Disclaimer: I do not own any of the Disney characters of that magical world but I enjoy writing about this site lets me do so!

Fair Warning to Readers: This chapter does go back and forth between the two Point of Views of Adam and Belle. At first I questioned doing so, but in the end it came out to my liking.

Chapter 14 -Wonderment

BELLE

The tavern was as busy as ever. Luckily Katerina was there today - on time - to help Monica and Erica, but I couldn't help but still be a bit apprehensive, given the incident that had occurred the last time I was at work.

I quickly made my way to the kitchen and gave Mrs. Potts a helping hand.

She and I talked about all sorts of things, mostly family. She told me how her husband had died in the war, but that she had three children to keep her company. Her eldest child in particular was most ambitious and had left home a year ago to work at the duke's manor. He would write her letters every now and then about the outs and ins of taking care of royalty.

"What's his name?" I asked as I dried a plate she had just handed me.

"Chip," she said with a beaming smile that accentuated the wrinkles around her eyes. "He wants to attend a university one day. The duke's son has promised to help him financially if he keeps up his studies."

"The duke's son?" I said, flabbergasted as dried the plate with a cloth. My thoughts immediately went to Adam. I found it pleasantly surprising that he would lend a hand to the help, by supporting Mrs. Potts' son that way.

"Yes! Why, the duke's son himself attends the local university," she informed me.

"Oh yes, I am aware," I replied quietly.

Mrs. Potts gave me a perplexed look but she didn't press on. We took our cleaned dishes to the cabinets.

"We still have more mugs to clean - that's really what takes up more space in the sink!" she said as she stood on a footstool to reach the cabinets. I passed her the plates as she stacked them carefully one by one.

The bell of the door rang again. It always rang when new customers entered the tavern, and by now my body was fully conditioned to look up to catch a glimpse to see who had arrived. To my relief, it was my cloaked customer. I had finished my assignment with Adam at 10:00, but I was supposed to be at the tavern by then. Luckily Gaston hadn't seen me yet to chastise my tardiness, and to my benefit, my cloaked customer arrived after me, so he wasn't kept waiting.

"Well, Mrs. Potts, I'm afraid I will have to end our lovely conversation. My customer is here," I noted to her with a smile.

"Ah, and so he is! Well, you better get a move on. We can chat more tomorrow," she smilingly replied, turning back to her work. I proceeded to the tavern floor to receive my cloaked guest.

At first it was hard to see him, for his form was camouflaged perfectly by the shadows dark under the stairway, as he sat at the usual table.

"Hello," I said. A yawn all of a sudden came from within me with no warning. "Ugh," I said in embarrassment. "I'm sorry. That yawn came from nowhere!"

He nodded. "Seems like you're a bit tired today. Studies keeping you up?"

I was pleased at the caring tone of his inquiry which only confirmed how positively different he was from the other boisterous customers present.

"No, it's not that. So, what can I get for you?" I insisted, dismissing his observation.

"Scotch?" he asked.

"Hmm, I should've guessed," I replied as I proceeded with a smile to the bar. As I opened the bottle of scotch, I kept thinking about the night before and how we had had such a marvelous time together. His kindness and care had enveloped me. I couldn't help but feel elated to be back to work.

Filling the cold glass with scotch, I peered around at the table to see if any napkins were around. Reaching over behind, I found a stack, and picked one up to also give to my guest. As I turned around to head to my customer, my happy thoughts all at once shattered as I found an unfortunate scene. There it was clear as day, Katerina in the lap of my special guest, burying her head on his chest giggling shamelessly. I don't know why it bothered me, but it did. Jealousy and disdain suddenly emerged within me.

I slid the glass across the table. "Here," I said abrasively.

The cloaked man stopped the glass in its tracks, catching it.

"Maybe some other time, Katerina," he mumbled, as he brought the glass to his lips.

"Oh, you're no fun anymore!" she huffed as she jumped out of his lap. "Ever since SHE's come around, you've changed!" She pointed at me with irritation.

I stood there defensively, my arms crossed on my belly, glaring at her. As she stormed off, I loudly took the chair opposite of him and sat.

"You don't look so happy," said the cloaked man as he sipped his drink. I didn't answer. There was silence for what seemed like forever. Finally he spoke again. "I didn't ask her to sit in my lap, you know. She just came. I didn't realize you cared, anyway," he said as he sipped more of his scotch.

"I don't!" I exclaimed, embarrassed that my true emotions were clearly apparent.

I was never good at hiding what I was thinking. Even when I was young, my father used to say it was always easy to tell if I was lying. I was terrible at concealing my feelings.

"Well, it doesn't look like it," he said knowingly.

"I really don't care who sits in your lap, as long as it's not me," I retorted. Annoyed at him, but even more annoyed at myself, I went to the bar and got a glass of water. So much for keeping him company, I thought as I sipped from my glass.

The cloaked customer came and sat next to me at the bar. "My glass is empty. Thought I'd let you know," he said gruffly.

I went behind the bar table to fill it again with scotch.

"Make it a double," he ordered.

I uneasily filled the glass with more. I was hoping he wouldn't turn into that "beast" I'd heard of from the infamous rumors that spread about him. Apparently, word was, the heavier he drank, the more untamable he became.

He drank this glass much faster than the first. In one quick gulp, he had already drank half the contents.

I returned to my seat next to him. "Don't you think you should take it easy?" I advised.

"I'm just fine. The one I am more worried about is you, Arabella," he replied.

"Me?" I asked. I was only a little surprised at the statement. Truthfully, I knew he was caring as he had proven so our last time together. To my dismay, my true feelings had revealed themselves today, a bit through jealousy at seeing Katerina on his lap, and I was absolutely furious at myself for not being better at hiding it.

"You look so tired," he explained. "I hope you're not too tired to recite a bit of Shakespeare?" he added hopefully.

The lights in the tavern all of a sudden looked dimmer. Was it always this dark in here?

"No," I replied dismissively. "I'm fine, but to tell you the truth, I'm all 'Shakesperare'd' out! This whole afternoon and well into the evening I have been well on my way working on the assignment," I informed.

"Ah! So your partner did come through after all!" he said as he sipped his glass again.

"Yes, he did."

"He's not so bad after all, is he?" he pressed on.

I gave him a bewildered look. Why did he care about my homework partner? "No. He's come through immensely, as a matter of fact. He's even been a bit of a friend as of late. Although to be honest, I'm not use to having friends, or know the first thing about maintaining friendships," I foolishly admitted as I looked down.

The cloaked man grunted. I feared I had revealed too much already. I got so nervous around him; I couldn't explain the tension that encapsulated me when I was around him.

"Care to go for a walk, then?" he asked. I looked at him, puzzled. Where could we walk around in this tavern?

"There's a lake nearby," he clarified, "It's very scenic, quiet, and calming. I do a lot of thinking there."

I got my coat from the kitchen and met him at the door. I wrapped my shawl over myself and part of my head. He led me to a small pebble-stoned path, and we walked to the lake. I could see the moon's reflection in the water. He held out his hand to help me sit along the bank. I was surprised to see him seated on the gravel. It seemed out of keeping with his role as a debonair gentleman, but then again, he was full of surprises.

I finally broke the long drawn-out silence. "So, what's on your mind that makes you come out here to think?"

The cloaked figure turned to me. "Many things, Arabella." He paused, looking out into the water. "I mostly think about how to be a better person."

I nodded, understanding what he meant. "Don't we all think about that?"

"Do we?" he inquired. "I don't think all people do. Though I wish they did."

There was another long pause as he and I looked out into the water. The darkness was captivating. The moon reflected on the surface of the water, causing there to be just enough illumination for us to make out trees, pebbled paths, and dewy grass.

"Can I ask you something?" I bravely started, breaking the long silence.

He nodded.

"You have been very kind, though I've only known you for a day or two. You don't seem to match the beast-like qualities I've heard of you before."

He chortled briefly. "Well, maybe you bring out the best in me." He didn't meet my eyes, looking out at the water instead. "In truth, I've done a lot of thinking since I met you."

I was surprised at his quick reply. I thought my inquiry would certainly have left him baffled, at least a bit.

"I'm not proud of my past, Arabella. I'm not proud of any of it," he continued. Clearly uncomfortable with the admission, he crossed and recrossed his legs, wrapped his left arm around his knees, and began to fiddle with a pebble on the ground with his other hand. Finally he threw the pebble into the distance, and it skipped three times upon the water till it vanished. The ripples spread out quickly, reaching to the edges of the lake, and then finally disappearing just a few feet away from us on the bank.

"We all have regrets," I said quietly.

"I can't imagine you having any," he replied.

"That's not true. I have quite a handful," I admitted. "The biggest one was coming to work at the tavern."

He didn't say anything. I feared he might have taken it the wrong way. It wasn't that I was regretful about serving him; it was just being at the tavern itself that made me uncomfortable. I knew I didn't fit in well there.

"It's not you. Please don't think that," I clarified quickly. "It's just I never thought I would see myself working in a tavern to make ends meet."

He nodded, looking relieved. "Can I ask you what brought you here then?" he questioned cautiously.

I sighed. "I'm, not exactly rich."

"So?"

"Well, I am actually not wealthy at all," I admitted. "My father doesn't have a lot of money. And where I come from, there's not much outlook for women. I loved learning as a kid, so my grades landed me a seat at the university nearby. Royalty and the aristocratic go there. The tuition is expensive. So I'm working here to help my father out with paying for my studies. I met Gaston at the university, and he offered me the job."

"Ah, I see," he said, nodding. "Well, Gaston goes to university part time, while simultaneously running his business. See, not all the students can go full time either. Sometimes it's because they have other responsibilities, like Gaston; for others, like you, it may be due to monetary needs. Have you thought about going part time, so you are not so tired from studies and working?"

"This may sound selfish, but I love learning too much to only go part time," I admitted sheepishly.

"Well, no matter the reason, education is education, and if you want it, that's noble, Arabella."

"You sound just like my English partner," I said, smiling as I looked out at the lake.

"Ah. So I was right. He truly did come around. Sounds like he's wise as well," he said teasingly.

"Yes, yes. You were right," I conceded. "He's come around, and not just for the project. He's been there to listen to me, truly listen. It's a nice change for me – being a daughter of a recluse keeps you alone most of the time." I paused, realizing I had said too much. I didn't want to admit any more. The embarrassment of yesterday's fiasco combined with me now admitting my other private failings might make my personal customer think I was just pathetic.

"Have you told your father that you are working?" he asked.

I shook my head. "How can I? Sending a telegram across the way would take at least a week or so. And honestly, I haven't the courage to tell him. Even if I say I am working elsewhere than a tavern, I wonder if knowing I'm working at all would break his breadwinner ego. He's my father – he feels that it's his responsibility to provide everything for me."

He didn't press the issue, and I was thankful for that. "You need to have faith in people. That's one thing I've learned," he stated simply.

"Yes, I agree. It's hard to be so open and vulnerable, though I do try to. How do you find faith in people?"

"I don't," he admitted. "I'm still trying, too."

I nodded, and then took a chance. "Do you have faith in me?" I asked hopefully.

"That's the thing. I didn't have much faith in people until I met you," he said honestly. "Maybe that's why you're puzzled that I've been acting so well-behaved, it not fitting with my dark past and all. Truthfully, you've left me baffled, Arabella,"

I looked at him, surprised by his comment, yet relieved he found reliance in me.

He went on, "You are innocent and naïve, yet you work at a tavern. You don't care to do the things that the barmaids do for more money, even if it means you could be having an easier time financially. You'd rather work hard than take the easy way out. That's not exactly human."

"Why, of course it's human," I stammered, embarrassed.

He snickered.

I regained my dignity and retorted, "It's not worth taking 'the easy way' if it tarnishes my character.".

"No one knows you here," he pointed out. "You could get away with a fraudulent reputation, if it means you make more money." He chuckled.

"That's not funny, sir, and you know it," I replied half-jokingly.

He chuckled again. "I think that's the first time I've ever heard you call me Sir!"

"Isn't that what I am supposed to call you?" I tested.

"Well, yes of course, but you never have till today. To tell you the truth, I actually like it more when you don't call me sir. It sounds too formal," he admitted.

"Well, I'm not sure if we're on terms where anything but formality would be appropriate," I reminded him.

He stiffened. "I was only kidding about you changing your persona here. I like the way you are, and it's refreshing to find a girl who feels she doesn't need to change her values for anything." He smiled. "In truth, I look up to you. You're a good influence on me."

I nodded, relaxing a bit at his clarification.

"If you're too 'Shakespeare' d' out, I'm afraid you are going to have to tell me something else, because your voice is just too beautiful to be kept quiet." His voice was soft, and it made me ache inside with an unfamiliar longing.

I cleared my throat and tried to sound formal. "What do you want me to read?" Inside, though, my heart was singing at the knowledge that he found my voice beautiful.

"Seeing as we have no books out here, how about just talking to me? Tell me about your life," he prompted.

"If I do, will you tell me a bit about yours?" I challenged.

He hesitated. "Perhaps...I could tell a little." There was a pause. "Will that do?" he asked uncertainly. I nodded, and he looked relieved.

"So, you've told me a lot about your mother. What about your father? You said the last time that you missed him very much," he reminded me.

"Remember how we talked about regrets? Well, I regret the fact that I lied to my Shakespeare partner about who the man I kissed good bye to was when I first arrived at university," I admitted.

"Go on," he urged.

"My father is the best man I have ever known. He has always sacrificed everything for me, just as any good father should do I suppose, but nonetheless he was my everything. He still is." I folded my legs behind me, repositioning myself to be comfortable on the gravel. "Anyway, my Shakespearean partner had inquired if that was my father I had kissed good bye at the front of my dormitory when I first arrived here. For some reason, without thinking..." I looked away, blushing in embarrassment. "I said he was the help! What kind of daughter does that?"

"Why did you lie?" he inquired.

"That's a good question. Maybe I was ashamed." I slapped my forehead. "Ugh! That sounds so demeaning and dreadful, doesn't it?" I sighed. "It's just...everyone at my university is wealthy, or from some sort of aristocratic family. I've never fit in anywhere, and now that I'm here, I wanted to start a new life - a new image I guess. Which meant being totally dishonest about who I am." I stole a glance at him, feeling deeply ashamed. "You must think I'm horrible."

"No, not at all," he assured me. "Look at me - I hide my identity and live a lie every night."

That's true, I realized. I wonder what he's hiding? But it seemed too bold to ask him outright. Maybe someday he'll feel close enough to me to reveal the truth to me. I returned to the topic of my father. "Where I come from, I'm considered to be very odd. I don't have many good friends. My father has a few, but he's more of a recluse," I explained. "Eventually I do want to tell him that I am making money and can help him, but I'm afraid it would crush him. I wouldn't want him to start distancing himself from me. He's already a loner. We're both loners - two peas in a pod!"

ADAM

As Belle explained more and more to me about her father, I could sense the discomfort in her subside. She felt more and more open to talking to me about her life. I felt privileged and grateful that she was confiding in me. I wanted to know everything there was to know about her.

We were secluded under the moonlight, and I had the most intense urge to just throw off my cloak, grab her in my arms, and pull her in for a kiss. I wanted to reveal to her that I was me, Adam, and that I truly cared for her. It took me all my strength to suppress the urge to do so. How would she react if I did? Would she feel embarrassed? Betrayed? It was just too risky.

But that voice, that beautiful voice... She cutely placed the littlest wild strands behind her ear every so often that escaped from her hair tie in the gentle breeze. She continued to talk about her father and how she felt so sad that sometimes her father's friends weren't exactly true friends. I listened intently.

"I mean, sure, they would sometimes invite him to dinner or a drink at the tavern, but my father didn't know how I had heard them talk badly about him behind his back - making fun of his so-called crazy inventions, cooped up in a basement all day long. My father is actually one of the most intelligent people I have ever met. The villagers must all think I'm not listening because they say I 'always have my nose in a book', but I can hear everything. And it hurts."

She looked up at me. "Gaston doesn't know this, but Gaston's father, Monsieur LeGume Senior, has been threatening us for years, trying to claim our small cottage and little farm, insisting that the land would be more suitable for another tavern and would bring more financial revenue to our village. He's made some of the villagers just despise my father more, since he refuses to give it up."

I was surprised to hear this. "I didn't know that Gaston's father was land-hungry. His taverns at this time are so well-established. What could he possibly want with another one?" I wondered out loud.

Belle looked at me, puzzled. "How is it you know so much about Gaston?"

"I make it my business to know everything about everyone, for my own benefit," I deflected. "Besides, why do you think I am inquiring about you?" I added with a chuckle.

She shot me a withering look. "Gee, and here I thought you just wanted to be friendly!"

I chuckled again.

"Anyway, I think my father will eventually give in one day. If he can't afford to keep up with the tuition for me, I can see him selling some of the land, if not all of it, for my sake. It makes me sad. Sometimes I wish I had never come here. I'm such an encumbrance," she sighed as she brought her legs together, hugging them, and resting her left cheek on her knees facing away from me.

Without thinking, I placed my hand on her head in a gesture of comfort. She startled, looking at me in confusion. I pulled my hand back quickly.

"Sorry! I didn't mean, to break our promise! It just felt like you needed comforting," I explained.

She smiled, then leaned in closer to me and rested her head against my chest. "I trust you," she said simply. My heart swelled in my chest with gratitude. Her trust would not be misplaced.

I lightly placed my right arm around her waist to hold her better, and gently stroked her arm. I felt sorry for Belle, feeling so much guilt for such a tremendous accomplishment. Getting accepted to such a university was no easy task, but if you had money it was easy. But here was Belle, the daughter of a villager who didn't have the means to pay for it yet encouraged her to go for it. I started to feel very selfish and spoiled. All this time, I had been lazy about school, taking it for granted, yet here was a girl and father who would sell their own land for the privilege of attending university.

I was a bit afraid that if Belle looked up from my chest that she might see who I truly was, but I was fairly certain that my hood and the shadows of the night concealed me enough. As she rested her head on my chest, I couldn't help but feel how perfect this was, this moment with her.

"You know, you really don't seem like the person I had heard you were at all. I think people have this 'Beast' thing all wrong," she mused.

I couldn't help laughing. "Well, I'm very glad to hear that. But in all fairness, you deserve a great deal of the credit. I don't think you know how much you've changed me."

"Me? Why, I've only known you for two days!" she pointed out.

Of course, she had no way of knowing that she had really known me for longer than that, but I couldn't make that obvious.

"Sometimes all it takes is one moment," I replied. "And Arabella, for whatever my opinion is worth, I honestly believe that when you tell your father the truth about you earning your own money to pay for your tuition and save your land, he will truly be appreciative."

"I hope so," she replied. "I think deep down, I can believe that. For now I just want to sit here with you and just...be."

"All right." I smiled as I reached into my pocket. "I have something for you."

Surprised and immediately curious, she quickly got to her feet, as did I. I was very tall in comparison to her. Reaching into my inner pocket, I pulled out the small box.

"What is it?" Belle asked eagerly.

"Open it," I replied.

She took it from me and opened it. Inside she found a diamond-encrusted pendant. At its center was a gold rose emblem which matched the tattoo on my arm.

"It's beautiful~" she gasped. "Oh, but I- I couldn't take this." She closed the box quickly and handed it back to me.

"Why? I want you to have it," I insisted.

"Such a lavish gift is not necessary, honestly. Please take it back! I insist!"

"I'm afraid this is your payment, Arabella, so I cannot," I rebutted. Belle's face was pained with confusion. "I don't have any coins today," I continued. "This will suffice for your payment well into the next week. I've had this for ages, and I have no need for it. You can do two things with it: you can either wear it - which I hope you do - or you can sell it if you ever feel desperate that your father might sell his land. The choice is yours."

Belle sighed. "I really don't know what to say."

"Just say thank you and take it."

She smiled. "Fine. Thank you. And I'll just keep it for safekeeping for now." She studied it more closely. "Why it's the same rose emblem as the handkerchief you gave me!" she realized.

BELLE

A few glasses of scotch were in no way equal to a diamond-encrusted pendant. I started to cry at his generosity and kindness. Again I felt swept off my feet. It didn't seem fitting to embrace him, but at the same time it didn't seem it fitting not to, after such a generous gift. Taking a risk, I bashfully went in towards his chest, and was relieved to find his arms coming around me.

"Thank you so much. You have no idea. Thank you, thank you," I tried to say through my quiet sobs.

A gloved finger wiped the tears off my cheeks. "You're welcome Arabella. It's fine," he said simply. He held my hand, and I felt my heart soar. Suddenly I was feeling something that I had never felt before. It was a feeling of being cared for and cherished by a man.

I didn't want to admit it, and in all the world I had never dreamed this would happen this way, so I kicked the thought out of my mind...or at least tried to, which was really hard, especially when he led me to his carriage.

"It's getting late, my dear. You need to rest," he calmly stated.

Instead of letting me climb the steps up to the carriage as he usually did, he climbed up first. As I looked up from below, I suddenly felt his hands around my waist as he pulled me up and into the interior. He gently placed me next to him as I heard the crack of the whip.

Usually I sat across from him.

"Take a week off. Don't argue with me. I'll see you next Thursday," he ordered.

"Are you sure?" I asked. I suddenly didn't want to be away from him, especially for so long. "Won't you miss me?" I joked bashfully.

"Of course I'll miss you. I always miss you when you are not around," he said softly.

I smiled at that. I looked out the carriage window, feeling very uneasy being away from him for this long. I had been lucky enough to find friends in Ariel, Adam, Mrs. Potts, and maybe even Gaston to a certain extent. But I had never talked about such deep intimate thoughts as I did with my cloaked customer, and the thought about not having him around for a week made me feel unguarded.

I heard the carriage come to halt and felt a pang in my heart. This was the last time I would see him for a whole week. We said our goodbyes, and he gently took my hand in his gloved one and planted a warm kiss on my knuckles.

I watched the carriage disappear into the night, and emptiness engulfed me inside. As I headed toward my dormitory, I looked up at the moon and again felt desolate. The thought that I would not see my mysterious benefactor for a full week felt wrong. This man had deeply touched me, gotten to my core, my true self...yet we had only brushed the surface of each other. There was so much more to learn about him, and I longed to know it all. Yet instead, we were to be separated. Was it possible to feel this way about someone I had known so briefly? I didn't know. All I did know was that, in the words of Shakespeare, parting was, indeed, sweet sorrow.

So what did you guys think? I think another chapter was necessary for Adam as the cloaked man and Belle to build their relationship more. I think this beautifully illustrated just how wonderful they could be together.

Thank you again to the MOST TALENTED TRUDIROSE for Beta-Reading this Chapter. You really are the best!

I hope you all enjoyed this one! Please comment and review- it makes me want to write more and more!