Chapitre Deux :)
Maurice and Phillipe galloped in the forest with the wood-chopping machine following behind. Unfortunately, Maurice's sense of location wasn't so keen this particular evening. Although he had the map in hand, along with the reigns, he had somehow gotten them lost. "Oh, I think we've lost our way, Phillipe." he confided in his horse when they arrived at a fork in the road.
Phillipe, who oddly had more common sense than his master wanted to go to the left side, which looked a lot of safer and peaceful, and strangely there was the beautiful sound of singing birds and had more sunlight. He lifted his hooves and started heading towards that way until Maurice pulled on the reigns. "Let's go this way." he told his horse. Now, the right path looked darker, scarier, the trees looked lifeless and instead of singing birds, it was replaced with the creepy sound of a howling wind.
Phillipe tried to go against his master's orders, but failed. "It's a shortcut! We'll be there in no time." Maurice told him reassuringly.
They had been walking for many hours now, but still no sign of the fair. It was getting darker, and poor Phillipe was freaking out. When the pair were about to turn around, the cart accidently hit a tree, home to a population of fruit bats. The bats were startled and immediately flew out of the hole, frightening Phillipe. The horse quickly ran away from the spot, ignoring his master's cries to calm down. "Whoa boy! Slow down!" Maurice cried.
The brown panicked horse ran in whatever direction he desired to go to until finally stopping to another unfamiliar spot. "Now we're even more lost!" Maurice sighed heavily while looking at his map. When he looked up he spotted a path. He led Phillipe towards it and they followed it until they reached the gates of a castle that had been hidden in the forest. "I wonder why no one has ever noticed a castle in here?" he thought aloud.
Maurice hopped off the saddle and went to the gate. He rattled it open and called out "Hello? Anyone there?"
He pulled on Phillipe's reigns and led him inside into the courtyard. "Hello!" he yelled out again. When they neared the entrance he commanded his horse to stay where he was as he opened the doors of the castle. Inside, he marveled at the rustic beauty of the grand entrance. The ceiling of the first floor was higher than the roof of his small cottage. "Hello? Anyone there? My horse and I have lost our way and need a place to stay for the night!" he called out into the darkness.
"Of course you can stay here!" a welcoming, debonaire French voice spoke.
"Who's there?" Maurice panicked as he grabbed a near candelabra that was standing next to a brown table clock.
"Over here!" the voice said. Maurice felt a friendly tap on his head and turned to see a living, breathing candelabra in his hands. "The master has prepared everything for you!" it happily said before being rudely dropped on the ground.
"Incredible!" Maurice marveled as he noticed the clock walking towards him.
"Now, if you come this way, you'll see that the master has prepared a hearty dinner for you. Your horse is being attended to as we speak and when you finish up we'll show you to your room." the walking clock spoke in a properly snooty manner.
Maurice picked him up and started messing with his gears. He twisted his hands and tickled his feet until the living clock closed the entrance to his pendelum in his fleshy finger. "Do you mind?" he smirked.
"I beg your pardon! It's just that I've never seen something so-ACHOO!" a cloud of dust covered the clock's face.
Maurice set him down in the ground. "Now, that we've...gotten to know eachother, please follow us Monsieur."
"I am Lumiere, and this is my fellow companion, Cogsworth." the charming candelabra introduced as he led their guest to the dining room.
"It smells heavenly!" Maurice licked his lips when his nose recieved the smell of homemade food.
In the dining room, a round tea pot with a face sat on the table with a young looking tea cup with a chip missing from the rim. "Welcome to the castle!" the teapot greeted. She then poured her nose into the cup and a small waterfall of tea fell in.
The enthusiastic tea cup carefully jumped towards Maurice's seat. "Wanna see what I can do?" he asked. He strained his face and tea bubbles started forming on top.
"Chip! Don't do that in front of the guest!" Mrs. Potts scolded her son.
Maurice chuckled and drank some of the tea as silverware and plates with food placed themselves in front of him. "How delightful!"
After finishing his meal, Lumiere and Cogsworth led their human guest into a random hallway into a random room. "These are your accomidations for the night." the happy candelabra said as he motioned one of his candle sticks in the room.
"It's a very nice room! Thank you very much." Maurice gratefully thanked the enchanted objects. "When will I see the lord? I have to thank him as well."
"Uh... you most likely won't see the master at all during your stay." Cogsworth explained while trying to hide the awkwardness on his face. "Very busy man, but we will let him know. Good night Monsieur!"
Cogsworth walked out with Lumiere hopping behind his steps. "Sweet dreams Monsieur!"
So...you like? Review please! :D Ch. 3 coming soon
