Author's Note: I'm rather surprised by the lack of feedback. Oh well. Can't please them all, I suppose. :)
"Run!" Mrs. Potts whispered as loudly as her common sense would allow, and the two enchanted beings obeyed, turning 'round on their heels and tearing for two separate corridors, Cogsworth through one, Lumiere through the other. In the rush, they hardly noticed the separation at all. Behind them, a terrified Mrs. Potts was quickly snatched up by LeFou, who had recovered quickly from the stab wound in his hindquarters.
"Gotcha!" He exclaimed with an ornery little sneer. "What are ya doin' up here all by yourself, lil' teapot? You're supposed to be with the other gadgets!"
Mrs. Potts wiggled and squirmed as best she could, but LeFou had a grip of iron, and after the other incident, he wasn't about to let her go. "I demand," the teapot snarled quite unladylike, "that you unhand me! Put me down at once!"
LeFou let out a snort. "Ha!" He jeered. "Fat chance! Last time I let one of you slip through my fingers, I got a mean stab in the back..." He winced, rubbing his behind with a free hand. And with that said and done, he began his long trek to the outside world.
"Now don't you worry about your friends. They're going to be in good hands for a long time," he promised.
...
Lumiere couldn't get away any faster, but just enough so he could shirk the squalid hands of LeFou, and that was good enough for him. He did, unfortunately, miss the kidnapping of his dear friend Mrs. Potts due to his rapid escape. If he had seen it unfold, he would've given a fatal burn to her attacker.
Rushing down several corridors and thanking God that he was small and nimble, Lumiere began to run out of breath. But it was really the least of his worries, what with Gaston's men around. Thankfully, although there were many, they were too few and far between compared to the large castle's scale for anyone to be packed too closely together. And besides that, Belle's room wasn't far. In fact-ah! There it was!
With a huge sigh of relief that almost rekindled his light, he approached Belle's room, putting his wax head against the door, listening fixedly. Sure enough, the muffled cries of a young woman and the grumbles of an exasperated young man could be heard. Belle? She...she sounded like she was in agony... and was...was that Gaston in there? Was he hurting her? The thought caused the pace of his non-existent heart to quicken.
But before Lumiere could say or do much of anything, the sound of approaching footsteps from within the room reached his "ears". Thinking quickly, he backed away from the door as it slammed open, nearly hitting him in the process. Out stepped Gaston, looking much darker than usual, a bright red handprint on his right cheek. The sight caused Lumiere's jaw to drop as he carefully peeked from behind the door. Belle must've given him her hand for sure, Lumiere realized with a proud smile tugging at his lips.
Gaston stood stiffly for a moment, clenching and unclenching one gloved fist while rubbing at his sore cheek with the other. Lumiere twitched. It was all he could do to keep himself from burning Gaston with his flames right then and there. What had he done to her to deserve that slap? What could he-? And then he remembered. Fifi. This man was the sole cause behind her death and now Belle's agony.
"It's your fault," he realized furiously. "It's your fault that Fifi's gone, you swine!"
"Gaston?" Came LeFou's call from the end of the hall. Lumiere extinguished his flames and hid in a shadow nearby, though he yearned to jump the both of them with his flames. They would probably squash him if he did that, though. Gaston rolled his eyes as his best friend trotted over with a big smile on his face, which only widened when he noticed the crimson print. "Heya Gaston, heheh. How's it hanging with th' future wifey?"
Gaston tensed with anger, and Lumiere was sure that he was going to bop the other man upside the head, but all he did was sigh dramatically. "Not good LeFou. I've been dismissed!" He then threw his arms into the air. "Rejected! Why, it's more than I can bear!"
At that, Lumiere rolled his eyes. "Oh...for the love of Dui..." He thought.
LeFou gave him an encouraging pat on the leg. "Don't worry buddy. If anyone can straighten out a woman, it's you! Just pull yourself together." And with that, he took the man's hand in his own and pulled him down the hall. "I know! Think of all the things she likes to do and put them to action. Doesn't she like cards or something?"
"Books, you numbskulls," Lumiere thought, sourly. "She adores books." He knew this by heart, ever since she had expressed interest of the library during her tour of the castle, many months ago. In fact, it had been Lumiere to suggest that the Beast show her the library to win her hand.
"By the way, have you seen a candlestick or a clock anywhere? I have some unfinished business with them..." LeFou trailed as they finally walked out of Lumiere's earshot, causing the candelabra to tremble with augmenting fear. What were they planning for the remaining castle staff? On one hand, he'd hate to know the answer, but...maybe Belle knew.
Lumiere waited impatiently for them to leave before quietly knocking on the large door with the metallic part of his wax hands.
When nobody answered, he tried again, only to receive a small "go away" in reply.
"Er, Mademoiselle?" He timidly greeted, looking left and right to make certain that nobody was near. "It's me!"
It was silent for a moment, and then there was a rushing of feet before the door opened a crack, Belle's bloodshot eyes peeking through. "Lumiere?" She croaked. "You're alive!" She fell to her knees and opened the door wider so that he could squeeze through. "Please, hurry," she urged, and when he was finally inside the darkened room, she took him into her arms. He hugged back as best he could.
"Oh my goodness," she whispered, covering her mouth as she shut the door with a free hand. She gently set him down. "How? How are you alive? How can that be?"
Lumiere smiled. "Well, I had to come back, Mademoiselle," he told her. What he didn't expect was the tearful woman to smile back, but she did, actually laughing a little through her tears. "After all, I never thanked you for saving my life up on the balcony. That was very brave."
Belle lifted her chin a little and smiled proudly. "I had to do it," she insisted. "You're family to me. All of you. And you were the first one to show me kindness here."
Lumiere blinked. "I was?"
Belle thought for a moment. "Well, after Mrs. Potts of course-"
"Of course," he chuckled.
"-and Chip-"
"Understandable."
"-and Madame-..." she smiled at him through her tears and he patted her knee.
"Fourth is good though, no?" He cracked, causing her to laugh a little. But down to brass tax... "What has happened to everyone?" He asked fretfully. "Mrs. Potts told Cogsworth and I that the staff's in cages! Is that true?"
"She's still here?" Belle gasped. "And Cogsworth too?" She put a hand over her heart in relief. "Oh thank heavens..." she breathed.
"Yes, at the present. We were all being chased when I last saw either of them." His nonexistent heart clenched at the thought of his friends captured. It was terrifying to think about, so to lighten the mood, he tried to jest. "I, ah, saw you put quite the number on that monstrosity."
Belle pursed her lips and wiped her runny eyes. "He didn't keep his promise," she revealed. "He took the Beast and promised me he would be stuffed when I..." she closed her eyes and bowed her head. "...I told him to brûle en enfer."
Lumiere winced. Oh. That couldn't have sat well with Gaston.
"I know," Belle murmured. "Excuse my french, but at the time, it felt so satisfying... Now I know it was hardly worth it. Because of me, the beast won't receive the burial he deserves. And it's all my fault..."
"No! No, Mademoiselle!" Lumiere soothed her. "If anyone is to blame for this misery, it I. If Gaston hadn't got ahold of me, you wouldn't have had to marry him in the first place."
"You? Are you talking about-?" She closed her eyes and shook her head, astounded by him. "Don't be ridiculous, Lumiere," she snapped. "None of what happened was your fault."
"Then neither was yours!" He declared with a snap of his own, crossing his arms. "If you think that you are to blame for Gaston's invasion-"
"But I AM!" Belle almost wailed, causing Lumiere to shush her. "I'm sorry, but don't you get it?" She hissed. "I told everyone in the village. I told them...him. If I hadn't done that, then you, Cogsworth, Mrs. Potts, and oh-poor Madame and Chef Bouche! You would all be alright!"
There was a small silence as Belle hugged her knees, looking away miserably.
"But we wouldn't have been alright," Lumiere thought despairingly. "We would've stayed like this forever anyway..."
"Oh, it was so foolish of me to say," Belle went on, tucking a strand of hair back where it belonged, "because now he has everyone! He's put them in cages and is planning to take them out to the village!"
"The village?" Lumiere inquired in confusion. Weren't they to be chopped up or set aflame? "Your home? Why?"
"I don't know," Belle confessed, clasping her hands on her lap. "Revenge perhaps? Whatever he's got up his sleeve, it can't be good for anyone but himself." That got Lumiere thinking.
"What about you?" He asked, shuddering at the thought of his master as a cozy rug or on a plaque of some sort. And his staff-oh! As the maître d', he was supposed to keep everyone and everything in order to keep them safe. His staff had counted on him and he'd let them down... He'd let Fifi down. He sagged at the thought, trying to ignore the buildup of tears in his eyes.
Belle just shook her head. "I...I tried to stop them, Lumiere, I truly did! But there were too many-and nobody would listen and-" she stopped, choking on her own words. "Oh, what are we going to do?"
Lumiere was almost at a loss . "Don't worry," he soothed, taking her hand with one of his waxed own. "I'll personally see to it that you shall never marry that tyrant!"
Belle beamed at his words. "Oh, Lumiere..." she whispered, wiping away a tear. "I don't even care about the wedding anymore. I just want my family to be safe."
"Then Cogsworth and I shall find your father!" Lumiere declared. "And find somewhere safe for him to stay, and then-"
Belle flinched, recalling her beloved parent. "My father!" She cried, standing up quickly. "I-I forgot all about him!"
"Do not worry," he soothed her, trying to quiet her cries. "I shall see to it that he is safe."
"You too," Belle interrupted.
Lumiere blinked, and gestured to himself. "Moi?" He asked.
"You, of course!" Belle affirmed, "I want you and the others to be safe."
"But your family-"
"I consider you family, Monsieur. You, and the everyone else in this castle," she quickly added.
The two were silent for a moment.
"Mademoiselle, I-"
Unfortunately, the sound of footsteps interrupted the harangue that was sure to come, causing to the two to stiffen with trepidation. Belle grabbed Lumiere by the base and rushed over to her bed. "Hide!" She urged, shoving him unceremoniously under. "Hurry!"
The door opened.
...
Cogsworth was the last one to be caught. Despite being the stumpy little clock that he was, he was certainly fast, although not as quite as light on his feet as his other counterparts, which prompted him to be captured by Tom, Dick, and Stanley soon after escaping LeFou's clutches.
He stopped dead in his tracks as the three men approached, all armed to the teeth, while he only had his small dagger in hand. "Eh...heheh," he chuckled nervously as the men all glared and raised their weapons. "Good evening, er-gentlemen!"
Cogsworth found himself in a cage outside just minuets later, surrounded by the small teacups-Mrs. Potts' children.
"Monsieur! Monsieur Cogsworth!" They all cried in unison, hopping up to crowd him. "What's happening to us? What's going on?!" As the shadows of men loomed over them, they all cried out and hid behind Cogsworth, who swallowed hard as LeFou came into view with a nasty grin on his face.
"So!" The little man sneered. "You're the one who stabbed me, eh?" He inquired, wrapping his grubby fingers around the metal bars of the cage in which they were held.
The children all gasped and looked to the clock with wide eyes. "Did you really?" Chip asked, pride not lost in his childish voice. Cogsworth smiled nervously.
"Did-Did I do that?" He asked timidly as LeFou raised a dagger, ironically enough, the same one Cogsworth drove into his behind. "Oh...dear me..." The enchanted object whispered, gathering the children up to gather behind him.
"Oh you did," LeFou barked. "And it sure did hurt!"
"Yes?" Cogsworth smiled nervously, wiping his glass forehead.
LeFou rolled his eyes. "Gosh, did it ever. Wanna feel what it felt like?"
"Not particularly..." Cogsworth muttered as the man poked the dagger through the bars of the cage. This was going to hurt, wasn't it?
...
The door to Belle's room creaked open just as she was situating herself and as Lumiere was backing up under the bed. In walked Gaston, looking quite bedraggled but determined, the red handprint on his cheek considerably faded.
"Hello, Belle," he greeted calmly.
The young woman lifted her chin. "Bonjour," she coldly replied, turning away.
Gaston recognized the danger signals, but LeFou had advised him to take a gentler approach. "Belle," he tried, "you can't stay up here forever-"
"Didn't we go over this, Gaston?" Belle faced him with a snarl. "You made a promise and broke it! We agreed that I would marry you if the people in the castle were left alone, and that included the Beast's body! And you-" she stopped, shuddering. "Have you done it yet? Skinned him?" It made her sick even to mention such a thing, but she had to know. She just had to.
Under the bed, Lumiere was astonished. "She agreed to such a thing?" He thought with amazement. How selfless, how kind, how so very Belle! And yet-the master? Skinned?! Mon Dieu!
To the relief of the candelabra and the young woman, Gaston shook his head. "No, not yet. My boys have hauled him to the village already."
Belle could only shake her head and ask, "Why?" Why had he such a cruel heart? And where on earth did he honestly think that wooing her would include killing her best friend? Why?
"Well, for proof of course!" Gaston exclaimed, astonished that Belle would ask such a silly question. "Don't think there will be any doubters left, now that we've caught the monster itself!" He said without thinking, which prompted Belle to become enraged.
"He was no monster, Gaston," she muttered quietly. "He was kind and gentle...my friend."
Lumiere held his breath and waited for Gaston's response.
"Belle, when we get home, I'll make sure to straighten you out, that I can assure you." Belle opened her mouth to speak, but the man cut her off. "Now, insanity isn't your fault. And thinking that this thing was your friend-no. Just no. But have no fear," he added when she tried to speak again. "We'll fix that pretty little head of yours. Lord knows we don't need another crazy ol' loon in our town to add to the pile."
Lumiere stiffened. He was no stranger to madhouses. His own cousin had been imprisoned there for hearing voices that didn't exist, and the things they did to him were beyond despicable! Grotesque even! He couldn't imagine what could be waiting for Belle at the madhouse.
"I'm not crazy!" Belle finally shouted, jumping to her feet. "And neither is my father! You just keep away from us, Gaston, and let the enchanted people go!"
Her anger hardly fazed him, oddly enough. Had he grown immune? "People?" He chortled. "Those creatures are subjects of sorcery, Dear. You saw how they hurt those innocent townsfolk, just trying to protect their families."
"You led them here!" She yelled.
Gaston held up his hands in defense. "How was I supposed to know that this place was haunted with enchanted beings? Besides, I wasn't the one who showed the whole town the Beast, Belle. That was all you." Belle had no answer for that, but she ground her teeth to near powder and clenched her fists like mad.
Lumiere himself was having trouble extinguishing his flames out of his own fury.
Gaston raised an eyebrow and put a hand around her waist, which caused her to stiffen. "Come. An auction awaits us!" He declared, moving her away from the bed and towards the door. Lumiere peeked out from his hiding spot and glared a death glare at the muscled man.
Author's Note: Please review! I promise I will reply!