Hello!
My name is Adam and I’m the inheritor of a modest kingdom. My parents are the king Gilles and the queen Eve. One day, i will be king just like Père but he said not now because I’m only 10 years old. He thinks that I’m too young to reign over a kingdom. So, while waiting for this day to come, I spend every day studying my math or writing lessons, studying the piano and of course, playing my favorite games with my best friend Chip. Besides being the only child in the whole castle with me, Chip is at first Mrs. Potts’ only child. Mrs. Pott’s is Mother’s maid. I don’t have any maid, but I have a butler: Lumiere who is quite patient with a boy like me.
The king and the queen had to leave the castle in emergency, tonight it’s been 4 days since they’re gone. They left me alone with Chip, Lumiere and Big Ben (my butler’s best friend). I was playing hide-and-seek with Chip when suddenly, the front door opened and a voice called but I was too busy playing with my friend so Lumiere went to welcome the visitor. Chip and I went to spy on him to see who it was: a charming young woman who seemed to have forgotten how to be a child due to her kind and serious expression.
“I bet this girl lost her child soul, I whispered to Chip
- I have some concerns about this maître, Chip whispers back
- Well, soon you will see her act like an adult and you will think that I was right”
Chip stayed unsure. Although, when I heard Lumiere’s voice I took his hand and dragged him to the young woman.
“Hello visitor, I announced, I am prince Adam and this is my best friend Chip. Who are you?
- Bonsoir your majesty, she said, My name is Belle and I’m looking for my father, and old man named Maurice. Aren’t the king and the queen here tonight?
- Non Mademoiselle, they had to leave in emergency but I can’t tell you where, it’s a secret.
- For how long?
- It’s been 4 days now, but their absence won’t last longer.
- I see. Have you noticed an old man, Votre Altesse?
- An old thief who was about to steal one of Mère’s precious roses, yes! I wanted to send him to jail, like Father would have done, but Lumiere said it was rude to punish someone for a rose.
- Oh Jesus! Where is he?
- I think he lost his way out of the big book chamber, said Chip
- I think you want to talk about the library, said Belle tenderly
- Follow me! I responded.”
At this point, Lumiere, Chip, Belle and I were making our way to the library. Once in front of the door, I had Lumiere open it and clearing my throat, I shouted “MAURICE!! We’re here! Did you get lost?” Right in the corner, and old man came towards us claiming “Ma caniche, ma caniche! These are absolutely amazing! I can barely wait until my little Belle …, he stopped after seeing his daughter, Oh Belle I’m so glad you are here!” then, turning to me with a smile “your parents aren’t home yet, Petit Prince? What on earth are they doing?” I felt Chip very exited at my side but I threw a dark look at him.
Finally, as we were about to leave the library with Belle’s father, Chip stopped and turned around. “What’s wrong Chip? I asked
- Sire, look at Belle.
- What of her?
- She sat there with a book she took from the library
- Right! Stay here Chip!
- Whatever you will do, don’t get late. The dinner will be ready soon.
- I won’t!”
I watched Chip leaving the library before turning around and going to meet the young woman.
“What are you reading Mademoiselle? I asked Belle
- “Les Trois Mousquetaires,” she said I love stories about vaillant knights!
- You seem to really love this place, Mademoiselle Belle. Don’t you?
- This place is amazing! I didn’t know you possessed such a big library Your Majesty.
- Well … If you plan on staying longer, it’s all yours, Mademoiselle, I declared.
- If I stay? She asked with surprise
- Mother loves these books, I explained while sitting next to her, and I really want you to meet her. The both of you would have a lot to share. You’re a dreamer Belle, just like Mother.
- You miss her, don’t you?
- I miss Father too.
- I’m sure they will come home soon, she smiled to reassure me, it depends of the emergency they had. You really don’t want to tell me?
- Navré Belle, I smiled back, but it’s a secret Father confessed me. Even Lumiere doesn’t know a word. Don’t you have secrets with Maurice sometimes?
- I see, Belle laughed”
Suddenly, Chip came in the library to announce that diner was ready.
I stood up, told Belle to come and ran toward the dinning room without barely waiting for her.
Around the table, I sat next to Chip and Lumiere, Belle sat in front of me near Maurice. Of course, they began to talk about things only adults can understand. I remember when Mother and Father were doing this too, Mother used to tell me I will understand when I’ll grew up.
So, while the adults were talking, I was teaching new hard words to Chip like “Library” and “Law”. He thinks that “law” is a common last name.
During the main meal, Maurice turned to Lumiere and asked “Monsieur Lumiere, when will the King and the Queen come back?
-I ignore it sir
-Oh geez! What emergency brought them to leave so quickly? Especially leaving a Petit Prince alone. I would never leave my only child alone, even if she older than 10 years old.
- Please Maurice, I said, My name is not Petit, call me Prince Adam.
- Well, I will ask them when they com back, if they don’t mind, respond Lumiere
- Queen Eve will give birth to a baby prince! Said Chip in excitement before covering his lips by his hands.
- Chip! I cried of anger, I told you it was a secret, I can never trust you to keep a secret!!
- Pardon me Votre Altesse, I didn’t mean to…
- It’s ok, I said, it was an accident.
- Oh! She is? Asked Lumiere with a smile, how wonderful!
- Why don’t you look exited prince Adam, said Belle, aren’t you happy to have a younger sibling.
- oh yes Mademoiselle Belle, I am, I said laughing, I only want to respect Père’s secret. And I miss them a lot.
Later that night, I couldn’t really sleep. I missed Mother and Father so much, it hurted my little heart. I was thinking of What if” s in my mind. “What if they wanted to abandon me?” “What if an accident happened to them?” “What if I became an orphan without even knowing it?” They usually haven’t habit me to be alone for almost a week. Usually, Père would leave but never in emergency and only for 3 days.
Finally, I fell asleep.
But the only dream I had was a castle on fire and everyone outside in the raining night. Everyone but a child, a little boy locked in the huge library and jailed around burning pages. The boy was screaming help and thanks to what his parents came to rescue him, but only had a wooden piece of the ceiling falling and killing them. However, the boy was safe. The worst nightmare a child can imagine!!
I woke up frighten and started to cry, under the moonlight. I was crying so loud, that I woke up Lumière and even Belle. My butler rushed into my chamber, asking me what is the matter. I told him that I wanted Mother and Father before they die. Lumière responded by telling me that they won’t die because I need them and they need me too. After a good half an hour trying to comfort me, Lumière became tired from the day and exhausted of trying to make me stop crying. Not knowing what to do, he left the room and met Belle at the door. “Go to sleep Monsieur Lumière, she said, you are tired. I will try now”
- Merci Belle, et bonne chance !”
Belle came in my room, sat on my bed lend me into a huge without saying a word. We stayed quite a long time like this before I became a little sleepy. She started to sing a little melody. A bit surprised, I asked her “what is this song, Belle?
- Une berceuse, young prince, she whispered
- What is une berceuse?
- A quiet song my father sang to me. It helped me sleeping when it was bedtime.
- It’s beautiful!
- I know”
After a while, I fell asleep again and dream about the baby. Quietly, Belle kissed my forehead and left back to her dreams.
The next morning, Lumiere and Father came to tear me off my dreams. I ran in my father’s arms giving him a thousand hugs and kisses. Finally, I asked “how is he going?
- Who?, said Father
- My baby brother!
- Well, it sounds like your mother and I have a surprise for you. Mother is waiting for you right downstairs. Hurry up and you will have to introduce the two visitors of this castle, young man.”
When I arrived downstairs, I saw Big Ben, Maurice, Belle, Mrs. Potts (who was holding Chip) Father and Lumiere.
“Father, I said, this is Maurice, a lonely man who got lost in the kingdom. The woman next to him is his daughter, Belle. We have welcomed her father in the castle when she was looking for him.
- Very well, said the king, thank you Son. As for you Maurice, where do you and Belle come from?
- Oh Votre Majesté! We come from a little provincial town. Although, what the Prince haven’t told you is that I was caught taking a rose for my little child.
- Queen Eve really loves these flowers, but I don’t think she minds if you take one, answered Father with a smile
I ran to the living room to find Mother holding the newborn in a complete silence.
“Mother !! I missed you so much and …
- Hush, she said, not so loud. Come here and look at the baby princess
- Why isn’t it a baby prince?
- Because this is a little girl. And the kingdom already has a little prince, she smiled. After a little silence with hugs and kisses -mainly to the baby- Mother asked me how do I want to call her. “Can I name her Belle? It means beautiful.”
