Chapter 23 part 2

(Authors note I blended a few of my families traditions into the Christmas celebration along with some of the ornaments Ben has from his childhood.)

So after dinner they headed into the front room, Mal and her friends had never seen anything like it. The trees in the rest of the house had balls of many colors, this tree had a montage of homemade pinecone trees with pom-poms to a cookie man. "Now some of these Ben made in school when he was younger. And some of these belonged to Adam when he was younger. The angel on the top, is a family heirloom. It has been in Adam's family for five generations now. I have some on here, but only a few, my father really wasn't into decorating for the holidays like they did here in the palace. But Adam buys me an ornament every year. I'll get mine Christmas morning. Ok, find an empty branch and place your ornaments on. None of the kids noticed, Belle was taking their pictures as they placed them onto the tree. Mal placed hers first, and Ben put his right next to hers. Mal blushed. He kissed her forehead. "Enjoy the stories, I'll see you in a short while."

"I am looking forward to them." Mal teased, Ben kissed her quickly on the lips and left. And before she could stop them, Jay, Evie and Carlos ran off leaving Mal alone with Belle. "Guess they thought this was a private talk." Mal joked.

"I understand where they are coming from. I promise just a few embarrassing ones." Belle laughed. She pulled a few off the tree. "So this one was from the year Ben got his scooter, you know that one right?" It was a small scooter, just like the one they used for their first date. "He broke his arm the first time he rode it." Belle smiled at the memory.

"I broke my arm once, but…well it wasn't an accident."
"Oh." Belle decided not to press her. "This one is for Ben's first year in school." It was an apple with Ben's name on it, and the year he started school. The next one she picked up was a tourney stick.

"They year he started playing?" Mal asked.

"Exactly."
"These are so cool, I never had anything, anyone care so much about the little things in my life. Or the big things for that matter. I can't wait to hear the story about every one of these."
"Someday, I will share them all. Are there any that stand out that you'd like to know about?"
"This one." Mal pointed to a bright red one that just had a date written on it in gold.

"That is the day I came here."
"That's special. Why red?"
"That was the color of the rose that Agathe gave Adam. The rose that started our story." She pointed to the white ornament next to it that had a rose painted on it. Belle would have gone on, but she could see that this was causing Mal sadness, so she stopped.

"Is there anything you kids need before tomorrow?"
"Oh, um, paper to wrap our gifts." She noticed all the wrapped gifts under the tree. "And maybe someone to help us wrap them." She shyly added.

"Of course. I'll send Giselle up. She is my expert." Belle said. "You kids didn't need…" She stopped, knowing that would hurt Mal's feelings.

"When you kids are done, come back down. I think tonight is the prefect night to tell you the story of how my story here started."
"We would love that."

An hour later, the kids were in their PJ's, sitting around the tree in the front room. Ben had finally finished and joined them. Ben had Mal resting in his arms, while Jay and the others sat on their own.

"35 years ago, Adam was home alone on Christmas Eve, he was 14. The servants had been given their traditional evening off. Adams parents were loving generous people, usually too busy to spend time being loving and generous to Adam with their time. They gave Adam everything, he never wanted for anything. He asked for it and he got it. Adam was spoiled. He wouldn't have said it back then, but now he sees it. A snow storm came up out of nowhere. A knock at the door brought Adam to it, assuming it was his parents. He opened it to find an ugly old woman. She offered him one single perfect red rose in exchange for shelter for the night. He turned her away. She warned him that looks can be deceiving, and that beauty is found within. But Adam dismissed her again. That is when Agathe transformed into a beautiful enchantress. Of course being selfish back then, Adam tried to apologize, but it was too late. Agathe saw he had no love in his heart." Belle stopped, for there at that moment in the door way Agathe appeared. They followed her gaze, stunned.

"I choose to punish Prince Adam. I transformed him into a beast. And enchanted the entire castle. I told Adam he must find love and be loved before the last petal fell off the rose. It would happen on his 21st birthday. All would remain as it was enchanted if he didn't find love."
"But I did. And I learned a lot more than that. Thank you Agathe. I am so glad you taught me what my parents were too busy to teach me." Adam said approaching Agathe, with a hand out to shake hers. She shook his hand.

"I have heard your plea for help Adam, and after hearing how well you have done with Belle and what a wonderful and caring son you have raised I am willing to help. Who is the young witch?" Evie shyly stood.

"That would be me." Evie admitted. "I am Evie, my mother was…"
"I know who she is child. And I don't care about that. You four have proven that you are worthy of help. I am glad to help anyone who is willing to help others. What is it you need?"
"Mal has Fairy Godmother and a few other fairies who can teach her how to control what she has for powers. I have no idea what I can do other than control my mothers mirror, and that is really only to find things. And make potions, mostly evil and they are useless to me."
"When and where do these lessons happen?"
"Wednesdays at 6:00 in Fairy Godmothers office at Auradon Prep. We are on school break until after the new year." Mal offered.

"I will be there. I can not promise I will be there every week, but I will try. It is nice to have an apprentice."

"Thank you." Evie said. Walking up the Enchantress. Agathe surprised everyone in the room and hugged Evie.

"Merry Christmas to all." She said and with that disappeared as quickly as she came. They all exchanged looks. Evie was beaming. Adam looked pleased.

"Thank you King Adam." Evie said breaking the silence.

"You deserve it Evie. I want to do what I can for you four. I am sure you all must realize I wasn't Ben's biggest fan over his choice to bring you four here, and even more afraid when he told me who you were. I am glad to admit I was wrong." Adam humbly admitted to the group. "Forgive me."
"Nothing to forgive. Everyone has a right to their fears." Jay said.

"You kids have taught me a lesson just as important as the one Agathe taught me."
"Ok." Belle said trying to regain her composure. She caught the kids attention, and they understood she wanted to finish the story to change the tone growing in the room. They all returned to their seats, Adam joining them in his chair.

"My father was a rather scatterbrained inventor. Don't get me wrong, I loved him and he loved me. But, well others looked at him like he was one step outside the insane asylum. So about 6 months before Adam's 21st birthday, my father went off to show off his latest invention. When he didn't return, but our horse did I went looking for him. I found him here in the castle as Adam's prisoner. My father was older and ill so I traded myself for him. The help here convinced Adam not to put me in a cell, but to make me a guest with limits. Over time, he relaxed around me, and I around him. We fell in love. Gaston heard my father's rants about a beast, and came to attack. Adam almost died that night. But instead he became the man he is today." Belle said kissing her husband. The kids exchanged looks and snuck out and allowed them a private moment.