Married To A Beast

“But sir! We can’t just leave her there!”

Dante looked at his friend and butler, Beato.

“Why not?” he asked, “She’s the one who traveled all this way knowing the mountains are dangerous. I say we leave her to her fate.”

Bother men turned to look at the girl sprawled on the floor, a large horse next to her.
Beato shook his head, “My friend, I know you are not that heartless. Even after all these years I know you know how to do what’s right.” Leaving Dante to make a choice, Beato continued his walk home.

Looking at the girl, Dante sighed.

Beato was right, even after all these years I still manage to screw my life up thinking of others.

Bending down, Dante gently lifted the girl and started the walk home, her stallion pacing beside him.

~*~

Rosette opened her eyes to a cold, drafty room.

Depression city was the first thought that popped into her mind.

Looking around she noticed that there were no windows, just a few small candles giving some light. The only colors were tones of grey and black, and the bed was dusty.

Quickly jumping up to brush off her dress, Rosette wondered how she got to this horrid place.

Walking to the door, she went to step out, but the door didn’t move. Growing frustrated, Rosette began banging on the door.

How dare they keep a guest in such a despicable way!

Pulling her hand back to hit the door again, Rosette gasped when it flew open, the stepped back in horror at what she saw.

There, at the door, was a beast. Standing on two legs, well over six feet tall, he towered over Rosette, his lion face pulled back in a sneer.

“This is how you repay me?! I save your worthless life and you go around making so much noise that the castle moans with the dislike!” he roared

Rosette was stunned, scared out of her mind, but she wouldn’t back down, “Repay you! You kidnapped me, placed me in this dungeon you call a room and then lock me within it!” she screamed

“Did you not think it was locked for a reason?! You are to stay in this room until I know what to do with you!”

“How dare you!” Rosette gasped, “Is this how you treat guests? With insults and disregard to their wellbeing?!” Rosette stepped closer in her fury, almost standing nose to nose with the beast.

“You are not a guest!” he bellowed, stressing each word.

“Dante!” A woman chimed in furiously, “You will not speak to the girl that way! She has been through an exhausting trip and waking up to you yelling at her is not helping!”

Both of them turned to look at the elderly woman, her eyes throwing daggers at the beast.

“Nicoletta, I will not- “

“No, I will not have it! I am old, and having to listen to you two screaming at each other makes my bones ache. Dante, why don’t you go outside and do something productive?” She interrupted

“But I – “

“Now!”

Giving one last growl to Rosette, Dante walked down the hall.

“Good, now that he is gone we shall go fix you something to eat.”

Turning, Nicoletta walked away, leaving Rosette to either stay in the room or follow her.
Rosette’s stomach made her mind up for her.

~*~

Rosette and Nicoletta sat at a long table eating the cannelloni that Nicoletta had prepared.
They were silent for most of the meal, until Nicoletta spoke, “He’s not that bad, once he gets to know you.”

Rosette raised an eyebrow, “Don’t you mean once I get to know him?”

Nicoletta just smiled.

Rosette sighed, “It doesn’t matter anyways, I will be leaving this evening.”

Rosette felt a tear when she thought of Fedele, the strong stallion who was probably lost in the mountains.

“Oh, do not cry dear, what is the matter?”

Rosette whipped her tear, “I have lost my friend, Fedele. I rode him here to the mountains, but I do not know where he is now.”

Nicoletta smiled, “He is safe, currently socializing with our mares.”

“He is here? He is safe?”

“Yes and has been very stubborn, only Dante can stand near him.”

Rosette almost chocked on her pasta, “Fedele allows people near him?”

“Well, no, only Dante.

Rosette pursed her lips, it says a lot about Dante if Fedele likes him.

“He’s not a beast.”

Bringing her attention back to Nicoletta Rosette turned to her, “What?”

“Dante,” the old woman clarified, “He’s not the beast that you see.”

Rosette sniffed, “That remains to be seen. He is barbaric and savage, and I do not wish to have anything more to do with him.”

Nicoletta sighed, gathering their plates and heading into the kitchen, “If you wish to see your Fedele, just go through the front door, turn left, and follow the path.”

Wondering why the old woman was upset, Rosette did as instructed and soon found her beloved Fedele prancing around a chestnut mare.

“It seems that your stallion has found another girl.”

Gasping at Dante’s voice, Rosette turned to stare at him.

“It does not matter fore we are leaving this evening.”

Dante’s lion eyes took on a blank expression.

“I’m sorry to inform you that you will not be leave, tonight or any other time.”

Rosette narrowed her eyes, “That is such a silly thing to say, because you have no right to tell me what I can and cannot do.”

“You are on my property, living in my house, eating my food. You will do as I say.” Dante’s voice was becoming a deep rumble.

“And who are you, to think that you can just order me around?”

Dante looked down his nose at her, “I am Dante Ettore De Luca, the crowned prince of these lands.”