When Elena realized, what happened, she tried to stop the girl. "Belle, stooop!"

Belle turned around and looked at her in confusion."How long have you been there?" she asked, but suddenly she saw a huge door at the end of the corridor. "That's got to be it!" she said. Elena, who moved with the help of wheels, raced over to her.

"Belle, stop. If the master finds you here, we'll all be in trouble!"

Belle looked at the harp, raising an eyebrow. "Oh, come on. I'm sure he'll get over this. I mean, now I'm living here as well. And I certainly want to know the place I'm forced to live at."

Elena sighed. "Belle, I know how-?" But Belle had already entered the room. Elenas mind was racing. hat to do? But then she decided that she really didn't want to get in trouble with the master. It's her own damn fault! Then the golden harp moved away. She'd ask the Prince tomorrow for a new room. Tonight she's sleeping in the music room. She cringed when she heard yelling, shouting, growling and a girls voice crying. She sighed, hurrying to the next floor.

"What the hell have you done?!" Michelle scowled at Adam, as he stood in the great hall. He grunted in anger and turned to the Paint Brush. "Well, I TOLD her not to enter the west wing!"

"Ugh, you wasted our only chance to ever become human again!"

"Michelle", Lumiere tried to calm her down. He knew very well, that she wasn't really worried about the curse, but concerned about Belle. He gently wrapped one of his arms around her, taking care she wouldn't get burned. And for the first time in two and a half years, she did not seem to mind. Instead, she rested her head against his chest.

Just like...last Christmas...

Of course it hadn't really been last christmas, however it had been the last one the castzle inhabitants had celebrated.

"ALRIGHT! I'll go..." Adam had finally been convinced to look for Belle. He jumped out of the castle and into the snow, sniffing on the ground and trying to find her.

"I hope he'll find her..."

Elena didn't found the sleep she hoped she would. The old organ kept playing the whole night long and in the morning, Elena looked up too him, with tired eyes and sighed. Honestly can't you stay silent for one single night?

She left the room, wondering, what happened to the girl. Most likely, the master ripped her into pieces. Elena yawned and went to the kitchen, only to see Belle there, helping Mrs. Pott.

"So, what did the master do?" she asked.

"He yelled at me, and then...he saved my life..." Belle answered. "Maybe he could become a better person...or whatever he is."

Michelle nodded. She looked around, spotting Lumiere, Chip, Cogsworth, Mrs. Potts, Elena and Belle.

"I think it's time to tell you the rest of my story...we all will tell you."

"I'd like tha-."

"Oh, I shall make us tea!" Mrs. Potts grinned.

"Alright then, this happened two months after my parents death..."

"Come on, Mina! The next city has to be somewhere!" Michelle said to her horse. The white mare seemedc rather scared. "Come on now!" Michelle hissed.

She lead the tall animal through the forest. "Paris can't be far away!" she said. She actually had a cousin in Paris. Maybe he'd take her in.

"Micheeelleee!" She heard an unpleasant voice shouting her name across the forest. "Gaston!"

She commanded her mare to run faster. "Go on, girl, go on! He may not find us!" As they disappeared between the trees, the became darker. The sun disappeared under the horizon. "Oh no, what shall we do?"

They kept riding for a while. Michelle became hungry and thirsty. She was tired and could barely keep holding the reins. "Oh, Mina...we should've never left the VILLAGE!"

The horse looked at his mistress and sadly dropped his ears.

Michelle looked up. "What...?" Then she saw it. A huge castle just before her. "Mina...look!" She drove her horse through the gate and into the court. She bounced off the mare and looked at the castle in amazement.

"Hallo?" a deep voice asked carefully. Michelle turned around in fear. What if that was a guard, who'd arrest her for invading the castle.

She saw a rather small, skinny, old man. He looked rather fragele. He had barely any white hair left on his head and a goatee. "Wer are you?" he asked gently.

"Um...my name is Michelle Blanchard. I was just looking for a place to stay..."

"Es ist in ordnung!" the short man answered, though Michelle couldn't understand what he had just said.

"Huh?"

"It's alright, my dear." he said, though Michelle still heard his accent.

"Where are you from?"

"Deutschland." he answered. Michelle had never heard of that place. "Is it far away?"

"Not very far, nein. Maybe you've heard of germany?...I'm Mr. Schmidt!"

Michelle nodded. "Why yes, I did..."

"Come on, girl. we'll asked the master what to do. Maybe he'll let you stay here for a nacht."

As they both entered the dark castle, Michelle noticed all the servants, busy with work. A lot of them looked exhausted and weakened. "Those poor people..."

"Well, they all serve Prince Adam. It's their job!" Schmidt explainmed. "And tonight is his half year birthday party."

"He celebrates his birthday twice a year?" Michelle asked.

"Four times, actually. Once each quarter year." Suddenly Schmidt bumped into a lean man who was standing in front of the stairs. He was tall, lean and around forty years old. He wore a wig. "Look where you're going you old, dutch fool!" The man hissed.

"I'm german!" Schmidt reminded him angrily. "Besides, forte, shouldn't you be in the music room and practice for tonight!"

"Bah, I don't need practice anymore. Elena!"

"Yes." A young girl appeared behind Michelle. She looked a little older then Michelle.

"Tell Mr. Schmidt, that we practiced enough."

"Well, yeah, we did. It's really good." she said. Michelle noticed, that the girl had an accent as well, but not the same as Herr Schmidt did.

"Gut, when one is nur a mediocre musician, one kann never practice genug!"

The other man raised his eyebrows. "Whatever!" he shouted and stormed off.

The foreign girl followed him.

"Who are they?" Michelle asked.

"Well he is the court composer. A horrible creature. And the girl is Elena, the niece of his ex-girlfriend, court painter Dora Pintura.

"My, Schmidt. Who is this sweet thing." Schmidt turned around.

"Mrs. Potts!"

The elderly lady took Michelles hand.

"She needs a place to stay!"

"Oh my. Well, why don't you tell us what happened to you." Mrs:Potts took Michelles hand and lead her to the kitchen.