One Year Later
The castle walls rattle with her screams and the hallway leading to the king and queen's quarters echoes with the strings of curse words that slip out of the queen's mouth. A nurse carrying a set of fresh towels rushes towards the closed door. Throwing it open she is instantly met with cries of pain. But, while most were cries of pain some were of joy. Joy for the child that was about to be born.
The room was buzzing as women ran in and out bringing in bowls of warm water, and stacks of towels among other things all at the request of a messy and tired Miss Potts so that she could help ease the child along.
Valerie dressed in a snow-white night gown lay spread out on the bed. Her back against the bedrest, her legs open wide. While one of her hands clutches at the sheet bunching it tightly the other is doing the same action but to her husband's hand.
"Come on, Valerie, just one more push," Miss Potts says to her hoping to calm her down just enough for her to focus on giving birth.
Slumping her head back against the wall behind her Valerie screams, "I can't!" Another wave of violent screams echoes from her as another mighty contraction hits.
Miss Potts glances at Henry silently pleading with him to try and calm his screaming wife, and much to her relief he understands what is being asked of him. Moving from his chair beside the bed and onto the bed itself. He drapes his arm over her shoulders and moves her head to rest on his shoulder.
"You can do this, voleuse. One more big push and we can meet our son."
"I told you it's a girl!" Valerie hisses through the pain.
Pushing down the urge to roll his eyes Henry looks down at his wife with a smile on his face.
"Well, we'll only find out once it is born, won't we? Come on my love you can do this."
Looking up at her husband with tired but determined eyes she slowly nods and mutters, "I can do this."
Miss Potts looks between the two of them for a moment before nodding. "Come on, Valerie, give me one big push now."
Taking a deep breath Valerie squeezes the sheet and Henry's hand before releasing the loudest scream as she pushed as hard as she could. A searing pain fills her entire body swiftly followed by a slight sensation of relief. Just as she was about to pass out a baby's cries fill the room alongside sounds of joy.
"It's a boy," Miss Potts announces.
The nurses cheer with joy, Valerie sighs with relief that the most painful moment of her life, besides her death, was finally over and Henry showers his wife's hands and face with kisses.
After cleaning the baby of all fluids and wrapping him in a small blanket Miss Potts hands the little prince to the anxiously awaiting parents. As the little boy is settled into his mother's waiting arms his parents smile with joy awed by the beauty of their child.
"Looks like you were right," Valerie sighs as she looks at her son.
"I don't know why you're so shocked I usually am," Henry chuckles.
She shoots a quick glare at her husband who continues to chuckle but a small cough from her baby snatches her attention. "It's okay baby. Maman is here," Valerie whispers as she kisses his soft cheeks and rubs his back.
Feeling safe in his mother's arms the little prince kept his eyes squeezed shut and fell into a deep sleep.
"This little one is going to be spoilt," Henry chuckles gently rubbing his son's arm.
"We said we weren't going to spoil him," Valerie remarks.
"I didn't say it was going to be us. Amelie is no doubt going to compose some songs and hold concerts in his honour when she comes back from tour. Charles told me he was going to gift the baby this master clock he's been working on for decades, and I've seen Miss Potts working on some recipes for all sorts of treats she'll no doubt sneak to him when we're not looking."
"I never said that," Miss Potts hastily protests from across the room, but the small smile tugging at her lips said all that needed to be said.
At the orders of the tired Miss Potts, the nurses take the blood-soaked towels and their other instruments and leave the room each of them mostly likely running to their friends to spread the news of the birth of the prince.
"What are you going to name him?" Miss Potts asks as the door clicks shut behind the last nurse.
Henry and Valerie look at one another. Henry smiles at his wife and nods.
Turning her head to look at Miss Potts the young queen with tears in her eyes says with great pride, "His name is Maurie."
A choked sob leaves the old woman's lips and tears start streaming down her cheeks. "That's a beautiful name," she whispers through another sob.
Valerie looks down at her sleeping child and nods. "Yes, it is." Using her non-bloody sleeve to wipe her tears away she silently bids the new family goodbye.
"Are you going to send Fabienne a letter or should I?" Henry asks.
Tears trickle down Valerie's cheeks. "I think you should," she mumbles with her head hung low.
Henry sighs and rubs her back. "She doesn't blame you for what happened. Maurie made his choice, and Fabienne understands that."
Valerie nods her head and wipes away her tears. "You're right. Don't worry about the letter I'll send it. When was the last time you heard from her anyway?"
"She sent a letter a week ago. She said she made it to Paris and she was looking for an apartment by the Seine. She's going to spread Maurie's ashes there. Says at least that way they can kind of live their dream together." He stays silent for a moment before asking, "Have you heard from Adrien?"
Valerie shakes her head. "No, he said he'll send a letter when he can but that was a while ago. He took Gaston's death quite hard, so it's only fair I give him some time."
"True."
The moment of reflection is suddenly interrupted by a loud cry. The king and queen look down at their baby smiling.
"And there goes our peace and quiet."
Valerie scoffs and shakes her head. "As if we ever had any."
Henry bellows with laughter which only causes the baby to cry more. "I'm sorry my boy. I'll let Maman feed you now." After kissing his wife and son on their cheeks Henry gets off the bed and rushes toward the door.
"Where do you think you're going?" Valerie asks as she starts to feed her little prince.
Opening the door Henry turns to his wife with a beaming smile still on his face. "My son was born tonight. The world must know," he says beaming with excitement.
Valerie giggles at his eagerness. "How about just the people in the castle?"
Henry shrugs. "I'll try my best to keep it there."
Glancing at the man whom she loved so much Valerie thought back to the journey they had to take to get to this point. A journey filled with magic, fights, threats, battling a vengeful witch and maybe some attempted murder here and there. But in the end, it was one worth every second.
"What's wrong?" Henry asks noticing the far-off look in her eye.
Smiling she shakes her head. "It's nothing. Go tell your news."
"I shall return."
"Henry!" she calls out just before he walks away.
He hastily stops and turns to look at her, "Yes?"
"I love you, grand garcon."
"I love you too, voleuse."
* * *
Once upon a time in a grand castle, there lived a handsome prince. Young and available women came from far and wide to compete for his affection or even the slightest glimpse in their direction. They were brought in by his beauty but left when they came face to face with his personality. You see even though the prince was handsome his heart was hard and cruel.
It took a curse where he was made into a beast and a toxic relationship with a woman he thought he could trust but his heart became pure, and it was all because of a huntress. A huntress who gave the Beast everything he could have hoped for and more. And they would remain together in the light and loving castle.
Forever.
So what did you think?
I was hoping that for a second you guys wouldn't think there would be a happy ending, but there was.
If you did want a happy ending then congratulations you got what you wanted. But keep this in mind it won't always be that way. This book is just the first in a long series of twisted fairytales and while some will get a well-deserved happy ending others won't be so lucky.
These books will not necessarily have to be read in order. Each is its own story and at no point will characters from some stories feature in others (sorry if that's what you wanted).
I don't necessarily have an idea when the next book will be published. So until then here is my sneak peek into what princess will become our next villain.