Chapter One: Tonight

"You're late."

My sister extended her arm to help me keep my balance as I bowed before the masters.

"I humbly beseech Your Majesties to forgive me," I replied. "I assure you it won't happen again."

Her Highness frowned. "Why do you always do that?" Before I could ask what she meant, she explained, "The other servants call me by my first name and treat me as their friend. You always seem to distance yourself, addressing me by royal titles and kneeling at my feet. Why do you do that?"

"You are the queen," I replied, respectfully lowering my eyes.

His Majesty crossed his arms in front of him. "I want the truth, and don't try to avoid the question. It isn't like you to be late for dinner. Tell me what happened."

I took a deep breath to steady my nerves. "If it pleases the king to know, I tripped."

"Tripped?" he asked.

"Your Highness, I walk with a limp. It is very easy for me to trip, and when I do so, I have difficulty getting up," I answered.

He nodded. "Yet my forest is tended better than any other woodland in Europe. I don't know how you and your friends manage."

"We are highly honored to be of such great service to Your Majesty," I responded.

I thought that was the end of the discussion, but during dinner, the masters asked the royal children their opinions of lunch in the forest the next day.

"Lunch outside?" the young princess asked.

"Yes," the queen answered. "We will bring our lunch to the stream that runs through the forest, and we'll sit down and eat while listening to the birds sing. Maybe we can even pick a few flowers. Would you like that?"

"But what about the wolves, Maman?" protested the prince.

The king frowned. "Wolves?"

I suddenly lost my appetite, but I continued eating anyway.

The prince explained, "The servants told us the story, Papa. They told us how you used to be a big, ugly monster, and Maman used to be a peasant. The servants themselves used to be household objects, and there were wolves in the forest."

"We don't want to be eaten by the wolves," the princess added.

I wanted nothing more than to excuse myself from the table and spend the rest of the evening in my room, but I stayed.

The masters looked at each other. Then, as if on cue, they both started laughing.

The queen stated, "There aren't any wolves in the forest anymore. The servants make sure of it." She smiled at us, silently congratulating us for a job well done.

I wished I could crawl under a rock and stay there.

The king must have noticed my discomfort. "Are you alright, Monsieur?"

"All is well, Your Majesty," I lied.

"So there would be no problem if my family and I were to eat lunch in the forest tomorrow?" he asked.

"None at all, Your Highness. For the sake of my sovereigns, I shall hope the good weather continues."

My sister and I talked in the library later. It was the only place we could think of where we wouldn't be interrupted.

"You can't keep the secret forever!" she pointed out. "What are you going to do when the masters learn the truth? What are you going to do when their children find out what we used to be?"

I stared out the window. "I'm surprised they don't know already. It's just that obvious. During the spell, everyone turned into what their name is. Lumiere became a type of light. Mrs. Potts became a teapot."

"Not everyone became what their name is!" she protested.

"Most people!" I argued.

She nodded in agreement.

I changed the subject. "You asked me what I was going to do when the royal family found out. What are you going to do?"

"It doesn't matter as much with me. I'm not the one who bit my own master."

"You had to say that, didn't you?"

"Hush! Others will overhear us if you raise your voice!" she warned. "They'd put an end to our secret meetings in the library, and then where would we talk?"

"The West Wing?" I joked.

My sister rolled her eyes. "Be serious!"

We heard the sound of footsteps approaching, and someone knocked on the library door.

"See what you've done?" she whispered.

"Is everything alright in there?" a voice asked.

"Mrs. Potts," I stated. "She won't tell."

I limped to the door and opened it. "Come in."

"I was having trouble sleeping," Mrs. Potts began as she stepped inside the library and shut the door, "so I decided to get up and make some tea. As I was strolling through the corridor, I overheard voices in the library, and I wanted to make sure everything was alright."

"We meet here to talk sometimes," I confessed.

"I see. Well, I wouldn't wish to interrupt, so I'll just…"

"You're not interrupting," my sister replied. "We like your company."

"Are you sure, dear?" Mrs. Potts asked.

"I'm sure."

"How's your arm?"

My sister sighed. "Still broken. You'd think I'd be used to it by now, but…" She shook her head, unwilling to finish the sentence.

"Does it hurt you?"

"I admit having a permanently broken arm does make it a bit difficult to work in a forest, but after all these years, I'm used to it."

Mrs. Potts turned to me. "And your leg?"

"I usually don't even think about my limp anymore, but there are times when I wish…"

"You mustn't complain, Loup," my sister interrupted.

"How did you get your broken limbs?" Mrs. Potts inquired. "I've wanted to ask you before, but I've never had the chance."

"It happened during the spell," I answered.

"I feel sorry for you both. You've had physical injuries for years, but I sense you also carry heaviness in your hearts. I won't ask questions that are none of my concern, but if you ever want to share anything, I'm here for you."

I did want to share. I knew Mrs. Potts wouldn't tell the masters, so with my sister's approval, I explained everything.