For Walts Pen Contest
Belle's Point of View
"Here it is," The Village bookkeeper chippered, handing me a book I hadn't seen in almost a year. "In the flesh."
Placing my fingers around the hardcover spine, my stomach overturned with nostalgia and a bittersweet longing for the adventure found inside. "It's magnificent! Far-off places, sword fights, magic spells-"
"A prince in disguise," The librarian completed my sentence with a hearty laugh. "How many times will you have read this now?"
"A fourth, if I assume correctly. But it's only my favorite!" I said, standing up from the parlor sofa and did a lavish spin around him, book in hand.
"Just don't finish it too fast, I won't be getting any new books to the shop until next week!" He remarked which caused my cheeks to turn pink with embarrassment. Every day for the past month I have called him to bring me any new books he has received, since I have finished Adam's collection. A night ago, though, the bookkeeper alerted me that I had run through his entire collection as well. Almost immediately I requested for a book I could never tire of.
"I will try very hard not to," I said truthfully, but I would make no promises. "Thank you, monsieur. See you next week!"
When the older man had left the castle, my eyes quickly doved to the book. I suddenly wondered if I should tell Adam about finally reading it again, but for some reason, my heart convinced me not to. Beast was spending most hours now trying to rebuild the Castle and the kingdom, he was officially a prince once more. While he loved the kingdom politics, I was not too fond of it myself. Living as a princess would be something I would have to get used to. Unlike Adam, I was not raised royalty or with money. While I didn't have anything against living in the Castle, I knew that once we were married, we wouldn't be able to leave as much as I can now. Perhaps that's why I've lengthened our engagement, I'm not ready for the life of ruling the kingdom. I just need more time to adjust.
But to my annoyance, the more time passed, I did not become more adjusted. I kept reading and re-reading my favorite adventure books, stuck longing for more in life as I did before I came to the Castle in the first place.
So why wasn't Adam enough? I was caught in a war with myself, to stay and support Adam, or to listen to what my heart was telling me.
I found that I did not have the courage to do either. Nights, weeks, passed and Adam was more and more involved in his duties as a king and I was beginning to be concerned that he didn't mind spending days without saying more than a few words to me. Winter had passed and we never once went ice-skating or playing in the snow as we had the year before.
But what was the most heart-breaking was that through all of it, I hadn't missed him once. I felt as if I was the one losing connection from Adam, but I realized he was pulling back as well.
It wasn't until a cold February night that I finally gathered the courage to talk to him. I needed to know if he felt the same or if I was simply misunderstanding the situation.
"We haven't spent more than a few hours together in the last few months, Adam." I choked on my own words, afraid of the truth that was erupting out of me. "I understand you have the kingdom to think of, but I can't feel like this anymore. Is this just me or?-"
"It's not just you, Belle." Adam brought me into his arms and while I did feel safe under his embrace, I didn't feel any more consolation. "I've been distant, my duty as king has taken over my life, and for that I'm sorry."
"I know you're sorry, but, being king is the first priority in your life right now, and I understand that, but I don't want to always be the last thing on your mind." I continued, "And it's not just what you've done, it's what I've been doing too. When we're apart, I don't miss being by your side. People who love each other shouldn't feel that way."
Beast's warm blue eyes suddenly looked desolate. I felt tears form at the crease in my eyes and my heart felt sunken, I was tearing him apart.
But what I mistook for heartbreak or betrayal was actually realization. "I feel the same."
"Really?" I looked up at him, searching his face for the answer.
His eyes told me everything I needed to know, he didn't love me either. "I want you to be happy, Belle. And I don't think I'm the one who can do that for you. There is an adventure waiting for you and I don't want to hold you back any longer."
"There is someone for you too, Adam. I wish you the best."
And with that, I left the Castle and decided I was going to make my own adventure, my father along with me. For a year my father and I traveled the world, all of the places I had read in my books. We didn't come back to King Adam's Kingdom until I received an invitation to a wedding at the Castle, a marriage between Adam and a princess from a nearby kingdom he knew as a child and recently fallen in love with. Upon meeting her at the Castle, she was delightful and I was happy for Adam.
After the wedding they had a marvelous ball, but I realized it was the first dance I had attended without Adam by side. While I didn't mind this, of course I felt strange. But being alone didn't last long.
"May I have a dance with the most beautiful girl in the room?" Suddenly, an asian young man appeared to my side, his hand gesturing for my own. My eyes reached his and I observed his childlike good-looks. He held a genuine smile and his brown eyes twinkled with mischief.
"You may," He immediately had me beaming.
"My name is Aladdin," He said, bringing me close to dance with him. Soon the waltz began and I had almost forgotten to say my own name thinking about how smoothly we were gliding around the ballroom.
"Belle," I said, an overwhelming magical feeling spreading inside of me.
And that is where my greatest adventure began.
I soon found out that Aladdin had been with a princess named Jasmine before they experienced a similar disconnect as did me and Adam, he was not interesting in ruling a Kingdom and they were both happier as friends. While he only had learned to read a few years before, he loved to read, and he loved my favorite book when I recommended it to him. He wanted to show me Agrabah and his best friend who happens to be a monkey (even an enchanted carpet that can apparently fly, which I won't believe until I see with my own eyes).
We were married in Agrabah a year later and every night since has been everything I ever dreamed about or read about in my books and more.
No, we weren't rich and we weren't royalty, but we had each other. Our love was a diamond in the rough. That magical feeling I had the first night I met Aladdin was soon revealed to be True Love.
And yes, we did live happily ever after. All was well.
-
I hope you enjoyed! Thanks for reading!
For Walts Pen Contest!! :D
-Elena
