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Snow fell gently outside, blanketing the entire castle in white. It was a peaceful yet cold night.The castle’s inhabitants no longer cherished winter as they once had; ever since the curse, the season served as a reminder of why the sun could not shine, casting them into darkness and mourning for years. But now, after six months, the curse was finally broken. At this moment, everything felt perfect, serene.Except for Adam. Nightmares plagued him, haunting his nights without end. He hadn’t slept well in ages. After the death of his beloved mother, everything had changed. He had no comfort, no refuge, no one to watch over him. His father had abused him for years, shaping the once innocent boy into a selfish and unkind young prince, mirroring his own heartlessness. But that was all behind him now. He had found his sweet Belle, whom he loved with every part of himself. Each day, he felt endlessly grateful to have her by his side. He held onto the hope that once they were married, his nightmares might finally cease, that he could hold her close each night and find peace. He had proposed to her just a few weeks ago, though it would still be some time before the wedding.Yet something about his recent dreams felt different. He couldn’t quite place it. Normally, he remembered the details upon waking, but this time, everything faded away too quickly, leaving him with only a vague sense of dread.Adam woke up drenched in sweat, his heart racing, breath quick and shallow. He sat up, trying to steady himself, taking in his surroundings in an effort to calm down. Closing his eyes, he inhaled deeply, exhaling slowly until his breathing steadied. He rubbed his forehead and covered his face with one arm, sinking back onto the pillow as a wave of frustration and despair washed over him. He wanted so badly to understand why this was happening, why he couldn’t escape these relentless visions. All he wanted was to be with Belle, to hold her and find comfort in her arms. She was his one true refuge, the only one who made him feel safe. But he knew he couldn’t disturb her at this hour; she would be sleeping peacefully. Besides, he feared what she might think if she saw him like this—so vulnerable.She had already seen him broken once before, as the beast, when his anger had masked his pain. Adam had hoped that now, as a human again, everything would be perfect. And, for a while, the nightmares had stopped. But that peace hadn’t lasted.Adam decided that he wouldn’t go back to sleep that night, fearing that the nightmare might return. So he got out of bed, slipped into his slippers, grabbed a coat draped over a nearby chair, and took a candlestick before leaving the west wing. Opening the large door, he stepped into the dark, chilly corridors, with the candle’s light barely illuminating his path. Exhausted, he made his way toward the library, hoping that reading might distract him and help clear his mind.
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When Adam finally arrived at the library, he paused for a moment, taking a breath before he opened the door.He stepped inside, taking a few quiet steps, but quickly noticed he wasn’t alone; the soft glow of a candle still flickered in the dim room. Following the light, he was surprised to find none other than Belle, fast asleep on a sofa. The book she had been reading must have fallen from her hands as she drifted off, lying open on the floor beside her. A blanket was draped over her, though it didn’t fully cover her, leaving her looking both peaceful and vulnerable.Adam couldn’t help but smile at the sight, thinking to himself that he had probably never seen anything as beautiful as his sleeping Belle. She looked so peaceful, innocent, and pure as she rested. He wanted to reach out, to gently brush back a strand of hair that had fallen across her face, but he didn’t want to risk waking her. So, he decided to let her sleep undisturbed and quietly walked to a nearby shelf to pick out a book for himself. Returning to the sofa next to her, he settled in to read, keeping her in his view as she continued to slumber.Before long, however, he found himself falling asleep too, his book slipping from his hands as he drifted into a deep, dreamless rest. He was so exhausted that he didn’t notice the soft light of dawn filtering into the library. It was only when he heard the gentle sound of a woman’s voice reading in the background that he slowly opened his eyes.Belle was awake, reading aloud from the book she had dropped the night before. Glancing over at him, she noticed he was stirring.“Adam?” she whispered softly.“Hmm…?” he mumbled, finally opening his eyes fully to find Belle smiling warmly at him.Belle rose from her spot, settled herself onto his lap, and took his face gently in her hands, gazing into his eyes.„Hello, my love““Good morning, my sweet. How long have you been awake?” he asked, his voice still groggy with sleep.Belle played with Adam’s dark blond curls. “Oh, not too long, actually. But what about you? You look tired… Why did you sleep here?” She looked at him, a bit worried.He held her securely by the waist, taking a deep breath to find the right words. “It’s… complicated.”Belle looked at him with understanding. “I’m sure I can follow, my dear.” She gently stroked his cheek.He gave her a faint smile. “I know you can. It’s just…” He trailed off, unsure how to explain it to her.“Just what…?”Belle furrowed her brow, watching him. “Adam… please talk to me. I’m worried about you. You don’t have to hide anything from me.” She paused briefly. “But I’ll understand if you don’t want to talk about it.”“Belle, that’s not it… I know you wouldn’t judge me. You learned to love me even when I was a beast, and you accepted me for who I am. I’ll be forever grateful for that, my love.” He cleared his throat and continued. “It’s just… I’ve been having nightmares for a long time now. They haunt me every night, and last night, it was especially bad. I went to the library to escape them, to distract myself.”He looked down, embarrassed, fearing what she might think of him.“Oh, Adam…” She embraced him, gently stroking his back.He exhaled deeply, the weight of his worries slowly lifting in her arms.Adam closed his eyes, letting himself relax in her embrace. After a moment, he whispered, “I don’t know why they keep coming back. I thought I’d left all that behind, that it was over when… when I changed.”Belle pulled back slightly, just enough to meet his gaze, her expression full of kindness. “Sometimes our fears linger, even when we don’t expect them to. But you don’t have to face them alone, Adam. I’m here, always.”He managed a small, grateful smile, but worry still shadowed his face. “I just… I don’t want you to see me like this. I don’t want you to think I’m still that same broken person.”“Adam,” she said gently, cupping his face in her hands. “You are not broken. You’re human. We all have scars, some seen, some unseen. But those don’t define us. And they don’t define you.”Her words washed over him, softening the edges of his fears. He drew her close again, burying his face in her shoulder. “I’m trying to be stronger, for you. For us.”She stroked his back slowly, reassuringly. “Being strong doesn’t mean hiding your pain. It means sharing it. Lean on me, let me help you carry this. I want to be there for you, Adam, just like you’ve always been there for me.”They stayed there in silence for while, each finding comfort in the other’s presence. Finally, Adam broke the silence, his voice barely above a whisper.“Thank you Belle“Belle felt as if she were in a trance as she gazed into his brilliant blue eyes, which shimmered like the ocean under the morning sun, reflecting its soft glow.“Always…”Neither of them noticed how close they had gotten. Their foreheads touched, her hands resting securely on his shoulders while his arms remained firmly wrapped around her waist.They locked eyes for a moment before their lips brushed together. He gave her the chance to take the lead, knowing she had less experience than he did. Belle placed a few featherlight kisses on his lips before deepening the kiss, parting her lips slightly and pressing them more firmly against his.Adam smiled softly, feeling how much she was improving, how eager she was to grow. But that didn’t matter—what mattered was that they had each other. With her in his arms, he had never felt safer. The love he had for her was beyond the words he had read in poetry. No, it was something much greater.As this realization struck him, the kiss grew more desperate, more intense.Belle raised her eyebrows slightly, caught off guard by his sudden fervor. But she didn’t pull away. Instead, she surrendered completely to the kiss.Slowly, they found their rhythm, moving together effortlessly.Until—A loud knock at the door shattered the moment, making them both jump apart.“Damn it,” Adam muttered.Belle barely had time to move off his lap before the door swung open.Cogsworth entered, his eyes widening in shock at the state they were in.Belle quickly stood up, smoothing down her dress, while Cogsworth stared at them, utterly scandalized.Adam let out a deep breath. “What is it, Cogsworth?”The older man stammered, bowing slightly as he tried to collect himself. “M-My deepest apologies for the interruption, Your Highness, b-but a villager has just arrived and insists on speaking with you.”“Were they expected?”“N-No, sire, but they say it’s urgent.”Adam sighed, clearly irritated. “Very well. Thank you for informing me. Tell them I’ll be there shortly.”“Of course, Your Grace.” Cogsworth bowed quickly before hurrying out of the library.As soon as Cogsworth was out of sight, Adam threw himself dramatically back onto the sofa with a loud, exasperated sigh.“Can’t I have just one moment of peace in this castle?”Belle grinned at him.“Well, you do still have your duties to attend to,” she reminded him.Adam groaned. “The only duty I care about right now is spending time with my beautiful fiancée—without any interruptions.”Belle walked over to him, gently stroking his arm.With a smirk, Adam stood from the sofa and pressed a lingering kiss to Belle’s neck. She let out a soft breath, holding the back of his head as he did.“Surely, Your Highness wouldn’t keep Cogsworth waiting,” she teased, grinning against the collar of his nightshirt.Adam exhaled, clearly reluctant. “You’re probably right. I should go.”Slowly, he pulled away, but not before pressing a final kiss to her knuckles.“I promise I’ll make time for you this afternoon.”Belle gave him a warm smile, squeezing his hand briefly before he finally left the library. With a resigned sigh, Adam made his way to the West Wing to change into something more appropriate—after all, he was still in his nightclothes.***Adam finally reached the west wing and pushed open the heavy wooden door. As he stepped into the room, the memories came flooding back—the reason he hadn’t slept here last night. The dream that had jolted him awake resurfaced, flashing vividly through his mind like a series of haunting images. He gripped the doorframe for support, his legs suddenly unsteady.Panic attack.His breathing grew erratic, shallow gasps filling the silence. His hand clutched at his chest, fingers gripping the fabric of his nightshirt as if anchoring himself to reality. He squeezed his eyes shut, trying desperately to push the images away, to slow his rapid heartbeat. But it was useless. The visions shot through his mind like lightning—disjointed, overwhelming, terrifying. He couldn’t make sense of them, couldn’t grasp their meaning. The only thing he could clearly recognize was a single, chilling word.“Ice.”The thought sent a shiver down his spine. He didn’t understand why, but that word—ice—was significant. It lingered, heavier than the rest of the images, pressing into his consciousness like an unspoken truth just out of reach.Slowly, his breathing began to steady. His fingers loosened their grip on the fabric, his shoulders relaxing as the attack subsided. Opening his eyes, he exhaled deeply, grounding himself back in reality. The room stood just as it had before—silent, undisturbed. Yet, something felt different.A sigh of frustration escaped his lips. But it was clear now—there was no running from those nightmares . They would follow him, no matter where he went.With a weary glance around the dimly lit space, Adam took a hesitant step forward. Adam gazed into the mirror hanging nearby, and his own reflection stared back at him—his face filled with frustration and despair.“Pull yourself together. This dream doesn’t mean anything. It’s just a dream,nothing more,” he muttered under his breath, trying to shake off the lingering unease.With a deep, steadying breath, he tore his gaze away from the mirror and quickly got dressed. He certainly couldn’t appear before everyone in his nightclothes.Appearance still mattered to Adam—not just because of his title, but because he wanted to look his best for Belle. He still wore royal attire, but it was far more understated than before. In the past, his clothing had been extravagant, designed to draw attention and make him the center of admiration. Back then, he only cared about outward appearances, unable to see what truly mattered—the heart, the kindness within people.But that was the past.Now, Adam was once again a handsome prince, but thanks to Belle, he had learned what truly held value in life. He had become a man of kindness, warmth, and compassion. He understood love now—not just as a concept, but as something worth fighting for.With renewed purpose,He hurriedly got dressed, knowing he was already running late. Quickly running a comb through his hair, he tied it back with a blue ribbon before leaving the west wing. Without wasting any time, he made his way to the castle entrance, where the villager was waiting, insisting on speaking with him.
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As Adam descended the grand staircase and stepped into the castle’s entrance hall, he immediately noticed Cogsworth waiting impatiently near the heavy wooden doors. Beside him stood an older man, his hands trembling slightly as he clutched his hat.The moment Adam approached, the man quickly removed his hat and bowed respectfully.“Oh, Your Highness.”Adam gave a curt nod. “You said this was urgent.”The man swallowed hard before speaking. “Y-yes, exactly. My name is Jacques-François Vallet. I come from the village below.”Adam folded his arms, his expression patient but tinged with impatience. “Go on.”Jacques took a shaky breath. “Sire, more and more people have been disappearing in the forests. Just recently, two farmers vanished for days, and when they finally returned, their families were worried sick. But the strangest thing—when they came back, they had no memory of where they had gone, what they had been doing, or why they had even entered the woods in the first place.”Adam’s brows furrowed, and he exchanged a troubled glance with Cogsworth.Jacques’ voice wavered as he continued. “And now… now my beloved sister, Colette, has vanished. She left yesterday to pick herbs at the clearing and never returned. We’ve searched everywhere, but she’s nowhere to be found. Please, Your Highness—I beg you—you must help us find her.”Adam’s jaw tightened. Something was terribly wrong. Disappearances were one thing, but memory loss? That was unnatural. He had a bad feeling about this.Cogsworth hesitated before clearing his throat. “Master, if I may… This isn’t the first time strange things have been reported from that part of the woods. Perhaps we should send a search party?”Adam shook his head. “No. I will go myself.”Jacques’ eyes widened. “You, Sire?”Adam’s expression darkened with determination. “If something is out there, I need to see it with my own eyes.” He turned to Cogsworth. “Prepare the horses. Have Lumière gather the guards. We leave immediately.”Jacques fell to his knees in gratitude. “Bless you, Your Highness! Thank you!”The cold wind whistled through the castle doors as they swung open, and Adam felt an uneasy chill settle in his bones. The forest was calling them, and whatever lurked within was waiting.What no one noticed, however, was that Belle was standing at the top of the staircase, silently listening to every word. Her hand covered her mouth in shock as she processed what the villager had said. A deep sense of unease settled in her chest.She made a decision then and there—she was going with them.She knew Adam would never allow it. He would insist it was too dangerous, that she should stay in the castle where it was safe. But Belle couldn’t ignore the growing mystery of the disappearing villagers. She needed to understand what was happening in the forest, to uncover the truth for herself.After all, she herself was from the village, but no one was allowed to know that she was coming along. She was just about to hurry to her room in the East Wing when she suddenly overheard Cogsworth speaking to Adam.“Sire, what about Belle?”Adam stiffened at Cogsworth’s words, exhaling sharply before answering. “Belle stays here. It’s too dangerous.”“I completely agree, Sire,” Cogsworth added. “The woods are unpredictable.”Before Adam could say another word, a sharp voice rang through the hall.“Not if I have a say in the matter!”Adam turned to find Belle storming down the staircase, her eyes blazing with fury. Her hands were balled into fists, her entire body tense with frustration.“Belle,” Adam said, his voice edged with both surprise and exasperation.“I’m coming with you,” she declared. “Whether you like it or not!”Adam’s expression darkened. “That is out of the question. It’s simply too dangerous! I could never forgive myself if something happened to you.”Belle glared at him. “I’m not a child, Adam. I can take care of myself!”“The Master is right,” Cogsworth added quickly, glancing nervously between them. “This is serious—people are disappearing! We cannot afford any distractions.”Belle’s anger flared. “Distractions?!” she repeated in outrage, her gaze darting back to Adam, who was staring at her with a cold, unreadable expression.“Is that what I am to you, Adam? A distraction?”Adam clenched his jaw. “That’s not what I meant.”“Then stop treating me like I’m some fragile thing that needs to be protected! I have just as much right to help as you do.”“Enough, Belle.” His voice was firm, commanding, but she refused to back down.“No, I won’t just sit here and do nothing!”His patience snapped. “You are staying here, Belle! That is the end of this discussion!”Belle’s heart pounded, her eyes burning with unshed tears. She held his gaze for a long moment before shaking her head.“Fine. Have it your way.”Turning sharply, she stormed out of the hall, her footsteps echoing through the castle corridors.***The anger drained from Adam almost immediately, replaced by something much heavier—guilt.“Belle, wait—” He started after her, but she was already gone.He let out a frustrated sigh, running a hand through his hair. He hadn’t meant to push her away, but he couldn’t take the risk of her getting hurt.Lumière exchanged a glance with Cogsworth. “Master, perhaps—”Adam cut him off with a sharp shake of his head. “No. She’s too stubborn. She won’t let this go.”