Chapter 32

The sun rose over the castle, casting its glow first on the immense rose gardens and then on the stone building itself. The rays peeked in through Adam and Belle's bedroom window. The light hit Belle's face. Her nose crinkled. Belle opened her eyes slowly, blinking against the sun's light. It was far too bright. She rolled over so her back was to the window. Belle's eyes fell on her husband. He was facing her, his face only inches from hers. He was still asleep, snoring lightly. Belle scooted closer to him, burying her face in the crook of his neck. She breathed him in. She loved his scent. It was so masculine and powerful. Placing her hand against his naked chest, Belle felt his steady heartbeat. She sighed, closing her eyes.

"Good morning," Adam mumbled, his eyes still closed.

Adam instinctively put his arm around her, pulling her even closer.

"I'm sorry if I woke you," Belle apologized.

Adam opened his eyes, looking at her as if he could see straight through to her soul.

"You don't ever need to apologize as long as I get to wake up to your beautiful face," he told her.

Belle reached up to touch her own cheek. She felt a wrinkle that she hadn't noticed before. She knew there was a light brown age spot just below her ear. It was no longer the skin of a young woman.

"Beauty fades," she said.

"Not your beauty. You have been and always will be the most beautiful woman I've ever laid eyes on."

Belle could not help but smile. In twenty-five years of marriage, Adam never missed a moment to compliment her. As a middle-aged woman, Belle was just getting used to the wrinkles on her face and the gray in her hair. On Adam, the wrinkles and salt and pepper color of his hair made him look more distinguished and regal. On Belle, the wrinkles and grey strands of hair only reminded her of how much older she was getting and how much prettier the young girls in the village seemed to be. Belle had never cared much about her appearance, but still it was hard to see herself go through such changes and not wish she looked just a little younger. Adam, though, reminded her of her beauty constantly. Unlike so many other men who, as they got older, found their wives to be unattractive, Adam found her more attractive than ever.

"I should be getting up," Belle said.

"But it's so early," Adam whined, holding her tightly so she couldn't move.

"My students will be here soon."

"It's the day before Christmas Eve. You couldn't have given them a day off?"

"They will have a day off. A whole week, actually. Starting tomorrow. Besides, they like coming to school."

"That's just what they tell you," Adam teased.

Belle lifted Adam's arm off of her. She slid her legs out from under the blankets, her white nightgown billowing against her ankles. Before she could touch her feet the ground, Adam sat up beside her. He placed his hands on her shoulders and began kissing her neck.

"Adam…" Belle said in a half moan, half scowl. "I'm going to be late."

"It's your class. In our castle. They'll wait."

She turned her head and he kissed her as deeply as he ever kissed her. Although they were older, and their appearances showed their age, it didn't stop their passion for each other. And Adam showed her just how he felt.

By the end of the day, Belle was tired, but felt good about her productive day. Since it was the day before Christmas Eve, Belle did not teach her usual lessons to her nineteen students. Instead, they made decorations and read a story about Christmas out loud. At lunch they even went outside for a snowball fight. Adam had joined them.

Belle sat at her desk, a candle burning brightly beside her. There were several gifts open around her in various packaging and bows. Belle had a stack of blank, white cards beside her and a full pot of ink with a pen. She began writing thank you notes to the children who had brought her a gift. Although Belle always told the students that they did not need to bring her anything for the holiday, they always did. Through all the years she had been teaching, it never failed. Often students brought her something handmade. Belle couldn't count the amount of knitted scarves and hats she had. She loved every single one of them. Many times she was given a painted picture or a sweet, hand-written poem. A teenage boy several years back had written her a love poem. Belle had to let him down gently, telling him it was inappropriate. Adam had had a good laugh about that one. Some children brought Belle baked goods or homemade bread. One student brought her a live rooster once. Belle insisted she take it home as it was her favorite rooster.

Belle reached across her desk and picked up a small pin in the shape of a rose. It was a beautiful gift by a girl who had come to Belle a few years earlier. Although the girl had been ten years old when she arrived, she knew nothing about school. She didn't know her letters or numbers and barely was able to sit in a chair without wiggling her way off of it. Over the years, though, Belle and the girl had come to an understanding and she had become a shining star in Belle's class. The girl shared Belle's affinity for roses and had made the pin out of bits of glass and beads that she had found. Belle was in the middle of writing her a thank you note when the clock chimed. Seven o'clock. Time for dinner.

Putting the pen down, Belle pushed back her chair. The rest of the thank you notes would have to wait. She pulled her shawl tighter around her shoulders. With the sun down, the castle was cool at night. Belle would have to add more logs to the fire when she returned to her classroom. Belle made her way through the familiar castle halls. She walked to the dining room where Adam was just about to take his seat.

"Hello," he said.

"Hello."

Adam pulled Belle's chair out for her, the chair right next to his, and she sat. When she was settled, Adam sat in his own seat. They took the covers off their dishes, revealing a beef stew. Belle was thankful for the warm dish. It was a cold day.

"How was your class today?" Adam asked.

"Well, aside from some very wet children after the snowball fight, it was a very good day."

"I'm glad to hear it."

"I'll miss them this week."

"You're students?" Adam questioned.

"Yes."

"It's only a week."

"I know, but I look forward to seeing them every day. How am I going to know what Thomas had for breakfast? Or whether Caroline's horse had its baby yet."

"You'll see them soon enough," Adam said with a laugh. He knew Belle's students were extremely important to her. They always had been. He admired that about her. That she could open her heart to so many.

"And how was your day?" Belle questioned.

"You know how it is to be king, meetings, papers to sign, and reviewing letters of complaints."

"Complaints? About what?"

"That France is too cold. Or that France is too warm. I especially liked the one where a farmer complained his pigs were too fat."

Belle laughed out loud, wiping her face with a napkin.

"People will complain about the silliest things, I suppose."

"I did get several Christmas greetings though."

"Well, that's nice."

Adam nodded. The door to the dining room opened. A young servant entered the room, holding an envelope. He announced himself quite formally and quite loudly, startling both Belle and Adam.

"Come in," Adam beckoned the young man. He strode in, his nose tipped in the air, not making eye contact with Adam. The man brought the enveloped to Adam and immediately hurried away.

"Not very talkative, is he?" Belle asked with a smile.

"No. So many of the young ones aren't."

As Belle and Adam had aged, so had the others in the castle. Some had passed away over the year while others had retired and moved home to be with their families. Lumiere and Cogsworth still lived in the castle, but were getting on in years. At their insistence, Adam still allowed them to do menial tasks, but he made sure they got plenty of rest and didn't work too much around the castle. They deserved to live out their twilight years without having to do hard work. Mrs. Potts still ran the kitchen, although she did have the help of two young female cooks. At first she did not like the idea of having other women in her kitchen, but with arthritis in her hands and knees, she eventually caved and appreciated their company, letting them do most of the cooking. She took off to visit Chip often, who had married a girl from the village, and had gone off to take over the bakery at Villeneuve. He had acquired his mother's love of baking and made delicious cakes and breads. All of the changes in the castle had been an adjustment for everybody, but happiness among the staff were Adam and Belle's main goal and everyone did seem happy.

"Who is it from?" Belle asked, motioning to the letter Adam now held in his hand.

Adam opened up the envelope. He took out the letter and looked it over quickly.

"Our daughter," he answered. "Sylvia."

"What does it say?"

Adam began reading it out loud. "Dear marman and papa, Maurice and I have met up in Rome where he is apprenticing. We will leave in a few days when he is able. Barring any unfortunate weather or unknown circumstances, we plan to be home on Christmas Eve. We love you and miss you. Love, Sylvia."

"When was it written?" Belle asked.

Adam looked to the top of the letter for a date. "A week ago."

"Christmas Eve is cutting it kind of close, don't you think?" Belle asked. "We promised we'd always be together on Christmas."

"They'll be here," Adam said. "Don't worry."

Belle sighed. "I'll always worry about them."

"They're grown adults."

"I know."

"Sylvia is practically the age you were when you met me."

"Don't remind me," Belle said with a smile. "Any day now she could fall in love and we may hardly see her again."

"She may fall in love one day, but this is her home. She'll come back."

"How do you know?"

"Because she has your heart. And it will always guide her home."

Adam reached for Belle's hand and squeezed it. Their family had changed in recent years with both children going off to experience life beyond the castle walls. Adam and Belle were both proud of them and worried for them. Belle knew they had raised their children to be compassionate, caring, and intelligent people. But that didn't stop her from worrying about them both.

"I love you," Adam said, breaking Belle from her worry.

She looked at him and smiled. "I love you, too."

That night Belle had curled herself tight against Adam's chest, letting him hold her. She needed the comfort and support of her husband. There were moments her love as a mother just seemed to overtake her and she couldn't understand why. Moments when she needed to see her children or she felt like she might scream. Moments when she just wanted to hold them like when they were young. Adam never questioned those moments. Instead, he assured her that everything would be alright and then he would hold her as he did the whole night long.

On Christmas Eve, Belle tried to keep herself busy by putting up decorations and helping in the kitchen with whatever she could. On Christmas day, the castle was going to have its traditional Christmas feast for anyone who would like to attend. They invited the whole village of Villeneuve as well as the staff of the castle and their families. By the end of the day, several hundred people would filter through the castle. Belle just hoped that her children would be among them. She knew Maurice and Sylvia said they would be there. But Belle had heard news of bad weather in Italy. She hoped they would make it out safely on time.

Throughout the day, Belle waited to see them come bursting through the front doors of the castle, but they never did. As the sun set on Christmas Eve, Belle retreated to her favorite place in the house. And that was where she sat, reading her favorite book - Romeo and Juliet.

Hours later, Belle took off her reading glasses and pinched the bridge of her nose. Placing the book upside down on her lap to keep her page marked, she glanced over at the candlestick on the table beside her. The candle was almost out. When she had started reading, the candle had been new. She hadn't realized just how long she had been sitting there. As she glanced over at the fire in the fireplace that had all but gone out, the doors to the library opened. Belle looked up excitedly. When she saw it was Adam, though, her excitement waned.

"You don't look happy to see me," he said, placing a new, lit candle beside the one Belle had been using.

"I'm always happy to see you," she replied.

"You were expecting the children."

She nodded.

"It's nearly midnight," Adam said, sitting in a chair beside her.

"It's almost Christmas."

"Almost, but not yet."

"They said they'd be here on Christmas Eve," Belle reminded him.

Adam took Belle's hand. "You know they're busy. And if there was bad weather…"

"I know. I just...miss them."

"Me too," he agreed, squeezing her hand.

"I know you must think I'm foolish that I worry so much."

"You're not foolish. You're their mother. And you are the best mother anyone could ask for."

"No matter how old they get, I'll always picture them as small children running around the rose garden."

"I think of how excited Maurice was when he painted his first mural on the outside of the castle walls."

"Without permission," Belle added.

Adam laughed at the memory. "But it was a beautiful mural. I remember when Sylvia took her first steps on the wooden leg you made for her. She wasn't even officially ours yet, but she felt like she was."

Belle smiled. "So many memories. But they're older now. Maurice has been painting murals on buildings all over the world. And Sylvia has learned to make her own wooden leg. They're older. We're older now."

"True. But they're still our children."

Belle nodded in agreement. "Do you ever wish we had more?"

"More what?"

"Children?"

Adam shook his head. "I think our family is perfect the way that we are."

"I agree. I just wish we saw them more often."

"You should proud that our children have gone off in the world to make something of themselves. They could have stayed here and lived a life of luxury in the castle as spoiled, royal children. But they didn't. They wanted to be someone. They wanted to be educated and have skills."
"And I'm very proud of them," Belle insisted. "But I still miss them."

"They'll be here. They always come home for Christmas."

Belle nodded. She looked down at the book in her lap. Suddenly she was struck by a memory. Not of something that had happened before, but something she had once dreamed. It was a dream she had had when she and Adam were first married. She had been so unsure of herself at the time. But, as always, Adam had been there by her side through every insecurity. She had dreamed that she was older, sitting in the library, reading a book. And she was waiting for something or someone. Adam had come in, but he hadn't been the one she was waiting for. Everything in her dream was playing out in front of her in real life. For some reason it brought a tear to Belle's eye. It was confirmation that she was exactly where she was supposed to be in life.

"Don't cry, love," Adam said, kissing her cheek. "They'll come."

"That's not why I'm crying."

"Then why?"

Belle looked him in the eye. "Just...thank you. Thank you for being you. Thank you for this life. Thank you for keeping your promises. I could not ask for a better husband or a better life. You've made all my dreams come true."

Adam leaned in and kissed her sweetly. Her lips were so familiar, yet so tantalizing at the same time.

"It is you who have made my dreams come true," he whispered. "Just as I did on our wedding day, I promise to love you until the end of time."

Their lips met, a jolt of electricity coursing through each of them. Belle climbed onto Adam's lap, letting the book fall to the floor. She tangled her hands in his graying hair and he began to undo the top button of her red dress. Just at that moment, the doors opened.

"Eww!" Sylvia cried out.

"Gross!" Maurice added.

"I can't believe you two still kiss like that," Syvlia exclaimed, wrinkling her face.

Belle sprang off of Adam's lap and ran to her children, who were no longer children. They were fine adults now, both taller than Belle. She put her arms around both of them, hugging them close. Tears wet her cheeks.

"It's alright, marman. We're here," Maurice soothed.

Adam joined them in a large family hug. After a few moments, they pulled apart, Belle staring into the eyes of her two adult children.

"Tell me everything," Belle prompted. "How's Italy, Maurice? And how are your classes, Sylvia?"

"Marman, it's almost midnight," Sylvia said, trying to stifle a yawn. It had been a long journey for both her and her brother.

"Of course," Belle replied.

"We were surprised when the doorman said you were still awake," Maurice said.

"I don't think your mother would have gone to bed without knowing you two were alright," Adam added.

"Sorry it took us so long," Sylvia apologized. "There was bad weather."

"It's alright," Belle assured them. "You're here now. And tomorrow we'll have a proper Christmas together."

"Come on, let's all go to bed," Adam suggested. "We can talk in the morning."

Belle hugged Sylvia and Maurice one more time before they all retreated out of the library. Sylvia and Maurice walked ahead while Belle and Adam were behind them, holding hands.

"I got the highest grade on my exam," Sylvia told them as they made their way through the castle.

"That is incredible," Adam responded.

"Wonderful!" Belle added.

"All of the men in the class don't think a woman can be an engineer," Sylvia explained. "Especially a woman with only one leg. But I'm at the top of my class. Even my professor, who I think hated me at first and thought I was only there because papa pulled some strings as King, is starting to come around."

"I knew you could do it," Belle said. "We're all so proud of you."

"And I'm going to have my artwork in a real Italian gallery for the first time in February," Maurice told them. "My teacher says I'm ready."

"Oh Maurice!" Belle exclaimed.

"You'll all have to come and see it."

"We will," Adam told him. "We'll be the first in line."

Together, they climbed the staircase, stopping at the top.

"We're very glad you're home," Belle stated.

"We're glad to be here," Maurice replied.

"I've missed you all," Sylvia admitted. They had one final group hug before Sylvia and Maurice went off to their bedrooms. Belle and Adam waited until they heard their doors close before heading off to the west wing.

"Feel better now that they're home?" Adam asked as they approached their bedroom door.

Belle nodded. "Yes. Seeing them makes me very happy."

"Me too."

Belle stood up on her tiptoes and pressed her lips to Adam's cheek.

"Promise me it'll always be like this. That we'll always all be together."

"I promise."

He kissed her. It started to slow, but grew like fire. Although he was not as strong of a man as he used to be, Adam picked Belle up in his arms. Kicking the door closed behind them, he brought her to their bed. They stared into each other's eyes. Belle saw a glimmer of the beast that she had fallen in love with so long ago. She loved when he looked at her that way. They made love that night, knowing that their family would always be together and that their love was as strong as it had ever been.

Author's Note: Well, that's it! Phew…I can't believe I finally made it here. First of all, thanks to all of you who took time out of your day to read this story. And a special thank you to those who took the time to comment. Your kind words have meant a lot to me over these past months. I know this story took me a long time to complete (5 months to be exact), but I hope it was worth the wait. I don't know what I'll be writing in the future, but stay tuned!