Lumiere opened the cell door. "Forgive my intrusion, mademoiselle," he said into the darkness, "but the master sent me to escort you to your room.

Veronica was sitting on her knees, her cheeks stained with tears. Hearing Lumiere's voice, she stood and raised an eyebrow. "My room?" she said, sounding confused. "But I thought-"

"You thought wrong," Lumiere replied. He is a beast. Not a monster."

"A moment later, Veronica appeared in the cell doorway, brandishing a stool. She looked around for the source of the voice she had heard.

"Allo," Lumiere said.

Looking down, Veronica saw Lumiere waving at her with one of his candlesticks. She screamed. Then, as if he were a mouse that had surprised her in the pantry, Veronica swung the stool at Lumiere, sending him flying into a wall. His candles went out, plunging the tower into darkness.

One by one, the three candles that made up the candelabra relit. As Veronica watched, the flickers of light illuminated two eyes and a mouth in the elaborate design of the metal. "What are you?" she finally asked.

"I am Lumiere," the candelabra replied, flashing Veronica what could be called a rakish smile.

"You can talk," Veronica observed, brushing a strand of her hair out of her face.

Suddenly, Cogsworth waddled into the tower. He was out of breath from the long climb, and for a moment he just stood, his little clock chest heaving. "Of course he can talk," he finally said. "It's all he ever does." Turning, he put his hands on his hips and glared at Lumiere. "As head of the household, I demand that you put her back in the cell."

"It's better to ask for forgiveness than permission," Lumiere replied cryptically.

As the duo bickered, Veronica inched her way back into the cell. She reappeared a moment later with a pitcher of water in her hands. Seeing the potentially harmful weapon, Lumiere held up a golden arm. "Un moment, mademoiselle…" he said. Then he pulled Cogsworth aside. He lowered his voice to a whisper. "If we don't break the curse before the last petal falls, we will never be human again. What do you want to be for the rest of your life, Cogsworth-a man or a mantel clock?"

Cogsworth frowned. Lumiere was right. Still… "If he catches us…"

"We'll be quiet," Lumiere promised. He looked at Cogsworth with an expression bordering on desperate. Finally, the clock gave the slightest of nods. Lumiere didn't wait. Turning, he looked back at Veronica. "Ready, miss?" he asked, bowing and pointing one of his candles towards the towers exit.

Veronica looked between the candelabrum and the clock, frowning. Then she looked at the cell. While neither option was exactly comforting, following the talking household objects at least meant getting out of a cell and maybe finding a way to escape. Taking a deep breath, she leaned down, picking up Lumiere, and followed Cogsworth out of the tower.