I am so sorry for the delay, school had just started and I am learning how to balance work and school. I promise all of you that I will never give up on this story, in fact, school helps my creative juices flowing, and it's just the matter of typing and posting it. Sorry again and I hope you all enjoy the next chapter!
Chapter 8: Human Again
"Belle, isn't this just a little too silly?"
"Not at all! You said you had very little experience with people, and this will help you."
"What good is it going to be for me to talk to a candelabra?" He asks as he holds it up.
"That is not a candelabra, that is Monsieur Lumiere. And first rule of etiquette, it isn't polite to grab hold of someone."
Gabriel placed the candelabra and apologized to it, hoping that this would make Belle proud, and it did.
"Now, allow me to introduce to you your guests, you have all ready meet Monsieur Lumiere, I believe?"
Gabriel just sat there, looking at the object on the table, and then said, "Hi."
Belle chuckled and said, "No, no, what you do this." She curtsied and said in a pleasant voice, "I am very pleased to meet you Monsieur Lumiere."
Gabriel, not knowing any better, mimicked her movements, exactly, and stood proud after he did it.
Belle had to laugh, she had never seen anyone other than a woman curtsy before and it was quite amusing. "No, ladies curtsy, gentlemen bow, like so." She performed this act and he did the same, better than she could do. "Perfect, now try all that again, but bow, and then say it.
He straightened out and with a deep breath; he bowed gracefully and said "I am very pleased to meet you Monsieur Lumiere."
"Wonderful! Now the next." They moved down a step to face the clock Gabriel, may I introduce you to Monsieur Cogsworth?"
Gabriel bowed again and Belle moved on to the tea pot and a little cup. "And this is Madame Potts and her son, Chip."
"Chip? Why Chip?"
"Because," Belle explained as she lifted the cup up to show him, "It has a little chip in the cup, and it would be rude to just call him 'cup'. Anyhow," placing the cup back down, she made a gesture for him to continue.
"I am very pleased to meet you Madame Potts and your delightful son, Chip."
"Perfect! Are you sure you have not done this before?"
"I haven't, but it is because I have a wonderful teacher."
Belle smiled and blushed a bit. "Now, once you have introduced yourself, it is now time for tea."
She went into the kitchen and came back with a tea set. Gabriel watched as she placed each of the objects in front of the chairs and put a cup in front of each. "Now, I shall teach you the proper etiquette of serving tea."
"Won't the servants do that?"
She looked around, "Do you see any servants?"
"No, but that doesn't mean that they aren't here. Should you like to see?" he asked excitingly.
Belle was intrigued by this and agreed. Gabriel took her hand and led her to the kitchen door where Gabriel had her peak through the door, and saw invisible forces working hard in the kitchen. The food was putting them into the pot and dishes were being washed by themselves.
Gabriel whispered, "They don't like to be seen; I once caught them doing something like this, and when I walked in on them, they just dropped and wouldn't do anything."
Belle was truly amazed, she had only heard of magic and of what it could do, but she had never seen magic before, until she had come to this castle."
She stepped back and said, "That is amazing, but you must have had servants when you were a child."
Gabriel thought for a moment. "Perhaps, but I can't remember much of my childhood. Every time I try to remember it hurts me."
"Not even your parents? You can't recall them at all?"
Gabriel shook his head sadly.
"Well, do you recall the times when you were a man?"
"No, not at all. I can only truly recall the years when I was a beast."
"How many years were you a beast?"
Gabriel thought for a moment and said, "About twenty years."
Twenty years? How could anyone be a beast for twenty years?
But what struck Belle mostly was that he didn't seem older than twenty, which means that he has been like this most of his life, he has been a beast.
Belle, without any restraint, started to cry.
"Oh Belle! Why are you crying? Please do not cry! It pains me to see you cry!"
"Oh Gabriel, I am crying for you, not because of you."
Gabriel looked at her oddly. "For me?"
"Yes. Haven't you ever had anyone cry for you?"
"No, I haven't seen anyone cry before, except," he said suddenly, remembering. "My mother, I remember her crying. It was years ago. My childhood years, my mother was in her bed crying and my father was standing over me. He-"
Gabriel gasped and keeled over, but before he could fall over, Belle came to his side and helped him into a chair.
"What is it?"
"Father. He-he kicked me. He accused me of making mother upset. But I hadn't meant to, it was an accident. The cup." Gabriel reached for the cup as Belle knelt to listen more as he continued. "I remember. Mother was ill, and we were all alone. I decided to bring mother tea, thinking it would make her feel better. But the tray was too big for me and too heavy, so I dropped it, spilling her cup on her. She tossed it to the ground, causing it to chip. Father then came in, he had heard the noise and he punished me."
Gabriel fell silent, Belle watched as he kept on remembering.
This poor man, Belle thought, his whole life must have been terribly lonely. Belle remembered how when she was upset, how her father would come up to her and brush away her tears. Belle leaned in and was close enough to brush away the tears that had fallen on his feathered cheek.
"What did you do that for?"
"You were crying."
Gabriel seemed surprised by this. "Was I? I haven't cried for a long time." He chuckled and remarked, "I suppose its working."
"What is?"
"You. Your own special magic to make me human again."
Belle knew not this was her intention but she knew that if this is to help me improve his nature, she will help him unlock and express such memories and what they hold.
Thanks to With-a-Momo-on-Top, lavadiamond10, XXPay4XtraShippingsXX, , Hopefaith2, Strong-till-the-end, Maggs5396, Wyomingbeast, Chwilio Am Rhywbeth, xxxMadameMysteryxxx, Randall Boggs, Seionastar, Sound of the Heavens, CrazyGlitch, Sylxx, and segagenny who reviewed my first story.
