"I am Lumiere, it is a pleasure to meet you Ma Cher. The Master did not mention how beautiful you were." The suave candle stick spoke as Belle drank in the sight of the enchanted objects bustling about. Blinking at the bloomed red rose the candelabra extended to her. Taking it and inhaling the perfumed bud her eyes flickering back to Lumiere as she set the flower down.
"As he did not mention to me that he had a talking candelabra." Belle giggled brightly.
As Lumiere laughed along with her a mantle clock came whizzing into the room looking rather distraught. "Mrs. Potts, where is Mrs. Potts! The lady must be promptly served her tea before the first course." The clock spoke very matter of factly as if he were co-ordinator of the dinner party tonight.
"Cogs worth old friend, come calm yourself the dinner will take care of itself." The candelabra spoke with airy nonchalance.
"No, no, no! Where is she?" He asked looking for the teapot.
"I'm here no need to be sounding out the alarm." Spoke the female voice that had woken Belle. "I had shown the young girl here, I was warming up a bit."
The clock headed off back into the kitchen determined to set the table, not wanting to waste any time. The chipped tea cup was beside her shyly staying beside Mrs. Potts. With a gentle nudge from the ceramic pot the meek cup was pushed in front of Belle. Mrs. Potts lifting herself up as if being held by an invisible arm pouring out the steaming liquid. "Well what's your name?" she asked the adorable tea cup.
"Ch-chip." it replied demurely.
Belle gave him a smile and extended her hand holding him flatly in her palm as she looked around the dining beauty watched dumbfounded as the sugar bowl came over quickly and doled her out two cubes, giving a courteous bow before leaving again. Trying to absorb her surroundings as the scent of gourmet entrees filled the dinning hall. "Is all of this for me?" She asked the Candelabra.
"But of course, Ma cher!" Lumiere chortled charmingly.
Still convinced that she must be sleeping, it seemed all too real though to be just a dream. Watching the enchanted items do the work and take their places all under the direction of the clock was quite amusing.
"Perhaps Mademoiselle would care for a little evening entertainment?" The candelabra suggested as he watched her look around the room with delight.
She nodded, her eyes alight wondering what sort of show that dishes and utensils might be able to put on. " Oh Yes, Please." She managed to speak up.
Lumiere gave a quick bow kissing the hand that wasn't supporting Chip and dashed off to prepare an excellent show for the beauty. Cogsworth had begun to serve the meal to her, ordering the dishes with the entrees down the long frame of the table. She had to suppress a giggle as the clock kicked a stray serving spoon back into line.
Bringing Chip up level with her lips and carefully sipping from him half expecting the little piece of china to tell her to stop.
"Ma Cher mademoiselle it is with deepest pride and greatest pleasure, that we welcome you here tonight…" Lumiere announced dramatically as his fellow candlesticks bent and angled their flames so that a spot light was created. Setting Chip down to watch the show as well. Belle couldn't help but beam when she saw the child like delight as the little tea cup watched the performance with her.
The magically animated items produced an amazing show, creating a chorus of voices that echoed off of the hard stone walls. The music filled her ears and she felt her loneliness and boredom melting away completely.
The spoons and the forks were performing a charming waltz across the table cloth as the plates cartwheeled down the length of the table. Clapping with enthusiasm at the end of each perfectly orchestrated song and dance. She had to refuse several silver carts of food not even having room to pick at the gourmet items anymore. The empty and dirty dishes clearing themselves from the dining hall as the entertainment continued.
Belle gasped as Lumiere juggled a three crystal wine glasses with absolute ease. Cogsworth warning him in the background not to damage the masters things. The candlestick chortled in reply as he set on crystal glass up high catching it again with ease. She felt like she could watch this all night and she did. Soon she was slumped over slightly in her chair, fighting both gravity and her own exhaustion. The teacup in her hand was giving a small bubbling snore as it had lulled off into sleep.
"Oh dear, I should show the miss back to her room poor things falling asleep right here at the table." Mrs. Potts voice spoke with a disapproving tone as if wondering how none of the others saw Belle's exhaustion.
"I'm fine." Belle tried to protest.
"Come now, it's nearly morning up to bed with you." The teapot insisted nudging the Beauty's arm trying to coax her to stand up.
Belle looked out the window and saw that the night was begining to give way to the sun. The deep midnight black of the night sky becoming a lighter blue as dusk set in. "We can't have the Master thinking we wouldn't let you sleep." Mrs. Potts said kindly and the young girl stood up resigned as if she were a child and her mother were urging her to sleep.
"That was magnificent." Belle said mid yawn as she was lead up the winding staircase to her room. "Thank you, I really enjoyed everything." her lips drew into an authentic delighted smiled.
"Our pleasure Dear, Lumiere will be very happy with himself knowing he kept you entertained throughout the evening." Mrs. Potts spoke kindly as Belle slipped her shoes off and climbed into the goose-feather bed. "Now get some rest."
Giggling despite herself, Belle nodded. The warmth of her quilts covering her very quickly helped the beauty drift into dreams though they would pale in comparison to her waking hours tonight.
The enchanted plates and silverware washing themselves in the kitchen and stacking themselves back neatly in the cabinets. Cogsworth making sure not a crumb was left behind finishing the cleaning just before Rumpelstiltskin returned.
"Good morning Master." the clock spoke with an air of respect.
The imp nodded to him and took a seat at the same end of the table where Belle was seated earlier.
"The girl just went in for a lie down." Mrs. Potts said as she poured Rumpelstiltskin a welcoming cup of tea.
"She enjoyed herself then?" He asked as Lumiere came darting down the table to him.
"But of course." the candelabra said haughtily.
"Good." he nodded and took a short sip of tea, "tell me everything." Relaxing back in his chair as the tea pot, the clock and the candle stick began to recount the night past.
Their tale took quite awhile to tell, going into details of the performances and Belle's unbridled reactions of joy and awe. Rumpelstiltskin thought long of the beauty's smile, almost jealous that the magicked dishes could provoke it from her so simply. When their story had finished he gave a small flick of his wrist and drained the life from all three just as easily as he had given it earlier.
He made a resolution that night that Belle would never be lonely while he was away. He would make sure to awaken the lifeless items each night that he had to leave her alone in the dark castle. The colors of the morning sunrise filling the room he smiled to himself one last time before standing up and walking up to the entrance hall to continue his spinning. He would let Belle sleep the day away, contented by the thought of how much she enjoyed his gift.