When the Wolfbane Blooms

Chapter 6 - Equinox

"Weddings can be dull," Chapeau shrugged. "I'm thrilled for them, do not get me wrong, but I don't need to watch the chaplain go on and on about eternal commitment for an hour to be happy for them. Besides, I did not tell you the most interesting part."

"And that is?" Adam asked, raising an eyebrow.

"That Belle glanced your direction a few times, as well," Chapeau grinned.

Before Adam could say anything in response, Lumiere had appeared out of nowhere and slung an arm around Chapeau.

"What are you getting into over here, mon ami?" Lumiere asked.

"Chapeau was just telling me that he thought the ceremony was a bit too long," Adam said with a wide smile.

Lumiere gasped in faux offence. "Chapeau!"

"And I think he found the chaplain dull."

"That's sacrilegious, Chapeau!"

"Oh, come on," Chapeau laughed, trying to escape Lumiere's grasp. That only caused Lumiere to wrap his arm further around his friend, holding him in a headlock and mussing up his hair with his other hand.

"Boys! Behave!" a woman that Adam thought might have been Lumiere's older sister called from a few yards away.

The two men ceased their roughhousing immediately, laughing and out of breath.

"Well, I think that Monsieur Villenueve fancies Belle," Chapeau said, smoothing his suit back out.

"Oh, you're just now catching on?" Lumiere teased. "We all figured that out ages ago."

"I could sack you," Adam said flatly. Both men burst out laughing in response.

"I think we both know you need me more than I need you," Lumiere joked.

Adam grinned. Lumiere wasn't wrong. If it weren't for him and Madame Potts the manor would've fallen into disrepair years ago.

He spotted Belle from across the park. She was smoothing the skirt of her pale yellow dress and smiling with Plumette. He could admit to himself that he probably had stared at her a bit during the wedding. He had been finding himself very preoccupied with the thought of Belle as of late. And at the wedding... Well, how could he help it when she looked so beautiful?

She briefly made eye contact with him and Adam looked away immediately, hoping his embarrassment didn't show on his face. He could feel his traitorous heartbeat picking up in his chest.

Adam had a few of his father's loose ends to tie up. The transfer of his assets, sorting through his personal belongings at the manner, etcetera. He could've been done with all of that by now, but he was stalling. He wanted an excuse to stay in Peu-de-Forêt. Belle wasn't the only reason. He actually found that he quite enjoyed being back in his hometown. He could not deny to himself that she was the majority of the reason he was stalling, however. He wanted to spend more time with her, as friends. And if Adam was secretly beginning to pine for his friend he figured that it couldn't possibly hurt anyone but himself. It was a harmless enough reason to stall.

And now... Well, winter is a terrible time for travel. He might as well stay until the spring. It was a sensible enough decision to make.

Some of the local musicians had arrived and began playing together as a band. Mostly friends of Lumiere, of course, as he seemed to be friends with almost everyone in town.

Plumette was nudging Belle forward, trying to get her to go speak with Adam. Not that Belle didn't want to speak with him, but Plumette was clearly just trying to play matchmaker again.