Chapter 4: Be Our Guest

Fayt found himself uncomfortable under the red stare, but sat down to the table end on his right, where he was directed by a teapot.

They sat for a while in silence, Albel studying Fayt's features curiously. Fayt removing his eye away from his captor and onto the table where he met a teacup smiling up at him.

"Hi! I'm Roger S. Huxley! The manliest man in the cabinet!"

Fayt smiled weakly, nodding. "I'm sure you are..."

"Don't mind him, Fayt." The teapot rolled her eyes. "He's just a brat. My name is Nel Zelpher." She sighed. "Don't ask HOW I got turned into this ridiculous teapot and put in charge of the brats, the teacups. But I did."

He nodded with a smile. "Ok, I won't ask then."

She smiled back, cunningly. "Good. I like you, kid. Stay alive."

"Dinner!" Called Luther from the center of the table. "My own creation!" He cringed as Albel stabbed the duck with his knife and chewed brutishly. "No, no! You're ruining it! My creation!"

"Now, now..." The feather duster hopped onto the table and escorted him off for a talking-to.

"But- Blair- they just-!"

The feather duster sighed. "Relax, you can invite them to play your game of Monopoly later. For now, help them enjoy dinner, your own creation. Surely Master Fayt would not enjoy having only Master Albel as company."

"But Nel-!"

"Shhh... but kind. Show some hospitality and maybe Master will learn to behave. Just look at Fayt, he's being so polite. I think he'd like to meet the creator of such a fine meal, don't you?"

"But we already-!"

"Just go!" She pushed him back onto the tabletop.

Luther cleared his throat and approached Fayt, smiling. "Master Fayt, it is with deepest pride and greatest pleasure that we welcome you tonight. And now we invite you to relax, let us pull up a chair as you dine on my proud and grand achievement- your dinner!" He took a deep breath and hit a shaky and off-key note.

"No!" Blair jumped back up and covered his mouth. "Now, now, Luther, no need to sing... Just let the poor boy eat, now..." She carted him off.

Fayt let out a small chuckle before looking up to see Albel's glare. Though the glare was directed at the candelabra, it was still frightening.

At Albel's side, The Crimson Scourge was still whispering to him tips for forming friendships. "Apologize! Say you're sorry that your dinnerware disturbed him."

"Why should I, the fool doesn't look disturbed."

"Just do it!"

"Fine, fine..." Albel sighed, looking across the table, trying to hide the look of annoyance on his face. "I'm sorry if my foolish servant... disturbed you."

"Good, good, we're making improvement." The blade sighed.

Fayt gave a confused look, then shot the master his charming smile. "Don't worry about it, they're fine. Really entertaining."

"Really? I fine them flat out irritating."

The boy let out a little laugh. "They make for better company than crazy girls." The thought of girls made Albel sigh. "Oh, I'm sorry. I forgot, you need female company to return the castle to normal."

"The stupid enchantment... it made me weak. I wasn't strong enough to defeat that foolish dragon, and then they take my arm from me and destroy those around me!" He fumed.

"I-I'm sor-"

"Go!" Albel roared, standing abruptly and pointing towards the door. "Leave me alone!"

Fayt scowled and rose as well. "Fine!" He shouted back before storming out the door.

When he reached his room, the boy started to pack a small burlap bag with items.

"Fayt? What are you doing?" Mayu peered at him in curious fright.

"I'm leaving. If he chooses to be a miserable old coot for the rest of his life, so be it!"

"But, Fayt! What about the rest of us! Surely you wouldn't abandon us!"

He paused and looked up at her with a sad smile. "I'm sorry, Mayu. I can't break the spell. Even if I was a girl, I couldn't love someone so... so irritable!"

"Oh, Fayt, please! Could you at least lure a girl here that you think might break the spell? A really stupidly girlish one?"

Fayt thought of Sophia, sending her to deal with that monster instead. "Sure, I'll try, I promise."

"Oh! Thank you so much, Fayt! I swear that, as soon as I'm human again, I'll come find you!"

He smiled again and shook his head. "Don't even try. My father and I are moving far, far away very, very soon. To Greeton!"

"Oh... okay... well, then, take care. We'll miss you."

He searched quickly for some way to comfort her. "I-I'll try to visit, ok?"

"Alright!"

And he swept out of the room before the conversation could continue. This time he knew the way out and was in the stable tacking his lum before anyone noticed he was missing.

"Now, Albel." The Crimson Scourge scolded its master. "You must learn to control your temper if you wish to make friends."

The man sighed, still scowling towards the fire burning in the brick fireplace. "It's no use."

"Come on! I don't want to be stuck as a sword forever!"

"Really? I don't remember EVER having a servant named 'The Crimson Scourge.' I just found you hidden in the basement, guarded by those living statues. Since when were you human?"

The blade was silent for a little. "Albel..." It sighed, "You'll learn soon enough. Just break the curse, please?"

The man sighed as well. "Sure, fine, whatever. I'll go talk to him."

He mounted the stairs and started towards the east wing when he remembered, "Hey, worm, what room does the boy use." He darted his dagger-gaze at a passing bucket, off to gather clothes for cleaning. The bucket picked up its pace and lead the way for its master. Without a thank-you, Albel dismissed the servant and leaned against the door.

"Hey!" He barked through the door. "Listen! About dinner... I'm sorry that I shouted... It's just a very... sensitive... subject." The Wicked One winced at the softness in his words. "This had better work." He snarled at the blade through his teeth. The sword did the closest thing it could to a shrug. "Hey, are you listening to me!" Albel threw open the ornate red-wood doors to find the room... empty. "Dammit! He's not here, you fool!"

"Master, please, this is based off of a PG Disney movie." Blair sat on the bed silently next to Mayu. "Watch your language."

"Why should I, the story is already rated M for homosexuality, nudity, and sexual references!" His mood was fired even more at the realization that these objects had heard his wussy apology. "Where's Fayt!"

"H-he left..." Mayu cringed.

"Left! You let him leave!" The outburst made Mayu cry while Blair tried to comfort her. Albel stormed back out and into the courtyard. He was never much of a rider after the dragon experience, but he took the chance of a broken back in order to catch up to the boy. If he could.

The lum was stubborn after years of neglect. For ten years it had sat in the courtyard growing fat and wild and now Albel was trying to regain control of it. 'Na-uh,' it thought, 'not happening.'

The man did manage to ride fast, bulleting through brush and dodging in the thin spaces between trees. Up ahead loomed a low branch. The rebellious lum spotted it first, charging right under it before Albel could turn his head forward and duck.

Fayt was out of breath and totally lost. He had finally dismounted and staggered down onto a rock. "I have no clue..." A sudden shout and curse filled the air just before a fury of birds fled. "Someone's in trouble." The blue-haired beauty was instantly re-energized, remounting and thundering off towards the sound.

There, on the ground, lay the limp form of his former captor. The lum cringed and hesitated, but Fayt jumped off and rushed to him. "Yes, I know he was cruel, but look, he's still breathing. We have to help him or else we'd be no better than him." With this decided, he hefted the man up onto the reluctant but obedient lum. "Let's go."

They rushed back to the castle where Fayt carried Albel up to his sitting room, obeying the rules of staying out of the west wing. He hushed Mayu as he passed and asked Blair to gather Nel and Luther to help, along with some bandages.

Laying the man down with a small grunt, Fayt had some time to study him before the others arrived. Fair wisps of hair jetted out of the ebony and fell gently across the calm, soft face. His skin was a smooth pale shade with the exception for the dark red bags under his eyes. Deep black lashes slept across them.

Fayt swept a careful hand across the invalid's forehead, brushing away the locks of hair to reveal a nasty bruise. "Gez... what did you do to yourself?" Fayt sighed. "Well, you'll be okay now." The body shivered slightly under his touch.

When help arrived, the boy thanked them and asked them to leave it to him. While they were gone, leaving him warm water and bandages, Fayt carefully attended their master. He never noticed the door, open a crack, with sets of eyes peeking through.

"Will you look at that." Luther shook his head. "They're friends, just like that."

Nel and Blair looked at each other and tried to suffocate the little laughs that they had. Though, both being very mature ladies, shook off the humorous thoughts and returned to watching.

"Shhh, shh shhh..." Fayt muttered as Albel started to groan and awaken.

"Wh-where am..."

"We brought you back to the castle, you're ok now. But– what were you doing out there?"

Crimson eyes studied cat's green seriously before relaxing back down onto the sofa's pillow. "I was looking for you." The blunt answer startled Fayt. It wouldn't have surprised him so much is Albel had been looking for him as it did that he admitted it, with his pride.

"Thank you." He smiled weakly.

The Wicked One Scoffed, "welcome back home," before falling back into a lazy sleep.

Sorry about the bit of OOC with Blair and Nel. I couldn't help myself. I'm trying my best to make Luther a little funny while keeping him in character -gah-

I love you all, thank you so much! Review?