I came awake to a light, unexpected touch on my shoulder, I untucked my head from where I had curled my arm around it and blinked sleepily into the dim morning light.
"Sorry to wake you up, Sagittarius." I heard Brimley say. I was still very tired from wandering through the snow.
"What's with waking me up?" I groaned with my head still in my torn-up pillows.
"You slept much later than is usual for you." He said, "I've already brought the lady her breakfast. She seems quite agitated this morning and I thought perhaps you'd like to speak with her...and...possibly apologize about what happened last night?" I growled deep in my throat, resisting the urge to yawn, as my tails curled more tightly around me. I threw the blanket violently away and I shivered. I was still cold from last night, but I forced myself to at least sit up, knowing full well that Brimley was liable to start smacking me if I didn't start moving...and I didn't trust myself not to hit him back. There was an abrupt silence from him, one I wasn't expecting.
"What is it, Brimley?" I asked in a tired voice.
"Sagittarius...why is your fur wet?" I looked at my fur and saw clumps of my fur wet. No wonder I was still cold this morning.
"I was in the snow outside." I answered, "It helps me think."
"Oh, did it help?"
"I don't know. I don't know anything anymore."
"Don't say that, Sagittarius." He pushed, "Now, there's still some breakfast left if you're hungry. The sausage is a bit more cooked than you like, I didn't realize they'd put it in the skillet until it had already started to brown, but I hope that shouldn't be an issue."
"It won't...I'm not hungry."
"Serious?" Brimley asked surprised, "But, sire..."
"Look," I said trying not to get upset, "I have a lot on my mind right now, all right?"
"Yes, sir." He said, "I'll leave you...and maybe try to apologize to Sapphire." Brimley left my chambers with the door open. I scooped up the cape, that I picked up on my way back in last night, and swung it around my shoulders.
Back in the castle with this small cape around my neck, I was Prince Sagittarius again, and thought it pulled my fur and choked me, the cape helped me look the part. I walked out of my chambers and walked down to Sapphire's door. I came to a complete stop as I approached her closed door, straightening up to a knotted stomach and an off-center cape. I fixed the cape slowly, thinking over what I was going to say, without the Werewolf interfering, and understanding the meaning of having one's heart in one's throat. Our last interaction had been a disaster...and I needed this time to go better. I had no idea what to do...to start this. Sighing, I raised a paw and tapped on her door, not wanting to scare her. Her door opened almost immediately, but when Sapphire saw me, she stared in shock, anger, disgust and, there it was...fear.
"What do you want now?" She asked, I was suddenly lost for words. What do you say to a woman who holds the key to your existence? Instead of standing there gawping, trying to come up with the perfect thing to say, I decided to simply start talking. After all, she was only human...and I was...well...sentient, at the very least.
"I...suppose I wish to apologize for last night." I said, "I was...insensitive. If you would forgive me..." I couldn't say anything else because I couldn't think of anything else to say. Sapphire stared at me appraisingly for a moment; then stepped back and opened the door wider, not entirely inviting me in, but almost hinting that it could be an option providing I behaved. 'Just force yourself in!' Pipe your snout and stay out of it!
"All right," Sapphire said as she opened the door wider, "I accept your apology." I gave her a soft smile, I didn't want my fangs to scare her. I peered over her into the room; there was a small box on the bed. I've never saw that box before. I was thinking that it must belong to Sapphire. I stared over at the bed, the deep red sheets were rumpled, but the bed was made, as if she had been curled up on it, or else refused to actually sleep it it. I also noticed something sparkle in the box by the light of the candle in the room.
"If you don't mind me asking, what's in that box?" I saw the pupils shrink in Sapphire's blue eyes. She ran from the door and pounced on her box, like an animal pouncing on its prey. It looked like she doesn't want anyone to have what's in it. "I won't take it!" I said, "I just want to know what's in it."
"How can I be sure that you won't take it?" She asked in worry. By the way she was acting, whatever was in that box, it was something that was very dear to her.
"I swear on my life that I won't take anything that belongs to you." I told her, "I'm just...curious about what it is." I heard Sapphire take a deep breath before she spoke again.
"Okay." I carefully opened the door the rest of the way. I saw her sitting on the bed, holding the decorated box close to her heart. I sat down in an armchair that was near the bed.
"I made a promise to you." I said, "Please show me." I heard Sapphire sigh as she gently released her box. She put the box in front of her and opened it. I couldn't believe my eyes. Glass roses! I thought I was the only one who could make them. There were only two, but nothing could express how amazed I was seeing them. I couldn't see the colors, so I thought I could talk to her about showing them to me. It would give me a chance to talk about what we have in common. "They're...they're beautiful." I said.
"I know," Sapphire said, "my grandfather...had them specifically for my parents."
"What colors are they?" I asked.
"Red and blue, like a cherry in the sky." I watched her slowly take them out of the box with her hands still hidden in her white sleeves, but I noticed that the glass stems didn't have any leaves.
"Were they made without the leaves?"
"No," Sapphire answered, "they had leaves...until my cousin, Lucinda, found them."
"What did she do?" I asked her, I could sense a sad deposition from her.
"She was...playing with them until she dropped them." She said, "I grabbed the roses before they shattered on the floor, but Lucinda tried to pull them out of my hands and...well, you see the result." I couldn't believe someone would treat glass like a toy! I growled to myself, but I think Sapphire thought I was growling at her. I had to take her mind of it.
"By the sound on your voice," I said, "you hate your cousins."
"I've hated Lucinda," she corrected, "not Stephanie. Lucinda and her mother, my Aunt Olivia, hated me. I was a servant...not a family member."
"So...you're saying you are happier that you're away from your cousin and aunt."
"I managed to escape them," Sapphire said, "but not you." It was true, she couldn't escape me. All I've done is...destroy the rest of her life after escaping her aunt and cousin.
"You're just as hypocritical as everyone else. There's nothing special about you!" What the heck? "It's all just an act. Like everyone else in this world, you delude yourself into thinking it's all right when you know it's not." No! Stop, please! Don't do this! "You settle for less because you have no ambition, instead of admitting you hate your life, you hide away under that hooded cloak!" You can't do this! Please! "Well guess what? I can't hide from this. I've never been able to hide from this. You need to grow a spine and stop pretending. The world is an awful place and you can't hide from it either." I finally gained control, but it was too late. I was standing there, panting and glaring at her. I grabbed my snout and covered my mouth as she glared right back with a concoction of fear, disgust, anger and loathing in her cold blue eyes. She walked over to a rocking chair in the corner. I saw her lift it over her head with her hidden hands. I was...almost amazed that she was able to lift that.
"GET OUT!" Sapphire screamed, getting ready to throw the chair. "GET OUT, you monster wolf!" The hatred in her eyes and voice was enough for me. I ran out of the room with a howl, running to the sound of the chair hitting the door behind me and plummeting to the ground. I walked back to my chambers in despair and closed the door. I couldn't believe it, I was beginning to make progress...and the Werewolf destroyed it.