Finally, it was the day that everyone in the castle had been looking forward to and something that they had a reason to be excited for the first time in ten years –the day of the ball.

Tonight, Rose and Leon would come together and declare their love, which the servants were most hopeful about and that their efforts to bring them together ever since the day Leon arrived in the castle, would not be for nothing.

'If only they had done it sooner, then we would be human by now,' they said, but were delighted that the two were closer than ever, hardly believing that they hated each other at first sight, which seemed like a long time ago now.

And seeing Rose so happy, as she waltzed down the stairs to the library in a daze, humming happily to herself and the look of love in her eyes made the servants smile at seeing the Rose of old, after spending ten years trapped in misery, self-loathing and loneliness.

Their dear mistress was deeply in love with the boy and the servants knew that it had been worth the wait, that she and Leon had taken the time to know each other and it had blossomed into a strong, loving relationship, which would be made official at the ball tonight.

'That's my girl,' Mrs Potts said, proudly, as she watched Rose go into the library and smiled at her step-granddaughter. How different she was from the beast she had been years ago!

The only sad point about this was that Belle and Adam wouldn't be able to see their daughter dance with the boy she loved and wearing a beautiful ball gown, like they had done, but Mrs Potts knew that they would definitely be with her in spirit and that they would be so proud of her, like they always had been.

'It won't be much longer now,' she said to herself, 'Then we'll be able to see you again and Maurice,' as she sighed sadly, the familiar pain she had felt being separated from her husband who she loved dearly and had not seen for years coming back to her.

'Then I can be with Maurice again. Oh, how have I missed him and how he would've loved to see his dear granddaughter at the ball that she is hosting for the first time.'

But this was no time to be sad on such a happy occasion and like she had always done in the enchantments, remained cheery and motherly and kept everyone's hopes up, in spite of feeling discouraged at first when Rose's behaviour changed for the worst and everything for them had seemed bleak and hopeless.

'I know that this ball will be successful, like it was the last time with Belle and Adam, although it was the calm before the storm,' she said, shuddering at remembering Belle leaving, Chip going with her, the mob attacking them and that brute of a man that she did not want to think nor speak about again, stabbing Adam, although it had ended well, she reminded herself.

'But that won't happen with our dear Rose and her love, Leon, I can assume that he won't be leaving us to go to his mother, should she be in trouble and we don't want to go through THAT again.

She's waited a long time for this boy and I know he loves her with all his heart, all he needs to do is to tell her before our time is up.' Mrs Potts said, as she hopped into the ballroom to see how things were coming along, not knowing that in a few hours, what she had said and hoped would never happen would soon come true.

Most of the preparations for the ball had been done the previous day and the only things left to do now were to get the birthday candles, dust any remaining cobwebs that the featherdusters may have missed and more importantly, get Rose and Leon ready and dressed into their outfits.

However, there was a slight hiccup, when Raymond had been sent to find the rest of the candles, since they only had eight, from Rose's last birthday as a human and didn't have the special milestone candle for her eighteenth birthday, which was next month and hadn't come back.

With that and all the stress he was under, Cogsworth was running around like a headless chicken, working himself up in a panic.

'Where is Raymond with the birthday candles?!' he said, rubbing his temples for the umpteenth time, as the coat rack was placing the pink rose candles on the holders, which were elaborately decorated with blue and gold roses that Amelie had made.

Rose hadn't wanted to celebrate her birthdays in the years of the enchantment and ordered the servants not to light the remaining candles that they had in the castle for it, as it just reminded her of her plight and of another year passing with no hope of finding love and things not changing one bit.

However, with the ball and her upcoming birthday, it was a good time to bring them out.

'We've only got eight candles!' said Babette, 'and we need ten! She will be eighteen next month and we don't even have the special milestone candle for that!'

'We never did get one, did we?' moaned a featherduster, as the coat rack shrugged his shoulders apologetically.

'May I remind you that we now only have SEVEN HOURS left to make this the most romantic and beautiful atmosphere and to get the mistress and the boy dressed and ready for tonight if they are to declare their love and break the spell?

And we are STILL not ready for the ball! Oh, why did I agree to this?' Cogsworth moaned.

'It's been nothing but hard work and I know Katrine meant well, but this is not going according to plan..'

'Cogsworth, would you relax?' said Lumiere, coming up from behind him and massaging his shoulders, 'You're too tense about this whole thing! It's just a ball for two people, TWO PEOPLE, might I add, not for two hundred!

Everything is under control and the candles aren't that important, we just won't have them, that's all!'

'Can I help it if I'm t..t..tense?!' Cogsworth said, agitated as his eye twitched and he blew out Lumiere's candles, 'and are you absolutely sure that everything is under control?'

'Of course, mon ami' said Lumiere, 'Mademoiselle Katrine has finished the outfits and from what I have heard, are magnificent and she's really worked hard on them!

Mademoiselle Rebecca and Chef Bouche have made a fantastic dinner large enough to feed the entire kingdom, the ballroom has never looked better and I will provide ze candlelight of course!'

'Once the candles come, you will,' muttered Cogsworth, 'if they come at all, at the rate we're going,'

'Oh, Cogsworth, would you please stop being so fussy and negative!' Mrs Potts said, hopping over, 'Everything is perfectly under control, as we have done all the hard work yesterday and I can assure you that everything will be ready for tonight.

And won't it be a beautiful night for our dear mistress? It seems only yesterday that we were seeing her parents dance together in this very ballroom for the first time and I sang that beautiful song for them. I hope I can remember it so I can sing it for her and the boy.'

'I'm sure you will, Mrs Potts, it was such a lovely song and my only wish is that her parents were here to see this special and happy occasion after all the misery we've been through,' said Lumiere, sighing.

'Yes, but they will be with her in spirit,' said Mrs Potts as she, Lumiere and Cogsworth looked up at the huge portrait of Belle and Adam that hung above the fireplace.

'If we get everything organised, that is,' Cogsworth said, just as Raymond was coming in, carefully balancing ten pink rose candles, as not to drop them which was difficult for him, as he didn't have any arms nor had good coordination.

'I've got the candles, Cogsworth!' he announced triumphantly, 'and Leon just happened to have the eighteenth birthday one that he bought in the village and he never used it, so he gave it to me! Talk about good luck!'

'Wonderful, Raymond,' said Cogsworth, 'just put them over where the holders are but whatever you do, don't..'

No sooner had he said it, the hapless easel chose the wrong time to trip over a featherduster who yelped in surprise, as Raymond sent the candles flying and scattered all over the floor.

Not only that, as he went to get up, he crashed into the candle holders, making them wobble over and fall on the floor like dominoes, as the coat rack and chairs frantically picked them up.

'…drop them,' Cogsworth said, sighing heavily at Raymond's clumsiness, as he groaned and got up, unhurt but very embarrassed and ashamed for messing up an important task by having a typical clumsy moment.

'I should've known better not to trust you, Raymond, you clumsy oaf!' the clock shouted, 'can't you go at least ONE DAY without causing accidents? We have only until tonight to get ready for the ball and you go and mess everything up! How on earth does Amelie cope with you?'

'I'm sorry, Cogsworth, it was an accident!' said Raymond, about to burst into tears, 'It's not my fault that featherduster was in my way and I couldn't help tripping over her!' as said featherduster scowled and huffed at him, as it swept across the floor.

'It's alright, Raymond, it was just an accident and the candles can be easily picked up. It's no use holding an inquest about it. What's done is done, I say and the candles and holders haven't suffered any damage, as far as I can see,' said Mrs Potts.

'It's lucky they weren't lit, otherwise it would've been much worse,' said Babette.

'Indeed,' said Lumiere, 'still, there's no harm done and the candles do look lovely,' as he looked at the pink rose candles standing on the holders unscathed from being dropped on the floor, glittering in the sunlight, like real roses.

And it was indeed some good fortune that Leon had the eighteenth birthday candle that he had left in his bag and had forgotten about, until Raymond had approached him and asked about it.

'Now, all that's left to do is to get the mistress and the boy ready!' Lumiere then said, 'Babette and Mrs Potts, you go and gather up Mademoiselles Rebecca and Katrine, Amelie, Sophie and the mistress and get her ready, while Remy, George, Chip, Raymond and I will be with the boy.'

'Ooooh, how exciting!' Babette cooed, 'I can't wait to help dress up the mistress and to see the ball gown that Katrine has made for her! I bet it will be tres magnifique!'

'Ah oui, ma cherie, I believe it will,' said Lumiere, as he put her arm around her.

'But remember, Babette, don't get too carried away, the mistress is not a dress-up doll!' said Cogsworth, 'and may I remind you and everyone else to do it WITHOUT FIGHTING? The last time you did this…'

'Oh, Cogsworth, we won't be doing zat again,' said Babette, 'Besides, Rebecca's arm was only sprained and it healed but that overgrown ragdoll should've known better than to take over my duties!'

'Anyway, I'll make sure that there won't be any fighting,' said Mrs Potts and with that in mind, everyone had left the ballroom to find Rose and Leon, while Cogsworth stayed behind, looking at the portrait of Belle and Adam.

'Not much longer now, masters,' he said, 'soon you will be back with us and I know that you would have loved to see your sweet darling having her first solo ball with the boy she loves so dearly. If only HE would declare his love for her, then the spell will be broken once and for all.'

'Tonight is a very special night for you, Mistress,' Mrs Potts said to Rose that night, as she, Rebecca, Babette, Amelie, Sophie, Katrine and Monique were helping her get ready for the ball and were buzzing with excitement, like they were fairy godmothers and Rose was Cinderella.

But they couldn't help but think that someone was missing, someone who would have loved to help her daughter, do her hair and calm any last minute nerves she might have and look on proudly as she danced with her love.

Oh, how they wished that Belle could have been here with them and how cruel it was that she was trapped in stone, instead of looking proudly at Rose in her soon-to-be-here ball gown and how much she had grown and changed for the better and to meet the boy who she had fallen in love with.

Rose sat in front of her vanity wrapped in a pink fluffy towel, having just had a bath and her fur was gleaming in the candle light, having been washed for the first time in years and she smelled sweetly of roses, jasmine and lavender from the oils she had in the bath.

She sat nervously twiddling her paws, while Monique was busy styling her hair, trying hard to pretend that she was excited to hide her nervousness.

'The night that we have worked so hard for and it all comes down to the moment when you confess your love for Leon, when the time is right.' Mrs Potts added.

'Not to mention that there will be a grand dinner that Chef Bouche and I spent all day cooking, music and romantic candlelight provided by Lumiere, of course.' Rebecca said.

'Is everything alright, Mistress?' Katrine said, noticing Rose's nervousness and worried expression, 'aren't you excited about the ball? I'll be jumping up and down and squealing like a fan girl in love with the town hero if I were you!'

'Well, Katrine, I am excited about the ball like you all are and dancing with Leon, but I'm not sure that I can do this,' said Rose.

'I'm nervous about looking foolish in a ball gown and making a fool of myself in front of him. What if I trip or stand on his feet when we're dancing? Or worse, what if he doesn't return my feelings?

I wish Mama was here' she said sadly, as the others nodded in agreement and Mrs Potts gently kissed her.

'We all do, dear,' she said, 'She would've loved to see you in your first proper ball gown and to help you get ready.'

'Don't worry, Mistress, everything will be alright,' said Katrine, 'And you will look so beautiful in the ball gown that I have made for you! Just wait until you see it, you will be pleasantly surprised!'

'There is no time to be timid, Mistress,' Babette said, flatly, as she looked at the fast wilting rose, 'you must put any doubts you have aside and just have fun with the boy and be yourself as well as poised and graceful,'

'Poised, graceful,' Rose repeated, then let out a whine of worry, 'No, I can't, I'm too nervous! What was I thinking, there's no way I can do it!'

'You care for ze boy, don't you?' Babette said.

'Oh, yes, more than anything,' said Rose.

'Then you have nothing to worry about then, since he too cares for you. You just have to pluck up your courage and say what you have been longing to say for so long.' said Babette, 'We know you can do it, Mistress,'

'Thank you, Babette,' said Rose, feeling a little more confident than she had been as Monique kept brushing her hair, careful of her horns and gushed about how shiny and smooth it was, having cut it to a decent length and was pondering about what style would be suitable.

'What about a nice half-twist in your hair, dah-ling?' Monique said, stressing her syllables, 'that would look so adorable on you and I even have the barrette to hold it that will match your dress so per-fectly!'

From her drawers, she produced a barrette with three blue silk roses on it and a light blue pearl sewn in each one.

'It's beautiful, Monique, thank you,' said Rose.

'You're welcome, dah-ling, I was saving it for a rainy day and I knew it would be perfect for you and it'll hold your half-twist perfectly, that is, if you want it, it's your choice, after all,' the vanity said.

'No, Monique, that's too boring and predictable,' said Katrine, 'a petite ponytail would be better for her, like how her mother wore her hair.'

'Who's the hairdresser here, honey?' said Monique, glaring at Katrine, 'and we want the mistress to have her own hairstyle and half-twists are very fashionable now!'

'Yes, but may I remind you that I'M the one who actually does her hair?' said Katrine, rather smarmily, 'You just cut it when it gets too long and I don't think the mistress wants a half-twist anyway, do you?'

'Actually, a half-twist would be nice, Monique,' said Rose, as the vanity smirked triumphantly at Katrine, who scowled at her and went out of the room to fetch the outfits from her workroom, while Monique styled Rose's hair.

'An excellent choice, honey,' she said, 'it'll look so good on you.'

'What can I do? What can I do?' Sophie said, wiggling up and down, determined to help.

'You can pass me that barrette there, honey,' said Monique, 'so I can put it in the mistress's hair, her HAIR, mind you, so don't get any ideas about putting it on her tail! I know about your mischievousness and we don't have time for it.'

'Okay!' said Sophie, as she handed it to her, slightly disappointed that she couldn't do the trick she planned by putting the barrette on Rose's tail but was happy to help and the vanity placed it in Rose's hair to hold the half-twist and declared her work done, which everyone agreed looked lovely and unique.

'Thank you, Monique, it does look lovely,' said Rose.

'Anything for you, honey,' Monique replied, 'it looks darling on you!'

'And I'll do your make-up, Mistress,' said Amelie, to the groans of the servants, for they knew that applying make-up was not her expertise. Besides, the make-up they had was at least ten years old and it would look silly on a beast.

'Amelie, you are not putting make-up on her!' Babette said, 'the mistress is not a blank easel and your make-up applying skills are atrocious!

Remember when you tried to do Belle's make-up for a ball that time and she looked like several paint bottles had exploded on her face!'

'Ah, but am I not an artiste?' said Amelie.

'And are you not ANNOYING?' said Babette, 'You may be an artist, Amelie, but that does not translate to applying make-up which you are TERRIBLE at!'

'Watch it, sweetie, if you want to keep your feathers,' said Amelie, as she edged closer to the featherduster, who backed away in fear.

'Ladies, please, we promised Cogsworth that there was to be no fighting here,' said Mrs Potts, which cut the argument short and the make-up idea was soon dropped, as Rose decided that she didn't want any.

'And now, the moment you have all been waiting for,' Katrine announced, as she entered the room, careful not to get stuck in the doorway, 'what took me several days and three all-nighters to complete and what I spent my entire life savings on, made of material which came from the finest dress and material shops in Paris..'

'Cut to the chase, Katrine,' Amelie said.

'I'm getting there, don't rush me!' Katrine said, whistling to the mannequin outside, which had some sort of dark blue garment on it, or trying to as she didn't have fingers and was failing miserably by blowing raspberries, which made everyone cringe.

'Katrine, just stop, you can't whistle anyway,' Rebecca said, 'just call the mannequin in.'

'Alright, Quinn, come in,' Katrine said and the mannequin hopped carefully behind her before standing near the bed, shaking in anticipation for the big reveal of the reason why Katrine had been hiding away in her workroom for days and what she had sworn Rebecca to secrecy about.

'Mistress, may I present to you, your ball gown for this evening!' Katrine said, stepping aside and everyone gasped in amazement and admiration at seeing the dress that stood before them and Katrine grinning like a demented bunny at her masterpiece.

An elegant royal blue silk ball gown was on the mannequin, the candlelight shining on it like sapphires in the sun and was in the same style as Belle's famous gold one, except it had gold trimmings, long sleeves and gold silk roses, studded with yellow pearls inside on the bodice, waist and skirt.

The servants ooohed and ahhhed and squealed excitedly at seeing this magnificent dress, more so about Rose wearing it and how beautiful it would look on her.

'Oh, it's so gorgeous, Mistress! Leon is going to melt when he sees you wearing it!' they gushed.

Rose wordlessly went over to the dress and fingered the shiny silk and the gold roses, admiring Katrine's attention to detail and the delicate craftsmanship that had gone into it, and wondered how she could ever be fit to wear it.

It was more suited for a princess than a hideous beast and it would most likely be torn to shreds if she was to get it on her body.

But it was so like her mother's gold ball gown, the one she had admired since she was a little girl and had wanted one like it and yet it was there, standing right in front of her and in a way, it would be like having her mother with her as she danced with Leon.

Not to mention that Katrine had selflessly sacrificed her entire life savings, money that she would never get back, to buy the materials needed and it was too beautiful to go to waste, considering the sacrifice of precious money and the time Katrine had spent on it, as Rose saw her face eager for her approval.

'Well, do you like it, Mistress?' said Katrine, 'Is this not the most beautiful dress you have ever seen in your life?

I took the inspiration from your mother's gold ball gown that you had so admired and added long sleeves because I thought that they would be more flattering.I chose royal blue and gold materials because they were the colours that suit you the most and were like your father's dashing jacket he always wore.

In a way, the dress is a combination of your parents' attire that they wore at their first ball and I thought that you would have a part of them with you tonight, as you and Leon dance together and confess your love, like they did.

We wish you all the best tonight, Mistress, you and Leon deserve all the happiness you have worked so hard for.'

'Oh, Katrine, thank you so much,' Rose said, eyes misting, as she hugged her dear and loyal handmaid, 'it's such a beautiful dress and I can't believe that you spent your entire life savings for me.'

'Happy to do it, Mistress,' Katrine said, smiling, 'now, go and try it on! We can't wait to see you in it!'

'Alright,' Rose said, as she carefully lifted the dress from the mannequin and went behind a changing screen, with the servants looking on excitedly, eager for the moment when Rose would step out in the dress for the first time.

Stay tuned for the ball in the next chapter!

Reviews are your friends and also let me know who your favourite characters are and your favourite chapters!