At long last Charlotte stood in front of the door to Alastor's bedroom while holding a tray set with his meal. After taking a deep breath, she raised a fist and lightly knocked on the door.

"Leave me be Husk." She heard him say in a low, sad voice.

"It is not Husk." She called gently. "I have brought your supper. I know that you have recently been rejecting your meals but I made this especially for you. Won't you at least have a look at it?"

At the sound of her voice he became completely stiff. Not entirely sure if he had actually heard her or if his broken heart had finally driven mad. It couldn't be her, it just couldn't be. Yet he would know the sound of her melodious voice anywhere.

He weakly stood up from his bed and slowly walked toward the door. His hand had barely ghosted over the knob when he took a moment to hesitate. Then finally he opened the door and on the other side he saw his angel.

"I'm dreaming." He said in disbelief. "Are you real?"

"Yes I am." She answered.

But he still feared that she was merely an illusion his mind created, be it whether he was awake or asleep. His body trembled from both fear and weakness. He was overcome and his knees began to buckle. She quickly set the tray down on a nearby shelf and went to his side, helping him back into bed.

"You are so weak." She said feeling guilt ridden at the sight of him in this state. "Oh my dear one, how could I make you suffer so?"

But he did not give her a look of anger or sadness or disappointment as she expected him to. Instead he gave her a very weak but adoring smile. It was the first time in weeks that he had smiled and he raised a shaking hand to cup her cheek.

"I thought that you had deserted me." He breathed.

"No. Never." She pressed his hand closer to her cheek and held it there. "Oh forgive me my darling. Please forgive me. I was so foolish to hide from you."

"That doesn't matter anymore. You've come back to me so all is forgiven and forgotten."

She smiled at him tenderly and after staying like that for a moment she lowered his hand from her cheek and stood up.

"Don't go." He pleaded.

"Hush." She said softly as she returned to his bedside with the tray. "You've gone too long without food and it has made you ill. If you truly love me then please eat your supper so that you will regain your strength."

He did not argue. He only opened his mouth and allowed her to spoon feed him the stew. He found it to be very delicious and by the time he had finished it he had regained enough strength to eat the slices of bread and drink the tea on his own. Charlotte was relieved at this but she knew he wasn't completely healed yet. Now that he had eaten he needed rest but he had so many things to say to her.

"Who are you?" He asked. "Where did you come from? Why did you run from me so many times?"

"Sleep now." She soothed. "And come morning I shall answer all your questions."

"No I cannot sleep." He said fighting to keep his heavy eyelids from closing.

"You must." She persisted.

"No because I am afraid that this is a dream if I sleep now then you will be gone when I wake."

She moved the tray to his nightstand and laid down next to him in bed.

"You have nothing to fear. I promise I will be right here by your side when you wake up tomorrow and I will tell you everything you want to know about me."

"Will you at least tell me your name?"

Her hand caressed his face as she whispered her name to him lovingly.

"Charlotte." She kissed his high forehead. "My name is Charlotte."

"Charlotte." He repeated the name as if it was the loveliest thing in all the world. "That's a beautiful name."

His half lidded eyes continued to stare at her and a genuine smiled graced his features. He intended to stay awake for as long as he could so Charlotte began to gently comb her fingers through his hair and sing a lullaby to him.

"Now is the hour

When frogs and thrushes

Praise the world

From the woods and rushes

Sleep, my love

Sleep, my only

Deep in the dark."

His will to stay awake was strong but her gentle touch and soft voice weakend it. Soothing him and lulling him into slumber. His fear was eventually overshadowed by the warm comfort he felt in her embrace and he couldn't resist any longer.

"My love, do not leave me."

His final words before he fell into a long awaited sleep. Charlotte soon felt herself becoming very sleepy and she dozed off. She slept for a very long time. Longer than she thought she would. She had expected to wake up while it was still dark out but the sun had just begun to rise when she awoke and she saw that Alastor was already wide awake.

He was holding her delicate frame in his strong arms and still smiling at her in the most loving way she had ever seen. Her heart fluttered and she snuggled into his chest. She couldn't recall a time where she had felt so safe and warm. She might have fallen right back to sleep had she not noticed that her dress had changed. Gone was the gown of purest white, replaced by the dress of ragged moss.

She slightly flinched and moved a little so he could see her attire better. She trembled, afraid that the young master would no longer love the girl in the tattered dress. But she dared to ask,

"How much do you love me now?" She looked away from him in utter shame. "I am no one of great worth. I have no title and no dowry. I am just a poor wench who scrubs the kitchen floors. Not at all worthy of you."

"My dear, is that why you hid from me? Because you feared I would reject you?"

She nodded, still not facing him. He cupped her cheek again with his hand and turned her face to look at him.

"Oh my sweetheart, I love you more than ever." He declared. "Rags and a low status could never hide your beauty or your wit or your goodness. Even as you sit here in a garment of moss, you still shame every lovely thing I've seen before you."

Charlotte smiled in relief but she was still unsure.

"But there are other things about me that most people would find shameful."

"Most people perhaps but not me. Whatever I learn about you I swear I will not be ashamed. If it is really so bad then I shall look past it and focus only on the wonderful things about you."

With each word he said Charlotte felt her fears and doubts fading away.

"I love and care for you above all things in this world. But I must know, do you love me? Do you care for me as much as I do for you?"

"Do you truly want to know?" She asked. "Do you want me to tell you what I really feel for you in my heart?"

"Yes. More than anything."

Charlotte then looked deeply into Alastor's eyes and took hold of his hand. She decided that this would be the ultimate test to see if he truly loved her. To find out if he would accept her weather she be simple or elegant.

"I love you." She said with her whole heart and soul. "More than all the apples that grow in an orchard."

She held her breath and waited for his rejection, only to be met by a sudden embrace.

"Do you really love me that much?" He asked stroking her long blonde hair.

"Yes."

"My dear Charlotte you have no idea how happy you have made me. When you left me that night I was terrified that you did not love me at all but now that I know how you really feel. Now that I know that you love me more than something that has given you happiness since childhood, I am overjoyed."

Charlotte's eyes filled with tears. But not tears of sorrow, tears of joy. Alastor had been paying attention when she told him how apples were always a constant reminder of when she was most happy. How they were more valuable to her than gold or silver. And that he unlike her father, understood that when she said that she loved him more than apples, she was really saying she loved him more than what makes her the happiest.

"Please marry me Charlotte." He said. "I give you my word that I will cherish you forever and that you shall want for nothing."

"Yes I will." She sobbed.

She lifted her head up to gaze at him in pure adoration. He leaned down and kissed away her tears. She returned kisses to his mouth and soon they were in each other's embrace, kissing passionately. Together at last and never to be parted again. His lips moved to her neck and with each kiss he peppered on her throat he whispered,

"I love you."

"I love you too." Charlotte sighed as she relished in his touch. "But we mustn't. Not yet. You are still unwell and think of the scandal. This could ruin your reputation."

"I care not for what others think of me but I will not make you a subject of false gossip. We shall wait until our wedding night."

Suddenly there was a knock at the door. The two of them turned blood red in the face as the fear and embarrassment of being discovered entered their minds.

"Good morning sir." They heard Husk call from the other side. "Are you alright?"

"I'm fine Husker." Alastor answered. "Just dandy."

"You sound much better today. I take it that means you finally ate something."

"Yes I did and tonight at dinner I plan to make a very bigannouncement. I want every member of the household there."

"Yes sir. I'll make the arrangements."

"Thank you."Alastor turned back to Charliotte and took her hands into his own so he could kiss the backs of them. "And you'll be the guest of honor tonight."

She blushed and smiled with all the happiness she felt in that moment.