Hello! So I saw the new Beauty and the Beast movie and I just absolutely feel in love with the pairing of Belle and Lumiere, or Lumielle. Unfortunately, I've only managed to find two stories in existence with this pairing. One was a one shot written a long time ago, and the other is a story in progress known as Enchantment's Lament by EmmaLennyEddie. It's really good if you haven't read it yet. I definitely suggest that you do so. So I decided to make my own story! I have a lot of this planned out and I even have some of it written. It will cover the movie, Enchanted Christmas, and a little bit from Belle's Magical World.
This is my first Beauty and the Beast fic, but not my first fanfiction. I have another account. However, I'm super behind on my stories there and don't want to add another story for my fans to yell about. Updates might be a little slow, but I've been really into this, so hopefully it won't be too bad.
I also want to add that I'm not French nor have I ever taken French. I'm doing my best on what I know from Lumiere and a little bit of research online. But if I mess up, please don't jump down my throat for it! I'm doing the best I can, lol. Just enjoy the ride and I hope you enjoy my story! The romance will definitely be slow burning between these two. After all, we have the beast and Plummet to worry about and the drama that will create.
One more thing to add, this isn't strictly from the animated movie or the new movie. It's honestly a little of both, probably leaning more towards the new movie, but still. It won't be completely like the new movie, just a lot alike. Hopefully you'll still enjoy it.
Disclaimer: I don't own anything that's Beauty and the Beast. It all belongs to Disney.
Chapter One:
Belle slid down the bars of her cell, landing on her knees, and shivered as the sound of her father's' cries faded away. She called out for him, begging the beast not to hurt him. The young maiden could feel the prickling sensation that warned her of oncoming tears. Belle pushed herself back up and ran to the empty space where a wall should be located, but none existed. She clung to the brick edge, ignoring the endless drop off the side of the tower, and watched desperately as the beast carried her father away.
"I'll come back for you!" Maurice promised his daughter just before they exited the castle. Belle could just barely make out the courtyard, where the beast threw her father into a carriage. When the beast turned away, the carriage stood up and walked off, leaving the castle grounds and carrying the only family she had away from her..
When the cart faded from view, Belle sunk to the floor once more. She allowed the tears to finally fall, though she tried to stay silent. There was no way she was going to give this beast the satisfaction of hearing her cry. Giving up her freedom had not been an easy choice, but Belle would do anything for her father. Everything she was was because of him. He protected her her whole life and now she was doing the same thing for him.
She sat there in the same position for several hours it seemed. Her knees were beginning to hurt from the hard concrete floor. Belle shifted so that she could sit down properly and then she drew her legs to her chest. Her tears slowly began to dry up and the sobs she worked hard to repress got easier to ignore. Soon enough, she was just blankly staring at the wall.
For a fleeting moment, Belle wished she had a book. It was only just beginning to dawn on her how lonely it was going to be. For the rest of her life, she would be stuck here in this musty cell with nothing but the walls to look at. Belle never imagined her life would go this way.
The sound of her cell door creaking open drew Belle away from her depressing thoughts. She stood up quickly, wiping away any stray tears, and looked around for something she could use to protect herself. The room was mostly bare, save for a few odd stray items and the straw in the corner that Belle assumed would be her bed. However, she caught sight of a small stool and quickly reached for it. Then she slowly inched towards the opening, her heart thumping in her chest.
"Forgive my intrusion, Mademoiselle, but I have come to escort you to your room." Belle was surprised to hear, not the beast, but the voice of a charming frenchman. It was a pleasant surprise indeed. The man had a very trusting and caring voice to him. However, Belle remained cautious. Something still felt off about the whole situation.
"My room?" Belle asked, stunned. She had been sure that the beast planned on keeping her locked away in this tower for the rest of her life. "But I thought…" She started to say as she slowly and cautiously walked out of the cell, but she was interrupted by the man once more.
"Oh, what that Mr. 'Once this door closes it will not open again!'" Belle finally walked around the wall and the speaker came into view right as he made a small roar to imitate the beast. Belle gasped in shock. Instead of a man, there was a golden candelabra. "I know, he gets so dramatic! Hello!" The candle grinned and waved at her before jumping onto the ground.
Without thinking, Belle screamed and smashed the stool onto the candle man. The stool completely shattered, but the candle was completely unharmed, though a bit dazed. "Oh you are very strong! This is a great quality!" He chuckled as he pushed the seat of the stool off of him. Then he stood up once more and grinned at a bewildered Belle.
"What are you?" She asked, her eyes wide with fear and perhaps a small trace of wonderment. "I am Lumiere!" He replied as if it were simplest fact in the world. Belle shook her head. "And, you can talk?" Belle stated, though it came out more like a question.
"Well of course he can talk!" A new voice spoke up from the stairs and Belle turned to see a clock climbing up to join them. "It's all he ever does." He finished. The glass in front of the clock's face opened, but he simply shut it before glaring at Lumiere. "Now Lumiere, as head of the household, I demand that you put her back in her cell at once."
Belle turned back around while the two of them conversed and looked for something else that she could use as a weapon. She wanted to be able to protect herself in case these guys weren't as harmless as they seemed. She spotted a dark blue vase and picked it up. It was small but she hoped it would provide enough of a distraction so that she could get away.
"What do you want to be for the rest of your life, Cogsworth? A man, or a metal clock?" Lumiere hissed at his friend before turning back to Belle, who had reemerged with the vase held up in defense. "Ready miss?" He asked her, much to Cogsworth displeasure. Lumiere winked at him and told Cogsworth to trust him.
Belle stood there for a second more, unsure of what she should do. She looked down at Cogsworth, who still had a terrified expression on his face. "Come, come!" Lumiere beckoned her. She decided that she didn't want to remain here in the prison tower. She set the vase down beside Cogsworth and followed after Lumiere.
"Oh, this isn't going to end well." She could vaguely hear the clock mutter before he ran after them. When he caught up to them, Belle had picked up Lumiere and the two were slowly making their way through the darkened hallway. When they emerged outside, Lumiere decided to speak again. "You must forgive first impressions, mademoiselle. I hope you are not too startled."
"Why would I be startled? I'm talking to a candle." Belle informed him, talking rather fast. She was honestly feeling very anxious at this point. Losing her father and being imprisoned by a beast was hard enough, but to meet talking furniture? That was too much even for an open-minded woman like her.
"Candelabra." Lumiere winked. "The castle is your home now, feel free to go anywhere."
"Except the west wing." Cogsworth spoke up, much to Lumiere's dismay. "Which we do not have!" He quickly tried to correct himself when Lumiere shot him a pointed glare. However, Belle's curiosity had already been peaked and she asked what was in the west wing. "Nothing! Storage space!" Both Cogsworth and Lumiere assured her hurriedly.
"Hurry now, on to the East wing." Cogsworth stirred the conversation away from the west wing and began leading them on once more. "Or as I like to call it, the only wing!" Lumiere grinned.
When they walked through the tower door, Lumiere jumped out of Belle's hands and unto Cogsworths head before landing on the ground. "Ah here we are! Your new home." Lumiere opened the door leading to the bedroom. "It's modest, but comfortable."
Belle walked into the bedroom and couldn't help but gape in awe. The room was absolutely exquisite! She had never seen anything so beautiful in her entire life. It was a room that one would only see in a fairy tale. "It's beautiful." She managed to say after several seconds of silent admiration.
"But of course! Master wanted you to have the best room in the castle." Lumiere informed her as he jumped onto the bed. However, the room was covered in a thin layer of dust that puffed up when he did so. "Pff, excuse the mess. We weren't expecting company."
There was a streak of white and Belle heard someone giggling. She followed it and saw a beautiful swan feather duster twirling in the air. "Don't worry mademoiselle, I'll have this room spotless in no time!" She promised before she twirled into Lumiere's arms. "This plan of yours, it's dangerous." She whispered to him.
"I would do anything to kiss you once more." Lumiere held the feather duster close. Belle smiled when she realized that the two of them were courting. It made them seem more human and it was actually really cute. Belle felt herself relaxing, if one a little. If these… people… could love, perhaps they weren't as bad as the beast. Maybe they were just as trapped here as she was.
"No, my love! I've been burned by you before. We must stay strong." She lightly pushed away from him, but Belle could see she put no effort into it. "How can I be strong, when you make me so weak." Lumiere pulled her closer, his voice deep with passion.
Belle giggled while Cogsworth cleared his throat. "Is everything here alive?" Belle asked as she walked over to the dresser and picked up a hairbrush. "Hello, what is your name?"
The other three occupants began laughing, much to Belle's embarrassment. "That is a hairbrush." Cogsworth informed her. Belle sat it back down on the dresser, feeling really awkward. She jumped, however, when the dresser suddenly opened and began singing a really high note.
"Oh, do not be alarmed, miss! This is just your wardrobe! Meet Madame Gardarobe! She is an excellent singer" Lumiere introduced her. He had jumped down from the bed and ran over to stand beside her and Cogsworth.
"When she can stay awake." Cogsworth added when she let out a loud yawn and informed him that she was going to take a little nap. "Oh, madame! Stay with us now! We have you someone to dress!" Lumiere informed her.
"Finally! A woman, let me look at you. Pretty eyes, proud face, perfect canvas! Yes, I will make you something worthy of a princess!" Madame Garderobe promised her as she looked Belle over.
"Oh, I'm not a princess." Belle informed her with a slightly sour face.
"Nonsense! Hold still now." The wardrobe opened her drawer and a bunch of insects flew out. "Oh, how embarrassing!" Suddenly, Belle was being encircled by all kinds of fabric. "Frufru! Come help mommy!" She called out and a piano stool came running into the room, barking. He grabbed one of the fabric strands and pulled it tight. Belle gasped at the sudden feeling.
When everything relaxed, Belle was wearing an assortment of shredded fabric and a hideous, moldy wig. "I like it, subtle, understated." Lumiere said as he and Cogsworth back out of the room. The feather duster had already flown out. Cogworth turned and walked away, leaving Lumiere there to close the door.
Lumiere had paused by the door, holding it open just a crack to peek within. Despite not having an actually heart in this form, he could've sworn it clenched when Belle crawled out from under the dress and threw herself onto her bed. She began to sob uncontrollably. The poor girl was scared to death! He hadn't thought about how this was affecting her. He had only been thinking about the curse and how she could be the answer. The girl has lost her father and her freedom in a span of a few short minutes, while simultaneously learning that magic was real. He couldn't imagine what was going through her head.
Lumiere pushed the door back open, glad that Cogsworth had already taken his leave. He wouldn't be much help in that moment, not with his posh and very by-the-book attitude.
"Mademoiselle?" He quietly spoke, hoping not to frighten her once more. Belle lifted her head in surprise. "Oh, Monsieur Lumiere, I'm sorry. I thought you had already left." She quickly tried wiping the tears away, hiccuping slightly.
"I apologize for disturbing you. I figured you could use a friend. I know we are not technically friends for we do not know one another. But I thought, perhaps, if you were willing, we could be so?" He asked her, almost a little too hopefully.
Belle tilted her head curiously and giggled slightly. His awkwardly hopeful proposal was very enduring. Belle figured it wouldn't hurt to give him a chance. She patted the side of the bed, inviting him to join her. He grinned and jumped up to land beside her. For a few minutes, neither spoke a word and instead sat in silence. Lumiere wasn't used to silence, in fact, he hated it. The Maitre'D always had something to say.
"Tell me, Cherie, what is your village like? I have lived in the palace my whole life and only have very vague memories of the outside world." Lumiere finally spoke when the silence became too much. He wanted to distract her mind from the castle and figured her home village would be a good way to do so.
Belle hummed thoughtfully. In truth, she never felt like her village was home. She had always felt like an outsider and the villagers attitude towards her only solidified that feeling. Her books were the only comfort she got, excluding her father of course. "My village is like any other small village in France. The same routine is done everyday. I wake up to the villagers bustling around, going about their chores. Nothing new ever happens. It's honestly quite dreary and boring." Belle explained sullenly.
"Hmm, that is exactly what I expected. Perhaps that is why my family preferred court life." Lumiere remarked.
"Prehaps. My only true escape was to read. Books could take me on exciting adventures in far off locations. When I read, for just a little while, I was no longer Belle, a simple farm girl in a small village; I was whatever I wanted to be. I was a wizard, an adventurer, a pirate, a fairy, even a princess! The list goes on and on! Oh monsieur, reading was the only magic I truly knew!" Belle's voice grew in excitement with every word she spoke. Lumiere found himself mesmerized by her. He was not illiterate, Lumiere had spent many hours when he was human reading. He would even write his own poetry if he thought of something good. Belle's expression fell, however, causing the candelabra to frown. "Now that I know magic truly exists, I can't help but feel disappointed."
"Madame, I know it all seems dark now, but keep your chin up! Your story is not over yet! Everything will work out in the end." The Maitre'D tried to assure the girl. Belle didn't seem convinced, but she nodded slightly.
"I hope you are right."
"But of course! I am rarely wrong about these sort of things, mon cherie! Come now, let me see you smile. I'm quite certain you have a beautiful one." He encouraged her with a brazen grin. Belle smiled shyly, cheeks flushing in embarrassment. She really wasn't used to such blatant compliments. She had, of course, heard the whispers of the villagers about her beauty. However, she had never really thought it was true. "I was right, absolutely stunning!" He winked at her.
Belle giggled, "Thank you, monsieur. You have certainly helped me feel a lot better."
"C'était un plaisir d'y assister, mon chérie." Lumière took one of her hands in his own candle hand and brought it to his lips. Belle was surprised by the gesture, but accepted it nonetheless. "Now then, I believe dinner is in order, oui? I imagine you you are starving."
"Quite so." Belle replied, her stomach rumbling.
Lumiere hopped off the bed and made his way to the door. He turned back around and gestured towards a dresser. "Feel free to borrow any dress you so desire. They are made of the finest silk and I know they will look lovely on you." He winked at her once again before finally taking his leave, shutting the door behind him.
Belle chuckled, blushing at yet another compliment he had given her. She didn't think she'd ever get used to it. Belle stood up and wandered over to the dresser. When she reached for the handle, the dresser suddenly opened on it's own. "Oh my, what time is it!? What have I missed?"
"Hello. I'm afraid I didn't get to introduce myself yet. My name is Belle." She spoke softly.
"Hello, dear! Oh, aren't you a vision. I have so many dressers here that would look beautiful on you." The dresser looked Belle over. Finally, the dresser looked down and grabbed a pretty green dress from within a drawer. "This one here! It will certainly make your eyes pop!" She giggled and handed Belle the dress.
Belle smiled and accepted it graciously. She laid it carefully on the bed before sitting beside it and sighing. "Everything alright, dear?" The dresser asked. Belle brought her legs and wrapped her around to hold them in place. She rested her head on her knees. "I'm worried about my father. He's never been on his own before. I cannot imagine how he is feeling.
"Cheer up, mademoiselle. I'm sure everything will turn out alright in the end." The dresser comforted her.
"I hope so. And thank you. I'm glad that you and Monsieur Lumiere are kind. I was afraid that everyone here would be just as frightful as the beast." Belle frowned, though she released her legs and instead tucked them to her side. Her new friend only smiled kindly.
"The master is not as terrible as he appears. You will learn in time, I'm sure. Just give him a chance. He has a fiery temper, but deep down, I know he is a good man." Madame Gardarobe explained. Belle nodded, though she didn't necessarily believed her. Nothing about the beasts behavior thus far led her to believe he had any true human feelings within him.
"While I appreciate your words, I cannot believe them until I see the truth of them myself." Was Belle's only response. The dresser nodded in understanding before silence fell upon them. Belle turned her attention towards her bedroom door, and for a fleeting moment, her thoughts turned to Monsieur Lumiere and the kindness he had shown her, unaware that he was doing the exact same thing.
Lumiere had shut the door and paused in front of it for a minute. He had a very heavy feeling in his metal chest, though it didn't feel bad. Something had shifted after his talk with Belle, but he wasn't sure what. The Maitre D' certainly hoped he made her feel a little better. He never could handle a crying woman. He believed that women should be treated with the utmost respect and he always did what he could to make them smile!
Belle was so new to the castle and she did not have a good start. But he hoped he could fix the damage his master had already done and help them fall in love. He wanted to be human again so that he could hold his darling Plummet in his arms once more.
Dinner was the first step! So with a cheerful grin on his face, Lumiere made his way to the kitchen
And there you go! The first chapter is done! Hopefully you enjoyed it. I'd love to hear some feedback from you, so give me your thoughts! Au Revoir.
French to English Translation (If this is wrong, I blame the internet. And no I didn't use translation):
C'était un plaisir d'y assister, mon chérie: It was my pleasure to assist, my dear.