Chapter Sixteen

Belle slowly passed down the hallway when she noticed that Adam hadn't come to the bedroom. She knew he needed his rest. He had magical abilities which could heal him but he had to learn how to use them. He had to rest so that he could do his best to cure their son. Belle didn't want to speak about how this castle was making her feel intimidated and unsafe. It was best for Riva for them to stay here. It was best for their family to remain here and rest.

"Adam," Belle said as she found him sitting on the ground outside their son's room. Riva's door was half open. Adam seemed to be drifting to sleep just a little but he kept waking himself up. He turned to Belle before putting a finger to his lips. "Adam, dear," she said as she sat down next to him and he pushed his hair back.

"I'm exhausted," he admitted to her with a weak smile. "It doesn't matter though, I've been through this before," he told her before bowing his head. He didn't know how to admit to Belle that he had done something which he couldn't forgive himself for. Yes, he had been tempted to act like the beast he looked like but he had never had the impulse turn to action. What was worse was that Riva was a much kinder, selfless, and level headed person than he had been at that age. Who knew how he was feeling?

"You should come to -" Belle tried to urge him and Adam shook his head.

"I'm worried about him," Adam admitted. "I'm not recovering fast enough. I can't heal him quickly enough. If I don't do it soon then we might not have a Riva anymore."

"What do you mean?" Belle asked as she snuggled into Adam's chest, "We have to stay together as a family."

Adam bowed his head. "When I attempted to lift his curse, I didn't do it right, I turned him into a beast mentally as well as physically," he whispered. "I was able to heal myself after he attacked but it wasn't him…it wasn't our…"

"Like you were when you were angry?" Belle asked him and Adam coughed.

"If he acted like I did at twenty-one then I'm not sure that I would be alive but it was…it was as if I were seeing a younger version of myself fighting those wolves. He was like a wolf himself. I can't risk hurting him like that again. I know he hates this but I just have to wait until I can get it right." Adam frowned and put a hand to his forehead just above his eyes. "If that curse didn't break."

"He'd still be our Riva inside," Belle protested and Adam smiled.

"Of course he'd still be him but he wouldn't have control over the animal instincts. I'd have to…we'd have to….I'd have to…"

"You are not killing our son," Belle whispered harshly and Adam stared at her horrified by the accusation.

"No…I'm not going to kill our son, I never would but he would have to be locked up, if only for his own protection." Adam sighed and let his head rest on the brick of the castle wall. "I just wish I could cure him."

"You'll get there," Belle tried to reassure him, "You'll work out how to do it. I know you'll be able to help our little boy."

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Adam woke up startled to hear Belle panic, he looked up at her from where he had been sleeping on the stone floor beside Riva's room and saw her shaking. He turned to look into his son's room and walked in. His heart was pounding in his chest as his mind came up with a scenario of what could have just happened. Inside the room there was a cold and eerie feeling and Adam felt his breathing get shallow.

"Riva," he called out in an authoritative and yet panicked manner, "Son!"

He didn't want for something to have happened that would have caused Riva to try to end his own life again. Why didn't he remain in the room with him. If he had been in the room then nothing would have happened. Adam hated how he was relying on his human senses to protect his son. He had wanted to not leave his son feeling as if he were completely trapped but maybe he had tried to give his boy too much independence.

Adam's eyes finally caught hold of what appeared to be a scrawled note. Beast hands weren't the best for using quills. His eyes flashed over it and his heart stopped for a moment.

I'm sorry. I have to leave this castle. There's no room for me any longer – Riva

Adam read it over before looking out of the window where there were claw marks on the castle walls. Had he climbed down here? Adam looked out of the window, scanning for any sign of his son underneath but he didn't see anything. He took a slow breath before placing a hand on Belle's shoulder. "Sit, I'll get all the information I can. He will be found."

"If they…" Belle whispered as she covered her mouth and Adam knew what she wanted to say. If Riva was found as a beast then there might have been hunters who wouldn't even listen to him or worse, they would find out that he could speak and then sell him to a circus or if they knew who he was then they would blackmail him. Hell, he would do anything to get his son back no matter what it cost.

Adam rushed by a number of servants and people employed by the castle before stepping outside. He saw beast tracks, paw steps, marked in the mud outside of the castle and leading off in the direction of the gate. He felt his heart pound in his chest as he tried to close his eyes and see if he could sense where Riva was. He had been able to communicate with his son when he had been a beast, surely he could connect with Riva now.

"Adam," Mrs. Potts said as she saw the king standing outside of the castle, he looked uncomposed with his loose hair flying about, his outfit crumpled, and only half of his collar pressed correctly. "Are you….what's going on?"

"Riva has left the castle," Adam told her as he attempted to calm himself down. "He ran away."

"You mean that he…." Mrs. Potts said as she let the fear into her voice as well. "Do you know where?" she asked and Adam shook his head. He ran his hand through his hair again. "Do you -"

"I wish I knew. I didn't even know he had left, he did so so quietly but he's out there looking like an animal that any game hunter would want to capture the head of. Riva doesn't know how to protect himself like that. I barely was able to protect myself. I need to get a horse. I need to -"

"You need do nothing of the kind," Cogsworth called out to him and Adam stared at the former clock. His eyes were wide with disbelief and he had never needed to roar more than he did right now. What was the man saying. Not going after his son!? This was his SON!

"Unless you know how to magically bring back my son then I don't think you have any other choice but to let me go!" Adam yelled as he tried to control his fear and anger. They were both very justifiable emotions given the situation in which he found himself. He didn't know enough about his own magic to either magically bring his son back safely or know where to find him. "I need a horse, now!" he said as Cogsworth went over to him.

"Adam, you can't think of going in this condition. If something were to -"

"I'll go," Belle said as she ran over to her husband. She held onto Adam's hand. "You're just getting over a sickness. I think that I can try to find our son." Adam stared at her in shock. "I'm stronger than you give me credit for," she said and Adam looked at her before nodding. Nobody would hurt a woman like Belle, no one would hurt their queen and he knew that Riva would never hurt his mother. He nodded.

"Prepare and then make sure you keep safe. I'll listen out for any news you can send me, just please try to find him," Adam said and Belle wrapped her arms around him. She loved her family and the truth was that Adam had so many responsibilities as king that the kingdom might be in danger were he to leave his post.

"I'll find him. I won't come home without him," Belle promised.

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Riva looked up in the direction of the castle, he had left a few hours ago and he knew that soon his father would be attempting to find him. His father was the king, he had to lead the country and then maybe one day, Riva would be able to return to the castle and they wouldn't shoo him away or have forgotten about him.

He moved towards a stream and looked back and forth, when would he be able to get to water again? He grabbed to a bottle he was holding and went to fill it, he had only drunk twice from it but if he could have as much water with him as possible, he would be grateful. He felt himself fall down to the ground and moved forward, lapping up the water as if a cat or a dog.

He heard a voice from the side and got into a squatting position. "Hello?" a girl called out and Riva hid himself, she was so gorgeous. She looked to be about twelve, blonde angelic hair, blue eyes like his mother's, a small and thin body. He moved away and hid. He saw her coming after him and so tried to run again.

"Oh, what type of animal are you?" she asked as she came nearer to him. "Are you a bear?" she asked and Riva tried to hide from her whilst shivering. "Or maybe you're not a bear at all, you're a fairytale prince that was turned into a beast," she laughed to herself. Riva stared at her and she took a couple of steps back.

"How did you know that?" he asked her and the girl blinked at him. "I just wanted some water. I promise. I won't hurt you. I just wanted some -"

"Wait right here," the girl said before running off and Riva felt his body tremble. He wouldn't be waiting around for this. If she were going to tell someone about him then his head would be cut off before the sun set. "My name's Rose," she giggled as she turned around and Riva blinked. "I'm Rose," the girl said and Riva felt his heart pound.

Nobody outside of his family could have such kindness towards him as he were now.

End of Chapter Sixteen

Thank you for reading

Thank you to the reviewers of Chapter Fifteen

Gisela19wwe, KathyMesser