Enchanted by a Monster

Laurel was standing outside, underneath a big oak tree, crying softly.

“Are you alright?” her captor asked her.

“I just miss my father. He was gravely ill when I left and I don’t even know if he’s still alive…”

The Beast gathered her in his arms and she cried into his chest.

His heart broke while he watched his beloved swan cry her heart out.

“Laurel, look at me. I want you to go upstairs and pack your things, quickly. I’ll have Francis’s boy saddle some horses for the two of you. He’ll keep you safe until you reach your father.”

She looked up at him in befuddlement. “I don’t understand… You’re letting me go?”

“Yes,” he said in a grave voice, “it was unfair and cruel of me to keep you trapped here. Go to your father, see to your kingdom and live a happy life. As a royal, your duty is to your kingdom, I know this better than anyone… Go Laurel. Now.”

She gave him another bewildered look before running to her room.

When she had packed her things, she found Cygnus, Francis’s son, Francis himself and the Beast waiting for her in the courtyard with two horses.

Cygnus took her things and tied them to the horses, while Edward dragged her into his arms.

His lips descended on hers and as they kissed she could feel him removing the enchantment from her. She would no longer turn into a swan and she felt incredibly saddened by this.

He released her and then helped her onto her horse, before turning around and heading back into the castle.

She and Cygnus set off at a trot and as the castle disappeared from view, Odette found herself crying again.

~**~

When Odette returned to her kingdom, she found that her father had been dead for more than a month and the kingdom was in an uproar.

She was very quickly crowned as Queen, after burying her father and then had to deal with the aftermath of the country’s sudden money problem.

It seemed that in her absence and her father’s passing, one of the Council men had helped himself to the country’s treasury and now there was nothing left.

The only way to get the money that her country would need to survive, she would have to marry someone wealthy and so she sent a missive to Prince Derek, who was ecstatic to learn that she was alive and safe.

The day of their wedding arrived quickly and Odette found herself in a dressing room in the church that had been set aside for her use.

She knew that for her country’s welfare, she had to marry Prince Derek, but her heart was breaking.

It had been four months since she had last seen her Beast and she missed him terribly.

She was in love with him and didn’t want to marry another man, not even if it meant her kingdom’s safety from poverty.

When she started sobbing, one of lady’s maids went to fetch her husband to be.

As Derek entered the room, all the other people left to give them some privacy.

“You look beautiful, Odette,” he remarked and she only started crying harder.

She’d chosen this dress, with her Beast in mind and it was a big reminder that she would only ever be able to marry him in her heart.

She didn’t want this kingdom or this marriage or this life and she said so to the Prince.

“Odette, this was your idea, you wanted to marry me to save your kingdom.”

“I know, but I just can’t marry you, it’ s not fair to either of us and-” she was cut-off when there was a sudden burst of light and the next thing she saw was her Beast, her love, standing there and looking at her with stark eyes.

Before he could even get a word out, Derek had drawn his sword and was ready to face the Beast to protect the Queen.

But Odette was having none of it. She ran around Derek and flung herself into Edward’s arms.

“Oh, I missed you,” she sobbed and he pulled her closer to him.

He tilted her face upwards and then they were kissing.

When they pulled apart, she started in on him, “if you ever make me leave you ever again, I will kill you myself, do you understand?”

He gave a chuckle and then kissed her again.

“I will never let you go. You are mine,” and then he kissed her some more.

“I love you,” she breathed against his lips and then suddenly there was another flash of light and Odette found herself in the arms of the most beautiful man she had ever seen.

“You did it,” he whispered in astonishment and then he really kissed her, the way that he couldn’t when he had been a monster.

She looked at him and then teased, “I don’t know, I think I liked you better as a Beast.”

He gave her a smile, “And I liked you better when you were a swan and couldn’t talk…”

That made her laugh and he vowed that he would make her laugh every day for the rest of their lives together.

They became aware that there was another in the room with them.

“I’m sorry Derek, but this is why I couldn’t marry you.”

“You love another,” Derek stated.

“Yes.”

Her Beast decided to introduce himself, “I am Edward Valois, King of the Valois Kingdom. It is a pleasure to meet you Prince Derek.”

They shook hands and then looked to see Odette staring at Edward with a dreamy look in her eyes.

Derek could tell when he was no longer needed and left the room to inform everyone that there would be no wedding today.

“You know, Laurel, poor Francis really missed you and I’ve seen some of the other staff staring wistfully at the lake. It seems I wasn’t the only one you bewitched…”

Odette laughed, she loved the way her name sounded on his perfect lips in his rich voice.

He scooped her up in his arms and they were kissing again.

~**~

Laurel was so enchanted by a monster that she and Edward were married a week later in their newly combined kingdoms and then they lived happily ever after.