Christmas had been over for a while, but Cherry kept a lot of people up at night with her screaming in her sleep. To make up for it, when it wasn't too miserable and cold outside, Belle allowed Cherry to go outside with her in the snow to perhaps maybe talk about it. Belle was like an older sister figure to Cherry. Cogsworth, Lumiere and the Beast were over the balcony and Belle walked with Cherry and Philippe out in the snow-covered yard, the Beast's dog, Sultan was with them.
"So Cerise, what's bothering you?" Belle asked as she gently stroked Philippe's muzzle.
"Why do you think something's bothering me?" Cherry asked as she looked out in the distance.
"I heard you at night," Belle explained. "You were screaming and crying in your sleep."
"Oh... Yeah... I had nightmares recently..."
"I was always told if something scares you it's good to talk about it and then it's not so scary."
"Well..." Cherry looked up at the older girl. "I... I've been... I've been having nightmares about... Maestro Forte..." Cherry nearly passed out saying his name.
"Forte?" Belle turned to her in worry.
"After we went to bed and celebrated Christmas, I went to see his room and... I was worried that he'd come back to life to try to hurt me..." Cherry whimpered.
Belle turned to her and walked over. "Cerise, let me tell you this, Forte is not going to hurt you anymore. He's gone now. If you see him again, he's just a dream or a nightmare, and nothing more. Do you understand?"
"I guess..." Cherry looked up at her.
"I promise, he won't hurt you anymore. Why don't we change the subject?"
"Did the Beast like his present from us?" Cherry asked.
"Yes," Belle smiled. "He told me he was about to destroy his bell jar and then he remembered the present was there and he read it and loved it. He says you're a great artist too."
"What did he give you?"
"Nothing really, but that's okay, Christmas isn't about getting, it's about giving..."
"Belle?" the Beast came up behind the girls and they turned their heads at him with curiosity. "Could you both come with me for a moment?"
The girls went inside, listening to the Beast. He came back at them after Belle took off her cloak and Cherry took off her jacket. The Beast came toward them once they were settled.
"Belle, there's something I want to show you, you can come too, Cerise if you want." the Beast said. "Both of you close your eyes."
Cherry and Belle raised an eyebrow at him.
"It's a surprise." the Beast said.
Cherry and Belle closed their eyes. Belle took Cherry's hand as she used her free hand to cover her eyes and both girls followed the Beast after he took Belle's free hand. They had walked for a while together.
"Can I look now?" Belle asked.
"No, not yet." the Beast replied. "Wait here."
Cherry and Belle kept their eyes closed, but it felt hard once they heard curtains pull back and there was a flash of bright light.
"Now can we look?" Cherry asked.
"Alright, now." the Beast told them both.
Cherry and Belle opened their eyes and did a double take as they looked around with awestruck. There were several books upstairs, downstairs, all around the room of the castle. Belle looked the most impressed and delighted.
"I can't believe it!" Belle smiled. "I never seen so many books in all my life!"
"You... You like it?" the beast asked with a small smile.
"It's wonderful!" Belle squealed.
"You may both have it." the Beast smiled at the girls. "But Cerise, I have an even better surprise for you."
"Do I have to close my eyes?" Cherry asked.
"Yes, come along now." the Beast took Cherry's tiny hand as she closed her eyes. The Beast led Cherry in a different room and took her hands from her eyes and Cherry's eyes were as big as Belle's in the castle library. "This is just for you."
It was the castle study, but it was full of blank paper and ink quills. The Beast had changed the room recently to make it into an art room just for Cherry.
"What do you think, Cerise?" the Beast asked.
"Oh my gosh!" Cherry gushed. "You did this for me?"
"Yes, you have as much right as Belle does around here." the Beast smiled.
"OH THANK YOU!" Cherry clung onto his arm and hugged him really tight.
The Beast smiled as he had made both girls in the castle very proud.
YOU ARE READING
Cherry in Beauty and the Beast
RomanceCherry is in France with her parents and she meets a young woman named Belle and they become fast friends. However, one night is kind of different for them as they trade their lives to save Belle's father and meet a hideous beast in a cursed castle...
