It was a day's journey from Paris to the village, from which point it would be another day's journey to the castle in present weather and with wagons drawn behind the horses. The countryside was covered in snow. Some of it wet, some dry, some deep and some shallow, but all of it slippery where it encroached upon the roads.
"Ah, the open road," Clopin declaimed theatrically when Maurice had pulled Phillippe over to the side of the road to stop for lunch, and he followed. "The countryside of France, so picturesque we see it, covered in a blanket of snow. Just what a man needs after being next in line to be burned alive. My skin only now is not drawn tight by the heat of the fires of Paris."
Belle and Maurice laughed, as he had meant for them to.
"But fear not! I shall soon be disenchanted, I am sure, when I can no longer feel my fingers on the ends of my hands and fear that they are turning blue beneath my gloves where I will not see," Clopin continued.
"It would be a terrible thing if you turned blue," Maurice commiserated. "It would not go with your brightly coloured tunic or mask at all. Perhaps you had better ride with Monsieur Trouillefou the rest of the way to the village," Maurice commented to Belle.
"Certainly Papa," Belle agreed with a smile and a chuckle, and obligingly climbed up beside Clopin when they had shared their lunch and were ready to get back on their way again. Before she sat, she unpinned her cloak from around her neck and draped it around Clopin's shoulders. She wrapped the other half of the cloak she hadn't given him around herself, and snuggled in close to share warmth between them.
"Will you tell me about your castle, Mademoiselle?" Clopin asked as he urged Renée on to follow after Phillippe.
"What would you like to know? You will see it tomorrow," Belle answered softly.
Clopin smiled down at her. "The Court of Miracles had streets of caravans, and a sort of town square all of its own where a permanent gallows was erected to execute any trespassers or spies who actually managed to find us," he offered.
Belle rested her head against Clopin's shoulder. "The castle has a library as spectacular as Notre Dame, and a ballroom as large as the square before the cathedral where the Feast of Fools was held," she answered, accepting the 'game' of trading details for details.
"Every cart has to be brought in through the catacombs or be built within the Court of Miracles itself. There are many ways to reach it, but only one that is large enough for carts to go in and out through," Clopin said. "And then the smell of the catacombs sticks to the cart for months after," he complained.
Belle giggled. "Your cart doesn't smell of catacombs," she pointed out.
"Well, I haven't kept it in the catacombs since I could afford for it to be built," Clopin explained easily. "Much as the Court of Miracles is a safe haven to any gypsy, it is not what a person would call ventilated," he joked.
Belle giggle again. "Nearly every window at the castle is as high as the ceiling, and there are balconies all around it, so that there will always be somewhere to sit in the sun and admire the view of the surrounding lands, whatever the weather may be," she countered with a smile. "I have only seen the castle in the winter, but the views were still beautiful."
"Brightly coloured fabrics were draped and hung all around the Court of Miracles to hide the stone walls and make the catacombs look and feel warmer. These fabrics got used for tents at festivals, and when they tore then they were turned into clothing, and when the clothes tore then they were used for trim or to patch holes."
"The castle has draperies, and a team of seamstresses and tailors both on permanent retainer to keep everybody clothed and looking their best at all times."
And so the back-and-forth continued until they reached the village, and that just as the sun was about to dip below the horizon. Thankfully, they still owned the house on the outskirts of the village, and even more thankfully, none of the people from the village had done anything to it.
"We have a guest room, and there is plenty of firewood left from when we lived here," Maurice offered to Clopin as he helped Belle down from the gypsy's cart. "And your horse is certainly welcome to share Phillippe's stable and the feed that should still be here as well."
"Merci Monsieur Leburinrusée," Clopin said and bowed his head. "But my wagon will be warm enough for me as soon as I get a fire going in the stove, and I should not like to impose too much upon your hospitality."
Maurice chuckled. "Well, help yourself to firewood, and whatever feed we have for your horse, at least," he insisted lightly with a gesture towards the basement where the wood was stored and the shed where there were, indeed, still a few barrels of feed and a bale of hay that looked to be unaffected by the weather.
They'd kept a few goats and some chickens around the place before they'd left, but had seen them moved to the castle for care before leaving for Paris. Still, the house was in generally good shape, and... somewhat stocked.
Maurice saw to fetching firewood into the house and starting a fire to keep them warm through the night – as well as airing the beds – while Belle tended to Phillippe after the long day of travel, and Clopin along side of her tending to Renée.
~oOo~
"Tell me about this village?" Clopin asked as he helped her up onto the front of his cart for the new day's travel. Since Maurice had only found the castle in the first place by getting lost, Belle would be the one guiding them to it that day. But she would do so from Clopin's cart.
"It's a little town, just a quiet village, where every day is like the one before," Belle answered as she urged Renée across the bridge and onto the main, indeed the only street. "A little town, full of little people," she continued, then smiled a little as she pressed a finger to Clopin's lips, "waking up to say..."
"Bonjour!" once voice after another rang out around them.
"Here comes the baker with his tray, like always, the same old bread and rolls to sell," Belle said, and pointed him out. "Morning here is still the same as the morning we first came to this poor provincial town."
"Good morning Belle," the baker greeted as the cart drew level with him. Then he did a double-take. "Belle! What are you doing back here?" he asked, though he didn't seem to notice her travelling companion.
"Just passing through on the way to the castle," she answered. "May I have three rolls please?" she asked, and produced a single gold coin as she did so.
The baker nodded, and held up his tray for her to pick which rolls she wanted.
Belle passed them all over to Clopin – who in turn took them into his cart so that he would not have them on his lap – and set the coin down on the corner of the tray, then urged Renée onward a while. She pulled her to a stop again in front of a door just before a woman with a large basket of apples came out through it.
"Belle!" the woman greeted in surprise.
"Bonjour Madame Arbre," Belle greeted. "May I have six apples please?" she requested, and again held out a coin for the exchange.
"Oui, of course," the woman answered, and raised her basket to Belle so that she could pick out which ones she liked.
Again, Belle passed her selections onto Clopin as she chose them, then paid the woman before she urged the horse onwards – and finally out of the small town.
"Mademoiselle, that was..."
"Disturbing?" Belle suggested lightly, a small smile on her face. "Do not think on it beyond that we have fresh food for the day's journey," she suggested.
Clopin nodded his acceptance, and they resumed their game of the day before, but exchanging details of the people now, rather than describing the castle or the Court of Miracles.
"This road is not a pleasant prospect," Clopin declared softly as Belle turned the cart down the less appealing of two roads when they had returned to the carts after a quick stop for lunch with Maurice.
"It isn't," Belle agreed with a sigh. "But at least the wolves are gone now," she added softly. A couple had died the day she had run from the Beast in fear, and another when he came after her, but she had requested – when the curse was lifted – that the area be kept clear of wolves entirely. The same day, Cogsworth had organised a small hunting party to go after the animals.
"The Mistress has returned!" cried a happy voice from the castle's front door, and a figure came running down the steps.
Belle quickly handed Clopin the reigns and prepared herself to be me enthusiastically when she recognised just who it was who was coming to welcome her.
He barely noticed, he was staring it awe up at the castle.
"Lumiere," Belle greeted with a smile as he lifted her bodily down from the cart. "How are you?"
"I have told you, Mademoiselle," he said seriously as he set her down. "Life can be so unnerving for a servant who is not serving."
Belle nodded. She remembered. "Well, Papa is here to stay," she said with a wave back to where her father was drawing Phillippe to a halt. "So that he may work on his inventions where I know he will be well cared for."
"You can count on us," Lumiere said with a salute and a smile.
"And this other gentleman with us is Monsieur Clopin Trouillefou," Belle continued, and the sound of his name drew his attention away from the architecture at last. "He is an honoured guest," she added in a softly pointed voice.
"Of course, of course!" Lumiere agreed with a light chuckle and a wide grin. "Ah, it is so wonderful to have not only the Mistress returned, but guests as well!" he declared, and then there was a flood of servants coming through the doors to help Maurice unpack his cart, to take Phillippe off to the stables, and more to take not only Renée, but also Clopin's cart away for him.
The man was rather unceremoniously urged off his own cart, but he was still too awed to be much offended as he joined Belle where she stood with her father, and Lumiere.
"Apologies Monsieur," Lumiere said with a chuckle. "We have not had guests since the Mistress left us, and before her... not for some time. You will be treated as a prince for as long as you stay."
"Is that why I find myself suddenly being attacked with a tape measure?" Clopin asked as his left arm was suddenly jerked up by powers not his own.
Lumiere laughed. "Oui," he agreed. "You shall have ten new items for your wardrobe by dinner time, whether you need them or not."
"And regardless of whether or not I have anywhere to keep them in my wagon?" Clopin enquired.
"Oh, Monsieur, if such is the case then we shall keep them until you visit us again," Lumiere answered with an easy smile as he waved off the concern.
"You mentioned dinner, Lumiere?" Belle asked.
"Of course Mistress!" Lumiere agreed.
"Then you should get to it," Cogsworth said pointedly as he came down the steps, "and let the Mistress come in out of the cold."
"Hello Cogsworth," Belle greeted.
"My lady," he deferred with a bow to her. "Monsieur Maurice," he added with a slighter bow to the old man. Then his eyes lit on Clopin, and he looked back at Belle with a raised eyebrow.
Belle lifted one of her own in answer.
Lumiere whispered in Cogsworth's ear before he hurried off into the castle.
"Honoured guest," Cogsworth said, and bowed slightly again to Clopin. "Please, allow me to show you all to your rooms?" he requested politely.
"Thank you Cogsworth," Belle said with a smile.
~oOo~
Clopin did have a new wardrobe at his disposal come dinner time, even wore some of it down for the meal, and left his mask behind in his room – though he had worn it throughout the day's ride through the village and beyond, just as he had worn it the previous day since leaving Paris.
Maurice didn't recognise him when he joined them for dinner. At least, not until Belle greeted him.
"Clopin," she welcomed with a smile. "How do you like the room Cogsworth gave you?"
"It is extravagant," Clopin answered, and was only able to due to much practice at keeping his head when shocked by beautiful things. Esmeralda regularly shocked him with her latest dress for festival performances after all.
Belle, vision of loveliness that she was, laughed softly. "This is a castle," she pointed out. "Nearly everything is extravagant."
"And speaking of extravagance!" Lumiere announced. "The dining room proudly presents your dinner," he declared, and two servants rolled in trolleys with covered dishes, while a third carried in a bucket of ice with a bottle of wine resting, nestled, among the cubes.
"I've spoken with Cogsworth, Papa," Belle said once the meal was served. "He has just the place for your new workshop. Chip will show you where it is after breakfast tomorrow."
"Thank you Belle," Maurice answered with a smile. "It will be good to see the lad again."
"Monsieur Clopin, the castle is completely open to your explorations, no door will be closed to you," Belle continued. "I've cleared that with Cogsworth as well."
Clopin smiled. "Merci, Mademoiselle," he answered. "But what will you be doing?" he enquired.
Belle sighed. "There are matters of the castle and grounds that Cogsworth wishes to discuss with me," she explained. "It... could take a while," she admitted. "But if you wish to find me at any time, any servant in the castle can direct you to the library."
Maurice chuckled. "You doing work in the library guarantees that it will take longer, Belle," he teased. "You will notice a title out of the corner of your eye, ask poor Cogsworth if you can finish discussing whatever matter is at hand at a later time, and then you will settle in for the rest of the day with whatever book it is. And the next day will be the same."
Belle blushed, but did not deny the accusation. "All of Cogsworth's concerns will be addressed before I leave," she said resolutely. "Even if that means a slightly longer stay than originally intended," she added more quietly.
~oOo~
The bed was large, comfortable, and covered in the softest sheets... but it didn't smell like his bed, which was his excuse for not falling straight to sleep when he returned to his rooms and settled onto the mattress. Still, it being large, comfortable, done up with the softest sheets he had ever known, and warm besides, were all perfectly good reasons for him to rouse slowly the next morning.
There was a knock on his door not long after he woke.
"Come in," Clopin called.
It was Lumiere, the man who had welcomed them the previous evening and served them dinner with such theatre.
"Good morning Monsieur," Lumiere greeted with a smile.
"Good morning," Clopin returned. "Am I being summoned to breakfast?" he enquired.
Lumiere chuckled. "Oh, that will be served soon enough," he agreed. "Did you sleep well?" he asked as he moved towards the wardrobe.
"I did, thank you."
"Good, good. Ah, here we are," he declared as he withdrew certain items from the wardrobe. "I do not know what you intend to do with your day about the castle Monsieur, but I think these should serve well, no? And flatter your figure as well," he added with a sly smirk. "You want to look your best for the Mistress, after all."
"I would like to look like myself," Clopin countered half-heartedly, but rose from the bed and accepted the clothes that Lumiere had chosen for him all the same. They were not as flouncy as Lumiere's own attire, and not as brightly coloured as the tunic he had arrived in yesterday, but more fine-looking, modest sorts of things like he had worn to dinner the previous night – except, of course, that these were clothes for the morning, and not the evening. "I feel like I should be off to a festival, to perform, in such fine things," Clopin said when he emerged, dressed for the day.
"Mrs Potts suggested that you might feel less out of place in the castle if you looked less out of place," Lumiere explained with a smile. "Besides, the tailors have made it all already, so you might as well wear them around a bit!"
Breakfast was porridge, a fairly standard fare, but with the options of milk, sugar, honey and even cinnamon to be added to it to improve the taste.
"Mistress," Cogsworth called softly when they'd finished eating.
"Yes Cogsworth," Belle answered him. "I haven't forgotten. Where's Chip?" she asked.
"Here!" answered a little blonde boy enthusiastically as he appeared form behind the slightly rotund form of Cogsworth. "Hi Belle! Hi Maurice!" the boy greeted.
"Hello Chip," Belle and Maurice both greeted.
"Hello Monsieur Guest," Chip added to Clopin.
Clopin smiled. "Bonjour Monsieur Chip," he answered happily. "Please call me Clopin. What are you going to do today?"
"I'm gonna show Maurice where he can set up his workshop!" Chip answered happily. "I got to ride on one of his inventions once. It was great!"
The adults around the table all laughed in reflected joy.
"Will you come too?" Chip asked Clopin.
"If I would not be in the way," he said, and looked up to Maurice for confirmation on that matter.
The man shook his head with a smile.
"Then I would be delighted," Clopin agreed with a smile of his own.
"Yay!" Chip cheered, and proceeded to drag Maurice and Clopin from their chairs and out of the dining room.
"How does Mrs Potts keep up with that boy?" Belle asked Cogsworth softly as she watched the trio leave, a fond smile on her face.
"Well, he's determined to be helpful rather than a nuisance, and actually knows how to be helpful, which helps," Cogsworth answered drolly, a small smile tugging at his own lips. "To the library?" he suggested.
Belle nodded and rose from her seat. "To the library," she agreed.