Disney owns Beauty and the Beast and its characters.
A Disenchanted Christmas
"It's…lovely, Adam!"
Belle had opened the box which revealed Adam's gift to her this Christmas Eve- a beautiful, long-stemmed red rose. In the back of her mind, she didn't expect Adam to be fond of roses himself, as the flower may have brought up too many bad memories for him.
"But it is not just any rose, Belle. It is an enchanted rose."
Before Belle opened her mouth to react, Adam continued. "I know what you are thinking, dear. No, the petals will not fall away, it is nothing like"…he gave a little half-smile…"the one that I used to have. This rose shall never wilt or die. It is a rose that has been charmed by a kind Enchantress. Whomever it belongs to will be blessed with joy and peace for the rest of his or her life. Or so says the legend of the sorcerors."
"Thank you, Adam!" Belle held the rose in one hand and wrapped her arm around the prince's tall, strong frame, giving him a quick kiss as they stood near the balcony window, which revealed a panoramic view of the darkening sky.
Adam grinned. "Aren't you going to ask where I came upon it? I know you are curious."
A little smile played upon Belle's lips as she looked up at him. "Well, all right. I am curious! Where did you find this…enchanted rose?"
Adam led Belle back down into the grand sitting room, and went to his favorite chair near the fireplace.
A crowd began to gather around him in anticipation of a story. Belle, her father Maurice, Maurice's new wife Emmeline (formerly known as Mrs. Potts), eight-year-old Charles Potts (better known as Chip), Francois Lumiere and his now wife, Babette, Angelique, the little blonde decorator and her handsome new beau Etienne the merchant (he was from the city of Metz, and had met Angelique while she was on a buying expedition), and of course, the majordomo of the palace, George Cogsworth- were all standing around Adam's chair, ready to listen to the secret of how he acquired Belle's special Christmas gift.
Dozens of other castle servants gathered about them in the grand sitting room as well, including the visiting band of musicians, led by a timid little flutist by the name of Bernard Fife, who had played a solo before the gift exchange.
"I was driving a carriage through the woods about a month ago. Remember, Belle, when I was leaving and you asked where I was going with the carriage alone? I gave you some absurd story about looking for rare mushrooms for Chef Thierry's soup recipe?"
"Yes," Belle laughed. "I thought everyone in the kitchen staff was ill because they usually do those tasks. I know you are a kind Master, but a Prince doing a kitchen helper's job is absurd. And I didn't think you knew anything about rare mushrooms."
"Well, I don't," Adam admitted. "I just knew you would want to take a carriage ride with me. The reason was that I had gotten a letter from our dear friend Monsieur LaBarre."
"Fabien LaBarre?" asked Belle. "The sorcerer?"
"The very same. He had written me just to check up on how we were doing, and he gave me some strange instructions. He said it had to do with a special gift for you, and the fact that his wife was a dealer in magical charmed objects. He had told her about us, and about you, and Madame LaBarre insisted that you have one of the gifts that she typically sells to others in the magical community. His instructions were for me to ride alone in the middle of the woods, at the southern side of our palace. So I did, and lo and behold, a group of wolves came charging at me. Three wolves, to be exact."
Now the entire crowd burst into merry laughter. They all knew that the three wolves Prince Adam spoke of were not actual wolves. They were none other than Monsieur LaBarre himself and his two sons, who had the ability to transform themselves into wolves. They were magical police, who had captured the wicked Enchantress several months before- the same Enchantress who had cursed Adam into a Beast back when he was not yet even twelve years old.
"So as the wolves approached me, I yelled out 'Reveler!' as the letter had directed me so that the wolves would reveal themselves. There was this flash of blue light, and the wolves turned into our friends the Monsieurs LaBarre. Fabien greeted me, and he had this very rose. He wanted you to have it, as a gift. It is not too often that the magical people share their enchanted gifts with mortals."
"Oh, Adam, that is so sweet of them. I will treasure this forever, and must thank Monsieur LaBarre and his family! Excuse me, I must run upstairs for a moment." She ran up to the master bedroom of the West Wing, where a little vase on the vanity lay. She took the old wilted flowers out, and replaced it with the new Enchanted Rose. Then, she opened a drawer of the vanity to pull out her gift for Adam. The package tucked under her arm, she rushed back downstairs.
The smell of Christmas puddings and cakes wafted through the great hall of the palace near the kitchens. When she reached the sitting room again, she knew she'd have to get this gift exchange over soon, everyone was anticipating the special feast of Le Reveillion.
"Adam, here is your gift from me to you. Joyeaux Noel!" She handed him a package, wrapped in bright, snowy white paper, topped with a huge red bow.
Adam's Christmas present from Belle was actually several items, a fine new set of three white cravats that matched his best suits- and a book. The book was another homemade book written by Belle herself, same as in the tradition of the previous year, her enchanted Christmas with the Beast. This new book was her account that told of all of the last year's amazing happenings. Each page was illustrated with dainty little paintings.
"Thank you, Belle, this is beautiful," said Adam, hugging her with one arm. "I did not know you could paint as well as write."
"Well, actually, Pippa did the little paintings. She's much more talented with a brush than I am."
Pippa was the palace nanny who helped Mrs. Potts- (who was now known as Mrs. DeFleur since she married Maurice the previous spring) care for Chip, as well as for a young orphaned servant girl, Mirielle, who was twelve. She was also Cogsworth's new wife. They had married only four months before, after a whirlwind romance.
"Thank you so much, Belle my love. Where is Pippa, anyway, Cogsworth? Is she in the kitchen helping out?"
"Actually…she was feeling under the weather much of this day, Your Grace. She said she'd be down very soon, though." Cogsworth answered.
"On Christmas Eve? I hope she is all right. I want to thank her for secretly doing the painting for this new book… from you." He hugged Belle once more.
"Well now, that we have exchanged our royal gifts, shall we all gather in the dining hall for Le Reveillion?"
The group descended on the large dining hall. The tables were covered with bright red velvet tablecloths, each with a golden candle gleaming in the center. A Yule Log was burning brightly in the hall's grand fireplace. Eight year old Chip and twelve year old Mirielle had placed their shoes on the fireplace hearth, and were eager to retrieve them the following morning, filled with candy and trinkets from Pere Noel, aka Cogsworth. Mirielle, of course, knew it was Cogsworth, but was happy to partake in the tradition for just one more year.
Golden candles burned in the mantle above the fireplace, as well as the rims of every window. The curtains were drawn back from the enormous windows, and they all were treated to a view of light snow gently falling on the forested countryside surrounding the palace, as the sky darkened to violet.
"Angelique, you have outdone yourself again in decorating this dining hall, ma petite," complimented Lumiere.
"Candles will always be a favorite of mine, so simple, yet tres elegant!" the decorator gushed, sweeping her hands out in a grand gesture.
Babette shot Lumiere a little look as she clasped his hand. He returned the look and hugged her close. To their relief, Etienne also put his arm lovingly around Angelique, and the petite blonde beamed up at him. Babette was probably happier about this new relationship than she'd been over any of the others she'd been a witness to this past year, except for her own, of course.
This picturesque setting is where they all enjoyed a Christmas Eve feast of traditional French holiday fare, complete with goose, chestnuts, chicken dishes, chocolate Yule Log cake, and various fruits, vegetables, and fine wines.
As Cogsworth was sitting down at a table with Lumiere and Babette, his newlywed wife, Pippa, finally came down to join him.
"I am feeling a little better now, George dear. I am terribly sorry I was not able to see Adam and Belle exchange their gifts to one another," said the freckle-faced, red-haired nanny. Her hair was worn down, rather than up in its usual bun.
"Was it stomachaches again?" Cogsworth grabbed her hand. "I do admit I am getting a little worried."
"It's nothing, George. I feel just fine now, although I have had little appetite. I am sorry; I think I shall only have tea for now."
Mrs. Potts-DeFleur was sitting within earshot of Pippa when she heard this exchange. She was none other than Pippa's own aunt, and came rushing to her nearby table with teapot in hand.
"Pippa, dear, how long have you been feeling this way?" she asked her, using a lowered voice- and switching to English.
"Only a few weeks." She responded in English as well. (Lumiere and Babette were quite used to this, and were not offended by the secrecy.)
"Do certain smells bother you? Foods cooking, things like that?"
"Why, yes, Aunt Emmie. Is something wrong?"
Mrs. Potts-DeFleur wrung her hands with excitement and tried very hard to hide her giddiness. "Dear, I need to talk to you alone later. I do think you should consult a doctor in the village. I...I..." she stammered, "let's just talk about it later."
Lumiere, despite not quite following the conversation between his English friends, smiled and nudged Babette, whispering in her ear, "It is fitting he plays the role of Pere Noel, since 'father' may be a title forthcoming!"
Babette giggled. Cogsworth fumbled with a spoon, trying to reach for more pudding, and the spoon shook in his hand, splattering pudding on the tablecloth.
As the dinner wound down into idle chatter, Lumiere took the moment to jump up and stride to one table to summon Maxine, a scullery maid who was also a talented pianist, and then to another table to ask Fife and his band to get their instruments and gather near the fireplace.
"This is your moment, Bernard! I thought I'd lead some traditional carols, but then, we would like to hear some of those new compositions you told us about!" Lumiere encouraged Fife amiably.
"W-w-well, I guess we can play some more tunes for you now. It is… Christmas after all!" stammered Fife in his high-pitched voice.
"What are we waiting for, Maestro? Let's go get ready!" encouraged one of the violinists in Fife's band. They went as a group to the grand sitting room where they had first played, and quickly returned, instruments and music papers in hand. They gathered near the fireplace.
"Madame! I need your voice, too!" Lumiere shouted to a tall, statuesque woman who was swallowing the last few bites of cake with her beau, a portly cook named Jean-Robert.
"You never give me a chance to warm up my voice, Lumiere!" scolded Madame La Grande Bouche, blotting her lips with a napkin and sipping some wine. She cleared her throat and sang a few scales of "la-la-la-LA-LA-la-la-laaaaa!" as the crowd chuckled.
"Requests?" asked the two singers, now standing to the side of the gathered musicians.
"How about Bel Astre que j'adore?" Belle suggested. It was one of her and her father's favorites.
"And my favorite as well, Mistress Belle!" exclaimed Lumiere. He gave a gesture to the band to begin playing an introduction, and he and Madame La Grande Bouche began to sing the Christmas carol, their voices blending harmoniously together.
Beautiful star that I adore
Sun that shines for me
It's you alone that I implore
I want to love only you.
Its my deepest desire
Lord on this beautiful day
That I owe my life
Only to your great love.
Many voices joined in, and the sing-along continued with several more carols. Fife and his band then played some of the pieces that the flutist composed all by himself, ending in thunderous applause as the little Maestro blushed and bowed.
A while later, after the caroling had ended and the crowd of nearly seventy servants was beginning to go off to help with various chores, Maurice, accompanied by Emmeline and Chip, took aside a group of laundry maids.
"Ladies, if you don't mind I have a little surprise for you in...well, the old dungeon. Consider it my early Christmas gift to all of you."
"A surprise for us?" exclaimed one of the laundresses.
"Come with me," said Maurice. "Belle! I would like you to see this as well, dear."
"Of course, Papa," said Belle. "Excuse me, Adam." She accompanied her father, as well as the laundry maids, Mrs. Potts-DeFleur, and Chip, to a side hallway, which led to a landing of stairs. They were headed to the area of the castle which used to be a dungeon.
"Why are we going to the dungeon, Monsieur Maurice?" asked Chip. He didn't care for those rooms at all, and neither did Belle. It was dark, gloomy, and the setting of some unpleasant memories.
Maurice opened the door to the former dungeon. A fireplace was now installed there, and candles lit the windowless, stone-walled room. It was not nearly as dark or gloomy anymore. In front of the large fireplace, which had been recently fired up, was a large red cloth covering something.
"I should have guessed, Papa! A new invention!"
"That's right, Belle!"
"But why would it be just for us?" asked Annette, one of the laundresses.
Maurice motioned for Chip to help him uncover the large object under the cloth. They both pulled on it, as Maurice grinned expectantly.
"Voila!"
"What…is it?" asked Annette, a little confused.
To modern eyes, it would resemble a stationary exercise bicycle attached to what looked like an enormous hamster wheel. The wheel was enclosed tightly with a grid of metal bars, and a door was put on it which would allow one to place objects in. To the maids, Belle, Emmeline, and Chip, however, they had no idea what it resembled.
"Let me demonstrate," said Maurice. He walked over to a basket of wet clothing, and opening the door in the enclosed hamster-wheel, he threw the clothing in. Making certain the wheel was centered right in front of the fireplace, he climbed on the seat of the exercise bike, and began to pedal. The wheel turned, and the clothes were tossed around near the warm fireplace's hearth.
"I finally got this blasted contraption to work, just in time! You see, during the cold months you cannot hang your laundry outdoors, you have to hang it inside, and the laundry hanging about is such an eyesore, like you said, Annette. But now, with my Fireplace-Warmed, Tumble-Dry Laundry Wheel Extraordinare, you will get your laundry done in less time! And riding this is loads of fun! Just try it!"
"Mon Dieu! It's fantastic, Maurice!" Annette exclaimed.
"Merci! Merci beaucoup, Monsieur Maurice!" echoed the other laundresses. Belle and Chip laughed. Emmeline Potts-DeFleur beamed; she was so proud of her genius-inventor husband.
"I want a turn, too!" shouted Chip, as Pauline, a young maid, excitedly got up on the bicycle seat after Maurice got off.
Belle joyfully bounded back upstairs to rejoin Adam.
She found him sitting in his favorite chair in the grand sitting room again, listening to Fife's band play more soft tunes, and staring into the fireplace pensively. She sat down on the arm of the chair, and he took her hand.
"I was just thinking, this is the best Christmas Eve I have ever had in my entire life," Adam said softly.
"And here we already exchanged our gifts. What should we do tomorrow, Christmas Day, other than eat more delectable meals and watch all of the staff exchange their gifts?"
"Well, Belle, for a start we could take a sleigh ride through the forest, just you and I, and watch the birds."
Belle beamed at him at the thought. "Perhaps we could take the sleigh all the way to the village? Everyone will be in their homes, Adam, so if we pass through, you will not be noticed much. You could bring a gift of coins to leave at the church. We could start a new tradition- the Prince passes through the village on his sleigh, and leaves a tithe for his gift."
"I will consider that, Belle. After all, five former members of my staff reside in Molyneux now."
"Joyeux Noel, Adam."
"Joyeux Noel, my dearest Belle."
He pulled her onto his lap, and they both stared into the crackling fireplace and continued to listen to the musicians play.
A.N. Why did they exchange their gifts on Christmas Eve? At the very end of TEC, it appeared to be dark outside when Belle opened her gift. I don't think they should wait until so late on Christmas Day, so I assumed she opened her gift on Christmas Eve! Also, I had to write something to resolve the Lumiere/Babette/Angelique love triangle, I was curious about it myself. I used to dislike TEC, but now it's grown on me! Happy Holidays!