Chapter Nine
I ran to my rooms, blinded by my tears that would not stop. I kept asking myself the same questions over and over again. What if he hates me now? What if he is terrible angry? How will I get home?
I reached "Beauty's Room" exhausted, but still frightened. I ran to the wardrobe and flew open the door. I took out a cloak and some very fancy, but practical boots. I slipped them on, and clasped the cloak around my shoulders. I was about to fly out the door when I saw the box, with the Beast's ring in it. I made a quick desicion and took it out of the box, hesitated, and then slipped it on my middle finger. I didn't know where I was going to go, I only knew I had to leave.
I ran outside, and into the main hall. I was afraid the large front doors would be to heavy for me to open, but the glided open as easily as if the hinges were air, not metal.
The sun was just begining to set, and it was so beautiful, my tears started again, just thinking that I would never see it from the highest tower ever again. Somehow along the way, this castle had become my home.
But I couldn't stay here, and I doubted the Beast had a shred of love for me now. Cathrine had probably told him the whole thing, she must have watched it from her magic window.
I was just starting down the steps when a felt the ground shiver. I clapped my hands over my ears, feeling the unnatural roar fill my whole body with panic. It was like the roar of the sea, except it was full of pain, disapointment, and anger. I knew it was from the Beast.
"Not running away, are we?" said that voice.
I looked up, my hands still clamped over my ears. It was Cathrine, except she was not in a painting anymore. She stood above me like a queen. Slowly I rose to my feet.
"You see, dear Rose, now that the Beast knows the truth, his heart is breaking. And of course we can't have that. He is my brother, after all. So I've decided the only way to end his pain is to kill you." She bent down, smiling with all her teeth. "Sorry it had to be this way, when it's thanks to you that I am now free." She stood and swept her arm out to the gardens. "Free to take the throne that I have waited century's for."
I realized suddenly, that I couldn't move. A vine had wrapped itself around my foot, cutting through my boot and into my skin with it's thorns. Catherine laughed.
I tried to pry the horrble thing off, but it only made my fingers bleed as it crawled around my waist.
"Please," I whispered to myself, "Someone help me."
I felt warm and gentle hands around my waist, pulling at the vine. It crumbled into brown mush. By the touch I knew it was the servants.
"Get away, fools!" screamed Cathrine. One of her arms suddenly twisted behind her back, and the other jerkingly followed.
"You need to go, now." said a soft voice in my ear, "We can't hold her for long. Use the ring."
I nodded, tears of gratitude filling my eyes. I ran down into the gardens, the tears falling like rain. Out of the corners of my eyes, I could see thorns twisting and twining around every flower and every hedge. Behind me I hear Cathrine scream like a caged tigress.
"Beauty!" I heard his voice calling me, but I would not turn. It had to a trick of my imagination. There was no way he would want ot see me now.
"Beauty, stop!" he called again. I turned, unable to disobey. His voice was so pleading and helpless.
The Beast was behind me, running on all fours like a wolf, nimbly jumping over stone walls, hedges and ponds. He was far away, but quickly gaining.
Suddenly a vine snaked across my path, and I didn't look back in time to see it. The thorns ripped through the flesh on my legs like paper. I felt the cuts, but no pain. Lying on the ground, knowing I could not go far now, I wept and waited for the pain and the Beast.
The latter came first. I felt large, strong arms wrap around me and lift me. I wanted nothing more than to bury my face in his cloak and cry, but I couldn't even look at him.
I felt him examine my shins, and he sucked in a breath at all the warm blood I could feel trickling down my legs. But I still felt no pain.
"Still! Still you cling to this viper? You will stay a monster forever because of her lies!" Cathrine screamed. I looked up and saw her, standing on the stone wall far above us. Vines flowed over it like water, like a million snakes.
The Beast did not answer, he didn't need to.
Guilt pierced me like a dozen knives.
Cathrine looked as though she could explode with rage, but she did not. Somehow she became calm, and she looked at the Beast with slitted eyes.
"I can see your judgement is more lacking than I had originally realized when I first tried to kill you. You are clearly not fit for the throne, you are to soft-hearted. I will be doing our parents a favor by killing you now."
I felt the Beast's body tense, and he quickly placed me on a stone bench.
"You were punished for trying to kill me with magic once, Cathrine. How much longer do you want to spend your time in a picture frame?" growled the Beast.
"That was only because I tried to kill you directly with magic, Beast. I was foolish. But now I know only a physical wound can kill you. Good-bye, dear brother." she smiled wickedly.
A vine with one long thorn on the end reared up like a snake. Faster than lightning, it struck the Beast. The Beast groaned deep within himself, and fell onto his knees. He struggled not to fall.
"No!" I screamed, and tried to run to him. But invisible hands would not let me.
Cathrine was laughing now, a high pitched sound. "See what you have done, little Rose? Your Beast is dead because of you."
"You monster!" I cried. My voice cracked and my head swimmed with pain and despair. My heart fell into pieces. I felt as if I could die, to.
"Me?" she screamed hysterically, "When a beast is right in front of us, you call me a monster?"
I tried to reply, but a warm hand was placed over my mouth.
"Wait, young Beauty." said a soft, echoing voice in my ear. "Magic and justice will be served." And I felt my tears being wiped away.
Suddenly Cathrine stopped laughing. Vines had grown around her legs, and crept up her waist. I realized what was happening and looked away before they reached her throat. She did not scream as she disapeared under the squirming mass.
"Beast!" I cried, and was allowed to run to him. He leaned heavily on one arm, the other held his seeping wound. Just as I reached him, he collapsed onto his chest.
"No!" I screamed and knelt next to his body, "Please, no." I said to the sky.
And then I remembered.
The ring, use the ring, they had said. I looked down at my hand, covered with my blood and the Beasts. Somehow the gold was clean and pure. The flower was a rose, with a diamond in the middle.
"Please, ring. Bring me someone who can help." I whispered to its golden petals, and they shivered at the touch of my breath. Then suddenly, it leapt off the ring, as if caught on a breeze. It landed softly on the ground, and grew. In a matter if moments, the jewel inside was no longer hard diamond, but a person.
A person I knew very well, with a face that mirrored my own.
