The next morning, Katie got up with a stretch and shuffled over to the window. She glanced out and scowled. Great... more slippery snow.
Cherry was hugging her pillow and turned over, nuzzling against something, her eyes then widened as she looked up to see who was there with her.
"Bon matin, Cerise..." Forte greeted.
Cherry let out a yelp and fell out of her bed, wrapped up in the blankets.
Katie saw a dress laid out and shrugged, changing into it.
"Mademoiselle, are you awake?" Cogsworth's voice came from behind the door followed by a gentle knocking.
Katie had just finished dressing. She came to the door. "Bon Matin, monsieur." she smiled, opening the door.
"Ah, did you sleep well?" Cogsworth asked, trying to be charming with her.
"Oh yes, best nights sleep I've had in a while." Katie smiled.
Cogsworth smiled to her. "Splendid."
Katie just put one last touch to her hair and then headed to leave her room.
Cogsworth allowed her some privacy, he seemed to be in a musical mood around Katie for some reason. It felt like nothing could possibly go wrong today and there would be a joyful holiday celebrated a day early tonight.
"Could you show me to the library, please? I don't really eat breakfast often." Katie says softly.
"Oh," Cogsworth sounded a little surprised and worried about her not eating breakfast, but he accepted her offer. "Very well... Come with me..." he started to lead the way with her behind him.
Katie followed. Yes she had the corset but luckily it was a front lacing one so she hadn't needed help. She smiled softly, following him carefully, trying not to get distracted
Mrs. Potts knocked on Cherry's door.
"Yes?" Cherry called as she got herself cleaned up before getting dressed like she did every morning.
Mrs. Potts smiled. "Are you awake dear, breakfast will be soon." she says.
"Yes ma'am, I'll be out soon." Cherry promised.
"Okay." Mrs. Potts said, before going off to help finish breakfast.
Cherry was looking at the clothes given to her.
"It appears you must dress for the occasion... Here, let me help you." Forte took out a corset.
"I am not wearing that thing..." Cherry said as she ditched her old clothes and put on the Victorian style dress.
"I'm afraid you have no choice..."
Cherry groaned and put up with it.
Cogsworth thought this brought back brief memories, showing a girl around the castle and going to the library, only for real this time. He attempted his 'if it's baroque, don't fix it' joke he made up, only to entertain Belle and Cherry when they came to the castle. Katie actually got it mostly. She giggled softly, truly amused by the joke.
Cogsworth was surprised, he smiled that she understood and laughed at it, he then came to the double doors of the library and opened them. It was a bit dark in there, so he pulled back the curtains for her. "Voila!"
Katie's eyes widened at all of the books. "Wow," she smiles. "Tres Magnifique!" she gasps.
"Yes, this is the perfect room for any bibliophile." Cogsworth chuckled.
Katie turned to Cogsworth. "Merci for showing me the way." she smiles. He was a nice man.
"Oh, you're very welcome..." Cogsworth chuckled. "You can borrow any book you wish for as long as you want."
Katie smiled brightly and gave him a little hug, before going to find a book. Cogsworth gave a nod and walked along to report to business. Katie looked over the ground floor books first.
"Cerise, you look lovely..." Forte told her as he was going to walk down with her to breakfast.
"I feel like I should be in a history book." Cherry said, giving a small face between a smile or a frown, but no one could tell what it was.
Mrs. Potts put the food on the table.
"I miss technology..." Cherry sighed.
"There are other ways we pass time without your computers and television sets..." Forte whispered to her, giving her a book.
Cherry sighed, taking the book and opening it.
"You used to love reading when you were younger, what happened?"
Cherry shrugged. "Computers and television sets?"
Mrs. Potts served breakfast. Katie found a fiction book, much like the one Belle had been given. She curled up in a window seat and set to reading.
Chip was trying to get Sultan back to the room he usually was in. Sultan pouted and whimpered to Chip as the boy was leaving, he didn't like to be shut out.
"Sorry Sultan, but it's just for a little while." Chip says.
Sultan pouted and went to stay put then. He looked a little nervous once he saw the once famed musician of the castle coming down the hallways with a book. Forte was looking into the book whle he was walking, not noticing Chip or Sultan yet, in fact, he was kind of trying to avoid Chip all together. Who knows how a child around here would react to seeing him after 'so long'? Chip looked at Forte, blinking.
Forte looked down to Chip, seeming to notice his gaze. "Erm... Bon matin, Christopher."
"G-Good morning, Maestro." Chip says softly.
"You sleep well...?" Forte asked, not really sure how to talk to the boy, but it was a start.
Chip nodded.
"That's good..." Forte said to him quietly. "Excuse me..." he murmured, walking off, not wanting to disturb the boy.
"Maestro, are you really sorry?" Chip asks, obviously just curious.
Forte heaved a sharp sigh, looking back to him. "I-I really am... It was foolish of me to do such a thing... I couldn't go back to all of you and say it... You didn't even come back for me when you all turned human again..." he took out a wilting black rose without the pesky thorns on the stem. "There was only one person I could really go to..."
Chip looked up at the man and gave a tiny hug to him.
Forte blinked, shocked at that, he looked down. "Y-You're hugging me?"
Chip nodded.
Forte had a small smile, he reached his arms down a little and hugged the boy gently back. "Thank you..." he whispered.
Chip smiled up at Forte.
"I didn't think you liked me, boy..." Forte said with a small smile.
"Well, I was scared... But, I forgive you." Chip smiled.
Forte still smiled, he gently patted Chip on the head. "Thank you."
Chip smiled again. "We should go eat, everyone is heading to breakfast." he smiles.
"Oh, yes... It is the most important meal of the day." Forte advised, he never told this to anyone, but he had wanted to be friends with Chip in a mentor sort of way like he was with Fife, because he had always wanted a child, mostly a son, he would be happy with a daughter unlike his late brother-in-law, but he would love to have to someone to teach all the things he knew. He then followed Chip to meet at the dining hall.
Chip nodded, walking only one child's step ahead. Forte went downstairs with Chip.
Katie was happily reading. She was lost in the story the book was telling. Angelique was heard humming down the halls as she was on her way to go up to the tower of the castle which also had an attic in it where most people go to collect and use Christmas decorations. Katie blinked and kept a hold of the book, following Angelique's voice.
Angelique was climbing the steps, it was a long way up and back down. Katie took the book with her, following the sound of her voice. She followed up the steps. Angelique set her tool of light down as she walked in to get her decorations out so the castle would be festive and filled with beauty by the time of the party. Katie followed and caught up with Angelique.
Angelique blinked and saw the girl. "Ah, Katie..."
"Bonjour Angelique," Katie smiled. "Need help?" She asks.
"Only if it isn't too much trouble for you..." Angelique smiled friendly in return.
"No trouble at all." Katie smiles.
"Very well," Angelique smiled. "Garlands, wreathes... Mistletoe... Holly..."
Katie looked up at her. "Bells?" She suggests.
"Non, non, non!" Angelique shook her head. "Zhey cannot put bells in holly..." she said and once she did, she kind of had a brief flashback. "Boy, does zhat ring zhe metaphorical bell..." she giggled to herself.
Katie giggled. "Not together of course." she agrees.
"Zhis will go on top of the tree," Angelique giggled as she took out a golden angel ornament that strongly resembled her. "She is so beautiful!"
"Yes, she is." Katie says.
Angelique smiled. "Do you not want breakfast?" she asked, wondering why Katie wasn't eating with everyone else.
"I don't normally eat breakfast... I'm not usually able to eat in the mornings." Katie says.
"I feel zhat way sometimes," Angelique could relate actually. "Such as zhis morning." she collected all the decorations and was ready to do her job in time for the party and she was going to have Katie's help. What fun this would turn out to be.
Katie helped her carry some stuff. She made sure the book was safely tucked in a nifty pocket in the skirt of her dress. Angelique smiled as they went downstairs together, she was glad to have this kind of help. Katie smiled too. Angelique was very excited. Katie hummed the song Angelique had sung.
Cherry looked a little frazzled at the dinner table.
"Cerise, are you alright?" Babette asked the girl.
"Fine... I just feel like something bad's gonna happen..." Cherry said with a shrug.
"What's going to happen?" Chip asks.
"I'm not sure..." Cherry rubbed her stomach.
"You're probably just anxious about being away from home." Forte soothed her.
Chip hugged Cherry, soothingly. Cherry had a small smile for him and hugged him back. Forte saw the foods, they looked quite good as always. Adam was coming down with Belle. Chip smiled. Belle was in her normal blue dress today.
"How do you feel this morning?" Adam asked Belle, a little protectively.
"I'm fine," Belle smiles softly. "We're fine." she adds.
Adam smiled fondly, he put his hand to her belly as they entered the room.
Cherry looked over, she couldn't help but let her curiosity be piqued about this. "Belle, are you pregnant?"
Adam had a small chuckle. "She's figured it out."
Belle smiled softly. "Yes." she smiles.
Cherry had a small smile. "Congratulations."
"Thank you, Cerise... We've been trying for so long." Adam said gently with a smile.
Everything seemed pleasant, even if Adam was iffy about Forte, hopefully Adam would be in a good mood by the time of the party tonight. Belle smiled.
"I probably won't have any kids..." Cherry sighed, holding herself.
Belle hugged Cherry. "I'm sure you will one day." she soothes.
Cherry gave a shrug.