**I DO NOT OWN THE CHARACTERS, I AM JUST BORROWING THEM**
**Just so everyone knows, I may not have the grammar perfect from the 1800s so please be patient with me lol.**
Chapter 8 – Masquerade PART 2
PREVIOUSLY...
He placed a folded letter inside of my palm as he kissed the top of my hand and said, "Do not read it until you have boarded the ship. I love you Catherine, and I too will miss you dearly."
I kissed him again, not wanting to let go.
"Catherine! Come now!" my father shouted from the carriage behind me and I pulled away from Vincent's lips.
"I love you Catherine. . .now go before your father comes after you." he said before placing one last kiss onto my lips.
Every time I walked away, I ended up running right back into his arms and kissing him again.
"Catherine, NOW!" father shouted once more and my fingers slowly slipped out of his as I finally walked away.
I didn't turn back around. . . I couldn't bring myself to. If I had seen him yet again, I would have never of stepped foot into that carriage again. Maybe it wasn't such a bad idea? But I couldn't cross my father, I just didn't dare to.
My mother held me in her arms as we left the village, headed to the docks. I felt for sure that I was slowly dying an excruciating painful death.
I finally turned my body around in the seat, sitting on my knees starring out the back view of the carriage; he was still in the same spot he was standing in when we said our farewells. I cried as I watched his body grow smaller, then out of sight. My heart ached for his presence, yet he would no longer be there.
I must have fallen asleep from shedding too many tears. The folded note was still in my hand I pondered on whether or not to read it at this very moment.
I know he told me to wait until boarding the ship, but I just couldn't resist. Besides the ship was in view anyways, so to hell with it!
As I opened it my heart froze still. How did I miss this?
It read:
My beloved Catherine,
I am writing this letter because I am unable to sleep due to not being fully honest with you about the curse.
It started 5 years ago, a peasant woman came to me in search for shelter during the night because of a horrid storm. I was not a very kind person back then, I told her that no one as ugly as she was allowed inside of my castle and I shut the door in her face.
The same knock came at my door, and there stood the same ugly peasant that I had not intended on seeing again. I told her to get out and find a place elsewhere. She formed into this extremely beautiful woman, almost as if she had been carved by an angel.
I fell to my knees and I begged for her forgiveness, but she shunned me out completely. She handed me a rose and told me I was cursed to be a beast until true love prevailed. I had only until the last petal had fallen to find my true love and find the one person who could love me as the beast. If I had not suceeded, I was to remain a mere beast for all of eternity.
My features changed making me more hideous than the peasant who cursed me.
But the moment I had met you, things changed for me. I was still cruel to the very core and yet you still came back. I was suffering and yet you brought me out of this darkness I have suffered from for many years. Last night after you left, I returned to the rose that imprisoned me here in this God forsaken castle. I was going to destroy it until I had seen it had disappeared, gone with only a letter left behind telling me I was free.
You, Catherine. . .you broke the curse and set me free of the beast. I never thought I could ever love some one as much as I do you. But now that you have gone and I will no longer see you again, I don't know how I'll survive.
I truly do love you and I hope that one day in the future that we can be reunited again.
What we have here is unexplainable, yes, it does not make sense. But I do Catherine, I do. . .I truly am in love with you.
As I close this letter with my goodbyes, I want you to know that if you move on and find some one new, I am truly happy for you. I hope that you find the happiness that you have given me in this short time of knowing you. Your an amazing woman Catherine, and strong. . .don't let anyone tell you otherwise.
Again, I love you Catherine, and I always will. I hope this letter brings you closure to your thoughts.
Love Always,
Vincent
I cried into the letter that I held into my hand. He was free, and all because of me. Because I truly loved him and showed him the path to love right back. For if anybody had asked me who could love a beast? I would tell them that I could, and that I have, unconditionally.
Now it brings me to the ultimate decision. Do I stay, or do I go?
**I know, short chapter. But it is after all part 2 of the Masquerade chapter so it wasn't going to be long anyways. Besides, I thought that this was an awesome place to leave you all wondering on what would happen next. I am taking a break for a little while from everything. I'm going to try to catch up with rest and my now only 2 sick children (I have 4 total) lol. My husband also starts work again tomorrow from having surgery for the 2nd time on his hand, so my hands are currently full. I love you all for being so amazing to me. I have the most awesome FANmily EVER! As always, please review and let me know what you think. Until next time, this concludes chapter 8!**
