Just put on a happy face (Cogsworth X Circus! Performer! Reader)

Chapter Five: five years later

Five brilliant years have gone by and I've loved it. No evil masters, no beating and no circus. My reading improved a lot more, same with writing and Cogsworth taught me how to dance like the King and Queen did five years ago. Even though I was now reading well, Cogsworth liked to test me to see how well I was doing which is what we were doing today. Cogsworth and I have grown very close these past five years and, for some reason, whenever I'm near him, my heart speeds up and a tickling feeling forms in my chest. I wish I knew what this feeling was. We were walking around when I heard a familiar voice that made me stop reading.

"Is everything alright?" Cogsworth asked.

"I know that voice."

I went over to the throne/ballroom to see my master talking to the King. I dropped my book in shock gaining their attention.

"M-Master?"

"(Y/N)! Oh, thank goodness you're safe!" He hugged me that I didn't return and just tended up.

Cogsworth shoved my master off me, "and just what do you think you're doing here?"

"I was here to invite the King and Queen to see our show in four months but it seems I found my long lost performer," my master said stroking my cheek.

"Don't touch her!" Cogsworth said swatting his hand away from me.

I backed away and went behind Cogsworth to feel a little safer, "you hurt me and did all sorts of wrong and now you want to be nice?"

"Hurt you? Never."

"Explain the scars all over her body then!" Cogsworth told him.

"Accidents happen all the time I the circus and people get hurt," my master explained, "happens all the time."

"(Y/N)? Were you lying to us?" King Adam asked.

"Never! Beast, Prince, King, I'd never lie to you or anyone!" I told him.

"I'm afraid she's delirious your highness," my master said, "she had a bump to the head years ago during a trapeze performance and she's made a lot of false claims."

"Bump to the head?! You've had a bump to the head!" I told him.

"(Y/N), that's enough!" The King said, "I invited you into the castle and you lied about your past. It seems to me you were perfectly fine and you just wanted us to feel sorry for you. I suggest you go back with your master."

I knew arguing with royalty wouldn't get me anywhere, "very well, my king. I will pack my things."

I went to my room and broke down in tears. I know I'm not delirious. I've never had an accident in trapeze to male me delirious. My master is so manipulative it's unbearable. Cogsworth came in and sat next to me on the bed.

"Your scars aren't from circus accidents and I can see that clear as day."

"We couldn't convince the King even if we tried," I said, "I'll miss you Cogsworth."

"Henri. My first name is Henri. Someone may as well know."

I hugged him, "I like it and I'll never forget it."

Henri hugged back. He soon left to let me pack my things. Once packed, I said goodbye to everyone and, before I left, Henri slipped something in my bag telling me to look at it later. My master helped me on the horse he arrived on and took me back to the circus. That afternoon, my master punished me using his whip and I was locked in my cell so I couldn't escape again with no food or water.

My body was in pain all over and I was crying more tears I've ever cried. I then remembered that Henri slipped something in my bag. Unfortunately, it was on the other side of the room. I tried to reach for it anyway but I couldn't reach. One of my oldest friends, Derick, walked passed and I asked him to hand me my bag. He was hesitant but he gave it to me.

I searched through it until I found a pocket watch, more specifically, Henri's pocket watch and it was still ticking. It was surprisingly bigger than I thought. It fit in both palms perfectly. I hugged it and cried harder. I miss the life I lived but I miss Henri most. He was so kind to me for five years and now I'll never see him again.

(Time skip)

My first performance in five years. I was doing well until we got to a perfection I haven't done since I ran away: trapeze. Everything was going fine until I got distracted and it all went wrong. I noticed a man who I thought looked like Henri but I was wrong and when I was supposed to let go of the trapeze swing so my partner could catch me before I fell, I let go too early and my partner couldn't catch me. I fell to the ground and all I could feel was pain and I heard a ringing in my ear. I rolled over on my stomach and tried to stand up but my head was spinning. My fellow performers came to my aid and took me away. I was thrown back in my cage.

"I trained you to never make a mistake. How did you make a mistake?!" My master asked furiously.

"I got distracted," I told him.

He punched me through the bars, "THAT'S NO EXCUSE! As if showing all your tricks to the King and Queen was bad enough."

"I haven't shown all of my tricks!" I said, "there's one I've not shown them."

"Which one?"

"They don't know I sing."

My master left without another word. That worried me.

(A/N: Next chapter is gonna be brilliant, wait and see.)