Beauty and the Beast - Happily Ever After (An Erotica Short Story)
Chapter 3: New Beginnings
By: Savannah Willove
Adam woke with a start. His heart pounded in his chest and his skin was slick with perspiration. It took a moment for his vision to adjust to the darkness which surrounded him. He ran his fingers through his damp hair and turned to look at Belle, who slept soundly beside him. He listened to the gentle sounds of her breathing, and took comfort from them. He had been having yet another nightmare. It was only a dream...everything is fine, he thought to himself. Belle slept on her side - her now large belly making it difficult to position herself otherwise. Adam smiled, for she was beautiful - even more so in her pregnancy. He laid a gentle hand on the bulge of her stomach, and pressed a soft kiss to his beloved's forehead. How did I ever get so lucky?
He rose from the bed and entered his bathing quarters, stripping his sweat-soaked shirt from his body as he went. He rested his hands on either side of the stone wash-basin, and stared at his own reflection. He was still himself - still Adam. But in his nightmare he had been the Beast. He dreamed that something terrible had happened to Belle...so terrible, in fact, that he refused to repeat it - even to himself. His agony tore through him like nothing he had ever felt before, and his body began to distort - bones breaking and resetting to an unnatural form - until he had looked upon his own hands, and saw the paws of the Beast he had once been. He cupped his hands in the basin and splashed cold water onto his face, washing away the remnants of his nightmare.
Light footsteps padded along the stone floor, and he turned to find Belle rubbing sleep from her eyes as she entered the washroom. Adam smiled at the way she waddled in, a tiny hand pressed to the small of her back while the other brushed the loose strands of hair from her face. Moonlight filtered in through a large window, washing over her and making her look angelic in the low-light. She wore a long, silk nightgown and her dressing robe. Her tiny feet peeked out from beneath the hem of the gown. The prominent bulge of her belly made her slender frame look even more petite. She smiled when she saw him, and his mind went still. Nothing calmed him as she did. Nothing filled his heart with so much love or joy.
Belle rushed into his arms, wrapping her slender ones around his strong torso. He held her tightly, resting a palm to the back of her head and stroking her soft, brown hair. "Did I wake you?" he rumbled, his voice still thick from sleep. Belle shook her head and looked up at him. Her eyes were big and beautiful - so much so, that he feared he would fall into them. Her gaze was filled with concern, and he knew she worried for him. He hadn't slept well for weeks - haunted by his terrible dreams. Though he wouldn't share with her the nature of his dreams, he had told her they were awful. Belle wished she could chase his fears away, or at least understand what was causing them. "Don't worry about me, petal. I'm alright." He gave her a reassuring smile.
"It was the nightmare again, wasn't it?" He nodded at her, and her bottom lip trembled - tears welling in her eyes as her heart ached for him. "Why won't you tell me what you see?" an errant tear slipped from her long lashes, and he quickly caught it with the pad of his thumb, swiping it away and caressing her face with his palm. "Please, Adam," she begged, her voice wavering, "I want to help you...let me help you." The last part was barely a whisper, and he felt a twinge of guilt. He curled a muscled arm around her delicate shoulders and led her back to their bedroom. They sat on the edge of the bed together, and she placed her hands in his, squeezed his fingers.
"I can't, Belle...I won't say it aloud."
"But why? I don't understand.
"I'm afraid," he admitted, his head hanging forward, his gentle expression replaced by one of fear, "If I say it...it might come true. And I don't want it to come true." His voice shook as his strength faltered. How could he make her understand? How could he relieve her of her worry without revealing the terror of his dreams? Belle's face softened as understanding washed over her.
"I'm here, Adam. I'm not going anywhere." She took his face in her hands and pressed a slow kiss to his perfect mouth. "Tell me." Adam couldn't help but chuckle, for his Belle was as stubborn as ever. She glared at him, not backing down. Adam sighed in defeat. He would tell her his dream...though perhaps not in its entirety. Belle's eyes were on him, wide with anticipation.
"It always begins the same," he started, turning to face the window, "we're here, in the castle, and we're happy. Suddenly, you're in pain, and there's nothing I can do to help you. I know the baby's coming, and I take you to our bed...this bed." He patted the mattress as he looked down at it, and his fingers began to trace the patterns on the duvet. Belle shifted closer to him, taking his hand in hers - a silent command to continue. "Something isn't right," his voice cracked, "but you're so brave. You're always so brave. You tell me it's alright, that nothing is wrong - but I can feel it. I can feel it in here," he balled his free hand into a fist and pressed it to the center of his chest - to his heart. He swallowed hard before continuing, "Suddenly, I can't reach you. You're there, so close, but I can't touch you." He paused then, knowing what came next. He couldn't bare to tell her. What followed was too gruesome - too terrible. The memory of his dream flashed into his mind's eye, and he was forced to relive the terror.
Adam stood on the opposite side of a wall he could not see, unable to reach his love. She laid on their bed, her back against the headboard as pain tore through her. She reached for him, calling his name and begging him to help her. He couldn't. He wanted to...but he couldn't. Belle threw her head back in agony, and let out a shriek. The sound was so unlike any sound she had ever made. She was in so much pain. Adam tried to run to her, but his feet were glued to the ground. He watched, in absolute horror, as her pregnant belly shifted and distorted beneath her gown. Her legs where bent at the knees as she pushed, and blood suddenly drenched the bed sheets. She yelled with pain, and Adam could only watch as his beautiful Belle was torn to pieces. A creature rose from her corpse and looked at him. It was covered in long, thick hair, and stared at him with bright, blue eyes. His eyes. The creature howled before running off into the shadows. Adam screamed for Belle, but she didn't move. Suddenly, the force that held him in place was lifted, and he ran to her. "No, no, no," he repeated to himself as he lifted her into his arms. Her body was limp against his - brown eyes open and void of life. Fury burned within him, and he growled out his pain. His soul became tormented, and he felt his body twist and break from within. He fell to the ground as the change overtook him. He lifted himself from the floor and faced a large mirror. Adam was no more - for staring back at him was a hideous beast.
"Adam?" her sweet voice drew him back to the present. He shook his head, eyes pained. "Adam? What happens in the dream? Please, tell me!"
"You don't survive the birth," he whispers, unable to share with her the dark details of his terrible nightmare. "You don't survive, and part of me dies." Belle pulled him into her warm, loving embrace, and he rested his head in the crook of her neck. He clung to her, as though she were life itself. "I can't bear to lose you, Belle. You are my entire life."
"Shhh," she lifted his face in her hands and kissed his mouth. "I'll never leave you, Adam. I promise." Adam cringed at her words, knowing it was a promise she could not guarantee. Death at childbirth was too common in this world. Resources were limited, and complications during the delivery could unexpectedly arise. He knew he should be stronger, but he couldn't bring himself to accept the possibility of losing her. They weren't finished yet...their lives had barely begun. She had only been in his life for two short years - and while they were the best years of his entire life, he was not ready for it to end so soon. He wanted more time with his love. He knew he was being selfish but he had spent ten, long years in solitude and self-loathing. Belle came into his world and breathed air into his lungs. She gave him purpose and made him whole again. She rescued the man from the beast, and taught him to love. There was still so much he wanted to show her, and so much he wanted to share with her.
The baby was due any day now, and not knowing when drove him mad. He felt that he was on borrowed time. He had been so happy to learn of Belle's pregnancy all those months ago, and he still was. But the reality of what her pregnancy meant hadn't hit him until about a month ago. Seeing her struggle to walk and bend - unable to lift, push, or pull even the simplest of objects - made the reality of their situation hit him like a harsh, cold wind. What if she didn't survive? What would become of the prince? He would never love another as he loved her, and he couldn't bare to look into the eyes of their child, knowing that its mother was taken from it, and from him.
"Stop thinking about it, darling. It's only a dream. It isn't real." Belle forced him to look at her, and the fear in his eyes was palpable. "I'm right here, love. I'm with you." His brows furrowed as the handsome features of his face set into a hard frown. She just wasn't getting through to him. Belle climbed onto the center of the bed, pulling Adam with her. He sat with his back against the headboard and Belle straddled him. She pressed her hands into his chest and leaned forward, capturing his mouth in hers. She pushed her tongue past the barrier of his lips and deepened the kiss. If he wouldn't listen to reason, then she would have no choice but to distract him by other means.
Prince Adam sat at his desk in the center of his study. A soft knock sounded at the door.
"Enter."
Cogsworth pushed the heavy door open and approached the prince's desk. "You summoned me, sir?"
"Yes, Cogsworth. I have an important task for you."
"Of course, sir. How can I be of service?"
"Belle is due to give birth any day now."
"Aye, sir. We are all so thrilled for you both."
"Thank you, Cogsworth. I need you to bring me a doctor. The best that money can buy. I don't care the cost. I want him here tonight, and on standby until Belle is ready."
"Certainly, sir. But...Mrs. Potts has delivered many a child in her day. I thought for sure that you'd want a private birth." Adam shot Cogsworth a threatening glare. "I mean no disrespect, Master."
"Do as your told, Cogsworth," Adam spit out angrily, "you have your assignment. You are dismissed." Cogsworth bowed before Adam, and then quickly turned and exited the study.
Adam dropped his face to his hands and raked his fingers through his thick, blonde hair. He needed to find a way to protect her. He couldn't let anything happen to her. But how could he guarantee her survival? Even having the doctor there was no guarantee. It was more of a comfort, knowing that there was a professional at his disposal - but it changed nothing. Belle could still die. He must stop it. He must find a way. Off to his right, beyond another set of doors, was Belle's library. Adam knew that he would find her there, curled up with one of her favorite books. Yet he had been avoiding her all day. He could not bring himself to look upon her without the knowledge that she would be safe. He needed to ensure her survival, first and foremost.
He hadn't joined his princess for breakfast, and midday now approached. He wondered whether she was angry with him for standing her up that morning. He had awoken long before she had, and disappeared from the bedroom. He hadn't kissed her awake as he normally did, nor had he joined her for their morning stroll along the castle walls or through the rose garden. Instead, he found himself locked away in his study researching ways to save her. Nothing that he read provided him with the answers he so desperately sought. One could only hope that there were no complications during or after the birth. Hope was not enough for Adam. He needed certainty.
Adam could no longer ignore the guilt that rode him as a result of neglecting his beloved. He rose from the desk and sauntered towards the library doors. He entered the library, but Belle wasn't at her usual seat by the window. His brows dipped low between his eyes as he searched for her. The library was far too large, and there were too many hidden nooks. She could be anywhere.
"Belle?" His voice echoed back around him, but Belle did not respond. After several minutes of searching, he concluded she was elsewhere in the castle. Adam left the library in search of his wife. He walked through every corridor and searched in every room. He even climbed the tower to the dungeon in search of her. Nothing. She wasn't anywhere to be found. He began to panic then, worried that she had left him - that she was angry with him for his recent behavior. Mrs. Potts passed him in the corridor, a tray of food in her hands.
"Afternoon, Your Majesty. Care for some lunch? Perhaps a spot of tea?"
"Mrs. Potts, where is Belle?"
"Why, she rode into town early this morning, Master. We thought you knew." Adam was confused. Why had she left without telling him? She was in no condition to travel - not when the baby was due to be born any day now.
"Did she mention what for?"
"To visit her father, sir. It turns out that Maurice has fallen ill." Adam couldn't understand why he wasn't aware of this. Why hadn't Belle mentioned her father being ill? Why hadn't she asked him to ride into town with her? Why hadn't she said good-bye? He suspected something wasn't right.
"How did she come to hear about her father? Who delivered the news to her?" Mrs. Potts gave him an odd look before answering.
"I...I'm not sure, sir. I'm sorry. She didn't say."
Something wasn't right. No one entered the castle without his knowledge. There were no messages delivered to the castle, that didn't go through him first. Who had contacted Belle?
"See to it that my horse is prepared immediately. And bring me my riding boots and jacket." Mrs. Potts nodded and hurried off.
Adam mounted his horse, grabbed the reins and kicked the stirrups. The horse lurched forward, running at full speed. He flew through the castle gates and into the woods. He followed the winding path through the forest, the wind whipping violently against his face. His heart slammed against his rib cage, and he was filled with fear. What if he was too late? What if something had happened to her? It would be all his fault. He never should have left her side that morning. He was too wrapped up in his own selfish fears to notice her absence.
He leaned forward - his chin brushing the back of the mare's mane. He focused on the road before him, pulling the reins tightly and guiding his steed with precision through the narrow pass engulfed in greenery. He reached an opening at the end of the dirt road, and broke through the entry and into a spacious valley. Beyond the pastures and down the hill, Adam saw Belle's village. He whipped the reins and continued onward. He slowed just outside the village, and dismounted his horse.
He jogged through the village, ignoring all the ogling from the other villagers. Strangers tried to approach him or sell him something - they were getting in his way. Adam didn't have time for that. He needed to find Belle, now. He pressed onward until he reached Belle's prior home, where Maurice still resided. He pounded on the door desperately.
"Belle? Maurice?" The door opened.
A tired Maurice cracked the door, rubbing his eyes when the light assaulted them. "Prince Adam?" Adam rolled his eyes at this.
"Call me Adam, Maurice. Where is Belle?" Maurice nodded, and then his expression became confused as he processed the question.
"Belle? She's not at the castle?" Adam's heart dropped. She wasn't there. And Maurice didn't look ill at all. What had happened to her? He couldn't involve Belle's father. If anything happened to her Papa she would never forgive him.
"Stay inside, Maurice. I'll find her. Do not try anything or put yourself in danger." Adam turned and ran back through the town toward the horse.
"Is everything alright?" Maurice called behind him, but Adam didn't respond. Back on his horse, he rode into the valley, searching for any sign of his precious Belle. He galloped through the open space and scanned the vast land with his eyes. It was useless. He no longer had acute senses, he was only human. Adam needed to find her, and for the first time ever, he wished he were the Beast. An idea struck him, and he rode quickly back towards the palace.
He tied the horse at the small stable out front and rushed into the castle. Adam sped up the stairs and through the west wing, reaching his bedroom. Once inside, he slowed to catch his breath. He looked across the room at his large balcony, and at the single enchanted rose that the enchantress had restored when Belle first admitted her love to him - turning him back into a man, and saving his life in the process. He had left it in its place, protected by a glass cover, as a reminder of how he had come to change for the better. Perhaps he could somehow use it to transform back into the Beast, long enough to find Belle and ensure her safety. He sauntered towards the rose, and carefully lifted the glass cover. It floated in the center of the table, standing vertically about five inches from the surface. Adam took the rose in his hand, and it illuminated a bright pink color, suddenly bursting a painful flash of light directly into his face.
He blinked his eyes, and watched in awe as the rose levitated from his hand and illuminated the entire bedroom with a powerful light. It began to spin and the petals of the rose bloomed and opened before his eyes. Adam held his ground, determined to get to Belle. The bright lights began to dissipate, and before him stood the beautiful enchantress that had cursed him all those years ago. She remained exactly as he remembered her - not aging the slightest over the last dozen years. Her white hair and dress floated around her, and she looked as though a gust of wind were blowing against her. He suddenly heard her voice, though not with his ears.
Adam. Why have you summoned me?
"Enchantress, I need your help." She watched him in silence, her cold blue eyes chilling him to the bone.
I do not help. She spoke in his mind, her mouth never opening. Adam didn't understand. Why did she refuse to help him? She had helped him before, after all. Adam was forever grateful for the lesson the enchantress had taught him, which led him to meet Belle and experience true love. He was forever changed, and a better man for it.
"Please...it's Belle. You know she is everything to me. I fear she's in danger, and I must go to her. Help me." Adam squared his shoulders and set his jaw - looking directly into the enchantress' glacial gaze. She held his eyes with her own, but her expression remained impassive.
I do not help. Adam felt a heavy weight drop in the pit of his stomach. A look of despair broke across his chiseled face and he felt all hope was lost.
"Enchantress, I beg you. You may take my life if you wish, but please let me save her. Let me bring her home. She carries my child within her..." he lowered his face, finally breaking eye contact with the enchantress. He tried to hide his emotion, silently cursing the unshed tears that stung his eyes at the thought of losing Belle. He would sooner die than let anything happen to her.
You wish to become a beast once more.
Adam's eyes shot to hers. "How did you know that?"
I know all.
"Then you know where Belle is?" She had to tell him. He prayed that she would.
Yes.
"Then you must tell me where she is! How can I find her?"
I do not help. Adam growled with fury. He was tired of playing games. Precious time was being wasted, and he needed to get to Belle before...he didn't even want to think what. He just knew he had to get to her.
Beauty comes from within, Adam. He looked up at her and narrowed his eyes. He remembered those words she had spoken to him once before. The same dark night she cast the spell on him. The same applies to your beast. One balances the other. Only you can decide which is in control. She lifted her hand and a beam of blue light sliced through the air, resting on the small, round table. Before his eyes, a large, ruby ring appeared on the the center of the table. Do not call on me again. A gust of wind swirled through the bedroom, forming a small tornado around the enchantress. Bursts of pure light shot out from where she stood, and suddenly she was gone. Nothing remained this time. Not even the rose.
Adam stalked towards the round table, and took the ruby ring in his hand. Inscribed on the band was the phrase Sens le. Tournez trois fois. Feel it. Turn three times. Adam was grateful to the enchantress for her final gesture of kindness. It didn't matter that he could never summon her again, for she gave him all the answers he needed. Adam quickly slid the ring over his finger and felt Belle in his heart. He thought of her smile, her eyes. Her smooth skin and soft hair. He focused on her scent and the sounds of her breathing. He turned the ring around his finger three times, and darkness swallowed him up. Cold air whipped around him, but he couldn't see a thing. Nothing but blackness stretched out in all directions. He could suddenly see a small light in the distance, and watched in astonishment as it grew in size. He was spit out of the darkness into a location unfamiliar to him.
Adam stumbled and nearly lost his footing, but caught himself at the last moment. He took in his surroundings - quickly scanning the area with his eyes and turning a full three-hundred and sixty degrees. He appeared to be at the mouth of a cave. He looked around him and saw nothing but black mountain walls that reached high into the sky. It was dark and cold there. He turned back towards the mouth of the cave and entered it. At the back of the cave's mouth, there was a tunnel lit by torches. He raised a single brow and followed the light through the tunnel.
"Belle?" he whispered, unsure if the ring had taken him to the right location. He continued down the narrow tunnel, turning his body at an angle so that he could avoid being scraped by the sharp rock protruding from the wall. His chest constricted at the thought of Belle hurting herself in that very tunnel. The tunnel suddenly grew wider and Adam reached an opening at the other end. He found himself in what appeared to be some sort of bedroom. He noticed a cot in the corner, a pair of old, worn, brown leather boots, and a tin mug resting on a small, wooden table. "Belle?" he called again, hoping she was somewhere in the vast room. He heard a groan from farther within the room. He stepped inside and walked around the wall, seeing that the room was even larger than he'd initially thought.
His heart stopped when his gaze landed on her. There, in the corner, chained with her arms high above her head, sitting on an old, beaten mattress, was Belle. He rushed to her side instantly, lifting her face in his hands to inspect her. Her eyes fluttered open and blinked back into focus. They grew wide when she recognized him, and she began to sob.
"Adam," she croaked, fear rolling off her. Fury burned in his chest. Who had done this to her? What would anyone have to gain from kidnapping the princess?
"Belle, I'm here," he breathed, trying to get a hold over the myriad of emotions that washed over him. "Who did this to you? What on earth happened?"
"I didn't recognize him," she whispered, her eyes filled with terror as she began to shake her head frantically.
"Shhh, relax. I'm here, my love. You're safe. Now tell me, who did this to you." He held her face gently, not missing the faint bruises on her forehead and arms. His blood boiled.
"He's crazy, Adam. He wants to kill our baby!" she shrieked, beginning to shake and sob once more. Adam had heard enough. Nobody threatened his family. Whoever this maniac was, he would die. Adam stood and yanked at the chains on the wall, attempting to free her hands. The chains rattled in protest, but did not budge. Adam cursed himself for not having brought his sword. He had been in such a hurry to get to Belle, that he ran out of the castle with nothing but the clothes on his back. He hadn't thought this rescue mission through.
It suddenly occurred to him. Beauty comes from within. The same applies to your beast. He bent in front of Belle and pressed a kiss to her cheek. "Do not be alarmed," he whispered, and Belle's eyes grew wider, worry filling them as he stood before her. Adam closed his eyes, and focused on his former self. He thought of Belle, alone and scared, sitting in this very cave with a psychopath. Anger burned in his veins, and he wanted to tear the world to shreds. He focused on the image he wanted to see, and turned the ruby ring around his finger three times. He felt a sharp pain in the middle of his chest and fell to the ground with an agonizing cry.
"Adam!" Belle screamed, the fear present in her voice.
He felt something shift beneath his skin, and winced as his skeletal structure cracked, twisted, and grew, until his human form was no more. He slowly rose to his feet, standing at over ten feet tall, and looked down at his hands. His nightmare flashed in his mind as he recognized the paws of the Beast. He turned to face Belle, and she looked at him with horror. It hurt him a little, to see her afraid of him once more. He knelt in front of her and cupped her tiny face in his beastly hand. Her expression calmed as her eyes met his, and she visibly relaxed all over. She leaned into his touch and closed her eyes.
"How is this possible?" she whispered against his palm, and he gently traced a claw over her cheek.
"Enchantress," he answered, standing to pull the chains from the wall. His voice was deep and gravelly, no longer the smooth melodious voice of the prince. Just as he took the chains in his massive paws, something sharp pierced through the flesh of his right shoulder, making him growl with pain. The cave shook around them, causing bits of rock to fall from the ceiling. Beast turned around and his eyes focused on a mysterious man, standing at the entrance of the tunnel, aiming an arrow directly at his chest. The man was over six feet tall, but Beast still towered over him. He rumbled in his chest, and rose to his full height. Who was the man, and what did he want?
The man neither faltered nor flinched at the sight of the Beast. He stepped into the candlelight and kept his bow and arrow steadily aimed at Beast's chest. "I've been waiting a long time for this day," the man spoke, and his voice was familiar somehow. "You disgust me, Belle," he hissed, spitting in her direction, "to think that you chose to lay with this...this...abomination rather than me. And you dare to carry its child? I will not let you bring another monster into this world!" Beast growled in anger, wanting to rip the man's head from his body for speaking such ugly words to his beauty.
"Who are you?" Beast growled, his paws balling up into fists at his sides as his breathing became labored.
"You don't recognize me, Beast? Am I so easy to forget?" the man took another step further into the light, and Beast went still. It couldn't be. The man that stood before him was horribly scarred. Hideous marks cut across his face and neck, distorting his appearance. But Beast recognized him, for beyond the scars was an evil man.
"Gaston...please," Belle whimpered, her voice shaking as tears wracked through her. Beast didn't understand how he had survived. Belle had told him that Gaston had fallen thousands of feet off the side of the mountain, shortly after having shot him down. He had somehow survived the fall, though he was hideously scarred as a result.
"Quiet, harlet!" Beast roared with fury and the cave shook once more. He felt another sting of pain as Gaston loosed a second arrow into his other shoulder, but his anger overpowered the pain. He would pay for what he'd done to Belle, and he would never disrespect her again. Beast pulled the arrow from his right shoulder out, followed by the one in his left, and tossed them to the side. He ignored the blood that flowed from the wounds and bled into his torn shirt. Beast took a heavy step forward and knocked the bow from Gaston's grip, wrapping a meaty paw around his throat.
Gaston dangled in his grip, coughing and gasping for breath. Beast lifted him higher, so that his face was close to the candlelight. "Now who is the monster?" Beast growled, tightening his grip around Gaston's throat.
"Please..." Gaston wheezed - his hands flailing hopelessly against Beast's enormous fingers.
"We've been here before," Beast growled, tightening his grip still, "I won't make the same mistake twice." Beast stepped in front of Belle, blocking her view from what he was about to do. He closed his grip around Gaston, feeling his bones shatter like glass in his fists. He watched the life slowly leave his eyes, until they were vacant, and dropped his life-less corpse to the ground. He quickly turned back to Belle, still shielding her view from the necessary act he had committed, and yanked her chains from the wall. He then snapped the cuffs from her wrists and pulled her into his powerful embrace. She shook and sobbed in his arms, and he held her close, cradling and comforting her.
Beast focused on their home, and turned the ruby ring around his finger thrice. The darkness swallowed them both, and he covered Belle with his enormous body, shielding her from the cold wind that blew in the blackness. They landed in their bedroom once more, and he quickly turned to inspect her.
"Are you hurt, Belle?" Beast cradled her gently in his arms before setting her onto the bed. She looked exhausted and weak. It was all his fault. If only he hadn't left her side - none of this would have happened. Belle shook her head in denial, and nestled her face against the pillow.
"Just bruised and sore. I will be alright."
"Did he touch you, Belle?" Beast was afraid to ask the question directly, but it was implied. She shook her head once more, and his heart rate slowly returned to normal.
"How did you..." Belle trailed off, her eyes raking over his entire body. He had almost forgotten that he was back in his Beast form - feeling equally as comfortable as being a man.
"Oh, right," he looked down at the ruby ring, and focused on his human form, turning it around his finger three times. A warm light swirled around him, lifting him into the air, and he could feel himself return to normal size. He landed safely on his bare feet, and rushed to Belle's side. He pulled the ring from his finger and placed it in her palm. "A final gift from the enchantress." She rolled it around in her palm, an awed expression on her beautiful face.
"Incredible..." she whispered, offering the ring back to him.
"It's yours," he said, closing her fist around it. "So you can always find your way home." She smiled and he leaned in to kiss her mouth. She tasted of sweat, dirt, and exhaustion, but her lips felt perfect sliding against his own. "I'm so sorry, my darling. I'm so sorry I left you alone this morning. It was selfish and wrong. I'll never leave your side again." Belle shook her head and propped herself up on one elbow. She reached a slender hand toward his face and touched his hair, brushing it behind his ear.
"Never apologize for loving me so much, that you would risk everything for me. Because I would do the same, and I will never apologize for that." Adam took her face in his hands and kissed her deeply. Relief washed over him as the realization that she was finally safe settled around them. He rested a hand against her large belly as he kissed her - the other at the nape of her neck. He was lost in her kiss when he felt something jump beneath his hand. He stiffened against her mouth, breaking the kiss. He felt it again, and his heart somersaulted in his chest. He looked at Belle and then back down at the hand that rested on her pregnant belly.
"Looks like someone is happy to see you," she whispered, flattening her palm over the back of his hand, and pressing it more firmly against her belly. He really felt something then. The baby kicked with enough force that Adam's hand physically jumped in response. "Papa's here," she addressed her bump, and Adam's heart soared at her words. Papa. I'm going to be a Papa.
"You're doing just fine, dearie. Take another deep breath...we're almost there!" Mrs. Potts smiled up at Belle from the foot of the bed, craning her neck to address her over the sheet that covered her from the waist down. Belle was exhausted. She had been pushing for nearly an hour now, and the baby's head still wasn't coming out. "Come on, poppet! The little one's right here, I can see hair! Brown, like yours." Belle took in another shaky breath and turned her head to the side to look at her husband.
Adam dabbed her forehead with a handkerchief, his other hand wrapped tightly around hers. He smiled at her and pressed a kiss to her forehead. "Go on, beauty. We're almost there, and I'm right here with you." Belle gave him a curt nod and pulled every bit of strength she had left into her next breath.
"And...push!" Belle squeezed Adam's hand and pressed her head back into the pillow as she pushed with all her might. Pain ripped through her like she'd never felt before, and then something slipped out of her, slowly at first, and then suddenly quick. The pain was gone, and the pressure in her pelvis subsided. She heard a loud buzz in her head when she dropped back into the mattress - the last of her strength gone from her. A moment later she heard a loud slap, followed by the first cries of she and Adam's child. "It's a girl!" Mrs. Potts announced, wrapping the tiny, delicate child in a clean sheet, and resting her on Belle's chest.
Adam nestled close to Belle, his cheek resting against hers, and together, they looked at their little girl for the first time. A warm sensation tingled within him, and he was overcome with joy. Belle smiled lazily at him - her body no doubt exhausted from all the amazing work it had just done. A tiny, round, pink face peeked through an opening in the blanket bundle. Her eyes were closed, and her tiny pink lips were shaped like an O as she slept soundly in her mother's arms.
"What shall we name her?" he asked his wife, unable to hide the emotion that welled inside his chest. Belle smiled up at him before responding.
"Rose."
Fin.
*Author's Note*
Thank you all again for your support. It means so much to read your PMs, reviews, and see you like and follow the story. Please review, it helps me to improve my writing, and give my readers what they want. I am still open to continuing the story, but as always, the inspiration comes from you, my readers. Leave a review or send me a PM telling me what you thought about the latest chapter of Adam and Belle's story, and leave any suggestions/ideas for the next chapter! I will do my best to create my version of story for you! Thank you for your support and as always, happy reading.
Sandra Willove.
