Beautiful Rose- Chapter 17: The Plot Begins to End

Jacques immediately ran to his own room, stripping himself of his jacket and vest on the way there. Lumiere, Mrs. Potts, Chip and Cogsworth had already ran their own ways to get help.

Jacques slammed the door and quickly changed into his common clothes. He opened his wardrobe and pushed the suits aside to find the bow and pack of arrows Jolie have him for his birthday last year. He slung the arrows over his back and picked up the bow, staring at it. He thought of when he saw his father shooting an arrow into Adam's back in the King's memories. Jacques always noticed he had a knack for archery and shooting but unlike his father, he only used to for shooting targets and stacks of hay. He was never a hunter like Gaston and Jacques thought about what Belle said to him when they were in the cage together. Although she only mentioned it about his pout, he realized it applied to everything Jacques had inherited from his father. He was a great archer and shooter like his father, he looked like his father, he could trick others into doing things just by looks and words just like his father and he even pouted like his father but they were all for much better reasons and for the right reasons. Jacques was proud of that much…

Jacques looked out the door to see the servants bustling about, trying to send a party out to help the royal family. If they saw him, they would force him to stay for protection but he knew his mother could wipe them all out in a minute. Jacques couldn't let that happen. He had to get there first and stop all this before anyone else was hurt. He grabbed his cloak and removed the arrows to put that on and then the arrows again.  He had to sneak out and he was glad his room was by the garden because he climbed by the tree that stood by his window and carefully hopped down. Quickly grabbing a horse from the stables and riding to his home.

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Belle waited in the cage. Something wasn't right. She could feel it. Then she heard hooves riding up outside. "Jacques?" she asked running to the side of the cage. She pressed her ear up against the bark once more so she could hear.

Footsteps ran toward the house and Adrienne had already made herself well aware that someone had arrived. But who was it?

"Adrienne! Open up! I want to make a deal!"

It was Adam! What was he doing here!? What deal did he want to make!? As terrifying as the moment was, Belle felt comforted hearing his voice again. Adrienne opened the door smugly. "Come in Adam. I would love to hear what deal you have to offer…"

Adam stepped inside the house, dagger at his side if he needed to fight. "I want to talk about Belle and-"

"Do you ever want to talk about anything else?" Adrienne asked bored.

Adam ignored the comment and continued. "I want to talk about Jolie… And Jacques. I can't believe he has been working with y-"

"Oh stop acting like nothing is going on my dear King," Adrienne said cutting him off, "I am fully aware that Jacques is trying to act like he's on my side when he's truly not. When he returns which will be very shortly now, I shall ask him to do something for me to really prove he's siding with me."

Adam gave Adrienne a threatening glare and Belle gasped. She thought that Jacques has tricked his mother. "Oh! I just remembered that that task I will ask of him might cause you to get in the way," Adrienne said waving her wrist to take the bark away from the big vine cage, "And I just won't allow it!"

She laughed at her joke. "So I suppose you can spend time with you precious Belle while this is all happening," Adrienne said freezing Adam with the force once more.

And within a second Adrienne had opened the cage to throw Adam inside and closing it again. Belle ran to Adam's aid and Adrienne didn't bother to put the bark back. Belle and Adam were well aware of their surroundings.

"Adam," Belle said helping his sit up, "Are you alright?"

Adam rubbed his head and took one glance at Belle before he gathered her into a hug. "Belle," he whispered, "Are you alright? Did she hurt you?"

Belle felt good feeling his embrace again. "I'm fine Adam. I'm fine. I'm happy to see you but where is Jolie?"

Adam leaned down to her ear and said so quietly, it was almost like he wasn't talking at all. "She's safely back at the castle with Jacques…"

Belle let out a deep but quiet sigh. She was glad everyone was alright. At least for now…

"You're daughter should be here any moment," Adrienne said looking at the newly wilting rose. Another petal fell to the table.

"What are you talking about?" Belle asked confused.

"Your servants aren't very good at keeping secrets your Majesties. Jolie's on her way here now to help you…" Adrienne said with a huge grin.

Adam ran up to the side of the cage. "DON'T YOU DARE LAY A HAND ON HER!" he yelled.

"What are you going to do? Criticize me?" Adrienne asked all dumb like.

Adam went to reach for his dagger but it was not there. "Looking for this?" Adrienne asked holding the dagger up.

Adam became furious, loosing control of his temper. He grabbed the bars and shook them wildly, trying to break them. For once in his life, he wished he was a beast. "You don't want to cut yourself dear," Adrienne said waving her wrist.

Thorns appeared all over the vines, causing Adam to jump back before they could touch him. The King flung himself around the cage in anger and frustration. Belle carefully came up behind him and grabbed his shoulders, making Adam relax immediately. "Calm down Adam," she whispered soothingly, "We're not going to solve anything by throwing ourselves around.."

Adam took a deep breath, knowing she was right. He hadn't become that mad for a long time. "How touching… But I'm afraid this moment is going to be over soon…" Adrienne said.

Adam instantly pulled Belle close to him, protecting her from anything that was going to happen next. He wish he had Jolie in his arms with him as well. He gave Adrienne a look telling her not to come near. Adrienne just smiled and shook her head. "Jolie is right outside," she said.

Adam's glare dropped to a face of worry, as well as Belle. They all heard paws running toward the door. "No!" Belle said running to the side but Adam held her back.

"If Jolie has left, Jacques is not that far behind… Wait… He'll get us out…" Adam whispered knowing what he said was true.

Belle nodded and snuggled up against him once more, silently crying. Jolie has burst opened the door, on all fours and growling. Adrienne looked giddy. Snow was blowing in and a cold breeze brushed by Belle's face. The same cold breeze she felt in her dream. "Oh no…" she said.

"Oh! Jolie! How nice of you to come and save your parents!" Adrienne said grinning even bigger.

Jolie stayed in her position, ready to pounce at the right moment. "Would you mind waiting a moment Princess? Jacques should be here any moment…"

Jolie ran toward Adrienne but she had only taken a step when a vine cage grew around the princess, trapping her in spot. She looked like a caged animal. "Will you ever learn that I'm always two steps ahead of you?" Adrienne said bending down to the cage's level.

Jolie look scared. She looked around the room quickly. Completely aware of her surroundings and her heart racing. She tried to get out but could not. "What's the matter? Cat got your tongue?" Adrienne said standing straight again. She walked over to the rose. "It seems you won't be here that much longer. I might as well shorten up your time a bit."

She made a circular motion above the cage and all the petals fell to the table except three. "NO!" Belle yelled breaking out of Adam's grasps. She ran to the side of the cage where Jolie was in front of her. Adam following her and grabbing the bars. "Jolie! I'm right here! Your father and I are right here! We're together Jolie! We love you…"

Adam looked her daughter in pain and Jolie returned the same look. "We're never going to leave you…" he said.

"I love you too…" Jolie said trying to hold back the tears.

Belle broke down into tears and cried into Adam's chest. Adam comforted her but kept looking at his daughter. Trying to look strong to keep her strong but felt so many of the same feelings with her right now. Terrified… Scared… Confused… Wondering what was going to happen next…

The whole room went silent when they heard footsteps outside the door. The door opened and Jacques stepped inside, having a hard time closing the door for the wind was strong. But he managed to close it and  smiled at the trapped Jolie and approached his mother. "Jacques! Your home!" Adrienne said gathering him into a hug.

Belle and Adam has to remind themselves that Jacques still thought he was tricking his mother.

Jacques hugged back. "I caught the whole royal family! Aren't you proud?" Adrienne said spreading her arms out.

Jacques grinned and said, "I am very proud mother…"

"I'm so happy! Now… I need you to do something for me.." Adrienne said grabbing Adam's dagger. Belle and Adam's eyes widened as well as Jolie's. "You see… I accidentally shortened Jolie's time up again. I thought I would be a dear and just end her misery for her. But I can't stand blood. Can you do that for me?"

Adrienne asked this like a kid asking for a cookie. "You wanted me! Don't hurt her!" Belle said reaching her hand out.

Adam was furious again. "If you dare lay a hand on her I swear-"

"Swear what?" Jacques asked firmly, "You can't do anything… You're trapped in a cage as well as Jolie… You can't do anything…"

Belle gasped at Jacques tone and Adam was caught off guard. Had Jacques finally turned against them? Had he really been on his mother's side this whole time? Belle and Adam were starting to think the worst had come of Jacques. Jolie cried. She couldn't believe Jacques was acting this way… He couldn't… That wasn't the Jacques she knew…

Jacques looked at the crying Jolie with a cold stare and back at his mother. "I'll do it," he said, "But not here. There's too many people near by. There's no one at the castle right now because they're all out searching for the royal family. We can go there. No witnesses except the King and Queen and when the servants return, it will be too late…"

Jacques looked at Jolie once more. Cold and heartless. "Jacques…" Jolie said heartbroken, "No…"

She hung her head and cried. "You're so smart Jacques," Adrienne said now knowing Jacques was really on her side, "I am so proud of you… You're father would be too…"

She gathered him into a hug. Jacques returning the hug. "You should Belle and Adam say their good-byes…" Jacques said, "It's the proper way to end this…"

"You're right," Adrienne said lifting her arms up and then pushing them down, bring the vines to the big cage with it, "Go you two. There's not much time left…"

Belle ran immediately ran to her daughter, Adam close behind her. Jolie had her head in her hands, crouching and against the ground, crying, heartbroken. "Jolie… We're going to find a way…" Belle whispered trying to stay calm."

"We're finding a way out of this," Adam whispered, "Don't give up hope…"

Jolie lifted her head up to look at them with her tear filled eyes. "But Jacques…"

Belle rubbed her back. Adam grabbed her other paw. He again knew how she felt. When Belle left to save her father and he thought his love would never return. He was heartbroken… Depressed… No reason to live anymore…

"He'll come around Jolie…" Adam said, "They always do…"

Jolie took a deep breath trying to convince herself that her father was right but the stare Jacques gave her. How cold and heartless it was… It was very hard to believe it… "Time's up!" Adrienne said whipping her arms out.

A blue light surrounded them, blinding them to where they had to close their eyes. The vines around Jolie disappeared and Belle grabbed onto her daughter, Adam grabbing on to both of them. Not letting go. If anything happened, they were going together. They felt cold air quickly. Snow landing on their faces and they opened their eyes to find themselves in the castle garden, snowing heavily and wind biting at their skin. Belle and Adam still didn't let go of Jolie who had stopped crying to sit up. "We're not going to leave you…" Belle reminded her. But this looked all too familiar to the Queen. This wasn't over…

Most of the servants were out on a search party for the royal family. Any that stayed behind where in the court room at the front of the castle. Hastily waiting for their return. No one could see or hear them right now… They were on their own.

Black smoked quickly faded into view and quickly faded away revealing Adrienne and Jacques standing there. "Aw! How sweet!" Adrienne said sarcastically, "Too bad it's all going to end. And I will finally get my revenge…"

Jacques smiled evilly. Jolie still heartbroken by his choices but she wouldn't let him hurt her parents or anybody she loved. He broke the part of her heart that belonged to him. She wasn't going to let him break the rest.

Jolie shoved her parents off her, knocking them back in the snow and took a few steps toward him, Jacques with his bow ready in his hand. "Jolie, what are you doing!?" Belle asked scrambling after her.

But she tripped again in the snow and Jolie gave her mother a look saying, "You just be ready to back me up…"

Adam had already got the message and stared intently at Adrienne and Jacques, ready to fight. Belle stayed behind. She was never one to fight but she prepared herself anyway. Jacques reached for an arrow…