In just a few weeks, the relationship between Rose and Leon had gone from captor and prisoner, hating each other on sight and taking great lengths to avoid each other, to the best ever friends they had and were growing closer each day, becoming inseparable.

He was becoming more comfortable in her presence, as was she, settling into a routine of reading in the library to each other, eating together, with Leon teaching her how to use utensils properly so that she could eat without making a mess, never once losing patience when she didn't get it right away.

And he had loved it when her face lit up when she had learnt something new and it was clear that she was enjoying life or at least rediscovering it.

Another thing that they had developed was nuzzling their noses together, as a sign of their friendship, every time they greeted each other in the morning and when they went to bed in the evening.

It had started by accident when Leon leaned in too close to Rose when they were reading and his nose bumped into hers. She was surprised that he did that, thinking that he was still uncertain about touching her and he apologised for it, but she returned the gesture.

Leon had definitely found something in Rose that wasn't there before. Yes, she may not be like the princesses from his stories and that she was a beast who was terrifying, had many flaws and could lose her temper at any time.

But having softened her cold, iron heart, he had found his true best friend, who he cared for very deeply and was wondering why he could have hated her in the first place.

Being with Rose in the castle was truly the only place where he could be himself and who he wanted to be, which he had always wanted and he had found it with her and the servants, who were now his dear friends and they cared about him more than anything, as did he and he felt more at home than he ever did in the village.

But he wasn't the only one who was having new, loving feelings for a person who one had hated at first sight.

Leon and Rose's budding relationship was having an effect on a certain ragdoll, whose hostility and hatred for a washboard who she had always found annoying and repulsive was starting to dissolve, but she couldn't let anyone know about it yet, given her constant complaining about him and she was able to fool everyone into believing that she still hated Remy, when deep down, she didn't anymore.

However her best friend wasn't easy to fool and saw right through her façade.

Katrine immediately knew something was up when she saw her saying hello to Remy one morning before he went to fetch two months' worth of water to last the entire winter before the waterfall in the glade froze over and instead of her usual comments and slapping him when he tried to kiss her, she smiled at him and was being friendly.

It had been brief, nothing more than just passing each other and saying a quick hello, but Remy was grinning ear to ear, as he and George went out to the forest, glad that she was starting to show her true feelings for him and Rebecca was in a daze, smiling and humming to herself as she waltzed over to the kitchen, only to run into Katrine, who was frowning suspiciously at her.

'Rebecca, did you do what I just think you did?' she said, noticing her strange behaviour as she knew all too well that Rebecca would be in a bad mood every time she had run into Remy and would rant on about him to her, so seeing her smiling was very unusual and she wanted to know the truth.

'Were you ACTUALLY talking to Remy without having the urge to push him away and slap him when he tries to hit on you? And were you smiling as well when you waved goodbye to him?

And what about the night when you reprimanded Lumiere when he flung Remy's silly cards on the floor when they were playing snap, saying that he shouldn't have done that, since those cards were precious to him, defending Remy, who you hate, against the person you like and see as a father figure, which is laughable since Lumiere is not what you would call a good role model!

Because I saw and heard it all and correct me if I'm wrong, but I think you have feelings for him! I can see it in your eyes, Bec; you like Remy, don't you?' Katrine said.

'No, Kat, I don't, I just said hello to him, that's all. You know very well, like everyone else, that I despise the annoying creep who constantly pesters me to be his girlfriend, so why would I do all that for him?' Rebecca laughed shakily, but she didn't sound convincing and Katrine knew it.

'Rebecca, I may be a mannequin but I am no dummy! You're my best friend and I can read you like a book and I KNOW when you are LYING to me! Just tell me the truth, it'll set you free!' Katrine said. Realising that she was not going to relent, Rebecca sighed and said,

'Yes, Katrine, I admit it, I like Remy! He may be annoying, immature, obnoxious, loud, brash and rude and never knows when to shut up, but he's actually a sweet, caring and friendly guy once you get to know him.

He's willing to put himself in harm's way to protect those he loves, like he did against the Red Enchantress even though he got zapped by her magic and very good at cards and his nickname for me is cute, I have to admit. But promise me that you won't tell anyone, because after going on about hating him; they'll never let me live it down!

But after seeing the mistress and Leon open up to each other and their friendship blossoming, I realised my true feelings for Remy and how much he loves me, that it is genuine and how sad and hurt he looked every time I rejected him and taking out his frustrations on Lumiere and Babette, after seeing them acting affectionate to each other.

You know that I have had a bad past due to my bad experiences with men and the horrific abuse I suffered under my previous masters and my mistrust of others because of it, so I had to keep my feelings bottled up and I didn't want to get close to him, but you had to admit, he was truly being a total pest as well, but he didn't actually hurt or act aggressive towards me.

But I do like him now, Kat and you mustn't tell anyone, I don't want them to know yet!' Rebecca said, feeling like a huge weight had been lifted off her shoulders and Katrine smiled at her.

'I knew it, Bec, I knew that you liked him and this coming from the girl who constantly rejected him, moaned your head off every time he tried to hit on you and complained to the mistress's father about him?

You've certainly changed a lot since then and it took being transformed into a ragdoll and the mistress's friendship with a boy to do it!' she said.

'And don't worry, your secret's safe with me, I promise I won't tell anyone! After all, best friends don't blab secrets!'

'Thanks, Katrine,' Rebecca said, hugging her friend, 'Speaking of secrets, what are you up to in your workroom? From what I have heard, it looks like you are designing some new fancy clothes for something special, that you don't want to tell me?'

'A lady never tells,' said Katrine, 'and it's for me to know and you to find out closer to the time. I'll keep your secret and you keep mine. '

'Fine, I won't tell,' said Rebecca as she went into the kitchen to make the breakfast, while Katrine went back into her workroom and looked at her designs for some fancy clothes that she was going to make for Rose and Leon, having got their measurements, as part of the plan she had in mind for bringing them together as a couple, unbeknownst to everyone.

All Katrine had to do now was get the material she needed to make them and she opened up a chest which contained her entire life savings, birthday and Christmas money and money that her aunt had sent over the years they had been separated, that she had never ever spent.

'This should be enough for the silk and velvet and threads that I need. I just hope they don't ask any questions that I may not be able to answer, like if the royal family is still alive or where they are,' she said, as she put the money in a sack, along with a letter and list of materials and waited for the messenger pigeon to come and deliver it to the nearest dress shop.

'I hope it will be worth it,' she said.

During the night, the weather had got colder and it snowed heavily, so the sight that greeted Leon when he opened the curtains the next morning, looked like he had stepped into a winter wonderland, as the gardens were covered with snow and he was in awe of the glistening snowflakes on the window, the sun shining on them and illuminating their beauty.

He couldn't wait to go out there with Rose and play in the snow, go ice skating and have a good snowball fight, like he used to do in the village, where he went to the meadow and quietly made snowmen and went sledding by himself, while the others had snowball fights, often hitting him in the process, raced each other on their sleds, the boys showing off to the girls about how fast they could go and skating on the lake.

'Isn't it lovely outside, Rose?' he said to her while they were eating breakfast which was apple and cinnamon porridge, a new flavour that Rebecca had wanted to try out, 'You should see the snow, it's like Queen Elsa herself paid a visit to the castle last night and sprinkled the gardens!'

'It reminds me of the times Chip, Sophie and I would always play in the snow, making snowmen, going ice skating and laughing so many times when we fell over! We also went sledding in the fields and had snowball fights, where we would mostly throw them at Cogsworth!' Rose said, giggling.

'It is NOT polite to throw snowballs at people when they least expect it!' she said, imitating the little clock, which sent both her and Leon into a huge fit of giggles.

'Manners, you two,' Mrs Potts said, rolling her eyes at their silly behaviour, 'Honestly, it's like you're two naughty little children, giggling to each other and causing mischief!' but she smiled, happy that they were definitely getting along now as friends.

'Sorry, Nana,' Rose said, 'anyway, I wish I can go out there and enjoy the snow again. It's been so long since I have done that and gone out into the gardens. You know to feel..like me again and do what had made me so happy in the winter.'

'What's stopping you, Rose?' Leon said, 'There's nothing that's preventing you from going, in fact I'd love to go outside after breakfast and we can make our own snowmen and go ice skating if the lake is thick enough to support our weight and maybe even feed the birds, if they haven't already flown south.

I used to do that in the village too, only by myself, since no one invited me to go sledding, ice skating and have a snowball fight with them.'

'Well then, let's go outside, while the sun is shining and the snow is still fresh, once we finish up our porridge, you don't want to offend Rebecca if we don't because she hates it when any meal she makes goes unfinished or gets rejected.' Rose said.

'Yes, I think I have learnt that the hard way,' said Leon, remembering the dinner fiasco on his first night, even though he had later enjoyed eating her meals.

'And this apple and cinnamon porridge is truly good,' he said, 'I'd like to have it again,'

'Yes, but nothing beats cherry vanilla as it will always be my favourite!' said Rose, finishing up and was pleased with herself for being able to eat without making a mess, having learnt how to hold a spoon properly with Leon's help.

It wasn't perfect by any means, but it meant that no more porridge would be making stains on her new clothes.

'But Nana, I'll be fine!' Rose protested when Mrs Potts insisted that she wear her new dark teal cape trimmed with light blue fur when she was about to go outside, 'I don't need to wear a cape, my fur will keep me warm!'

'Nonsense, dear, you still need to wrap up warmly against the cold!' Mrs Potts said, 'I don't want you catching cold, since your dress and fur won't be enough! Nana knows best!'

Rose sighed, knowing that she was right. She was wearing the same dress as her mother's pink one, only it was teal with light blue trimmings and while it was suitable for winter, the three-quarter sleeves didn't quite cover up her arms.

Leon was wearing a white shirt and black trousers, like he usually did, only with a light blue belt and a deep purple cape, another of Adam's old outfits, with his hair tied in a purple ribbon, which was enough to keep him warm.

'I'm wearing a cape, Rose, it's really no big deal, it'll keep the cold away,' Leon said, chuckling at Rose being fussy and hoping it would persuade her and Mrs Potts smiled at him gratefully.

'Alright, Nana, I'll wear the cape, since Leon is wearing one,' Rose grumbled, as she reluctantly put in on, although she still preferred not to wear it, thinking that her fur, as much as she hated it , would keep her warm.

'There we go, that wasn't so hard now, was it?' said Mrs Potts, 'and it looks lovely on you, dear, Katrine did an excellent job, as usual. Just like what your mother used to wear.'

She said that last sentence quietly, so Leon wouldn't hear and Rose smiled at her, feeling silly about making such a fuss over a cape.

'Now, go and have fun in the snow, dears and remember to stay warm. If you start getting apple-cheeked, then it's time to come in,' she said, as she watched Rose and Leon go outside, smiling as she saw a picture of Belle and Adam, wearing the same clothes, going out to play in the snow, like they did years ago and seeing them in their daughter and her best friend, hopefully soon to be her true love.

'They would be so proud of her,' she said to herself, 'just like we are. There may be something there that wasn't there before.'

'Do you want to build a snowman?' Leon asked Rose, as they went into the gardens after going to the lake to go ice skating, only to find that it wasn't thick enough to support both of them, therefore they weren't able to skate on it.

'How about we build snow figures of the servants instead?' said Rose, 'that would be so much fun and you can impersonate them, like we do when we imitate Uncle Cogsworth!'

'That's a great idea, Rose,' said Leon, as he kneeled on the ground, wincing slightly as the snow seeped into his trousers, 'you sure do come up with them!'

Rose smiled at him and they happily started making the snow figures of all the servants and seeing Rose making a figure, frowning when it crumbled to pieces and getting frustrated but with Leon's encouraging smile and help, she managed to make one of Sophie the best she could and how she laughed when he did his impersonation of Cogsworth, Leon thought of a song and sung it to himself,

There's something sweet

And almost kind

But she was mean and coarse and unrefined

But now she's dear

And so unsure

I wonder why I didn't see it there before

Soon, there was a row of figures which resembled the servants and they were pleased with their work. Then Leon saw some birds coming near them and having got some birdseed from the kitchen, put some into his hand, held it out towards them and a little blue bird hopped over to him and pecked at the food.

'Hey little guy,' Leon said gently, 'Rose, why don't you try it? Come and feed the birds.' Hesitatingly, Rose walked towards the birds, but they backed away, terrified of the strange and frightening creature that was coming towards them.

But Leon, ever patient, poured some birdseed into her paw and ushered her to approach a red bird, which seemed to be coming near her, gently so as not to frighten it and Rose did so with caution, but the bird was not afraid of her.

Like the blue one had done with Leon, it pecked at the food out of Rose's paw without hesitation and her face lit up like Lumiere's candles in joy.

'That's good, Rose, the bird likes you,' said Leon, touching her paw, without shuddering, no longer afraid to touch her, which made her feel warm and fuzzy inside.

She thought, as she sang to herself, while Leon went over to a tree, watching her from behind it with amusement as several birds now jumped on her, which surprised and confused her.

He glanced this way

I thought I saw

And when we touched, he didn't even shudder at my paw

No it can't be, I'll just ignore

But then he's never looked at me that way before

And it was true, for Rose's feelings for Leon were even stronger than before, but she didn't want to admit it, but she was afraid that he wouldn't return them for as far as she could see, he only saw her as a friend, that he didn't feel..THAT WAY.

But she was going to ignore it and have fun with the boy, who she once hated and was her prisoner, although he wasn't that anymore.

He was the friend she had wanted and hopefully would soon be her true love that she had waited ten long years for.

From behind the tree, Leon leaned against it and sang to himself, about his feelings for Rose,

New and a bit alarming

Who have ever thought that this could be?

Yes, she's not like the princess from my stories

But there's something in her that I simply didn't see.

Leon now realised that Rose wasn't the monster he had first seen in the dungeon and wasn't afraid of her and seeing her covered with birds, confused and surprised, made him smile, seeing the kind and gentle beast that he liked, that he had brought out.

Then he smirked, as he made a snowball, to start a snowball fight and to catch her unawares, much like Sophie did when she sprayed paint on them with the easel, and called out, slyly,

'Hey, Rose,' which got her attention once the birds flew away and she turned towards the tree, only to get hit in the face with a snowball, and Leon smirking at her.

'Gotcha! You weren't expecting that, weren't you? I got you totally unawares! You may have forgotten a lot of things, but I hope that you haven't forgotten how to have a good old snowball fight, haven't you?' he said.

'Of course not, and you are SO DEAD, Leon! How dare you sneak up on me like that!' Rose said, in a teasing way as she too made a snowball and threw it at Leon, laughing.

'How do you like that, huh?'

'Bring it on, Rosie!' Leon said and the two were soon throwing snowballs at each other, laughing and having the best time in the snow, without a care in the world, as they enjoyed their playful fight, Rose forgetting about the curse and being a beast, as she playfully pelted Leon with snowballs, soaking his cape.

'Have you had enough or do you want some more?' Rose said, as Leon lay on the ground, begging for mercy.

'No, have mercy, Rose! I can't take it anymore! You win, just let me have my dignity!' Leon said, clutching his side, pretending to be hurt.

'Do you mean it?' Rose said.

'Yes, just let me be!' Leon said, getting up and having another snowball hit his face, with Rose smirking at him.

'Tsk, tsk, you two,' came the familiar voice of Cogsworth, who had seen both Rose and Leon playing in the snow from inside and was about to reprimand them for their childish behaviour, even though they were clearly having fun.

'Snowballs are NOT for throwing at each other!' he said, wagging his arm at them.

'You're right,' Rose said, with a sly look on her face, 'they're for throwing at YOU, Uncle Cogsworth!'

'Oh, no,' Cogsworth groaned, as he was soon pelted with snowballs, like he had been in the past when Rose, Chip and Sophie would do it to him, often when he had his back turned and didn't expect it.

Rose and Leon laughed, as did the servants, who were watching from the window in the main foyer, smiling at Cogsworth's misfortune and the fun the couple were having outside.

'Ha, ha, take that, Cogsie!' Remy said, laughing.

'Oh, he's so getting annihilated!' Chip added.

'And look how much fun the mistress is having with the boy,' Lumiere said, 'For the first time in forever, she is truly happy and so is he.'

'It truly warms the heart, doesn't it?' said Amelie.

'It's like we're seeing our dear Belle and Adam again and I can imagine they will be so proud of her,' said Babette.

The servants then sang,

Well, who'd have thought?

Well, who'd have known?

Mrs Potts added,

Well, bless my soul!

Well, who indeed?

And who would have guessed they'd come together on their own?

Babette sang,

Just like her parents!

Rebecca sang,

And they didn't need our help at all!

Seeing Rose and Leon come inside, him taking her cape off, as they sat down in the den in front of the fire and read the latest book that they had started on, which was King Arthur, Mrs Potts sang,

It's so peculiar! Just wait and see

We'll wait and see

A few days more

There may be something there that wasn't there before

Cogsworth entered the foyer, shaking the snow off him and saw everyone smirking at him, which made him frown. He then saw the mistress and Leon reading together and sitting close to each other and smiled as he sang,

Perhaps there's something there that wasn't there before

Rebecca, while looking at Remy, sang to herself,

There may be something there that wasn't there before

'What's there?' Sophie asked, determined to know what was going on.

Amelie sang,

There may be something there that wasn't there before

'What's there, Mama?' Sophie asked again, 'Tell me!'

'Oh, I'll tell you when you're older, dear,' Amelie said, as the servants turned to leave, giving Rose and Leon their privacy and to resume their chores.

'Ah, the 'I'll tell you when you're older' speech,' said Remy, 'Number 23 in the Book of Parental Clichés!'

'Ha, ha, you are so funny, Remy,' Amelie said, sarcastically, while Rebecca gave a small giggle, which she managed to hide, 'Just wait until you have children yourself, then we'll see who's laughing!'

'You know, I asked you that once, Mama, what Sophie had just said' said Chip, 'don't you remember?'

Yes, I do, Chip and you know what happened, which I believe will happen for the mistress and the boy soon.' Mrs Potts said.

'I know it will, we just need the right idea to bring them together, like we did with her parents. If only someone could give us an idea on what we can do.'

And that someone had just sent away her life savings to the finest dress shop in Paris, as she watched the pigeon fly away with the sack full of money and the list, hoping that it would come in time.

'Now all I need to do is to convince everyone that a ball will be the perfect thing to bring our dear mistress and her true love together and to free us all from this awful spell.' Katrine said, as she pencilled out her final designs for the outfits.