Two days passed after Belle and Tintement were attacked by Anton, it was a slow recovery for both of them. Both of them were locked in their rooms because they really couldn't move, Tintement had her left leg broken and both of Belle's legs were broken as well. Belle was also very shaken up about what happened that day, so shaken up that she wouldn't let any of the male servants in to check on her, not even her own father. The only male person that Belle would allow to check on her...was Adam. Even though Adam told her that he would always love her, Belle was still having doubts. She was very afraid that...she still might lose him. Adam would visit Belle during the night while the servants slept so they wouldn't know that Belle allowed Adam near her.

Rouge was her only company that Belle had. When one of the female servants came in, Rouge would sometimes disguise herself and use her magic to make the servant know who she was. The magic would wear off when the servant left, making her think that they took care of Belle on her own. Other times, Rouge would hide herself, that way no one would see her at all. She had also given Belle her powerful medicine that helped heal bones faster. Belle asked Rouge if Tintement could take the medicine as well, but Rouge told her that it was more dangerous to a full-blooded human rather than someone who's half-human and half-sorceress.

As for Tintement, she was suffering a lot of pain because of her broken arms. Unlike Belle's broken right arm, Tintement's arms were broken at the shoulders, elbows and wrists. She really couldn't move, all she could do was lie in bed in pain. Maurice would spend most of his time with Tintement, since Belle was feeling very uncomfortable around men. Sapphire, Sagittarius' fiancee, would also visit Tintement and Belle, since she was the one who saved their lives from Anton.

Sapphire also told Tintement and Belle about herself, since the two of them saw her in her cursed body when she was fighting Anton. When Belle found out the truth, she let Sapphire borrow her pink dress with middle-length sleeves, the one that Belle fed the birds in and had a snowball fight with Adam when he was still the Beast, until Sapphire got her white cloak back. Adam's servants didn't know about Sapphire because everyone, including Sagittarius' servants, decided to keep quiet so Sapphire wouldn't feel embarrassed about...her family curse.

As for Adam and Sagittarius, they didn't know what to think, especially when they sent a letter out to Queen Henrietta Rainier the same day Belle, Tintement and Sapphire were attacked. They were afraid that she might send another letter that said she was going to come in less time than they wished. That night, Adam and Sagittarius were sitting in the West Wing, discussing about what happened.

"This...is all...my...fault." Adam said, sitting in his armchair with Sagittarius across from him.

"No, it's not!" Sagittarius said.

"Yes, it is!" Adam pointed out, standing up, "I let her leave and this is what happens!"

"You didn't predict that he would be out there the same time Belle was."

"But I knew that he was out there! It's my fault that she's stuck in her bed!" Adam said as he went over to the wall to punch it. After he did, he rested his arms against the wall and hid his head. Sagittarius got up and placed his left hand on Adam's left shoulder. "I promised her that I would protect her...and I failed to do so."

"Adam, you can't blame yourself for something you didn't know." Sagittarius said, Adam turned back around at his cousin.

"This is...the second time that I've been told...that this monster tried to attack her." Adam said, "He and his half-brother, Gaston, having been treating Belle like she's prey. Both of them tried to force her into marrying one of them, Gaston went as far as bribing the asylum director into throwing Maurice into the insane asylum in order for Belle to marry him. Belle had to reveal me in order to save her father, Gaston tried to kill me because he didn't want to give Belle up. I fought him, but I didn't have the heart to kill him. When I climbed back up the balcony to embrace Belle, Gaston stabbed me in the side." Sagittarius dropped his jaw from hearing that Adam was stabbed. "He was going to stab me again before he lost his footing and fell down into the ravine." Adam added, "It was because of what happened in the past that Belle is so afraid."

"So you were stabbed like me and Sapphire?" Sagittarius asked, Adam nodded his head 'yes'. "So what happened to Gaston?"

"I don't know, " Adam answered, "the guards went down there to find his body. Nothing was found, no clothes, no knife and no body. When I went with Belle and Maurice to gather their things from their house, it turns out that...that monster is hunting Belle down! We had to escape in order to protect Belle and Maurice!"

"Adam, please calm down!" Sagittarius said, "You need to take a deep breath!"

"I can't calm down," Adam said, "Belle asked me if I still loved her, a part of me is thinking that she doesn't believe that."

"Hmm, well, I don't think I would blame her for thinking that." Sagittarius said.

"What in the great heavens' name are you talking about?" Adam asked.

"Adam, try seeing it from her perspective. How would you feel if there was a woman that was hunting you down, like prey? Would you think the same way Belle's thinking right now?" Adam knew that Sagittarius had a point, he knew what it was like to be both, predator and prey.

When Adam was still the Beast, he would hunt down animals and eat them. He knew how to be a predator, but he understood what it was like to be prey. Once when he was going through puberty, he was hunting a deer that a hunter was hunting too. When Adam killed the deer, he ended up getting spot by the hunter. All the hunter was seeing a new fur rug as he raised his gun at Adam. When Adam saw that he was going to get shot, he ran away, but he heard the hunter chasing after him. When he got cornered, the hunter came out of the bushes and aimed his gun at him. The hunter fired, but missed hitting Adam because Adam jumped into the trees. Adam then broke a branch, it fell and landed on the hunter. Adam then ran away before the hunter had the chance to go after him.

"I guess...you have a point, Sagittarius." Adam said, "I just want Belle to feel safe again."

"Well, we can't rush that process." Sagittarius said, "Right now, we should...try to make the best of it."

"I guess so." Adam said, just then, there was a pecking noise. Both of them looked over at the balcony doors, there was Witherspoon. He had a big letter in his feet as he flapped his wings and pecked at the glass doors. Adam went over to the doors and opened them, Witherspoon flew in and grabbed the letter from his feet into his beak. He then landed on Adam's hand after he closed the doors.

"By the looks of things," Sagittarius said taking the letter from Witherspoon, "that mother of mine replied back." He started to open the letter. "I can only guess the heaven high and mighty words she said." Sagittarius read the letter as Adam let Witherspoon fly back to his nest.

"So...what does it say?" Adam asked, Sagittarius just folded the letter and shook his head in disbelief.

"I'm not surprised about what mother said," Sagittarius said, "she was telling me how dare I come see you without her. Anyway, she's going to give us seven days to prepare ourselves for her arrival."

"Did she say who she's bringing?"

"I didn't get to that part yet." Sagittarius said, he opened the letter and read the rest of the letter. Adam saw his cousin twist his face in disappointment. "I don't believe this!"

"What?"

"Mother is bringing the Archiduchesse, the Comte and his wife." Sagittarius said in frustration, " I asked her not to bring the Comte."

"Why is that?" Adam asked.

"Do you really want to know the answer?" Sagittarius asked, Adam thought about it for a minute before shaking his head 'no'. "That's what I thought. Anyway, we only have seven days until they come here. So...we need to prepare ourselves for whatever comes our way."

"Why am I starting to regret this?" Adam asked, Sagittarius just smiled and shook his head.

"Don't worry, you'll be fine. I'll tell the servants what's going to happen tomorrow, you should get some sleep. We have a big day tomorrow."

"Not until a pay a visit to someone." Adam said, Sagittarius just smiled and nodded his head. He then turned to leave the room. Adam soon left his room too.

Adam walked up to Belle's bedroom door and knocked.

"Who's there?" a hoarse female voice said from behind the door, Adam recognized it as Belle's.

"It's just me, Belle." Adam said, "May I come in?"

"Yes," she answered, "the door's unlocked." Adam opened the door and quickly closed it behind him. When he saw Belle, she was still lying on the bed with the blankets covering her body up to her neck.

"Where's Rouge?" Adam asked as he walked over to Belle.

"She left to deal with some issues with her sister." Belle answered, "She said she'll be back when she's done."

"Are you...starting to feel any better?" Adam asked, Belle sighed as she turned her head.

"I can't tell," She answered, "one day I feel like I can move free of pain and the next, it's unbearable."

"I...am sorry, Belle." Adam said, "It's...my fault that you're like this."

"No, Adam," she said, "it's not. I'm alive...my life wasn't taken."

"True," he said, he then reached into his jacket and pulled out a purple iris, "I brought you this. I thought it would...make you feel a little better." Belle brought her left arm out and gently took it out of Adam's hands.

"Thank you, Adam."

"Is there anything else you might need?" he asked.

"No, I'm okay for now." she answered, "Go to bed, Adam. I'll...be okay."

"All right then," Adam said, "there is something I need to tell you, but...I'll tell you in the morning."

"Okay, get some sleep." Belle said, Adam just nodded his head as he went to the door.

"Good night, Belle." he said as he opened the door. Adam then left the room, he smiled to himself, thinking Belle's starting to act like herself again, but no one could guess what would happen next.