With Cogsworth's story about meeting Belle earlier and her known friendship with the intimidating court magician, it's obvious most of the staff expect her to be a bit condescending and a little terrifying. She notices as soon as she enters the kitchen for dinner that they are all a little frightened of her.
She sighs with annoyance and begrudged acceptance and settles next to Cogsworth with the hope that he'd be least likely to run from her in fear.
She's quite capable of being intimidating if she feels the need, but other than Cogsworth's incessant acclamation (she marks him as a good choice for a minion if she ever becomes a cliché evil villainess) and the almost suffocating mothering from the head maid Mrs. Potts (she's pretty certain it's more of a defense mechanism than any real affection on the older woman's part), she feels no desire to panic the servants.
The rest seem inclined to nervously pretend she's not there until one of the younger boys drops his cup and the glass shatters across her shoes. The eyes of all the others turn to her in worried anticipation.
When she kneels down and helps him pick up the pieces before offering to get him another drink, she can practically feel the surprise from the other diners as they stare at her. The almost tangible tension in the room cracks as she reaches for little Chip's hand and brings him into the kitchen. And when they return victorious, a steaming mug of hot chocolate held snug between the little boy's palms, she is greeted by smiles.
Almost immediately, Cogsworth grabs her gently by the shoulders and drags her around the tables. Introducing her to the staff members in a bit of a whirlwind, and she hopes they don't actually expect her to remember everyone's name, because she's pretty lost already and they are only at the second table. Cogsworth is eyeing her with a look very similar to the one he'd given in the library earlier as Mrs. Potts introduces Chip as her grandson and Belle is pretty sure she's just been hired as babysitter on call.
A tall, attractive looking man named Lumiere (she thinks he's head of stables, but she's sort of lost track of everyone) wiggles his eyebrows and flirts with her unabashed as he kisses her palm. She laughs when he turns and does the same to Cogsworth, who stutters and flushes pink.
She's suddenly become a member of this pseudo family and she enjoys the chaos as some of the staff shout questions at her and the children tug on her hands requesting their own cup of hot chocolate. Someone asks how she can be friends with Thomas when he frightens most people.
She shrugs. "I've known him for years, since before he was accepted to the fire temple. I know he'll never hurt me on purpose. Don't get me wrong, I've seen him as the terrifying fire mage before, had nightmares for weeks the first time, but he's a good person. I trust him." They stare at her, some with awe and others with looks she's pretty certain mean they think she's a little crazy.
"Is there anything that scares you?" One of the little boys asks, a chocolate milk mustache on his lip.
"Of course there is." She smiles softly at him. "Everyone's afraid of something."
"What is it?" He stares at her with wide eyed innocence and she cannot refuse him an answer.
"I've always been a bit afraid of the dark," she says with an attempt at nonchalance, but there's something in the way it sounds that is anything but calm, she shakes it off, refusing to continue with that thought and changes to an almost perky tone. "But I've always liked the night sky." Lumiere catches her eye, and saves her from more questions, offers to teach her how to ride (she was right, he is the stable master). She accepts graciously, and admits to having no real experience around horses.
Eventually everyone settles down and returns to their dinner, except for Chip, who sits beside her and tries to secret her the vegetables he doesn't want to eat, and Lumiere, who settles across from her and Cogsworth, alternating between winking at her and fluttering his eyelashes at the flustered other man.
!
She's half asleep on the armchair, book open on her lap and the fire closer to embers than flames when Tommy finally knocks softly on her door. The book falls to the floor as she jerks awake.
"Ell, you still awake?" He whispers.
"I am now."She grumbles back as she opens the door.
Tommy picks up her book and places it on the side table before stealing her spot on the chair. She attempts a glare, but she's to tired to pull it off properly. Instead she lays down on her bed and turns to face him.
"Bit late isn't it?"
He lays his head back and groans. "We just finished."
"Sorry."
"Yeah, well it took most of the girls several hours and some wine before they were comfortable enough to talk to the prince."
"Mmh, I can imagine." Her jaw pops as she yawns.
"Your sisters were surprisingly confident. They were the first of the girls to talk to him"
"Not that surprising really." She strives to talk through another yawn as she sits up. "You've been my friend my entire life, and we both know your original magic attempts could be a bit..."
"Scary?"
"Yep. My sisters my have never directly faced anything but they have seen things the other girls probably haven't."
"Do you think your sisters will be likely choices?"
"I'm not sure. They are both be a bit, um, flighty."
He snickers at the understatement and she rolls her eyes.
"My sisters were always well accepted by the court members back when we were part of high society."
"So were you."
"Well, yes." She sighs, lying back down. "But I had to work at it."
"Tired?"
"Mmhmm" She nods, "it's a bit late to mirror call Kazul. Do you mind if we do it tomorrow?"
"Sure Ell. I'll be by tomorrow morning. Goodnight."
"Night."