Author's note:
The flashback in my version of a story by thesadchicken, which I was kindly allowed to use as inspiration for this scene.
Please de-fi-nitely read the original:
archiveofourown - thesadchicken - Days in the sun - Chapter 6: Not alone
Chapter 3: A race against time
"COGHSWORTH!"
He ran down the corridor as fast as his short legs could carry him.
In doing so, he had to realise, he was breaking his own rule.
"No running in the castle!", he had more than once scolded the servants when they were in too much of a hurry in the corridors.
But now he had no time to worry about rules, for he had no time to lose. Above all, he had to be gone before the prince could catch up with him and stop him in any way.
He sprinted down the stairs to the main entrance, where Chapeau, the house servant looked at him with a completely surprised expression, then rushed to the door and tore it open. Cogsworth said nothing, just nodded his thanks and was about to head out the door when he heard the prince rumbling down the stairs behind him.
"COGHSWORTH!"
He didn't want to, but his master's grumbling voice made him freeze in motion. And when he continued to speak, his voice almost as deep and growling as the beast's, a shiver ran down the majordomo's spine.
"IF YOU WALK OUT THAT DOOR NOW, YOU WILL NEVER NEED TO COME BACK!"
Monsieur Cogsworth paused and was about to abandon his plan, but when he closed his eyes for a moment, he saw Lumiere in front of him.
His happy, infectious laugh that he gave to everyone, every time.
His blissful, happiness-filled smile as he enjoyed the rain pattering on his skin, the feeling of being alive.
His pleading, pained gaze as the coughing attack took hold of him.
His ragged, shallow breathing as he lay unconscious in bed, completely at the end of his strength.
Cogsworth heard the prince's footsteps approaching and without giving it a second thought, without even wasting a single thought on the consequences for himself, he ran outside, right into the pounding rain.
As if the devil himself was after her, the chestnut mare raced through the forest and she didn't need a snap of the whip or a lash of the crop. Every slight pressure on the thighs and every gentle pull on the reins was enough for her. And the way she pushed herself, her rider almost believed that the loyal animal had understood exactly that urgency was called for.
Monsieur Cogsworth, despite his stocky and somewhat corpulent figure, was an exceptionally good rider, a fact that stood him in good stead at this moment, for any rider even a little inexperienced would surely have found himself on the forest floor during this wild ride. But he gave no thought to how dangerous this ride was, as he chased through the forest, almost blinded by the thick rain. His only thought was of Lumiere and the fact that he had now put everything on the line to save him.
His prestige as majordomo.
His reputation as a loyal and devoted servant to the prince.
His employment at the castle.
His own life.
As if the latter had to be confirmed, he ducked just in time to avoid the blow of a low-hanging branch, only to leap over a fallen tree the next moment. He had long since been scratched and bruised by branches and twigs, his trouser legs were torn by the branches of the shaggy bushes and he himself was soaked to the skin. He did not care.
If there was one person he loved like a brother, one person he cherished as a friend like no one else, it was Lumiere. And Cogsworth knew why...
There were many memories that could underscore the special friendship between the two men, but there was one that the majordomo kept like a treasure. It showed him all too clearly how much he could rely on Lumiere. And also how much he had been by his side during what was probably the most difficult time of their lives.
During the curse:
He stood at the window and stared into the twilight of the dawn.
It had been snowing for hours, a thick white layer covering everything.
Even the hope that someone would stray to the castle...
Cogsworth had been awake for hours and had remained in his position at the window for hours. And dark thoughts tormented him for just as long.
"Cogsworth! Rise and shine!"
He heard Lumiere's cheerful voice behind him, but he did not really take in what he was saying.
His thoughts circled and manifested into a single word: Hopeless.
It was hopeless. For years they had been trapped in this castle, condemned to live a monotonous life as living objects.
Every day the same tasks.
Every day the same routine.
Every day the same gloomy view of the eternal winter outside.
"It's snowing...", the majordomo muttered sadly to himself.
Not even the happiness of a sunny summer day was granted to them...
"Perhaps I can interest you in a game of chess?"
The candelabra's words did not reach him.
"No one will ever come here..."
The castle had always been a distance away from the surrounding villages and far from any major town. And since the curse began, the surrounding forest was even darker, the animals there even more dangerous. Hardly anyone dared to venture even a few metres into this dark area. And even IF someone would stray here...
There was nothing of interest here.
The gardens were always covered with a thick layer of snow, the trees were bare, the sky was grey and snow was always falling. And the castle itself was so gloomy and daunting that anyone who saw it would probably turn back immediately.
"Or we can rearrange the books by color.", Lumiere suggests.
Not a word gets through to him, the mind carousel of hopelessness had him firmly in its grip.
"Look at this wasteland. Who would want anything to do with this? It's hopeless."
The last word hung in the room like a dark mist and seemed to fill it completely.
Perhaps it was better to surrender to the inevitable. And so Cogsworth made no effort to escape this darkness.
But suddenly there was a light in the darkness, a warmth that touched him and thinned out the mist. And this light came from a certain candlestick who suddenly stood beside Cogsworth on the windowsill. And the warmth came from metallic arms wrapped around Cogsworth's ticking body, a golden body leaning against his. A touch he would normally stop immediately, a closeness he would normally never allow. But he allowed it.
And though the usually talkative Lumiere didn't say a word, he filled the silence completely and without doing much, he turned the darkness into twilight. There was comfort in this silence, in their shared sorrow.
They stood in silence, only the ticking of Cogsworth's clock body could be heard.
But with every moment that passed, with every second that the majordomo counted, a transformation was already taking place in this moment, in this room.
'Hopeless' became 'hope'.
And no one was more grateful for that than Cogsworth.
There was no friend like Lumiere.
Never in his entire life had Cogsworth had a friend like the young Frenchman he had met here in the castle several years ago.
Never in his life had one of his friends been so close and so important to him.
And never in his life had Cogsworth been willing to risk so much for a friend as on that day.
And he knew why:
He would never find another friend like Lumiere in his life.
And he would do everything in his power to save Lumiere.
Everything.
The horse burst out of the forest and flew at a furious gallop along the path that led directly into the village, past the first houses, past a few villagers who, despite the rain, were just beginning to go about their daily chores. They looked in astonishment after the rider, who, without slowing his horse down in the slightest, chased through the narrow streets, until he reached a house at the other end of the village. There the animal came to a snorting halt and Cogsworth jumped out of the saddle with an agility one would hardly have thought him capable of. He was already at the door and knocked, although it looked more as if he wanted to fall into the house with it.
"All right, all right, I'm coming!", could be heard the doctor's sleepy voice, audibly searching for his front door key. After what seemed like an eternity to Cogsworth, the door opened.
"What, on my honour is..."
He got no further, as Cogsworth immediately assailed him with what was going on. It took the elder a moment to realise what had happened, but when Cogsworth had finished with his report, he shook his head.
"This sounds really serious what you are telling me, but..."
He looked up at the sky, where rain was still falling incessantly from dense clouds.
"I'm afraid I won't be able to help you in this weather. My old horse is far too slow and unsteady on its feet to make it to the castle..."
"Take my horse!"
The majordomo's almost commanding tone left little room to contradict, but when the doctor glanced at the restlessly prancing animal, concern was written all over his face. Cogsworth noticed this, grabbed the mare by the halter, patting the animal's neck reassuringly, and said: "She's a little restless, but she's fast and absolutely steady on her feet. You will be at the castle in no time."
The doctor seemed only slightly convinced and slowly but surely Cogsworth grew impatient.
"You must not lose any time! Otherwise it will be too late for Lumiere!"
"If it isn't already...", he added silently, but tried to push that thought away. He couldn't manage it, and so his voice sounded pressed as he continued now almost pleadingly: "Please... I beg you... You are his last hope..."
The doctor looked at Cogsworth with a mixture of uncertainty and pity, but then nodded and said: "All right, all right. I don't feel comfortable leaving the house with a horse I don't know and in this weather, but it is my duty to help the sick. Wait, I'll just get dressed and fetch my things."
He closed the door, leaving Cogsworth in the rain, leaning against the mare's neck, face buried in her soaking wet coat.
A short time later the doctor stepped back outside, but stopped in the doorway and looked questioningly at Cogsworth.
"How will you get back to the castle? Will you wait here for my return, or will you go to the inn?"
Cogsworth thought only for a moment before answering: "No I... I'll return to the castle as soon as I can."
"On foot? And in this weather? My good man, I don't think that's a very good idea. Especially since you yourselves are already looking quite battered..."
He pointed to a small stable, more a simple shed, that stood next to the house and continued: "Take my horse for the way back, as I said it is not the fastest anymore, but this way you will be more comfortable and the mare is always faster than on foot."
"Thank you," said the majordomo in a clearly tired voice, before he helped the doctor to fasten his bag to the saddle of the chestnut mare. Already, with obvious effort, he swung himself onto the animal, steered it onto the path and said, turning around in the saddle: "Don't worry, I will do everything in my power to save your friend."
With that he put spurs to the mare and was soon gone around the next corner of the houses, leaving a tired, ragged and deeply saddened Cogsworth behind.
"Hurry up..." he muttered, as he listened to the rapidly receding sound of hooves.
"Lumiere is running out of time..."