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It had happened a little under a month into their marriage. Adam didn’t know what he had done but he must have done something. Some selfish, thoughtless thing. But he couldn’t work out what! But he must have done something to upset Belle.
For maybe thee days something had been bothering her. She’d said she was just tired, but he new that wasn’t it. He’d thought maybe he wasn’t spending enough time with her, he was busy, there was so much that had to be re-ordered after the curse had been broken. But he’d made certain to have an afternoon free for just the two of them. He’d got Mrs. Pots to pack a picnics and proposed that they go riding, just the two of them. She’d said no and he was certain that she’d also been crying. And that night she said she would b sleeping in her room.
It was normal for royal couples to have separate bedrooms. Most royal marriages were really business arrangements. When not attempting to produce and heir and a couple of spares to make alliances with, many royal couples were much happier not to have to share their beds –at least not with each other. Adam new of a number of instances within his own family were the only thing preventing civil war had been separate bedrooms. His great-great aunt Catherine had apparently only been able to stand being in the same room as her husband for a maximum of 30 minuets at a time, though they had a very pleasant relationship when they communicated by letter.
Belle and Adam though weren’t like that though. They had, until now, both been happy to share a bed each night. Even so they both had their own space. Really, the couple had three bedrooms. The room that had been Belle’s bedroom when she’s first come to the castle was now her study. Adam still had a room in the west-wing that was his, mostly now filled creations by Maurice and his colleagues that Adam found were interesting even if they did not work as planned.
Adam hadn’t known if he should sleep in their room or his room that night. He hadn’t slept alone since their marriage. The bed felt suddenly far too big and cold. There was still a faint smell of Belle on the sheets but the fact that she wasn’t there with it made it taunting rather than comforting. He’d ended up spending most of the night passing around the west-wing, worrying, mentally running over every conversation and interaction to find the source of the problem.
Finally, when it was just very early rather than ridiculously early, he made his way to Belle’s door.
He had a sudden flood of memory of standing outside this door before, frustrated and upset that he didn’t have Belle by his side. But then he’d thrown a hissy fit because the woman who’s father he’d kidnapped didn’t want to have dinner with him. He’d bellowed and pounded and thrown the type of tantrum that one can only throw when an eight-foot-tall beast man. This time he stood by the door, human, humble, and desperate to understand how he had upset the women he loved and how he could fix it.
He knocked on the door softly.
“Belle? Belle are you awake? It’s me, Adam.” Yes because she couldn’t possibly recognise her husband by his voice his inner voice chided.
“Belle, I don’t know what I’ve done. Please. Whatever it is I want to make it right. Please, will you talk to me?”
There was no reply, then he heard the muffled sound of movement and she opened the door half way. She was wearing a dark coloured night dress and looked still half asleep. He looked down at her, trying to read what to do in her face.
“Adam, it’s very early. Is something wrong?”
“I don’t know! Is it?!” He flung his arms wide then took a breath calming his frustration. “I’m sorry. It’s just that, I don’t know what I’ve done! Please Belle tell me.”
Belle looked confused then opened the door fully and gestured for Adam to come in.
She closed the door behind him and sat on the bed. He noticed that it had been made up with dark coloured sheets. Odd but he had more pressing matters than the bedding.
“Adam, you haven’t done anything. At least nothing to be sorry about, what’s been going on in your head? You look like you’ve hardly slept.”
He ran a hand throw his hair.
“I don’t know, you seemed unhappy or upset and then you wanted to sleep in your room, I felt I must have done something or said something. Or not done something?”
Belle looked at him for a moment then took his hand gently.
“Adam. It really isn’t anything to do with what you’ve done or not done. My menses is on me.”
Adam looked blank for a minute before it fully clicked. He hadn’t done anything! Well apart from be an idiot. Why had it never occurred to him that his wife might get her period. Why had it never crossed his might when she had been living here, the only human occupent of the castle for months!
“Belle, I never thought… Before… When you were here… I’m so sorry!”
She stroked her thumb over the back of his hand.
“Thankfully Mrs. Pots was had more foresight when it became clear I would be the castle's long term guest. We sorted out a few things. Nothing you need to worry about.”
“But you’ve been upset and I didn’t help you.”
“It’s not something people really talk about. And normally it’s not so bad, I’m just a bit weepy this month.”
Adam sat next to her on the bed leaving a gap between them.
“Belle, I want you to know that you can tell me and talk to me about anything. I want to be here for you. I’m sorry, I didn’t think about that this was something you had to go through every month. Is there anything I can do to help?”
Belle laughed. “Adam I’m not sick! It’s a natural thing, this ones just a bit bad. And I should of mentioned it was the reason I wanted to sleep here.”
“You’d prefer to sleep alone at this time of the month?”
“Well, I’d actually thought that you…” Belle was now looking embraced and fidgety. “I thought it might disgust you.”
“Belle, I love falling asleep next to you and waking up next to you. And I don’t care what point in your cycle you’re at. But if you prefer to sleep alone during these time I of course respect your wishes.”
“You don’t think it’s dirty? What if I bleed on you?”
“I can wash. But you don’t have to if you don’t feel like being touched.”
Belle was silent for a moment. Then she shifted closer, closing the gap between them.
“ I don’t have any problems with you touching me.”
Adam wrapped an arm around her and pulled her close. Belle settle against him.
“Is there anything I can do to help or make you more comfortable?”
“Actually, my lower back is a bit sore. Could you rub it for me?”
“Of course.”
Adam help rearrange the pillows so Belle could lie comfortable on her stomach, her head turned to one side. He ran his hands over her back then started backing gentle circles with palm on her lower back.
“Your hands feel lovely and warm.”
Placing both hands on her hips he began using his thumbs to apply pressure in small circles on either side of her spine, moving out and up.
“Is this good?”
Belle practically purred, confirming that yes, it felt good.
Adam continued till Belle was a seemed utterly relaxed and nearly asleep. Deciding that she probably rest he went to go but as he was rising off the bed she turned round.
“It’s still early. We don’t need to be up for a while yet.” She shifted over on the bed, making it clear this was an invitation.
Adam pulled of most of his cloths and soon they were both snuggled under the covers and drifting off.
When they woke at a more reasonable time their limbs where tangled together. Somehow Belle’s nightdress had ridden up slightly. Adam lazily stroked his fingers along the bared skin of her thigh. She felt soft and warm. He never wanted to spend another night without her next to him.
“Good morning.”
“Does ‘good morning’ mean we have to get out of bed?”
“Probably, at some stage. Though the thought of staying here is much more enticing than almost everything else I have planed for today.”
“What about breakfast? Is that enticing enough to get out of bed for?”
Adam pretended to think about it. “Hmmm, I think some cleaver person once came up with the notion of ‘breakfast in bed’. It might be an idea with possibilities?”
“It might. But I want to take a bath this morning and as of yet no one has work out a good way to do that in bed.”
Belle rolled onto her back and stretched out before getting out of the bed, Adam making one last attempt to pull her back.
“Do you mind if I join you in your bath?”
Belle turn and was no doubt about to make flirtasous remark but stopped when she saw the mark on his thigh. She turned even redder than bloodstain.
“Oh god Adam! I’m so sorry I shouldn’t have-“
“Belle, I told you, I love lying next to you and I can wash. Though,” and now there was a smile she knew well on his face and a hint to his voice that mint breakfast was defiantly forgotten about. “The sheets are dark, and we will both already need to take a bath… What do you say to making sure we start the day with a verygood morning?”
“Adam you are incorrigible!”
“And insatiable, inflammable, and in love with you.”
Belle laughed, and pushed him back into bed with kisses.
“Inflammable?”
“Likely to be inflamed with passion? I couldn’t think of something else that started with ‘in’, but given the hour I think it’s not too bad.”
It was a very good morning.