Married To A Beast

Rosette woke up to a o head ache, the bright yellow flowers hurting her eyes.

Squinting at the wall across from her, she tried to remember why the sight of those cheery blossoms she had painted all those years ago was wrong.

Paint... art... Acrisio!

She sat up, jumping to her feet in shock.

She was back in her family house, sitting in her old room.

She tried to remember how she got her, but all that would come to the surface was Nicoletta’s pain filled face.

Rosette hope the elderly woman was alright.

Hearing voices from down stairs, Rosette quietly creped down leaning forward to see Macaria and Ercole talking in the kitchen.

“But the King knows that she’s already married, he’d never approve a marriage between us now!”

Macaria tapped a long fingernail on the table, “We’ll stage her death, then, after a few years and Dante has gone back to his mountains, we’ll bring her back to society. She’ll have a new name and I tell everyone she’s my long lost niece, twice removed.”

“But they’ll be able to see it’s her!”

“Calm down! I know a potion that can die a person’s hair another color, and we’ll get roots and herbs to mark her face with.”

Ercole nodded, seeming to like the idea. The only problem they didn’t think of was Rosettes refusal to help them.

“And how do you expect to convince me?” Rosette asked as she walking into the kitchen.

The two turned to stare at Rosette, Macaria the first to speak, “I think you’ll cooperate, seeing as how I know about the little boy you’re so fond of. What’s his name? Acrisio, that’s it. Just imagine all the things we could do to him if you don’t work with us.”

Rosette wasn’t fooled, she could tell Macaria was bluffing, “You may know about him, but I know that Dante wouldn’t allow you near the boy. Go ahead and try, I won’t be going to your funeral.”

Macaria looked as if she was going to kill, “You will go along with our plans, you have no choice.”

“Oh, and what will you do to stop me from leaving right now?”

Rosette held her ground as Ercole walked to her, “I have a nice place where we could be alone, nobody knows where it is, and there’s no one around to hear you scream.”

Rosette fought out of his hold, dashing out of the house and running through the vineyards, trying to loose Rossi as he ran behind her.

Once she was off of the property and into the woods beyond she looked back to see Ercole stopping, turning to go back to the house.

He was probably going for a horse.

She ran faster, choosing trail she thought was too dangerous or narrow for a horse to travel. She ran for a few hours, exhaustion crawling through her body. Spotting a little cabin nestled in some trees, Rosette dragged herself to the door, knocking on the wood.
When a motherly woman answer, all Rosette could do was gasp for breath.

“Oh! You poor dear, come in!”

Allowing the woman to pull her to a chair, Rosette sat and rubbed the protesting muscles of her legs.

“Here, drink this, but don’t gulp it, just sip.”

“Listening to the woman, Rosette sipped the water, “Thank you.”

“It’s no problem, now, why are you in my house, looking as if you’re running from trouble?”

Looking at the woman, Rosette felt the urge to tell her everything, so she did. She told the woman about how she was sold, about Dante and living with him, and about her run through the woods.

The woman looked at her with something odd in her yes, “This Dante, you say he looks like a beast?”

Rosette nodded, “But he’s far from it. He the greatest man I’ve ever met.”

“You love him.” The woman stated

Rosette slowly nodded, “It just happened, I didn’t even know it until just recently.”

The woman smiled, “Come, we have things to do.”

Confused, Rosette watched as the kindly woman packed a small bag, pulling her out the door.

~*~

“You’re telling me that you’re not really married?”

Dante nodded, not removing his eyes from Rosette’s King. He had searched for her for two days, coming to this man as the last resort.

His highness laughed, great booming woofs escaping his body.

“I love it! I haven’t been this humored in a long time!”

Dante swallowed, not really finding any humor in the situation.

The King was finally able to calm, “And now you want me to find this girl, who may or may not have left on her own.”

“I know she didn’t, your grace.”

The King was about to speak, but Ercole and Macaria entered the room. His highness frowned, “I did not permit for you to be here.”

“I know, your honor, but I am here to defend myself against this brute!” Duke Rossi spoke

“Go on,” The King said

“There is no proof that I took Rosette from this beast, nor is there proof that I hired anyone too.”

The King nodded, “That is true.”

“I know they took her! The people who snatched Rosette knocked on of my servants out, but she witnessed men carrying Rosette off!” Dante argued.

Ercole opened his mouth. But the Duke was interrupted as one of the Kings guards opened the door and stuck his head in.

“Sir, there is a woman who wishes to see you.”

The King sighed, “Can’t it wait? I’m in the middle of the best entertainment in my life.”

The man gulped. “She says that it involves this problem.”

“What is her name?” The King inquired

“Senorita Ghita Rufina Costa.”

The King’s face light with amusement, “Let her in!”

Dante stared at the woman who entered, though she was too young, she looked just like the witch that forced Dante to live as a beast.

“Your highness, Duke Rossi,” she turned and smiled at Dante, “Crowned Prince.”

“Ah, senora, you are here to enlighten me on this problem, yes?”

She nodded, “But first, I must ask Prince Dante a question.”

She turned to Dante, “This girl you are looking for, you love her, correct?”

Dante nodded, the truth his best option at the moment, “I do.”

She smiled, “Good,” then began to chant a few words.

Dante suddenly felt pain engulf his entire body, his screams echoing with another’s. After a few moments he found himself kneeling on the ground, human hands supporting his weight.

He looked up to see the woman smiling, “You are now fully human. My mother, the witch who cursed you, gave me the power to set right what she did wrong, but I had to wait for the right moment.”

Dante turned at a loud groan, his eyes widening at Duke Rossi’s appearance. He now was a beast, the head of a bull sitting on top his shoulders.

The woman followed his gaze, “Yes, well, I also have to power to teach other’s a well deserved lesson. Let’s see how he handles the transformation,” she turned to the King, “My grace, I request that Rosette chooses her path. If she recognizes Dante for who he truly is, then allow them to live in peace.”

“That’s not-“

The King interrupted Macaria’s angry retort with the lift of his hand, “Send the girl in.”

Rosette entered the room that the woman who had saved her disappeared through. She noticed the King, sitting high on his thrown, Macaria red with fury standing off to the side, a weird bull like creature withering on the ground as if in pain, the woman smiling at her, and a strangely familiar man staring at her with wide eyes.

“Come, girl, you have the freedom to choose your destiny.” The King spoke.

Furrowing her brow, Rosette looked to the unknown man again, her eyes widening in shock, “Dante?”

He smiled, “It’s me.”

Rosette rushed to him, her hands moving along his face, “But, how-“

“My mother was the one to curse him; it was my destiny to free him.” The woman spoke

“Is this whom you choose?” The King added

Rosette looked at Dante, delight shinning in her eyes, “Yes, I choose Dante.”

A smile lit his face as the King’s great voice boomed through the room, “Then let this be my final say, Rosette and Dante will be married, and live long, happy lives. If I hear of anyone trying to ruin that, I will personally seek justice.”

Rosette smiled, “That’s perfect.”

The King applauded as Date carried Rosette from the room, heading to their home.