"Belle…I do remember Malchior. I know that you deserve to know all of what happened back when that epidemic was sweeping our kingdom."
Flashback…
"She's going to die! Is there anyone who has that medicine she needS?" Adam said, now feeling his own feverish head and feeling Belle's forehead too.
"There is no more in this part of the country." Mrs. Potts said, her eyes filling with tears.
"We're all going to die!" Lumiere said in a panic.
"No we won't! I'm going out and finding that medicine myself! You all stay here and see to Belle!"
At that very moment, the great bell of the castle rang, signaling that someone had come. Adam weakly walked to the door, making Cogsworth sit down.
"Don't move. You're just as ill as Belle and the others. Stay here." he replied, now walking once more towards the door. Once he opened it, a merchant was standing there with a large bag of herbs.
"I see your kingdom has been affected with the illness too your Highness." The merchant crooned gently.
"Who are you?" Adam replied in suspicion.
"I'm just a humble merchant that has been traveling from town to town. I am here to help. I know that your kingdom and all of your inhabitants as ill."
"Yes we are. But the only medicine is far away in another kingdom. I will travel there shortly to get those items."
"You won't need to my prince." The merchant whispered, now pulling out the large plants and herbs needed to make the medicine. Mrs. Pott, Lumiere, Cogsworth, Chip, and Adam's eyes were all widened! There was enough medicine here for years, maybe centuries!
"How can I ever repay you!" Adam said, now accepting the bag eagerly from the merchant.
"Prince Adam…I would like your most beautiful flower." The merchant replied softly. Adam turned and looked at him in confusion, but then smiled. Surely the merchant meant the large and beautiful light purple lilacs that grew in the garden of the castle.
"Of course! I will have it ready for you now!" Adam said, now turning and getting ready to head to the garden. He was going to get his most beautiful bunch of flowers for this merchant personally!
"No my dear Prince," the merchant replied, stopping him. "If you don't mind…I will return in two months time to claim the flower. I hope you do not mind if I choose it myself?"
"Of course not my dear Sir! You will have the honor of not only picking the flower, but I will also host a banquet in your honor for saving my kingdom!"
"You are too kind your highness," the merchant smirked, now kneeling down and kissing Adam's hand in respect for the prince.
A few months later…
Prince Adam heard a knock at the door and saw that the same merchant was being escorted into his parlor. He smiled happily at the man!
"Ah! You've come back! Come! Let us go and pick the flower and you will stay the night with me! I will host a large banquet for you tomorrow!" Adam said, now happily walking over to him and shaking his hand.
"You are too kind my dear Prince. Yes, let us go to the garden," the merchant replied, now looking around and glancing around the castle. Within a few moments time, they were in the garden and the merchant was gently touching and smelling every flower in the garden. But after a few moments, Adam was confused. This merchant was not interested in the biggest and brightest lilacs he had.
"I am not sure what you are looking for Sir. I have shown you all I have."
"Your Highness, there is one flower you have not shown me as of yet," the merchant replied, now turning and pointing to the beautiful fountain and pond. Adam looked around him and let out a gasp in shock! He was pointing to a large patch of lilacs, but they were small and nowhere as pretty as the ones he had shown him before. But in the midst of the flowers was Belle!
"Sir! What are you saying?! There is nothing over there but the weaker flowers and my beautiful princess Belle!"
"Your Highness. That is your most beautiful and gracious flower." The merchant replied, now walking over to Belle and gently kneeling before her. "Good morning Princess Belle," he cooed.
"Oh! Well, good morning to you too Sir." Belle smiled sweetly. But at that moment, Adam rushed over and stood in between her and the merchant. His face was pale, but his blue eyes turned to a stormy blue and Belle cringed. Adam's eyes only turned that color when Gaston tried to harm her!
"My dear. Please head inside. I need to speak to this gentleman alone." He said, trying to sound civil.
Belle nodded and quickly walked inside, but as she looked over her shoulder, she noticed the merchant's green eyes appeared hungry and determined. Feeling a breeze of fear, she hurried and walked briskly into the castle. After she was gone, Adam turned again to the merchant.
"Who are you?! How dare you ask for my wife!"
"Names are not important Prince Adam. But you owe me a debt. I asked for your most beautiful flower and she is what I want."
"You're insane! I thought you meant a flower from my garden!" Adam yelled angrily.
"Ah, but you didn't tell me to specify what type of flower I wanted," the merchant laughed, now turning and about to walk in his castle after Belle!
"STAY AWAY FROM HER!" Adam yelled, now grabbing him and throwing him down to the ground. The merchant rolled a bit, but stood up, very much undeterred.
"Ah, temper temper dear prince. I will get what I want eventually. You cannot protect her forever." The merchant laughed.
Adam knew he had to do something quickly. Belle was in danger, but what could he do. Suddenly, he had a plan. Magic! That was all he could think of!
"Fine. You may come for her tomorrow morning." Adam replied coolly.
"Splendid." The merchant replied, now turning and walking away. In reality, Malchior had no intention of showing his true form and he was pleased that Adam decided to give in. Or so he thought.
That night, Adam spoke to the others about the wicked merchant's plan. Cogsworth had a plan!
"You are right your majesty! Magic will protect Belle. A friend of mine practiced the magical arts years ago. There is a remedy for protecting Belle! It is the rose petal barrier."
"I have heard of that too. I will go and do more research in my library. You all bring the rose petals to me."
"From the roses in the garden?" Lumiere asked.
"No. The rose from my glass case in the West wing." Adam replied lowly, making them all shudder. No one was allowed in that wing, but this was an emergency.
Before long, Adam had the rose petals and he began burying bits of the flower all around the castle. When he was down to one rose petal, he held it up to his lips and kissed it. His kiss caused the rose petal to glow from red to white to pink to red once more. He then crushed the petal in pot of tea and served it to Belle. Belle was unaware what was in the tea, but Adam knew. That rose petal was going to be Belle's saving grace!
The next morning…
The merchant approached the castle, but when he went to open the door he received a nasty shock to his hand!
"GAH! What is this?!" He snarled.
"Your punishment you swindler." Adam replied, now walking and brushing his light brown hair from his face.
"What are you doing?!" The merchant hissed.
"Only giving you what you deserve. If I knew you wanted Belle all along, I would not have agreed to that deal. But now that I see what you are, you will no longer be a threat!"
"You've created a rose petal barrier I see." The merchant replied lowly, now looking at the castle. Malchior could see the rose petal barrier, but non-mythical beings could not. "Prince Adam, you will pay for this. I will eventually get what I want and your princess Belle will belong to me."
"You will never get her."
"Yes, I will. But until you give her to me…I will be back and take someone else dear to you. This rose petal barrier will not last forever. Once your barrier weakens, I will be back and claim my prize," the merchant said, now turning and disappearing into thin air! Adam froze and looked out into the distance. He still did not know this merchant was a mystical being, but he knew that this merchant was a threat!
Flash back ended…
Once Adam explained, Belle looked at him in understanding.
"Adam, you didn't know then."
"But I know now Belle. That merchant was Malchior all along! And he wants you."
"Adam, we will work this out together. It will be ok."
But at the moment, Malchior appeared once more!
"You surprised me earlier Belle, but I have since recovered. And now it is time to liven up my game," He grinned, now letting his green eyes glow white! Within seconds, Malchior, Belle, and Adam vanished! Malchior had taken them back to his kingdom!