In the end, Adam suggested that he send out scouts from his guard to investigate the village sentiment and see if they could get a whiff of where her father might be.
Belle insisted that she should go instead. She pointed out that the villagers would be suspicious of unknown people and they'd have better luck with her going back home and asking around.
"I don't want you going back there by yourself," her mother said. "It's too dangerous."
"I lived there half my life," Belle pointed out. "They all know me. We don't know if they remember the castle or any of the staff who might have been from there."
"But with that oaf Gaston and D'Arque on the loose, who knows what they've done to stir up the village," Colette said.
"There's only one way to find out," Belle said. "And that's to go." Belle looked at Adam. "Your men can come with me and keep an eye out for me, if they must. I don't think it makes sense for them to talk to the villagers yet, but I do see the value in having backup. Just in case."
Adam crossed his arms. He hadn't liked Belle's suggestion of going either. "I don't like this," he said. "But you make valid points. In that case though, I'm coming with you."
Belle opened her mouth to protest, but he cut her off. "No arguments. I'm coming with you." The command in his voice brooked no argument. The voice of a prince issuing an order. It sent a thrill through her. A selfish part of Belle didn't mind the idea of spending more time with this man. The most handsome man she'd ever seen. The Prince Charming of her wildest dreams. Even if it could never work between them.
"Me too," Colette said standing up tall with determination, swaying a little. Belle took in her mother's wan appearance and frailness. Her mother shouldn't go on another journey. The one this morning had already taken its toll. She needed to recover her strength. But her mother wouldn't like that argument.
Belle turned to her mother and reached for her hands. "Mother, as much as I'd love for you to come, you're needed here," she said. "These people need your healing abilities. I'll be back in no time to help you."
Colette stared at Belle and saw the determination in Belle's face. She sighed. "All right," Colette said, conceding to Belle's point. "I'll leave it up to you." Colette turned to face Adam and glared at him. "I know I don't have much right to demand anything of you," she said. "But protect my daughter. At all costs."
"At all costs," Adam said, agreeing easily.
Belle stared at the both of them. At all costs? "I don't think that will be necessary," she said, laughing a little at their tone. "But I appreciate the concern."
"I'll meet you downstairs in half an hour," Adam said to Belle. "Gather anything you might need."
Belle nodded, glad that they'd be moving quickly. She bade her mother farewell, who hurried off to check with the healers to see how she might be able to help. Belle made a mental note to ask Mrs. Potts, if she saw her, to make sure her mother ate something.
Returning to her room, Belle changed into a more comfortable dress and donned her favorite apron. Belle wasn't sure what else to bring, but she took her small everyday knife that she used for various tasks.
Belle looked at herself in the mirror. Appearance-wise, she looked like she was going out to do some work around the house, to tend to the chickens and her garden. Or perhaps even for a normal trip to the market to buy provisions.
In reality though, she now lived in a castle, not the cottage she shared with her father. And while she was going into town, she was walking into unknown dangers.
She'd had no idea that the whole time she'd lived in that village, there had been a whole witch hunting operation going on underground. With Gaston as one of the chief hunters.
Why had her and her father moved to this village in particular? Out of all the places they could have gone. Her father couldn't have known about the witch hunting operation or they never would have moved there. They'd left Paris, after all, to escape that.
And to think, Gaston had asked her to marry him! A witch-hunter seeking a witch as a wife. If he knew the truth, what would he do to her? She must have escaped detection for so long because her father had no magical abilities and because her mother had tamped down on her magic.
Wait, did her father have magical abilities? She'd assumed that he had none, but did he? Belle wracked her brains and tried to recall everything she knew. As far as she could tell, he had no magic. And that's why they escaped from Paris together, without Colette. He must be able to escape detection. Otherwise, he would have been thrown into D'Arque's prison a long time ago.
There was still so much she didn't know about her family and her world. Her eyes had been opened so completely by Hermione inadvertently switching places with her. It amazed her that in her own world there was so much she'd never known existed. That magic was real.
As Belle gazed at herself, she could see that physically she looked the same as ever, but her eyes possessed a newfound confidence. There was a fire in her eyes that burned brightly and with determination. She could be so much more than she'd ever imagined. There was so much potential before her.
If only magic came as easily to her here as it did when she was at Hogwarts. Was it solely because of the wand? Was it because Hermione's body had been adept at producing magic for so long?
She had no idea.