peeking over to her right, she noticed that Brigitte had cuddled up beside her father in a similar fashion. Content, Belle leaned into her husband, listening to the sound of his heartbeat as she read, balancing the book in one hand and stroking her son's pitch black hair with the other. Adam bent to kiss the top of her head, and Belle couldn't remember ever being so at peace.
