Rose-Part 2 (standard:fantasy, 2409 words) [2/2] show all parts
Author: Eponine	Added: May 27 2001	Views/Reads: 2555/1910	Part vote: 0.00 (0 votes)
2nd part (duh) of Rose. Read part 1 first (it can be found in fairy tales).

Click here to read the first 75 lines of the story

next.  "Maybe we should be called because of what we are inside, not 
outside."  By this time, Beast was nearly out of my room.  He said 
softly, "Then why may I not call you Beauty?"  My voice chill, I 
retorted, Because I am-" and stopped.  I looked down and thought, 'Will 
I ever learn to keep quiet?'  Beast left abruptly.  I cried myself to 
sleep. 

My dreams haunted me.  They were not Sight dreams, I could tell.  In the
worst, there was a devastatingly handsome young man; perhaps he was a 
prince.  He was seated, as was I, and did not speak.  His accusing eyes 
burned holes into me, as he rose.  I trembled with fear.  Still he 
uttered not one word until he was directly in front of me.   This 
Prince seemed to be angered by me, and he definitely was not a man one 
wanted to have angry with them.  "I should have welcomed you when you 
first arrived to my domain, but you were rather...ill."  His voice cut 
like a knife.  I immediately stood and curtsied.  "Rise," he commanded, 
and I did as I was told.  Dream or no, I was no fool.  Well, not quite. 


"No," he said, before I could speak.  "You are no fool."  I looked at
him blankly.  "And yes, I can read your mind, but only in this realm.  
Within the waking realm your thoughts are safe."  He paused.  I was 
beginning not to like this regal man.  And I did not trust myself to 
speak to him; not that it mattered much.  "You have caused a great 
disturbance today, one which cannot go unnoticed.  Ah, you feel guilty. 
 It is not supposed to be this way, Rose called Beauty.  YOU are 
supposed to be intelligent and self-assured.  Spells can be wrong, 
though." 

"What spell?"  I demanded.  He continued as though I had not
interrupted.  "But I see that 'Rose' is a name that fits you-you seem 
to have guarded your soul with thorns.  Though you are not nearly so 
beautiful, nor quite as delicate, as a rose."  I was slightly insulted, 
but I would not let this-monster- call me names.  I said, "If you are 
suggesting I am more like a bramble patch, I already knew that.  And-" 

He cut me off by grabbing me, and forcing my mouth to his.  I struggled
to pull away, but he held me tightly.  I was surprised by not wholly 
unenjoying his kiss, but I still resisted him.  And then he pulled 
away, but did not let go.  The prince's fingers clutched my arms 
tightly, but I could not free myself.  I tried to wake up, but the 
dream, or perhaps the prince, would not let me awaken.  I cried out, 
partly in pain, and he whispered roughly, "I think we will never meet 
outside of the sleeping realm."  'Good,' I thought, hoping he could 
hear me, 'Because I cannot stand you.' 

I woke to find my pillow wet with tears.  My arms were sore, and there
were red fingerprints where I had been grasped.  And Beast was at my 
side.  "You cried out in your sleep," he began, as though he needed an 
explanation to be there.  "It does not matter," I interrupted.  "You 
have no idea how glad I am to see you."  I proceeded to tell him of my 
nightmare, clutching his paw as I spoke.  Beast's face darkened.  "I 
will see what I can do about...him," he said slowly.  "Thank you," said 
I. 

We sat in silence for a moment, then Beast said, "Rose, I am also here
because I have a surprise for you.  I will leave for a moment, and let 
the...servants dress you, then I will be back."  He left upon saying 
those words, and before I could protest, I was wearing an ocean blue, 
satin dress.  It was decorated with sapphires, and pearls.  A string of 
alternating pearls and sapphires was strung around my neck, and silver 
slippers placed on my feet.  My hair had been done up gaudily, and I 
could feel some type of gem-studded clip keeping it in place.  When the 
invisible hands were done with me, I was left sitting in the chair 
Beast usually occupied.  It was still warm from his sitting there only 
moments earlier.  I wondered where exactly I was to be taken, looking 
as I did, when Beast came in.   He considered me for a minute, before 
lifting me from the chair. 

We exited my room, and when we reached the hallway, I gasped.  I should
not have been surprised, I know, but I was more than surprised to see 
the hallway from my dreams.  "Is there something wrong, Rose?" Beast 
asked me.  "No-no, not at all.  I was just startled, I guess, because I 
have BEEN here before...in one of my dreams."  Beast was kind enough 
not to comment on my rather ridiculous statement.  After all, I should 
be used to my dreams by now.  Although, this corridor seemed much 
grander than the one I had seen at home.  There was a rich, red carpet 
that ran down the centre, and along the portrait-hung walls were tables 
decked with expensive figurines, most of which were gold.  There were 
also splendid windows filled with coloured glass; judging from the 
amount of light that they let in, the sun had been down for hours.  The 
hall was still well lit with candles and chandeliers, which flickered 
on as we approached, then went out once we had passed. 

The castle seemed...ominous in a sense.  But I trusted Beast completely,
and felt safe in his arms.  Curiously, I did ask, "Beast, where ARE we 
going?"  He only smiled and replied, "You will see when we get there."  
I decided to ask another question.  "Why am I so dressed up?  I mean, 
this is a gorgeous dress, but is it not a little extravagant?"  
"Dressed up?  Ah, but here you are not dressed up in the least.  You 
are the queen of my castle, and I a mere servant to her Highness' 
wishes."  I was embarrassed.  "Beast, please do not say things like 
that.  I am no queen, and I do not wish for you to be my...servant."  
He did not answer, but perhaps it was best that he did not.  Soon, I 
felt us walking down a staircase.  The stairs, as I looked out at them, 
seemed to go on forever.  At last, we reached the bottom, wherever the 
bottom may have been, and a door opened itself for us. 

The door must have been the main entryway to the castle; it was grander
than even a king would have.  As Beast stepped out, the door closed 
behind.  The moon was at its zenith.  While it was full and splendid, 
it was upstaged by bright, coloured lights which crossed the sky.  The 
Aurora Borealis - the Northern Lights.  "Oh!" I breathed.  "It is 
exquisite...!"  Beast smiled and set me on a stone bench, curiously 
still warm from the day's sun.  I stared in captivity at the wonder 
before me.  When at last I turned back to Beast, I found his eyes not 
heavenward, but on me.  I saw only him for a moment before noticing 
where we were.  The rose garden.  The roses shone delicately with dew 
in the moonlight, and perfumed the air with their sweet scent.  "I knew 
you would like this," Beast said softly.  "How can I ever thank you, 
for all that you have done for me?"  The moment I spoke those words I 
knew the answer.  I also knew that Beast would never want me to marry 
him against my will.  I could feel my face glowing as red as the lights 
above.  Again I was glad for Beast's silence. 

I changed the subject.  "How far North ARE we?"  The tenseness of the
moment passed.  "Not so far North as it seems," he replied.  "But it is 
far enough North to be secluded from...the world."  "I thought the 
forest took care of that."  Beast said, somewhat sadly, "It does.  But 
the sorceress who cast me here felt she needed to be extra cautious."  
This was the most Beast had ever told me about why he lived so alone.  
"I am sorry.  I did not know you were forced to live here."  "Even if 
it were not...decreed, I would still choose to be in this place."  "But 
it is so lonely.  Why?"  He sighed.  "Where in your society is there 
room for a monster?" 

"But you are no monster..." I began.  "Oh.  Yes, I see what you mean. 
Ugliness in any form is not appreciated in the 'civilized' world; no 
one would bother to get to know you before assuming you WERE a monster, 
or even worse..." I did not go on.  We sat in silence, watching only 
the sky, trying to forget about all of the conversations we had.  
Surprisingly, that was not hard to do.  After a length of time, I 
spoke.  "Beast?"  "Yes?" he answered.  "You may call me Beauty." 


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