The Princess and the Beast

Chapter Five

Camille's POV

I sighed as I got ready for bed, "I hope Belle is okay. She didn't come and find me." I felt uneasy as I lay in bed like I shouldn't be asleep just yet. I got back up and got back dressed in my gown, rushing to the banister that hung over the foyer, "What is going on?" Cogsworth shrieked, "Nothing! Your Highness!" I narrowed my eyes and saw a door open, "Where is Belle?" Lumiere chuckled nervously, "Belle? The servant bell is hanging up collecting dust!" Cogsworth grew nervous, "The girl ran!" 

I gasped, "What?! The forest has wolves! You didn't stop her!" I rushed up the west wing and into Adam's chambers, "Adam, please! I know you don't want to see me, but please Belle acts rashly, you have to bring her back!" Adam came up behind me, "She could have damned us all! She almost touched the rose!" I sighed, "Adam, I could never know what you are feeling. But please. Save Belle. Adam, I love you, but this is not you. Where is the Adam that would read with me by the fire? Would throw snowballs at me as I tried to run from you after starting it? Where is that sixteen-year-old boy who wrote me all the time while I was in the palace, wishing the days would hurry for me to visit you once more?"

Adam sighed and walked away from me, "That Adam is gone." I groaned and ran in front of him, "That Adam is not gone! He's still here! Adam, I love you, but you have to love yourself. That's all that is stopping this curse! Please." Adam cupped my cheek, "I'll bring her back, but no one could love a beast, not even myself."

I smiled softly, "I'll change your mind, now please, go!" I watched as Adam ran off to bring Belle back.

-----------------About 30 minutes later------------------

I gasped as Belle hobbled in with an injured Adam and rushed over, helping her, "What happened?" Belle looked at me, "He saved me from wolves. Are you going to tell me your history with this man?" I sighed as the both of us got Adam up to his room and to his bed, "I will, I promise." 

I got some medical supplies and started to take care of Adam's shoulder and arm. Adam growled out in pain, "That hurts!" I smiled softly, remembering the same reaction all those years ago and Belle looked at him from where she was standing beside me, "If you held still for Camille, it wouldn't hurt as much."

Adam gave a glance to Belle, "Well, if you hadn't run away, Cammie wouldn't have been so worried and none of this would have happened." Belle countered back, "Well, if you hadn't frightened me, I wouldn't have run away." This is starting to get childish as Adam said back, "Well, you shouldn't have been in the west wing." I looked at Lumiere as he looked back and Belle ended the argument with, "Well, you should learn to control your temper!" 

Adam turned away like a child and I sighed, softly patting the wound with a damp rag and Belle sighed, "Try to get some rest. Camille, let's leave him to rest." I sighed and looked at her, "I'm going to stay with him, Belle. Don't worry about me." Belle sighed, "Fine, but you owe me an explanation." I nodded and looked at Lumiere, "Lumiere will fill you in."

Lumiere gasped, "Leave me for the wolves?" Adam flinched and Lumiere sighed, "Bad choice of words. Sorry." I put the rag down and set a hand on Adam's back, running my hands through his fur, hoping to bring him comfort.

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Belle's POV

I walked away from Camille and the Master of the castle as Mrs. Potts smiled, "Thank you, Miss." Lumiere nodded, "We are eternally grateful." I didn't understand as I looked back at Camille, who was smiling softly at the beast, "Why do you care about him so much? How does Camille know him?" 

Mrs Potts sighed, "We've looked after him all his life." I sighed, "But he's cursed you somehow. Why? You did nothing." Mrs. Potts chuckled sadly, "You're quite right there, dear. You see, when the master lost his mother, his cruel father took that sweet, innocent lad and twisted him up to be just like him, we did nothing. The only thing that didn't change, was his love for Her Highness. Once the Princess left to go home for a family emergency, the Master thought the worst and couldn't bear the feeling of another one he loved gone. This one just out of reach. Love makes you do crazy things." Lumiere sighed, "Let him sleep." 

I looked at Camille and the beast, knowing that there was more than what Mrs. Potts said, but letting it go for now. 

---------------------The Next Morning---------------------------

Camille's POV

I woke up to feel Adam's hand in my hair and I smiled, "Good Morning." Adam smiled, "You stayed." I giggled, "If you think I'm leaving, you have another thing coming." Belle cleared her throat, "He has no fever, so he's healing. Camille, please." I sighed, "You do deserve an explanation. Belle, my father came here when I was ten, going through village after village to see if anything needed to be changed or if anyone needed help. I came with him and when I did, we came to this castle. The King greeted us and I was quickly introduced to Adam. His father was hoping to make a political relationship between my father and himself using Adam and I. My father refused, but Adam and I didn't want to lose contact. 

So throughout the years, I visited Adam and fell in love with him. The last time I was here, I was summoned back home because my brother had passed from an illness. I came back only to find no castle, no Adam, and no one remembered anything." Adam looked comfortable about the discussion but pitched in, "I love Cammie more than anything and when she left, it shattered me. I was foolish and did everything that reminded me of her. And turning away the enchantress was very foolish. I was arrogant and stupid, but I missed Cammie, finding her at every corner of the castle." 

Belle smiled, "Then why is the spell not broken?" I sighed and looked at Adam, "Self-love is what's missing. I love Adam no matter what, but he has to love himself."