I watched the monster disappear behind a set of heavy doors, the click seeming to start up the ache in my shoulder. Wincing, I hesitantly looked down at it, my stomach knotting at the shredded skin and combination of wet and dry blood.
"M'lady," peeped a small voice, startling as I turned around to find the source. "M'lady, follow me and we will get that cleaned up for you." Again I looked, finding nothing but a curiously placed clock on the corner pedestal of the staircase railing. Squinting at it I suddenly watch the face come to life and I jumped, stepping back and reaching for the nearest and most threatening object I could find; a candle.
Sure, the moving furniture had been odd, but they were just moving, not talking. "Wh-what did you just say?" I stuttered as the clock seemed to roll its eyes.
"Ma cheri, you musn't fear. We mean nothing but peace." I yelped at the talking candlestick and dropped it, watching as the object grunted before righting itself and joining the clock on the pedestal.
"Get back!" I warned, looking towards where the beast had left and wondering if I made enough noise if it would come to my aid.
"Why don't we begin form the beginning, then?" The clock offered as I turned back to them, raising a curious brow as the clock bowed. "You may call me Cogsworth and this is Lumiere," he gestured to the candle as the object reached out and took my hand. Daintily it kissed my knuckles and if it had not been a candle I might have blushed.
"Belle," I responded as the pair gave another low bow before the clock began to climb up the railing, gesturing towards me to follow. All of this was so odd…to the point that I felt if they broke suddenly into song it would all seem normal.
The pair led me down the halls, discussing interesting features of the castle but I found myself uninterested. Mostly because I wished to know what was behind so many closed doors and my thoughts kept turning back to the beast. "So…do you serve the beast that lives here?" I asked in the middle of one of Cogsworth's monologues. The object seemed annoyed but stopped and sighed, bowing his head.
"Yes, she is the Mistress of this castle-"
"Then why do you keep it in such a state? I mean, for objects that don't seem to need food or sleep…it's quite dirty," I poked at some dust on a nearby statue, as Cogsworth seemed to scowl, grumbling under his breath as Lumiere simply chuckled.
"You see, mademoiselle, Your Highness does not wish for us to keep the castle up to its full potential. If we do she tends to tear it out. But there are a few that we keep as they once were." At that the pair continued, despite Cogsworth much more sour mood. Currently I wished nothing more than to sit down. My travels here over the past day had been less than relaxing and the current events weren't making it any easier. Curiously I touched my shoulder, biting back a whimper at the tender ache of the pink skin as Cogsworth pushed open a nearby door.
"This will be where you will be staying," I stepped around him, pulling in a sharp breath at the expansiveness of the room. It was just about as large as my cottage back in town and yet was a single room. In the front was a large bed with a canopy draped around it, a wardrobe and bath in one corner, as well as a chair, burning fire, and small bookshelf in another. All I could think of was how much it seemed like paradise. If only it wasn't being used as my prison…
But, just like the rest of the castle, the furniture was quick to come to life. The wardrobe opened its eyes to smile as me and gush about finally having someone to dress again. Lumiere had me quickly seated into one of the chairs as a coat hanger slid over with a needle and thread, tending to my back – how it held them…I do not know.
And finally it all ended with a large pot of tea as I attempted to ignore the pain on my shoulder, still attempting to comprehend everything as every object in the room seem to gossip with me. It made sense, from that I could hear, considering the fact that they never seemed to get visitors that their "Mistress" allowed to stay. Which only made me more curious as to why I had been allowed to. It couldn't all be about taking my father's place.
I chewed on my lip as I set the chatty teacup back onto the table in front of me. "So what is…her – " it had been confirmed that they did in fact refer to the beast as a 'she' " – name?" The room went silent for what seemed like the first time in a long while, the teapot being the bravest to speak up.
"We don't quite remember…and she doesn't seem to either." I gave a slow nod. There was something uncomfortable about me referring to her as a royal figure. Nothing about her seemed particularly royal. In my mind all I saw was a monster; a beast. And that's where my mind settled, as my stiches were finished and bandaged and the room let me rest my eyes on the plush couch, I had named my captor as the Beast. For there was nothing more she could be to me.