There only so much crying and emotions that Anne could handle at a time, and the fact that it was now her and Belle did not help matters. As the tears slowly stopped, a voice was heard. "Anne?"
"What?!" The normally calm girl could not help but snap at her sister, catching her off guard.
"What do you want now, Belle? I told you we shouldn't be here. The only good thing about this is that Papa is free. Now, it is time to live with the consequences of our choices. I have to. Whether it's from a wolf bite-" Rolling up her sleeves and showing the mark that forever scarred her left elbow, "Or paying off someone else's debt" Anne's face softly cringed in pain as she stretched her back.
"You're right," Belle swallowed a hard lump in her throat before something her sister just said got her attention. "You're paying off someone else's debt, Whose?"
"I'm not talking about it Belle, not now. Especially not in this Castle where the painful memories are still so fresh. This is going to be a long night." She sighed, grabbing blanket off the bed and sitting on the floor by the fireplace in the corner, watching the flames dance around and tuning everything else out. Nearly succeeding, until she felt a soft hand on her shoulder and met her sister's big brown eyes.
"I'm sorry,"
Anne's eyes returned to the fire but not before muttering "Thank you…"
As the room began to darken with daylight fading away, Anne took a small bottle from her pant pocket, uncorked the opening and took a long drink.
"What is that?"
"Rose petal tea, Agathe makes it for me. It's a special blend that's supposed to help on a night like tonight"
Belle was intrigued, "What's so special about tonight?"
Her sister sighed, she was going to find out sooner or later, with them sharing the same room and all.
"Tonight's the Full moon Belle. As you know even when I was living at home, I usually was out "hunting" on this night or locking myself in the cellar when I was younger. That was because…" Anne took a deep breath, just say it! "Belle, that "Beast" we encountered, isn't the only one around here. I'm a Werewolf. I have been ever since that night when you and Papa found me" showing off the bite mark once more.
"Werewolf?" the brunette thought out loud as she struggled to recall something from one of the books she read. "You turn into a wolflike creature whose shape and mental health is depicted by the moon."
"Yes, and unlike Growly Pants upstairs or wherever he is now. I am dangerous to Humans. Being a Werewolf is not a spell, it's a disease transmitted through a bite. I won't recognize you, Papa or anyone I know as human, for the animal instincts take over and rule me on this night. But the tea is supposed to help me retain my human mind while in that form. I can't talk, but I can think. So, I can curl up as a "tame" werewolf. But the fact that "the Master of the Castle" ordered us to share this room together. I'm not going to take a chance."
She held up a dart and a small tube from her other pocket.
"This is a tranquilizer, and this is called a "blowgun" I am going to shoot myself in the foot with this. It's going to make me fall into a deep sleep and hopefully be able to stay asleep throughout the night. Just in case though, I want your word that you will not wake me. No matter how "curious" you get. There's no telling what mental state I'll be in until sunrise when my body will change back. Do you understand? It's a Safety issue" Anne slowly enunciated the last part, hoping her sister would get the message.
"Alright, if it means that much to you? You have my word" said Belle, watching her sigh in relief before loading the gun and taking her boots off.
"3...2…1!" Anne raised the weapon to her lips, aimed and fired. Hitting the target as she groaned and slumped over.
"Anne," her sister gently whispered as she situated her body in a more comfortable position and not a moment too soon as the last rays of sunlight vanished, and the moon started to appear.
Belle looked over at Anne as she moaned in her sleep and her body began to change. Silver-gray fur started sprouting everywhere as her feet turned into paws and a tail grew out her back end. She became taller and leaner as her hands morphed into hybrid claws similar to the beast's. But the most drastic was her neck, head and face stretched out and became that of a wolf. The transformation was so painful that she cried out in her sleep but did not awaken as cries slowly became whimpers and pants before finally, snoring.
"Good night" Belle whispered as she lightly arranged the blanket around her sister's enlarged form before stepping back and wincing. "Of all the things to happen in stories, this is not one I ever guessed to be true."
Looking around the room, it was nice, but it did nothing for the empty feeling inside herself. Anne would be leaving as well tomorrow, leaving her alone in this mess. There was only one thought that kept repeating, bringing her to tears: "Is this home?"
A short time later, there was a knock at the door. "Who is it?"
"Mrs. Potts, dear" answered a friendly voice. Curious, Belle went over and opened it. Seeing no one at her height, then finding herself astonished as a tea pot hopped into the room, followed by a teacup, cream and sugar bowl. "I thought you ladies might like a nice cup of tea" the tea pot invited.
"But You're a-?" the brunette gasped as she backed into the wardrobe which also came alive. "Careful" her voice sang.
"This is impossible" Belle muttered as she sat on the bed.
"I know it is, but here we are" the wardrobe chimed.
"Where is your sister? If you don't mind my asking" questioned Mrs. Potts looking around. Belle looked over on the other side of the bed where Anne's sleeping wolf hybrid form was.
"She's… asleep,"
"This early in the evening? Poor Dear, the stress of what went on with the Master must have been too much for her" replied the teapot sympathetic.
"It's not that," said Belle. "Indeed, not" agreed the wardrobe, with a sad expression.
"What's wrong, did something happen? I can get help"
"It's not that, I'm not sure how you can help" answered Belle, truthfully. "May I?" she asked as she bent over and picked up the tea pot, showing her.
"My sister's a Werewolf, or so I – or We-" Belle broke off, looking at the wardrobe who nodded, proof that she had seen and heard what happened earlier. "-discovered tonight. It's not a spell and it only comes on once a month according to her and the stories. She took something to help her sleep through it"
And to protect me, she finished thinking to herself.
The tea pot sighed, "How very fortunate that she does have that option, not all of us are as lucky"
"She's big Mama," said the teacup coming around the edge of the bed. "But not as big as the Master"
"Chip!" Mrs. Potts scolded, before turning back to Belle "I apologize"
Belle giggled, "It's quite alright, and Anne did gain an extra foot or two in height thanks to her new hind feet. She'll be back to herself in the morning or so she says"
"Good, maybe then I can talk to her then before she leaves?" Mrs. Potts whispered to herself. There was a mystery surrounding this girl.
"Does she have to go Mama? It might be fun, having two beasts around"
"It's not the time to discuss it dear." She told him, before turning back to Belle "Now, how about that tea?" she offered, tipping herself over to the side and pouring the steaming liquid into the teacup which has hopped up beside her.
"Thank you," Belle responded as she took a sip.
"Wanna see me do a trick?" Chip asked, before inhaling and blowing bubbles in her tea which his mother scolded him for. "Oops, sorry" he apologized sheepishly.
The teapot shook her China head before refocusing on Belle. "That was a very brave thing you did, my dear."
"We all think so," the Wardrobe added.
The brunette nodded but she thought over her predicament, it reminded her of what she had lost and would continue to lose. "But I'm losing my sister tomorrow, and I've already lost my father, my dreams…everything"
Mrs. Potts hated seeing her so sad, "Cheer up child, it will turn out alright in the end. You'll see" she said, trying to hopefully give her some words of encouragement before shaking her head again, realizing what time it was. "Oh, listen to me. Jabbering on while there's a supper to get on the table. Chip?" she called as she and the others hopped out of the room.
"Bye!" the little teacup called back to Belle, following his mother.
"Well now, since your sister isn't going to attended, as she is preoccupied at the moment. What shall we dress you in for dinner? Let's see what I've got in my drawers" said the wardrobe excitedly as she started taking out some possible dresses.
"That's very kind of you…" Belle tried to excuse herself, "But I'm not going to dinner"
"But you must!" wardrobe insisted fearfully as a short mantle clock came scurrying into the room, "Dinner is served…"
...
Meanwhile downstairs, the Beast paced in front of the fireplace. "What's taking so long? I told them to come down, why aren't they here yet?!" he snarled at his servants.
"Try to be patient sir, Belle has lost her father and her freedom all in one day. Plus, Anne is going through something drastic at the moment and needs all the rest she can get. In fact, she's already asleep" said Mrs. Potts, trying to reason with him.
"What? Nobody falls asleep that fast."
"She took some medicine to make her sleep through the night"
"What medicine did you give her Mrs. Potts?" the Beast demanded.
"Nothing sir, the girl must have brought it with her and taken it in front of her sister when they were alone."
"What kind of a girl is she?" he growled, "Wearing men's clothes, dirty and attacking me with a knife-"
"Wasn't it you who attacked her first?" asked the candelabra speaking up before sighing at the beast's defiant expression. "Master, no woman likes being grabbed like that, especially by a stranger. She was probably trying to protect her virtue. She is very fortunate to have learned something to help her. Not all mademoiselles are so lucky, I'm sorry to say. Not all men are gentlemen,"
The beast raised a hairy eyebrow, growling. "You think-?"
"I –!" he broke off looking at Mrs. Potts who nodded. "We know you are not that breed of monster, Master. Just try to remember the gentlemanly ways you were taught. Respect the girl, both of them actually. And apologize next time you see her."
The beast nodded; he would do that. At least try to, apologizes never came easy for him.
"Still, there is something very familiar about her. Something I can't put my paw on, and how she knew about this place. Everyone thinks we're dead. Of course, they would think that. No one has been in contact apart from signed letter deliveries to keep the castle up and running. Unless you have-?"
"No master," the two chorused, "No one" which was sad since they hopefully still had family out there somewhere. But how could they even begin to explain the spell and have their relatives believe them?
The beast was quiet for a moment before speaking again. "She said, her name was Anne Potts? Are they related to you?" he couldn't help but ask the teapot. Mrs. Potts has a puzzled look.
"I can't say for sure, Jean and I have family, not counting our children. Though most of them are in England. They could be from my husband's side of the family; a couple of his brothers are still here. Mainly working in Paris. But their father didn't look familiar but that could be because he wasn't at the Wedding. I'll try to talk to her tomorrow before she leaves"
At the mention of the girl leaving, the beast growled, resuming his pacing. "I don't like the thought of her leaving, something about it just doesn't feel right. Like she belongs here"
The teapot and the candelabra looked at each other,
"Master? Are you starting to say you might have some feelings for that girl already? Out of the two of them?" asked Mrs. Potts.
The beast paused, "I don't know…what I feel for each girl is different. Belle- she's so beautiful and I'm-? Well look at me!"
"Well then you must help her to see past all that" She gently advised him.
"Then she could be the one to break the spell!" stated the candelabra, excitedly. "Think of it! You fall in love with her. She falls in love with you, and poof! The spell is broken! We'll be human again by midnight!"
"It's not that easy Lumiere," Mrs. Potts commented, trying to bring her colleague out of his childish fantasy as he was getting ahead of himself. "These things take time"
"But the rose has already begun to wilt" he objected as the beast growled at the reminder.
"Never mind Sir, let's just focus on tonight then" said the kind teapot.
The rest of the conversation were filled with overwhelming suggestions of how the interaction with Belle could go. Ending with both Lumiere and Mrs. Potts emphasizing on controlling his temper. Which was ignored the minute, Cogsworth, the mantle clock came in with the news that Belle wasn't coming.
"WHAT?!"