I fell asleep on the unicorns back. It was very late at night by now and I was exhausted. As I slept, I listened to the voices and the sounds of the enchanted wood. The pixies played mini instruments that sent beautiful music through my head. I dreamed sweet dreams while I slept.
The unicorn came to a stop and he gently nipped at my leg. I opened my eyes and yawned. I stretched and looked up.
"Are we here?" I asked the unicorn. He nodded his head. I swung my leg over and slid off of his back. I walked over to him and looked into his big brown eyes. I smiled and pet him. He nudged me and whinnied. "Thank you."
I walked forward and pushed past a curtain of vines. I entered a small clearing the size of a small room. There were green leaves covering the ground and the moon was right above me. It shone brightly down and I looked down and widened my eyes.
In the center of the room. A single rose grew out of the ground. I already knew that it was strange. Roses usually grew on bushes, not out of the ground. I walked over to it and crouched down next to the rose. It looked just like the rose that Adam used to have. It was glowing and it had sparkles covering it. I reached my hand forward and was about to touch it when I pulled my hand away suddenly.
Was this it? The treasure? What could a simple rose do? It was so…plain. It was hard to believe that this was worth more than gold and jewels. Then I stopped myself. The rose may have looked plain on the outside, but what about on the inside? It must have great power.
"I see you have found the enchanted rose," said a voice.
I looked up and saw a centaur in front of me. He was half man and half horse. He had long brown hair and he was very muscular. He had long pointy ears and big brown eyes. "My name is Oreius. What is yours?"
I stood and brushed myself off. "Belle," I said and curtsied to the Centaur.
"It should be I who bows to you, Princess," said the Centaur.
"How do you know?" I asked.
"You recognize this rose?" Oreius asked.
"Yes," I responded.
"The creatures here know of your tale Belle. You were the one who could love a beast. Why are you here with pirates?" asked the Centaur.
"I was kidnapped," I responded.
"You could have escaped the ship."
"And be lost at sea?"
"You knew how to navigate. You could have easily escaped Belle. So why didn't you?"
I didn't know what to say to the Centaur because…he was right. I could have escaped from the pirates. I could have navigated my way to some land. I had told myself that when I arrived on land again, I would do everything I could to get away from the pirates. But…I had grown attached to them. They weren't as bad as they could have been. They are definitely not like other pirates. I knew this. To me, they were my guides to my adventure. I had told William, I wouldn't have changed what happened to me…because I have had the time of my life.
I looked at the Centaur. "Ever since I was little, I have wanted to go on an adventure. I had an amazing adventure the past year. I met my true love and even talked to candlesticks and tea pots. But, I craved for more. I thought I was happy in the castle, but, I wasn't. I was always either in the castle or in town. That's all I knew. I felt…trapped. And I didn't even realize it until I set foot in India. I'm selfish for saying this. I do love my life. I wouldn't trade my life for anything. But…I needed this. I have finally found out what I truly want and who I am. I want to go home and see my husband. But I want the two of us to go on our own adventures together."
The Centaur nodded. "The rose's treasure is simple. It has the power to grant three wishes. The wishes cannot bring back the dead, bring death or injury, or be used for more wishes."
"So, like a genie?" I asked.
The Centaur nodded. He unsheathed his sword and cut the rose swiftly and smoothly at its base. It didn't fall over. It floated above the earth as if gravity wouldn't touch it.
"It is yours now. Take it," said Orieus.
"Thank you," I said and I bent down and carefully picked up the flower. I didn't hold it. It floated in my hands. Its glow sent warm shivers through me. I smiled down at the rose and looked up. The Centaur was gone. I turned and walked out of the small clearing.
The unicorn was there waiting for me. He was lying beside a tree. I walked over to him and got onto his back. He stood and carried me and the rose with him back to the pirates. We rode until dawn. The sun peeked over the trees and I smiled. It was beautiful. The unicorn stopped in front of the sleeping pirates.
I slid off of his back and rubbed his nose. "Thank you for everything," I said to him. He playfully nipped my hair and ran his lips over my cheek. I smiled and hugged him. Then he turned and walked back into the wood.
I looked around, wondering if the enchantress would come back. But there was no sign of her. I walked over to William's sleeping form. I kicked his foot and noticed that I had my brown leather boots back on. My pirate outfit was back. The dress and my braid had vanished.
William bolted up and looked up at me. "Belle, your back!" he cried. The rest of the pirates woke up and surrounded me. They stared in awe at the floating rose. The Captain looked at the rose.
"What is it?" he asked.
"The rose will grant three wishes. You cannot use the wishes for bringing people back from the dead or making someone die or be injured. Also, you can't wish for more wishes," I said.
"Three wishes eh?" asked the Captain. "I suppose we would have to use these wishes wisely."
I nodded.
"Well, let's get out of this cave," said the Captain.
"How? We can't go back the way we came," said William.
The Captain looked thoughtful. "Why not go through the wood?"
"No, we can't even take a step into the wood. The enchantress said so," I said.
"Well then what do ye suggest we do Princess?" asked the Captain with a sneer.
"I say we try to go back the way we came. It can't hurt," I said.
The Captain looked annoyed but nodded. We walked back through the cave until we reached the ladder.
"I'll climb up really fast and see if I can open the door. If so, then I'll call down to you. If not, then I'll climb back down," said William. He began to climb up the ladder and we all watched. He disappeared in the darkness and then we heard his voice. "I think I can get it open! But I need help pushing it!"
"Ye heard him. Four of ye go up there and push the door open," ordered the Captain.
Four pirates quickly climbed up the ladder. I heard William count to three and then the sound of five struggling men trying to push open the door. Then I saw a little glimmer of sunshine. They got the door open. "Come on up we got it!" yelled William.
"Ladies first," said the Captain.
I nodded and looked down at the rose. I carefully put the stem into my belt so that I could use both of my hands to climb. I was very cautious while climbing. William helped me out of the trap door and I looked around. The stone elephants were gone.
The rest of the crew climbed out of the hole and the trap door slammed shut then I heard a locking sound.
"All right, back to the boats," ordered the Captain.
I took the rose out of my belt and let it hover in my hands. We walked the nine miles back to the boats. Once we got into the boats we rowed back to the ship.
We got onto the ship and the Captain led me into his quarter where I gently put the rose in a vase. It didn't stand directly in the vase. It hovered inside of it.
"Well, there it is. Now, remember our bargain?" I asked the Captain.
"Well ye waste no time do ye?" asked the Captain. "A deal's a deal Mysterious Beauty. I'll take ye back to England."
I smiled. I was finally going to go home.
The Captain walked out of his quarters and I followed him. He yelled orders to set off toward England. Soon Madagascar was only a dot in the distance.
"Capn', we have company," said one of the crew members.
The Captain took out his telescope and looked. I grabbed onto one of the sail ropes and leaned out to see. There was a ship ahead of us coming right this way.
"Fellow pirates," said the Captain. "Be cautious. Don't get too close to them. I don't want any trouble from them."
"Yes sir," said the crew member.
I stared at the ship for a long time. I couldn't help but feel something strange in my gut as I looked at it. The wind whipped my hair back and my hat almost flew off. I held onto it and felt the ribbon from my mask whip behind me.
"Change in the wind Capn'," yelled one of the crew members.
The Captain barked orders and the ship that was ahead of us started to gain speed. The Captain looked again at the ship.
"Turn around!" he barked.
"Wait what?" I asked. "You have to take me back to England. You said you would."
"I didn't say when now did I?" asked the Captain.
I felt my stomach drop. "You…you tricked me," I said.
"My dear Mysterious Beauty, I'm a pirate. Tricking is what I do fer a living," he said then laughed.
The ship started to turn but by now, the other ship was gaining on us.
"Capn' it's not a pirate ship!" yelled one of the crew members with a telescope.
The Captain looked through his telescope and cursed. He spat on the deck and turned to me. "Ye remember when I told ye that ye had to protect us with ye sword?"
"You broke your word. Why should I keep mine?" I asked.
"Because I'll kill dear William if ye don't," said the Captain.
"You wouldn't kill your own son," I said.
"Wouldn't I?" asked the Captain.
I looked into his brown eyes. Actually they looked black. He had some sort of turn. He looked just as terrifying as he did when I first met him. I didn't for a second doubt that he would run his sword through his own son at that moment.
"I said that I wouldn't kill with the sword. But I will fight alongside you," I said.
The Captain smirked and spun me around he tied the ribbon around my eyes tighter.
I yelped in pain and then he turned me back around and made sure my hat was on tightly.
He smirked then turned to the ship that was now almost alongside us.
I looked at the people on board. They were British soldiers. It was the ship that was looking for me. I felt my heart fly. I tried to scan the men on the ship to try and find Adam. But I couldn't see.
"Ye gave yar word Princess. If ye try to make a run fer it. I'll sink my blade into William's stomach," sneered the Captain.
I was trapped. I had to only hope that the British soldiers would win the fight. And that Adam would still recognize me with the mask on.
Both of the ships dropped anchor.
"Prepare to fight!" yelled the Captain. The crew all darted about grabbing weapons and rushing below decks to prepare the cannons.
William rushed up to me. "Are you ready?" he asked.
I felt my heart tear. I couldn't let William be killed. I had to keep my word. So I simply nodded and took out my sword.
The soldiers on the other ship yelled with raised swords and a few rifles. Wooden planks hit our ship's side and the men started to run across onto the ship. A few swung in on ropes.
Canons fired and I had to steady myself from the impact and the blows. A British soldier landed in front of me and he raised an eyebrow.
"A girl?" he asked. "This should be easy." He smirked and held up his sword.
I felt anger boiling inside me. How dare he? He reminded me a bit of Gaston. So I smirked and hit his sword with mine. He was too easy. I twisted his sword and it flung out of his hands.
He looked at me with shock. "You're right. That was easy," I said and he backed up. He was against the ship's side with his hands up. He looked terrified. I smiled and lowered my sword then I punched him square in the jaw and he fell backwards off the ship into the ocean.
"Mysterious Beauty!" yelled William. I spun around and quickly dodged a swing. I brought my sword up and collided with my foe's sword. Then we battled. I looked up at my foe and felt my eyes grow wide and my heart stop.
It was Adam.