Beauty is *FOUND* within {TAG Beast/castle crew}AU

[esmeralda]

Hidden under a veil of secrecy was the gypsy Esmeralda. She let the hood fall to her shoulders as she gazed on the gothic castle, hidden away in the Parisian forest. Notre Dame was the only other thing she could compare it to. Beautiful and majestic. But not even beauty could sustain a gypsy. Stone walls no matter how magnificent, were still stone walls. Though, the threat of being trapped within wasn't there. Liberating, really. She wished Clopin, Djlai and Quasimodo were here to see this with her. She felt guilty at that moment about her brother, her kid and the bell ringer. But they knew why she couldn't stay in Paris.

Frollo was insane. Nothing was safe in that man's path of destruction. Homes and families were being torn apart all in his mission to find her. After a meeting among a few of the elder court brothers and sisters and a plan was decided. They put out a rumor. Esmeralda was dead. muggers had taken advantage of her till she had no fight left.

The lie had to hold, just to stop the madness. Part of her felt like a coward for leaving. She wanted to stay behind and fight for her people. But her presence in the city was doing more harm then good. In this time she could still use it to find a way to stop the man for good.

No life seemed to dwelve within, but it would do for a night's shelter. Gypsies weren't picky by nature anyway. She opened the door carefull tiptoeing inside in case she had been wrong in her guess. Her green eyes found a hallway. A room with a low window would be best, if there was trouble she could escape more easily that way.

She explored the castle a little more, so far she was the only living creature inside....

Or so she thought

[Cogsworth]

The gypsy woman's suspicions of the castle being completely lifeless were far from true. Seated on a rich-brown wooden table, positioned against the wall of the foreboding hallway, was a small brown carriage clock, its elegant design contrasted by its near resemblance to a short, mustachioed man in shape. Of course, a clock was just that, a clock... but the black-haired beauty might have had the strange feeling that she was being watched as she crept down the hallway.

[esmeralda]

Esmeralda's bare feet met the cold stone of the hallway floor as she explored. She paused for a moment, rasing a thick black brow looking around her surroundings. Why did she feel like someone was watching her? Instinctively she grasped the dagger she had hidden in her purple skirt, as she retraced her recent steps. Her emerald orbs searched the hallway only seeing a small brown grandfather clock. As gypsy stood in front of the clock, she rolled her eyes. "Probably just being paranoid. " she muttered to herself dryly.

[beast]

Inside the West Wing of the enchanted castle foreign to the gypsy lurked a beast. Once human but now indefinitely cursed, the beast of the castle sulked in the shadows, beside an enchanted rose that perpetually glowed. The beast's finely tuned ears picked up a rare noise: an entrance. The beast in the darkness glared back towards his door and growled lowly. He hastily yet quietly rushed out of the room and, utilizing the castle's dark interiors, moved with stealth. It would be some time before he could get a good look of the intruder...

[Lumiere]

The sound had been faint at first, Lumiere had not been certain he had heard it amongst Babette’s cooing, but there was no mistaking the echoes of the castle door closing and the candelabrum broke away from the feather duster.

“Did you hear zhat?” he asked. Without waiting for a proper response, he turned and hopped down the hall as fast as he could, straining to hear more. Now a new a sound reached him from where he stood- a voice. One that was female and unrecognizable to him; the enchanted Casanova was confident he knew every single feminine voice in this castle and this one did not belong. He reached the top of the grand staircase and peeked around the banister, nearly gasping at what he saw; he quickly hopped back behind a banister.

A human- a real human girl was standing down below. Lumiere placed a tea light against the spot where his heart would be as excitement swept over him. Could she be the one who had come to break the spell? Lumiere poked his taper candle head around the banister and rolled his eyes when she saw her examining Cogsworth. Well that would do her no good- Cogsworth wouldn’t dare make a peep. Taking a deep breath and slipping back behind the banister once again he said,

“’Allo!” his voice echoing in the vast space.

[Cogsworth]

Indeed, Cogsworth struggled to keep as absolutely inconspicuous to the stranger as possible; he stood completely still, as any real lifeless clock would. However, a sudden all-too-familiar voice had startled him out of his facade, and the little clock bounced up in fright, the mustache-like clock hands attached to his 'nose' spinning in a panic as two wide, nerve-wracked eyes and an open mouth revealed themselves.

Cogsworth's landing on the table made quite a loud 'clop', and the flustered clock was clearly frustrated by his presence being made known. This girl should most certainly not know of the cursed castle servants, just yet at least; and Lumiere, brash as always and acting before thinking, made himself known to the stranger. The little clock furiously glared at where the greeting came from, and placed a 'hand' above his lips with a shushing motion, hoping the animated candelabra could see this.

Cogsworth was not, at the moment, paying attention to whether or not the gypsy woman was still looking him over.

[esmeralda]

Esmeralda twisted her thick brows looking away from the little clock, becoming more and more aware that her earlier assumption had been off about the castle being empty.

She cocked an eyebrow at the little greeting, then blinked several times catching out of the corner of her eye the little clock fall over, in shock? That was new. It was like watching one of Quasimodo's little wooden figures come to life. "Just what are you?" she asked wondering if her eyes were having a fault.

She debated for a moment. If they had intended to harm her, then what would have been the point of making their presence known? unless they were planning to distract her. However, they must have seen her by now. "Bonjour. I didn't mean to intrude, I thought the castle was empty." She couldn't trust the voice right away, it was the gypsy in her, always on the defense. But she'd try to be reasonable before going into fight mode. Its not like she needed to at that moment....

[Lumiere]

Lumiere contemplated revealing himself to the young woman but perhaps it was a bit too early; not that he’d ever admit to Cogsworth that he took his advice over being cautious. An echoing thud made the candelabrum whip his tapered head around the post once more and he shook it when he saw the woman‘s attention occupied by the carriage clock. Cogsworth was such a hypocrite! Here he had been the one keeping quiet- or at least out of sight- and Cogsworth was the one hogging the spotlight. Well if that was how he was going to play…

“A castle of zhis size… empty?” Lumiere laughed a charming little chortle. “You only need to know zhe right places to look, Mademoiselle!” And with that he leaped up on to the banister and slid down the rail of the grand staircase with dramatic flair, hopping off at the end and landing at her feet.

“Bonjour!” he introduced with an elegant bow.

[esmeralda]

A sarcastic smirk came to the gypsy woman's face hearing the charming French man's voice. Hmm still too early to judge but there was something about it that made her think of Clopin. Until a gold candlelabra landed by her feet. Her eyes shot open. She also began to wonder about those gargoyals she overheard Quasimodo talking to.... Shaking off the surprise. "Bonjour yourself handsome." she smirked. "Now are you the only talking table topper in here, or uh, does your friend over there speak too?" she said pointing to the little clock realizing she now wasn't crazy. Maybe...