Losing a parent causes undeniable pain. Losing both parents is torture. Finding love is hard. Learning to love is harder.

Brian woke up early and groaned. Today was the day that he had to run into town and get the groceries and return his library books. It wouldn't be so bad for him if there wasn't the famous Jacqueline who was infatuated with him for over five years, starting when they were only seventeen.

He got out of bed and proceeded to get dressed. He walked into the kitchen where his father, was tinkering with some trinkets at the table with a plate of cheese and some bread for breakfast.

"Morning Father. Busy day today?" Brian asked his father, sitting down at the table and pulling a book out to finish it up.

"Yes, I'm trying to finish up my machine before the fair next week." he replied, scarfing down food and standing up, "I will see you later son. Try not to get into too much trouble Aye?"

"Bye Father. Be careful!" Brian shouted as his father walked out of the house and down into the cellar.

"I'll try!" he heard his father shout back.

Standing up and putting the food away. Brian grabbed his sack of coins and book and headed to the library first. He walked in and Mr. Gordon waved him over. He got there and gave the book to him, immediately turning around and scanning for another book. He picked one up on the past wars of France. He walked up to Mr. Gordon, who checked the book out, thanked him and left. As he was walking down the street, picking up vegetable and meat from the market, he saw her walking towards him. He quickly paid the vendor for the food and tried to walk away. As he was walking home, he felt someone grab his arm and spin him around. The person immediately pushed themselves against his chest.

"What do you want Jacqueline?" Brian asked annoyed.

"I just wanted to talk Brian." She replied, fluttering her eyes at him. He scoffed in disgust and pushed her off of him.

"Go away Jacqueline. I've already told you that I am not interested, never have been, never will. I don't want to talk and I never want to. Now if you'll excuse me. I must get going back to father and make us some lunch." Brian said and stormed away.

As Brian was reaching the corner that turned to his house, he heard an explosion. He froze. Smoke started to lift into the sky right over his house. He dropped the bags and ran to his house, only to see it go up in flames. He called out for his father and tried to run towards the house only to get blown back by a second explosion as the house blew apart. He fell back in shock, the realization that his father was dead hit him so hard that he fell to the ground on his knees and clutched his chest with his hand. His father was the only one he had left, his mother died when he was seven because she was attacked walking back home after church one night. He had been sick so his father had stayed home with him. That was when the obsession of building things began so he could keep his mind off of his dead wife.

Brian jumped up, adrenaline rushing through his veins, he got on the nearest horse and took off to the woods, ignoring the people shouting at him to stop. He went deeper into the forest than he had ever gone before, not noticing which ways he turned or what the surrounding areas looked like, he only wanted to get away from the pain and the memories. After riding for more than five hours, Brian rode up to a tall gate, like the ones you see in fairy tales, it had thick bars and was made of iron. Beyond the gate was a giant castle. It had five towers, one on each corner and then one coming up from the middle. It was made of stone blocks and looked like it was from 1200 AD. The tower themselves look like they were almost touching the clouds. He looked around the area. The castle sat on a cliff with a long winding road that led to the castle doors.

Brian opened the gate and rode up to the doors. They had big door knockers that looked like cat a heads made of gold. He knocked and the door wasn't answered, it just swung open. He walked into the castle to find dust almost covering every surface that he could see. He saw a shadow move and froze where he was walking.

"Who's there?!" Brian yelled, his voice showing his fear.

" I should ask you that, see as you are the one who broke into my home." a female voice came from the shadows behind him.

Brian spun around to face the voice that called to him and gaped. Standing before him was unlike any creature that he had ever seen. It looked like a cat. The face had whiskers and it had pointed ears on its head. It had the body of a woman that was covered in fur and a tail that stuck out behind it that was swinging back and forth.

"I am Brian Justice. My father was killed in an accident and I just rode away. I don't even know where I am. Who are you?" Brian finished in a small voice.

"Well Brian, I am Princess Anna. I was cursed by a Necromancer when I refused to marry him. He killed my father and mother and sisters and brothers right in front of me. I was told that I had three years till the blue rose he gave me dies, and when it dies, I will die." She chuckled a little and stepped forward, "I only have a week left to live Brian. There is no cure for it. I've tried everything. I can't even bring death upon myself." She finished and tears were gently streaming down her cheeks.

"I am sorry My Lady. I do not know what will help. Would you mind some company in your last days? I have nowhere else to go." Brian finished, taking her paws into him hands.

"I wouldn't mind. I am a horrid creature Brian, how could you stand to be around me? Even the staff left because they thought I was a monster." She cried.

"All I see is a lost creature that doesn't have long to live. I want to give you the best week I can, so you won't be alone." Brian finished and pulled her into his chest in a hug. She sobbed at being shown affection that she had been starved of for so long and sobbed into his chest. They stood there for what felt like hours until he realized that she had fallen asleep. He picked her up and gently cradled her in his arms. He took off down one of the halls and opened the nearest door, he figured he must have found it because the bed looked like it was freshly slept in and there was some cat hair here and there. He laid her down on the bed and tried to walk away but she grabbed his hand and mumbled for him to stay, so he laid down beside her and drifted off to sleep.

The next week was spent laughing, dancing and singing. It ranged from reading in the library just enjoying each others company, to taking picnics in the courtyards for lunch or dinner. A week was all it took for Anna and Brian to fall in love. They didn't know that the other shared the same feelings they had so it was never uttered until the moment came. When the day came for the rose to die, Brian and Anna just laid in her bed. Talking quietly of what could have happened in their lives. For a while they just watched the rose, and right before the last two petals fell off, Brian whispered that he loved her and gave her a passionate kiss. She whispered it back and gave him one last kiss before she died in his arms. Heartbroken beyond repair, Brian went to the kitchen and grabbed a knife. He went back to Anna's room, gathered her cold body into his arms and killed himself by shoving the blade into his chest. He cried out in pain and clung to Anna's body as he slowly wasted away thinking, "I love you Anna."