Jiminy and Juliet smiled at him, and with nods and sniffs to check the floor as they opened the door, and then headed off in several directions, to different floors and such. Juliet happily headed to Belle's room, telling her of Beast's declaration for a dancing night in the ballroom, and with the staff's reassurances, formal clothes are given to all in the family, and their new friends.
Even Beast came down in a spiffy and magnificent blue, white, and black formal suit, dancing with the children who is dressed in adorable and cute formal outfits, with many of the adults wonderfully outfitted including Juliet...
Waiting for Maurice and Belle as Maurice was escorting his daughter, Juliet was nervous yet excited, wearing a beautiful ballgown of shamrock green, like how her old bow used to be when she was a boy, having her dark ginger hair in a half updo, with braided curls.
"You alright?", Jiminy asked her as Juliet took a deep breath. "Nervous... probably you can tell why...", she chuckled.
Jiminy smiled at her, "You really got it bad for her...", and Juliet nodded, "It's strange...I feel so right with her...my heart gets happy when she smiles excitedly for a book, her eyes sparkling with emotion when she talks about things, and her laugh, it makes me smile...I think this is how Mama feels with Jules, and Beast feels about Perla...".
"You got this, Juliet...You can tell her how you feel...After all, you couldn't be worse than Gaston, hmm?", Jiminy quirked an eyebrow at her with a smirk, and Juliet laughed warmly, "That's so true!".
Cogsworth cleared his throat, "Ladies and gentlemen, and the birthday girl of the hour, I announce to you all, Monsieur Maurice and Miss Belle!", bowing halfway to the floor, and the last two guests of the dance floor arrived in style.
Maurice, spiffy yet casual, in a suit of sorts in warm brown, is modestly walking in without the use of crutches, through he's using a cane, to just be safe for the night, and next to him, is Belle, and Juliet's heart nearly skipped a beat or two as her eyes widened in awe and pleased surprise.
Belle is looking gorgeous in a glorious ballgown of golden fabric almost like the sun, with her rich brown hair in a half updo, half down hairstyle, framing her shoulders, her eyes shining in joy.
Juliet froze for a moment before Jiminy nudged her with a shoulder, whispering quickly, "Go on before I or Beast snag her up.", and Juliet blinked in realization, and went onwards, glancing at Beast who smiled, nodding lightly, forgoing tradition in memory of Perla since the master and lord of the castle usually dances with all the single ladies his age, just to be fair.
Juliet prays that Maurice is not upset when he finds out sooner or later whichever Belle does upon hearing Juliet's confession...as he doesn't know that Juliet is in love with his daughter, though he knew that Juliet has been wonderful for Belle as a close friend and such.
She knew that the stuff about slavery and such has been dwindling away and such, but the laws of forbidden intimacy between two women or two men is still in effect, and it would be in the village as well...
Juliet walked up to Belle as she took a deep breath and smiled at her. "Would you be so willing to have me for a dance, Belle?", she asked as Belle blushed as Juliet took another breath, "Listen, I... I think it's probably clear, especially now, that I'm not just a girl who prefers to be more boy-ish...".
Belle looked a bit confused for a moment before her eyes widen, a soft gasp, remembering what Juliet said on that first day of knowing each other, and her heart went a bit faster, "Me? But I'm...I'm strange...".
Juliet took her hand gently, "Belle, I don't care if you're a strange girl...I'm strange too...Gaston doesn't know what he saw, but I do know what I see in you...You're not just very beautiful on the outside, but you're very beautiful on the inside, with a kind, caring heart, with a strong will to do anything, to believe in your father in the way you support and love him, and an amazing wit to keep up with anybody around you...I'm honestly scared of losing you, Belle, but I'm having courage right now, to tell you that I'm falling in love with you...Have been all this month...I won't force you, push you, to stalk you like he did...I'm giving you my confession, and I'll be always having a place for you in my heart, and I don't know if you can love me like I do, but I'd die a happy woman with this finally off my chest.", with a small, warm, loving smile as she gently realized that she held Belle's hand long enough, letting it go, letting her choose, to think at her pace.
Belle certainly needed a few moments to think about it for herself. She was honestly stunned to hear all that but... the short time they had gotten to know each other; Belle couldn't deny that there was a connection building... an almost scandalous connection but her mind was practically dismissing it. She already was seen as strange and a bit of an outcast just by who she was at heart compared to all the other women...
Maurice had witnessed it; he never, ever had thought that Juliet was that type of woman, yet the way she looked at his daughter...it was strangely familiar...it was like how he was with his wife...And to see his daughter conflicted, apparently remembering what it was like in the village...
He noticed that the others weren't surprised, maybe since they knew Juliet far longer than he did...Juliet never harmed him or his daughter...She took interest in hearing him out about his inventions, sometimes suggesting ideas...And when she was around Belle, his daughter seemed to be happier, laughing and smiling...
Maurice then took a deep breath, deciding to do something, maybe the biggest thing he ever did in his life, and he walked up silently, and Juliet looked at him with fear and curiosity, as Belle looked at him with surprise and confusion.
Her father smiled, taking their hands gently, and took them into his hands, holding them in a gentle embrace, and Belle whispered, "Papa?", stunned surprise, a hint of hope in her eyes.
"Belle... you have my blessing...", Maurice said as he leaned to kiss her on the cheek. "If being with a woman is what you want, what makes you happy... then I'll proudly stand with you in that decision.".
Belle's eyes watered, "Papa...", and Maurice smiled at her before letting go of his daughter and Juliet's hands which is still held together, and Belle looked at Juliet who's looking at her patiently and lovingly.
Juliet is happy and amazed at Maurice's bold move, to support his daughter and her, not repulsed at all, and her heart is pounding with anticipation and nervousness, waiting for Belle to say yes or no.
"Belle...", Juliet said. "I want us to be... closer... to go from just simply being friends into-", before interrupted by Belle. "Lovers?", Belle said as Juliet blushed before Belle smirked, "Well, is that not where this end?".
"Well, um...", Juliet was a bit speechless there. Belle giggled, "First time I saw you flustered...I bet you never expected me to be bold to say that.".
Juliet stammered, "B-Belle...", before Belle smiled at her, "I'm having feelings for you too, Juliet...How about you show me by dancing? We've been standing long enough...", reminding Juliet of her earlier request of asking Belle for a dance.
"That sounds like a good idea.", Juliet smiled as the two of them grabbed hands and slowly made their way back towards the center of the ballroom.
Beast nodded to Cogsworth and Lumiere who smiled at each other and began to help the enchanted band strum their instruments, gentle yet romantic music filling the ballroom as Jules looked at Leila, bowing before her with a smile, and she smiled, warmly giving the twins to Maurice to look after, and they followed the lead into the center of the ballroom, with Ray dancing with Naveen, Jiminy dancing with Ella, and Beast dancing with Carlo.
Juliet whispered lovingly, "I know I said that you're very beautiful when you are, but tonight, you're gorgeous...", as she led Belle in a waltz, and Belle smiled radiantly, "No one has ever said any other word than beautiful...I never thought that I'd dance with a stunning woman as yourself, and now I don't want this dream to end...".
"It won't, I promise you.", Juliet said as the two of them started to waltz with one another, swaying back and forth across the floor as the music played.
Belle smiled, her heart swelling in happiness and awe that she's actually doing this...dancing with a woman she has feelings for, and she looked at Juliet who's smiling at her with love in her eyes, and she knew that Juliet is much forward in a way since she's more boy-ish, yet she decides to be bolder than ever, like Maurice did.
She gently rested a hand on Juliet's cheek, leaning up slightly to peck her on the lips, just for a couple of seconds, and whispered, "I don't know how to...", uncertain if she did that right...She never, ever kissed a woman on the lips intimately.
"Relax, you did great... but let me give you a more experienced one.", Juliet told her as she gave the kiss this time around, her arms wrapped around Belle as she was doing it.
Belle closed her eyes in pleasure as she felt so safe and warm, returning the kiss with a bit more confidence as she instinctively leaned into it, feeling her feelings grow stronger as her mind flashed through the memories of her friendship with Juliet, and now realizing that it was so obvious that Juliet was in love with her, she knew that this is actually happening, not a dream...but far more better than a dream.
Their kiss deepened for a few moments before they pulled away for fresh air, their breath mixing between each other, and Belle whispered, "I'm falling in love with you too...", and Juliet's eyes brightened up, whispering, "Will you do me the honor of courting you, and beyond?".
"What a gentleman you are, Juliet...", Belle teased as she flashed a smile. "Well, you knew from nearly the start how I always acted more like the rougher sex...", Juliet teased.
Belle giggled, "True...", hearing the last part, and exhaled, "I see what you mean in a way, but does that mean also...", whispering quietly, "In bed too?", almost feeling scandalous for a moment.
Juliet chuckled once more, "Well, if you want to find that one out, we'll have to at least court for a little bit.". Juliet kissed her one more time as the song was reaching a crescendo.
Belle smiled brightly, "And I'll gladly wait, but yes, courting sounds wonderful...Can...can we go for a stroll in the gardens? It's a warm night thankfully...".
Juliet smiled warmly, "Of course, Belle.", offering her arm as the other dancers kept on, and Belle took it happily as they headed out of the ballroom, to the gardens' side door, putting on their capes.
The family was overjoyed to see Juliet finding her true love at last, and Maurice himself was proud of his own daughter, seeing her shine like a star tonight as she discovered the emotion of love, just like how he and his wife did, happy, and he's somehow glad that the castle denizens were beyond accepting for them both.
Hours later, after the children got tucked away to bed, with Juliet escorting Belle to her bedroom with a goodnight kiss and the other adults happily tired after a night of romance and friendship, and fun, Beast himself was alone in the dark ballroom, glancing around him, with the curtains covering the windows, with the balcony doors locked tight, glad for his great eyesight to aid him in the darkness.
He tried to fall asleep into the half-asleep mode for him to return to Perla, but nothing happened yet, and he only felt the sensation of Perla finishing a hunt with care, with the vague movement of pre-labor...He sighed deeply, muttering to himself, "I guess it's too dangerous to bring her here in a way...Why can I be a sort of solid magical spirit for Perla while she can't? Maybe it's stressful on the cubs within her...I wish I could dance with her...human or beast.", rubbing his neck, still in his formal suit.
He glanced upwards at the painted mural of baby angels and clouds, and with a chuckle, "I guess I can't be jealous of Juliet having her chance with Belle at last...She deserves it...", turning around to leave the ballroom, figuring that he will be there later when she goes into labor, while he's in his bedroom.
He could only just hope that it wouldn't be much longer... that she and their children would be home, they could declare their love for one another, end the curse, find this dark wizard and stop him with whatever he had planned for them... and then just live happily for the rest of their lives.
"Adam?", a familiar voice replied, echoing through the ballroom, and Beast exhaled in shock, turning around, seeing Perla in human form, shimmering in a golden aura, wearing a stunning ocean blue ballgown, with her hair in curls, over her shoulders.
Evangeline and the Enchantress has worked together to bring Perla home in a way, realizing that it's easier now, with Perla finally seeing that she and her cubs are almost home, having seen the castle from the cliffside.
And now, as Perla rested, closing her eyes, in her beast form, feeding her cubs, needing the strength of the rest and the food she had hunted earlier, is preparing soon for the birth of her fourth child, and before she knew it, she's human, and standing in a dark ballroom, yet it's her human spirit brought out from the inside of her Beast form, like a shell, and it's all thanks to Evangeline and the Enchantress, with the compasses appearing on the ballroom ceiling mural, with the enchanted baby angels giving their little holy magic to hide it all from the dark magician if he's spying, not that they knew that he's mortal, needing sleep.
"P-Perla...?", Beast whispered as he looked at her. "Are you... are you here right now? As we've been and all... still trying to get home.".
Perla gave a bright smile, "About that, Adam. A couple of hours ago or so, I saw home, on a cliffside...Our home...I saw the familiar chasm and the tall towers of the castle...I think with clear and bright hope, the good magic is helping me...I'm still a beast back in the cave, feeding our cubs, with a fourth one on the way soon, but still maybe an hour or so before I come into labor...Are...is this the ballroom? And why are...hold on...I'm...I'm dressed for a dance...and you are too...".
Beast smiled. "We've... there's quite a bit that has happened with things since we last saw each other.", he told her. He was fairly brief with things that took less than thirty seconds.
About how they saved Maruice from the wolves and hurt his leg, how they were nursing him and Belle showing up for him, the decision of them staying and that Belle and Juliet were hitting it off very well. Perla smiled. The compass did say that Juliet's soulmate was from the village... she was fairly sure now that it must have been talking about Belle.
Beast walked closer, exhaling deeply, his paw moving, and to his joy, is gently caressing Perla's cheek, he can feel a tingle of magic, just like how he was with Perla back in the past couple of times during Perla's birthing nights, feeling her warmth and Perla closed her eyes in familiar contentedness, her hand enveloping over his paw, smiling softly.
"You're here, my pearl...", Beast whispered, "Dance with me?", and Perla looked up into his sky-blue eyes, "I thought you'd never ask...", before Beast gently wrapped his paw around her waist, holding her other hand with his other paw, and started to sway.
Perla smiled radiantly, "Been a long time since we've been alone like this...I missed this so much, Adam...Soon, I'll be back in your arms...we will break your curse and mine somehow...", resting her head on his chest as they swayed.
Beast replied, "Yes, you're right...How far do you think you are?", and Perla replied, "We're hiding in a cave behind a waterfall, in this valley, and there's a village in the middle of the valley...I think it is Belle and Maurice's village.".
Exhaling deeply, "On the main road in the valley through the village to here, that's two, maybe three full days...But with hunting season coming around, the long way has to be taken...a week...You're so close...", Beast whispered with overjoyed and worried tears.
Perla whispered, "I have to make sure the new cub is strong enough to travel...That means a few days or so of feeding and hunting at first...And to avoid the hunters every day while traveling...it will be slow, but the cubs need to be safe...But I will get home to you, we will be home with you, Adam...", looking up at her beast, her Adam.