“Of course I can!” Chip replied. He scurried over to a large sack of jewels. But in his excitement, he knocked it over! A rainbow of jewels scattered throughout the greenhouse, bouncing across the floor.
“Oops,” Chip said in a quiet voice.
“Oh, dear!” cried Cogsworth.
“I’ll search for the jewels while you work on your charm, Cogsworth,” the Beast said. “And Chip can pick out the rubies you need.”
“Thank you, Master,” Cogsworth said gratefully. The three went to work at once. Chip was so busy finding the rubies for Cogsworth’s charm he didn’t even notice that the sun was starting to set.
When Cogsworth’s charm was finished, the Beast and Chip stood back to admire it. “Well done, Cogsworth,” the Beast said.
Cogsworth was so pleased that the clock hands on his face spun around in circles. “Well, I certainly couldn’t have done it without your help,” he said modestly. “What about your charm, Master? How may I help you?”
The Beast nodded. “Take a look,” he said. “I don’t know how to make it look like a winter rose.”
“I know!” Chip exclaimed. “That’s why I went back to the Royal Jewelry Chamber. Look what I got for you, Master!”
The Beast and Cogsworth turned to Chip as he pushed a bag toward them. Chip nudged the bag until it tipped over. A small amount of shimmering powder spilled out of the bag.
“It’s diamond dust,” Chip explained. “Maybe if you put it on the edges of the rose petals, it will look like frost.”
“That just might work,” the Beast commented. He held the charm very still as Cogsworth applied a thin coat of glue along the edges of each petal. Meanwhile, Chip made a neat pile of diamond dust on the counter. Then everyone held their breath as the Beast carefully dipped the edges of the rose into the diamond dust.
“Steady…steady…” whispered Cogsworth as they waited for the glue to set.
“What do you think? Is it dry? Should I turn it over?” the Beast asked nervously.
“Wait just another minute,” Chip said. “Okay…now!”
In one fast motion, the Beast flipped over the charm. The diamond dust sparkled and twinkled just like a fresh coat of frost!
“We did it! It looks just like a winter rose now!” cheered Chip.
“No, Chip, you did it!” the Beast said with a big grin.
“Oh, dear. What has Chip done now?” a new voice asked. Mrs. Potts was standing in the doorway, with Lumiere right behind her.
“Chip’s great idea made my charm even better,” the Beast said.
“That’s wonderful news!” Mrs. Potts exclaimed. “You’ve finished just in time to give Belle the bracelet before she gets dressed!” Lumiere carefully cradled the bracelet, Mrs. Potts’s shimmery teacup charm, and his own sparkling star charm. Cogsworth leaped forward to add his charm to the pile, too.
“Here is my holly sprig!” Cogsworth announced.
“And my winter rose,” added the Beast.
“Oh, lovely,” Mrs. Potts said as she admired each charm. Then she turned to Chip. “What about your charm, dear? Where’s your snowflake?”
Chip’s mouth dropped open. He’d been so busy helping everyone else that he had forgotten to make his own charm! The snowflake charm on Belle’s old bracelet had been her favorite—and now her new bracelet wouldn’t have one.
Chip had never felt worse in his entire life!
“I ruined Belle’s bracelet!” Chip cried. Two big tears splashed onto the floor. “I promised to make her favorite charm…and I didn’t do it!”
“Oh, dear me,” Mrs. Potts replied. “There’s no need for tears. After all, we wouldn’t have my teacup charm without your help!”
“Or my star,” Lumiere spoke up.
“Or my holly,” added Cogsworth.
“Or my winter rose,” the Beast said.
“It seems only right that we help you make your charm, Chip,” Mrs. Potts said.
“Really?” Chip sniffed.
“But of course!” Lumiere responded.
“Come, come,” Cogsworth urged. “There’s not much time.”
“The other charm was made from a sheet of silver,” Chip said. “Can we hammer some silver for the new snowflake?”
“That might take too long,” the Beast said. “We’ll have to think of something else.”
“What if we used wire instead of silver?” asked Mrs. Potts.
“There’s a spool of jewelry wire in the Royal Jewelry Chamber,” Cogsworth said. “I saw it this morning.”
“We could twist thin strands of wire into the shape of a snowflake,” Mrs. Potts continued.
“Perhaps we could add some beads,” Lumiere suggested.
“That’s a wonderful idea,” Mrs. Potts said.
“Cogsworth, come with me to the jewelry room so you can show me where the wire is,” said the Beast. He bounded out of the room. Cogsworth followed behind him.
When the Beast and Cogsworth returned with the supplies, they gave everyone a thin piece of jewelry wire. The group worked in silence as they strung silver and diamond beads onto their wires. When each strand glittered with beads, they twisted the wires together into the shape of a snowflake.
At last, Mrs. Potts held the charm up to the light so that everyone could see it. The delicate wire was so thin that it was almost invisible, and the beads glittered like crystals of ice. The charm was utterly enchanting!
“How beautiful!” Mrs. Potts exclaimed. “Chip, I think you should be the one to present the bracelet to Belle. After all, you helped make every single charm!”
Everyone smiled—except Chip—as the Beast dropped the charms and the bracelet into the little teacup. “Do you think Belle will like the snowflake?” Chip asked in a worried voice. “It’s pretty, but it’s not like the charm she had on her other bracelet. That one was made from a sheet of silver and it didn’t have any beads and it—”
“Of course she will,” Cogsworth said, smiling. “Now we’ve got to give Belle her bracelet before she finishes getting ready for the ball.”
“Hurry, everyone,” the Beast said as he glanced at the setting sun. “There isn’t a moment to lose!”
As everyone left the greenhouse, Chip tried to smile. He hoped they were right!
Cogsworth cleared his throat, took a deep breath, and stepped up to the door of Belle’s room. Then he knocked with three loud raps.
“Please pardon the interruption,” he called. “Do you have a moment to spare?”
The door opened just enough for Belle to poke her head into the hallway. She looked surprised to see the Beast, Cogsworth, Mrs. Potts, Chip, and Lumiere standing there. “Oh, hello, everyone,” Belle said. She opened the door wider. “Please come in. I was just about to start getting dressed for the ball—”
“Ah, ah, ah!” cried Wardrobe as she whisked Belle’s dress away and slammed her doors shut. “No peeking!”
There was a flurry of activity as the vanity table and shoe tree followed Wardrobe’s example, rushing about to hide Belle’s pretty shoes and accessories.
“Ahem!” Cogsworth suddenly said in a very proper voice. “Shall we get right to the presentation?”
“What presentation?” Belle asked.
“Go ahead, my dear,” Mrs. Potts whispered to Chip as she gave him a little nudge.
The only sound in the room was the plink, plink, plink of Chip hopping across the marble floor to Belle. He tilted his head down so that she could see inside the teacup.
“Why, what do we have here?” Belle asked curiously. Chip spilled the bracelet with all its charms into her open palm.
It took Belle a moment to realize what Chip had given her. Then she gasped in delight. “Is it—is it—?” Belle began. “Is it a charm bracelet…for me?”
“After we heard about the bracelet your father gave you, we all agreed you should have one to wear tonight,” Mrs. Potts said. “So each of us made a different charm for it.”
Belle clapped her hands. “Let
me guess!” she said excitedly.
First, Belle attached the star to the bracelet. “The star gleams like golden candlelight. Lumiere? Did you make this charm for me?”
“It was my pleasure, mademoiselle,” Lumiere said, bowing grandly.
“And this beautiful teacup, hmm, let me think. Mrs. Potts?”
“Right you are, my dear!” Mrs. Potts exclaimed.
Next, Belle picked up the holly charm. “Holly is so festive,” she commented. “And I remember Cogsworth mentioning holly earlier.…”
Cogsworth smiled proudly.
“Just two charms left,” Belle commented. “Oh, my goodness, look at this lovely rose all covered with sparkling frost! Did you make this rose for me?” she asked, looking toward the Beast.
“Yes, I did,” he replied. He looked down modestly, but there was no mistaking the happiness in his voice.
“Thank you,” Belle said quietly as she placed her hand on his arm. “It’s beautiful.”
Their eyes met for a moment before Belle, blushing, turned back to the bracelet. “And last but not least,” she continued, “a snowflake charm! Oh, it’s amazing! Look how it sparkles—just like a real snowflake. Chip, how did you ever make such a stunning charm?”
“I added a little extra diamond dust,” Chip said. “Do you like it, Belle?” he asked hopefully.
Belle smiled. As she attached the charm to the center of the bracelet, her voice grew serious. “Chip, it’s beautiful—the whole bracelet is,” Belle said. “It’s not the same as my old one, but that doesn’t make it any less special to me. Thank you. Thank you all.”
Belle paused for a moment before she spoke again. “My father always said that the snowflake charm was a symbol for change,” she said. “And my life has changed a lot since I came to the castle. I’m very grateful to have made such special new friends. I’m so very glad we’ll be able to celebrate together at the ball.”
Cogsworth suddenly ran over to the window. “The sun has almost set! Oh, the winter solstice is just about upon us—”
“Shoo, shoo!” Wardrobe cried. “Everybody out! Belle still has to get ready for the ball!”
Belle smiled as the Beast and the enchanted objects rushed out of her room. “Thank you again!” she called. “I love my bracelet so much…and I can’t wait to wear it tonight!”
“Places everyone! Hurry now, there’s not a moment to lose!” Cogsworth ordered. “Lumiere, light the candles!”
“Absolutely, sir,” Lumiere replied with a salute.
“Mrs. Potts, make sure that all the food has been placed on the banquet tables,” Cogsworth said.
“I’m on my way!” she replied.
“Master—hurry, hurry! You need to get ready, too!” Cogsworth cried. The Beast nodded and headed out of the room. “And Chip—you must go through all the halls and corridors of the castle. Tell everyone it’s time to gather outside the ballroom. The Winter Solstice Ball is about to begin!” Chip jumped back on the tea cart and zoomed through the castle again. “It’s time for the ball!” he yelled as loudly as he could. “It’s time for the ball!”
As the sun finally dipped below the horizon, leaving behind ruby-colored clouds in the sky, everyone in the castle gathered outside the doors to the ballroom. Cogsworth paced back and forth in front of them, holding a large pair of scissors.
Wearing an enormous smile, Cogsworth cut the gold velvet ribbon holding the doors closed. Everyone in the castle gasped as the doors swung open to reveal the ballroom. It had been completely transformed! Crystal snowflakes and silver icicles hung from the ceiling. Statues that had been carved from real ice were scattered throughout the ballroom. Even the floor was so highly polished that it shone like a frozen lake.
“How lovely!” cried Babette the feather duster.
“Do you like it, cherie?” asked Lumiere as he swept her off her feet. “The decorations were all my idea.”
“They were not!” Cogsworth argued. “Give credit where credit is due…to me!”
“Hush!” whispered Mrs. Potts as she stared at the doorway. Cogsworth and Lumiere turned to see what she was looking at and their eyes widened. Belle had arrived!
Everyone gasped as she entered the ballroom. Amidst all the silver and ice, Belle shone as beautifully as a sparkling golden sun.
Across the ballroom, the Beast opened the doors to the great balcony and stepped outside, motioning for everyone to join him. Hundreds of stars glittered in the night sky.
“Welcome, everyone, to the Winter Solstice Ball!” the Beast called out in his booming voice. He was wearing a fancy suit and looked very handsome. “Tonight we celebrate the warmth of our friendships and the light that they bring to our lives. So I bid you all: laugh, dance, and enjoy every moment of the ball!”
As several of the enchanted objects picked up instruments and started to play, the Beast strode over to Belle and gave her a low bow. “You look lovely. May I have this dance?” he asked.
Belle smiled warmly at him. “Of course,” she replied.
They began to waltz through the ballroom as the others moved back to watch. Belle’s charm bracelet caught the light whenever she moved, casting reflections of light throughout the room.
“Oh, don’t they look stunning!” Wardrobe gushed.
“Wheeeee!” Chip cried as he zoomed by on the tea cart—straight to the dessert table!
“I’m so glad that the master agreed to host the ball again,” Mrs. Potts said happily to Cogsworth. “It was just what we needed!”
“Indeed,” Cogsworth agreed. “Care to dance, Mrs. Potts?”
“I don’t see why not,” Mrs. Potts replied with a smile.
The teapot and the mantel clock joined the feather duster and the candelabrum and all the other household objects, who were having one of the most enchanted evening of their lives.
And, of course, the Beast and Belle were there, too. Belle had arrived at the castle as a stranger, but she had quickly become a friend to everyone who lived there.
What a charming way to welcome winter…and to celebrate friendships old and new!
One morning at the palace, Jasmine discovers there is no fruit at all to be found in Agrabah! She heads to the market to figure out what has happened. When a trail of beautiful amethysts leads her to the royal orchards, she learns that all the fruit and water have been turned into sparkling, shimmering jewels! It’s a beautiful sight, but with no fruit to eat or water to drink, the people of Agrabah won’t be able to survive. Will Jasmine, with the help of Aladdin and Abu, be able to reverse the spell that has been cast upon the orchards?
The Charming Gift Page 3