Tohru sat in a wooden armchair near the fireplace and table. She turned the page in her book and kept reading intently. A knock at the door broke her from her concentration. Tohru placed her bookmark inside her book and set it on the table. She walked to the door and pulled down a scope. Her father had invented it to see who had come before they opened the door.

Tohru looked to see Akito, standing near the door. Tohru groaned and opened the door. Akito came in within seconds.

"Hello Tohru." Akito said.

"Akito, what an unexpected surprise." Tohru said.

"Isn't though? I'm just full of surprises. You know, Tohru, you have no idea how lucky you are. Many girls who die to be in your shoes." Akito explained.

"What do you mean?" Tohru asked.

Akito sat in the chair Tohru had previously occupied and set his feet on the table. "Picture this; a large cottage in the forest, the latest kill on the fire, a loving mother and father, watching the children play on the floor with the dogs. Seven or six." Akito finished.

"Dogs?" Tohru asked. Tohru picked up her book off the table and put it on the self.

"No, no, Tohru. Strapping, strong, tough boys like me. And do you know who the little wife will be?" Akito asked.

"Let me think."

"You, Tohru." Akito pined her against the door. He leaned in for a kiss.

"Akito, I'm…speechless. I really don't know what to say." Tohru said. Her hand quickly traced behind her, searching for the knob.

"Say you'll marry me." Akito replied.

"I'm very sorry, but…but…I just can't!" Tohru turned the knob and Akito went flying out of the house. He tripped on the stairs and fell into a mud puddle.

Akito quickly stood up and raced back to the door. Tohru slammed the door on his face.

"I'd rather marry Shigure than you!" Tohru cried.

"Open this door!" Akito ordered.

"Never!" Tohru replied. She locked the door and stood back.

Akito began to pound on the door. He took a few steps back a rammed into the door with his shoulder. The door stayed way it was. Akito tried a few more times before his shoulder became too sore.

"Fine, stay in there! But mark my words Tohru, you will be my wife!" Akito yelled. He stormed away towards town.

Tohru opened the door a peep, "Is he gone?" She saw no persona near. She opened the door fully and stepped out. She grabbed a bucket of feed and walked down the stone steps. Tohru opened the gate and entered. Chicken scurried around. Tohru grabbed a handful of feed and threw it to the ground.

"Can you imagine? He asked me to marry him. Me! The wife of that ogress, boorish, creature? Can't you see it? Slaving to his every whim? Giving him children? He doesn't even care about anything but hunting!" Tohru screamed. She threw the feed everywhere, not caring where it went. Tohru slammed to bucket ion the ground and tore from the chicken coop. She ran towards the field of wheat. She ran through the field, scaring birds in the field. Tohru ran and ran until she stopped and lay down.

"If I ever fall in love, I want to love them for who they are. I could careless about what they looked like." Tohru picked up a white flower and blew off the pollen. The pollen flew in the air and scattered. A whine came to Tohru's attention. Jean came running through the field. He still had the wagon behind him, but no rider.

"Jean?" Tohru jumped to her feet and slowed the horse.

"Steady! Steady, Jean. where's Papa? Where is he? What happened to him, Jean? Oh, we have to find him. You have to take me to him!" Tohru detached the wagon and mounted Jean.

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Jean slowed to a stop in front of the castle gates. Tohru looked up at the gates and at the dark castle.

"Where are we?" Tohru asked. Jean bucked and Tohru jumped off.

"Steady, Jean." Jean calmed down. Tohru looked through the gates; she saw a ragged had among the leaves. Tohru gasped and pushed through the gates. She picked up the hat an examined it closer.

"Papa." Tohru rushed to the doors and entered the castle.

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"You couldn't keep quiet! You had to invite him to stay, right? Serve him tea, seat in the masters' chair, right by the fire!" the clock yelled.

"Unlike you, Yuki, I was trying to be hospitable. What happened to the days when you actually cared for other people?" Haru asked.

"Back when I was five feet taller and wasn't made of wood!" Yuki replied.

"Hello? Is anyone here?" a voice called. A beautiful girl walked past the room. She walked down the hall, looking into each room.

"Did you see that?" Haru asked. He jumped off the table and looked out the door. Yuki jumped and followed Haru.

"It's a girl!" Haru cried.

"I know it's a girl!" Yuki replied.

"Don't you see? She's the one! The girl we have been waiting for. She's come to break the spell!"

"Wait a minute!" Yuki cried. However, Haru had ran, more like hopped, after her.

"Hello? Papa? Papa?" Tohru called.

Haru kept his distance behind her. He opened the door next to him and entered, but the door squeaked.

"Papa?" Tohru turned and opened the door. She found herself next to a large stone staircase.

"Hello, is someone here?" Tohru looked up the stairs and saw a light moving up.

"Wait," Tohru ran up the stairs, looking for the person. "I'm looking for my father. I-" She found the light, but no one was there. "That's funny, I'm there was someone. Is anyone here?" Tohru was in a tower, with several bared rooms. A dungeon, in a tower, most likely. A, very dark, tower.

"Tohru?" a voice called.

"Papa!" Tohru grabbed a torch and ran to her father's cell.

"H-How did you find me?" Kureno asked. He broke into a fit of coughing.

Tohru held his hands through the bars, "Oh your hands are like ice. I have to get you out of here."

"Tohru, you must leave now!" Kureno said.

"Who's done this to you?" Tohru asked.

"No time to explain. You must go. Run!" Kureno replied.

"I won't leave you!" Tohru said. Something grabbed her shoulder and turned her violently. She lost the torch and it fell into a puddle of water.

"What are you doing here?" a voice roared.

Tohru knelt next to the cell, "I've come for my father. Please let him out, can't you see he's sick?"

"Then he shouldn't have trespassed here!"

"But he could die! Please, I'll do anything to set him free!" Tohru begged.

"There's nothing you can do."

"Oh, but there be someway I can...wait!" Tohru stopped for a moment. She heard the person stop. "T-Take me instead!"

"You? You...would...take his place?" he asked.

"Tohru no, you don't know what-"

"If I did, will you let him go?" Tohru asked.

"Yes, but...you must promise to stay here forever." He replied.

Tohru thought for a moment. This could be my only chance to save papa. "Come into the light."

The person, or creature, did so. Tohru looked up at a monster. A warped body. The skin could have been leather or fur. The arms seemed to be as long as the body. The legs were crunched down, he was crouching. The feet were big, with claws as well as the hands. His ear seemed as long as his arms, if that was even possible, and the smell was unimaginably horrid.

Tohru gasped and leaned back into the door. She turned and looked at her father, "Tohru no. I won't let you do this!"

Tohru stood up and approached the beast. "You have my word."

"Done!" he replied. He pushed past her and opened the door.

"No Tohru, listen to me. I'm old, my time ahs come!" The beast grabbed his collar and pulled him out of the tower.

"Wait!" Tohru cried.

"Tohru!"

"Wait!" Tohru screamed.

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TBC