A promise, that's how he became mine…
I can still see her, Adam's mother Anna. She was tall and thin with his blue eyes and blond hair. She was my best friend growing up and the girl I hoped to make my wife. Sadly, the king saw her and that was the end of that.
I stayed to run the castle. I wanted to still be near her and be her friend.
She had four children, the youngest was Adam. I liked him from the start mostly because he was the least like their father besides in looks. Adam liked music, learning to play the piano and had a great way with horses. Anna encouraged him, always.
Her husband liked a bottle. He would grow violent and she would come to the kitchen covered in burses.
One day she sat on a stool as I handed her some snow newly fallen from outside to bring down the swelling of a lump on her head.
"Cogsworth," she whispered, "he could kill me next time he's getting worse."
"He won't." I replied firmly.
"He could and if he does then I want you to promise me you won't let Adam turn into him. My other children are without hope now but, not Adam."
"I'll try my best. But nothing is going to happen," I reply firmly.
"Promise me," she pleaded.
"I promise Anna," I whispered.
A soft smile appeared on her lips.
A month later Anna "fell" down a stone staircase; when she got to the bottom she was gone. Everything was covered up and quieted.
The children were spit up in hopes of them all being groomed to be "proper princes and princesses."
I stayed with Adam and that is how we came to the castle. The king took away Adam's friends who were servant children, his piano lessons and his riding lessons.
Life became nothing but school work and loneliness for him. Soon he became cruel and selfish as he tried to fill the holes in his hearts with possessions.
The day the curse was cast I knew I had broken my promise to Anna.
When Belle came Adam started to listen to me again in hopes to break the spell. It was only a little, not very noticeable but still.
Now I watch him play piano for the first time in years. The notes are slow but sweet.
Some part of me thinks I may have been wrong I didn't break my promise. Adam even at his worst never laid a hand on Belle. He doesn't drink and doesn't just see Belle because she is beautiful.
"Cogsworth," Adam turns around and the music stops, "did I lose track of time again?"
"No, for once I just heard you playing and I wanted to listen," I say.
"Why did my father let me learn in the first place?"
"To be honest I think he felt guilty," I whisper wondering if he will get mad.
"I wish he'd have stopped drinking instead," he replies, "though I guess it's not that easy."
I nod.
"Well, really you should have married her. She loved you."
My jaw dropped.
"It's the only thing that adds up," Adam explained.
It is then I know that though we are not flesh and blood he is mine. He sees the writing on the wall and is blunt with me as most children are with their parents as adults. Maybe I have kept my promise.
"Cogsworth can I ask something of you?" Adam says seriously.
"Depends on what it is," I reply.
"If I become like my father then you'll then you'll stop me before it's too late. I don't want what happened to my mother to happen to Belle."
"That's not going to happen."
"But if it does will you promise me," Adam replies.
"I already made that promise to your mother years ago. You two are a lot alike so much so, that you will never become your father," I say.
"Thank you," Adam says as soft smile appears his lips.
I know then that I haven't broken my promise after all.