"Don't worry, Jacques, they can wait for us... we obviously have a good excuse.", Jules chuckled as Charles smiled. "Sure we won't be a burden for the night? Having to make more food for us? We easily can just eat what we have on hand.", Charles offered.
Ella snorted, "Oh, believe me, Mrs. Potts and Tiana wouldn't have none of your nonsense, and besides, they always appreciate guests.", as the group walked across the grounds to the castle casually.
"And we have more bedrooms left over that we don't know what to do with!", Jacques laughed heartily, and Charles chuckled softly, "Well, if you insist, I and my group would appreciate it. A rabbit caught by Bruno would have been barely enough for us, anyway.", as Bruno barked excitedly, picking up a branch, giving it to Ella who smiled brightly, giggling as she threw it for the dog.
"I was unaware that it was that desperate of a situation...", Jules admitted. "Lucky we came across you then, you'll be sure to get quite a number of provisions to make the journey back home at least.".
Charles smiled, "Just enough to carry on ourselves...We cannot afford to be caught, even if horses are faster which we don't have...", and Jules widened his eyes, "We do have two horses, and a mule, but they are coming into their silver years, yet they are still hardy.".
"We can't ask that of you, Lord Jules, especially if you and your family would need to flee to safety, just in case if this magnificent castle is found by the revolutionaries.", Charles replied, and Jules replied, "It's not my decision, it will be by Adam as this is his and the staff's home, has been for years and years.".
Charles was silent, understanding as he cannot force him, his family to flee to safety, even if he would want Ella to be safe too. He glanced at Ella who is smiling and playing fetch with Bruno...He doesn't see any sign that she's spoken for, yet he hadn't met the others, especially if there are others around her age, in unrelated circumstances...
The brief memory of holding her in his arms behind that tree, feeling her shaking and panting from the rush of fear and adrenaline, there was an instant that he felt like protecting her, and to find out that it was Ella from his past, he could have almost sworn that fate brought them together again...
He then saw Jules looking at him and Ella, and he cleared his throat, looking ahead, not wanting to upset his host by googling at his daughter, and Jacques spoke quietly, "Ella is not spoken for. She actually declined quite a few times, from some of the young men in the staff who had taken notice of her, even if they have good jobs and fine features.", as he was besides Charles slightly.
"Really?", Charles whispered as Jacques nodded, "Yeah... think she's just waiting for the right guy like much of the rest of the family has through the years...".
Charles's heart thumped again, realizing that Ella is purely untouched, single, and able to make her options open as she's of age. He whispered, "I see...", and Jacques replied, "Don't take advantage of her when you're here. Talking, courting, and maybe affectionate touches is allowed within her permission. Is that clear?", hissing sharply as he's in brother mode. He may be younger and such, but he's willing to take over in place of his father in situations like this.
"Trust me, I wouldn't dare do that to her...", Charles chuckled. "I have to assume that she hasn't changed too much since we knew each other.".
Jacques replied, "Good. And you will see her helping the staff and taking care of the animals as she's that kind of person, always finding something to keep busy in a way, if you're staying longer besides tonight.".
Charles nodded, glancing at his group of loyalists. He has to admit that he and they aren't in top shape to fight anything if Silla is blocked by revolutionaries, or save his father and others from the castle...Honestly, a week of rest and food would do them good, but would he risk that when his father would be in danger?
Maybe it would just be better to only stay for the day and leave the next morning; at least with more supplies to make the rest of the journey without having to forage and risking running into any major local responses.
Soon, they got to the courtyard by using the road bridge from one of the grounds' trails, and Charles saw a portly, yet late middle-aged man calling out, "Sir Jules, friends or foes?".
Charles saw Jules smile, respond back, "Friends, Cogsworth. Tell Mrs. Potts and Tiana to make extra servings. And tell Adam that it involves the outside world, but that it will need to be spoken about in the office or in the unused war room after dinner.".
Cogsworth nodded as he walked away as Jules took a deep breath. "Sorry, it's a bit of a long story, especially with our isolation out here in the wooded mountains.", Jules explained to the group.
Charles asked, "The village?", and Jules replied, "Just out beyond the woods, and the mountains. We rarely go there when we have shelter, food, and entertainment at our fingertips here, with our hard work in the greenhouses and in the fields next to the stables, our hunts in the forest, and castle gossip amongst music, stories, and things like painting, crocheting and games. There has been rumors of revolution there, but they hadn't gone close to the borders of the grounds yet, but it's a matter of time.".
After Ella and Bruno had a few rounds of fetch, she went ahead with Jacques to open the courtyard doors into the castle, and the group went in, following Jules, and they felt grateful as they welcomed the warmth of the furnace and a few fireplaces unseen, if Charles guessed correctly.
"Well...", Charles added as he glanced around while standing next to Jules. "Hopefully, things out here will, more than pass, that the revolutionary spirit will just be seen as another one of those things that comes and goes so long as it's not much of a disturbance against the town.".
Jules wants to believe Charles there, but with the curse having been for 10 years, and then the attack of the mob, it's still ingrained in the memories of the staff, the family, even if most of the children doesn't know the severity of what happened, the stories are still impacting them.
Adam would want his family to be safe...And the castle itself is basically the only home everybody knew from childhood to now...If by force, the revolutionaries find out that Adam is essentially a prince, even when he's already disowned, it will bring danger to the castle...
Sure, the family could survive being commoners and all-around France, but it could split them up or even worse...especially if the fires of revolution continue to do damage...It may be at least half a year now, but it's looking quite bad if Charles's account is anything to go by.
Charles soon met Adam, and dinner managed to be on good spirits for the sake of the younger children, even if they are tweens or adolescents, and the group was more than happy to eat wonderful food, and no one blamed them for their slight slip-ups of manners.
After the loyalists were given rooms to rest and recover, with Bruno playing with Sultan, Adam led Charles to the war room which has been cleaned up, with a map of France, with the others of the elder males section in the family following along.
The map of France was covered in model marks which contained the locations of the revolutions which Sylvia and Jiminy gave each night ever since the start of the collapse of the monarch in Paris, which Adam had to ask for help with, as he's paranoid, but not too paranoid to worry the staff yet.
"So far, it doesn't look to be a civil war brewing between loyalists of the monarch and the revolutionaries...", Adam said as he looked at the map. "And even whispers reach all the way out here of how things are going in Paris. Riots and protests, but still no crackdowns or violent reprisals...".
Charles exhaled, "I didn't even realize that this was bad...Not dangerous, thankfully yet, but is this really accurate? With those towns north and south of Paris? And even on the beaches in the west, and even near the Alps? Are those real revolutions?".
"Hard to tell; haven't heard the whispers of heads being cut off by the guillotines, but one thing is for sure, the Bourbons have lost the throne again to the people at the moment.", Adam sighed. "It's a true revolution, but maybe not exactly similar to the last one.".
Charles bit his lip, "And have you heard anything about Silla from the village?", and Maurice replied, "You have no idea how much they talk in the pubs when they underestimate an elderly man, especially when one pretends to drink a lot of ale.".
Maurice would never thank Fay and Sylvia enough for slightly changing the village's memories about Belle and him that fateful day years ago. He's a random visitor to the village, a widower to drink his grief away, and too old to work, not that they knew that he's a respected inventor here in the family which he is all too happy about.
Maurice replied, "There has been occasional people who fled to the village via the main road and some other roads here and there, and it turns out that Silla is blocked on the king's orders, with several townspeople fleeing by ship after the orders had been erected out, with the leftovers of the kingdom's army and guards protecting the castle and the village. But I am afraid to say I don't know what they are protecting the kingdom from, either the revolutionaries on their way, or a coup on the inside.".
"Of course, it's hard to tell from where we are... if we were back in Silla, we'd probably have a better idea of the situation. Still no idea if those of your army that turned against the crown just want to simply not follow orders anymore or wish to throw your father from the throne...", Adam added.
Charles sighed deeply, "I knew Father wanted to give the throne to me, but he did not plan for this alternate path of fate...", and Adam raised an eyebrow, "Oh? What circumstances could he have passed the throne to you?".
"Upon a fortnight of his death, or upon the day when one of his grandchildren turns 8. I first started royal lessons when I turned 8, and that was how I learned that I was burdened to be a responsible prince, as my fun ended there and then.", Charles replied heavily.
Jules replied, "And considering how your father had taken in a couple of wars long before you were born, Charles, he could be hard considered to surrender peacefully as he must be getting on in years or am I wrong?".
"After everything that has happened in the past; he was a young child when the revolutions swept across France... the stories of the Terror that gripped Paris and so many beheaded in a sea of blood.", Charles sighed. "It would be very difficult for him to consider leaving the throne after seeing and hearing all that.".
Ray replied, "Adam, I think it's time to consider alternative options now. As of right now, if this is terrifying non-combatants out there with those fires of revolutions on this map, think of how this would become war. I don't know about you, but I think we better figure out a way to get Charles' father, and his trusted friends out of Silla, or at least France.", referring to Sylvia and Jiminy.
Adam narrowed his eyes, exhaling deeply, and glanced at Charles, "Theoretically, if this gets really bad to the point where war is deeming to be on the horizon, would you talk to your father to abdicate the throne, for your sake and his sake?".
Charles, both confused to hear Ray's advice yet sharp to answer Adam's question, "Yes, I would.", and Adam nodded, "Good. And theoretically again, if the revolutions come beyond France to the continent, where would you go?".
Frowning at the question, sighing deeply as he glanced at the world map on the wall next to France's map on the war room table, Charles replied, "There is three neutral places to flee to: Switzerland, Fiji, and Canada. It was the last report I and Father talked about before I left for Paris.".
"The French part of British North America?", Adam asked as Charles nodded, "Yes, the area that was formerly French before the Seven Years War and all... but... we'll have to decide on that at least if things come to that end... and I pray they won't have come to that point.".
Jules replied, "Is the language of French used commonly there, still?", and Charles nodded, "As far as I know. Switzerland has a portion of a territory where French is spoken there. Fiji, English is used there, but I only know some English, and I think you would prefer to be familiar in a place that speaks French at least.".
"You are very much correct. I'd feel better with speaking French, and for my wife and some of the others in the family, speaking Italian would stay here within us.", Adam replied before taking a deep breath, "Is that all the information you could think of, about Silla and such?".
Charles replied, "Pretty much I had since I'm practically out of the loop for a few weeks now since I sent my last message by hawk to Father.".
Adam nodded, "Understood. You better get some rest, and Maurice here can take you to a room, or if you wish for a walk to have fresh air, ask one of the staff to take you to one of the available family, to lead you to the gardens. I have to talk with the others here privately.".
"I understand, sir. Thank you for weighing in my words, and I'd appreciate some rest after a long day of traveling on hard terrain and such.", Charles bowed in respect before leaving the war room, as Maurice nodded to Adam with a smile, and locked the door, leading Charles to a room to rest.
Adam listened for a few minutes before glancing at the window that showed the night sky, and replied, "I pray that there aren't too many wishes tonight. I'd appreciate your input on this, Sylvia and Jiminy. I might just have an idea, and this depends on magic.".
There was no response for a few moments as Adam sighed, "Yeah... I'm sure you two are really busy with things... especially considering what's happening now. I don't think anyone wants to see a repeat of what had happened before with the last revolution.".
Jules replied, "Maybe if you explain the idea, they will always hear you out, hmm?", and Adam blinked in surprise, "Yeah, you're right...Look, you remember the story of Perla and I connected by half-sleeping and half-conscious, in dreams?".
Jules and Ray nodded, "Yeah. Are you thinking similarly for Charles?", and Adam replied, "Full vivid dreaming, but essentially connected by magic. Charles and his father. If he convinces my cousin to surrender the throne, and consider coming here for safety's sake, it's better than being blocked in a kingdom on his orders to protect his people, especially if the revolution became worse with the army who betrayed him, Paris's monarchy, and other monarchies in other places of France, coming for Silla...".
Ray replied, "You heard Charles. His father aka your cousin is stubborn. You remember times you visited Silla, huh?", and Adam sighed, "Only a few summers before I was sent here. He was boisterous, I admit, but he was really funny, and not scary like...like Father...And yes, my cousin is definitely stubborn, and I couldn't blame him if he doesn't want to leave the castle as it has memories of his wife, his life, everything, but I couldn't want his death on my soul, or Charles to blame me...".
Jules sighed deeply, patting his shoulder, "Family is family, huh? And the idea is ingenious, I can tell. It's not very bad right now in the circumstances of the magnitude in the revolutions for the time being, but we all know that it's the calm of the storm before it gets worse.".
"Charles might be able to get things to walk back from the edge in a matter of speaking if perhaps he took the throne. Especially if the people at least want the right to rule; could at least maybe work out what the English have done. That whole Great Reform of theirs a decade ago might have just saved the monarchy from any sort of revolt similar to like this in France... the same I fear might not be the same for the rest of the continent if the fires spread to the other kingdoms and empires...", Jules continued on.
Ray replied, "Especially now with the fact that social classes are being divided roughly. I can't imagine how the indentured, the slaves, and the freemen is feeling right now.".