Authors Note: Here's the 4th chapter. I've been watching Little mermaid recently so I hope Lumiere doesn't sound like Sebastian. That would be terrible. LOL. I have also decided to go ahead and call the beast Adam, whether its official or not. The name works for me and saves me the trouble of coming up with one. To Rose Emeraldfay: Thanks for your review. you're really encouraging me to write.
Disclaimer: Don't own.
"Where is Lumiere?" Belle asked anxiously. She and Adam had sat down to breakfast and were greatly surprised when Cogsworth, instead of Lumiere, had come out with the food.
"He…" Cogsworth fiddled with his mustache nervously. "He has gone missing."
"Explain," Adam ordered. He could feel a mixture of anger and worry building up. Lumiere could be in trouble, but if the servant was just being lazy... The prince tried to push away the anger. He needed to know more first.
"I went to his room this morning, sir," Cogsworth answered, "and he wasn't there. We looked but couldn't find him. Of course, we all had our duties to do and didn't have time to do a thorough search."
"Didn't he come home last night?" Belle was now starting to get worried.
"Oh, yes, he came home last night." Cogsworth waved a hand, not seeming overly concerned. "He was rambling about some woman last night. I suspect he probably ran off to spend the day with her."
"I want you to find him," Adam growled. Belle gave him a look and he softened his tone. "We have to make sure it he isn't in trouble."
Lumiere had managed to sneak down to the smaller dining room that Belle and the master always used, except for when they had many guests, without being seen. At least no one had seen him and thought that he was a living thing. It was surprising that no one around the table had noticed him yet. Were they still that used to enchanted objects, or were they just not paying attention to anything around them? He was standing right by Cogsworth and heard his suggestion quite clearly. How insulting! He had been known to take a few moments off, especially for a beautiful lady, but a whole day? He would never do such a thing!
Cogsworth had jumped slightly at the Prince's order before bowing low in respect, bringing his hands within reach. Without really thinking about it Lumiere reached with one of his lighted candles.
"Ahh!" Cogsworth jumped into the air, nearly landing on Lumiere who had to leap out of the way. Thrusting his hand into his mouth, the head servant sucked his burnt fingers.
"Perhaps that will teach you a lesson, mon ami. I do not neglect my duties."
"Lumiere!" Cogsworth scolded, looking down at the candle. "Where have you…" It then hit him. He was looking at a candle, not a human. "Lumiere!" he gasped.
By then Belle and Adam had scrambled to their feet and had gathered around. "Lumiere!" they both cried.
The three stared at him in shock while Lumiere kept his head lowered, not meeting their eyes. This was not how he had planned to announce himself. He wondered what he should say.
Belle was the first to act. Gently she picked Lumiere up and placed him on the table so he would be on a more even level with everyone else. "Lumiere, how has this happened?"
"I do not know. I went to bed a man and woke up like this."
"What if the curse is returning?" Adam looked down at himself. He wasn't sure if he could bear becoming the beast again.
Lumiere could see fear creeping into all their eyes. He hopped forward. "If the curse is returning, I am thinking it would be all at once, not gradually, one by one. And if it was returning that way, pardon me master," he sent Adam a smile, "then I believe you would have been first."
"That may be so," Cogsworth finally found his voice. "But why have you changed back?"
"I do not know," Lumiere said again, his smile fading.
"There has to be a reason why." Belle looked down at Lumiere thoughtfully. "The sooner we find out why, the sooner we can figure out how to change you back. Now think, Lumiere, have you seen or done anything unusual?"
Lumiere thought for awhile, then shook his head. "I do not remember anything magical." He grinned. "Besides my meeting with Alvery."
"Who is this Alvery?" Adam asked.
"That was the woman he was going on about," Cogsworth spoke before Lumiere had a chance to say anything.
"A woman. You don't suppose she was the…"
"Enchantress?" Lumiere finished Belle's sentence. He shook his head, "Why would she do this to me? I have done nothing wrong. I do not believe Alvery is an enchantress."
"Maybe there's a part of the spell that you've forgotten." Belle looked at Adam. " A rule that Lumiere could have accidentally broken."
"The only rule that I remember is that I must learn to love and be loved by someone in return, before the last petal falls." Adam looked fondly at his wife. She smiled in return.
"That is it!" Lumiere pointed at the two excitedly. "If you kiss, perhaps I'll be changed back! It has worked before."
"It's worth a try." Belle stepped forward. Adam wrapped his arms around her. They bent their heads together and kissed. Cogsworth fixed his eyes on Lumiere while he looked down at himself hopefully.
Adam and Belle broke from their kiss. Nothing had happened. Not even a spark of magic had appeared. "I'm sorry Lumiere," Belle apologized.
"I guess I am stuck this way then," Lumiere sighed.
Belle looked at the disappointed faces around her. There had to be something… She spotted the book that she had laid on the table earlier. Books! She had always turned to books when she wanted to know something before. "Don't give up yet." She picked Lumiere up. "Follow me," she told Cogsworth and Adam.
"Where are we going?" Lumiere asked.
"To the library," she declared. The castle's library was one of the largest in the world. There had to be something there.
