To her surprise, Adam was in the library himself, just browsing over which book he would choose to read. Katie blinked and was about to turn and leave. She didn't want to disturb Adam.
Adam found the book he had wanted, he yawned as he rubbed his eyes and left the room without ever seeing Katie. Katie sighed softly and entered the library. She had the book from earlier and sat by the fire.
Adam came back into his bedroom, placing the book on his night stand as he got comfortable, then cracked open the book. Sultan was lying by the fireplace, sleeping soundly. Katie was careful not to disturb Sultan and started to read. She could escape into a book world a little. She however thought of an idea... She could annoy Avenant when she had chances to.
Sultan moved a little, but not because of her, he was running a little in his sleep. Probably dreaming of chasing rabbits. Katie glanced over and smiled softly. She then returned to the book and would read until she was disturbed or it was morning. The night seemed quiet for a while. Adam couldn't sleep very well either. He did what his beloved liked to do in her spare time: Reading.
Belle was asleep, her hair down and strands falling over her cheeks and forehead. Katie didn't sleep at all. She occasionally rubbed her face gently. Adam looked down to Belle, he was glad that at least she could sleep. Morning felt so far away for those who didn't sleep tonight.
Before everyone knew it, the sun was slowly rising from the western atmosphere. Katie glanced over at the sun. She then softly sighed and stood up, heading back to her room to get changed. She looked between two corsets, a front laced or back laced. Cherry woke up and rubbed her head again as she felt the hangover she deserved coming on.
She saw two aspirin pills, a little curious of what they were doing there when this was the 18th century. She grabbed them and popped them into her mouth and took a sip from the glass of water that was there. She sat up, but felt intensely sore for some reason.
Avenant came from behind Katie. "Where were you last night?"
Katie bit her lip softly. "I went to the library." She says softly.
"You never came back..." Avenant scowled. He then got closer to her, making them face each other and he slapped her across the face.
Katie yelped and her head turned in the direction. She looked up at him, her hand over her sore cheek.
"You do as you're told," Avenant said firmly like he had owned Katie. "You abandoned me!"
"Y-You weren't here." she says, narrowing her eyes.
"Don't you know a good woman does not leave unless her man tells her to?" Avenant mocked.
"A good man doesn't hit his fiance" Katie huffs. "Which corset? Front laced or back?" She asks. Depending on his answer was his dig.
"Back," Avenant said with a slight sick grin. "I'd like to see the girls a little better than I already can't..."
"Front it is." she says cheerfully, she didn't care of he forced her right then, she had just been trying to subtly annoy him.
Avenant gave her a glare for ignoring what he just said. "Pardon me?"
"Men don't usually do fashion so if one says one option, you go with the other." she says.
"Are you forgetting about my brother?" Avenant gave a smirk. "He knew all about decorating..." he kept a firm eye on her, making sure she wouldn't get away from him this time.
Katie shrugged and turned around and picked up the front lacing corset.
Forte arrived from behind, purposely startling Avenant, he had one hand covering his eyes and gently knocked on the side of the wall. "Katie, are you awake?"
"Yes, she is, now beat it!" Avenant snarled to him.
Katie had opened her mouth to speak and then frowned.
"You don't have to be rude..." Forte kept his eyes covered for Katie's sake.
"What do you want?" Avenant was annoyed with him.
"Forgive me, sir, but Miss Day is a dear friend of my best student and I intend on helping look after her." Forte insisted, a hint of iciness in his tone of voice.
Katie was doing the corset up as they argued. She was just finishing tying it. Avenant glanced back to Katie.
"Are you well, Katie?" Forte still asked.
"I told you, she's fine!" Avenant sneered. "She doesn't need to tell you anything, a lady doesn't speak unless spoken to."
Forte snorted, yes, he was raised in this era as well, but he knew women were better than that.
"I-I'm fine." she says softly, she wouldn't go too far... yet.
"Very well... Merry Christmas..." Forte whispered as he then went off.
Avenant snorted, he thought Forte was just a weak old man. Katie crossed her arms and glared at Avenant, though it was slight defiance not actual anger.
"Hurry up and get dressed." Avenant told her firmly.
"Well, I'm not in a rush." she smirks, walking slowly to her borrowed wardrobe.
Avenant grew impatient, he looked all around the castle. Cherry stumbled as she limped around and walked, still holding her stomach, she felt a lot of pain there. Katie got dressed and then had to go to his side. She had pushed enough for that day.
Avenant then left the room with Katie. "Don't make me have to hurt you again." he threatened darkly.
Katie glanced at him. She had used some powder to hide any marks. She saw Cherry, then glanced up at Avenant, curious.
Cherry looked to them. "Morning..." she nearly muttered in her greeting, she looked a little weak. "M-Merry Christmas..."
Katie was worried for her friend. She kept her eyes on her friend but glanced at Avenant's facial expressions.
"Joyeux Noel," Avenant returned her greeting. "You don't look well..." he grinned. "Did something happen?"
Cherry blinked, she seemed to be lying when she spoke again. "I fell..."
"What a shame, you really are a klutz..." Avenant chuckled darkly. "Where are the new King and Queen?"
"Still resting I presume..." Cherry said as she grunted, holding her stomach again.
He was taking too much happiness from this. She then realized he had been gone after his fight with Forte. She scowled and then slapped him with all the strength she could muster. "You hurt her!" She says angrily. She even slapped him again.
Avenant flinched from the impact, then glared at her, grabbing her wrists tightly.
"Katie..." Cherry weakly called, a little worried.
"Go... Go find Forte." Katie says softly. She winced at his grip and tried to break his grip.
Cherry nodded and quickly went off as strongly as she could.
Avenant held Katie close. "I promised to be nice... You provoked me!"
"You hurt my best friend and sister, of course I hurt you back..." Katie hisses.
"You hurt me, I'll kill you." Avenant sneered back. He was truly a worse beast than Adam ever was.
Katie would've spit in his eye, but luckily she was more refined than that. "Let me go now." she scowls.
"Tell me why I should." Avenant lowered her wrists this time.
"Or I'll scream so loud, they'd hear me in the boiler room." Katie informs.
Avenant sent her a look.
Forte came with Cherry and they both looked firm.
"You again?" Avenant was annoyed with the court composer.
"It would be wise of you to let the lady go." Forte stated sharply as he seemed to be holding something.
Katie looked over at Forte and Cherry.
Avenant let go of Katie and walked over. "Who do you think you are, old man?" He was about to punch him, but Forte raised an iron bar up, blocking his fist.
Forte used the bar to push him back. Avenant snarled and went to charge toward him, but Forte used the bar to make Avenant fly over it and fall right down on his back.
"Girls, get out of here!" Forte called to them.
Katie tried to slip past and at least get Cherry out of there. Avenant kept trying to hurt Forte, but the older man proved to be an even better opponent. Cherry took Katie's hand as they tried to get away.
Katie ignored the feeling of his fingers on her wrists, luckily it was just that. "Nee-bear, go ahead and get Lumiere to help..." she says softly. She would follow a little slower, just in case he beat Forte.
"I can't leave you..." Cherry frowned.
"I'm going to follow behind you, I just want you to go first." Katie says softly.
Cherry now understood and got away when she could, she let out a small gasp as iron bar shot through the floor right in front of her. She then kept going as the two men were fighting. Avenant had broken his promise to Katie. Katie scowled. Okay, now she was going to stay... She went back towards the men and grabbed Avenant's arm and tugged.
Cherry still went to go find Lumiere. Avenant had a blade out and was going to stab Forte in the chest with a dagger.
"Oh no, you don't!" Katie huffs, holding his arm with the knife in.
"Get off!" Avenant growled.
"No, and you broke your promise." she glares.
"You asked for it..." Avenant rose the dagger.
Forte looked up a little wobbly, he got Katie out of the way, just as the blade dug into his skin, stabbing him and liquid from his insides were now leaking out onto the metal and silver.
"MAESTRO!" Katie screamed in horror. She whirled on Avenant and punched him. "The only way you'll ever get me now is by force!" She says angrily.
Avenant grunted from the punch, she was a lot stronger than he thought, he grabbed himself as he fell down on his knees, looking up angrily with tears in his eyes. Katie glared at him, shaking her fist to ease the pain.
"You damned girl!" Avenant hissed.
"Well almost damned, I almost had to marry You." Katie growls.
"This could've been a Merry Christmas, but your meddling friends are in the way." Avenant snapped.
Katie turned away a moment though and with little thought tore a huge bit of her skirt and strapped it over Forte's wound to help staunch the bleeding.
Cherry ran to the foyer where everyone was, running out of breath.
"Cerise?" the ones in there looked to her.
"Katie's in trouble... Avenant is fighting Maestro... Help..." Cherry panted.
Mrs. Potts looked worried. She went up and helped Cherry.
"Ugh... I don't feel so good..." Cherry's eyes looked crossed for a moment before she looked like she was about to pass out.
"Somebody get her some water." Adam lightly demanded.
Cogsworth went to get it as the girl looked very pale now. Mrs. Potts took Cherry to sit down. She looked up as Katie's scream echoed. Cherry's eyes seemed to flash open from the echo as well. Cogsworth gave Cherry her water. Cherry weakly grabbed the glass and slowly drank down. Mrs. Potts helped Cherry the best she could.
"Lumiere... Katie wanted you..." Cherry panted, trying to relax herself.
Lumiere nodded, he would go up, Babette was worried about letting him go, but he insisted on going. Mrs. Potts stroked Cherry's back soothingly. Cherry slowly shut her eyes as she tried to relax herself. Mrs. Potts hugged Cherry.
Cherry quietly moaned, wishing her mother was there.
Mrs. Potts looked at her Master. "Can you request a doctor, Master?" She says softly.
Adam agreed to it. "I'll see what I can do..." he quickly went off.
"Mom...?" Cherry looked a little delirious.
Mrs. Potts blinked, but then smiled gently. "Yes, dear" she soothes, just doing it to help the girl.
"Mom... I want to lie down now... And I would like something to drink..." Cherry said softly.
Mrs. Potts nodded. "Okay, sweetheart." she says. She helped Cherry over to a sofa and got her some more water. She handed it to the girl.
Cherry gently took the water and took another drink before giving what she didn't drink back and she turned over a little to get comfortable. Mrs. Potts sorted out a cushion behind Cherry so she could rest. Cherry shifted a little, but got comfortable.
Forte barely moved, but he felt a little sharp pain when Katie was nursing him. "Gaugh, what just happened...?" he murmured, wincing slightly, he barely got hurt, but probably because of the stab, it made him actually feel pain now.
Avenant walked off and found himself face-to-face with Lumiere, who had come from Katie's request.
"You were stabbed and I think I'm no longer engaged." Katie says quietly. She made sure he'd be okay until they could get to a doctor.
Forte looked at the palm of his hand. However, unlike many mortals, he did not have crimson blood. His blood was actually blackened. "Thank you..." he murmured though, even if his blood was shown.
"Just rest." Katie soothes her friend and wrapped one last strip of skirt around his wound.
"How sentimental..." a voice said.
Fearing it was Avenant, both Katie and Forte were hesitant to look up, it was in fact him.
"Get up, Katie," Avenant firmly told the older, though shorter than Cherry, girl. "Leave him, he's of no use to any of us."
Katie looked up at him, her eyes narrowing.
"How dare you try to rebel against me," Avenant glared to Katie. "A proper lady doesn't do such things..."
Forte glared at him as well. "I'm not very fond of you, sir..."
"I told you the only way you would get me was force." she growls.
Avenant took out his bloody dagger with a smirk. "No problem..."
"Hurt her and I'll hurt you worse than you can even imagine..." Forte sneered to him, yes, he was wounded, but he still seemed to have a lot of energy.
"Are you forgetting about your friend, Lumiere?"
Forte's eyes were wide at first, but then glowered to him. "What have you done with him?"
"He's down for the count if you know what I mean." Avenant chuckled menacingly.
Katie gasped and looked horrified. She stood up and tried to slap Avenant.
Avenant held out his dagger, grabbed her from behind, moving her arm behind her back and put the dagger inches away from her throat.
"Non!" Forte didn't want Katie to get hurt. "You leave her alone... Are you angry or just lonely?"
Avenant sneered at him. "What are you yapping about, old man?"
Forte coudln't help but say that, it made him think of when Cherry asked him that when he was a little more strict with his lessons with her than usual at one point. "What do you want?"
"To avenge my dead brother!" Avenant reminded him.
Katie winced and tilted her head back a little. Her free hand came to try and pull his away.
"Are you sure this isn't a jealous plea?" Forte asked, sitting on where he had lay down. "You won't measure up to your brother and you want to be just like him so you can be happy?"
Avenant looked to him and had released Katie slightly, looking angry. "Shut up! No one asked you!"
Katie tried to slip free.
Avenant returned his grasp over Katie. "I'll kill her."
"No, you won't..." Forte shifted his eyes slightly.
Katie swallowed thickly. She was thinking of way to stop Avenant from hurting anyone else.