𝐂𝐄𝐋𝐈𝐍𝐄 𝐖𝐀𝐒𝐍'𝐓 𝐒𝐔𝐑𝐄 how much time had passed, but she hadn't dared to move from the bed. She'd agreed to dine with the beast, not put on a show for him. She had no intention of changing anything about herself for his pleasure.

There was a knock on the door and she rose to answer it, half-expecting it to be the bossy clock ready once more to push her around. However, an intricately designed cart rolled into the room with a quaint but elegant tea set.

"I thought you might like a spot of tea while you wait for the meal, dear," the teapot offered with a warm smile.

Startled, Celine lost her balance and fell back against the bed. She muttered under her breath, "Is everything alive here?"

"Not everything," the teapot answered gently. She then began to pour Celine a cup of tea. As if carrying on an entirely normal conversation, the teapot elected to introduce herself, "I'm Mrs. Potts, dear, pleased to meet your acquaintance."

"This has to be impossible," Celine cautiously eyed the teapot.

She almost fell when her wardrobe moved and leaned up against the bed beside her. "I know, but here we are!"

Celine slowly picked up the small teacup and lifted it up to her mouth, but stopped as it spoke to her. "Hey! You're not the same girl as before."

"I'm suddenly not thirsty," Celine mumbled under her breath, setting the teacup down on the bed beside her.

"Wanna see me do a trick?" the little teacup asked, but didn't give her the option of answering. He took a deep breath then puffed out his cheeks and blew several bubbles into the tea itself.

"Chip!" Mrs. Potts admonished her son.

"Oh, no, I don't mind," Celine quickly replied and Chip beamed a bit brighter.

Slowly, Mrs. Potts changed the topic of conversation. "That was a very brave thing you did, my dear."

"We all think so," the wardrobe agreed.

Celine shrugged. "She would've done the same for me... I couldn't just let her waste her dreams. Besides, it's not like my night can get much worse, right?"

Mrs. Potts offered her a look of sympathy. "Cheer up, child. It'll turn out all right in the end. You'll see." She paused as if recalling the time. "Ooh, listen to me... jabbering on while there's supper to get on the table. Chip!"

Chip quickly hopped onto the cart but made sure to offer a parting before they left the room entirely. "Bye!"

Celine offered a gentle parting wave before she stood from the bed. The wardrobe followed suit and approached her once more.

"Well now, what shall we dress you in for dinner? Let's see what I've got in my drawers." The wardrobe's drawers flew open, and several beige moths fluttered out into the light. She immediately slammed them shut in response. "Oh! How embarrassing... Here we are. Ah! There, you'll look ravishing in this one!"

Celine's nose wrinkled at the pink fabric. "I hadn't planned to change."

"You're going in that?" The wardrobe asked, appalled as she gestured with her door to Celine's peasant rags.

Celine nodded her head and retorted. "It's simply dinner with the ex-captor of my closest friend... it's not like I'm dining with the king of France."

The wardrobe opened her mouth, but immediately closed it and seemed to hide a smug expression. However, she didn't change her mind. She opened her drawers once more and pulled out a pale green dress with large flowing sleeves. "How about this one? It'll bring out those gorgeous emerald eyes of yours."

"You're not going to let this go, are you?" Celine asked and the wardrobe shook her head. With a sigh, she accepted the dress. "Alright, fine. You win."

Once changed, Celine stepped in front of the mirror attached to her bedside table to look herself over. The wardrobe had been right about one thing, the color of the dress certainly brought out her eyes.

She hesitantly looked down at the brush on the table and poked it as if frightened that it might come to life. "Bonjour?"

The wardrobe stifled her laughter. "It's just a brush, dear."

"Of course," Celine scoffed and rolled her eyes. "Just a brush... I knew that."

She picked the brush up from the table and began to untangle the knots in her golden trellises. Originally, she decided to tie back her hair with a satin ribbon she'd found within the table drawer; however, she changed her mind the second she looked in the mirror and almost mistook herself for one of the Bimbettes. Ultimately, she decided to pull her hair back into a braid.

By the time she finished, the clock had waddled into the room and cleared his throat. "Ahem, ahem, ahem. Dinner...is served."

———— 𖥸 ————

𝐓𝐇𝐄 𝐁𝐄𝐀𝐒𝐓 𝐏𝐀𝐂𝐄𝐃 within the dining room as he waited for the girl to join him at the table. He turned toward his servants who were waiting there in the room with him. "What's taking so long? She agreed to come down. Why isn't she here yet?!"

"Oh, try to be patient, sir," Mrs. Potts requested, "The girl has been exposed to a great deal of things she doesn't understand within a short period of time. She may need time to process."

Lumiere hesitantly stepped forward. "Uh, Master. Have you thought that, perhaps, this girl could be the one to break the spell?"

The beast growled. "Of course I have. I'm not a fool."

He refused to explain why he had considered it though... he had yet to explain any of his decisions at all. It was a surprise to the entire castle when he released his prisoner, but none remained too upset. In fact, the entire staff was buzzing with delight at the guest joining them for dinner.

Ever since that fateful night that the curse was cast, he'd had nightmares filled with a series of strange sequences that he could never put meaning to... that is until she stormed into his life.

He'd always assumed that the golden hair and emerald eyes that occasionally taunted his dreams had been the enchantress that originally cast the curse, but now he was beginning to consider an entirely different interpretation.

"Good." Lumiere nodded his head, smiling brighter with each passing second, "You fall in love with her, she falls in love with you, and—Poof!—the spell is broken! We'll be human again by midnight!"

Mrs. Potts shook her head. "Oh, it's not that easy, Lumiere. These things take time."

"But the rose has already begun to wilt," Lumiere reminded them of their limited window of time.

"It's no use." The beast turned and swished his cape in frustration. "Time is almost up and we're no closer to breaking the curse than before."

"You can't give up hope yet," Lumiere insisted, "You must try."

"I wouldn't even know where to start." The beast crossed his arms.

"Well, you can start by making yourself more presentable," Mrs. Potts replied, "Straighten up, try to act like a gentleman."

Lumiere quickly nodded his head in agreement and added, "Ah yes, when she comes in, give her a dashing, debonair smile. Come, come. Show me the smile."

The beast sighed and turned, now baring his fangs in a smile that was more intimidating than charming. Lumiere and Mrs. Potts both winced.

"You know, it's what's inside that matters," Lumiere rubbed the back of his neck. The beast immediately frowned and Lumiere quickly tried to recover, "Impress her with your rapier wit."

"But you also don't want to frighten the poor girl," Mrs. Potts reminded him, "be gentle."

"Shower her with compliments," Lumiere added.

"But be sincere," Mrs. Potts added.

The beast turned his head as Lumiere and Mrs. Potts went back and forth offering suggestions and advice. He was starting to grow dizzy as Lumiere added, "And above all—"

"You must control your temper!" Mrs. Potts and Lumiere chimed in unison.

The door creaked open and the three turned toward the source. Cogsworth entered the room first, and the beast was almost certain that the girl wouldn't follow; however, he was proven wrong as she followed in after the clock.

A solemn but serene look was on her face. She kept her eyes trained on the ground, but when she did look up, the candlelight from the table reflected and made them shine like actual emeralds.

She smoothed out a few wrinkles in the center of the green gown she wore, as if uncomfortable wearing such fine material. The beast cleared his throat and gestured to the table then took a seat.

She was startled by the sudden noise that broke the silence, but that solemn look returned to her face as she took a seat at the other end of the table.

The round of appetizers were brought out and revealed to each. The girl hesitated, but the beast began to devour his soup without a concern for his appearance.

Losing her appetite, Celine slowly pushed the bowl of soup back a few inches on the table. The beast paused and looked over at her, a frown forming on his face. "It's not poisoned."

"I never said it was," Celine retorted, "I'm just not hungry."

The words were like a slap across his face and he could feel his temper returning. Watching from the crack in the door from the other room, Lumiere face-palmed.

"He's dying out there."

"Move you lazy piece of brass," Cogsworth pushed past Lumiere as he guided the kitchen to start preparations on the next course, "Some of us are actually trying to do our jobs... not to mention covering for others!"

Lumiere was suddenly struck with an idea. He grinned and began to slink away, but it didn't go unnoticed.

Cogsworth clicked his tongue and called after the candelabra. "And just where do you think you're going?"

"To set the mood of course," Lumiere replied and oscillated his brow, "But what is dinner without a little music?"

"Music!" Horror flashed across Cogsworth's face. He attempted to catch Lumiere before he left the room, but the door smacked him in the face and knocked him over.

The lights flashed off in the dining room. Both the beast and Celine released a startled yelp. A single spotlight turned on and revealed the candelabra at the center of the table.

The beast's brows knitted together as he questioned the maître d's intentions. "Lumiere, what—"

"Ma chere, mademoiselle," Lumiere interrupted the beast with a dramatic flare as he walked to the other end of the table to greet Celine, "It is with deepest pride and greatest pleasure that we welcome you tonight. And now, we invite you to relax. Let us pull up a chair as the dining room proudly presents... your dinner."

The beast started to stand from his chair; however, he was forced back down into his seat. "Lumiere, what is the meaning of this?"

The candelabra continued to ignore the beast and began to sing, "Be... our... guest, be our guest, put our service to the test, tie your napkin 'round your neck, cherie, and we provide the rest!"

Celine's chair offered her a napkin which she gratefully accepted and placed on her nap. Meanwhile, the beast's chair hastily wiped a napkin across his face, trying to clean him up. He did his best to fight it, but failed as a second napkin was tied around his throat.

"Soup du jour, hot hors d'oeuvres! Why, we only live to serve!" Lumiere exclaimed as more courses were brought out to the table. "Try the grey stuff, it's delicious! Don't believe me? Ask the dishes!"

Celine was barely able to snatch one of the hors d'oeuvres on the passing silver platter before the next course rolled out the doors. Lumiere continued to sing and the dishes rolled out as if dancing.

"They can sing, they can dance! After all, miss, this is France! And the dinner here is never second best!" Lumiere took a step closer and offered her a menu, but Celine really wasn't given the opportunity to even glance at it. "Go on unfold your menu, take a glance and then you'll be our guest, oui, our guest, be our guest!"

Dishes after dishes after dishes of food were brought out from the kitchen. "Beef ragout, cheese souffle, pie and pudding en flambe!"

Cogsworth had somehow fallen into the pudding. He made an attempt to crawl out of the dish; however, Lumiere lit the dish on fire and Cogsworth released a pained breath as he fell back into the pudding.

Lumiere didn't even seem to bat an eye, too preoccupied with his spectacle. "We'll prepare and serve with flair, a culinary cabaret!"

It wasn't long before Celine was completely overwhelmed by everything that was happening around her. She stood and tried to excuse herself from the table, but Lumiere rushed to her side as if begging her to stay.

"You're alone and you're scared, but the banquet's all prepared! No one's gloomy or complaining, while the flatware's entertaining!"

She sighed and took a seat, but as she did, Lumiere motioned for the next step and the chair moved with her still seated. In a flash, her chair had moved to the other end of the table and now she sat beside the beast.

She placed a hand to her head, trying to clear the feeling of disorientation that had resulted from the quick movement.

"Are you alright?"

She looked over at the beast. "Pardonne?"

"Are you alright?" He repeated his question before sheepishly looking over at the candelabra. "He gets a bit carried away at times."

Celine released a gentle laugh as she looked over at the candelabra. She slowly nodded her head. "It's sort of sweet... in an over-the-top sort of way."

Lumiere silently cheered that the atmosphere was far less tense than at the beginning of the meal, but quickly brought the attention back to himself. "We tell jokes, I do tricks with my fellow candlesticks."

Lumiere briefly juggled the candles that served as his hands while Celine clapped with praise. With each passing moment, she was becoming more and more absorbed in the music and had actually begun to smile.

"And it's all in perfect taste that you can bet!" The other dishes and glasses joined in with the song. "Come on and lift your glass, you've won your own free pass to be our guest!"

"If you're stressed," Lumiere jumped back in as if competing for the spotlight, "it's fine dining we suggest!"

"Be our guest, be our guest, be our guest!"

The music slowed and took a more solemn tone. Cogsworth had finally freed himself from the pudding and was wiping himself clean with one of the napkins. Lumiere quickly pulled him aside, now incorporating him in his act.

"Life is so unnerving, for a servant who's not serving!"

"Get off!" Cogsworth tried to push him away, having none of it.

"Ah, those good old days when we were useful. Suddenly, those good old days are gone." Lumiere sang as if reminiscing. Celine glanced over at the beast who glowered. Snow began to fall and Celine released a gentle laugh, believing it was more magic, but as she looked up the snow was revealed to actually be salt. Cogsworth slumped with a frown as a pile of salt formed on top of his head. "Ten years we've been rusting, needing so much more than dusting, needing exercise, a chance to use our skills!"

Lumiere dusted the salt from the clock's head. Cogsworth made an attempt to escape, but tripped and fell into a block of gelatin that had just been brought out from the kitchen. Lumiere jumped onto a spoon and Cogsworth was freed from the gelatin but flung across the room into the kitchen. "Most days we just lay around the castle, flabby fat and lazy, you walked in, and whoops-a-daisy."

From within the kitchen, Mrs. Potts could be heard singing along with a verse of her own. "It's a guest, it's a guest! Sakes alive, well I'll be blessed! Wine's been poured and thank the Lord, I've had the napkins freshly pressed! With dessert, she'll want tea, and my dear, that's fine with me! While the cups do their soft shoeing, I'll be bubbling, I'll be brewing! I'll get warm, piping hot—Heaven's sake, is that a spot? Clean it up, we want the company impressed!"

Mrs. Potts rolled out on a cart and offered Celine a cup of tea. "We've got a lot to do—Is it one lump or two? For you, our guest!"

"She's our guest! She's our guest! She's our guest!"

"Be our guest! Be our guest! Our command is your request! It's been ten years since we had anybody here, and we're obsessed!" The music's tempo increased and the noise grew louder. "With your meal, with your ease, yes indeed, we aim to please! While the candlelight's still glowing, let us help you we'll keep going—"

"Course... by... course," Lumiere sang and several of the dishes and household objects formed their version of a kick line, "one by one, 'til you shout 'Enough, I'm done!' Then we'll sing you off to sleep as you digest! Tonight you'll prop your feet up, but for now let's eat up! Be our guest! Be our guest! Be our guest! Please be our guest!"

Lumiere skidded to his knees as he held the last note of the song. It was almost like he served as a distraction for the other servants as they rearranged the table for the rest of the meal while taking away the dishes already eaten.

Celine clapped her hands and laughed as the show concluded. Lumiere bowed his head, thrilled to accept her praise. "Merci, merci."

"That was fantastique!" Celine cheered.

"I hope you feel welcomed, mademoiselle," Lumiere bowed again as he backed away, "I'll take my leave now. Bon appetit!"