[center][h1][color=Gold]Adam Potts[/color][/h1] [img]https://66.media.tumblr.com/f17000a0c0095112893a94fc1956385f/tumblr_muzo8iSSF61rzxujso1_500.gif[/img] [h1]Present Day - Lupinis Castle - Adam's Bedchambers[/h1][/center] [color=Gold]Stupid! With a tremendous roar, Adam swept his arm across the vanity within his bedchambers, sending any and all objects that had been on top of it to fly through the air and land roughly on the floor. He wasn’t finished with the innocent furniture, however, as both of his hands hooked underneath the tip and sent it flipping over harshly. If the young prince had even an ounce of care in him in that moment, he would be able to hear the splinters and cracking in the wood where parts of the legs had broken, but Adam was already stalking across the room, pacing the hard, stone floor. He had her! Belle had literally fallen straight into his grasp. It was the first time he had seen her in years and now… now she was gone again; put off on the idea that Lupinis would not welcome her reasons for being there. He was only trying to tell his mother of who she was, why she was so important to him. Something his mother had said upset her, and - Gods this wasn’t how it was supposed to be! Adam slammed his fist up against the wall, his strength shaking the stone and forcing a framed picture to fall and break once it hit the floor. He slid his fist down the wall, tears blurring his vision, forcing him to close his bright, blue eyes. He turned his body until his back was against the wall and slid down it until he was sitting, knees bent out in front of him. How? How had things gone so wrong?[/color] [center][h1][color=Gold]Adam Potts[/color] and [color=F42D2D]Gaston Rourke Le’ Gume[/color][/h1] [img]http://i917.photobucket.com/albums/ad11/myandrallene/Character%20Gifs/Adam_zpsd7lllhqd.gif[/img][img]http://i917.photobucket.com/albums/ad11/myandrallene/Character%20Gifs/Gaston_zpsedrvz6bk.gif[/img] [h1]Thirteen Years Ago - Avonlea Forest[/h1][/center] [i][color=F42D2D]“Ha..! You have to be jesting- your stag holds nothing over mine, and you know it..!”[/color] Smirking slightly, Gaston let go of the reins with one hand, bringing his arm back so that he could pat the beast a couple of times before he turned his attention back down to his steed, making sure that it wasn’t going to be straying from the path they were following before he relaxed his grip, his body laying back and getting comfortable as he did what he could to try and enjoy the ride ahead of them- it had been a good hunt… a good haul; surely the day couldn’t get any better than it already was. Letting go of the reins altogether, Gaston brought his arms up, folding them underneath his head like a pillow as he let his eyes close- early mornings… late nights… Ah, the life of a hunter. [color=F42D2D]“You know Belle’s going to flip when she sees the size of my stag- yours doesn’t even stand a chance, Adam; it’s not even a third of the size..!”[/color] Chuckling happily to himself at the thought of getting ahead of his brother when it came to winning over the heart of the Princess, Gaston shifted slightly in the saddle, making himself comfortable before he once more settled himself down, [color=F42D2D]“Face it brother, she’s mine- I have won her heart already. It’s fated, and as we all know, there is nothing you can do to change fate.”[/color] Shaking his head at the expense of his twin brother, Adam clicked his tongue and pressed his knees into his horse, urging the beast forward a bit quicker to catch up with Gaston until they were side-by-side, making sure to mind the foliage of the forest. Reaching back a bit, Adam ruffled up Gaston's hair as best as he could before the distance and strain on his side forced him to sit back up. [color=Gold]"Just because you've claimed your prize does not mean we are done. I still have a shot at bagging something bigger while we head back in. Now clamp that loud mouth of yours closed so you don't scare what's left in the forest away."[/color] Ah, Belle... such a thing of grace and beauty the young Princess was. Adam and Gaston had both been pining for her since the moment they laid eyes on her all those years ago at a Royal announcement to the Kingdom. Honestly, Adam couldn't remember a thing King Maurice said. All he knew was that there was a girl up in the stands, smiling down at who he was sure was him. Gaston seemed to think the same, so every day since then, the two brothers spent a healthy amount of time competing with one another to try and impress her. To them, it didn't matter that they weren't royalty and realistically stood no chance of being with her. To them, it was a game, a contest, and a shot at love. It was true, Gaston's stag was significantly larger than his own. But he had faith. Very rarely was Adam able to out-hunt his brother, but today... today was different... he could [i]feel[/i] it! Scrunching up his face as he felt his brother ruffling his hair, Gaston opened up his eyes, swatting lazily at his hand as if to tell him to piss off before he once again settled back in his saddle. Ah… how Adam was so full of hope… how very like his brother. [color=F42D2D]“Give it up, Adam… it is too late to try and best me now, besides, we are almost back at Avonlea, and we both know Belle will be waiting for our return as she always does.”[/color] Quirking his eyebrow ever so slightly at the thought, he groaned, pulling himself back up into a sitting position and shifting slightly before he turned his attention over to his twin brother, his free hand resting on the saddle behind him as he snickered, [color=F42D2D]“And to think..! The first she will see shall be the majesty of my prey, mounted upon the rear of my horse as I ride to greet her with open arms, and loving kiss..!”[/color] That last jest had Adam's jaw squaring. Neither of them had been lucky enough to get anything more than a hug or kiss on the cheek from the Princess. But they were getting older, maturing more... No doubt King Maurice was seeing to it that Belle was thinking less about fun and childish games, and more about suitors. Time was running out... for both of them. If either of them wanted to guarantee Belle's heart and hand, they had to also impress the King... somehow... [color=Gold]"Why would she care about a smelly ol' deer, anyway?"[/color] Adam grumbled to himself, pulling on the reins so his horse would move ahead. It wasn't a moment later that Adam's ear caught the sound of a twig snapping nearby. Immediately halting his horse, he then stuck out his arm in a right angle and closed his fist, signalling for Gaston to stop as well. He waited a moment, and then another. There. On the left. Rustling. Quietly, Adam dismounted his horse and reached for his bow, notching an arrow. Slowly, he stepped into the forest, going by sound as he attempted to close the distance between what he hoped to God was a stag. Chuckling silently as his brother seemed to pout at the challenge of receiving a kiss from the beautiful object of their affections, Gaston shook his head lightly from side to side, pulling back on the reins and following Adam’s lead as he stepped down off the horse, bringing both his bow and his quiver with him as he went- one last track; one last shot at gaining the Princesses’ attention. Notching an arrow into the bow, he held it taught, his body crouching over slightly as he followed the sound of their prey further into the forest, careful to not do anything that would give their position away to the animal in question, [color=F42D2D]“..you know… there are better ways to get her to notice you… hunting has never really been your strong suit, Adam; you take after mother more than you do father…”[/color] Slowing down as the sound grew louder, Gaston came to a stop, his body crouching further down to the ground as he drew closer and hid behind a nearby bush, his figure hidden as he waited, his dark eyes flicking about, trying his best to catch a glimpse of what it was that they were hunting in the first place- by God, please don’t let it be a stag… [color=Gold]"Shut up, will you?"[/color] Adam warned, his cool blue eyes narrowing in frustration though he dared not look back at his brother in fear he might miss a glimpse of whatever it was they were hunting. He would let the jibe about being more like a woman than a man go... for now. Creeping quietly, Adam came across the broken tree branch that he had heard snap just a few moments before and let his eyes fall to the ground, studying the hoof prints that had been left behind. They were small looking, which made Adam's heart deflate somewhat... but he had to at least see the creature for himself before he admitted defeat. He followed the fresh prints to a small clearing. At first, Adam didn't even realize that he was looking right at the animal until it moved. Was it a trick of the sun? He was expecting the soft brown tones of a deer, and yet, this one seemed... off. It was beautiful, actually, it's fur a vibrant gold color that reflected the warm sun’s rays as it shook its head about before stooping to get a drink of water. His breath caught in his throat as he nimbly raised his bow. Sure, the stag was still on the small side... but a golden coat like that had to bring in quite a large amount of money. If this didn't impress the King... he didn’t know what would. [color=Gold]"And it's mine..."[/color] Adam breathed out as he centered his shot, the deer oblivious to the both of them as it collected it's drink from the small stream. The minute he caught sight of the deer, his heart sunk in his chest- it couldn’t be… it was nothing but a legend… something their father told them to make sure they didn’t step out of line… The sound of his brother’s bow being pulled taught caught Gaston’s ear, causing him to shoot a quick glance over at Adam before he shot his hand out, his grip strong as he forced the bow down, the arrow now pointed directly at the ground between the both of them as he turned on his twin; his expression and eyes showing clearly that he was no longer messing around as he shook his head quickly from side to side, a slight panic flickering over the surface of his brown orbs, but as soon as it had come, it was gone again… out of sight as if it had never even been there. [color=F42D2D]“..Adam; no..!”[/color] His voice was hushed though full of conviction as he spoke out, doing what he could to get the warning across to his brother while not scaring the deer off from the lake side- it was beautiful… more beautiful than anything he had ever seen before in his life; matched only by the beauty that was their Princess… but they had been warned- warned all their lives to never harm the golden deer lest they wish their lives to come to an end… [color=F42D2D]“..that’s the golden deer..! You know what father said; we’re never to touch it… nothing, not even dear Belle’s hand in marriage is worth slaughtering that deer over…”[/color] Pausing for a moment, Gaston seemed to relax, his hand slowly slipping away from his brother’s bow as he sat himself back up, his eyes turning back over to where the deer stood, [color=F42D2D]“..besides… you wouldn’t live long enough to see yourself wed to her should you pierce its heart with that arrow…”[/color] Adam's eyes met with his brothers showing clear annoyance as he tried to wrench the bow free from his grasp. The golden stag... he had nearly forgotten about those stories... but that's all they were... stories. [color=Gold]"Come off it! You just don't want me to win!"[/color] Adam replied in a quiet hiss, but it was enough to make the stag raise its head up, its ears perked. [color=Gold]"Father even said it was a legend. Probably stems from this breed of deer since no one else knew what to do with it..."[/color] His voice had dropped significantly, his eyes glued to his prize. He wanted that stag. [color=Gold]"Don't tell me that Gaston, the great and mighty hunter believes in childish bedtime stories."[/color] [color=F42D2D]“..I believe that while you might impress the King; do you really think that killing something so pure and so gentle as the golden deer will warm Isabella’s heart..?”[/color] He couldn’t believe what he was hearing… out of the both of them, Adam was the smartest; the one with more potential to make something of himself, but here he was getting caught up in something that would take him down the wrong path… He knew he was right; and it was clear that Adam did as well. [color=F42D2D]“..penser Adam… you know Isabella would weep at the very sight of such a thing… I believed you to be smarter than this. Do what you will, brother… but I will have none… I will see you back at the horses; prize or no prize.” [/color] Frowning, Gaston stood himself back up, giving his brother one last look before he shook his head, slowly making his way back through the woods and to where they had left the horses on the side of the road- the choice was Adam’s, and Adam’s alone… he couldn’t make it for him… Adam hadn't realized just how hard he was breathing out through his nostrils in his own lust of getting what he wanted until his brother began to turn to leave. For the first time, Adam turned his gaze from the stag to watch his brother’s back. Looking back at the stag, his hand trembled before slinging the bow back around his shoulder, sheathing the arrow back in its place. He stood there for a few moments, watching the magnificent creature before it took off into the forest. He was about to turn and head back when something instead caught his eye. Curious, Adam stepped out into the clearing and bent down where the stag had been. Had the bushel of roses been there this whole time? He certainly didn't remember seeing it... Looking around his person, Adam realized then just how odd of a place it was for roses to grow - there certainly weren't any others nearby. Inspecting the shrub closer, Adam then came to notice that the entire plant was without thorns. [color=Gold]"Strange..."[/color] But still beautiful. Adam plucked one of the roses and held it gently, leaving the area to return to his brother. Passing him on his horse to get to his own, he muttered a very quiet, [color=Gold]"Va te faire fourtre"[/color] before mounting his horse, showing Gaston just how upset he was about the whole ordeal before kicking his horse into a fast gallop back to Avonlea.[/i] [center][h1][color=Gold]Adam Potts[/color][/h1] [img]https://66.media.tumblr.com/f17000a0c0095112893a94fc1956385f/tumblr_muzo8iSSF61rzxujso1_500.gif[/img] [h1]Present Day - Lupinis Castle - Adam's Bedchambers[/h1][/center] [color=gold]There was a knock at his bedroom door, pulling Adam from his memories. His head lifted, blue eyes glaring down the door as though it had gone out of its way to offend him. Then again, it was possible that it was the supper that he demanded his mother have sent to his room, as he would not be leaving it anytime soon that night. “What?” he snapped, his tone making it clear to whoever was on the other side that he was in no mood.[/color] [b]”You can stop your sulking now, my dear boy, and come out to eat. I won’t have you in there the remainder of this evening!”[/b] [color=gold]Adam groaned and let his head drop back down, defeated at the sound of his adopted mother’s voice on the other side. Hadn’t she done enough for one day? “No, mother. I won’t be coming out to dinner. Have it sent up.” Adam told his mother again, which was only met by a high-pitched scoff of disapproval.[/color] [b]”Tch! And after all I’ve done for you? Well then, I suppose I’ll just ask Miss De’ fortesque to change her mind, [i]again[/i], and take her leave.”[/b] [color=gold]Adam was silent for a few moments, trying to process his mother’s words. Then, slowly, he got to his feet, crossed the distance to his door, unbolted it, and opened it up just enough so that he could see his mother’s eye trying to peer in at him. “...what did you say to her?” Adam asked, already somehow knowing that his mother had her hand in Belle’s sudden decision to stay.[/color] [b]”Never you mind. The point is, she’s all dressed up and waiting for you out on the balcony. Now, am I to tell her that you will be coming? Or shall I disappoint the lovely lady with your childish refusal?”[/b] [color=gold]Adam sighed and rested his forehead against the cool wood of the door. Really, sometimes his mother really tried his patience. But he had to look at the bigger picture. For whatever reason, Belle was still here. He still had a chance. He could still make her remember… “I’ll come-”[/color] [b]”Good! Now, get washed up and dress in something nice - oh! Why not that new suit I got you just last week? Hurry now! It’s rude to keep a lady waiting!”[/b] [color=gold]And with that, Mrs. Potts was gone, hurrying down the halls to where Adam believed she would find Belle and tell her of the news. Shaking his head, Adam quietly closed the door and turned around to face the wreckage he had brought upon his room. Still… it had seen worse…[/color]