Part III – The Last Days…
December 23rd…
The quaint, provincial town of Molyneaux found itself thoroughly covered in a thick blanket of snow for the holiday season that year. The weather had been unnaturally cold and bitter the past few days, and what was normally a picturesque little village of rich, earthly colors and bustling crowds had become silent and white. Not one of the townsfolk were out and about unless they had to be, preferring to be inside rather than amidst the blizzard-worthy winds.
Royalty, however, was a different story.
"I say bless the weather," Vincent said, still sulking in his seat. "At least everyone is indoors, and I do not have to get close to them."
Cogsworth glanced from the young prince beside him to Lumière on the opposite seat, sharing a subtle disapproving look with the Frenchman. Vincent despised this annual trip to his uncle's holiday gala, and with each passing year, it became increasingly difficult to convince the lad to attend. The bribery of presents had worked for a while, but by age fifteen, it was not enough. It seemed that only sheer luck, and a mighty miracle, had gotten him in the carriage this time.
"Your highness, really, you must not say such things," Cogsworth attempted. "These villagers are your loyal subjects; they respect you."
"That just goes to show how incompetent the lot of you are," Vincent snarled. "If I was not their prince, not one of them would care about me. They show respect because they know I could have them imprisoned." His brows drew together in a scowl. "And I see that unlike them, you still haven't learned to hold your tongue and show the proper respect."
"I apologize for such carelessness," Cogsworth said meekly. "I was merely suggesting a different perspective on the situation to give the trip a much more pleasant atmosphere."
"It would be bearable if you shut your trap!" Vincent shouted, causing Cogsworth to cringe and lapse into silence.
Lumière shook his head after witnessing the scene before he resumed looking out the window absently. None of them enjoyed making this journey every year, but Cogsworth never failed to somehow make it worse than it had to be.
Home was where he should have been right now, Lumière thought with a sigh. There were other important matters that needed his attention, others he should be with. Babette would know tonight if it was true…
Suddenly, without warning, a cry was heard outside, and the carriage jolted to a stop.
"What on earth…?" Cogsworth exclaimed worriedly, as he and Lumière climbed out of the carriage, leaving Vincent, undaunted and uninterested by the stop, inside. The driver was calming the horses while an old beggar woman comforted a young girl with various items scattered at her feet.
"Curse this storm!" the driver cried. "I did not even see the poor thing coming!"
"Just thank heavens, monsieur, that you were able to stop in time," the woman said pointedly. "From what I saw, this could have ended much worse."
Cogsworth and Lumière quickly helped the girl gather her things.
"Are you all right, ma petite?" Lumière asked, handing over what he had collected. "You were not hurt?"
The girl shook her head, gradually coming out of her shock. "No, monsieur. I should have paid closer attention; I am so sorry!"
"Not at all! There was no harm done; everything was all right in the end."
Cogsworth gave her a book that had fallen from her basket. "But you should not be out on such a wretched day; it is not safe!" he added, his manner of scolding in contrast to Lumière's reassurance.
"I had to brave the weather," the girl explained insistently. "With all of our preparations, I nearly forgot to get my papa a gift. If I didn't get it today, I wouldn't have a chance before Christmas. Many of the shops close early tomorrow."
Lumière smiled compassionately at her. She was a beautiful child, hardly more than thirteen, he guessed, but it was clear that her inner beauty was even stronger than her outward.
"Where, may I ask, do you live, mademoiselle…?"
"Belle, monsieur. Our house is just over the hill there," she replied, pointing to a snow-covered hill in the distance.
"Very well, Mademoiselle Belle; surely we can spare you any more trouble with a ride home."
Cogsworth shot Lumière a warning glare when he was certain Belle could not see him do so, but before he could speak, he was interrupted by the reason for such an expression.
"No, absolutely not!" Vincent shouted angrily, his impatience drawing him out of the carriage just in time to hear the insolent invitation. "What do you think we are, Lumière? A charity?"
Lumière frowned. "Master, the young mademoiselle lives nearby; we will not stray off course in the slightest."
"The only way I will let this filthy peasant near my carriage is if she were to pull it alongside the horses!" Vincent sneered, glaring at Belle with disgust. "The answer is no!"
Belle bit her lip angrily, trying to be the better person. Her father had always told her if she could not say anything nice, she should not say anything at all, and with that in mind, she knew it was best to remain silent.
It was then that the old woman stepped forward. "I will see to it that she gets home safely, messieurs," she said to Cogsworth and Lumière. "As you said, this is not the safest day to be traveling, and you should be going on your way as well before the weather gets worse."
"That's right," Vincent replied coldly. "Let the gutter rats stick together."
The old woman lifted her hood to get a good look at him, and Vincent openly cringed with revulsion upon seeing her unpleasant, disfigured face clearly.
"Although a young prince has all the time in the world, among many other wonderful things that he takes for granted," she said. "Many of us are much less fortunate. Perhaps one day, he will change his mind when it comes to deciding who deserves his attention more: himself or others."
Vincent's jaw dropped in shock, not to mention those of Cogsworth and Lumière. "You loathsome hag, how dare you!" he cried. "Do you have any idea to whom you are speaking?"
"Yes, your highness," she replied calmly. "And come the future, I do believe we shall speak again."
Before Vincent or anyone could reply, the woman took the girl under her cloak and began to lead her home, allowing the travelers to continue on their way.
ooo
December 24th, Christmas Eve…
The following day, the carriage returned to Vincent's castle. Home sweet home, and not a moment too soon, Lumière thought, most likely along with his master and companion. Having been forced to stay in Auguste's palace till the storm died down, the trio did not hesitate from jumping out of the carriage as quickly as possible, grateful to be back.
When Vincent was settled comfortably in his rooms, he dismissed both of his servants, demanding that he be left alone until midnight. It was not unusual after all; this was annual routine after a visit to Auguste. None of the pathetic, phony kindness attempts that his uncle made during their holiday visits could ever convince Vincent that the man enjoyed having him around. He knew the truth.
Damn those childish stories he had heard as a boy; they were all silly fairy tales. Christmas did nothing to bring his pathetic excuse for a family together, nor did it give him a sense of peace. Once again, he was alone, with only his servants downstairs, too caught up in their own pleasures to worry about him right now.
"Merry Christmas to all indeed," he sneered angrily to himself, staring into the fire, lost in his wandering thoughts.
Meanwhile, downstairs in the servants' wing, Cogsworth was making his usual holiday speech, which sounded jovial and interesting in his mind, but only in his. Many were too busy trying to stay awake to listen, while others eyed the refreshments of celebration. The staff was a family in this castle, and around this festive time of year, they wholeheartedly made that feeling of friendship known. Besides, Christmas was truly the only time of year they could celebrate amongst themselves without Vincent interfering, and they certainly intended to make good use of it.
"Therefore, in conclusion…"
A select daring few, led by Lumière, cheered at those words, their exclamations ranging from "At last!" to "Thank goodness!" Cogsworth frowned at their impudence before he continued.
"In conclusion, onto the merriment and a happy Christmas to everyone!"
In one corner of the room, a small number of servants took up instruments from fiddles to concertinas and fifes, happily beginning to play as the crowd dispersed to form their own little groups. Some danced while others enjoyed the company of friends. The children kept themselves busy chasing one another around the room, all of them unable to contain their excitement, for they knew the next morning would hopefully find a few trinkets and gifts waiting for them.
Lumière, however, kept surprisingly to himself after Cogsworth reminded him for the billionth time to be in the throne room at midnight to present Vincent with his gifts from the staff. Amidst trying to remain cool and collected, he could not help but notice some of the younger girls whispering to each other and glancing at him. Normally, this would bring him a sense of relaxation and good humor, but while he simply acknowledged them with his charming smile (much to their delight), he was still not himself. Frankly, it was frightening how unnatural he felt, but it could not be helped. Babette was nowhere to be found; she should have been here by now…
"Flirting away the hour when you think I can not see you?"
Lumière whirled around upon hearing his beloved's voice, mirroring Babette's playful smirk in full. At last, a bit of relief to delight in, even if it would not last long.
"What else could I do to pass the time?" he asked. "You certainly know how to keep a man in suspense, and I had to occupy myself somehow." Slipping his arms around her waist at her more than willing approval, he nuzzled her gently below her ear, whispering as he added, "What did he say?"
Babette ignored the question, pouting. "Occupy yourself, my foot; they obviously enjoyed the attention."
"You have nothing to fear; that particular bunch is much too young for me."
"Ah, but you still obliged them."
Lumière skillfully moved behind her, his lips traveling downward to the curve of her neck as his hand caressed her middle in subtle curiosity.
"You are stalling, ma bijou," he said. "Now I have been a wreck since I left yesterday with Cogsworth and the master. What is the verdict?"
Babette did not answer, and Lumière felt her tense, certainly not in the way she usually did under his romantic ministrations. Turning her gently to face him, he held her gaze seriously, concern abundant in his eyes.
"Amour?" he murmured softly. "What did the doctor say?"
Babette grasped his hand, leading Lumière to a nearby sitting room, after she was sure no one was paying them any heed. As she made her way to the chaise, Lumière locked the door before turning to find her crying softly. That alone answered his question. Deeming himself the strongest of the pair for now, he raced to her side, holding her comfortingly.
"All right, ma chérie," he whispered. "Shh, no more tears, I beg you. I swear, after all this holiday madness is over, I will make all the necessary arrangements."
"Lumière…"
"No one will have to know," he said nervously. "We will go about this quietly; that will be best."
"But Lumière…"
"And after all," he laughed shakily, trying to make her follow suit. "Even if someone did find out, everyone already thinks of us as a married couple, oui? What with all the many times we argue and complain and…"
"Lumière, je ne suis pas enceinte!" she interrupted loudly, before quieting herself with caution. "I am not expecting; we are not having a baby. Stop making any plans because there is no reason for them!" she continued angrily, rather sarcastically. "Never fear, we can continue about our romancing just as we always did, and most likely, always will!"
That being said, she jumped from the chaise, crossing the room with her back to him as the tears remained obvious in her eyes.
Lumière, on the other hand, took a moment to sort out his sudden attack of confusion.
"Help me understand, if you will," he said softly. "You…are not expecting?"
She shook her head in confirmation.
"And…you are upset about that?"
She sighed and shrugged.
"Babette, come sit down," Lumière murmured gently, offering his embrace to comfort her as she did as she was asked. A soft sigh escaped her once she snuggled into his arms, her safe haven where she knew everything would turn out for the best no matter how horrible the situation.
"Talk to me, chérie," Lumière insisted tenderly. "Yesterday, you were so afraid that it was true. Now when we know the truth that you are not…you are still upset? What brought this on?"
"Is it so bad to hope for?"
"No," he answered honestly. "Not at all, but I do not understand."
"I barely understand it myself," Babette said quietly, absently playing with the buttons on his coat. "I am happy to remain as we are, I mean it." She finally looked him in the eye, and he almost began to cry himself at the pitiful sight. "I know we always thought why change perfection, so to speak, but we are not getting any younger, Lumière. We already act like we should be married, you said so yourself, but I want it to be true. I thought that if I was expecting, it would happen."
Lumière nodded in understanding, but his expression remained serious. "That is not the best reason to have a baby, amour."
"I know," she replied solemnly. "I guess I do want one, someday, but a child is not accepted by others when born to an unwed couple. We both know that; God knows we have had one scare too many because of that fact."
Lumière was silent for a moment, too long for her liking, and Babette grew worried.
"You are angry with me, mon cher? Did I upset you?"
Lumière smiled reassuringly, kissing her forehead with utmost affection. "Not in the slightest," he answered before putting her at arms' length. "But tell me truthfully; is that what you want? To be married, possibly with a family, I mean?"
Babette nodded, relieved. "Very much."
Lumière's grin grew as he took a small ring from his finger, and placed it on her own. "I am glad I decided to get this then. It is not much, I know, but I wanted to be sure I had a gift for the baby, if there was to be one. But I am even happier that it is still the best present I could give you. Like I said, once this seasonal insanity is long gone, we shall see about following through with a wedding; you have my word."
A smile played about her lips as Babette asked softly, "You really mean it?"
"But of course I mean it!" Lumière laughed. "I never say anything I do not mean, you know that."
Babette raised a challenging eyebrow, but Lumière silenced her unspoken words with a kiss.
"So, what say you?" he asked, unwillingly prying his lips away.
Babette smiled happily, allowing the kiss to continue before she embraced him tightly.
"Yes," she whispered. "A thousand times, yes…with all my heart."
ooo
Christmas Eve: Midnight…
The storm took a turn for the worse later that night. Its power had increased tenfold over the last few hours, and the wind and snow whipped against the castle's window panes, as if trying to force their way inside. In the silence, it was quite an eerie sound.
Vincent sat on his massive throne surrounded by the grandest of gifts, but the deadly grimace on his face was a clear sign to the servants that he was dissatisfied. No, they did not expect otherwise from their master, but every year, they hoped that the spirit of the season would perhaps bring out the best that they knew was hiding within him. Perhaps one day he would recognize their hard work in acquiring such presents, but despite the growing quantity each year, their prince still was not content.
Cogsworth stepped forward from the others present, namely Mrs. Potts and Lumière.
"Master?" he asked cautiously, forcing Lumière to move with him for protection. He had not forgotten the previous Christmas Eve when the slightest word made him Vincent's official target for gift-throwing. "Will there be anything else before you go to bed?"
Vincent did not even raise his gaze from a pocket watch chain he was toying with.
"Did you plan on leaving the castle this very second to get anything else?" the prince asked.
Cogsworth hesitated, as if searching for the safest answer, before he shook his head. "Not necessarily, your grace, but if that is what you wish…"
"Then that idiotic question was rather pointless, wasn't it?" Vincent shouted in interruption, grimacing at him.
Lumière suppressed his typical eye roll as Cogsworth hid behind him. "Master, please," he said, only the slightest bit more brave than his comrade. "Is there truly anything else you need?"
Vincent scowled at him. "Yes, peace and quiet. No one is to disturb me for the remainder of the evening. Breakfast shall be ready at dawn, or else."
In the silence that lingered in the room after the servants left him, Vincent sat lost in his pondering. His mind often drifted like this when he was alone; it was truly the only time he found where he could concentrate without anyone to bother him. But while it was a blessing, it was also a curse.
His foremost thought, especially around the holidays, was constantly of the parents he never had. Since they had died when he was an infant, Vincent had no recollection of them. The only way he knew what they looked like was from their portraits hanging in the castle. Those portraits and his horrible childhood nightmares that still frightened him to this day were all he knew of them.
Fear. If his uncle taught Vincent anything worth memorizing, it was that fear was a weakness, one that could easily be used against him. Fear brought a man down, and therefore, Vincent told no one of the dreams that still haunted him, and he never would. He was the prince, heir to the throne of France; he had to be strong and powerful! No one would have the satisfaction of seeing him afraid of anything.
But when he was alone, all that changed; no one could see him; no one could comfort him…
In the distance, he saw two people, a man and a woman, whom the lad recognized as his parents. Joyfully, he raced to their sides, embracing them tightly…
But they were so cold, so lifeless. Vincent looked into their eyes, daring to speak to them.
"Maman? Papa?"
Their stares bore accusingly into him, and he slowly backed away while a voice resounded in his ears.
"It is your fault; if it were not for you, they would still be alive. It is your fault!"
Snapping awake in his chair, Vincent looked around nervously, gaining his senses back gradually as he breathed deeply to calm his rapidly beating heart. Rising from the seat tiredly, he rubbed his eyes, exasperated. He would not stay there. If his mind was going to play these tricks on him, then he preferred to be in his room where no one could hear or see him. The last thing he wanted was the servants' ridiculous attempts at sympathy.
On his way to the West Wing, however, Vincent heard voices coming from the foyer. Clearly some were that of the servants, but one he did not recognize. So late, and still there was trouble! Deciding to put an end to the meeting, he made his way downstairs, listening as he did.
"Madam, please!" he heard Cogsworth say insistently. "You must understand; the master will see no one!"
"I must see him, monsieur; just for a moment I beg you!"
Finally able to see the intruder, Vincent snarled, recognizing her as the beggar from the village.
"What is the meaning of this impertinence?" he cried. "Who let this old bag of bones into my castle?"
The old woman stepped forward shakily from the servants' grasp, leaning heavily on her walking stick as she bowed her head in respect of authority.
"Your highness, do not punish them for my humble request," she said, coughing fitfully to clear her throat.
Vincent stared at her, repulsed. "What could you possibly want here, hag?"
"I was hoping that you could give me a warm bed for the night. It is freezing outside, too much so even for a poor old beggar like me."
"I see," Vincent snarled. "And just how do you expect to repay me? I do not give anything so valuable away for nothing. You will earn your stay."
The woman searched her cloak before she withdrew a delicate budding red rose. "All I have is this, your grace," she said, holding it out to him as if it were the most fragile object on earth. "I know it is not much, but please take it as a token of my thanks."
Vincent raised an eyebrow before laughing mockingly. "A rose? Are you serious? The very idea, a rose in exchange for my hospitality! Go on your way, hag; I will not have such revolting filth polluting my castle!"
The woman frowned but remained steadfast. "True beauty is only found within, your highness; never be deceived by outward appearances."
Vincent glared at her angrily. "Then take your precious inner beauty elsewhere and leave me in peace! You will not find any shelter here and that is my final word." He then turned his servants. "Remove this useless wretch from my presence; if she does not go willingly, let her spend Christmas in the dungeons!"
The woman steadfastly, defiantly, held her ground as the servants tried to show her out. Vincent stepped forward then, intending to show her who the master of his castle was, but when he approached her, she began to shimmer. The servants jumped back at the reaction, as did their master. The woman then stood straight and tall, her cloak flying away suddenly to reveal a beautiful young woman in the old beggar's place.
"What…what witchcraft is this?" Vincent stuttered. To hell with not hiding fear; this was not a dream, but reality. "What do you want from me?"
"Silence," she commanded, her angelic voice free from any sign of illness. For the first time in his life, Vincent obeyed orders of another higher presence.
"I have seen all that I needed to see, young prince," she continued. "It is clear that there is no love in your heart. You demand respect rather than rightfully earn it. You could not show kindness to anyone, not even an innocent little girl!"
Falling to his knees, Vincent pleaded desperately. "Please, forgive me! Take any room you wish! If only I had known!"
"You still do not understand," she said, shaking her head in dismay. "This is so much more serious than a room, your grace. I warned you. Simply because beauty is absent on the outside does not mean that it is not on the inside. You did not heed my words, and you still do not. You are no better than a savage beast that roams these woods, and therefore you shall become one."
Vincent persisted in his pleas, but the enchantress paid him no attention. In her hand formed a glistening orb of light, which she threw at the terrified prince, and a mist enveloped him like a twisted cocoon. Instantly, he felt the agonizing effects of his transformation as his bones wrenched and reformed themselves. He felt tufts of fur covering him in great masses, and his clothes tore to shreds as his entire body doubled in size. As he screamed in pain, his voice now an intimidating roar, sharp fangs jutted out from behind his swelling bottom lip, and horns formed on his head. When the mist cleared, he glanced at a nearby mirror to see that he had indeed become a huge, horrific beast.
The servants stood by in stunned shock for a moment, hardly believing that this was reality! Once his mind had settled, Cogsworth pulled Lumière in front of him, the pair daring to move forward, as Mrs. Potts and Babette watched in horror.
"You…you can not do this to the master," Cogsworth said, so meekly that the enchantress had to suppress a grin.
"I have simply done what none of you ever did: taught him a lesson," she replied, truthfully.
As Cogsworth and Lumière approached the beast prince, who was mewling like a wounded animal, Vincent glanced at them. His eyes, still a pristine, brilliant shade of blue despite his new hideous form, begged silently, "Help me!" For the first time in a long time, he was once against the scared little boy he had been years ago.
"Can this be undone?" Lumière asked.
The enchantress nodded, once again holding her rose, which now glistened with a gentle light. "Of course it can. This rose is enchanted, and it will bloom for many years; before the last petal falls, he must learn to love another, and earn their love in return."
"Very well then," Cogsworth said with a nod. "We shall find this person at once!"
"Not so fast," the enchantress said. "The prince has refused all help in the past; he shall have none now."
Slowly backing away, not taking a liking to the look in her eyes, Cogsworth and Lumière found themselves once again at Mrs. Potts and Babette's side, and the group huddled together fearfully.
"What exactly do you mean?" Lumière asked slowly.
The enchantress raised her hands, glowing intensely, and suddenly throughout the castle, screams of pain and fear could be heard.
"Mere household objects to please him, that is all he saw you to be," she said. "Not one of you ever tried to move beyond that. Your actions could have influenced him, but you shirked your responsibility. Therefore, I place the spell on the entire castle."
The mist erupted from the floor, at last encircling its final four victims. The servants cried out in anguish as they felt an uncomfortable sensation surging through them. Watching in terror, they found themselves beginning to become different…well, things!
Cogsworth, ever the punctual, obeying man, gasped as he found himself with a pendulum within his chest. His thin moustache pointed at odd angles like arrows.
Mrs. Potts, the warm, caring mother, cried out as her skirts became one with her, rounding out to the very bottom. One arm stiffened into a spout while the other twisted into a handle.
Lumière winced as his posture straightened, his entire body becoming metallic. He looked up to find that his hands had disappeared, giving way to two stalks of wax…or more specifically candles.
Babette felt the same feeling of posture, but instead of metal, she felt as though she were made of wood. The low trim of her skirts blossomed with an abundance of feathers.
When all had cleared, they stared at each other in disbelief, finding respectively in place of each other, a clock, a teapot, a candelabra, and a feather duster. But at the same time, they looked much more human than expected.
"I realize that you feared retribution if you defied your master," the enchantress said, answering their unspoken questions. "Therefore, I will show a little mercy."
"You call this mercy?" Cogsworth cried. "Look at what your work has done to us!"
The enchantress did not argue. "Over time, you will become more and more like objects. By the time the rose begins to wilt, you will not look as human as you do now, but your time is as short as that of your prince. His breaking the spell is just as important to you as it is to him."
Turning to Vincent, she took a small mirror from her flowing dress and handed it, along with the rose, to him. "Before I depart, I will leave you with a gift, your highness. This mirror will show you any part of the world you wish to see, from within the castle walls to the ends of the earth. Look well when you use it, for it is a world that you can no longer be a part of."
Vincent glared at her, angered at all she had taken from him, but not willing to speak out for fear of ruining himself any more than he had already done.
When she received no words from him, the enchantress bowed. "I bid you farewell then, Beast, and I truly hope for your safe return to the human world, for your own sake."
And in a flash, she was gone, leaving them all in a state of despair.
A/N: Firstly a HUGE thank you to reviewers namely TrudiRose, Fairly Odd, Knux, Dutch FF-lover, 2rosedark, Lyssa, shortstef, BookRose, Lyndsi05, leotabelle13, nikkibelle18, and Imaginarylady, (I hope that's everyone; if I missed I'm sorry). Thank you SO much! Personally: Lyndsi05 - you will be happy to know that an upcoming fic of mine in the works is solely about a new spell that will hopefully teach Cogs and Lumi a lesson. So there will be PLENTY of Cogs for you to enjoy soon. leotabelle13 - hun,I promise you, reviews for your new story (congrats on the account, btw!)are coming. Please don't wait for me on the other one though. With work and trying to finish this one, it is a lot on my plate. Bear with me, but don't wait for me. Only thing: Babette, not Brigitte, LOL :-). Imaginarylady - did he really do that to Babette? Yes, I was there with my digital camera, LOL. I'm kidding. Maybe he did, maybe he didn't; that's the beauty of fanfiction. And I totally agree, Babs is stunning, if a little impossible according to the bodily rules of physics, LOL!
Secondly, I know I said three parts, but YES there is more to come, I swear. An epilogue of closure with a surprise "Romance" guest appearance. So PLEASE stay tuned. I'm trying to write and fine tune it some more, but it IS coming. This is NOT over.