“All that is gold does not glitter, Not all those who wander are lost; The old that is strong does not wither, Deep roots are not reached by the frost. From the ashes a fire shall be woken, A light from the shadows shall spring; Renewed shall be blade that was broken, The crownless again shall be king.” ― J.R.R. Tolkien

So the seven of us started a liquor/tea/coffee stand. Right outside of the bookstore Star during the height of the French revolution. For a buck you could get a cup, a mug or a glass. Since we were full of liquor and still a little tea most of it went into a tea liquor creme de revolt. Which tastes revolting. Anyway, a small solder kept on coming, purchasing coffee. He was short and enjoyed talking to Tom Thumb. His name was something Neapolitan. Anyway, the French were in revolt. The top class having left their mansions. To looters. The looters having paintings and other rich trappings stolen forms of payment. Meant they could afford our services. Just looted from the rich. Well, they wanted to stay up late, and we had the drinks to do just that.

The mystery part of it was a tariff man still trying to collect money during a revolt. Each time he came by we pointed to our fake stamps and said we had paid. Not bad. However, one time he made an enormous deal of it while a regular customer, a Mr. Nepoleon, was there. He arrested the tariff man, and that was that. People will say they spelled his name Napoleon and as this journalist points out that for 3 years straight I played Nepoleon battle of Waterloo in my reality so.. When you really are on no one’s side but for profit. Thus we sold a shipload of liquor, tea and a barge full of coffee stolen by the cook.

One night a lady named Belle Gabrielle-Suzanne Barbot de Villeneuve was drinking a bit of tea. We could see she had been crying. Tom Thumb being a brilliant listener talk her into telling her story.

Belle was the sixth child of a merchant. The merchant had lost everything about a year ago and moved his family to the countryside. There recently he had received a letter stating he had on account of some money. From a business deal which would re-make his fortune.

He had come this way to get the account and disappeared. She was such a dolly or beauty that the cook helped her. This lead to some concern. Ender’s Star stand tea/coffee/liquor shop selling drinks for a buck was a hit.

The decision after much debate was to help her find her father. So selling our liquor remains and tea for a few bucks. To a local French chef, Jean-Christophe Novelli. The contract with the understanding. That a percentage would be sent to an account in Switzerland.

So off we set to an accountancy house set evidently in the outskirts of a port town. The oddity is it was more of an estate near Arras in Northern France,

Ender and crew getting there discovered that that a fae had turned the owner of estate into a monster. Since there was nothing the crew could do to help him or his talking appliances. The crew looked to help find a living for them. Ender found them a local circus and pressured the circus owner to take in everyone for circus shows.

Belle and the monster talked about her father, who he assured her never reached the estate. So back the way we came to Paris to look for the merchant. The revolt had spread, and the countryside was in revolt. It was lucky for the monster and servants to escape to the circus.

Belle fell madly in love with the cook. His cooking let alone his charm was rather that of modern day Romeo with style.

The two decided to settle down together. Yet with France in revolt, some other country would have to do.

So Ender and crew which included Claw, two ladies, the cook, Tom Thumb and Belle went to Bavaria. Enders old stumping grounds when he was a kid.

So with the monster and his household going to the circus. Along with Belle giving up on looking for her father running off with the cook.

We all went to Bavaria. Happily, the monster found love in the circus with the bearded lady. It was quiet an experience. One day there was a circus full of talking appliances. Then a kiss and poof, with the magic kiss everyone turned back into humans. To the disappointment of the circus owner. However, his daughter was happy being the bearded lady.

As for Belle along the way to Bavaria. Ender and crew ran him into a bar. Where sitting upon a chair was the merchant. He had recovered his fortune. He was taking it easy before going home via a different route to avoid the rebellion going on in the cities.

So off went Ender and crew towards Bavaria. The moral of the story? Alternative worlds bring alternative endings to reality at times. Did the cook and Belle settle down? That part comes later. All I can say is with all sadness the bearded lady was not happy with the beast turned man and demanded he be turned back into a beast.

At that this point Belle, Enders crew, and the circus parted ways on the outskirts of the black forest.