When they returned to the castle, Belle and the others left the horses in the enthusiastic hands of the stablekeepers, who were thrilled to have Philippe and the horses from the asylum in their care.
Adam took the majority of the bags from Belle and Colette that they'd strapped to the horses' saddles, waving away their protests. Colette's protests in particular were feeble. She looked drained from the journey there and back, though she tried her best to hide it.
Once inside the castle, a tall male servant greeted them as they came inside.
"Thank you, Porter," Adam said. "Could you see that Belle and Colette's things are brought up to their room?"
Porter nodded and beckoned a couple of younger looking footman forward, who came to take the bags from Adam, Belle, and Colette.
Every time Belle walked through the castle after the enchantment had been lifted, it amazed Belle just how many servants this castle had.
While Belle realized there had been many servants, seeing them now in their human form amazed her. Enchanted objects, if they didn't move or talk directly to her, could easily blend in with the surroundings. As humans, their presence was much more detectable and obvious.
In fact, the castle seemed positively crowded as opposed to the apparent emptiness of when she'd first arrived.
The atmosphere of the castle was completely different as well. It was much more warm and regal. Before, it had been dark and spooky. Eerie. Now, it felt full of life and hope.
As the servants bustled away with their luggage, Adam turned towards them. "I can see if there are enough free quarters available and ready for you to have your own room if you'd like," he said, addressing Colette.
"No need," Colette said. "At least for now. Let's focus on more urgent priorities."
Belle was in no rush for her mother to stay in another room. Belle felt they had half a lifetime of time to spend together and make up for.
Looking around, Belle noticed that the entryway seemed less crowded than it had been when they'd left. Many of the makeshift beds that had been occupied by the freed asylum inmates were now empty and being removed by staff.
"Mrs. Potts, Cogsworth, and the others are finding rooms for the people who are stable enough to not need constant supervision," Adam commented. "We have our healer taking care of them. There were also several people among them with healing abilities who are helping."
"I should be helping, too," Colette said, looking intently at the remaining people laying on the pallets on the floor. "But I also want to find Maurice."
"I think they're doing all right for now," Adam said. "No one is critical as far as I was informed this morning."
"Even so," Colette said looking at Belle. "We should gather supplies to make healing remedies later. If the others aren't already doing so."
The part of Belle that wanted to learn about magic was thrilled at the idea of learning how to make healing remedies. She nodded in response to her mother, but the part of her worried about her father urged her to say, "Let's go see that mirror."
Adam let the way up to the West Wing. As the group approached the stairs, a small group of men that Belle had never seen before approached Adam.
"Your Highness," said the leader, bowing slightly to Adam. "We received word that you left this morning. With all due respect, you should have brought at least a few of us."
He gestured towards the men, who all appeared strong and fit. As if they were used to fighting. "After all, Your Highness, what's the point of having guards if you don't use us?"
Adam looked slightly abashed. "Very true, Laurent," Adam said. "You're right, of course. We have no way of knowing what dangers might lie before us. In my time as a beast, I had no need of guards, but things have changed." Adam glanced towards Belle. "I have more I want to protect."
Belle wondered at his words. He'd looked directly at her when he said he had more he wanted to protect. It sent a thrill through her.
"Very good, sir," Laurent said. "We will continue our training to ready ourselves to be at your service. Please do let us know the next time you venture out and if there's anything else we can do to help." Laurent bowed once more and the rest followed suit. They passed Adam, Belle, and her mother by and continued outside.
Belle felt startled at the whole interaction. She hadn't realized he would have a guard. It seemed strange to her. It struck her more strongly than ever that they were staying in a castle and that this man before her was a prince.
It filled her with a sense of intimidation and inadequacy. Who was she to feel such attraction to a prince? She was nobody. A commoner. Royalty and nobility never married below their class.
Contemplating these things, Belle followed Adam to the West Wing. It was utterly different than how Belle remembered the destroyed and wrecked chambers from the time she'd snuck into the West Wing. It was full of light, orderly, and utterly regal looking.
Adam saw her look of amazement. "I found it like this after the enchantment was lifted," he said and then looked at Colette. "Thanks for that."
"What did I do?" Colette asked.
"When the enchantment was lifted, the castle was restored to its previous state," he said. "It was as if we hadn't aged and no time had passed at all. Though the outside world had clearly changed."
"That spell was a masterpiece," Colette said, a note of pride entering her voice. "My finest work."
Then she looked at Belle and Adam's faces which were filled with horror. "Of course, it was also a terrible thing to do and I wish I hadn't done it," Colette added hastily.
"Do you wish you hadn't done it because I'm the son of your friend?" Adam asked. "Or do you truly regret your actions?"
"Both," Colette replied honestly. "Of course, I'm horror struck at cursing a dear friend's child. Who wouldn't be? But also, I regret that I thought so high of myself to play God and meddle in the fate of others."
Adam considered her words and seemed to accept them. "Perhaps it was God acting through you," he mused. "Perhaps your actions set us on a course that will lead us somewhere better than it would have been otherwise." He glanced at Belle.
"It set us all on some kind of course," Colette muttered. "Time will tell what kind of course it is."
"Well, anyway, I am grateful that the castle has been restored," Adam said, returning to the previous topic of the drastic change in the West Wing. "And I'm glad that little Chip can still have a relatively normal childhood and he didn't grow up as a teacup. Mrs. Potts worried so about that."
"I never thought about a child being affected," Colette said, her voice filled with regret as they walked. "I didn't think through the consequences enough. I was so angry."
"I was a right little shit to you," Adam admitted, looking over his shoulder.
"I still shouldn't have done it," Colette said as they neared a large balcony.
"What's done is done," Belle chimed in. "Now, let's look to the present and see if we can figure out where papa is."
Adam paused at a small table before the balcony, where rested an inverted bell jar with a plump red rose underneath and a small handheld mirror beside it. Adam picked up the mirror at the table and showed it to them. It was silver and ornate, with a long handle to hold the mirror to look into its depths.
"My scrying mirror," Colette said fondly, reaching out for it. Adam handed it to her. Colette ran her hand over its surface, smiling down at it. Memories flashed before Belle's eyes and she realized that she'd seen her mother with it many times when she was younger.
Colette looked at her reflection in the mirror for a moment, shook her head, and then ordered, "Show me Maurice."
The reflection in the mirror vanished, mist swirling for a moment, and then turned black. Colette gasped and took a step back.
"What does that mean?" Belle asked, panic entering her voice. "Why won't it show him?"
"Either because the worst has happened," Colette said, her voice sounding very far away. "Or, they have him somewhere beyond magical detection."
"He's not dead," Belle said, her voice coming out firm and certain. "I would feel it."
Belle hoped that were true. Would she know if her father had died? She couldn't let herself entertain the possibility that he was dead. She would fall apart.
Colette set the mirror down on the table wrapped her arms around Belle. "We'll find him," she promised.
"How?" Belle asked.
"We'll think of something," Adam said, looking concerned and less than confident.