A few weeks gradually become a few months, and I thought I felt Belle and me grow closer. We had every meal together, not just lunch, and Cogsworth made remarks about how he could never just get one of us. It was always the two of us, and we were always laughing.
One day, I stood in the West Wing, watching Belle with the mirror, as I often did when I just wanted to see her but also wanted to be alone. She sat in her room, talking to Babette, Madame, and Mrs. Potts.
"So…dare I ask if you've changed your mind, Belle?" Madame teased. "The Master isn't so bad, is he?" Belle laughed.
"I already admitted that I was wrong. Madame! Stop rubbing it in!" Madame chuckled and handed Belle a pale purple gown to change into. She ducked behind a screen to do so. "Do any of you know when his birthday is? I mean, he does have one, doesn't he?"
Mrs. Potts shifted uncomfortably. I didn't blame her. No one even mentioned my birthday anymore. The last servant who did had the unpleasant experience of being locked in a trunk for a week.
"Well, dearie…the Master has a birthday, but no one mentions it. I've completely forgotten when it is!" she lied. I knew she knew; the curse would be set in stone on that day.
"Moi aussi." Babette busied herself, adjusting her feathers. "If it weren't for the fact that he is a living being, I would have soon forgotten he even had one!" Belle came out from behind the screen. I was suddenly thankful I was in my own wing, watching from a mirror. I had a feeling my expression was one that would have embarrassed Belle. She was stunningly beautiful.
"There seems to be a lot that annoys him," she mused, sitting down at her vanity. "I mean, I can see why Cogsworth annoys him; he seems to annoy everyone. But yesterday I mentioned an enchantress in a book I was reading and he practically fled from me." Pausing, Belle reached for a hairbrush. "I'd like to learn more about him, but he makes it so hard."
I saw my servants share worried glances. Babette excused herself quietly and Mrs. Potts coughed. "The Master has had…a hard life, Belle. There are some things you may never find out." Belle sighed in exasperation.
"But I want to! I want to get to know him more than I already do." She stopped brushing her hair. "I like him, I really do, but I love being close to people I care about. And his…mysteriousness makes it hard."
Madame shrugged, at least as well as a wardrobe can shrug. "Well, I'm sure there are things about you that you don't want him knowing, aren't there?" she asked. Belle blushed and looked away. "O-oh! So there is! Care to tell?"
"I'd rather not."
The scene faded from my mirror. Belle wanted to be closer to me? Did that mean that, perhaps…I shook my head. No. Don't go there. It would only hurt more when this curse became permanent.
Then why did it hurt so much to realize that? I felt part of me…fade, almost die, at the thought that Belle could never love me. Did that mean I loved her?
Out in the hall, a clock rang noon, breaking me from my reverie. Belle would be expecting me for lunch in the dining room, but for some reason I didn't feel hungry. Hopefully she would understand.
It wasn't fifteen minutes after that when I heard a timid knock on the closed door of my wing. "Beast?" It was Belle.
I turned my head slightly. "What is it?" I asked brusquely.
"Can you come out here for a second?" At least she was respecting my wishes and staying out of the important part of the wing. I stood and went to my door. Belle stood there, her hair tied back in a bun. "Sorry for coming so far into the Wing, but I wanted to be certain that everything was okay," she explained. "You didn't come down for lunch."
"I'm not hungry," I replied. Belle nodded.
"Are you coming to the library today?" I paused. Usually I would have said yes, but then again usually she didn't have to ask. I shook my head. "Okay. See you tonight, maybe?"
"Maybe," I replied, thankful that she understood I just wanted to be alone. I watched her go before shutting my door.
Later that night, spring's first storm hit. I had only left my room to have dinner with Belle, and I wasn't very talkative for the first time in a few weeks. As soon as I finished, I returned to my room.
My thoughts instantly went to the topic they had been at all afternoon and evening. Belle. She sat in the library somewhere below me, reading. She did every night before bed, most of the time with me. The last few nights, Belle had gotten so drowsy she'd leaned against me, smiling. It was hard not to put my arm around her when she did that. I wanted to be as close as possible to her.
But I heard her this afternoon. "I like him, I really do, but I love being close to people I care about." She merely thought me a close friend, someone she trusted and liked spending time with.
Did she, though? The more I thought about it, the more I realized that maybe she meant it as more. Perhaps she was falling in love with me…as I was with her.
I admitted it. I loved Belle more than anything. The thought of her made me wish to be human again, more than usual. A Beast could only show affection like an animal, and Belle deserved a man to treat her as she should be treated.
I sighed and turned to face the storm blowing outside. Belle's silhouette shifted through the raindrops, a phantom vision. I wanted to see her, to have her near me…I headed for the library to find her.
She was curled up on the sofa, the book in her hands, asleep. Her hair had been let down, so it framed her face as she slept. One strand that always annoyed her had fallen into her face; gently, so I didn't wake her, I brushed it away. She stirred, but only slightly, and smiled.
I stood there for a few moments, just watching her. Mrs. Potts came in, smiling when she saw me. She looked at Belle.
"She'll be sore in the morning if she stays there all night, Master," she whispered. "Seems a shame to wake her, though."
I looked at my former governess. Was she implying…? I turned back to Belle. Whether Mrs. Potts was implying something or not, she was right. Belle would be very sore if she slept on the sofa. Carefully, so as not to wake her, I lifted Belle into my arms, adjusting her so she wouldn't fall. Mrs. Potts smiled and left, leaving the door open for me.
It took all my concentration not to drop Belle on the way up to her room. Twice she moved, forcing me to stop and wait. I passed Lumière with Babette; the candelabrum dropped the feather duster maid when he realized what he was seeing. Babette started to scold, then saw what her lover had seen. I heard the two of the talking before turning the corner to Belle's room
The door was open, and Madame stood there, peeking out the door. "Oh! Master!" was all she said when she saw us. I entered Belle's room and cautiously deposited her on the bed, Madame or someone having pulled back the bed sheets and blankets. The wardrobe watched as I gently pulled them over Belle, all the while looking at her face.
"Good night, Belle," I murmured before leaving. Just as quietly as I came, I left, however reluctantly.
Belle arose the next morning, completely oblivious to last night. She did seem a little surprised, but happy, to see me waiting for her before breakfast. "Nice to see you're in a better mood today, Beast," she remarked. I nodded.
"I'm sorry for being so…quiet yesterday," I apologized. Belle waved it off and headed down the stairs for breakfast. I followed, noticing that Belle seemed a little…dizzy when she walked.
"It's fine. I get the same way some days; everyone does once in a while." We passed by a large window. Belle's face fell slightly when she saw the damage from the storm. It wasn't too extensive, but branches were scattered all across the gardens and there was plenty of mud. "Oh…now I can't go on a walk! And I was so looking forward to it," she murmured. I cleared my throat. Belle turned and looked at me expectantly.
"If you want…we could make up for yesterday in the library," I offered. Belle smiled.
"I did miss you yesterday. I think spending the day with you and a book would be a great idea, Beast. But after breakfast," she added. I returned the smile and we started walking again. Absently, Belle reached for my paw, taking it in her tiny hands. The immense delight I felt at her touch made it hard to keep a straight face.
After breakfast, Belle and I retreated into the library were we spent most of the day, Belle poring over books while I tried to read over her shoulder or listening as she read a passage or two aloud.
Around lunch, Belle looked up from the fantasy book she was flipping through. "Beast, is the fire lit?"
I turned to her. That was an odd question. It may have be spring, but it was still cool enough for a fireplace to be welcome. Lumière always lit it when we were in the library. "Of course it is," I replied. "Why?"
Belle shivered. "I feel like it's freezing in here for some reason." We weren't on the sofa as we usually were. Belle had a pile of books next to her on a table and I sat nearby, looking over her shoulder. I frowned.
"Do you want to move to the sofa?" I asked. "It's warmer over there, since it's closer to the fireplace." She nodded then got up from her seat. When she swayed, I moved to catch her.
"I'm fine, Beast. Just a little tired," she said, trying to assure me. I stayed seated and watched Belle move towards the sofa. She swayed every other step. That was not just tiredness, not for Belle. I stood up and stopped her.
"Something's wrong, Belle," I stated gently. "You don't sway when you're just a 'little tired', not like you're doing." Belle tried to protest, but in the end nodded.
"I think it's just a cold or something. Mrs. Potts noticed it, too," she said.
I chuckled softly. "I've learned to listened to Mrs. Potts when she says something's wrong. She's usually right." I studied Belle. "Do you need help getting to your room? You need to lie down," I added before she could protest.
Belle nodded again, and I offered her my arm, which she gratefully took. "I'm sorry," she murmured, leaning her head against my arm. "I really wanted to spend more time together."
Pleased that she'd said that, but trying to make her feel better, I replied, "Mrs. Potts knows ways to cure anything. They're flavorful, if not appetizing, but they do work." Belle laughed softly.
"Were you sick a lot as a child?" she asked. I thought back to my childhood. Even being as spoiled as I was, one thing Mrs. Potts insisted on was medicine when I was sick. Thankfully, that was never very often. I shook my head.
"Once is enough for anyone," I explained. Belle smiled but didn't say anything. We walked the rest of the way in silence.
I left Belle alone so she could change and to get Mrs. Potts. The old teapot started tsking, but set about making a rancid smelling tea for Belle. I informed her I'd be in my wing if anyone wanted me and left.
I hadn't been there very long when Mrs. Potts came in. "She wants you, sire," was all she said before leaving just as quickly as she came. I followed.
Belle lay in her bed, enough blankets on her to warm an entire army. "I had Cogsworth get me this from the library," she said, holding up a book. "It's another Shakespeare play, A Midsummer's Night Dream. I thought, since Mrs. Potts has threatened to have Madame sit on me if I try to leave, we could take turns reading it in here. I'll help you if you need it."
I nodded, sitting in a chair that had been brought up close to Belle's bed. Before I could say anything, however, Madame piped up.
"Oh! I simply adore Shakespeare! I played Hermia in that same play you two are about to read. They had put it into an opera just so I could perform! Would you like me to sing you a piece from it?"
"No!" Belle and I looked at each other as we said it. Madame had a beautiful voice, but it was a little ear splitting at times. The wardrobe huffed.
"No need to shout. A simple 'no' works just as well, you know." Belle giggled and apologized for shouting. "Hmph. Some people just have no taste in the arts," was all Madame said. I shook my head and opened the book, motioning for Belle to start reading first.
"Now, fair Hippolyta, our nuptial hour…"
The next chapter might be a tad late...massive revisons due.