Chapter Eleven

Lumière halted when he reached the dining room, his heart racing when he found Babette waiting for him.

"Did you sleep in again?" she asked, her finger delicately tracing the carved patterns on the table. "Passing the time until you decided to show yourself has been…unbearable."

As Babette rose from the chair, Lumière's breath failed him; she looked as appealing as when he had first seen her at the dance hall. She was wearing a rebelliously tight dress that offered a gratifying study of her perfect figure, and as she leaned against the table, she released her hair, cascading waves of dark silk, from the pins. Obeying when she beckoned him to come closer, Lumière was transported into ecstasy as the tantalizing scent of lavender radiated from her.

"You? Waiting here for me?" Lumière asked. "Did you…ahem…" His voice reached new heights in terms of pitch while she caressed his cheek. Coughing a bit to return it to normal, he continued, "Did you have a change of heart?"

Babette grinned. Wrapping her arms around him, she reveled in the delight of feeling him become rigid with desire.

"Perhaps," she cooed with an impish look in her eyes. "As much as I want to, there is no denying what I felt that day in the cellar."

Lumière held her close, marveling at how natural it felt. He belonged with her, to her, mentally, physically, and emotionally. "And…what is that, my little coquette?"

Skillfully moving a few place settings aside, Babette drew him down to the table with a smirk. "Obviously you remember. From where I am…resting, I can certainly tell you are feeling it as we speak."

Lumière tried to meet her lips with his own, but failed when Babette turned them away playfully, forcing him to land at her cheek instead. It was not the preferred territory he wished to explore, but it would do for now. Affectionately nuzzling her there, so soft and warm, he ventured lower to the curve of her neck, grinning like a love drunken fool as she pleasurably voiced her approval.

"Lumière…oh, Lumière…wake up…"

"Lumière, wake up!"

Lumière arose from his slumbers just in time to hear thunderous knocking on his door as per Cogsworth's morning routine.

"Wake up now! There is much to do before this evening, and there is no time for you to waste on nonsense dreaming!"

Lumière grunted some sort of irritated, muffled reply before returning to the pleasant task at hand…but his kiss only met his pillow. Hell must have frozen over and pigs could fly off into the sunset because Cogsworth was right. It had only been a dream. Shoving the pillow against the headboard, Lumière turned on his back with a frustrated sigh.

For the past few weeks since Babette's arrival, Lumière had been plagued by dream after dream, but it could not be helped. Babette was without a doubt the most incredible woman he had ever met. Also, the most stubbornly feisty one, he thought with a smirk. Playful…beautiful…well-endowed figure…

Lumière dashed for the water basin on the dresser, praying the water was cold. Thankfully it was, and he gave his face a good splash, taking a few deep breaths. This could not happen to him, especially not today when everything was on the line. The banquet was his first true test to prove himself worthy of keeping his position; not even he of all people could risk it for a woman.

Glancing at himself in the small dresser mirror, Lumière could hardly recognize himself. He was still a young man in the very beginnings of his life. But with the stress of planning the menu for the banquet, training Babette and keeping her out of trouble, and now these fantasies, he looked and felt like an old, worn out fool on the verge of retirement. The shadows under his eyes were turning shades of purple that would have made the royals envious, and he doubted that he would ever have to powder his hair again if the aging rate increased any faster…

All right, that was enough pessimistic thinking for one morning, Lumière thought with a decisive nod. Such thoughts only made stress harder to deal with, and he refused to let either consume him entirely. He was not Cogsworth after all! Life would treat him well if he returned the favor.

Dressing rather casually for the time being to save his formal attire for later, Lumière raced downstairs to the kitchen. The devil himself must have been cursing his new arctic environment because Cogsworth was still correct. There was much to be done, and so little time to complete all preparations.


To say that the castle was elaborately decorated that evening would be a complete understatement, and a pathetic one at that. Guests gathered in the ballroom, always the center of every celebration, were treated to fresh flowers from the king's gardens hanging everywhere in sight. Magnificent banners and tapestries of the finest cloth were draped fashionably on the massive windows and pillars. The chandelier had even been lowered earlier to receive a thorough polishing for the event, and it now gleamed with radiance and beauty.

In the dining room, Lumière was working as efficiently as possible with his staff to have everything from place settings to the first course ready. If not for Cogsworth incessantly rapping away at the floor with what Lumière tauntingly called the "announcement rod", all would have been well.

"Look lively now, people!" the Englishman called, more bothersome than usual. "Dinner must be announced within the next few minutes; we must not fall behind schedule!"

Lumière sighed as his patience started to plummet; after this banquet was over, he was determined to teach Cogsworth how to work under pressure properly.

"You worry too much, mon ami," he said calmly. "We are just about done. Forget a few minutes; all we truly need is a few more seconds!"

"Try telling that to the most honorable royalty and nobility present, and see if you still feel the same way," Cogsworth argued, patting his brow nervously with a handkerchief.

Lumière took a moment to survey the progress, smiling with satisfaction as he saw everything prepared.

"Hand over that stick, and I will," he replied. "We are ready."

After Cogsworth shot him a look for the comment, he headed for the doors to make the dinner announcement while Lumière made his way to the kitchen to check on his staff one last time before the meal began.

Once orders had been given regarding the first course, Lumière scanned the room looking for Babette. He had not seen her since the preparations had started earlier that afternoon, and the last thing he needed was to find her making mischief somehow, or worse with someone.

"Looking for me, amour?"

Lumière turned, startled, to find Veronique pulling him aside to steal a kiss. Normally having no doubts about accepting such a delight, Lumière surprised even himself when he broke away gently.

"On any other night, ma chérie," he said, tenderly kissing her cheek, as one would do to a child. "We would be cuddling in each other's embrace. Should I make any mistakes tonight, I fear I would have to bid you adieu. They will surely dismiss me, and you do not want that to happen, do you?"

"Please, just a short…rendezvous in the washroom?" Veronique pleaded, tugging on his arm with a pout.

Lumière gently lifted her chin, looking deeply into her eyes. "When everyone has gone to sleep after the banquet tonight, I want you to meet me right here, and then we shall see where the night takes us." He paused for a moment to offer his appealing grin. "And I do not know about you, but I most definitely intend to…enjoy myself."

Veronique gripped the lapels of his coat to prevent her weak knees from falling out beneath under her. "Really? Promise?"

With a kiss and a nod, Lumière replied, "Of course, do not be late."

Veronique shook her head as if to confirm she would not be, and offering a parting smile, Lumière returned to his search, content with his romantic work. His charm had never failed him, always ready when he needed it.

Across the room, he found who he was looking for. Assisting Mrs. Potts and Chef with a few dishes, Babette was thankfully doing something! Crossing to them, Lumière excused both himself and her, leading her to a wine pitcher.

"First floor task of the evening," he said, "Take this and refill glasses accordingly. Easy, oui?"

Babette nodded in agreement, clearly nervous. "Oui."

Lumière smiled with the intent to ease her fears. "Remember, this is red wine, and that glass is…?"

"Up and to the left," she answered slowly.

"Perfect," Lumière said, his smile broadening. "You are going to do just fine."

"I am going to be sick," Babette argued, grimacing.

Lumière shook his head. "No, you won't. I remember very clearly a woman that poured wine with great expertise when I first met her, and she stands before me now." His smile softening, he added confidently. "You can do this; I know you can."

A small grin played about her lips as Babette took a deep breath, and gathering the pitcher, she made her way to the tables. Lumière, in return, focused his closest attention on her from the door. Cogsworth was still fuming over the dress incident; one wrong move tonight and both Babette and Lumière were done for.

But tonight, everything was going smoothly. Babette was dressed quite appropriately, thank goodness, and course after course, she flawlessly did what she was ordered to do. Lumière grinned in approval, seeing that his theory had worked. Keep the girl in a familiar situation, in this case serving wine, and she would be at her best.

Meanwhile at the table, Babette slowly but surely grew accustomed to the routine; it was rather easy after all. Royals chattering away, wine flowing endlessly; all she needed was the music and a dance floor to turn her memories of Le Fleur Noir into tangible reality.

"I do not remember this pretty face from any of the other galas," one nobleman said to her as she refilled his glass.

No one at the table had spoken to her until now, and despite being startled by the comment, Babette smiled politely. "Monsieur is far too kind," she replied, turning to continue the table route, but he stopped her.

"Does its owner have a name that will astound me as much as her beauty has?"

Babette smirked; just like the old dance hall in every way, she thought. "I do not share that as freely as any other girls would."

The man raised an eyebrow, amused. "How charming, a woman with spirit! There is something you do not see every day."

"While such a handsome, persistent man is far too common and not enough of a challenge."

He laughed gently, admiring her figure in the process. "And a delightful one at that! I must praise his majesty for such a fine addition to his staff."

"Delightful, indeed, in more ways than one, so I've been told," she agreed with a flirtatious smile and a wink.

From his watch at the door, Lumière frowned as Babette continued the banter with the gentleman. "What are you doing?" he muttered under his breath, beginning to panic. No, not panic. Of all people, the last person he wanted to resemble was Cogsworth, but as the very man himself was starting to send warning looks his way, Lumière could not help it. Those seated at the farther end of the table were growing restless without wine, and certainly would not find "flirtation" a legitimate excuse as to why their glasses had not been filled.

When the man had risen from his seat, obviously with the intention to follow her somewhere, that was the final straw. Ordering another staff member to take Babette's place, Lumière stormed over and stood his ground before them.

"Forgive the intrusion, monsieur," he said, trying to sound respectful before he turned a scowl on Babette. "You, come with me,"

"What for?" she asked.

"Now," he demanded urgently.

As she hesitated, Lumière took matters into his own hands, literally, leading her forcefully by the shoulders through the kitchen and outside.

"What in the world were you thinking?" he asked, cutting right to the chase.

Babette looked at him indignantly. "What did I do? I was just talking."

"Talking?" Lumière asked. "Is that what they called it at Le Fleur Noir?"

"What is that supposed to mean?" Babette retaliated, quickly losing her patience. "I was not doing anything wrong! Where does it say I can not talk to anyone?"

"You were about to walk off with him!" he argued. "You can not do that here; you have actual work to do!"

Babette put down the pitcher she was still holding, lest she find herself unable to resist the urge to throw it at him. "I was working! That is what I was taught to do!"

"Certainly not by me!" Lumière said, his temper officially lost. "I have never seen such a selfish display in my life!

"Selfish? Where was I being selfish?"

"This is not your dance hall; it is the royal palace! The king and queen keep us on their staff because they trust us to do our jobs correctly. Not how we want to, but how we must! You do not waltz about doing whatever you feel like doing with a man who gives you a few kind words! Both of us could be dismissed for what you did!"

"Both of us, ha!" Babette laughed scornfully. "Now who's being selfish?"

Lumière sighed frustrated. "Fine. You want to keep this lifestyle? I will arrange for you to return to Le Fleur Noir first thing in the morning. You held your ground longer than I expected, but I knew from the start you would not last here."

"Fine with me," Babette replied, trying to appear nonchalant. He obviously wanted to see her upset, and she would not give him that satisfaction. "Who would want to be here anyway? Celebrating with a grand feast, and over what? A baby!"

"A baby that will only be our very future!" Lumière argued.

"Yes, another royal, growing up to become a man, and make our lives miserable!" Babette growled. "Trust me, back where I am from, a baby is not something to be joyful about."

"How interesting," Lumière replied sharply. "It is not a joy, yet you and your sort have no trouble taking the risk of creating one."

Babette stared at him in shock; she could not believe the nerve he had to say that. "Take that back," she said quietly.

"I do not take back the truth."

"Maybe it is for the best then that I leave," she said. "I do not feel like being arrested for murder right now."

"You never should have been here in the first place," Lumière snarled. "What Lucien was thinking when he sent you here, I can not imagine, but I have never seen him think of such a stupid idea!"

Before he knew what had happened, Lumière found his cheek throbbing in pain as Babette gave him one strong slap. Watching her run back inside, he sighed sitting down for a minute to calm himself, something he knew he should have done to begin with. He did not mean what he said, but in anger, who does? In the morning, he would talk to her. Meanwhile, there was still a banquet that needed supervision, and at present, it was best for both of them to just leave her be.


Review Acknowledgments

TrudiRose: My partner in crime, I never tire of hearing you say that; keeps me knowing that I have done my job right whenever I doubt myself. Thank you for being there for me.

ShortStef: Yep, she is a feisty one! LOL. Thank you very much; I always hope that readers in the workshop will still read the chapter after it is posted. There are always some last minute details that are changed sometimes, as well as the fact that you may not see all of it. And I still apologize for making you feel guilty! I just have a deadline that I am trying (and most likely going to fail) to make. Would be nice to have this done by the time the boss gets home.

Lyndsi05: Always a pleasure seeing your kind words! Hope this next chapter was satisfying enough!

OrcaSpirit: My newest reader, yay! Glad to see you are enjoying the story; like Lumi, I aim to please!

FairlyOdd: Hey, I'm here for ya, babe! You need any help, send it right along to me, and I promise I will try to sign onto AOL more! Thanks!

Knux:Yep, another classic Beginning moment! LOL. Another one is sure to come, although you never actually saw it in Beginning, so it will still be brand new in its own right. Thanks much!

Serengeti: Wow, thank you so much for your kind words; I'm very glad you enjoyed it! It's not over though, so I hope you'll stay tuned!

Klaske:You'll get your full wine cellar experience later, I promise! (wink!) LOL.

BookRose: Glad to see you back! I love getting your reviews, so detailed and uplifting! Thank you much for all of them!

Lyssa: Hey there, glad to see you loved it! As I said, any time you need help with that fanfic, we're here! Really looking forward to it! Thank you!

Beautygirl: As I told Trudi, repeat away; I never tire of hearing it all! Thanks a bunch for all the help!

Dark Beauty: I believe the answer was well said already, but I must make my own peace as well. I wish you had looked beyond Chapter 4 to realize that I have in no way insulted two characters that I absolutely adore. I see where you could have mistaken my intentions, but Babette speaks there in a moment of sarcasm and mockery. She is a show girl, not a whore; they are two distinctly different things. As for Lumiere, he adores women, but he does respect them, again available to see beyond Chapter 4. I love these two and would never degrade them in any way, shape, or form. I purposely have the chapters checked before I post them to make certain that they stay fully in character, and so far, it has been a success. They are not innocent little angels, but they are not horrible people either. I am sorry you feel that I have done that, but rest assured, I never did.