𝐭𝐡𝐚𝐰 ❅ 𝐥𝐨𝐤𝐢 𝐟𝐫𝐢𝐠𝐠𝐚𝐬𝐨𝐧

𝐜𝐡𝐚𝐩𝐭𝐞𝐫 𝐭𝐰𝐞𝐥𝐯𝐞 - 𝐛𝐞𝐭𝐫𝐚𝐲𝐚𝐥

"𝐰𝐞𝐥𝐥-𝐟𝐞𝐝 𝐝𝐞𝐯𝐢𝐥𝐬 𝐛𝐞𝐡𝐚𝐯𝐞 𝐛𝐞𝐭𝐭𝐞𝐫 𝐭𝐡𝐚𝐧 𝐟𝐚𝐦𝐢𝐬𝐡𝐞𝐝 𝐬𝐚𝐢𝐧𝐭𝐬."

❅

"Man the barricades, and move quickly!" Thor shouts to the house of bustling servants, ranging from a golden coat stand to Tony, the bourbon glass married to Mrs. Potts.

"Let's kill the beast!" Echoes from outside the castle walls, worryingly close as Clint boosts Thor up to latch the lock on the door.

"I don't think locking the door will do much-" Mrs. Potts says, but is interrupted by the mob knocking down the door with a makeshift battering ram. "Help. I don't think locking the door will do much help."

"Shit," Clint says.

"We need help," Thor remarks. "Serious help."

❅

"I have to warn him," Belle says, frantically searching the lock mechanism of the inside of the carriage.

"Warn him?" Phil repeats in disbelief. "How did you get away from him?"

"He let me go, Father," Belle corrects, stopping to look her father in the eyes. "He sent me back to you."

"I- I don't understand," Phil says, stammering. 

Belle reaches into the cloak pocket, pulling out the slightly-crumpled drawing that she had kept with her when she and Loki had visited her family's old home in Paris.

"He took me there," Belle explains as Phil's eyes light up in recognition at the drawing from all those years ago. "I know what happened to Mama."

"Then you know why I had to leave her there," Phil says solemnly. "I had to protect you."

"I understand," Belle remarks, taking her father's hand in her own. "Will you help me?"

"It's dangerous," Phil diflects.

"I know," Belle answers, her eyes shimmering with the mischief that she had unconsciously picked up after being around Loki for so long.

"I could try to pick the lock," her father says with a wink, standing up the best he can in the cramped, padded carriage. "After all, it's only gears and springs."

Belle reaches her hands back into her hair, pulling out on of the ornate golden pins that Wanda had insisted she wear just hours ago, although it feels like days ago.

"But I would need..." Phil trails off, reaching his hands through the barred window to examine the lock, "something long and sharp." (lol thats what she said -narrator)

Phil turns back to Belle to see if she has any ideas to find her holding up her hair pin with a grin on her face.

"Like that," Phil says, smiling down at his daughter as he grabs the pin from her hand. "Perfect."

❅

"Brother!" Thor shouts urgently, rushing up the stairs to the west wing as fast as his candelabra-like legs will allow him.

"She's not coming back?" Loki asks quietly, although it sounds more like a statement than a question.

"No," Thor replies, uncharacteristically quiet. "They're, uh- they're breaking down the doors."

Loki lets out a small sigh, his hunched figure still sitting near the frozen rose with his face shielded from view. 

"It doesn't matter now. Just let them come."