Cherry in Beauty and the Beast

chapter 33: The Bird and the Beast

After her lunch, Cherry passed the parlor and saw the Beast talking with the bird.

"What's the matter with you?" the Beast asked the bird. "Why don't you sing?"

"He probably feels like a prisoner." Cherry replied.

The Beast turned to her. "I told you and Belle, he's not your concern."

Cherry scoffed at him, and walked away. "Fine. Be that way." Cherry mumbled and walked down the corridors alone. She wondered what to do to pass the time while that Beast and Belle would be having lunch together.

Cherry walked along and looked at the portraits. She looked at them and back at the moving furniture that was the servants of the castle. Cherry felt weird to see what they all looked like before the enchantment. She knew they were all human before, but it was a strange sight. Cherry then looked out the window and saw Belle standing out there with her cloak looking at the other birds.

Cherry decided to go and check with Belle. As she ran down the portrait covered hallways, Cherry stopped a moment after she passed a portrait of an elder man. Cherry could've sworn she heard pipe organ music ring in her head as she looked at him. She did not know the man, but something about him seemed very familiar to her.

The man had long, silver hair with empty, soulless black eyes that could bore anyone into them. His skin was pale and gaunt and nearly blended with his collar buried with his black tail coat. Cherry then noticed a significant thing that the cuffs looked like piano keys, or perhaps, from an organ keyboard! Cherry's eyes widened as she thought that man could have been Maestro Forte, he looked a lot more frightening as a human than an organ. He looked almost like a phantom. The organ music in Cherry's mind grew louder and louder and she glanced at the music room doors, but the organ wasn't playing.

Cherry rubbed her eyes, head and ears, then went away. The music stopped as she ignored it and the portrait froze. The portrait's eyes of the human Forte then blinked and watched her leave. Cherry went outside and decided to keep Belle company since she was feeling sorrow about the bird.

"Belle, I know he's dead, but I feel like he could be alive." Cherry spoke up.

"Who? Maestro Forte?" Belle asked.

"Yes! I saw his picture and I heard organ music playing! He's still alive!"

"Cerise, you had a very hard time with him, you're stressed."

"Nuh-uh, I heard the music playing, even though the organ is broken into pieces and his portrait was staring directly at me!"

"I think you're having your nightmares again," Belle put her hands on Cherry's shoulders. "We'll talk about it later, okay? I'm busy at the moment."

"But-" Cherry then sighed sharply and gave in. "Okay... I'll see you later."

"See you, Cerise." Belle waved her off.

Cherry sighed and went back inside the castle which gave her a haunting feeling due to earlier. Maybe Belle was right. Cherry has had the worst nightmares about Maestro Forte since that Christmas incident. Belle then ran into Cherry again, and they decided to join the Beast for lunch. However, Belle was furious once she heard the Beast yelling at the poor bird.

"Why do you yell at the poor thing as if you own him?" Belle asked, angrily.

"I command him to sing," the Beast growled. "Why won't he?"

"Because he isn't happy!" Cherry cried.

"She's right," Belle added. "Do you think you'd sing if you were in a cage?"

"He must obey me." the Beast snarled a response.

"Why don't you let him out?" Belle asked.

"He'd get away."

"Would you blame him?"

"We would too, if-" Cherry then cupped her mouth, feeling guilty as she spat that out at the beast.

The Beast turned from the girls.

"If only you'd treat him with respect," Belle spoke up. "He'll be happy. If he's happy, he'll sing."

"NO!" the Beast growled. "The bird shall sing for my pleasure and mine alone! It is my order!"

"Your orders sir, are words, and words alone." Belle retorted, leaving with Cherry. "They have no meaning to the bird or us!" Belle then slammed the doors shut.

Thunder roamed in the castle as the girls were alone. They hung out in the library and shared stories since Belle was obviously not having lunch with the Beast. Belle was too broken to read, so then the girls went to their room to take their emotions out. Belle hugged a pillow while Cherry sat on the floor and allowed Belle to have the bed to herself. Belle was still gloomy and Cherry suggested a walk since she remembered her mother telling her a brisk walk always does a good when you're feeling down.

They girls walked along the snow coated grounds, hanging their heads. Cherry tried her best to cheer up Belle, even though it was hopeless. Belle and Cherry then heard some yelling and rushed to look up and see the Beast dangling from the castle roof.

"Mrs. Potts!" Belle cried for help.

Cogsworth then slipped and gripped onto the Beast's cape. Everyone else looked up in alarm as he dangled. Cogsworth then slipped because of the Beast's cape being tattered and he looked down as he fell and was attached to a pillar. It looked like his time was up though.

"I have a plan." Cherry told the others and told them as Cogsworth was nearly about to fall to his death.

"I hope you forgive me, my friends," Cogsworth looked down at them. "I thought I might demand your respect rather than earn it. I suppose its fitting that I should end up this way alone and helpless. And now it would seem my time has run out." Cogsworth then screamed and was bounced by the others helping and making a trampoline for him.

"My, how time flies." Lumiere commented as Cogsworth was now safe and sound.

Cherry and Belle smiled, then looked up to see the Beast freeing the bird. The bird was all healed up and happily flew around the castle grounds and coming to them. The girls smiled as the bird chirped happily at them and flew off to go back to his real home.

After that, Belle and the Beast finally had their lunch together. Cogsworth calmly demanded everyone in to help out with the courses. Since Cherry wasn't hungry, she decided to help out than sit with Belle and the Beast so they could have their privacy together. Belle sipped her porridge, then looked out the window.

"It's your friend." Belle pointed.

"Huh?" the Beast turned to the window and saw a couple of birds flying to the window. "He's come back."

"And he's got a cute friend with him." Cherry pointed to the female bird.

"Ah," Lumiere sighed. "Love is most definately in the air."

"And it begins, Lumiere, with trust, with mutual respect, as I have always said." Cogsworth stated, much to everyone's annoyance. "All relationships must be firmly based on that. One must build on a firm foundation of trust and respect in order to flourish and flow, nourish and grow-"

Everyone went to the window as Cogsworth babbled on. They were all happy to see their bird friend. Not only healed, but with a love of his own. They smiled warmly as they were all taught a lesson about love and friendship. The birds then flew away together, and everyone assumed they lived happily ever after. Cherry smiled and waved them goodbye.