Beau adjusted his dress coat quickly as he heard the sound of footsteps descending the stairway. Smiling in anticipation, he proceeded to straighten his posture and compose himself accordingly... However, no amount of preparation could have readied him for what was in store... As graceful as a swan, Angela descended the last flight of stairs and shyly curtseyed at him...
Beau did his best not to gape at her but his mind just seemed resistant to registering rational thought... Angela... She was just... a vision... Dressed in a long billowing golden dress with a gown so intricately made with its tens of thousands of small gems creating an infinite pattern of roses ... it would have made anyone gape at its craftsmanship ... That didn't really matter to Beau though... What really caught his attention was that the dress clung onto her body, enhancing it instead of hiding it... Slowly, his eyes traveled up to her face... noticing the difference immediately... Where as her hair usually obscured her face like an unruly mane, today it was pulled back and done in such an extravagant knot Beau wondered how she was going to remove it later on... It complimented her wonderfully though... Sweeping back her long locks till it cascaded down her back and waist in stunning waves. Everything about her was perfect... Her grace, her dress, her poise... Just perfect... Oh true... she looked at him a little fearfully, like she expected him to turn and run out of the doors screaming...Beau grinned... That was easily fixed...
With a bow, Beau gently took her gloved arm and kissed it... Ignoring how she seemed to shiver a little as his lips made contact with the soft material of her glove...
"Angela you look lovely..." he said softly... Despite her grateful smile, he couldn't help but notice how her ears seem to lower sadly, her expressive emerald eyes revealing both hope and pain within them as she surveyed his face, as if desperately trying to find any indication to show that he was lying... But Beau wasn't lying... Not that he could bring himself to lie to her anyway... No... he was merely stating the obvious truth... Not wanting her to feel insecure or uncomfortable, Beau held out his arm.
"Shall we my lady..." he offered. Angela blushed a little before slowly slinging her arm through his.
"We shall..." she nodded shyly.
Dinner was relatively short but still pleasant... For once, Beau didn't appear like a total glutton and actually ate like a civilized person while Angela didn't break any utensils under her iron grip. Finally, unable to bottle her excitement any longer, Angela excited from her seat and made her way to Beau...
"Come on..." she urged clasping her hands over his.
"Where are we going?" he asked instinctively, a little bewildered at Angela's unusual enthusiasm.
"You'll see... It's a surprise..." she declared before pulling him off his seat.
Together, arm in arm Angela lead Beau down a hallway he had never cared to explore before...This was something he regretted almost instantly as upon reaching the ballroom... he couldn't help but gape at its heavenly magnificence... Angela couldn't help but smile as Beau took in the grandeur of the room. Usually she avoided the ballroom due to the all the unpleasant memories... Well actually pleasant memories it brought up... Memories that usually made her want to break down and cry in regret... Also, the unusual emptiness of the room always made her feel horribly alone... more alone than she already was... It was strange though... what an immense difference one person could make in another's life... Just Beau's presence, how he held her hand within his own, how he stood closely beside her... It just suddenly made the usual foreboding ballroom so much... happier...
Everyone who was waiting in the ballroom turned to face the two figures as they approached the center of the hall, looking in awe at the beautiful couple as they took their places opposite each other. With Lumiere's signal, the orchestra struck up a slow waltz while Miss Potts voluntarily sang along with the beautiful medley...
"Tale as old as time..."
Beau looked at Angela nervously, panic suddenly very evident in his brown eyes...
"Beau... What's wrong?" Angela asked worriedly, scared that he might just announce the whole thing as ridiculous and run off...
"True as it can be..."
"Nothing's wrong... It's just that... I'm... I'm a terrible dancer... and you're not wearing shoes and..." He stopped upon Angela's gentle smile.
"Here... I'll teach you..." she offered.
"Barely even friends..."
"Just hold my hand like this..." she instructed before gently forcing his palm open and intertwining their fingers.
"Then somebody bends..."
"Then you put you're other hand right here... That's right..." she blushed as Beau's hand found its place on her waist.
"Unexpectedly..."
"Ready?" Angela asked. Beau gulped.
"As my lady commands..." he smiled nervously.
Very slowly, Angela steered Beau into a slow dance. She smiled encouragingly as Beau stumbled a little. It didn't bother her that her dance partner didn't know a thing about dancing... His little imperfections just made him all the more darling...
"Just a little change..."
Beau looked at his twirling feet fearfully. This was a huge moment for him and he really really wanted to please Angela. This was her special day and he would loathe himself for all eternity if he messed this up for her in any way...
"Small to say the least..."
He heaved a mental sigh of relief ... He hadn't trampled on her toes... Not yet anyway...
"Both a little scared..."
"Beau you don't have to cling on me so tightly... Relax..." Angela muttered a little exasperatedly. Clinging was an understatement, Beau's nails were literally digging into her dress.
"Neither one prepared..."
Looking at Beau's face, Angela giggled... He looked more afraid here than he did when they were first met in the dungeon.
"Beau... You're doing wonderfully... Relax... Breathe... I'm not going to shatter if you let go..." she smiled reassuringly, and to her relief, Beau smiled back.
"Beauty and the Beast..."
"Ever just the same..."
"This isn't so bad..." Beau thought as he and Angela managed a graceful and not to mention... successful spin.
"Ever a surprise..."
Gaping at Angela's grace while she performed another impressive twirl. Beau couldn't help but smile...
"All right...Time to get serious... If you aren't doing this for yourself, do it for her..." he told himself sternly.
"Ever as before..."
"I think I'm getting it..." Beau announced gleefully to Angela as they managed to pick up speed, their dance now starting to match with the rhythm of the song...
"Ever just as sure... As the sun will rise..."
Gaining enough confidence, Beau gave Angela one of his most dazzling smiles before wrapping his arms around her waist and sweeping her off her feet.
"Tale as old as time...
The pair smiled at each other as they circled every inch of the ballroom, their confidence in each other growing...
"Tune as old as song"
To the amazement of the servants the pair began to dance faster and if possible more graceful than before...
Bittersweet and strange"
What started out as a simple dance between Beau and Angela was now growing increasingly with every second until finally, to the delight of everyone, it blossomed into a beautiful waltz...
"Finding you can change
"They are beautiful together no..." Lumiere whispered to Babette who couldn't help but nod in agreement... Happy that her plan playing out so perfectly...
Learning you were wrong"
Looking at the beautiful spectacle, Miss Potts smiled before proceeding to sing her heart out for their sake...
"Certain as the sun...
Angela smiled a small smile... Just one more thing would make this perfect...
"Beau..." she whispered softly, her green eyes suddenly meeting his hazel ones.
Rising in the east..."
"Yes Angela?"
"Can we slow down ... Just a little... please..." Angela pleaded, her tone desperate...Beau gulped...
"Am I doing something wrong?" he asked fearfully looking at his feet.
"Tale as old as time..."
Angela giggled before giving him a sad smile..."No you're doing a marvelous job... It just that..."
"Its just what?"
"Song as old as rhyme..."
"Its just that the song is ending and... and that means the dance is ending too... and I... I just want to remember this forever..." Angela confessed shyly and with that, she laid her head lovingly onto Beau's chest, a contented smile on her lips
"Beauty and the beast..."
Beau blinked in surprise at Angela's sudden act of... He didn't even know what to call it... But whatever it was... He liked it... He liked feeling Angela close to him, he liked how her soft fur caressed his face gently like a butterfly...he just liked the sensation of having Angela in his arms... It was so rare... The reserved, cautious Angela being so open and trusting with him... He didn't know what in the world possessed her but... he'd be a damn fool not savor every last minute of it... Smiling happily, he proceeded to calm his escalating heartbeat and return the gesture by leaning his head affectionately back onto hers.
The servants witnessing that simple act were now speechless and at a complete loss for words... However, actions spoke louder than words and with a hopeful smile, Lumiere signaled to the others to dim the lights and the room grew ever so darker while Miss Potts singing became softer and gentler as the pair began to slow, both wanting to savor the last few precious moments in each other's arms...
"Tale as old as time...
Song as old as rhyme...
Beauty and the Beast..."
Yay... Not going to justify anything... Hope you enjoyed it Please review considering I spent so long on this... Please ?
