Looking at herself in the mirror, Belle hardly recognized herself as the same person she'd been only hours before. Donned in a golden dress with her hair fashioned into a partial bun with the rest of her hair cascading down her back. She'd never worn something so richly elegant.
When she'd tried to protest the extravagance of the dress, Madame de Garderobe had waved all of her protests away. "Remember you're in a castle," she'd said. "This was saved for someone like you." And said no more about it.
Belle gazed at herself in the mirror. She looked like a princess. Unable to help it, she smiled a little.
"There," Madame de Garderobe said, satisfied. "Enjoy your night. I must finish getting myself ready."
Madame de Garderobe exited Belle's room, followed by several maids. One of the maids named Fifi stayed with Belle.
"Is there anything else you need mademoiselle?" Fifi asked.
Belle turned to face the beautiful maid. "No, I think I'm all right," she said. "Aren't you going to get ready for the ball?"
"Oh, I'm helping out with the ball," Fifi said. "Someone has to make sure things are running. But don't worry, we're having a special celebration with the servants later."
"Oh, I'm glad to hear that," Belle said. "You deserve to celebrate as much as anyone else."
"Do not worry, mademoiselle," Fifi said. "Being human again is celebration in itself, but we servants know how to have fun." Fifi winked at Belle.
Belle smiled at Fifi as she exited the room. Belle was glad to hear that the staff would be able to have their own celebrations. She also hoped this ball would help them reconnect to their roots in the village.
A knock sounded at Belle's door. "Come in," she called, wondering who it could be.
Claudette, Laurette, and Paulette entered the room bedecked in finery, yet wearing their same customary colors.
"You all look amazing!" Belle exclaimed. "Where did you get those dresses?"
"Our mother was a seamstress," Paulette said. "She taught us everything she knew."
"But only Laurette really mastered the skill," Claudette said. "I'm afraid I'm wretched with a needle."
"You are a hopeless case," Laurette agreed. "Good thing you have other skills. Paulette's a decent help though."
"I'm decent at a lot of things," Paulette murmured. "But not exceptional at anything."
"That in itself is exceptional," Claudette said, squeezing her sister's hand. "It makes you so much more adaptable and well-rounded."
Paulette shrugged. "Anyway, Laurette and I made the dresses out of fabric the Lady Estelle had brought from Paris!" Excitement had re-entered Paulette's voice from her momentary dejection. "She gave us the fabric one morning after we told her about our mother."
"She's such a dear," Laurette said dreamily. "This royal family is so kind and generous."
"That's incredible," Belle said. "Are you all happy?" She'd missed a lot while she'd been caught up in her sorrow, it seemed.
The three sisters nodded. "These past two weeks have been like nothing else," Laurette said. "I finally feel safe and hopeful for the future. Even if no man will have me, I feel like I don't have to worry about that because the prince told us we always have a home here if we'd like one."
Paulette nodded in agreement. "I haven't found a clear place like Claudette or Laurette," she said. "But I'm happy just to be beside them and know there's no pressure for us to have to do anything we don't want to do."
Belle looked at Claudette who grinned broadly at her. "I've found a place where I can manage things and order people about," she said. "After seeing what I can do, Mrs. Potts has invited me to help her manage the household and I think I'll accept. There's a lot to take care of in a royal estate that's trying to rebuild."
Belle beamed at them. "I'm so happy for you all," she said. "I'm forever in your debt for saving me."
"No," Claudette said sternly. "We're even. You vouched for us with the prince. We won't forget that." She wrapped her arm around Belle. "We saved each other from him."
Belle nodded and whispered, "Thank you."
"Now," Claudette said, straightening up. "You ready to go to the ball? People should be arriving by now and we should go greet them."
Belle shrank inside at the idea of greeting villagers. She didn't know who'd been at her "wedding" with Gaston and whether or not they'd come.
"Don't let him win," Claudette said, reading the fear in Belle's eyes. "Don't let them win."
Belle nodded, shook off her fears, and stood tall. "Let's go," she said.
Belle and the sisters made their way into the ballroom, descending the stairs into the castle entrance hall which had a fair-sized crowd already. Belle noted footmen bustling about taking traveling coats and cloaks from the villagers who gazed in wonder at the opulent, richly decorated castle. Many of them had never seen the castle, Belle realized.
"I want to check to make sure everything is going fine," Claudette said, approaching Lumeire and Cogsworth, who stood at foot of the stairs. "The main event is happening in the main dining room and the attached ballroom."
Indeed, Belle saw various staff members escorting villagers down the hall that Belle knew led to the main dining room and other parts of the castle she'd yet to explore.
"Mademoiselles!" Lumiere exclaimed. "You look fantastique!"
Cogsworth cleared his throat. "Yes, very nice, indeed," he said.
"Of course we do," Claudette said brusquely, waving them off. "How is everything going here?"
"Oh, it's going swimmingly," Cogsworth said. "Flawless execution."
"Oui," Lumiere said. "You ought to get to ze party!"
"Very well," Claudette said, looking around the hall with a critical eye. "I'll leave everything in your hands."
Claudette led the way as they followed behind a small group of villagers walking down the hall. As they passed, Belle said to the two men, "Thank you."
"But of course!" Lumiere said, grinning while Cogsworth nodded, moving forward to intervene in something that only he'd noticed was amiss.
Once they were out of earshot, Claudette sighed. "You did well," Paulette said. "I know you wanted to critique Cogsworth and I'm glad you didn't."
"Agreed," Laurette said. "We told her to be on her best behavior tonight," Laurette said to Belle. "They've been butting heads all week."
"We wanted to actually enjoy the party," Paulette said, grinning at her sister.
Claudette rolled her eyes but refrained from commenting.
The four women followed the group of villagers down the hall. Belle noticed that people would surreptitiously peek over their shoulders to look at them and look away quickly, putting their heads close together to mutter quietly. Belle noticed that Claudette stood straighter and saw her sisters follow suit. Belle lifted her head high as they continued to walk.
The hallway split in two directions, one leading straight ahead and the other leading to the right. The line turned to the right. As the women got to the split, Belle saw a pair of footmen blocking the path to continue straight and directing people to the right. Belle realized she'd never gone to down this small corridor and was interested to as they followed behind the gossiping group of villagers.
The corridor led to a simple door, which stood open. A footman stood at the door. He'd just let the group of villagers through the door and stopped the four women from entering. "I'll let you pass when they've been announced," he said, gesturing through the open doorway indicating the villagers who'd passed through.
"Of course," Claudette said, tossing her hair over her shoulder. "Wait until they've cleared the stairs. I don't want anyone mistaking us."
"Very well, mademoiselle," said the footman, looking inside the doorway. Belle could see that it led to a staircase that descended to a lower level where a richly attired man stood. On the opposite side of the room, she could see another staircase leading to the same level. No one seemed to be descending from that side, however.
"The other side is for the royal family," Claudette said. "But I think they're already among the crowd."
Belle nodded, feeling a bit nervous at the idea of being announced and descending stairs. She hoped not that many people were there yet.
"It is time, ladies," the footman said.
Claudette stepped through the door, followed by her sisters. Hesitating for a moment only, Belle followed the triplets. Focusing on descending the steps, Belle took her skirt in one hand and placed a gloved hand lightly on the railing for balance.
Joining the sisters and the man on the middle level, Belle only now allowed herself to look to her left and take in the large crowd below the grand staircase. How was it so crowded already? Belle heard the man announce, "the sisters Claudette, Paulette, and Laurette joined by the lady Belle."
Lady? Belle thought as she and the sisters curtseyed to the crowd below. Looking at the foot of the stairs, Belle saw Adam standing there beside his mother.
Adam was staring at her, his expression unreadable. Belle couldn't take her eyes off him as she stood up and began to descend the steps. He looked regal and handsome with his long golden hair pulled back by a blue ribbon with his rich blue suit with gold embroidery that brought out his bright blue eyes.
"You failed to mention how crowded it would be," Belle said to Claudette as they followed behind Paulette and Laurette.
Claudette shrugged. "What can I say?" she said. "I like a grand entrance."
"Well, I don't," Belle muttered, taking in how people were watching them and murmuring.
"What better way to show them that you're strong and don't care than by making a grand entrance?" Claudette said as they reached the foot of the stairs. Paulette and Laurette greeted Adam and Estelle and moved aside to room for Belle and Claudette.
"Belle," Estelle said. "How good it is to see you here. You look lovely, my dear. Your mother and father should be around somewhere. I know they'll be happy to see you here too."
"Thank you," Belle said beaming at Estelle. She turned to Adam, her smile faltering a little at his expressionless face.
Estelle nudged Adam and then said to Claudette, "And thank you, Claudette for doing such a wonderful job with organizing the ball while I recovered." In the two weeks since Belle had reappeared in this world, Estelle still looked frail, but her color had returned somewhat and she was able to stand and greet the visitors. Belle thought she looked tired, however, and hoped that she'd take a break soon and not overdo it.
"You do look well," Adam said to Belle as Claudette replied to Estelle. "I'm glad you could make it."
Belle realized that they all thought she might not come to the ball. "I wouldn't miss it," she said to him, mustering a smile despite her nervousness.
He appeared to be at a loss for words. The announcer on the upper level announced the names of more villagers and Belle saw a small crowd there bowing and curtseying to the crowd. Belle nodded to Adam, "I'll take my leave then," she said, "so you can greet the others."
Adam nodded, looking like he wanted to say something else, but held back. As Belle followed the sisters past the royals, she noticed Estelle whisper something in Adam's ear. He shook his head and whispered something back to her.
"Are you hungry?" Claudette asked Belle. "Why don't we grab food before the action happens."
Belle nodded. "Sure," she said, following the sisters to an adjoining room, where enormous dining tables laden with food took up most of the room with just enough room for people to navigate around the tables. Small plates were stacked at the edge of each table for people to serve themselves food.
Villagers sampled the food and as they walked through the crowd, Belle could hear exclamations at the richness of the food. Dishes of many varieties lay on the table. She recognized many of them from her first night at the castle when the staff had performed for her to cheer her up. She smiled at the memory.
Those that noticed the four women stared openly and muttered quietly. The three sisters held their heads high, so Belle did the same as they piled food onto their plates and re-entered the ballroom where tall circular tables stood around the edges of the room.
The women claimed an empty table and quietly ate their food, while watching more and more people enter the ballroom, getting announced by the announcer and greeting the royal family.
"Helloooo my dears," said Madame de Garderobe, who joined the women at their table, bearing a plate of her own. "You all look splendid."
"So do you," Belle said, looking at the Madame in her elaborate gown and wig that made her look like she'd grown a foot.
"Thank you, my dear," she said. "The master asked me if I might perform tonight. I agreed out of love for him, but I abhor singing alongside that dreary Maestro Forte." She sighed. "He'll give me no end of trouble for skipping rehearsal with the orchestra too. If only my dear husband were here. I haven't been able to get in contact with him."
Belle felt as if the Madame were telling her things she should have known but didn't. Belle opened her mouth to ask, but then her parents appeared.
"Belle!" her father cried, dabbing at his eyes. "You are a vision. It does my heart good to see you here like this." Maurice wore a suit and his hair and mustache had been combed. He looked rather dapper compared to his usual wild appearance.
Belle hugged her father, feeling glad that she'd come, despite the stares and muttering of the villagers. Her mother embraced them both. "I'm proud of you," she whispered in Belle's ear.
Belle smiled at her mother, who wore a beautiful gown and looked more like how Belle remembered her from childhood, grateful her mother had brought Belle to her senses.
The small group stood around the table chatting and watching the ballroom fill up. Colette kept her attention on Estelle, seemingly monitoring her friend's condition.
"She's pushing herself too hard," Colette muttered to Belle. "I think I'm going to go make her stop soon."
"It's about time for music to start," Claudette said. "How about I go let the maestro know?"
"Good idea," Colette agreed. "I'm going to go check on her." Claudette took one last bite and disappeared into the crowd.
Colette made her way towards Adam and his mother, Maurice following behind her. Belle's father had hardly left his wife's side since they'd been reunited.
"I suppose I had better join the musicians," Madame de Garderobe sighed, sounding not at all enthusiastic and followed after Claudette.
Belle stood at the table alone with Paulette and Laurette. She continued watching the crowd, amazed at the beauty of the space. The ballroom was enormous with a vaulted ceiling with gorgeous painted cherubs flying in a blue clouded sky. The floor-to-ceiling arched windows and arched columns made her feel like she was in another world entirely. The tiled floors were hard to see fully due to the crowd, but they were no less beautiful than the ceiling.
Feeling content, Belle smiled. Until she caught the eye of a group of rough looking men she recognized walking towards them. They had been with Gaston when he'd forced her to agree to marry her. They had been at their wedding.
A sense of dread washed over Belle as they reached their table.
"Well, well," one of the men said. "Gaston would be interested to know that his wife is here."
