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!
SO SO SO SO sorry that it took me a while to get back on track... but to make up for it, I'm posting TWO chapters!!! :P enjoy and review!!
Chapter Seventeen
Aglaia walked slowly down the hall, yawning. Where would she sleep? Yawning once more, she decided to take the next room that she saw. She tried to find the beast, but it wasn't anywhere. Aglaia yawned again and decided to look for it tomorrow.
Seeing another room to her right, Aglaia walked over to it. The door was painted cream and it had beautiful carvings on it. On the middle part of the door, two words were carved into it: Beauty's Room. Aglaia traced the letters slowly, wondering who the room could be for.
She hesitated, a battle between her curiosity and caution took place. Curiosity won, and Aglaia pushed open the door. She stood by the doorway in awe, looking around the room. It was painted in deep green, her favorite color, and small vines of varying shades of green were carefully painted on the uppermost and lowermost part of the wall.
A comfortable looking sleigh bed laden with green and gold pillows took up most of the corner of the room. An ornate looking rug was placed by the bed, and some paintings of fairies and sprites hung on the walls. A fireplace was built across the doorway, on the other half of the room, the blazing fire welcoming her. A beautiful mahogany table was placed on the other corner opposite the bed. Aglaia walked toward the table, catching her reflection on the mirror propped up on the wall behind the table. She was about to reach the table when she shuddered, feeling cold all over and everything suddenly went black.
Aglaia dimly felt being caught by something warm and soft before she hit the ground. She turned and burrowed deeper into the warmth. Aglaia shivered. She felt so cold.
~~~
Leo held Beauty, savoring the feel of her in his arms, for he knew that if she was awake, she would be revolted at the mere thought of him. He didn't even know what happened. One minute she was in awe of the splendor of the room he made for her, the next, she had turned white as snow and fainted. He couldn't have caught her if not for the quick reflexes that the spell on him provided.
As he held her, he could feel her shivering and burrowing her face against his chest. Holding her tighter, Leo walked over to the bed and placed Beauty on it, pulling the covers up over her shivering form. He smoothed her hair away from her face, in awe at her beauty. Leo rested his hand against her cheek and she turned towards the warmth. He stroked her cheek softly, and saw his darkly furred paw against her smooth cheek. Leo stepped away from Beauty and turned away, disgusted at himself.
They were obviously exact opposites. How could a woman as beautiful as her learn to love him and marry him? There was no hope. She was a dazzling beauty, while he... He was a monster.
~~~
"So what news do you have?" Therapon insisted, leaning forward in his chair and invading Sophronia's personal space.
Sophronia stood up from the chair and backed away a few steps from Therapon. She shook her head and crossed her arms, turning away from her brother. "Therapon, Aglaia will not marry Akakios! She has run away, and she will not return. Stop asking me her whereabouts. Even if I knew, I would never tell you."
Therapon's pleading eyes hardened, turning into an icy blue hue. "Fine. If you're going to be like that, I might as well leave. I don't understand how you can stand that little brat. Why do you protect her? She never did anything for you."
Walking towards the door, Sophronia dragged her brother with her. She stopped in front of the door and motioned towards it. "There's the door. You can use it. I will not stand here and listen to you insult Aglaia. You may have fooled Gennadius into believing you are a loyal brother, but not me."
"Fine. I will use it. And don't expect to hear from me again." Therapon fumed, getting out and slamming the door behind him.
Sophronia paced back and forth, trying to pace away her anger. She didn't know how Gennadius could be so forgiving, after everything Therapon did, a single 'I'm sorry' and everything was forgotten. Gennadius didn't know that Therapon was allied with Akakios, a fact that she wouldn't have known either, if she hadn't seen them and heard one of their conversations. Therapon wanted Aglaia to marry Akakios, and had even told Gennadius. When he found out that Gennadius wasn't very fond of Akakios, he switched tactics and pointed out that no one else was suitable for Aglaia.
In the end, when Therapon realized that nothing could dissuade his brother, he decided to 'apologize' and be best friends with him, so that Gennadius would make him Aglaia's guardian when he died. With him as guardian, he could make Aglaia marry anyone he wanted her to marry.
Sophronia shook her head and sat down. Sighing, she leaned back and closed her eyes. Akakios. Ever since he was king of fairies things started going wrong. When the queen mother ruled the fairies everything was peaceful, except for the occasional battles that occurred. But now that her son has the throne, they were always at war with some land or the other. Right now, it was with the gnomes, because their abdiga delivery was delayed. Sophronia really didn't think that their land was in danger because they didn't have the special Gnomese lotion that Akakios loved.
She sighed. Therapon didn't change at all since Gennadius' death. The last time Sophronia saw Therapon before today was the day before Gennadius' death. He didn't even go to his own brother's funeral. As soon as Gennadius died and he knew that he didn't need his brother anymore, he disappeared.
After he learned of Aglaia's disappearance, Therapon immediately went to Sophronia to ask her all she knew, probably after seeking Akakios and asking him likewise. Sophronia sighed. How did her brother become this way?
SO SO SO SO sorry that it took me a while to get back on track... but to make up for it, I'm posting TWO chapters!!! :P enjoy and review!!
Chapter Seventeen
Aglaia walked slowly down the hall, yawning. Where would she sleep? Yawning once more, she decided to take the next room that she saw. She tried to find the beast, but it wasn't anywhere. Aglaia yawned again and decided to look for it tomorrow.
Seeing another room to her right, Aglaia walked over to it. The door was painted cream and it had beautiful carvings on it. On the middle part of the door, two words were carved into it: Beauty's Room. Aglaia traced the letters slowly, wondering who the room could be for.
She hesitated, a battle between her curiosity and caution took place. Curiosity won, and Aglaia pushed open the door. She stood by the doorway in awe, looking around the room. It was painted in deep green, her favorite color, and small vines of varying shades of green were carefully painted on the uppermost and lowermost part of the wall.
A comfortable looking sleigh bed laden with green and gold pillows took up most of the corner of the room. An ornate looking rug was placed by the bed, and some paintings of fairies and sprites hung on the walls. A fireplace was built across the doorway, on the other half of the room, the blazing fire welcoming her. A beautiful mahogany table was placed on the other corner opposite the bed. Aglaia walked toward the table, catching her reflection on the mirror propped up on the wall behind the table. She was about to reach the table when she shuddered, feeling cold all over and everything suddenly went black.
Aglaia dimly felt being caught by something warm and soft before she hit the ground. She turned and burrowed deeper into the warmth. Aglaia shivered. She felt so cold.
~~~
Leo held Beauty, savoring the feel of her in his arms, for he knew that if she was awake, she would be revolted at the mere thought of him. He didn't even know what happened. One minute she was in awe of the splendor of the room he made for her, the next, she had turned white as snow and fainted. He couldn't have caught her if not for the quick reflexes that the spell on him provided.
As he held her, he could feel her shivering and burrowing her face against his chest. Holding her tighter, Leo walked over to the bed and placed Beauty on it, pulling the covers up over her shivering form. He smoothed her hair away from her face, in awe at her beauty. Leo rested his hand against her cheek and she turned towards the warmth. He stroked her cheek softly, and saw his darkly furred paw against her smooth cheek. Leo stepped away from Beauty and turned away, disgusted at himself.
They were obviously exact opposites. How could a woman as beautiful as her learn to love him and marry him? There was no hope. She was a dazzling beauty, while he... He was a monster.
~~~
"So what news do you have?" Therapon insisted, leaning forward in his chair and invading Sophronia's personal space.
Sophronia stood up from the chair and backed away a few steps from Therapon. She shook her head and crossed her arms, turning away from her brother. "Therapon, Aglaia will not marry Akakios! She has run away, and she will not return. Stop asking me her whereabouts. Even if I knew, I would never tell you."
Therapon's pleading eyes hardened, turning into an icy blue hue. "Fine. If you're going to be like that, I might as well leave. I don't understand how you can stand that little brat. Why do you protect her? She never did anything for you."
Walking towards the door, Sophronia dragged her brother with her. She stopped in front of the door and motioned towards it. "There's the door. You can use it. I will not stand here and listen to you insult Aglaia. You may have fooled Gennadius into believing you are a loyal brother, but not me."
"Fine. I will use it. And don't expect to hear from me again." Therapon fumed, getting out and slamming the door behind him.
Sophronia paced back and forth, trying to pace away her anger. She didn't know how Gennadius could be so forgiving, after everything Therapon did, a single 'I'm sorry' and everything was forgotten. Gennadius didn't know that Therapon was allied with Akakios, a fact that she wouldn't have known either, if she hadn't seen them and heard one of their conversations. Therapon wanted Aglaia to marry Akakios, and had even told Gennadius. When he found out that Gennadius wasn't very fond of Akakios, he switched tactics and pointed out that no one else was suitable for Aglaia.
In the end, when Therapon realized that nothing could dissuade his brother, he decided to 'apologize' and be best friends with him, so that Gennadius would make him Aglaia's guardian when he died. With him as guardian, he could make Aglaia marry anyone he wanted her to marry.
Sophronia shook her head and sat down. Sighing, she leaned back and closed her eyes. Akakios. Ever since he was king of fairies things started going wrong. When the queen mother ruled the fairies everything was peaceful, except for the occasional battles that occurred. But now that her son has the throne, they were always at war with some land or the other. Right now, it was with the gnomes, because their abdiga delivery was delayed. Sophronia really didn't think that their land was in danger because they didn't have the special Gnomese lotion that Akakios loved.
She sighed. Therapon didn't change at all since Gennadius' death. The last time Sophronia saw Therapon before today was the day before Gennadius' death. He didn't even go to his own brother's funeral. As soon as Gennadius died and he knew that he didn't need his brother anymore, he disappeared.
After he learned of Aglaia's disappearance, Therapon immediately went to Sophronia to ask her all she knew, probably after seeking Akakios and asking him likewise. Sophronia sighed. How did her brother become this way?