A long, melancholy sigh filled the bedchamber of a certain brown-eyed, chocolate-haired princess. Wistful hands fingered the beautifully tailored wedding dress hanging in her new, non-speaking wardrobe. Would she ever get to wear this dress for more than ten minutes? It seemed very unlikely at this rate.
Then a tall, lanky figure walking by caught Belle's eye. She jumped up excitedly and rushed to follow him before he got away.
"Lumiere!" She called after him, earnestly awaiting his acknowledgement of her presence. "Lumiere! I must ask you something!"
The odd man had the unusual habit of walking around with both his arms up, elbows bent at a ninety-degree angle. Now he desperately tried to walk faster before Belle caught up with him to inquire on the same subject she did every single day. It was soon apparent, however, that he would not be able to outrun her, and he slowed down to a casual stroll.
"Oh! I did not see you there!" Lumiere lied, feigning surprise at the sight of Belle. "You are looking very elegant today, I might add!"
Belle doubted this. When Henry had first made the transformation from beast to man, she wore long, beautiful gowns, put her hair up in different styles, and used makeup. After the second time he re-scheduled the wedding, however, the makeup disappeared. After the third time, her hair was always up in the same messy bun. And now, since he had re-scheduled it yesterday, Belle was wearing the same comfortable blue dress she had been wearing when she first arrived here. She was even wearing the apron for old time's sake. But still, she appreciated the compliment.
"Why, thank you. Do you know where Henry is?"
Lumiere bit his lower lip as he wildly searched for yet another excuse. "No, mademoiselle, I do not. I have not seen him since dinner last night. Er…perhaps he is in the library?"
"Oh!" Belle gasped. "Of course! Merci beaucoup, Lumiere!"
»♥«
Deer Ceelia,
I no its been a wile but I need two ask you a faver—
Deer Ceelia,
Wee havnt taked in a lon time but wee need two now—
Deer Ceelia,
Why did you hav two mes up my lif so much—
A loud roaring sound filled the study. It was no use. Henry could never think of the right things to say, and even when he could, he spelled them wrong. The only person in the castle who could possibly help him there would be Belle, and she was the last person who needed to read what he was writing.
Henry used a strong hand to rub his temple sleepily. He had been doing this all day and practically all night for the past three months. Ever since the priest had come to talk to him…
There was a knock on the door, and Henry's eyes grew large. To prevent whoever was about to come in from seeing what he had been writing, he subtly threw himself over the desk, covering the papers that littered it.
Thankfully, it was only Lumiere who came in. The larger man sighed with relief. That was much, much too close. He'd have to start locking the door.
"What did I tell you about scaring me like that?" He growled, then slowly got off the desk. "Whatever it is that's so important, make it quick."
"So sorry, Master," Lumiere started mournfully, "But it is necessary. Belle has been asking questions, sir. Again."
A sad glint overtook Henry's eyes as he thought of his fiancée. He barely got to see her anymore—he was always afraid that he would give away something that he didn't need to. The first time he had re-scheduled the wedding that first time, he cancelled their lessons in the library. Too dangerous to be around so much writing. A month later, when he re-scheduled for the second time, he stopped going for walks in the garden with her. Too much free thinking. Now, a month of two re-schedules later, they only saw each other at breakfast and at dinner. And even then, Henry ate as quickly as he could and avoided looking her in the eye.
It hurt him deeply to be forced to such drastic measures, but there was no other choice. Lumiere supported his decision wholeheartedly, and Cogsworth didn't really care either way. It was mainly Mrs. Potts and Fifi who caused the problems—if it were up to them, they would go tell Belle the whole truth as soon as they possibly could.
Perhaps that would be easier. Henry was tired of thinking up excuses for why he was re-scheduling. The first time, he said that he was nervous. She believed him then. But each time, his excuses became steadily more pathetic. He couldn't say it was because he was scared of ruling a kingdom—soon after he had become a recluse, a new royal family had been found. The other day, Belle had accused him of not loving her anymore, and that was the deepest cut of all. His deepest fear was that she would get tired of waiting and just walk out.
But she couldn't walk out. No. That wasn't how it was supposed to go. All Henry needed was a little more time…and for Celia to reply to his letters.
"I'm sure she was," Henry replied to Lumiere roughly after a few seconds of silence. "But that doesn't change anything."
Lumiere shrugged; what did he care if his master ruined his one shot at a healthy relationship? "At any rate, it's time for dinner."
Henry nodded. "I'll be right out." As Lumiere walked out the door, Henry sighed and turned to the papers on his desk. He opened a drawer and dropped the letters inside before leaving the room himself.
Locked inside the desk was his darkest secret: a marriage license to one Princess Celia.