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 Eleven
Mario started trembling. A huge monster, almost nine feet tall towered over him. If he was in his right state of mind he would've noticed that the monster seemed as surprised to see him there as he was of it. But as it was, he was terrified.
He backed away and felt the rose bush blocking his path. His eyes widened in terror as he realized that he was trapped. Furthermore, the beast was shaking its monstrous head and inching closer to him.
"Please! Spare me! It was for a girl who lives with us." Realizing that there was no way of escape, Mario dropped to his knees and groveled at the monster's feet.
The monster stood still at his words and Mario spoke once again, his voice shaking, "Please, I'll do anything!"
Mario's eyes grew frightened against the monster's hard stare and it felt like the beast could see even his innermost secrets. Seeing the beast step forward, he continued his hasty plea.
"I'll give you all the jewels I have! Anything you want at all! Please, just don't kill me!" The great monster shook its mane and growled, advancing towards the kneeling man.
"There is no need for this." Then, as an afterthought, "Who asked for the roses?" The monster said this very gently, or as gentle as he could, for he did want to know out of curiosity, remembering the elusive answer the man gave him.
"A guest in our house. She lives with us. Don't eat me, I can give–" Mario stopped himself and thought of what he was about to give away. Charites was a menace, true, but she was also beautiful. There were many offers for her marriage during the past few months she had been staying there. She was so beautiful that everyone started calling her 'the little beauty'. Perhaps he could marry her off to a duke or a prince even, and use her to take all the money that he wanted. This beast would most likely eat her and there would be no money to squander.
Alessia was beautiful as well. She has had various offers as well, even after they became poor. She would be an asset. It would not be wise to sacrifice her to end up as this monster's dinner.
Catarina, ah his sweet Catarina. She the only one who ever listened to him, to his advice. She would be a great loss to the family if he gave her up. But she has not had a suitor since they left and went to the country to live. Personally, he doesn't understand why, but she has the least power and wealth to offer him.
The beast was looking at him throughout this time with thoughtful eyes, studying the expressions that flashed through his face. He saw malice, anger and greed. Mostly greed. He began to despise the man.
"I am offering you my eldest daughter. She is most beautiful and would gladly take her poor father's place in your stoma–er...palace." Mario's face was flushed with sweat and exertion and he was shaking heavily to hear the beast's answer. Surely he would not say no.
At first, it looked as if the beast was going to, but then he hesitated. The monster shook his mane as if to clear its thoughts and spoke gruffly, "Fine. Bring her here by tomorrow. But she has to be willing as you promised." And with that, the monster was gone, leaving Mario to think of his unknowingly self-inflicted sacrifice.
~~~
Alessia walked in-between Aglaia and Catarina, carrying two baskets. They were asked to pick apples and they headed towards the end of the meadow, just at the border of the forest to the apple tree. Catarina skipped all the way, not even chores quenching her spirits. Aglaia walked on the other side with a basket as well, looking around.
"It's so peaceful out here." Aglaia whispered in awe to Alessia. Alessia nodded. "Yes. The first time we came here, I used to go here all the time to think. And to escape." Alessia smiled fondly.
"Everything just gets so chaotic. It's nice to be able to hear yourself think." Aglaia nodded, agreeing with Alessia. They were so much alike. Both felt the need to escape now and then. They shared many similar opinions to the people of the ton as well.
"I wanted to ask you something." Aglaia started. Alessia looked at her, inquiringly, "What is it?" Aglaia hesitated. She didn't know if it would be proper to ask, if it was still a sensitive topic.
"What is it?" Alessia repeated, seeing Aglaia's hesitation. "Well, I wanted to know what happened. Why you're here. Your father has acknowledged many times that you were rich before. What happened?"
Alessia made sure that Catarina wouldn't hear their discussion lest she scold Aglaia for asking and lowered her voice. "We used to be very rich. We lived in a great house in the great city of Methia. It was wonderful! Balls and dances almost everyday." Alessia's voice grew thoughtful.
"We would have maids and servants to tend to our every bidding."
Aglaia nodded. "That's why Catarina is having a hard time doing chores." She did understand. It's hard to have to adjust from something you have known all your life to an entirely different situation.
Alessia hesitated. "Catarina has been here for eight months and she still expects everyone to do her bidding. She is not adjusting. She merely expects us to be rich again. I suppose you could say that Methia is the world that she fits in."
"Do you think that Methia is the world that you fit in?" Aglaia studied Alessia's face.
Alessia sighed, and replied, "When my papa told us that we would have to move, I thought that I would hate my new life. But when I got here I saw how beautiful the country is. I have grown quite fond of the grass and the forest. I suppose that this is the world I fit in."
They reached the tree and started picking apples. Catarina wandered off to pick flowers. Aglaia nodded and asked, "Why did you have to leave?"
Alessia tucked an apple safely in the basket and replied, "You see, papa is a merchant. He trades goods through ships, and we thrive through his business. Papa sent out ships this one time, but there was a terrible storm. The ships were supposed to cross Ydnis Sea to the port in Lyrem. But it never left Ydnis Sea. The storm sank all of the ships and all of our money. By this time, papa's creditors started to line up outside our doors. We sold our house and possessions, paid the creditors, and used the rest of the money to buy this cottage."
Before any of them could speak, Catarina was running towards the house, shouting, "It's papa, it's papa!". They hitched up their skirts and started for the house, baskets forgotten.
Chapter Eleven
Mario started trembling. A huge monster, almost nine feet tall towered over him. If he was in his right state of mind he would've noticed that the monster seemed as surprised to see him there as he was of it. But as it was, he was terrified.
He backed away and felt the rose bush blocking his path. His eyes widened in terror as he realized that he was trapped. Furthermore, the beast was shaking its monstrous head and inching closer to him.
"Please! Spare me! It was for a girl who lives with us." Realizing that there was no way of escape, Mario dropped to his knees and groveled at the monster's feet.
The monster stood still at his words and Mario spoke once again, his voice shaking, "Please, I'll do anything!"
Mario's eyes grew frightened against the monster's hard stare and it felt like the beast could see even his innermost secrets. Seeing the beast step forward, he continued his hasty plea.
"I'll give you all the jewels I have! Anything you want at all! Please, just don't kill me!" The great monster shook its mane and growled, advancing towards the kneeling man.
"There is no need for this." Then, as an afterthought, "Who asked for the roses?" The monster said this very gently, or as gentle as he could, for he did want to know out of curiosity, remembering the elusive answer the man gave him.
"A guest in our house. She lives with us. Don't eat me, I can give–" Mario stopped himself and thought of what he was about to give away. Charites was a menace, true, but she was also beautiful. There were many offers for her marriage during the past few months she had been staying there. She was so beautiful that everyone started calling her 'the little beauty'. Perhaps he could marry her off to a duke or a prince even, and use her to take all the money that he wanted. This beast would most likely eat her and there would be no money to squander.
Alessia was beautiful as well. She has had various offers as well, even after they became poor. She would be an asset. It would not be wise to sacrifice her to end up as this monster's dinner.
Catarina, ah his sweet Catarina. She the only one who ever listened to him, to his advice. She would be a great loss to the family if he gave her up. But she has not had a suitor since they left and went to the country to live. Personally, he doesn't understand why, but she has the least power and wealth to offer him.
The beast was looking at him throughout this time with thoughtful eyes, studying the expressions that flashed through his face. He saw malice, anger and greed. Mostly greed. He began to despise the man.
"I am offering you my eldest daughter. She is most beautiful and would gladly take her poor father's place in your stoma–er...palace." Mario's face was flushed with sweat and exertion and he was shaking heavily to hear the beast's answer. Surely he would not say no.
At first, it looked as if the beast was going to, but then he hesitated. The monster shook his mane as if to clear its thoughts and spoke gruffly, "Fine. Bring her here by tomorrow. But she has to be willing as you promised." And with that, the monster was gone, leaving Mario to think of his unknowingly self-inflicted sacrifice.
~~~
Alessia walked in-between Aglaia and Catarina, carrying two baskets. They were asked to pick apples and they headed towards the end of the meadow, just at the border of the forest to the apple tree. Catarina skipped all the way, not even chores quenching her spirits. Aglaia walked on the other side with a basket as well, looking around.
"It's so peaceful out here." Aglaia whispered in awe to Alessia. Alessia nodded. "Yes. The first time we came here, I used to go here all the time to think. And to escape." Alessia smiled fondly.
"Everything just gets so chaotic. It's nice to be able to hear yourself think." Aglaia nodded, agreeing with Alessia. They were so much alike. Both felt the need to escape now and then. They shared many similar opinions to the people of the ton as well.
"I wanted to ask you something." Aglaia started. Alessia looked at her, inquiringly, "What is it?" Aglaia hesitated. She didn't know if it would be proper to ask, if it was still a sensitive topic.
"What is it?" Alessia repeated, seeing Aglaia's hesitation. "Well, I wanted to know what happened. Why you're here. Your father has acknowledged many times that you were rich before. What happened?"
Alessia made sure that Catarina wouldn't hear their discussion lest she scold Aglaia for asking and lowered her voice. "We used to be very rich. We lived in a great house in the great city of Methia. It was wonderful! Balls and dances almost everyday." Alessia's voice grew thoughtful.
"We would have maids and servants to tend to our every bidding."
Aglaia nodded. "That's why Catarina is having a hard time doing chores." She did understand. It's hard to have to adjust from something you have known all your life to an entirely different situation.
Alessia hesitated. "Catarina has been here for eight months and she still expects everyone to do her bidding. She is not adjusting. She merely expects us to be rich again. I suppose you could say that Methia is the world that she fits in."
"Do you think that Methia is the world that you fit in?" Aglaia studied Alessia's face.
Alessia sighed, and replied, "When my papa told us that we would have to move, I thought that I would hate my new life. But when I got here I saw how beautiful the country is. I have grown quite fond of the grass and the forest. I suppose that this is the world I fit in."
They reached the tree and started picking apples. Catarina wandered off to pick flowers. Aglaia nodded and asked, "Why did you have to leave?"
Alessia tucked an apple safely in the basket and replied, "You see, papa is a merchant. He trades goods through ships, and we thrive through his business. Papa sent out ships this one time, but there was a terrible storm. The ships were supposed to cross Ydnis Sea to the port in Lyrem. But it never left Ydnis Sea. The storm sank all of the ships and all of our money. By this time, papa's creditors started to line up outside our doors. We sold our house and possessions, paid the creditors, and used the rest of the money to buy this cottage."
Before any of them could speak, Catarina was running towards the house, shouting, "It's papa, it's papa!". They hitched up their skirts and started for the house, baskets forgotten.