Beauty and the Beast: The Tale Continues

Chapter 19 - The Truth Revealed

Author's Note: Disney is the rightful owner of "Beauty and the Beast" while I just own the story.

Also, this is sort of like a response chapter to certain readers of mine.

"Well... that's definitely not an event I am looking forward to next year."

Adam, Maurice, and Belle had returned from Paris, with the festival of fools now over, and... well... no pun intended, but it wasn't exactly his cup of tea.

"Anyway, what did you think of the... Belle?"

To his surprise, Belle was not by his side, nor was she even in the library.

"Where did she go?"

Maurice looked around, noticing that Belle was not with them, and replied, "You don't suppose we, um, left her in Paris... ?"

"Highly unlikely," said Adam, shaking his head. "She was the one who returned us here."

Although she had no idea how she suddenly ended up in her room, Belle figured that it was because the book knew that she needed to lie down.

Oh, I have such a bad headache...

And, yes, the festival had been very enjoyable for her, but for some reason, Belle had a weird feeling inside of her head and the pit of her stomach.

What's wrong with me?

She couldn't find an answer, but ever since the "transformation", Belle had not exactly been the same person that she remembered ever being.

I mean, I've dreamt about Adam being shirtless... I worried about him not loving me just because he didn't love me... I practically slapped him, for God's sake!

Him! Not Gaston, Adam!

She then looked at her engagement ring, which Adam had given her.

Do I even deserve to be-

KNOCK-KNOCK!

"Belle?"

The young woman and smirked as she said, "Oh, now he knocks... come in!"

Opening the door, Adam walked into her room, looking concerned, and went to sit beside her. "Did you not enjoy the festival?"

"Oh, yes... it was wonderful," replied Belle, trying her best to look happy. "But now I just feel..."

"What is it?" asked Adam, with fear starting to enter in his mind.

"I... I... I don't know, Adam," sighed Belle, looking down at her boots. "I don't even know what is happening to me."

"To you?" questioned Adam. "You look fine to me, Belle."

"Well, on the outside, yes," agreed Belle, rolling her eyes. "But in here... in my mind and heart... I don't know if... am I still the same Belle you fell in love with?"

Oh, God, not this again, thought Adam, and he replied, "Belle, we have already talked about this... I... love... you... and what do you mean same? How have you been different exactly?"

Belle turned herself so that she could face him, and she began counting on her fingers. "Well, first, I had a dream about us... loving each other... then, I kept thinking about trying it with you... I was worried you didn't love me all because I wasn't getting a proposal, and... I slapped you, out of all the other people I could have done it to instead, and-"

"Alright, hold on," interrupted Adam, placing his hands on top of hers, and she turned to look at him. "Okay, so maybe you have changed a little... but you don't have to be so afraid about it."

"I am not afraid, Adam," replied Belle, who was starting to frown. "I know who I am... I just don't want to end up becoming someone I am not, and-"

Suddenly, she felt a finger on her lips, and as she stopped talking, Adam pulled his hand away from her face.

"Okay, Belle, listen to me... no matter what happens to you... or what you do... I will always love you."

"But-"

Adam shook his head.

"No matter how much you change, Belle, I would still do things the same way if I were still a beast... I'd give you a library, I would let you save your father... I would jump from tower to tower... everything would be the same."

He then kissed the ring that was on her finger.

"I am not marrying you just because I want you to be the exact same Belle I fell in love with... well, I mean, yes, sort of, but what I was referring to is that I'll accept any changes that might happen, and it will not change the way I feel about you."

Belle simply looked at Adam, and asked, "You'd really... do the same thing?"

"Uh-huh," replied Adam, with a smirk appearing. "But I would have to probably be a beast again since I can't exactly jump those ways as a human."

Belle couldn't help but laugh, and a warm smile appeared on his face.

"And, since we are talking to each other right now, I would like to get something off of my chest."

Then, Adam found hismelf explaining to Belle about the dream he had of her several nights ago - following a trail of blood to her room, finding Belle nearly lifeless and scarred on the bed, and her dying in his arms.

"I couldn't live my life without you in it, Belle," finished Adam, letting out another sigh. "You mean everything to me."

"As do you to me," replied Belle, looking in her eyes. "But... I still can't believe I-"

Adam chuckled, knowing that she was referring to the somewhat-red side of his face. "Yes, you did slap me... but that would have had to happen eventually, Belle."

Belle then rubbed her eyes for a little bit, and replied, "Well, still, I'm sorry for... everything, Adam..."

"There is no need for you to apologize, Belle," assured the young prince. "And... in all honesty... perhaps I might have taken things a little too fast when it came to the proposal."

"What?" said Belle, now looking at the ring that was on her finger.

"I mean, if that ring was the only way for you to see that I truly love-"

"No, no, no, Adam, that isn't the truth," exclaimed Belle, not wanting him to get the wrong idea. "You've shown me your love like how you said you did before... giving me the library, having a dance with me, letting me go, nearly risking your life while jumping all across the castle to come to me..."

Belle then held up her ring finger, and added, "This isn't the symbol of our love, Adam... it's a symbol... and I don't regret saying yes."

A smile appeared on Adam's face, and he said, "Well, there we go, then... now, why don't you get some rest, and I'll have Mrs. Potts bring you up some honey flavored tea or something to help you feel better."

Nodding her head, Belle then wrapped her arms around him, giving Adam a hug, and said, "Thank you, Adam, for helping me... I promise I'll try to be like my-"

"You don't have to make that promise to me, Belle," replied Adam, after they had finished hugging. "People like us always change in some sort of way, whether we like it or not... take me, for example."

Belle started to giggle, and she said, "Well, it's just that I remember saying to Gaston that no one can change that much, and-"

"He's a completely different story, Belle, and not a rather good one," replied Adam. "Just try not to be so... concerned... about these changes to yourself... alright?"

Belle waited a moment before nodding her head again, and she asked him one last question. "You're afraid of being turned into a beast again, aren't you?"

"What?" said Adam, now looking at her with confusion. "How did you think of that?"

"Your dream," explained Belle. "Or something that had to do with you as a-"

Adam had a look of embarassment on his face as he said, "Oh, well... congrats on that discovery, Belle... um... I'll let you get some rest."

Before she could say anything, Adam kissed the top of her head, and quickly left the room, leaving Belle confused.

"Oh... kay... then..."

Deciding to question him about that later, Belle looked back at her engagment ring, and sighed.

I still can't believe I almost let the thought of not recieving this get in the way of me knowing that Adam loved me...

I knew he did long before he gave me this ring.

As she layed back down on her bed, looking up at the ceiling, Belle said, to herself, "Am I always going to be so concerned about change?"

She certainly hoped not... as well as realizing that he did love her even before the proposal... he gave her something more than the provincial life she once had... the ring was just a cherry on the top.

Adam is right. I shouldn't be so concerned about stuff like this.

Belle then started to make herself comfortable on the bed so that she could take a nap.

And if there are those who don't like it, then so what? I'm still Belle deep down inside, regardless of what others may think.

I love Adam, and he loves me. Plain and simple as that.

Speaking of Adam, who had now returned to his study, the reason why he had left so quickly was because he didn't want to look silly by telling her what he thought the dream had meant.

"I'll talk to her again about it once the time is right."