The Beasts of Gevaudan- Part 1

After Happily Ever After, Belle and Prince Adam have settled into their new roles as Prince and Princess very well, but then a spate of mysterious disappearances and sightings of a monstrous creature brings out the Beast in Adam once again... Enjoy!

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As it turned out, happily ever after was actually quite enjoyable. Belle and Adam lived in a palace of breathtaking beauty, surrounded by friends and loved ones. They also adjusted to their new roles with a minimal amount of stress and hassle; Adam was elevated to a Prince of the Realm, with all the rights and privileges such a title came with, and Belle, by proxy, became a Princess.

Adam did have to get used to dealing with people on a regular basis, especially when peasants, farmers, merchants, and everyone else that lived in his lands came to him to settle debates and the issues of the day. Surprisingly, while he did defer to Belle on several of the more complicated issues, Adam's time as a Beast made him a humble and sympathetic noble, especially to those that were desperate for help. It was an endearing quality for a Prince, and Belle couldn't have been prouder.

The Prince and Princess were seated in the salon just before the library, one of their favorite places in their home. It held a beautiful view of the gardens beyond, and Adam's extensive collection of books was so tantalizingly close for Belle. It was a crisp autumn day, so a fire was tended in the fireplace, and the two were sipping at warm cups of tea, gently clasping their hands together and feeling utter bliss.

Cogsworth approached, the majordomo rapping his knuckles against the doorframe. "Ah, Your Highnesses, I apologize for the interruption on this idyll of yours, but I'm afraid some representatives from the village have arrived, and they wish to speak with you on what they insist is a most urgent matter."

Belle exchanged a quick glance with Adam. The Prince stroked his chin for a moment. "It's alright, Cogsworth. Let them in."

A half-dozen villagers were let in, the men doffing their caps and the women half-curtsying to Belle. It was hard for them to reconcile that the Princess before them, with her rich hazel eyes and chestnut brown hair fashioned into an elegantly simple braid was the same village outcast, always buried in her books, that now sat opposite their liege lord.

"My Prince," one of the villagers began with a touch of hesitance. "I'm afraid it's happened again…"

This piqued Belle's interest. "What? What's happened again?"

Adam looked quickly to his wife. "It's nothing. A bit of… unpleasant business, is all."

"Unpleasant business?" Belle looked to the man, Jacq, a local farmer. "Jacq, what's this about?"
 The farmer looked hesitantly between the Prince and Princess. "Ah… another killing, Princess. Thankfully, no people this time. Cattle, in my field. It's getting to the point I won't be able to supply the castle with the agreed upon amount…"

"Which we will forgive," Adam said quickly. "You must look to feeding your family first."

"Of course, appreciated, my Prince, but… my little one, Marie, she saw something in the night, a creature big as a house!"

"What?" Belle gasped softly. 

"Thank you, Jacq," Adam said gruffly. "But while I don't want to be rude, I can't make my decisions on what a child saw in the dark shadows of the night."

"But my liege, it was the same creature my cousin saw in Gevaudan, we're certain of it! I-it's a Beast!"

There was a tense pause, after uttering that word in front of the Prince. Belle watched him warily, but Adam composed himself. "As I said— I'm sure it's not a monster in the night. I'll send some guards to watch the outer farms. No doubt this is a cattle thief that was unable to make away with his intended target."

Jacq looked warily from Belle to Adam, then bowed his head. "...Thank you, my Prince."

The farmers left, and Belle turned to her husband. "So, when are we going to talk about this mysterious monster in the night?"

"Hm? Oh, you know how farmers get. They see all kinds of things in their fields at night." Adam suddenly stood up, stretching his arms over his head. "I have a few meetings to take care of. And you still wanted to work on funding for a village library, didn't you?"

"Well, yes, but Adam, I've known Jacq my whole life, he's not prone to dreaming up monsters and—"

Adam kissed her on the forehead. "Belle, my love, I need to get started now or I'll never see it over by dinner. We'll talk about this later." He reached the door, then paused, turning to face his princess. "Still… Just to be safe, maybe stay indoors at night. An… overabundance of caution."

Belle frowned softly. "...Right. I'll keep that in mind."

While the rest of the day passed without incident, something about the encounter with the farmers stuck with her, especially how dismissive Adam seemed. When it came to the safety of his people, as Prince, Adam could be readily depended upon— if anything, Belle had to step in to stop him from overreacting. So why play down Jacq's problem?

She was lost in thought when she crossed paths with Lumiere, the tall and gregarious maitre'd. He, more than anyone, took keeping Adam in a good mood as a personal responsibility.

"Lumiere… have you noticed Adam acting strangely at all lately?"

"Strangely?" the maitre'd stroked his chin. "Ah, madame, you have heard about his night hunts."

Belle tried not to react. Night hunts? No, she had no idea. But she wouldn't let Lumiere know that. "I have, yes. Given the reports of strange monsters stalking the woods and fields, you can understand my concern."

"Ah, Belle, these reports of strange monsters are nothing to worry about. Trust me, mon cher, the Master has it well and handled." Lumiere flashed her a bright smile. "Have I ever led you astray? These night hunts, they are merely, ah, the Prince's way of working out his stress."

Belle slowly nodded. "I see. Well, thank you, Lumiere, that's… helped me calm down."

"Of course! Shall I get you something to ward against the autumn chill?"

She shook her head, looking far past Lumiere. "No, thank you. Tell the Prince I'll be ready for dinner soon."

When Belle and Adam were together again for dinner, Belle couldn't help but study every inch of her husband. He was tall and handsome since his return to his human form, but he was changed in recent days. His long brown hair seemed a bit shaggier— he had grown out his sideburns, and it was evident he had not properly shaved in some days. There was a luminous quality to his eyes as well— and he filled his dinner jacket in a way that made it look as if it were about to burst over his shoulders, arms, and chest.

Belle had to admit, he looked… good. Powerful and strong, but that could also be a warning sign. Especially as she looked at the main course; a very fresh and tender Chateaubriand steak.

"I'm surprised. I thought, with all the problems the farmers were having, we couldn't get beef in the region." Belle said in as neutral a tone as she could manage.

"Mhm." Adam took a large bite. "I had it imported from Aquitaine. From our personal stores, of course. I didn't want to put any extra pressure on the farmers."

Belle arched her brow. "Well, we could simply go without…"

"I like beef, Belle, it's not a crime, and it doesn't add a burden on any of the peasants."

"Do you like it enough to kill for it?"

Adam dropped his fork and knife in frustration, clattering loudly against the fine china. "Is there a point you're trying to make here, Belle?"

"There's something you're not telling me. This Beast the villagers are worried about, killing cattle, people going missing—"

Adam rolled his eyes dramatically. "I am taking care of it. That's what Princes of the realm do, they take care of their people, I'm taking care of mine."

"How? By running off into the night doing only goodness knows what?" Belle demanded, shooting up from her seat. "Look at you— you're…. you're scruffy, and…" she didn't want to use certain words, here. "Bigger. You look like you're about to burst out of your dinner jacket!"

"Well, I'm so sorry my appearance is so…"

"Adam, you don't have to say it," Belle said quickly, shaking her head.

"Beastly."

She threw her hands up in the air. "Adam, that's not what I'm getting at!"

"Then what are you getting at, Belle?" The prince shot up from his seat as well— he always towered over his wife, but again, Belle swore he looked even bigger now. 

She stared at him for a moment; this had been the wrong approach. "Nothing. Nothing, I… I'm just worried, that's all." She hugged herself. 

Adam softened immediately, moving over to her and wrapping his arms around her waist, resting his chin atop her head. Belle nearly leapt; she could feel the extra brawn on him. What was he doing?

"I'm sorry I snapped," Adam sighed after a moment of holding Belle. "This is one of the first big tests we've had— not just as a couple, but… as leaders." He moved to face her directly, taking her hands in his. He gently kissed both; she could feel the whiskers growing on his face. "I mean to not let you or the people down. You trust me, don't you?"

Belle sighed, looking into his soulful blue eyes. "I do. Yes."

He leaned down to kiss her forehead. "I love you. Let me handle this my way— I promise, I've got it handled, alright?"

Belle nodded. "Alright."

He tugged her into an embrace again, enveloping her completely. "Come. Maybe we could both use an early night."

"That sounds nice, actually."

The prince and princess fell asleep in each other's arms; or at least, Belle made him think she was asleep. About midnight, Belle felt Adam shift. He gently shifted her on to a pillow, and stealthily crept out of the room. When she was certain he was gone, she rose from the bed and immediately grabbed a cloak, and after a moment of hesitation, a pistol; she had learned her lesson from the wolves attacking her.

She quickly made her way to the stables; even as a Princess who could have her pick of the finest thoroughbreds in the kingdom, she still trusted no other steed as much as she trusted her father's old work horse, Philippe. 

"Come on, Philippe," she said softly, petting his snout. "We need to stop Adam from doing something possibly stupid, possibly deadly." 

She charged out of the castle gates and into the night. Adam had only left a few minutes ahead of her, and she hoped he hadn't gotten far; there were no horses missing from the stable, so he would be on foot. She was no great tracker, but she saw in the nighttime gloom that Adam was not moving stealthily; there were several snapped branches and twigs, leading off the path and deeper into the forest. When the path narrowed, Belle slipped off Philippe, leading him by the bridle. She felt a shiver run down her spine; it was late enough in autumn that the leaves had started to fall, the branches on the trees long, skeletal fingers stretching across the moonlight.

She felt eyes on her, and Belle's hand wrapped around the butt of the pistol she had hidden in her cloak. As she moved further down Adam's path, however, she spotted a new source of light— it was no lantern or fire, but a cool, blue light. Frowning softly, she crept closer, and saw a pool of water that glowed in the moonlight, and a massive creature lapping at the shore. Her heart sank as she looked the creature over; it was Adam, returned to a Beast.

The prince looked just as he had when Belle had first met him; his broad, bulky body was covered in a shaggy coat of rich brown fur, and from the back, he almost looked like an impossibly large wolf, his tail flicking side to side as he drank greedily from the strange, glowing spring. He stopped for a moment to catch his breath, and as he did, Belle clamped her hand over her mouth, gasping in shock. Adam began to shift, and grow; his already monstrous form jerked forward and bulged, fur rippling as thick sheets of brawn surged outward, widening his brick wall of a back. Even in the night time gloom, Belle could see the individual burls of muscle, tensing and rippling under his shifting fur. 

Adam let out a low roar, pulling himself to his full, towering height. His legs tensed, rivaling the thickness and hardiness of the trees surrounding them, rolling mighty shoulders that bristled as he shifted his weight. 

"Adam…?" Belle gasped softly.

The Beast snorted suddenly, turning on his paws. His eyes went wide as he turned to face Belle. He had grown himself monstrously huge; his chest was like a canyon, and his arms were thickly roped with hefty, bulging masses that tensed and flexed with the slightest movement. His eyes seemed to gleam in the moonlight, his face just as it was— two horns, shaggy fur, and a broad, animalistic snout. "Belle, I…" he rumbled, but his words failed him.

"What have you done?" she gasped finally, clamping her hand over her mouth and staring at him with a mix of shock and awe.

"Don't… I…" Beast shifted uncomfortably, before frustration and anger billowed out. "You shouldn't be here!" he snarled. "I told you to stay in the castle!"

Belle pulled herself up to her full height, staring back defiantly. "You hide this from me, and you dare act like you have a right to be angry? Adam, I—"

"Go! Get out of here!" Beast snapped, roaring in Belle's face. "Get out!" he bellowed, smashing his fist into a nearby tree and nearly pulling it out by its roots.

Belle faltered, tripping back over herself as the Beast rampaged. She pulled herself up and ran back to Philippe, a torrent of angry and horrified thoughts flitting through her head. Had he truly fallen so far? Was this the curse come back? What had he done, and why would he try to hide it from her? She was about to race back to the castle before those questions became louder and louder in her head, overcoming the initial panic. She frowned.

"No. No, I'm not leaving him like this." She turned back, cupping her hands over her mouth. "Adam? Adam! Please, calm down, and talk to me."

The only answer was an unearthly howl that rattled the trees around her, birds taking to sudden flight across the night sky in panic at the noise. Something was rushing towards her— something big, that was tearing up trees as it barreled towards her. She swore she saw the glint of blue eyes in the shadows as a massive creature had its eyes locked on her. 

Belle's heart leapt into her throat as she rushed back to Philippe and pulled herself into the saddle, snapping the reins and urging the horse on to a gallop. She could hear wood splinter and crack behind her, another angry, bellowing roar that shook her to the core— had Adam completely lost himself? Darker thoughts than that began bubbling in her mind as Philippe charged through the forest and she desperately clung to the horse's back, but she pushed them down; she needed to get back to the castle. Cogsworth, Lumiere, Mrs. Potts— they would have some idea about what to do, surely.

A shiver ran down her spine as the Beast's panting grew closer, hot breath on her back. Fear gripped Belle; he was right on top of her. What was he going to do?

"Adam! Stop, you're scaring me!" she shouted. Philippe reared, coming to a sudden stop and nearly throwing Belle off her saddle, as a second massive creature leapt from the underbrush, blocking their way.

"Belle!" Adam shouted gruffly, holding out his hands. Belle, adrenaline still coursing through her, nearly urged Philippe to charge him. But in a split second, realization set in as whatever had been chasing her hadn't been Adam— she turned behind her, and saw the creature, whatever it was, still hurtling towards her.

"Get down!" her Beast commanded, and Belle ducked as a monstrously huge creature emerged from the tree line, leaping to pounce. It had a mottled grey coat and a face of a snarling, demonic wolf. The two Beasts slammed into each other, hitting the ground hard enough to make it tremble. 

Belle gasped, desperately holding on to Philippe's reins as the horse was near panicking and galloping away, neighing and whinnying as the steed's instincts overtook it to get away from the threat.

"Get out of here!" Adam growled, his mighty arms trembling as he held back the wolf-monster's fiendishly sharp fangs as it tried to sink its teeth into his thick neck. "Go! Now!"

"I'm not leaving you!"

"Belle!" Adam snarled. With a powerful heave, he threw the wolf back and raked his claws across Philippe's flank.

"No!" Belle shouted as Philippe took off, charging away from the fight. It took Belle far too long, by her reckoning, to get Philippe back under control. She turned back; even from here, at the edge of the forest and the castle in sight, she could hear the sounds of the savage fight, and her heart sank; that wolf, or whatever it was, was bigger than Adam— far bigger. Would he be able to defeat it? She frowned, taking stock of the situation; she only had her riding cloak and a pistol. She had a feeling one bullet wouldn't bring down that monster, and the chance of hitting Adam was too great. But the powder was still there, as well as the taper…

The battle raged on. Adam was certain this time he had the monster, but his strength had begun to falter. He cursed under his breath; the gulf between him and this monster from Gevaudan was still too great. He huffed as his hefty chest muscles expanded, his breath ragged as the monster circled him and swung again, Adam using his beefy arms to deflect the blow. The wolf drew blood, but Adam could keep up the fight, just a little longer— long enough for Belle to get to safety. 

"Do you speak? At all?" Adam grunted, his arms locking into place, swollen biceps and anvil-like triceps set and tensed, grappling with the larger monster. "Why have you even come here?"

He didn't expect anything from the monster, but a chill ran through his veins as it did utter a word in a deep, guttural voice. "Die."

The Beast snarled, summoning up hsi waning reserves of strength, every bulging muscle on his frame surging as he threw the monster back. If he was going to go out, he would go out dragging this thing down with him.

"Adam!"

He turned, gasping as he spotted Belle, on one knee and with a pistol in hand. "I said to get out of here!"

"Close your eyes and get back!"

Adam grunted as the monster wolf lunged for Belle. He caught the wolf by the neck, roaring as he gripped it tightly, his stone-like muscles digging deep into the monster's flesh. "Go, now! I can't hold him back for much longer!" Adam roared.

"I'm not leaving you! Close them and take cover, now!" Belle shouted back. Adam howled with frustration and screwed his eyes shut as he let the wolf go, diving behind a rock. There was an explosion and a bright flash, the acrid smell of gunpowder hanging in the air. Adam began to lift his head over the rock. He saw the monster wolf hunched over and moaning in pain— he thought to attack again, but Belle's slender fingers wrapped around his hand. Adam turned, and Belle raised a finger to her lips. As they crept out from the rock, Adam could see the monster shaking his head, one distended paw gripping at his eyes, the fur around his face and down his front singed and burnt. Blinded and wracked with pain, the monster did not track their escape.

Many moments later, Adam was resting by the fire, sprawled out on one of the larger pieces of furniture they had on hand. In a strikingly familiar moment, Belle was tending to his wounds— he had an urge to lick them clean; old habits died hard, after all.

"Hold still," Belle said, and Adam hissed through his fangs as the hot water stung his open wounds. 

"That still hurts," he grumbled. "Are… are we going to talk about it?"

Belle looked up with a flat, cold look. "Are you going to start?"

The Beast sighed heavily. "I had an encounter with that monster when I was out hunting. I put two and two together when the villagers began talking about people missing. Then rumors came from Gevaudan…"

"Why didn't you tell me any of this?" Belle demanded, slapping the wet cloth against the floor.

Adam was quiet for a moment. "He's like me."

Belle looked up to his eyes. "What?"

"The Beast of Gevaudan. I think he was once a man. He spoke to me." 

Belle looked down for a moment, then met Adam's eyes. "And so you thought that you had to handle this… for his sake."

Adam wrapped his thick hand around Belle's, engulfing it entirely. "I spent years trapped in a… bestial state of mind. If anyone can do more for him besides just… shooting him dead, I thought I can."

"Oh, my darling," Belle sighed, reaching past his vast muscular physique to brush his cheek, and then slapped it sharply. "You still should have told me! Did you think you couldn't trust me?"

"Ow!" Adam grunted. "I… I didn't know what you would say if you… saw me like this again," he rumbled.

Belle's eyes fell across the massive Beast's body, his huge arms and swollen musculature. "I sometimes missed it."

Adam scoffed bitterly. "Liar."

"I fell in love with you when you looked like this," Belle reminded him. "I didn't need you to become human again for me to love you."

The Beast looked to Belle, cupping her cheek and chin, his thumb running through a strand of her hair. "I'm sorry," he rumbled. "About not telling you."

Belle gripped his hand, kissing it tenderly. "So… What happens now? Can you change back?"

"Ah… Hm. I don't know anymore." He shrugged his broad, mountainous shoulders. "The well I found… to change back, I'd need my clothes. And I think you burnt them to ashes." He looked at her. "How did you know to do that?"

Belle shrugged. "You've met Papa, I learned a few things about explosions watching him work. It was just a bit of combustion using the gunpowder from the pistol, a taper, and a bit of flint. I'm… sorry about your clothes. And the pistol." She looked up at him. "Are you stuck like this now?" she asked, her voice soft with concern.

"I… I don't know. Maybe. Maybe not," the Beast sighed, running a hand over his face. "But… I think I need to get even stronger, if I'm going to subdue him."

Belle lingered. The thought of the Beast's body growing even larger, stronger, more powerful… it was certainly a thought. "Well, we're in this together now. How can I help?"