"You overdid it a bit." I said as I looked around. I was trying to take in the elegant chamber that couldn't possibly be my dining hall.
The silver was laid out on the table as if it were for a feast, the golden light from the candles dancing in waves along the goblets' edges. In the absence of any fresh flowers, pine boughs had been arranged along the table, their clean scent wafting around the room. Paper snowflakes and pine cone garlands hung from the chandeliers. Cranberries filled small vases lining the table and a small fire warmed the room even as frost laced up the windows. I heard Lilla's voice from near the fireplace.
"Don't you like it, Prince Sagittarius?" Lilla ask.
"No, it's...I mean, yes, I do, I just...wasn't expecting this." I admitted.
"It was Lilla's idea." Brimley said, "She thought it would be a nice gesture, and we all agreed. We haven't gotten a chance to show what we're capable of in a long time, sir. We thought we'd celebrate your achievement in getting this far, so we spared no detail. though perhaps we did overdo it...just a touch." I just shook my head mutely. The castle hadn't looked this nice since...since the Christmas Eve ball...almost twelve years ago. The same Christmas...where I lost my human form.
"Thank you...for all your hard work." I said, almost choking up.
"Of course, Sagittarius." Brimley and Lilla said at the same time. I heard Brimley's footsteps as I saw the chair pulling out of the end of the table. He must've done that so that I could be seated when Sapphire arrived.
"You'll do fine, sir." Brimley said.
"Yes...but I need to make sure that he knows that." I said.
'I already do, and I'll mess this dinner just like the first!' I doubt you'll be able to do that. Sapphire now knows the difference between me and you. I heard the Werewolf growl as Brimley chuckled softly and patted my shoulder before hurrying off to finalize things in the kitchens. I was left alone, sitting in astonishment as I tried to take in the enormity of what they had done. After everything I...and the Werewolf put them through, they were still willing to do this for me. Well, not just for me, they were doing this for everyone. 'You've lost your mind, Sagittarius! They're just doing this so they can be free! Are you even listening to me?' Nope.
There was a soft knock on the door; I stiffened, turning toward the sound as a cold sweat broke out on my skin. I still wasn't sure if I was ready for this. The implications of this dinner were far greater than having a simple lunch with her. This could change everything...and I absolutely wasn't prepared. Suddenly, there she was, standing self-consciously in the doorway, her red hair falling loose across her bare shoulders as she stepped hesitantly into the room.
I really couldn't believe my eyes: Sapphire wasn't wearing her black and white cloak! She was wearing a deep blue glittering dress, ribbons on her chest and pearls around her waist. She also wasn't wearing any gloves or masks! Her black markings and needle hands were in plain sight. She was just...breathtaking. I half-stumbled to my feet in my haste to guide her to her chair, but she thankfully didn't notice my stumbling. She was distracted for she was by the decorations. She...carefully took my arm as I led her to her seat, all the while staring in awe at the candles and garlands draped everywhere. Sapphire's hands did poke me, but I barely noticed at all. While she was looking at the decorations, I was distracted by a scraping noise. I just happened to look down and was quite surprised. Sapphire wasn't kidding about her hands and feet being made of needles. When I looked down, I saw that she was walking on her feet the same way I am: on the ball of the foot. My thoughts were that whenever Sapphire walked, her feet make that clinking and scraping noise. I didn't comment on her feet. The last thing I wanted to do is make Sapphire uncomfortable again.
"This is amazing!" She said.
"I'm glad you like it." I nervously said, "The servants prepared it. I had no idea they were planning this, actually..." Sapphire laughed softly and finally tore her gaze away from the display to meet my face.
"It's wonderful, just like Christmas!" She said. I smiled back and forcibly squashed down the uneasy feeling that had risen in my stomach when she had said 'Christmas'. It wouldn't do to get distracted worrying over how much time I had left. I just needed to keep talking.
"Your dress is beautiful." I managed to say.
"Thank you," she said, "I made it. Lilla helped me measure myself, but I made the whole thing."
We continued small attempts at conversation as soup and bread were carried out, seemingly by no one. She commented on my lack of the sling and, like Brimley, expressed concern that it was too early to go without it. I smiled, her worry oddly enough warming me. I showed her the range of motion in my shoulder, as if to prove how it was healing. My broken ribs were still sore, but the gunshot wound on my upper arm was almost completely healed. I no longer had to bandage it; it was nothing more than a faint pink line where my fur had yet to grow back. The claw marks, however, while healing, were still extremely raw and those I kept bandaged.
I asked her about what she liked to do for fun and her activities, if she had any...considering her past. Sapphire told me about going on rides with her horse, Snowflake, and the things they would see throughout their little adventures. I made a guess that she either had these adventures before her mother passed away...or whenever she could get away from her aunt and cousin. Sapphire barely reacted when the servants brought out the main dish.
"I wish I could share my adventures with you." She said, "They're wonderful places and no one else has really taken an interest, and I think you'd really like them if, you know, you could...I should shut up." Her face and chest had turned roughly the color of her hair. Well, the white parts of her face and chest did and she seemed mortified as she took a sip of her ice water. I couldn't help but laugh. I had never seen anyone lose his or her composure as swiftly or dramatically as that, but strangely, with Sapphire, it was...endearing. She smiled at me tentatively.
"I'd love to see them." I said, "You are so devoted to your adventures that you're willing to take a monster with you."
"You're no monster, Sagittarius." Sapphire said, "I think you've been lost, but the person I'm talking to is no monster. In fact, if I hadn't known any better, I would've believed that you were a prince." I didn't have any response to her words, stunned as I was by them and, to my immense embarrassment, my eyes began to burn and prickle. I quickly looked away. She did know that I was under a spell and I used to be a human, but Sapphire didn't know that I really was a prince. I couldn't tell her that that part, at least not yet. After a moment passed where I composed myself, I looked back at her. She also appeared embarrassed, if the color of her neck was any indication. As neither one of us was touching the last of our food, I decided to take a chance I would've never taken a few weeks ago.
"I...don't know if you're interested, but would you...like to...um..."
"Yes, Sagittarius?" She asked. I didn't know if I could say it.
"Would you...like to take a walk...with me?" I finally asked, she smiled and said:
"Sure, I would like to." Nothing could express my happiness when I heard that. I gently got out of my seat and gave Sapphire my paw. She placed her needle hand in my black paw. I held it tightly as we walked outside. The December air nipped at us, but I kept Sapphire near me to keep her warm. She barely noticed, but as we were walking around, we heard noises in the stalls. I opened the door to the stalls and Sapphire quickly went inside. When Snowflake looked at us, he seemed surprised. "Do you like my new look, Snowflake?" Sapphire asked her horse; Snowflake just neighed happily. He soon looked over at me. I could tell that he didn't want me there, so I was about to leave until Sapphire spoke again. "Sagittarius is my new friend, Snowflake. You can trust him like you trust me." She then looked at me and said: "Come here." I was nervous about Snowflake. I didn't want him to bite the clothes Sapphire had made for us. I walked up to his stall and slowly reached out to stroke his head. He didn't move! I was greatly surprised that he let me near him. Sapphire was smiling...until we heard braying. "What was that?" She asked.
"That...would be Midnight." I answered. I could tell it was her because every donkey makes a different sound than another donkey. I walked over to Midnight's stall. She stopped braying as soon as I came by. She calmed down, came over to me and leaned against the stall walls. I gently put my paw on her neck and scratched her behind the ears. 'I can't believe how soft you've become, Sagittarius!' So? I don't care! 'You should care! The softer you are, the greater heartache you will suffer from!' Heartache? What are you talking about?
"Sagittarius?" I heard; I quickly snapped out of my head and looked over at Sapphire, only to realize that she was next to me and petting Midnight. "Why not take out animals outside? Snowflake doesn't like being cooped up for a long time and...I bet your friend here doesn't either." I smiled at her, thinking it was a good idea. I put Midnight's halter on her and tied a rope to her halter as Sapphire tied Snowflake's reins on his halter. We walked out with Snowflake and Midnight next to us. I had a pasture that I used to let Midnight and the other horses run around it. I opened the gate and let Midnight walk inside, Sapphire did the same thing with Snowflake. As the two of them chased each other, we saw the snow being kicked up into the air because of their hooves. It was actually a beautiful sight to see. I looked over at Sapphire. She was smiling as she leaned against a tree.
"So...have you enjoyed tonight, Sapphire?" I dared to ask.
"Oh yes, Sagittarius. It was a much better night than...well...the first time."
"I know. I think I can say that I've gained control over him because...even though he's still talking to me, he hasn't taken control over me."
"I can tell." She said, "I can defiantly see the change between you...and the Werewolf. The Werewolf wants to harm everyone near him. You, on the other hand...you wouldn't harm a soul."
"You've also changed." I told her.
"What do you mean, Sagittarius?"
"You seem...a lot happier ever since you came here." I explained, "It's as if...you're a different person...and she finally came out when she stopped hiding her face." I was hoping that I hadn't touched a sore spot, but Sapphire just smiled at me.
"You wouldn't be too far off the mark in saying that."
"Seems like a lot of work to me." I admitted, "You've put so much energy into that facade. Why...don't you stop pretending to be something you're not?" Sapphire was silent for a moment. "I'm sorry, Sapphire. I-I-I-I didn't mean anything by it." But she raised her hand at me and spoke to me. What she said wasn't what I expected.
"I've been pretending for a long time, Sagittarius. It's not easy to just 'turn it off'. You really wouldn't understand, even though you've been trapped here, trapped in that body and that Werewolf talking to you in your mind, You have more freedom than I ever did. You never had to control your emotions, or fake who you were to please someone else. Despite that Werewolf taking control of you, you were willing to take the blame when the Werewolf done it." Sapphire was right: I didn't have to please anyone. In fact, if I had to please anyone, besides myself, it would be Sapphire. I looked out into the pasture; I could see how tired Snowflake and Midnight were getting. We called them over and brought them back into their stalls and went inside the castle.
Sapphire and I weren't ready for the night to end yet...so...I decided to take her into the ballroom, another room I've avoided ever since I was cursed. Even though it was dark, the ballroom sparkled by the snow and the light of the moon. I brought Sapphire over to a couch, it was dusty, but I dusted it off and sat Sapphire down. We watched the brilliance of the snow from inside the ballroom.
"Sagittarius, it's a little chilly in here." Sapphire said.
"Wait here." I said as I walked back to the dining room. I decided to steal some of the firewood that was stacked next to the dining room fireplace. I came back to the ballroom with some firewood and matches. I lit a fire in the ballroom fireplace. The logs burned as the fire popped. I stood back up and looked back at Sapphire. She was still staring at the falling snow.
"Better?" I asked. She grabbed my paw and forced me to sit down next to her.
"Much, Sagittarius." She said as she looked at my face. Her eyes were dry, though they held an odd gleam.
"Sapphire...why are you looking at me like that?" I had to ask.
"I've...never had someone work so hard for my friendship." She answered, "You...so badly wanted to be my friend...despite how many times I've pushed you away. Tell me Sagittarius, was it worth all the hard work?"
"What do you mean by that?"
"Now that you've finally earned my friendship..cracked my shell, so to speak, do you...like what you see? Am I...the real me...am I worth it?" She asked. I could tell that she wanted an honest answer.
"Yes." I answered. 'What?' "You've given me a chance to show you who I really was...like no else ever given me. You've even seen me at my darkest moments. You've seen me as...inhuman." 'Sagittarius, you stupid idiot!' "Knowing...what I'm capable of...am I worth it, Sapphire?" You've done so much for me and...I haven't given much back. Am...I worth it to you?" Sapphire was giving me a look that just pierced my soul as my words hung between us like our frozen breath. However, unlike my breath, which was caught in my throat waiting for her answer, my words could not be taken back. 'You've lost your mind! You've haven't changed!'
"Yes," Sapphire answered, "You were never the Werewolf. You never had been. The man that's been held...'captive', so to speak, is worth it." She had laid her needle hand on my arm. It was the area where I still had my bandages. I was amazed at how much her words meant to me. She sat closer to me and looked at me with such a hypnotizing affect.
'Sagittarius! Don't let her do what I fear she'll do!' I ignored the Werewolf. I was frozen, too stunned to move and terrified of ruining this perfect, fleeing moment. 'Sagittarius! No! Please NO! Don't do this to me!' I cautiously took her needle hands in mine, leaned in towards her and...kissed her. I felt her return the kiss, despite my snout and fangs. We stayed there on the couch, enjoying our precious moment.