Brielle POV
I had gotten ready for family day now. I let Harry know that he can head there with the VKs and I'll meet him there since family day is an important one and to dress accordingly. Now Ben always has this little musical number that he organizes every year for this event, of course, he sings "Be Our Guest", a song ingrained into my very being because of how many times I've heard it. Here's the thing though, if you go back in Ben and I's bloodlines we are almost purely French however because we really haven't lived there we didn't really pick up a full accent when speaking English. However I know French, so when I speak it my accent comes through beautifully. Now, why does this matter? Well, I just love sitting back and criticizing how Ben and the students who also sing the song say the very few French words in the song. And no, I don't sing it with them. Doing silly musical stunts in public isn't really my cup of tea.
Anyway, I began my walk to the courtyard where family day was being held and funny enough Ben was heading there at the same time so we walked together,
"So, how are you and Mal?"
I asked as we went down the stairs,
"Oh we've been good, seems a little tense for some reason but we are good yeah"
I smiled some and finally looked at him,
"That's good, do you own any other suits by the way?"
He laughed and sighed,
"Yes I do, and how are you and Harry?"
I smiled like a complete dork just from thinking of our interaction this morning,
"Good, he seemed off yesterday but seems like himself again today"
Ben tilted his head some and furrowed his brow before looking at me as we walked out of Auradon Prep and headed around to the courtyard,
"How have you seen him already today?"
I giggled,
"He wakes up early, either he comes to my office or apparently if he gets up early enough to catch me for my fencing practice he'll join me"
Ben narrowed his eyes some with a teasing smile,
"Brielle, students aren't allowed out of their dorms as early as we are"
"And yet I know you won't say anything"
I said with a smile before looking up at him with that same smile. He opened his mouth to say something but I quickly lifted my finger up,
"Nope, you won't say anything"
He took a second before sighing,
"Yeah whatever"
He said in his sigh. I laughed and it came out a bit different, it actually sounded slightly maniacal. Ben raised a brow,
"Been practicing your evil laugh or what?"
I shook my head as we entered the courtyard, Ben beginning to go one way so he could do his little music number,
"Maybe I should!"
I shouted after him as we parted ways. I spotted the VKs from a ways away and began to casually walk in their direction, being stopped here and there by some of the parents including Cinderella and Queen Leah, sometimes I forget how well known I am. Like I forget that I'm a princess to be queen tomorrow when I'm not out actually talking to people like this,
"Oh, Princess Brielle! What a pleasure to see you again"
Cinderella said with her endearing smile as she came up to me, her pesky son at her side for now. Cinderella is lovely, I have no clue what happened with Chad. I smiled and held my hand out for a handshake which she took,
"The pleasure is all mine Princess Cinderella"
After all these years the King and Queen of her kingdom still haven't handed the role over to Cinderella and Prince Charming, so it is kinda odd to be so young becoming queen and seeing fellow princesses staying princesses for so long. I nodded once to Cinderella and the handshake ended, letting me continue my walk. Queen Leah was next, she's a joy. And by a joy I mean a huge pain in my royal rear. She always tries to tell Ben and I how to do our jobs, dealing with her is the definition of 'just smile and wave' because I would've strangled her by now if I hadn't done that. Audrey lead her to me with a smile,
"Princess Brielle"
She said simply as she waited for me to curtesy or something, jokes on you I won't have to do that after tomorrow. I did a small curtsey,
"Queen Leah"
Once I addressed her and stood up straight again she continued,
"Will you be participating in that lovely song they always do this year? It's about time you start trying to get closer to your people"
I internally groaned but externally only smiled wider,
"Oh, I sadly won't be able to, for I have more important things to do. And I am close enough to my people, I have been doing more this past year, a simple song and dance won't be the end of the world"
She furrowed her brow and opened her mouth to speak, I cut her off by curtsying again,
"I apologize however I must leave you now, I'm being expected elsewhere"
With that I stood up straight again and walked away, quicker than I already was. As soon as my back was to Queen Leah I wiped away my smile, she was a royal pain that's for sure. I was surprised though because a genuine reason to smile was already right there. I quickened my walk to get to Harry who had separated from the rest of the VKs. He looked rather dapper, he had some black unripped jeans on and some nicer black shoes. He also had a basic white button-down on with a burgundy blazer over the top which was unbuttoned to keep it more casual. Not to mention he had cleaned up his eyeliner and hadn't worn as much and his hair wasn't as wild as it normally is, his hook was hooked onto his belt loop as always,
"Hey there stranger"
I said to get his attention, he looked my way and shared my smile and looked around for a second,
"So am I supposed ta bow ta ya all of a sudden because we're in public?"
I took a second to think, it was a genuine question,
"Well technically it is considered a sign of respect but I couldn't care less if you did or not"
Slowly a smirk tugged the corner of his lip up, ugh sometimes just stuff like that alone with him just hits so different. He turned his body to me and actually took my hand and put his other arm behind his back before bowing which almost sent me into hysterics, he did it well it's just out of character. He looked up at me and brought my hand to his lips and gently kissed my hand,
"Yer highness"
He said with a cheeky smile. I laughed and put my free hand over my eyes,
"You are too much sometimes"
I laughed as I uncovered my eyes, he stood back up and kept my hand and joining my laughter,
"How'd I do?"
He said amidst his laughter,
"You did a lovely job"
I said as I got my laughter under control. My attention was grabbed when I heard the infamous music playing, the song was about to start. I walked next to Harry and simply stood next to him, our hands slipping apart,
"Are you ready to watch the most Auradon thing ever?"
He chuckled,
"Oh, I don't think I am, yer not in on whatever this is?"
"Oh most certainly not, I won't be part of something that butchers my native language"
He shook his head a little as if a huge wave of confusion hit him,
"Wha?"
"French, I'm French Har"
He nodded in realization before groaning,
"Oh great, this will be something then won't it?"
"Oh yeah, attachez vos ceintures, ça va être un parcours cahoteux"
(fasten your seat belts, it's going to be a bumpy ride)
Harry's eyes shot over to me which I just quietly giggled, deciding to confuse him further,
"Oui, je peux parler français, et Non, Je ne vais pas vous dire ce que je dis"
(Yes, I can speak French, and no, I will not tell you what I say)
With that, I looked back to the show happening in front of us,
"Ma cherie Mademoiselle, it is with our deepest pride and greatest pleasure that we welcome you tonight. And now we invite you to relax, let us pull up a chair as the dining room proudly presents your dinner!"
Ben started out, his acapella like arrangement behind him. I glanced over to Harry to see him looking on in confusion. I giggled and looked back to the show, sneakily interlocking Harry and I's arm in the process. He smiled some and bent his arm to properly carry mine,
"Be our guest, be our guest. Put our service to the test, tie your napkin 'round your neck, cherie and we'll provide the rest. Soup du jour, hot hors d'oeuvres. Why we only live to serve. Try the grey stuff it's delicious! Don't believe me? Ask the dishes"
Harry kept his eyes on the show but brought his head down some so he could whisper to me,
"This song is wildly confusing"
"Don't worry about understanding it Har, it was originally sung by talking dishes and other possessed inanimate objects"
Harry blinked in surprise a few times before fully looking up again as drinks were passed around. A waiter came to us and I gave him a polite smile and took a glass, Harry didn't move his eyes from the show and simply just grabbed a glass,
"They can sing, they can dance, after all, Miss, this is France, and the dinner here is never second best. Go on, unfold your menu take a glance and then you'll be our guest oui, our guest be our guest. C'mon, yeah be our guest, guest guest"
Harry came back down to me,
"How long does this go on for?"
I suppressed a giggle,
"About two minutes"
He sighed in relief,
"Oh thank the gods"
He murmured, I smiled and he looked up again,
"Beef ragout, cheese souffle, pie and pudding en flambe. We'll prepare and serve with flair, a culinary cabaret. You're alone and you're scared, but the banquet's all prepared. No one's gloomy or complaining, while the flatware's entertaining"
He came back down again,
"Did they just say what I think they said?"
"Yeah, this was a song that was sung to my mother while she was in my father's captivity while he was still a beast. The servants who were then turned into inanimate objects sang this to her to try to ease her some"
Harry's eyes widened some,
"Well, ya know that just happens to everyone at one point in their life. Yeh makes total sense"
He sarcastically joked, I of course giggled some as we both looked back again to see Ben coming up to us,
"We tell jokes, I do tricks with my fellow candlesticks. And it's all in perfect taste that you can bet. Come on and lift your glass you've won your own free pass to be our guest"
Ben stood next to me now, expecting me to join him of course. I sighed and sucked it up, Bens done this every year and I've never played along so I decided to give him an early Christmas present,
"If you're stressed, it's fine dining we suggest..."
We both now sang, raising our glasses and his eyes lighting up as I joined him,
"Be our guest, be our guest, be our guest, be our guest, be our guest!"
We both finished out. He broke into a huge smile,
"Finally!"
He shouted as I playfully rolled my eyes and sipped from my glass. Harry was just casually laughing some,
"I thought ya didn't participate in this"
He said amidst his laughter,
"I never have, I decided to let Ben win for once"
Harry took a sip from his drink now, making a surprised face at it as he experienced the taste, it was a simple sparkling cider but aye maybe he's never had it before,
"Well yer voice is pretty"
He said right after. I smiled at him and looked down as some addition blush crept onto my cheeks. Ben nudged me and motioned to me to follow him. I looked back to Harry,
"Hey I gotta go find my parents with Ben, you wanna go meet back up with the VKs and just be on standby? My mom and dad will wanna meet you when I hear I have a boyfriend"
He chuckled and nodded,
"Go on lassie, I'll be in an earshot"
I smiled at him and unlinked our arms to walk with Ben. I looked back at him to see him standing in the same place simply daydreaming.
A/N
Hiya! Sorry for the upload delay I got onto writing this part and couldnt figure out where I wanted the break in between chapters to be, but the next one will probably be longer to :D And please don't check the French to English cause I used a translator I'm not that talented XD I know Swedish curse words and Spanish slang not an ounce of French so it might be slighlty butchered I know XD Besides that, this book reached 2k views I have no clue when but thank you guys so much for the support! It really doesn mean a lot! Remember to stay hydrated and to be kind to yourself :D
-Brooke