Three days after Sapphire came to the castle, Adam and Sagittarius had been busy trying to figure out what to say in a letter they plan to send to Queen Henrietta Rainier, Sagittarius' mother and Adam's aunt. Sagittarius also wanted to prepare his cousin for his mother's arrival and the possible other royals day before they just worked on Adam's studies. For the past two days, they've been stalling on writing the letter, mainly because they didn't want to know the reaction that Henrietta will have. Today, the third day, they decided to finally write the letter to Henrietta, Sagittarius was dreading about what his mother will say when she reads the letter.

"Any idea on who she'll bring?" Adam asked as Sagittarius wrote the letter.

"Could be anyone," Sagittarius answered, "I just hope that she doesn't bring the Duke's daughter."

"Why's that?" Adam asked, Sagittarius gave him the 'isn't it obvious' look.

"She's an attention hog," he answered, "she's almost as bad as...Kaeyln."

"That bad, huh?" Adam said, "Well, Belle is better than any of the royal women."

"Just...don't say that when they get here. You don't want to embarrass yourself and my mother."

"I'll...try to keep it to myself." Adam said. Just then, there was a knock on the door.

"Enter." Sagittarius said, the door opened and they saw Brimley and Cogsworth come in. Adam slapped his forehead with his hand and slid it down his face.

"What is it, Cogsworth?" Adam said.

"Sire," Brimley spoke up, "I brought him for my support. We don't mean to disturb any important things you need to do, but..."

"But what, Brimley?" Sagittarius said, almost annoyed.

"Sapphire wants to go out to pick berries and she wants to bring Belle and Tintement with her." Brimley finally said, Adam's pupils in his eyes shrunk. He didn't like the idea of Belle leaving the castle grounds, he was very worried and...afraid. It wasn't Belle leaving him that was making him worry; it was...Gaston's brother that Belle told him about that's making him afraid of Belle's life.

"You've got to be kidding me." Sagittarius said, "You came in to tell me that?"

"Well, sire," Brimley said, "you know how excited Sapphire gets when when spring breaks through. In fact, we all know that she always gets excited about the fresh berries that are ripe enough to pick...and you also know that she loves to bake with those berries."

"But because Sapphire doesn't know this area," Cogsworth added, "Belle volunteered to take Sapphire to a berry patch that she and Tintement would go to." Adam still didn't like the idea about Belle leaving the castle grounds, he was just too afraid for her safety.

"I don't think so." Adam finally said.

"But sire-" Cogsworth said.

"No!" Adam said in a more serious tone, "I'm letting her go out there alone!" Sagittarius was a little surprised by Adam's tone, he thought that his cousin would be fine to let Belle out of the castle gates. Sagittarius looked back at Brimley and Cogsworth, he saw the disappointed look on Cogsworth's face.

"Wait!" Sagittarius said before Cogsworth had the chance to leave, "What if we sent one of the guards with them? Will that ease your worry, cousin?" Adam sighed at Sagittarius' response, he still didn't want Belle to leave the castle grounds, but...he also didn't want her to feel like a prisoner again.

"Two guards," Adam said, "it's either two guards going with them or they're not going at all." Cogsworth and Brimley bowed and left their masters in peace.

"Adam, I've never seen you act like that." Sagittarius said, "Why can't you let her leave the grounds?" Adam just kept his mouth shut, he didn't think that Sagittarius would understand. Adam knew that Sagittarius didn't tell him much about his relationship with Sapphire, but...Adam can guess that Sapphire didn't have the same problem that Belle had. Two brothers chasing after her like she was...prey to a predator. "Cousin," Sagittarius said, "is there something wrong?"

"You wouldn't understand." Adam said, "You really can't, no matter how many times you'll tell me that you do. I'm just...more protective over her than...the normal protection that a man has over the woman he loves."

"Something happened to her, didn't it." Adam turned around and looked at his cousin when he said that.

"Don't tell me that you knew about her!" Adam quickly said.

"No," Sagittarius answered, "I can only guess what the two of you have been through. I said that because...you're acting the same way I did a month or two of being free from the curse." He sighed as he got up and looked out the window, seeing the castle gardens.

"Did...something happen to Sapphire?" Adam asked, "Something so bad that she fears her life about?"

"She actually does." Sagittarius said as he turned around, "Remember the hunter I told you about, the one almost killed me?" Adam nodded his head 'yes', "Well, he haunted Sapphire's life for a long time. That hunter took something from Sapphire that could took her forever to get back."

"What?"

"Her 'want-ness' to be with men again," Sagittarius said, he then punched the wall in frustration. Adam took a few steps back, he was surprised. "I'm sorry, Adam. Just...knowing what that man almost did to Sapphire...is enough to make my blood boil."

"What did he do?" Adam said.

"The worst thing...a man can do to...a woman." Sagittarius said, "He almost did to Sapphire what...your father did...to your mother." Adam's eyes widen and his jaw dropped, that's what Sagittarius meant. Adam turned around and his body pointed to the wall. Sagittarius felt bad for bringing up what his Uncle Henry did to his Aunt Lydia, he knew that Adam was the result of what happened between the two of them. The room was silent for a while, the subject of...what King Henry Colère did to Queen Lydia Porc-épic...was a very sensitive subject, especially to Adam...because he was the result of that horrible night. Sagittarius knew that, he decided to wait until Adam spoke again, he didn't want to rush him, especially when he brought the topic up. If there was anyone who could understand how...sensitive that situation was, it was Adam.

As for Adam, he started to remember about when his father was still alive. Adam hated his father because he was very abusive to everyone, including Adam and Lydia. Adam also remembered that there have been a few times that his mother didn't want to look at him because...at the time, Adam looked a whole lot like his father. Adam grew up pretty quickly because of the abuse his father lashed out at him, he also...understood about...how he came into the world.

"So," Adam finally speaking, Sagittarius lifted his head to him, "she was attacked like my mother was?"

"Almost," Sagittarius answered, "Sapphire was outside when it happened, her horse saw what was happening and charged at him. The hunter got scared of a charging horse and ran off."

"I see," Adam said, "something similar happened to Belle, her cousin came and saved her. Did...Sapphire ever...?"

"Yes," Sagittarius said, "when that dumb hunter finally realized that I won her heart and...it wasn't for sale. What about Belle? Did she...?"

"I can't tell, sometimes she acts like herself and...sometimes she seems...so afraid, but I don't blame her. Now...you can understand why I'm protective of her."

"It certainly explains your attitude about her going outside the castle gates." Sagittarius said, "I...didn't mean to bring up..."

"I know," Adam said, "you were just explaining the situation. I know that situation for a fact, I can just only hope that...nothing bad happens to the girls."

"There will be two guards protecting them...and...Sapphire can protect them just as much as the guards." Sagittarius said, "I'm sure they'll be fine." Adam raised an eyebrow when Sagittarius said that Sapphire can protect everyone, but Sagittarius zipped his mouth. Adam wasn't going to get anything out of his cousin about that.

"Is the letter done?" Adam asked.

"Yes," Sagittarius said, now sealing it with wax, "all we need to do is send it."

"Witherspoon is my fastest pigeon," Adam said, "he sent the letter I sent you in one day."

"One fast pigeon," Sagittarius said, "one determined fast pigeon." Adam nodded his head as he went to the window. He opened it and did a special whistle, it was a whistle he made whenever he needed his reliable bird. Witherspoon quickly flew over to the window and landed on the seal. Adam brought his right hand closer to his bird, Witherspoon quickly hopped on it and Adam closed the window. Sagittarius explained to Witherspoon that the letter had to reach his mother in Paris as soon as possible. The bird nodded his head as the letter was placed in the tube on his back.

"Be careful, Witherspoon." Adam said as he opened the window again, Witherspoon quickly flew out the window and Adam watched him until he couldn't see his bird anymore.

"Do you want to take a break, Adam?" Sagittarius asked, thinking about how his cousin was feeling since he brought up a sensitive topic.

"No," Adam answered looking back at his cousin, "I don't need one, I need to keep myself occupied since..."

"Belle's out with her cousin." Sagittarius said, finishing the sentence.

"You need to stop doing that!"

"What?"

"Finishing my sentences." Adam said, "I feel like you're reading my mind."

"Not the first time you've felt like that." Sagittarius said, "Maybe...we can do something together that doesn't involve studying?"

"Why say that?" Adam asked.

"Because...the whole time I've been here, all we've been doing is making sure you're ready for that mother of mine. To be honest, I think you've learned everything you need to know for now. You're a fast learner...just like I was." Adam smiled at his cousin's response because...he remembered when he was a kid, he wanted to like his cousin.

"Okay then," Adam said, "what do you want to do?"

"Hmm, you still have that library of yours?"

"Yes, I'm not surprised that you asked that...Mr. nose-in-a-book."

"Touche, Adam." Sagittarius said as Adam went to the door.

The two of them went to the library, Sagittarius walked in first and looked around.

"This was bigger than I remembered," Sagittarius said as Adam closed the door behind him, "did you make this room bigger?"

"Yes," Adam said, "only a little bit, Belle...loves to read."

"So do you," Sagittarius said, "or did."

"Belle...gave that back to me." Adam said, "She...gave me so much back that...I thought I wasn't going to get ever again. This library...was the very first gift I gave to Belle after...I saved her from the wolves. It was the first time in a long time that...I felt I wanted to do something out of the kindness of my heart." Adam was starting to picture Belle's face when she saw the library for the first time, nothing could express how he felt when Belle accepted the gift.

"I can only guess what you and Belle did together when you were cursed," Sagittarius said, "but if it was anything like what me and Sapphire went through, then...I believe that it was fate that the two of you should be together." Adam smiled as he walked over to the books next to the fireplace.

"I kept this." Adam said, pulling out the storybook that he got the Christmas he got cursed.

"You kept that? After all these years?"

"Yes, it...was the only present I got that Christmas..when I got cursed." Adam said, sitting down in the armchair, "Even though...I was acting like...a stupid fool...I really wanted you there that night." Sagittarius sighed and sat down on the couch.

"It's...my fault that you didn't want me to be with you. If I hadn't thrown that glass pipe..."

"Don't start that," Adam added, "I don't blame you for what happened between us, as a friend once told me, we can't let the past hold on to us, otherwise...we'll never be free."

"Best way to make the past let go...is to talk about, despite the pain it brings." Sagittarius said, "I always wanted to know happened to you, I didn't care if you were angry at me or anything else, you were still a part of the family."

"If you really want to know, " Adam said, "and if you really believe that talking about it will help, then...I'll tell you." Adam took a deep breath as he started remembering the past, he always hated doing that. "Between the two years that I left you and when I was cursed, I was alone. After getting hit with that glass pipe...I thought you didn't love me anymore."

"I would never stop loving you, Adam!" Sagittarius quickly said, "You were more like a little brother to me, rather than a cousin. I don't care what others say about royal families, when you love a certain family member, you can't stop loving them, even if you try." Adam looked at his cousin...and slowly smiled.

"What about you?" Adam asked.

"What do you mean?" Sagittarius asked, "I've told you just about everything."

"There is...one thing you haven't talked about." Adam said, "During our first talk, you said 'mother has done a better job taking care of herself than father'. Does that mean...Uncle Randolph...?" Sagittarius took a deep breath as his right foot rapped on the floor, Adam sighed and took a guess. "He's dead, isn't he?"

"Yes," Sagittarius said, his voice breaking a little, "but it's how he died that I can't get over."

"Didn't he die from...natural causes?"

"No," Sagittarius said, shaking his head, "he...he...he...killed himself." Adam's jaw dropped as his eyes widen. "Mother...sent me a letter, telling me that he...hung himself. She also...sent me the note he left."

"Uncle Randolph...killed himself?" Adam spoke up, "Why?"

"The note said that he couldn't handle knowing that you ran away and...that I was cursed."

"How did he know about us?"

"I told him, but...I asked him not to tell mother," Sagittarius answered, still upset over the fact that his father killed himself, "She didn't find out about me until she read father's note."

"Did you...tell her the rest?"

"Yes, she came out to see if what my father said was true, about three years after I was cursed. Mother almost didn't believe what happened to me, she didn't even recognized me...until she saw the eyes I inherited from my father. After that whole mess, I told her everything what had happened to me. I also told her that you were back here, but you were still my responsibility. I didn't...tell her that you were cursed as well, I told her if you needed anything, I would provide it. After that long talk we had, mother went back and told the courts that I was going to travel to increase my learning."

"What about me?" Adam asked, "Is there something about me that she said or did she not say anything?"

"I told her to tell the courts that I sent you back here so that way I wouldn't be dragging you through my supposed travels." Sagittarius added, "I just hope that she doesn't think about anything else when she reads that letter."

"I...am sorry about Uncle Randolph," Adam said, "I can only guess about what Aunt Henrietta is going to think when she comes here."

"Well, the only thing we can do is wait until we get another letter from her or...she surprises us by showing up without telling us."

"I really hope she doesn't do that, otherwise, Cogsworth is going to have a panic attack."

"That...stubborn head servant of yours needs to learn to calm down," Sagittarius said, "it's not worth your life to be worried about every little detail about the day."

"You can say that again." Adam said, "Sagittarius...is there anything about...Sapphire you can tell me without...?"

"Exploiting her secrets? Maybe, is there something you can tell me about Belle without doing the same thing?"

"Touche, Sagittarius." Adam said with a curious smile, Sagittarius just smiled.

Adam and Sagittarius spent the rest of the day talking about Belle and Sapphire and what Adam, Belle, Sagittarius and Sapphire went through during the time they were cursed. Adam could tell that Sagittarius was still hiding something about Sapphire, but Adam was hiding about Gaston's brother trying attack Belle, so he found it fair that Sagittarius wouldn't tell him about Sapphire secret.

"So she threw the snowball at you, you made a bigger snowball, but before you threw it, Belle threw another one which caused the one you were holding to fall on your head?" Sagittarius said, "This is why I don't make snowballs bigger than the ones my opponent throws."

"Point taken," Adam said, "you and Sapphire share the same love of glass, huh?"

"Yes, it was why I caught her in my glass room in the first place." Sagittarius answered, "A part of me wished that I had more control over myself when I ran into her."

"Hey, at least she managed to come around and...take care of you when you needed it."

"Yep, she also made clothes for me that could...fit in that odd body." Sagittarius said, but before he said anything else, he heard something. He looked over at the library doors. "Do you hear that?"

"Actually, I do." Adam said, but as they got up, the library doors opened up. There was Lumiere, he was trying to catch his breath as he walked in.

"Your majesties!" Lumiere said in a worried panic, "You need to come downstairs now!"

"Lumiere, calm down," Adam said, "what's wrong?"

"No time, both of you downstairs now!" Lumiere quickly said, but before he could leave, Sagittarius grabbed his collar and made him turn around.

"Tell us now!" Sagittarius said in a deep voice.

"This is an emergency, sires! It's Belle and Sapphire!" When Adam and Sagittarius heard that, Sagittarius dropped Lumiere and both of them ran downstairs.

Okay readers, I hope this chapter will make you happy for a while. I'm starting spring quarter of college Monday, so that will mean less time on here and more time on homework. I'll try to get the next one up as soon as I can.