I thank lavadiamond10, Fanatic97, and Yen mi Eruion for helping me. The Rhodri species were created by alaitallon of Deviantart.
Leon followed the tools around, doing as much as he could to keep up with the construction work, but the tools essentially had everything in hand. Which was odd, of course, because no one there actually had any hands.
"Does anyone know what day it is?" he asked, as he had long lost track of the date during his time of enchantment.
"Why does anyone care to know?" sniffed the hammer, slapping down a nail on a loose board in the floor.
"We don't really know any more than you," the saw explained as she cut a wood slat down to size.
"Haven't really paid attention much up in the attic," piped up a small clamp.
Leon frowned, stirring at the pot of mortar he'd been working on. "Would the prince or princess know?"
"She might, but I doubt if he would," replied the saw. "The master doesn't like thinking about the time much."
"I assume because of his age limit?" Leon asked.
"No duh, he's got the pressure for himself to free us all and his sister!" The saw replied.
"You don't have to be snotty." Leon said, "I just asked a few questions." He wasn't too happy about the reception he had been getting from the tools. He just hoped that when the stairs are done that he didn't have to deal with them anymore.
Leon almost couldn't believe what Karla told him: that she and her brother were cursed nine years ago. Could nine years passed by that quickly?
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Fife gently hopped to the east tower, not wanting to cause any noise. He peeked around the corner and saw Leon, still stirring the mortar as he listened to the tools. Fife then looked at the rope that was being used to lift the tools to each step. He then carefully sneaked past Leon and tied the rope from end of the entrance to the other. He then softly hopped away, back to Forte.
"Bring up the mortar!" The hammer snapped at Leon. "We're ready for it!" Leon sat up and walked over to the stairs...he didn't notice the rope. The rope tripped him, causing him to fall forward. He fell on the stairs...breaking a huge hole. Leon grabbed the edge of the hole, preventing him from falling, but he reached out his left paw to grab the tools. He managed to grab the saw, hammer and wrench, but he had to use his tail to grab the clamp. Leon threw the tools back up out of the hole while he continued to hold on.
"Is everyone all right?" the saw asked as the clamp was thrown back out.
"I believe so." The wrench said.
"Aside from yourself, of course," said the saw. "Need some help?"
"I'd love some," panted Leon, staring down into the hole. It was so dark, he couldn't see where the bottom was.
The saw wobbled to her companions. "Have at 'em, lads!"
The wrench clamped down onto his tail, levying him back. Pushing off as hard as he could, Leon leaned back as far as he could, almost falling on the tools as he did so. Back on level ground again, he heaved a sigh of relief; he had essentially escaped a grisly demise.
"Who put this here?" snapped the hammer, examining the rope. "This wasn't here ten seconds ago!" Using his claw, he levered the rope off the post, tossing it back into the toolbox. Marching threateningly to and fro, he growled, "Somebody's going to be held responsible for this!"
"Do you guys have any pranksters that might do this?" Leon asked apprehensively.
"Maybe some of the Sweepers, but they'ed never do anything like that!' A Hammer said.
Leon felt his heart racing; he really believed he escaped death. The tools were too busy wondering what caused the incident, so Leon took advantage to sit down and calm down. For the first time in a long time, he was afraid of his life. He put the attack of the wolves on him and Karla the second scariest time. This possible fall pushed it to second place; it was 'the' scariest time of his life.
"Leon," he heard; he looked up and looked at the tools. "you may go and sleep for the night." The wrench spoke again, "After the scare you had, go get some rest. We can do what we can for the stairs." Leon just nodded his head. He was still very shaken from almost falling.
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Karla woke up to the sound of someone knocking on her door. She figured it was one of the servants come to bring her to breakfast. She slowly got out of her bed, which was a little small for her big body. She walked over to her bedroom door and opened it. Karla completely woke up when she saw...that it was her brother at the door.
"Morning sister." He said; Karla was very surprised, but quickly shook her head.
"Think of this as a peace offering. I came to bring you down for breakfast."
"Hmm...thank you Adam." She said as she followed him to the dining hall.
"I hope you slept well." He managed to say.
"Of course, Adam. It was nice sleeping in your own home again." Adam didn't show it, but it hit his heart when he heard that. He now felt bad for kicking her out. When they approached the dining hall, they noticed that Leon wasn't around to be seen.
"Your breakfast is ready." Cogsworth said as he bowed to them.
"Cogsworth...is Leon coming?" Karla asked.
"No ma'am." He answered, "Apparently there was a bit of an incident when he was helping fix the east tower stairs."
"Is everyone okay?" Adam quickly asked. He still cared about all of his servants.
"Yes, sire, thanks to Leon." Cogsworth said and the two royal siblings looked at each other and back at Cogsworth." Leon tripped and fell on the stairs, causing a hole to happen. He almost fell through the hole, so did the tool servants, but he caught them and brought them back on the safe floor of the castle. If it wasn't for them, we would have four servants less." When Adam heard that, he was very pleased to hear that.
Adam's opinion of Leon was significantly improving throughout the rest of the day, particularly when Leon managed to fix a leaky pump by the stables. "That plinking was driving us all crazy," he told the singer.
"No trouble at all, your Highness," said Leon, bowing. "Just happy to help. Is there anything else I can do for you?"
Adam looked uncomfortably at the ground. "Could you... I mean, do you want..."
Leon raised his eyebrows. "Yes?"
"Could you... do another one of your songs?" the prince asked reluctantly. He had gone quite a while now without Forte's soothing playing, and he missed having music close by.
Leon looked surprised, but obliged. "Of course, sire." Clearing his throat, he began to sing.
Just when I believed I couldn't ever want for more
This ever changing world pushes me through another door
I saw you smile
And my mind could not erase the beauty of you face
Just for awhile
Won't you let me shelter you
Adam sighed and closed his eyes, listening to the rhythm of the swaying notes. "Thank you."
Hold on to the nights
Hold on to the memories
I wish that I could give you something more
That I could be yours
Upstairs, Karla pricked up her ears, listening with wonder and delight. Leon's voice sent a shiver through her; how could his music make her feel so light of heart, and yet dizzy at the same time?
How do we explain something that took us by surprise
Promises in vain, love that is real but in disguise
What happens now
Do we break another rule
Let our lovers play the fool
I don't know how
To stop feeling this way
Slowly, Karla crept down the stairs, following the music until it led her to the spot where Adam and Leon were. She watched with fascination as Leon danced gracefully back and forth to his own song.
Hold on to the nights
Hold on to the memories
I wish that I could give you something more
Somehow or other, the music found its way into Karla's own step. Before she knew where she was, she too had begun to dance, out of sight from her brother and Leon. She was a bit out of practice, what with nine years' lack of it and four extra paws, but she moved quite smoothly, given the circumstances.
Well, I think that I've been true to everybody else but me
And the way I feel about you makes my heart long to be free
Everytime I look into your eyes, I'm helplessly aware
That the someone I've been searching for is right there
Unconsciously, Leon got more into his dancing as the song progressed. He stepped, spun, stepped again, moving as lightly as if he had wings.
Hold on to the nights
Hold on to the memories
I wish that I could give you something more
Ohhhhhhhh
Hold onto the nights
Raising his front paws, Leon was surprised to bring them to rest against another pair; reaching the doorway at last, Karla had struck the same pose at that exact moment. Their noses were almost touching as their eyes met.
The two of them gazed at each other for a moment, before backing away and blushing.
'We're going to be in so much trouble.' Karla thought when she looked at her brother, but as fate would have it, Adam's eyes were closed from listening to the song. She and Leon took a breath of relief.
"Don't stop, Leon." Adam said, with his eyes still closed. "Please keep going if you can." Leon quickly looked at Karla; she was walking backwards, but motioning him to keep going with his song. Leon quickly cleared his throat and finished his song. This time Karla made sure that she just kept out of sight.
It...almost embarrassed Karla that she was feeling the way she was to Leon. She also felt a little afraid if those feelings were real. If they were, it would crush Adam's heart. It wasn't the feeling of love and happiness that was scaring her; it was the possibility that she found love...but her brother didn't. Karla would never forgive herself if her brother became more than jealous towards her and Leon...if they were falling in love.
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"What is he doing to him?!" Forte grumbled to Fife.
"I think he's singing to him, Maestro." Fife answered and Forte boomed his keys, causing Fife to fall and clink.
"I'm supposed to be soothing him!" Forte groaned, "I'm supposed to be the one to comfort the master!"
"Maybe he just wants a change." Fife tried to say, but all that did was make Forte boom his keys again.
"I taught that rat everything he knows!" Forte groaned again, "Why is his music getting to the master?" Fife decided not to answer that because he knew Forte would boom his keys again if he spoke. "Perhaps it's time to take matters into my own pipes."
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3 months had passed since Karla and Leon had that little dancing...conflict. They were relieved that Adam didn't see any of that, but Karla kept herself away from Leon. She already had a guess on what would happen if she was near Leon again. She paced around her room, thinking on how to help Adam. It had now been 10 years since the Enchantress came. She already did a lousy job of that before they were cursed. Even those she was his little sister, she wasn't going to ignore her brother this time. Karla walked up to her window and carefully opened the windows and looked out over the forest. She knew her brother wasn't going to leave the safety of the castle to find someone. So she decided to take things into her own paws.
'Hold onto the Nights' is by Richard Marx.