A/N: sorry guys, the story got kind of weird again, so I had to change a few facts... I changed some scenes in chapters: 7, 8, 9, 10, 12, 13, 14 and 16, mostly scenes with Leopold in it. Thanks! Don't forget to review!
Chapter Nine
"I will be back in a few weeks. There will probably be a lot of paperwork included." Mario tried to climb up his horse unsuccessfully.
Catarina clapped her hands excitedly. "Oh, this is wonderful! We are rich again! Papa, you will bring me something, right?" She started jumping up and down in glee.
Mario looked fondly at his beloved daughter. "Of course Catarina. What do you want me to bring?" He tried to get on his horse again, this time accomplishing the task.
"Bring me back dresses, papa. With lots and lots of diamonds and pearls!" Catarina looked up at her father in utter adoration, clasping her hands together.
"And what do you want Alessia?" Mario said, remembering he had another daughter.
"If it's not too much trouble, bring me back a puppy, papa. I would like one to keep me company." Alessia had a wistful look on her face.
"What would you like me to bring back for you, Adela?" Mario arranged the bags on the horse. After Adela's instructions to bring back pots and food, Mario nodded curtly, eager to leave.
Mario prepared to go, purposely ignoring Aglaia. Adela frowned at her husband and Mario sighed. "What would you like me to bring for you, Charites?," he said somewhat grudgingly.
Aglaia, having been away from the land of fairies missed everything about it. The only time she did not miss it so much was when she smelled the roses that Mario brought home one day. They tried to plant the wild roses but it died after a few weeks. The roses reminded her so much of the flowers in her land that it instantly became her favorite flower. It also reminded her of Leo, since his castle was filled with the flowers. Ever since the day they tried to plant roses, she had been longing to have the house filled with roses.
"Could you bring me a rose, please? Just so I can plant one here. It reminds me of my hometown." Aglaia said, looking up at Mario.
After much grumbling and complaining, Mario complied and prepared to leave. He nodded at them in farewell and urged his horse in the right direction.
~~~
Leo paced back and forth in his room. What was to become of him? He was a monster, a cross between a bear and a lion. The fairy had ruined him, had even jeopardized innocent bystanders. He turned everyone in the abandoned castle–Leo had searched the house only to find no one there–into nothing more than spirits, winds that breeze to and fro.
Where was Aglaia? She probably knows about his... condition by now. She was a fairy. Fairies are supposed to know these things aren't they? Leo knew that Aglaia was hiding. He knew that he had no right to fault her for not being there with him. She has other matters to take care of. But he couldn't help it. Couldn't she visit him, or... send some sort of message to him just to see if he's alright? She would know where he was. She could do a spell and find him.
Maybe she doesn't know. But fairies knew didn't they? In books, fairies always knew. And they came to save the day with their glowing wands and their glittery dust. So where was all the glitter?
~~~
Mario looked at the map he was holding. It made no sense. Everything looked the same to him. Huge trees surrounded him, and he could hear the pitter patter of tiny animal feet somewhere. Crickets were chirping, and there was a faint sound of water splashing in a nearby pool. A faint breeze whistled by, sending dead leaves fluttering about.
Mario shook his head and sighed. He was hoping to reach the building by Kirmal that the messenger had instructed him to go to before nightfall but it was apparent that he had to find someplace to stay the night.
Mario urged the horse to a brisk trot, looking around for any sign of light. A blazing fire and the comfort of a warm blanket cheered Mario up. Perhaps getting lost in the woods wasn't so bad after all. In the morning, everything would be clearer and he would have a fresh start. He could look at the map and find a better route to travel by morning.
He spied a faint light by his left and led his horse to his left, following the light. Hopefully, it was the light of a warm, cozy house. He followed the light for some time, the cozy bed awaiting him warming up his thoughts.
After a while, the forest stopped. Not really stopped, but more like, dwindled down. The number of trees decreased and there became an entrance to a garden. The garden was run-down and looked as if no one had tended to it in years, yet it held a mysteriousness that made any person who saw it dismiss its state. Mario entered the garden and followed the light, hoping there was some food from where the light came from. Reaching the source, Mario stopped and looked up at the castle that towered over him. This castle looked like it had been abandoned. There was no noise, no people talking and neglected plants. But why was there a light from one of the windows? What's happening?
~~~
Leo shook his head. No, Aglaia wouldn't leave him as beast, would she? He was interrupted in his reverie by a knock on the palace door. Even though normally, he would not hear this in his own castle, it was so quiet in the palace that the knock was easily heard.
He crept out of his room, remembering that he was a beast and would most likely scare the wits out of whoever was knocking. Leo stood by the grand staircase, lurking in the shadows. He had a perfect view of the door in his position. The door soon opened, and a rotund man peeked inside. Discovering that no one was there, he walked in and started to look around.
Leo felt sorry for the stranger, for it was obvious that he was cold and immediately wished that there was a fire in the fireplace to warm him up.
Suddenly, the fireplace in the dining hall blazed with fire, causing the stranger and Leo to jump back in surprise. Leo heard a faint, "Yes, your majesty." and decided that one of his servants heard his wishes.
Leo thought of a small feast for the stranger, hearing his stomach growl loudly. Instantly, the dining table was filled with pastries and food not unlike those given to kings and queens in their banquets.
The stranger gasped in surprise, but not wasting any time, he quickly sat down on the chair and wolfed down as much food as he could.
Chapter Nine
"I will be back in a few weeks. There will probably be a lot of paperwork included." Mario tried to climb up his horse unsuccessfully.
Catarina clapped her hands excitedly. "Oh, this is wonderful! We are rich again! Papa, you will bring me something, right?" She started jumping up and down in glee.
Mario looked fondly at his beloved daughter. "Of course Catarina. What do you want me to bring?" He tried to get on his horse again, this time accomplishing the task.
"Bring me back dresses, papa. With lots and lots of diamonds and pearls!" Catarina looked up at her father in utter adoration, clasping her hands together.
"And what do you want Alessia?" Mario said, remembering he had another daughter.
"If it's not too much trouble, bring me back a puppy, papa. I would like one to keep me company." Alessia had a wistful look on her face.
"What would you like me to bring back for you, Adela?" Mario arranged the bags on the horse. After Adela's instructions to bring back pots and food, Mario nodded curtly, eager to leave.
Mario prepared to go, purposely ignoring Aglaia. Adela frowned at her husband and Mario sighed. "What would you like me to bring for you, Charites?," he said somewhat grudgingly.
Aglaia, having been away from the land of fairies missed everything about it. The only time she did not miss it so much was when she smelled the roses that Mario brought home one day. They tried to plant the wild roses but it died after a few weeks. The roses reminded her so much of the flowers in her land that it instantly became her favorite flower. It also reminded her of Leo, since his castle was filled with the flowers. Ever since the day they tried to plant roses, she had been longing to have the house filled with roses.
"Could you bring me a rose, please? Just so I can plant one here. It reminds me of my hometown." Aglaia said, looking up at Mario.
After much grumbling and complaining, Mario complied and prepared to leave. He nodded at them in farewell and urged his horse in the right direction.
~~~
Leo paced back and forth in his room. What was to become of him? He was a monster, a cross between a bear and a lion. The fairy had ruined him, had even jeopardized innocent bystanders. He turned everyone in the abandoned castle–Leo had searched the house only to find no one there–into nothing more than spirits, winds that breeze to and fro.
Where was Aglaia? She probably knows about his... condition by now. She was a fairy. Fairies are supposed to know these things aren't they? Leo knew that Aglaia was hiding. He knew that he had no right to fault her for not being there with him. She has other matters to take care of. But he couldn't help it. Couldn't she visit him, or... send some sort of message to him just to see if he's alright? She would know where he was. She could do a spell and find him.
Maybe she doesn't know. But fairies knew didn't they? In books, fairies always knew. And they came to save the day with their glowing wands and their glittery dust. So where was all the glitter?
~~~
Mario looked at the map he was holding. It made no sense. Everything looked the same to him. Huge trees surrounded him, and he could hear the pitter patter of tiny animal feet somewhere. Crickets were chirping, and there was a faint sound of water splashing in a nearby pool. A faint breeze whistled by, sending dead leaves fluttering about.
Mario shook his head and sighed. He was hoping to reach the building by Kirmal that the messenger had instructed him to go to before nightfall but it was apparent that he had to find someplace to stay the night.
Mario urged the horse to a brisk trot, looking around for any sign of light. A blazing fire and the comfort of a warm blanket cheered Mario up. Perhaps getting lost in the woods wasn't so bad after all. In the morning, everything would be clearer and he would have a fresh start. He could look at the map and find a better route to travel by morning.
He spied a faint light by his left and led his horse to his left, following the light. Hopefully, it was the light of a warm, cozy house. He followed the light for some time, the cozy bed awaiting him warming up his thoughts.
After a while, the forest stopped. Not really stopped, but more like, dwindled down. The number of trees decreased and there became an entrance to a garden. The garden was run-down and looked as if no one had tended to it in years, yet it held a mysteriousness that made any person who saw it dismiss its state. Mario entered the garden and followed the light, hoping there was some food from where the light came from. Reaching the source, Mario stopped and looked up at the castle that towered over him. This castle looked like it had been abandoned. There was no noise, no people talking and neglected plants. But why was there a light from one of the windows? What's happening?
~~~
Leo shook his head. No, Aglaia wouldn't leave him as beast, would she? He was interrupted in his reverie by a knock on the palace door. Even though normally, he would not hear this in his own castle, it was so quiet in the palace that the knock was easily heard.
He crept out of his room, remembering that he was a beast and would most likely scare the wits out of whoever was knocking. Leo stood by the grand staircase, lurking in the shadows. He had a perfect view of the door in his position. The door soon opened, and a rotund man peeked inside. Discovering that no one was there, he walked in and started to look around.
Leo felt sorry for the stranger, for it was obvious that he was cold and immediately wished that there was a fire in the fireplace to warm him up.
Suddenly, the fireplace in the dining hall blazed with fire, causing the stranger and Leo to jump back in surprise. Leo heard a faint, "Yes, your majesty." and decided that one of his servants heard his wishes.
Leo thought of a small feast for the stranger, hearing his stomach growl loudly. Instantly, the dining table was filled with pastries and food not unlike those given to kings and queens in their banquets.
The stranger gasped in surprise, but not wasting any time, he quickly sat down on the chair and wolfed down as much food as he could.