16
THE morning of Gaston's departure from the Prince's castle was cold as the trees were bereft of their leaves by this point and looked dead.
The Prince's castle exuded an almost intimidating aura as Belle and Adam stood in the Courtyard closest to the castle gates. The fully risen cold winter sun illuminated each tower of the structure as light flowed over the castle.
The cool colors from before the sun had risen in the sky had now faded to a warmer color, making the Gothic castle look welcoming and inviting to those who came upon her gates.
Belle twisted her neck behind her to look and thought it strange how the castle that was now her and Papa's new home could look so formidable in this light. And yet, she could not recall ever feeling so comfortable and at home before this.
The scent of the rose blossoms in the gardens was intoxicating and overwhelming, making Belle feel slightly dizzy. Still, it was feeling the warmth of the Prince's hand in hers as they watched somberly as Gaston was led towards the gates by the Prince's captain of the guard.
Belle only met Gaston's gaze briefly as the hunter looked up as he was led past them, and quickly looked away in shame and disgust. She had attempted to visit him several times in the dungeons and was always told by one of the guards assigned to guard the cell that he refused to see her.
Even still, though she was hurt and angry with Gaston for what the man had done to her and the Prince, Belle could not help but feel sorry for the man.
She felt an ache of longing in her chest for the good man Gaston could have been, had his life circumstances turned out differently and if he had only been able to accept "no" as her answer to his proposals. The explosion of sudden pity in her chest brought tears to Belle's eyes. He could have been such a good friend to her, in time.
Gaston could have made such a wonderful life for himself, and she hoped someday, there was still time for the man to change. Perhaps not all was lost. Perhaps he would one day know what it meant to love another and to be loved in return. But he had thrown away his life, and for what?
His inability to control his temper and Belle's stubborn inability to forgive. And she had gone and fallen in love with the realm's Prince, a man of much higher status, wealth, and power than him.
She felt an overwhelming sadness overwhelm her and she nervously twisted the plain silver wedding band she now wore proudly on her ring finger and still caught herself glancing down at it in awe, hardly daring to believe that she was Prince Adam's wife.
She was, by title now, this realm's new Princess. The thought sent a secret trill of pleasure through her.
True to his word, the Prince had not wanted to wait to wed Belle and the moment she was able to walk again, albeit, with the assistance of a cane to support her body weight given to her by the castle's doctor as well as the Prince's help, they were married. Half the realm had shown to pay their respects to Prince Adam and his new bride.
Belle could scarcely recall the ceremony, only that she had worn a lovely silken buttercream yellow gown and Mrs. Potts and a few of the maids had woven tiny flowers into her dark hair.
They had exchanged words of love, promises to one another, rings, and a kiss, and the brass crown that was to be Belle's was then placed atop her head by Cogsworth, officially crowning her as the realm's Princess. Such bliss.
Belle was pulled out of her happy fantasy of reliving such a glorious day by the sound of the carriage's litter door opening that would take Gaston away from the castle and drop him off at the edge of France and see him escorted safely out of the country with a provision of food and new clothes.
They would give him that much, but once he was across the border, he would have to make his way. That strange nagging pull Belle felt at her chest tugged at her heartstrings again until it was almost painful.
She could hardly bear it. She took a ginger step forward and lightly shrugged off Adam's grasp despite his quiet protests that she did not need to put herself through this anymore, but she ignored her new husband's words.
There was something she wanted to say to Gaston, and this would be her last chance.
"Wait," she blurted out and paused as both Gaston and the guard turned to look at her with weary expressions. She hesitated.
There was still time to renounce Adam's decision and let Gaston return to the village on the condition he made no further attempt to contact her.
She knew now that she was Princess of these lands, Gaston would never hurt her again if he valued keeping his head attached to his shoulders.
But Gaston would not be welcome in the castle anymore, not after hurting both her and the Prince. The Prince's leg from where he had been stabbed was healing well, though he was still walking with a slight limp to his gait and likely always would, according to the doctor. No. He could not remain. Not after what he had done. No. This was the only way.
"I'm sorry, Gaston," Belle said at last after a long pause, her voice barely above a whisper as she spoke.
The hunter's colorless grey eyes remained blank and impassive, but Gaston returned her nod with one of his own. He sharply looked away to avert his gaze, though not before Belle heard him sniff and she thought she could see the tears at the corners of Gaston's grey eyes.
"But this is the only way."
Gaston looked at her for a long moment before he nodded.
When he spoke, his voice was so hushed that Belle initially thought he'd not spoken at all and almost missed his words entirely.
"I know," he said gruffly and made to turn away. Gaston stepped into the litter without another word, shutting the door gently behind him and the driver of the carriage clucked his tongue and spurred the horse into action.
Belle stared at the carriage leaving the property and taking the road through the woods for a long time until the large black device was well out of sight. After nearly ten minutes of standing there silent and still as an owl, the tears finally left her eyes when she realized Gaston was officially gone from her life and there was nothing more she could do to help the man.
The rest from this point onward would be up to him, and him alone.
She felt as though someone had hollowed her out, but at least she wasn't tired anymore. She'd slept long and deep following her curse being lifted and the several days of being confined to bedrest while the wound at her side healed.
Only now, after their wedding, was she beginning to feel rested.
Today, though, was a day meant for celebration.
Monsieur Lumiere and Cogsworth insisted on throwing a celebration for the two of them and inviting the villagers, an opportunity for the people to meet the Prince and Princess whom they were under the protection and care of.
She glanced down at her dress and sighed. She was wearing a lovely forest green dress of rich velvet material that Mrs. Potts had insisted upon. This gown alongside the dress she had worn for her wedding was easily one of the most expensive pieces of clothing Belle thought she'd seen. The old woman had vehemently protested when Belle had asked what was wrong with her usual attire when she'd made to dress this morning in her usual frock before coming out here to the Courtyard to see Gaston on his way.
Mrs. Potts had crinkled her nose and looked so offended at the thought of their new Princess coming to the feast in common attire, and would not let her out of her and the Prince's bedroom in the West Wing until she had bathed and changed. The dress was new and pretty, created especially for her, and Mrs. Potts had pulled Belle's dark hair back into a low ponytail and secured her hair with a matching green silk ribbon.
A small sound snatched Belle from her senses, and Belle let a ghost of a smile flit across her face as she realized Adam had somehow snuck up behind her, his steps silent. Silent. How could she not have sensed him?
She whipped her dark locks as she turned around in a twist of her skirts to see her new husband shyly holding a beautiful plucked blood-red rose in his gloved hands. It was beautiful.
"Come, Belle, my love. We should be getting inside. These low temperatures are not good for you and Cogsworth is bound to have a fit if we're late." A deep chuckle left his lips as he moved to hand her the rose. "He and Lumiere have been planning this day for weeks. We don't want to disappoint them," he told her, teasing.
Though his tone was teasing, Adam was eyeing Belle with a guarded expression, as though he feared his Princess was still deep in the throes of her melancholy over feeling hopeless about the situation the hunter Gaston now found himself in, and everything that had happened to the two of them.
She nodded. "I'm coming, Adam, my love, I just…need a moment." She sounded calm, but secretly she wasn't. She shyly took the flower from it, brought the rose to her nose, and inhaled its scent deeply. Just the scent of the flower in her hands calmed her.
She tried to smile, enjoying how Adam doted on her and had hardly left her side since she had woken to find her curse was miraculously lifted. Though her smile felt strained, she let out a tired sigh and looked away momentarily to compose herself as a strand of her hair came loose from her dark ponytail and Belle did her best to tuck her wild hair back into its proper place.
Her body shuddered and despite her best efforts to stop her tears, the salty liquid flowed down her cheeks like a dam that had accidentally opened.
"I could have done more to stop Gaston, Adam, what happened to you was my fault. If only I'd been faster and stronger….then maybe none of this would have happened," she whispered, her voice cracking as she felt Adam move to stand directly before her.
She stiffened when she felt his gloved hand jut out and cup her chin as the man tilted her head upward, leaving Belle with nowhere to look but directly at her Prince. She felt her bottom lip start to quiver, but her husband's wintry blue eyes had her captivated.
She didn't think she could look away even though she wanted to.
"No, Belle, darling, it was not your fault and it never will be, do you hear me?" Adam told her sharply in a much frostier tone than he had intended, for he grimaced as Belle flinched away in surprise, hurt by how cold he sounded. "Don't blame yourself for this."
His expression softened and he tried a softer approach. He knew her delicate condition as she healed as the days passed was emotional as well, not just physical. He would have to be careful with her, and Adam thought over his next words carefully.
"You've done what I couldn't, Belle, my love. You are too good a woman for me and certainly too good for God. You've forgiven him and let him go free. If I were you, I'd have had the man hanged for nearly killing you. Twice," the Prince muttered angrily.
A dark shadow flashed across the man's handsome and angular features, but it was gone before Belle could ponder what the withering look he shot her now meant.
"You've helped Gaston and ourselves by ordering him exiled from France, my love. You must see that, Belle. You have to forgive yourself. This does not have to be the end of your story, Belle. Our lives together are simply a new chapter."
Belle sniffed and nodded, unable to send her new husband's words away.
"Those are just words, Adam," she whispered in a hoarse voice.
Her breaths caught in her throat as Adam drew her even closer to him, his hands winding around her waist and his nose nuzzling her cheek in an affectionate gesture.
There was such tenderness in the gentle gesture that Belle wanted to weep.
Her gaze was drawn towards a stone bench and thought that sufficient to sit for a moment. She needed a moment with just her love before they went inside the Great Hall in the castle and were surrounded by dozens of people, most of whom Belle knew, but Adam did not. The happy new couple sat down, and Belle rested her head against his shoulder as she held his hand.
The gardens of their estate still looked foreign to Belle, even after months spent as first the Prince's reluctant prisoner and then as his guest, and now, she would live out the rest of her days here as his wife, and hopefully one day in the future, she would be Mother to any children God might see fit to bless them with. She hoped for it.
Adam sensed Belle looking at him and turned to smile at her happily. It was her Prince who broke the silence that had settled in the air between them following Gaston's departure.
"Are we just going to sit here, Belle?" He asked, and then immediately realized the question he had just posed to his wife sounded like an inappropriate suggestion. His cheeks flushed red and immediately, Adam began to try to correct his mistake. "I…I mean, love, surely there's something we could talk about," he stammered softly.
Belle mentally slapped herself for her silence. Adam knew her better than she knew herself these days, he was now her husband, surely, there was no need for her to be behaving so nervously.
"We should go soon, Adam, my love, if the feast has already started, but…" Belle hesitated and let her solemn voice trail off as she thought of all the Prince had done for her following Agathe's curse. All that he had given her. How affectionate and caring he was towards her, how the man had hardly left her side following her waking. When she was tired, he'd fetched her extra blankets or pillows, or read to her from whatever book was striking her fancy at the time. He was the one who had spooned warm broth into her mouth at mealtimes when she had at first been too weak to hold her spoon on her own. He'd been the one to take her for walks around the grounds, careful to move at her own pace when she grew tired of remaining cooped up within the castle's cold stone walls.
"Thank you, Adam, for giving me my life back. You've saved my life, my love," she whispered shyly, bringing her eyes to meet his and holding the man's deep blue eyes in the depths of her gaze. Adam looked at Belle.
The shock reveling in his electric blue eyes was so intense that she would have wanted to look away, but somehow, Belle managed to bravely hold her gaze.
"I'm the one who should be thanking you, Belle. You were the one who risked your life to try to save me," he told her, his body trembling with the memory as he held his wife's gaze in his. "Belle, my love, you've given me the greatest gift when you gave me your heart the night we married, but…" He hesitated, his blue eyes turning softer and his expression grew more solemn. "It was my hope, Belle, and perhaps it is a selfish hope, darling, that we could consider starting a family soon," he confessed, hopefully, as he made his plea to his wife to try for a child as soon as she was fully healed.
Adam shot her a nervous smile that told her he was trying his best.
Belle smiled and gently leaned forward and pressed her lips to his and kissed him. She felt their kiss tingling through her body.
The Prince kissed her like she was the only thing left on the earth like she was water to a man dying of dehydration somewhere in a far-off land in a desert. His right hand came up to gently hold her face while his left wound around her waist. The Prince pulled her closer to them so she was flush against his broad chest.
Adam felt the luscious fabric of her new dress under his fingers and his hand twisted into a tight fist. She did not want their kiss to end and it didn't, for the longest time. But eventually, it did.
As they parted, Belle had to stifle a chuckle from seeing her husband open his eyes and find his face flushed a deep cherry red. Adam was looking as stunned as she felt right now, she was sure of that much. She leaned back, her cheeks flushed in embarrassment as she ran quick hands through her hair and redid her low ponytail.
"Is…is that a yes, Belle, darling?" Adam asked, sounding hopeful as he looked into her eyes.
Belle's shy smile widened as she nodded.
"Did that kiss not answer your question, Adam?" she asked him, unable to resist teasing him a little bit. She had the pleasure of seeing the blush speckled along her husband's face deepen and she chuckled as she looked down at their hands which were joined together. "Yes, Adam. Of course, I want children with you. I want our family to grow just as much as you do. How many do you think we should have?" she asked shyly. The smile her handsome hero graced her with at hearing her words was one that Belle knew she would always cherish.
She heard him make an odd noise of dissent through his nose as he twisted around to hear his name being called. The Prince looked towards the castle and found Monsieur Lumiere looking thoroughly disgruntled, to say nothing of impatient. His servant was hastily waving them inside.
The man was eager to usher them into the Great Hall, as the feast was held in their honor and the celebrations could not fully get underway without the realm's Prince and Princess seated at the head of the table.
As Adam helped Belle to her feet and kept one hand firmly wound around her waist, he leaned forward and whispered into the shell of her ear.
"At least two, Belle, my love. I want our family to continue long after we are gone from this world. I'd hate for our firstborn to be alone in the heart and lonely growing up, as I was. As you were," he pointed out softly. Belle nodded her agreement. "But that is a discussion for now." For now," here, the Prince paused and let out a morose chuckle and smirked a bit as they approached Lumiere's position. "We should humor the man. He and Cogsworth have been working hard, we don't want to disappoint them," he quietly told Belle.
Belle smiled and nodded, allowing herself to be led inside the castle as Adam took Belle gently by the hand and led her forward.
As she was led inside the Hall, Belle was astonished to find that this was the first time in her life that she felt truly content and at peace. She was married to a wonderful man who doted on her and treated her as an equal.
Her Papa wanted for nothing since he had moved into the castle alongside her, wanting to be close to his only daughter and any grandchildren he might have, hopefully very shortly. They wanted nothing.
The moment they entered the Great Hall where they took their meals every day, the warmth hit Belle and wrapped around her freezing bones like a warm blanket. She let out a pleasant gasp and felt her mouth go slightly slack in surprise at the greeting on the long rectangular table. Never before had Belle laid eyes on such a feast of roasted turkey, chicken, and pheasant legs on the table, mashed potatoes swimming in pools of dark gravy, loaves of bread, and cheeses from around the country. The meal was lavish and smelled utterly divine.
The fact that they would not be dining on their usual meal of cold and hard pork chops told Belle and the Prince that Lumiere had outdone himself this time in preparing this rich banquet.
Cogsworth took notice of the master of the castle and his new bride and promptly rose from his chair.
"Your Highness, good, you made it. Mrs. Potts and I were beginning to think you'd snuck off," Cogsworth chortled and shot the Prince a furtive wink behind his spectacles as he motioned for the Prince and Belle to take their respective seats at the head of the table. "Please do sit down, won't you? The chefs in the kitchens have outdone themselves. Help yourselves," Cogsworth told them.
It took Belle a few more seconds of staring at so much food on the table before her body responded and she moved as Adam darted forward to pull her chair out for her.
As he did so, he spoke up.
"Cogsworth, my friend, this truly is something. Belle and I cannot thank you and Lumiere and Mrs. Potts enough for preparing this for us," Adam gave his thanks as he gestured towards the food that covered the table. The old man beamed by way of response, pleased, Belle thought, that the Prince was being so thoughtful.
"It is, master, but it is well-deserved. The others and I here in the castle were beginning to think you would never meet a young lady to tie down to, and our new Princess has been good to you and for you. Of course, we celebrate," he told the flustered Prince, unable to stop the smirk that tugged the edges of his mouth upwards from showing as Cogsworth sat back down, seated to the Prince's right.
Adam, however, did not flinch, merely grunted noncommittally and busied himself by pouring himself a flagon of wine. He then helped Belle to get herself situated as she took the seat next to her husband's left. Adam was warm against her as he scooted his chair closer to her.
The two of them were surrounded by their subjects, the servants who were more like their friends, and of course, their family, as Belle was seated alongside her father, and next to her father, was the witch herself.
Belle had insisted on Agathe being allowed to attend both their wedding and this celebratory feast Lumiere and Cogsworth were holding in celebration of their marriage, however, Adam had balked at the idea at first.
He had only relented until Belle refused to back down after they had stayed up until dawn discussing this idea the night Belle woke from her surgery.
The witch was admittedly one of the last people Adam wanted his new wife anywhere near, though Belle had assured the man that Agathe would cause no harm and held no quarrel with the Prince.
Agathe was looking quite proud of the newly wedded royal couple seated across the table from her and Maurice.
For a brief moment, the witch and the Prince locked eyes and held their gazes, yet Adam was still becoming accustomed to the witch's presence in their life. He flinched under the intensity of the Enchantress' gaze.
However, the witch with the piercing eyes of catlike green merely smiled gently back at him, her expression kind.
Seeing the change within the witch, Adam felt the tension dissipate from his shoulders and he let himself relax the moment he felt Belle's hand underneath the table come to rest on his thigh.
His wife's featherlight touch grounded him and brought him back. The witch still made him nervous, if he was being honest with himself, and Adam was not entirely sure if her behavior change was honest and true.
Though Belle had told him repeatedly over the last several days that her dear friend held no ill will towards him for any of what had transpired because of his original intentions to bring her back to his castle, though using force.
Agathe had accepted that the two loved one another and could see it for herself the moment she arrived at the castle alongside Maurice, having been the only villager back home to offer to help Maurice move his things and she seemed genuinely happy for them.
Adam grew silent and contemplative as he listened to his wife launched into a conversation with Mrs. Potts as she began to ask Mrs. Potts and anyone else around her who would listen for recommendations on names for a child.
This revelation sparked a delightful conversation with Maurice who was overjoyed that her daughter would be starting a family of her own soon enough and give him several grandchildren that he could dote on.
In Adam's mind, there was no sweeter sight than the scene before his very eyes, seeing everyone seated here together at his table. He had never before realized that the castle, his home, could be so…magical, in a sense, and all that entailed with the description. His home now that he could share it with the woman he loved and someday, their future children, was just as magical as the woman he'd married.
He just had not realized it until now and he cursed himself that it had taken him this long to truly see it. A sudden urge to kiss her almost overtook Adam completely, despite the curious eyes of half the Great Hall on them.
Belle must have sensed she was being watched, for she looked up at him with a honey-sweet smile that sent his heart careening against his ribs just then.
The quiet heat and intensity of his love's stare told Adam that his beloved wife was having similar feelings.
It was as if some unconscious part of him had called to his Princess just then, and an unconscious part of Belle had responded in kind. His sweet Belle was so in tune with his emotions and attentive to his every need and desire.
The longer he looked at Belle, the more he was certain that he did not know what their future would hold, but right now, here at this moment, he was happy. Happier than he'd ever been.
Right now, with his wife by his side and surrounded by their friends, family, and their subjects, was a new beginning. A new chapter in the book of their lives, one whose pages he and Belle would fill out together.
And that, Adam supposed, was good enough for him.
Adam wouldn't have it any other way. He smiled softly at his wife, as without waiting for her to react, he gave her hand a light, reassuring squeeze and leaned forward, and placed his mouth to hers.
Their lips claimed one another softly and promised a happy future with one another, the Prince who had fallen in love with a farm girl and had cursed her to temporarily live her life as a Beast.
They were sure to face scrutiny in the aristocratic world ahead as Prince Adam still sought to repair the relationships his father had damaged back when the man was still alive, but he knew they'd deal with that when the time came.
The kiss the two of them shared right then and there was just the beginning of the lifetime of love and joy that followed. A promise of so much more still to come.
A promise of forever.