If we Hold on Together
Part 1
Cogsworth hummed as he was carrying his master's breakfast up the staircase. When he was first transformed, he feared going up the stairs, especially if his master was in one of his moods. He was scared of being trampled on, and his gears flying out, and he still is five years later. He advised his master to move his bedroom downstairs for his, and the other objects' benefits. But the master declined, and with him being his most trustworthy butler, he and the others had to do what they were told no matter what. And for that he was grateful, and sometimes not.
"Master." He said when he entered his bedroom by gently pushing the door open. "I brought your breakfast, your first breakfast of the new year I might add. If I had a digestive system, I would eat this right up. That's how tasty it is." His master didn't answer. "Master?" He looked behind him and saw a huge gaping hole in the window.
Hmmm. He thought to himself. Wonder why I haven't noticed that before? He then grew fearful as he realized what this could mean. "Master!" He ran to the window, dropping everything to the floor. He hoped he was wrong. Boy, he seriously hoped it.
He peeked out of the window, and gasped as his worst fear was confirmed. There, down on the pavement before the garden, laid his master, lifeless for there were dried blood by his side.
No! No, master, please, you had a life! He couldn't believe that this was happening. The absolute worst had just happened. He felt that his heart would beat rapidly if he had one.
"Cogsworth!" He heard Lumiere's voice. "You dropped the master's breakfast. You know Chef Bouche and Cuisiner won't be happy with all of this wasted food. Cogsworth?" He then saw the gaping hole and shattered glass, and panicked. "Sacre bleu! I wonder why I haven't noticed that before, but still, sacre bleu!" He ran to his friend's side, and noticed he was weeping. He grew worried. "Cogsworth, what's wrong? Why are you..." He then saw his master's body down below. "Zut alors!" He looked at Cogsworth. "Please tell me that this is a bad dream. He didn't really..." But Cogsworth nodding his head sadly confirmed it. "Non, non, please, si vou plat, say it isn't so."
"I'm afraid it's is."
"But why? How can he just throw everything away like that?"
"I'm afraid it's my fault." This confused the candelabrum.
"Your fault? How can you say that?"
"Well, I had a chat last night before the celebration."
"And? What did you two talk about?"
"Are you sure that you don't want to join us for fireworks, master?" The clock had asked the beast the previous night.
"I'm sure." His master had replied. "It means another year had gone by with us looking like we do. Another hopeless, horrible year."
"Don't say that, master. This coming year could be different. Lumiere said that."
"Lumiere says that every year, and nothing had changed."
"Well, you never know. Love could strike at any moment. You don't know what the future holds, nobody does. That's why you have to hold on for as long as you possibly can."
"It's been five years, Cogsworth. I say that's enough."
"And it might take 100 more years until a miracle comes, hopefully not, but if that what it takes then so be it, again, hopefully not and it'll happen more quickly. We all have to hold on together." He changed the subject. "Look, you don't have to come down with me, and count down the new year with us. You can stay here, that's fine. But just know that someone will care for you, beast or not. You just need to change how you act. You're not a child anymore; you have to act more nicer and more mature. And if worst comes to worst, know that all of us, your humble servants, care about you even if you act like a jerk because of your jerky father. Change, don't be like he was, and that's how people can love you for who you are. See you next year, master. Remember what I said." He exited the room.
"I should've stayed with him." Cogsworth said in the present. "I saw the signs, and I left. If I knew what what will happen, I... oh, it's my fault that's the master's dead." He cried in his hands. "I'm a terrible butler!" He cried and cried. Lumiere put a candle hand on his friend's back.
"It's not your fault, mon amie." He consoled him. "You did all you could. It was up to the master in the end, a sad, tragic ending, but still his decision." The clock turned to him, and cried on his brass chest as Lumiere wrapped his other candle hand over him. "It'll be hard, but we have to move on. The master's away from his awful father, and with his kind mom in a better place where nothing can hurt and corrupt him ever again." They then heard barks in the hall. They watched as Froufrou and Sultan ran into the room. Behind them was Chip.
"Master, master!" The excited child cried. "You missed the fireworks and Lumiere's mad juggling skills; they were both amazing!" He then saw the shattered glass and gaping hole. "What happened here?" Froufrou and Sultan both barked and barked at the window. "What are you two barking at? Is someone or something down there?" He tried to go look out of the window, but Lumiere and Cogswoeth kept blocking him. "Lumiere, Cogsworth, what are you not wanting me to see? Come on; let me look out the window."
"Sorry, Chip." Cogsworth apologized. "But it's not a pretty sight, something a sweet, little kid like yourself to should ever have to see." Chip looked at Cogsworth.
"Have you been crying?"
"What? No!" He wiped away a tear as Chip took this as an opportunity to move pass him. He looked down, and saw Beast's body.
"Hey; it's the master! Wait, is that blood?" He then gasped as he realized what happened. "Is...he... dead?" Lumiere and Cogsworth couldn't lie, so they both nodded sadly. "Oh, no. How?" The candelabrum and the clock just looked at each other, not sure what to tell him. "Well? How did he die?" They looked back at him.
"Chip," Cogsworth began. "There are some things only adults can fully understand. This is one of those things."
"What? Death, that there is such things in life that we can't control? I understand. It's still sad at what happened, but I still understand. Mama says that since life is unpredictable, and can turn dark at any given moment, taking away the ones we love, that we have to move on. We have to have hope, and believe that things will get better. We have to hold on, no matter what." They both smiled.
"Your mom is a very smart lady." Lumiere said. "That is exactly what we must do." Chip frowned again.
"Do Mama and the others know?"
"No." Cogsworth said to him. "But we'll tell them."
"They won't like it. Man, what a start to a new year, huh?" Cogsworth and Lumiere grew sad again looking at the melancholy boy. Neither of them wanted to break the news to the others, but knew that they had to know. Lumiere then cheered up.
"Race you to your maman, Chip." Chip cheered up as well.
"Okay, you'll lose though."
"Oh, I could, or I could not."
"We'll see."
"Ready, set, go!" They both raced off. Cogsworth looked on after them. He was always amazed as how his friend can light up even the darkest of times. For that, he was a bit jealous. He wished he was more like his optimistic friend. He saw the footstools looking at him.
"What are you two looking at?" He questioned. With that, he and the dogs were off.
Chip bumped into his mom in the halls. Lumiere was right behind him, and saw this.
"Chip!" His mom scolded. "Watch where you are going, please! You could injure yourself if you're not more careful." Chip jumped up.
"Found her!" He declared. He turned to Lumiere. "I won!" Lumiere smiled.
"You sure did." He complimented him. "Congrats."
"Were we winning for prizes? If so, what did I win?"
"You won the race, silly boy." Chip thought about this.
"Okay; I'll go with that."
"So, why were you two in a race to see me?" Mrs. Potts wanted to know. Chip frowned. Mrs. Potts noticed this. "What is it, Chip?" Chip was about to answer, when Lumiere jumped in.
"Uh, Chip." He began telling him. "Why don't you gather all of your siblings, and meet us at the fireplace?" He looked at the candelabrum.
"Lumiere," He began. "now that the master's dead, what will become of us?" This caught both Lumiere and Mrs. Potts off guard. Mrs. Potts was shocked.
"Dead?!" She asked. "Good heavens!"
"I mean, we kind of need him to break the spell. He can't break it now. Does that mean we'll be objects forever?" His voice stated to crack. "I don't want that to happen. I want to be a real boy again, see Papa again, and do normal kid things."
"That's a good point, Chip." Lumiere said. "Honestly, I don't know. I'm sure we'll discuss this later by the fireplace. Go get your siblings."
"But..." Lumiere glared at him.
"Go!" Chip was a bit frightened by this. Lumiere had never raised his voice at him before. The candelabrum noticed this and sighed.
"I'm sorry." He apologized. "I didn't mean to yell. I'm just stressed. Now, go get them." Chip nodded, and bounded off. Mrs Potts looked at Lumiere.
"Lumiere," She started. "please tell me that my son is making a morbid story, and the master's still alive and well."
"I'm afraid it's true." He told her sadly. Mrs. Potts couldn't believe it.
"How?" So, Lumiere told her.
"How awful!" Lumiere nodded in agreement. "Well at least he's in a better place now, but still, what an awful way to go. We'll find a way out of this, if we hold on together. Our happy ending will come." Lumiere smiled.
"I know it will, it has to."
"I'll help you gather everybody up."
"I know you will do that as well."
Everyone was gathered by the fireplace later that day, and were all talking at once over each other after they all heard the news. Cogsworth cleared his throat.
"Now, I'm sure you all have questions." He began. But they still kept talking and didn't hear. "Everyone, please, settle down." He sighed when it was no use . Fortunately, Chip saw this and came to his rescue.
"HEY, EVERYONE!'" He shouted. They all stopped their chatter, and looked at the small teacup. "I'm sure Cogsworth has all of the answers." He looked at Cogsworth. "You're on, Cogsworth." He hopped to his mom. "Sorry I shouted, Mama."
"How did he die?" Someone wanted to know.
"Was he unhappy?" Someone else asked.
"What will..." Fife began.
"Become of us?" Chip finished. "I asked the same thing. Again, I'm sure everything will be answered. Our happy ending will come; it has to." He whispered to his mom. "Sorry I interrupted, Mama." Angelique sighed.
"It's hopeless." She said. "We can kiss our human lives aidiu forever. We'll live as objects, and when the last petal falls, our humanity will die, thus we'll be non talking, normal everyday objects and pieces of furniture."
"No we won't." Chip told her. "Didn't you hear what I said? Our happing ending will come. Just have patience and fai..."
"Oh, open your eyes, Chip!" Marionette told him. Chip was surprised, so were his other young siblings.
"Marionette!" Mrs. Potts scolded her daughter. But Marionette continued, ignoring her mother.
"Angelique's right. Once the petal falls, we'll all die. It'll just be a matter of time."
"But..." Chip said. "That... can't... be, can it?"
"Sorry, Chip, it is. You have to stop thinking like a child, even if you are one. Life isn't aways fair, and sometimes very cruel. That's how it is now, and that's how it always will be. It's better that the master's dead, in fact, I'm glad he is." Everyone gasped.
"Marionette!" Her mom scolded again. "I'm ashamed of you, what an awful thing to say. I taught you better then that." Marionette looked as her, looking like she might cry at any moment.
"I had a life, Mama!" She shouted. "Okay, we all had lives. And our master had no right to take that away from us. He could have been better then his father, and he wasn't. We were cursed with the master, yet we did nothing. We were completely innocent. I had a crush on a boy, and he felt the same. He was going to ask me out. I'm sure of it. It's the master's fault. It's always been about the master; that's why I'm glad he's dead. He deserved it."
"That's not fair, love."
"You're right, it's not fair. None of it was. Don't all pretend that the master didn't treat us right, because deep down, you know I'm right, all of you do." She started to cry. "It's not fair!" Mrs. Potts went to comfort her.
"You're right, love. It's not fair, and it always hasn't been fair. No one deserves to go though this, not even cold-hearted jerks."
"We did do nothing." Cogsworth told Marionette. "And maybe that's why we were all transformed." Marionette looked at him, tears still streaming down her teacup face. "The Enchantress knew that we were all of his servants, and that we were all responsible. That's why she punished us as well. We were treated like objects, and we were turned into objects and household furniture. So we weren't completely 100% innocent as you claimed we were."
"Come on!" Lumiere encouraged everyone. "We didn't gather everyone here just to mope, feel sorry for ourselves, and play the blame game. Non, we came here to think of what to do next. And gosh darn it, that's what we're going to do. There is still a chance of hope. Now, think! We can get through this, and escape the dark if we all hold together." Everyone thought about this.
"I wish there was some way to contact the Enchantress, and persuade her to end the spell early." Babette said. Lumiere liked this.
"Aw, but there is, mon amore!" He told her. "Babette, you're a genius; a lovely, beautiful mademoiselle." Babette blushed. Angelique rolled her eyes. The Frenchman turned candelabrum looked at the others again.
"We can transport to wherever the Enchantress is, talk to her about what happened, plea with her to end the spell early, and poof! We're all human again, and all of us will get reunited with our loves ones, and live our lives again as normal, thus getting us our happily ever afterwards."
"How are we going to do that, Lumiere?" Cadenza wanted to know.
"The magic book of course." Some were confused. What magic book? "You know, the one that the Enchantress gave the master so he can teleport to whatever place his heart desired." Everyone agreed. A few felt foolish because it's been so long that they forgot about the book. Some even didn't know of its existence. They knew of the enchanted mirror, everybody did, but not the book. He looked at Cogsworth. "Cogsworth, would you accompany me?"
"Of course." The clock agreed.
"What if this journey of yours is a bust?" Angelique asked. They all looked at her. "I mean, there's a chance that we all stay the same, and nothing has changed except the master is now gone. We got changed for a reason. I love you Lumiere, but I'm worried that this quest will be a waste of time."
"It won't, mon cherie. I'm confident this work out. It's all part of the plan, nothing can or will go wrong. I promise you that."
"But..."
"You have to have faith in Monsieur Lumiere." Babette told her. She looked at him. "I trust you, Lumiere." Angelique scowled, and made a low 'humph', sound.
"I have full confidence in you, Monsieur Lumiere." Lumiere smiled at her.
"Well, merci beaucoup, cherie. That means so much coming from you." Babette blushed again. "I was going to go to the stables to ride the master's horse, but then I thought of the book, and thought 'why not? It'll be faster, and plus since we have it, why not use it while we still can?'"
"I have just as much confidence in you too, Lumiere." Angelique piped up. "Maybe even more." She looked at Babette when she said 'more'. This made Babette groan. She looked at the castle decorator.
"You said that you were worried that this quest will be a waste of time."
"A woman can change her mind."
"You are absolutely right, cherie." Lumiere said. "There's nothing wrong with that. You are welcome to do that, and whatever you think is right." Babette gasped when Angelique blew a raspberry at her, nobody else saw this but her. She scowled. So unprofessional! She wanted to tell Lumiere, but she thought better of it. She wouldn't stoop to her level, no matter how much she hated her. Lumeire cleared his throat. "Meeting adjourned. Go back to your duties. Cogsworth, come with me to the library." Everybody went off.
"Yes, yes." The clock said. "Of course." He followed the candelabrum.
Before Angelique could leave, Babette spoke to her.
"Lumiere loves me you know. Always has, always will. He and I are meant to be." Angelique smirked.
"We'll see." She left the room. It took Babette a second, but so did she.
As Cogsworth followed Lumiere in the halls on the way, he recalled the time of the prince as a eleven-year old, and what he told him what happened when he was with his father near his mother on her deathbed.
The eleven-year old prince couldn't believe that this was happening. Seeing his mother in this way was unbearable. How could this happen to anyone so kind, loving, and nurturing as his dear mother who he loved immensely? Tears stung his eyes, tears that he wouldn't dare show his father. Crying was weak and unmanly to him.
He felt a hand on his shoulder. He looked up, and saw that it was his father,
"Come, son." The king stated. "We can't do anything else for her. This is just the way life is, and we have to accept it." The little prince didn't want to leave, but let his father lead him away.
Lumiere also remembered when he and the prince first learned of the news of the mistress' death.
The young prince was showing off his juggling skills in front of Lumiere when the king stepped into the room.
"Your mother's dead, son." He just said, and left the room. The prince stopped juggling and dropped the balls onto the floor. Lumiere frowned as he saw tears on the boy's face.`
"I'm so sorry about your mom, little prince." He apologized. "It's a sad day for all of us, not just you. You are not alone in this. It's okay to be sad. Let your feelings out; don't shelter them in." Adam ran off then, wiping his face. Lumiere stayed behind, having a moment of silence to himself for the fallen queen. Cogsworth came in then.
"I take it the young lad didn't take it well?" He asked. Lumiere nodded. He frowned. "Such a shame. He truly did love his mother."
"That he did, Cogsworth."
"The plague is such an awful disease."
"That it is."
"His mother wanted to teach him her way, and his father wanted to teach him his own way. I fear now that she's gone, his way of looking at life is going to change for the worst."
"The prince is smarter then that. He knows what's right and wrong, and it's his mother who taught him that. That's why he'll always remember it."
"I hope you're right, Lumiere. But only time will tell."
And time did tell. His father corrupted his son. Lumiere and the others tried over and over to right this wrong, and tell him about his awful parenting skills but he wouldn't listen.
They tried with the master too when the king left the castle, but like his father, he, too wouldn't listen. They grew to be scared of him so they tried to please him, even though his demands were ridiculous. They were scared of his father too.
That's why they did nothing, and let the master be mean to that beggar woman/Enchantress. They paid the price alongside him, and regretted it deeply ever since.
Lumiere and Cogsworth were at the library looking at the book; the book that could take them anywhere. They never used it. It was for the master, and the master alone. Lumiere also had the enchanted mirror in his hand.
"First let's see where the Enchantress is." Cogsworth spoke. He looked at the candelabrum. "Lumiere?" Lumiere held up the mirror. He was about to ask it the Enchantress's location when a little voice spoke up.
"Can I come?" They both looked, and saw Chip standing before them. They looked at each other, not sure what to say. "Please? I want to make sure the Enchantress will turn us and the castle back to normal, thus, breaking the spell." Mrs. Potts then entered the room.
"Chip!" She scolded. "Stop bothering Lumiere and Cogsworth. They're going to try to make this better." Chip looked at his mother.
"I'm not bothering them, Mama. I was just asking if I can go along with them." He looked at Lumiere. "Can I?"
"If it's okay with your mom, it's okay with me." He replied. "You could be great company." He looked at Cogsworth. "Cogsworth, what do you say?"
"Well, I...Mrs. Potts?" He asked, looking at her,
"It's fine by me." She said, Chip cheered. "I know you two will take great care of him so I'm not the least bit worried."
"We'll look out for him as if he was our son." Lumiere promised her.
"I know you will." She looked at her young son. "Listen to everything they tell you, Chip, and do what they say."
"Yes, Mama. I will."
"Love you, love." She gave him a kiss.
"Love you too." He hopped to the magic book as his mom left the library. "Alright, let's go!" Lumiere held up the mirror, and looked at it.
"Show us the Enchantress, si vou plait." He said to the mirror. There was then a glow, and showed a beggar woman in a pottery shop. "Aw, looks like our Enchantress friend is at a pottery store."
"I don't think enchanting us, and putting a spell on us all makes her friend-worthy." Cogsworth said. Lumiere didn't respond.
"What are we waiting for?" Chip said. "Let's go, already!" Lumiere looked at Cogsworth who nodded.
"For the master." He said.
"For the master." He agreed. He looked at the pages of the book. "Book, take us to pottery stop where the Enchantress is." The book glowed, and teleported them all.
Once teleported, they all looked around. Vases, and other pottery stuff were all around. They all saw her, the beggar woman. But they're eyes didn't stop there. Someone was coming down the street, but not just any someone. It was someone that they never thought to see again, someone who both Lumiere and Cogsworth didn't want to see ever again, it was Prince Adam's father, the king.