It was early in the morning, again.
No, scratch that, Lefou thought, cracking his knuckles and scowling. If Gaston's plans started getting any earlier, they'd be doing them yesterday. Gaston would come round to his house, knock on the door and, when he answered, grab him by the scruff of the neck and say "Lefou! Meet me six hours ago at the tavern, I've got an idea!"
It wouldn't surprise him at all if he managed it, either. He did the unlikely, the unkind, the downright wrong when Gaston told him to. Who was to say he wouldn't do the impossible?
So, it was early in the morning, again, and here they were, ten of the town's finest – and Lefou, as someone had joked – here to take part in Gaston's brilliant plan. None of them knew what it was, but that wasn't putting a dent in anyone's enthusiasm. One would think they'd forgotten what had happened at the castle, but it was more than that. They remembered it very well, just not the way it had actually happened. That was the thing about an ego like Gaston's. Once one got that big, it somehow gained the ability to rewrite history. Lefou found himself looking at them with disdain. He worshipped Gaston more than anyone, of course he did – but this was just silly. He decided to take matters into his own hands. You know, a bit.
"Gaston," he said, approaching him with perhaps a little less reverence than was customary.
Gaston could feel the thrill of the hunt washing over him, so he let it pass. "Yes?"
"I hope you don't mind me asking but... what's the plan?"
Gaston answered him by shouting dramatically to those assembled. "We're going to find an Enchantress!"
Cheering broke out, accompanied by hooting, clapping and stamping. The assembled men were nothing if not enthusiastic.
Lefou waited respectfully for it to die down and then said: "Why?"
Gaston hauled him briskly behind a tree. Lefou reflected briefly that if it weren't for his status as Gaston's right-hand man, he'd probably walk hundreds of extra miles every year due to not being hoisted aloft all the time.
"I think I explained this yesterday."
"Oh, yeah! ... Well, you explained about the Prince really being the Beast." As he was saying it, he realised again just how ridiculous all this was. Still, ridiculous had never stopped Gaston before.
"Because of...?"
"Magic."
"Right. So what will we need to change him back?"
"Well, magic, I guess, but-"
"Exactly."
"But... why?"
It was too late. Gaston was striding back to the others. "We strike out east immediately. Stay close together and be ready for my commands." He glanced over his shoulder, briefly. "Lefou, you bring up the rear."
Lefou sighed.
"There. All is well that ends well, eh, Cogsworth?" Lumière beamed as they made their way through the kitchen. Cooks and underlings scuttled round them trying to look respectful and deliver the evening meal in a timely fashion.
Cogsworth's response consisted initially of nothing but hyperventilation. Eventually, he managed, between wheezing breaths: "All's well that ends well? The Master was seconds away from crucifying us!"
"I think you will find that crucifixion is illegal," Lumière responded, airily.
Cogsworth's eyes bulged. "He's the prince, Lumière, for heaven's sake! He could make it legal especially for us!"
"What a treat that would be."
Cogsworth couldn't manage any more words and, instead, made a noise like a small pig being squeezed.
As they reached their chairs by the fire, Lumière gave his best deliberately-infuriating smile. It had never let him down. "Come now, Cogsworth. You are getting this out of proportion. The prince has always behaved like this."
Cogsworth wiped his brow with a clean white handkerchief, sinking gratefully into his seat. "I'd have thought the curse would have taught him a lesson."
"You do not think it has?"
Cogsworth hesitated. "Do you?"
It was about an hour past dusk when they got there. Lefou had no idea where 'there' was or how Gaston had managed to locate it so easily but... well, he was a good hunter. Maybe that was all there was to it. Maybe even Enchantresses left tracks.
Gaston was a little disappointed with the place. He had expected well... more. If he had magical powers as well as phenomenal physical ones, he'd advertise it a bit. Conjure himself up a nice castle or something. For some reason, the Enchantress appeared to favour a cottage.
"Wait here," he told the others. "I'm going in alone."
He was only slightly disappointed that the saucer-eyed men behind him did not raise any objections. He could handle this. He was Gaston.
He knocked on the door.
There was a moment's silence. Gaston looked back to make sure the others were still there and hadn't run off out of fright or something. They hadn't.
He knocked again.
More silence.
He drew himself up to his full height, took a deep breath and knocked a third time.
The door opened. Draped behind it was the most beautiful sight that had met Gaston's eyes since he had last checked his reflection. It was tall and thin and blonde and it had a huge, white smile.
"Good evening, gorgeous," said the smile. "Do come in, won't you?"
"Right!" said Gaston.
Sorry this chapter is so short! The good news is that it's got things rolling so there should be some good, solid plot in the next one!