Disclaimer: (sigh) everythingbelongs to Disney,
The music belongs to Tim Riceand the song
"Beauty and the Beast" Belongs to Celine Dion.
WhatI wouldn't do to own such beautific art.

Chapter 4: A Reconciliation and a Conspiracy

For several minutes, there was not a sound as none in the room dared to make a sound. The tension was so thick, so palpable, none dared to break it. Finally, one brave soul spoke up.

"Vincent! My goodness, that's your family?"

Vincent sighed. "I'm afraid so my dear. A family of prestige and prominence and yet, on the inside they are as decayed and rotten as week old meat. I'm very sorry you had to see that, my love. Are you still happy that you married me? It won't be so simple to manage my relatives. They are not so easy to contend with. And know this: They will stop at nothing to grasp the throne from us. And since they have children, and came close to obtaining it, they will try. If you feel that you aren't safe here or that you don't deserve a future of putting up with them," he sighed deeply then shuddered. "you are free to go."

"Oh my dear love, why would I leave you? You are my one and only and I love you no matter what situation you are in or who you are related to. It's not like you can help those sorts of things." Her jaw hardened. "Besides, it's going to take a whole lot more than a bad-tempered, uncouth, crotchety old man and an equally pretentious, haughty, arrogant harridan. Nothing in this world can keep me from you. They can certainly try though. No matter what happens, I'm here to stay." She looked up and gave him a tender gentle smile. "We're in this together. I'll never abandon you."

"Belle…how is it that I ended up with such an amazing woman?"

"That is very simple. You were yourself. A unique, wonderful gentle person, that loved me unconditionally, and loved me for me. In that sense I love you for you, and will continue to do so until death do us part."

They embraced and simply stood there, holding each other for a long while.

"Vincent?"

"Mm-hmm?"

"I need to discuss what happened earlier. Before your relations came to visit. I'm not about to reprimand you," she said seeing the look on his face, "however, I still don't agree with the way you handled the situation with Cogsworth. Do you really think that he, as a servant, even a high-ranking one, could tell someone who is royalty that they weren't welcome? It's just that I know you were suddenly put under a lot of stress, considering how much you've been under so far, but think of how Cogsworth was feeling knowing that as soon as he opened that door he would face not only someone who had probably tormented him in his past, but also as soon as he told you they had arrived, that he would receive more negativity, more anger and stress. He does a lot in this household that causes him stress. And he does it gladly, serving you full-heartedly as a servant should serve his master. But from the moment he opened that door to your relatives he knew from that point on, to expect rage and maybe violence on your part. And he was right," She added. "That was your reaction to him. You did lash out at him in anger. I know that your uncle and aunt bother you, and with good reason, but that is not the servants' fault. In the future could you please consider their feelings before getting angry? I know many people in this castle would benefit from this, including you. Please?"

"Of course Belle. You are right. I was very upset about my relatives and out of control, but I shouldn't have taken it out on Cogsworth. But Belle, in the future, I'd appreciate it if you didn't reprimand me in front of the servants. It's humiliating. I'm the King of France, a position of ultimate authority. It's important for me to command respect. But how can people respect me if my own wife undermines my authority and scolds me like a little child in front of the servants?"

Belle looked at him thoughtfully.

"You know what Vincent? I never thought of from that perspective. All right, in the future if we have an argument or a disagreement of some sorts, I'll keep it confidential and talk with you later privately."

"Thank you Belle. I'm grateful that you understand how I feel. And in the future I will not be so harsh and quick to anger when handling the servants."

The far door opened and a pair of shoes click-clacked towards their direction.

"Speaking of which…" murmured the young prince.

"Master, the ambassador of Russia is in the next room, and he has an invitation from the Czar asking if you would attend his Grand Ball six months from now and he wishes that you would join him for dinner and then meet him and his cabinet for a discussion of an alliance."

"All right Cogsworth, Make sure he is comfortable and tell him I will be with him shortly."

"Yes Master."

"Oh and Cogsworth before you go,"

As he looked back, Vincent hesitated before continuing.

"I would like to apologize for my behavior earlier. It was unfair and entirely to harsh of me to get on to you when you were only doing what was required of you. After all, how could I expect you to do anything but your job? I let my personal feelings get in the way and I'm sorry that you endured something entirely unnecessary and terrible at my hands. I hope you'll forgive me."

Cogsworth started, surprised, but quickly regained his composure.

"Oh pish-posh Master. It's quite alright. You are under much stress and I do understand completely."

"Thank you, Cogsworth. You may leave us."

As he exited, Belle turned and said, "Well that was kind of you. You know, I remember when I first came here and I knew you couldn't do that no matter what. You have changed so much."

"Well, you were right, Belle. I was out of line. But in the future, I can only say I will do my best to improve and do better. And I know you will help me."

"Of course I will. And it will be done privately as you wish."

She happened to glance outside and receive a full view of the new spring weather, dazzling bright sun and all. It was then that a rather impish idea entered her mind.

"You know," she said nonchalantly but with a mischievous twinkle in her eye. "The day is still rather young. Want to go and do something…spontaneous?" she fluttered her eyelashes playfully.

"What do you have in mind?"

She shrugged at him casually. "Oh I'm sure we will think of something. After all, we have royal duties…among other things." She replied, smirking.

"You little vixen," he said softly. "How dare you speak to me so?" He grinned devilishly, his gaze turning mock predatory.

She stood stock-still.

"Grah!"

She squealed and ran for the banister, running in and out of rooms and finally running outside and getting caught in the small orchard near the castle grounds. They played like that all afternoon laughing, running, and generally having a good time full of bliss and free of worries. Little did they know that those would consist of their last peaceful days.

The lone carriage traveled briskly towards the cold stone fortress of a castle in the distance. The dark granite walls and gloomy, dark countenance was like a dark stain upon a snow-white sheet of parchment. It stood out starkly against the backdrop of the beautiful cloudless weather, and breath-taking beauty of the surrounding trees, hills, and river that would have otherwise made the vicinity something absolutely picturesque and charming. As the carriage reached the fortress, the door opened and two disgruntled, cranky figures, small of stature climbed out and stomped off towards fortress, the only things on their mind being to get inside and order their servants to serve them pie and give them their toys. Two other figures followed and walked towards their home, their vicious dark moods hanging over them like a dark cloud. Neither of them spoke until they entered their chamber and were being seen to by their servants.

"How dare that sniveling little brat think he can talk back to me, and embarrass me like that! I simply want to-"

"Edouard, your blood pressure dear," Veronique interrupted smoothly. Her cold steely voice froze him and her equally hard, silver eyes penetrated him and though he wouldn't admit it, frightened him.

"Now then," she said lightly having his full attention. "There are two ways to go about this. One, we can simply loiter around, watching as the date of their coronation draws near and then we can sit docilely watch as they completely destroy what it means to be monarchs. And then we can tell our children that we sat like beached whales and did nothing, absolutely nothing, to try and gain the crown, which we had so nearly achieved before that insignificant little peacock came so unexpectedly back to power, bringing that common little peahen with him."

She paused and smirked as she perused her husbands face briefly. No matter what he said, or how he bragged to his cronies, it was she who was it control. She who had the power. He could think he had her under his thumb and well under his control. But when he needed her intellect and every now and then her person, she had him wrapped around her little finger. She made him listen. Like he was so obviously doing now. She smirked once more before continuing,

"And then there is the much preferred alternative. Where we prevent such a disaster. There are many effective ways to go about this. Now lets see here. The coronation is in…what three months? That is more than plenty of time to execute many a good plot. What say you husband?"

"I say it's all very well and good but how are we going to go about it? What measures and pains will we take? And most importantly, is this going to take very long?"

"Hmm…So many questions dear love. But you seem to have a point." She thought for a few minutes before a slow, diabolical smile that didn't quite reach her eyes, formed on her pale unblemished face.

"You know, Edouard…the wisest of our kind have always started out lightly. And it will be so pathetically easy."

"What is going on inside that mind of yours, Veronique?" Her husband was very suspicious. He was also anticipating something marvelous and very clever from his quick-witted wife.

"As I said before, we will start out lightly. A few well placed words and an 'accident' or two, should put them in their place satisfyingly quick. And if it takes more then that," here, her sickly, poisonous smile widened, "Well, it'll take more. But we have the luxury of time. We can carry these methods out for as long as it takes. And teach them many lessons about life, mainly what it's like to shoot straight up the social ladder. And then suddenly spiral all the way down to the pit deemed, 'Rock Bottom.' Shall we start say, in three days?"

"As soon as we can, dear wife. The sooner, the infinitely better." He also now had an overpowering foul smile to match his wife's.

"They shall truly rue the day they thought they could contend with us. Shall we drink to it love?" he leered.

"Yes. But downstairs at dinner. These occasions should always been celebrated with pride, dignity, and manners."

Suddenly the door burst open with a loud SLAM. The scheming couple jerked, then scowled irritably, clearly loathing the interruption.

"Mama! Papa! Nerine won't let me have any Raspberry Tart! Make her give it to me!"

Veronique exchanged looks with her husband then smiled condescendingly at her petulant little daughter.

"Darling," she started in sweetly. "Any other time you would get exactly what your dear little heart desires. But tonight we are celebrating. So this one time sweet cream, this one teensy time, you are going to have dinner first."

"No Mama, NO! I want my Raspberry Tart right-"

"What did I just say, Simone?" she snapped.

Simone's head quickly popped up. Her gray eyes, identical to her mothers, became wide with fear as she beheld the depths of her mother's eyes, silver fire threatening to consume her. It would be more than an understatement to say that little Simone was quaking in fear. She stared, wide-eyed as her mother continued to deliver her rant.

"Now make sure you listen to me, and listen to me well you stupid little girl. I could hardly care less whether you want your treat now or not. We are having dinner first and you will accept that whether that suits you or not. Do you understand me?'

Simone stared at a bureau and defiantly said nothing.

"I SAID DO YOU UNDERSTAND ME YOU LITTLE TWIT!"

"Yes Mama!" she wailed piteously.

Veronique quickly resumed her marble-like façade. If anyone had entered the room at that moment, aside from the pouting and sniffling Simone, they would have no clue that anything was amiss.

"But Mama," she whined.

"What now ma petite?"

"I really want my Raspberry Tart."

Annoyed Veronique sat up once again and regarded her daughter with a raised eyebrow.

"Darling you really need to learn to come up with better arguments then that."

"But Mama-"

"We are finished here." Her eyes had now taken on the cold gray steel color she and her family were so famous for..

"Papa, let me-" she started in pleadingly

"Simone, if you don't go to your room right now and leave us alone, you will most certainly miss dinner and the chance at your treat. Leave us now you pathetic sniveling little worm!"

She looked from parent to parent. Suddenly, she bleated and ran howling from the room.

"Ugh. Glad that's quite over," she scoffed. "Every single time before now she has gotten each and every trinket she wanted, every last little dress and doll. She has seen every last form of entertainment, been to many exotic places, and then she thinks she can cross her mother?"

"If you had simply given me another son Veronique-"

"Then what?" She snapped. "The entire kingdom would fall into ruins and dissent because two brothers would fight over the throne? Maybe they would turn against us and hire assassins in order to get the throne faster?"

"Veronique, if you don't want a handprint on your face you had better stop now." Her husband said coldly.

Her eyes turned into gray ice that warned of gray and wicked clouds. Nevertheless, she put her forehead to the ground.

"Forgive me, husband. I was wicked and should be punished," she murmured

"I shan't punish you this time. But I do abhor that pathetic creature that Guillaume has the burden of calling 'sister.' Another son would have more preferable than that willful wispy girl." He practically spat the word out.

"I won't fail you again husband."

The door opened again. This time their son, their accomplishment, walked in carrying with him the perfect air of an aristocrat.

"Mother, Father," he began importantly. "I have a question which I hope will not take up too much of your important time."

Such a perfect gentleman with absolute divine manners. A true prince of France. "Of course not, cher. What do you need? Veronique asked pleasantly.

"I would like to know what we are having for dinner. I am very hungry and have gone since breakfast without a meal."

"Oh, pauvre enfant! I will never let that happen to you again, my petite chou."

"Thank you Mother," the little boy said getting slightly impatient.

"What's for dinner?" he repeated.

"Hmm, lets see," said Veronique, pretending to be deep in thought. She shared a devious glance with her husband before continuing. "Roasted peahen with browned chestnuts. Escargot du chef, Le Canard Maison and many other surprises I don't want to spoil, mon petit . And for dessert we are having chocolate éclairs and something rather simple too. chau chocolat." Her eyes darkened intosinister dark storm clouds that forebode of stormy dark times for whoever was in the path of the possessor of those eyes.

A/N: Hello everybody. I should warn you now, that this is the last chapter you will receive in a long while. And I mean LONG while. In fact the appointed time now is two years. All you need to know is that I apparently made a huge mistake and that was enough for my guardian to totally and completely ban me from this website. But don't think I will never come back. As soon as I have the means, and the way, I will come back. And since I will have all that time to write, I will update more frequently than before when I come back, for those of you who wanted me to update more than I do. Believe me I know just how you feel, but now that I am on the other side of the fence, or was, I know that it is hard to write fast, have it be good enough, and then post. I just want you all to know that you have been the best audience any author could wish for. Every time I got a review from one of you, especially in the beginning, I expected some flames huge destroying flames. But all you have done have praised me, asked questions, and made me feel like I could be an author someday after all. All of you get a virtual fudge brownie or sugar cookie for your kindness and loyalty. Your choice of sweets. I think you all have milk. One last Thank You to my reviewers!

TrudiRose: First of all thank you so much for not only reviewing my story, but also for critiquing it, making sure it is written right and makes sense. Thank you for being a wonderful friend with invaluable advice. I cannot thank you enough for what you've done for this story and me and really there are no words for it. I will most especially miss you. I hope that you especially keep writing because you are and will always be in my opinion, the best writer I had the pleasure of both reading from and talking to. When I come back here, I will most likely look for all of your new stories first. All I can really say is that you have been a wonderful friend and that I will most definitely keep in contact with you. About the review, again thanks, but you are WAY too kind. I hope that I really am achieving all that you say I am and that one day I might be half as good an author as you. I will miss talking with you too. Not only are you a brilliant author, you are one of the nicest, kindest, most benevolent people I've ever met. By the way, your new story of Gaston is coming along nicely. I am starting to see the transition from innocent good boy, to exaggerator and egotistical chauvinist. I will talk with you later. Sooner than you think. God bless you always.

LumBabsFan: You also I will miss incredibly badly. If these villains in this next chapter aren't up to par, I know you will let me know. I just hope they are sufficiently wicked. I tried hard enough, but maybe I tried to hard and just made them look ridiculous. Either way, I have a villain expert reader. I will miss you very much, but hopefully I can use yours and Trudi's suggestions of regular mail. I think now it can be accomplished. I managed to catch the ending of your story and I just loved it. Your stories seem to be just perfect the entire way through. I am sad that the trilogy is over but also I am glad that when I come back, I can expect more from you. Take care and God bless you.

anon: No you are right. The times said that 21 was more than old enough. I know this, and Edouard knows this, but the uncle was trying to steal the throne away by making Vincent feel incompetent and tried to trick him, seeing if he knew that he was old enough. And the people in charge of the prince's welfare probably didn't think he was ready enough emotionally. And I know back then they didn't care about that, but this is a parallel universe of France so lets pretend that they do. Thank you very much for reviewing.

bellamegs: Thank you so very much. I'm glad that I have all the characters in character and that it was pleasing to read. And it's always a plus to hear that I made somebody laugh. I'm glad that the villains were satisfactory. I want them to be e-vile and someone you absolutely hate. Thank you for reviewing.

chef13: I aim to please. . Unlike the evil in-laws, Vincent not only loves Belle, he does respect her and that respect was obviously earned, when Belle reacted differently than the servants and showed she wasn't afraid to stand up for herself in the movie. And now you know what Bonnie and Clyde are up to…sort of. I'm just sorry I have to quit this for now. Not forever though! You are one of the best reviewers I have, because do you compliment my work, you push me to post the chapters and you care enough to keep an eye out to see if I have.I will most definitely miss you. Thank you so much for reviewing.

shortstef: Thank you very very much. I'm very glad my story reaches the high standard I set for it. I really like your story too. Completely original, unlike most modern retellings I know of, keeps my eyes glued to the page, and vastly intriguing. I am really impressed with it. Thank you for reviewing.

Dark Ninja of Avolon: Um…okay. I'm sorry, but I don't read Danny Phantom and I've never even seen an episode. I am typing as fast as this world will let me. And I'm sorry again, but the "darlings" was the way that they talked back then. And the word is still used today by people that are dangerously ill. I think the illness is called "Love." And I would like to make a few suggestions: write in complete sentences, even in a review. Say "you" instead of u. and practice correct grammar. Thank you for reviewing.

Mily Spectra: Thank you. You and me both. ;). I think he will always have that temper, though he will always go back and apologize later. The temper is just a part of him, like Gaston's ego will always be a part of him.

Lacy Pierce a.k.a. Ginny McLeod: Thank you Lacy. I'm getting better as time goes on. Although occasionally I still need Tonyboy's help with certain paragraphs and whatnot. And I haven't spotted anything wrong grammatically either so that makes me very happy. I want my work to be something people can enjoy and I don't want them hindered by careless mistakes of mine. Thank you for reviewing.

AquaBolt: Thanks! I try.

christieelise: This story starts before Belle gets pregnant and has the princess. I really didn't want to go straight to her having the baby and stuff. I mean you are curious about what happens before the princess is born aren't you? There is a lot of history before she will be born.

Gadfly: Wow. Oh my gosh! I'm sorry if I sound crazy but I can't believe you, one of the best authors here or anywhere, thinks that my story is good. I'm so very honored. I'm only doing my best here. I hadn't known that my first chapter had been poetic. That's cool. All I was trying to do was make sure my readers could see the sunrise and then most of the honeymoon chamber. And then I thought I really had messed up badly because I went back and watched the movie and-I'm rambling on and on so bad. Forgive me. Anyway, I hope that you keep writing. I hope that you read my other chapters because as you saw in the authors note, there won't be anymore coming for a long while. Thank you so very much for reviewing.