There were less than ten petals left on the white rose now. I tapped my claws against the glass of the bell jar, listening to the crystal ringing softly. This accursed hourglass, in a way, it was actually worse than an hourglass. An hourglass, at least, would be reliable. The sand forever trickling, the amount of time left clearly defined, unlike my rose. I had no idea when each petal would fall. How much time was left before they would all be lying in a wilted gray heap beneath the naked stalk? Three days, four days, a week?
I scowled around at the darkness of my old chambers. What had been only a few weeks ago...my refuge, my lair. I chose to sleep in my other bedroom again, and now, to look around and see the pile of rags I used to sleep on or the rotting mound of what used to be the Werewolf's meals. I was revolted. I knew that I sunk low, but...I didn't realize how low. It was positively...monstrous. On a whim, I tore open the shredded curtains, allowing light to reach corners or the room that it hadn't touched in many years. The decaying room drank it up, dust motes dancing like indoor snowflakes. How had I let the Werewolf get it this bad? How could I have lived like this? I heard a knock on the door.
"Come in." I said, thinking that it was Brimley.
"Revisiting your past?" I heard a female voice say. I quickly spun around, startled and found myself facing Sapphire. The sight of the room disgusted her. "Now...I know why you didn't want me to come in here."
"This...is the Werewolf's doing." I managed to say, "What are you doing here?"
"I was looking for you." She said as she sniffed. "Ugh, not only does this room look bad, it smells bad too." Sapphire managed to wander her sight over to a corner of the room. I looked over as well, I forgot that it was the corner where the Werewolf had left his hunted meals. Both, Sapphire and I, almost vomited on the floor just from the sight. "So...never had the chance to get rid of them?" Sapphire asked, "Or, dare I ask, are you still eating them?"
"Absolutely not!" I pushed, "I need to get rid of them somehow. Are you all right? You won't be sick, will you?"
"No, I'll live," she answered, "but, my heavens, it stinks in here." I decided to walk over to a window and open it...before Sapphire actually became physically sick. "You didn't tell me you had a real rose." I quickly turned around and saw that Sapphire was walking over to the bell jar. I quickly got between her and the white rose.
"Forgive me getting in the way, Sapphire," I quickly said, "but I can't allow anything to happen to this rose!"
"Why Sagittarius?" She asked. I can tell that she didn't mean to go near it, but I can tell that she wanted an explanation.
"Remember when I told you I was cursed by accident?" I asked; she nodded her head 'yes'. "Well, because the enchantress chanted a time limit, she couldn't reverse that. The petals on this white rose indicate how much time I have left to break it. If I don't break the spell...I'll remain in this body for the rest of my life."
"I'm sorry, Sagittarius." I heard her say, her face was full of forgiveness. "I didn't mean to-"
"No, I'm sorry." I decided to say before she said anything else. "I'm just trying to make sure that none of my time is wasted."
"You don't have much time, do you?" Sapphire asked, but when she asked that, we saw one of the petals peel away from the others, looking as if it might fall. Sapphire made an involuntary motion toward it, as if she somehow wanted to catch it and force it to stay in place, but miraculously, it remained attached. We both breathed a sigh of relief. I actually fell to the floor in relief, but Sapphire grabbed my right paw. "Sagittarius, don't sit on that filthy floor." She said as she tried to raise me back on my feet.
"Good point." I said, getting back on my feet. "Anyway, to answer your question, no, not much time at all." I felt her needle hand gently tracing the black pads with her thumb. I can tell that she was trying hard not to cut me with her sharp tips.
"I promise you, Sagittarius: I'll help you break the spell." She said, "I promise you that you won't remain a werewolf forever." I wondered if she truly understood what she was promising, but I was touched by how fervently she said it. I squeezed her hand as gently as I could.
"Thank you, Sapphire." I said with a soft smile.
"Sagittarius...you're crying." She said, I was actually surprised. I raised my other paw and wet the wet fur underneath my eyes. I was beginning to think I was being foolish for crying, but...Sapphire spoke again. "Sagittarius, those...are tears of joy. You're crying because you're happy. Don't ignore those tears, Sagittarius." I just continued to stare at Sapphire as more of my fur got wet from my tears. I saw her raise her right hand and felt her place it on my cheek. "You know what may help? We could...clean up this room. This room doesn't picture who you truly are. Plus..." I saw her crinkle her nose, "you have to admit, Sagittarius, it smells really bad."
"You have a point." I said as I smiled at her and released her hand. "Now...what would you suggest first?"
With Sapphire's direction, parts of the room began to again take shape. I disposed of the animals as Sapphire picked some of the broken vases off the floor. As we were removing the broken furniture, I noticed that there was something on Sapphire's mind...but she was keeping it inside.
"Sapphire, what's wrong?" I asked her as she bent down to pick up a piece of a broken chair.
"Nothing." She answered, but I knew better. As she stood back up, I blocked her way.
"Sapphire...I know there's something wrong and you've been holding it in." I said, "You can tell me." That's when I saw the blush rise on her neck and face...well, at least on the white part of her face.
"All right, I can't...I can't stop thinking about the other night...what we did...in the ballroom." She finally said, I started to feel a little worried. I didn't mean to make her feel that way.
"Maybe it's because...your heart's trying to tell you something." I said...because my heart was telling me something when I did kiss her.
"Do you believe that?" She asked.
"I do." I answered, but before I could add anything else, she jumped on me and hugged my thick neck. I think I can admit that this was a part of Sapphire I haven't seen before. Nobody probably has seen this part of her because no one was willing to accept the family curse that she was under...except me. I didn't want Sapphire to think I was offended by her hugging me, so...I hugged her back. We didn't let go for, at least, three minutes. Once we did let go, we went back to work on cleaning up.
After removing much of the broken furniture, we realized that a mop was desperately needed if we were going to make any more progress. We hurried downstairs in search of one, laughing quietly as if we were getting away with something. It was strange to be doing this ourselves, so much so that it felt as if I were breaking a rule somehow...but...I remembered when my little cousin, Adam, and I used to do this kind of sneaking around in order to get away from our mothers.
"Any idea on where we could find a mop?" Sapphire asked, "Your castle is like a maze."
"Probably somewhere on the main floor." I answered, it was my best guess. We walked down to the main floor. As we looked around, I heard something. It sounded like...someone was in the foyer. Sapphire was giving me a confused look because she couldn't hear what I did because my ears picked it up, not hers, so I motioned for her to be quiet. I forced Sapphire behind me as gently as possible as I leaned against the door, getting ready to rush in. I gently opened the door...but the door swung towards me and hit me in the snout.
I fell backwards. I also heard the scraping noise Sapphire's feet always makes when she walks...or runs. I landed to the limestone floor...hard. I must've lost consciousness for a moment...because when I came to...I saw Sapphire's friend, Rizal, in front of me. I was also holding him by his neck in my right paw. He was also the same man that shot me when I was fighting the bear. 'Let's kill him, Sagittarius! He shot us! He deserves to die!'
"No! Sagittarius, snap out of it!" I heard Sapphire shout. I then looked down and saw Sapphire staring at me with her light blue eyes.
"Sapphire?" I heard Rizal gasp out. That gave me the thought that the Werewolf was trying to strangle him.
'Sagittarius, don't listen to her! He tried to kill us!' No, he tried to kill you. I took control of myself and released Rizal's neck. In great respect, I dropped him because I was too shocked. I heard Rizal coughed as I looked at Sapphire. I also backed away from her and hid in the dark shadows.
"Sagittarius?" She softly said, she knew that I wasn't control...she knew it was the Werewolf. "Come out, please."
"Sapphire!" Rizal shouted as I watched him get in front of her. "Stay away from it!" I felt my hackles rise when he called me 'it'. "That Werewolf is a nightmare! I swear if he's harmed you-" The next thing that happened was Sapphire slapping him in the back of his head. I felt hurt that Rizal would think that I would harm her.
"How dare you say such a thing about Sagittarius!" Sapphire shouted in his face, I really couldn't believe it! "Sagittarius would never harm me! He never has!"
"But-but-but-but I saw him!" Rizal said, holding the back of his head. "He was attacking you!"
"Boy, were you blind?" She asked as she got between me and Rizal. "He wasn't attacking me! He was protecting me from a bear!"
"Pro-Protecting you?" He asked. I could tell by his voice that he was trying to wrap his mind around the idea.
"I don't care if you don't believe me, but I won't let you harm Sagittarius!" Sapphire pushed, "He's my best friend." I didn't know what Sapphire thought of me after the night we kissed. I wasn't sure what to think when she called me 'her best friend', I was hoping that she would see me more than that. After hearing that, Rizal just fell to the floor like his knees just gave out on him. Sapphire looked back at me, I could tell that she was only trying to protect me. "Sagittarius...come out...please."
"I can't." I said, "I'm...I'm afraid that he'll come after me. He shot me before."
"He would never shoot you." Sapphire pushed, "The Werewolf? Yeah, he would shoot him, but not you, Sagittarius." I was speechless by her words. Since I wasn't paying attention, Sapphire grabbed my hand and pulled me out of the shadows. Rizal jumped back onto his feet as soon as he saw me, hunching his shoulders as if to protect himself. "Rizal," she said, "this is Sagittarius."
"You're...Sagittarius?" Rizal asked me.
"Yes." I slowly answered. I barely moved my lips so as not to scare him with my fangs. He only nodded once, which was a quick jerk of his head. I felt Sapphire softly touch my arm as a silent thanks. She then turned and looked back at Rizal.
"Rizal, how did you get here?" Sapphire asked. Now that I was now thinking about it, I wondered the same thing. I hoped that this wasn't Rosetta's doing.
"Well...ever since I saw you and...Sagittarius...in the forest," Rizal tried to speak, even though his voice was towards Sapphire, his attention was on me. "I went back to the village to get some help. Everyone turned their nose at me...including my brother...so I decided to got out to find you myself."
"What happened next?" She asked.
"I became cold and tired and...I guessed I passed out in the snow." He explained, "The next thing I know I found myself here." Hearing what Rizal had to say...gave me the idea that some of the servants found him and decided to bring him inside, out from the cold. All I did was put my left hand over my eyes.
"Sagittarius, don't be upset about this." Sapphire said; I removed my paw off my eyes.
"I'm not." I said, "Just trying to refrain from saying something bad."
"I see." Sapphire said...as if she understood. She probably did...because she's seen me when I'm trying to keep myself in control. "So, Rizal," she said as she looked back at Rizal, "how long until you have to go back?"
"Whenever you're ready." He answered. That just got me very irritated. I marched up to his face, causing him to corner himself against the wall.
"I would...never harm Sapphire!" I said, with the Werewolf trying to break through.
"Wait, you don't understand what I meant!" Rizal quickly said, "When I was trying to get help, Sapphire's uncle, James Sapin, came from his trip overseas. I found out that he was sick. That was another reason on why I was looking for Sapphire." When Rizal finished, I removed all anger from my face...and looked back at Sapphire.
"He needs me." She softly said; then she looked at me pleadingly. I knew immediately what she was asking; it felt like a cold hand clamped down on my heart. I couldn't answer...I couldn't. I tried to stay calm...and in control of myself. I took a deep breath through my nose, but I smelled something...someone else was nearby. I turned my head and looked over to the corner leading to the hallway.
"Brimley! Lilla! Pierre! Maxence!" I snarled, "How dare you spy on us!"
"Wait, sire!" I heard Maxence beg, "You don't understand! We found him in the snow!" I snarled again, trying hard not to let the Werewolf get in the way.
"Maxence and Pierre found him and brought him inside. They came to look for us!" Lilla said.
"Sagittarius!" I heard Sapphire shout at me. She then got between me and corner of the hallway. "Snap out of it! Don't be what that Werewolf wants you to be! You've come so far! You've managed to control him many times and you can do it again! If I have to slap you across the face in order for you to do that, then I will!" I saw her needle hand rise and I felt the slap across my face. Not only did I feel the slap, I also felt the scratch that she left too. I raised my paw to my face and touched the scratch she left. "Sagittarius," I heard her say calmly, "I-I-I didn't mean to..."
"No...don't be sorry." I said as I gently looked at her. "I...needed that. If anyone needs to apologize...it's me."
"Sire, it's not your fault." I heard Brimley say. "We all should've gone to you first before this mess happened."
"Talk about a split personality." I heard Rizal whisper under his breath, but I decided not to react. I would just be giving the Werewolf what he wants.
"Lilla, Brimley, can you keep Rizal company?" Sapphire asked, "I have to talk to Sagittarius now...in private." Sapphire grabbed my paw and gently lead me into the foyer. I took a shuddering breath...feeling like at any moment I was about to be crushed under the huge weight that had just taken hold of my rib cage. We walked inside; then Sapphire released my paw, closed the door and stared right into my eyes. "Sagittarius, please, you can see that he needs me. My aunt and Lucinda won't do anything...and Stephanie will need help. Sagittarius, please...let me go."
The distress on her face was more than I could bear, I knew what I had to do. Whatever emotions the Werewolf had to control me, whatever horrible feelings I may have had to stop me from doing this...I locked it in a box in my heart. It was a box that was never going to be opened again. I had to do this for her. 'You are such a softie and a sucker!' Oh Shut Up! I couldn't deny this from Sapphire, in fact, I don't think I could deny anything from her. She had helped me regain control of myself. She had given me the chance to have my life back...and the chance to get my freedom back from the Werewolf. I've been able to control when he pops out a whole lot better than when I first met her. The least I can do for Sapphire...is let her help her uncle. Besides...how could I say 'no'...when I loved her?
"Sapphire, it was never anyone's place to keep you here." I said, "It was not even mine. I kept you here because of the Werewolf at first...but after having you after a few days, I enjoyed talking to an actual face, even if all we did was argue. If your uncle needs you...then go."
"Do you mean that, Sagittarius?" She asked, "I can go?"
"You may had been the Werewolf's prisoner, but you had never been mine." I explained, "You never had been since you came here. The Werewolf may have thrown you in the dungeon, but I let you out. You managed to leave once, remember?" I raised my paw and touched her cheek. "Sapphire, the truth is...if I hadn't remembered that bear, if you hadn't been in danger, I would've let you go. I know what it's like to have my freedom taken from me...and I didn't want to take it from you again. No one deserves that power over someone. Now look, your uncle needs you. Go...and help him." Without any warning, Sapphire flung her arms around me and buried her face in my fur. I felt her needle hands puncture my shoulder blades. It did hurt, but I didn't want Sapphire to know.
"Thank you," she whispered in my ear, "I'll be back soon. No more than a week. I'll return...and I'll help you break this curse! You'll be human again...I promise!" I couldn't help it anymore. Her fingers were digging more into my shoulder blades. I made a small whimper and it ended up catching Sapphire's attention. She released me and laid her hands against my chest. "What's the matter?" She asked as she looked straight into my face.
"Nothing." I answered.
"That face doesn't mean 'nothing'." She said, but then she looked down and saw her hands. The tips were covered in my blood. When she saw the blood, her face fell. "Sagittarius...did I hurt you?"
"Don't worry about me." I gently pushed, "Go get ready." Her eyes found mine...for only one moment. The next thing I knew...she ran out of my room...heading towards her own. Sapphire didn't know that she was dooming me, but I'll be happy knowing that Sapphire has her freedom. I cleared my throat as I stepped back out into the hallway. I could smell Lilla, Brimley, Pierre and Maxence were still there with Rizal. "Lilla?"
"Yes, sir?" She said, "Did something happen with Sapphire?"
"Go to her room and help." I said.
"Yes, sir." She said; I heard her footsteps departing.
"Sire, is something wrong?" Brimley asked, but I just shook my head and said:
"You, Pierre and Maxence go and take care of your other chores." They didn't say anything, but I listened to their departing footsteps. It now just Rizal and I, alone in the hall. I knew we were alone, I would've smelled other people if they were there. We were both in space. I know that I hadn't had the chance to fully register what I had just done.
After working hard for so long, fighting this Werewolf, to gain my freedom, I had willingly thrown all of it away. I knew that there was no possible way that Sapphire would make it back in time...but I also knew there was no way I could stop her from going. An entire life fighting the Werewolf, it was much different from what I was facing before I met her. Well, I shouldn't say that. I was like Rizal at one time, believing in what I saw. I did the same thing with...Kaeyln. I believed that she would understand that I had to take care of my little cousin. I promised his mother that I wouldn't do anything to harm him...and I failed...and it was Kaeyln's fault. I saw the monster that she really was; it was one that I didn't want anything to do with it. When I met Kaelyn, I really believed that I found the woman that I would want by my side. I was wrong...I don't want Kaeyln and never would...I want Sapphire by my side. I didn't want Sapphire to forget me. She can forget the Werewolf, but...I don't want her to forget me.
"You're a good man for letting her go." Rizal said, his attention on me.
"She's...a remarkable woman...despite all that's happened to her." I said; Rizal was looking at me differently. He was wearing an expression that was far different than the fear or loathing that he usually regarded me with.
"I'm sorry to have shot you." He said, "Had I known you were more than a monstrous wolf...I wouldn't have fired at you. If Sapphire trusts you, then so should I. Sagittarius, is there anything you need from me, any way that I can make it up to you?"
"Just take care of her," I answered, "make sure that she's safe."
"I will." He said; I then turned and decided to leave the hall. "Where are you going?" He asked; I looked back at him.
"I'll be back." I answered, "Don't let Sapphire leave just yet. I have something for her."
The rest of it happened so fast. Sapphire returned with a bag packed with minor things, bundled up inside her black and white cloak. I managed to pull myself together long enough to have some bread and other provisions packed for them. Sapphire and Rizal were standing in the arched doorway of my castle. I gave Sapphire a saddle for Snowflake so it would be a comfortable ride. He had that saddle and reins on, whinnying as the bag was tied to the saddle. The sun was setting and the first few flakes of the night's snow were appearing, but I knew that wouldn't stop them. Sapphire would have ride all through the night in reach her uncle.
"Before you go, Sapphire," I said, "I have something for you."
"What's that, Sagittarius?" She asked me. I pulled out a glass box and its key. I unlocked the box and pulled out my most special treasure...a black glass rose. Sapphire's eyes sparkled as I twisted it in my paw. "It's my only one, Sapphire." I explained, "It was also the first glass rose I've made. Black was a special color for me to have because I didn't have a lot of it. I...would like you to have it." I handed the black glass rose to Sapphire; she took it so carefully and gently. The glass rose glistened in the falling snowflakes. Sapphire held it close to her heart.
"I swear on my life, Sagittarius," she said, "I will take great care of it." She reached up on her tiptoes and threw her arms around me once again. "I will be back, Sagittarius, I promise!" I hugged her back gently, wishing I could somehow put this storm of emotions inside me into words and let her know how I truly felt...but my tongue refused to say anything besides 'Stay safe'. Before I knew it...they were gone into the night.
I stood there staring into the blowing snow. The similarities between this night and my last night as a human not lost on me. With all my strength, I slammed the door shut, letting the boom echo around the castle like a death knell. Sure as I was that I had to let her leave, a part of me almost wished that she heard what I thought, so she would know what this was doing to me.
No, she had enough to worry about. I was through letting the Werewolf inflicting pain on others. 'I warned you about this! But did you listen to me? No! You never had listened to me!' I'm still not listening to the Werewolf. If I gave in to his taunting, his control over my body would grow. I walked back down the hall, making it just past the foyer before my knees gave way and I collapsed to the floor. I simply sat there, trying to force my mind to accept the awful fact: Sapphire was gone. I wasn't sure how long I sat there before Brimley found me.
"Sir," Brimley said, "I heard the door and...sir?" His footsteps stopped and I heard his clothes rustle as he knelt down beside me. I felt his hand on my back. "Sagittarius, sir, what's wrong?" I stayed silent, I didn't want to answer him. I knew the answer would destroy him. That's when I heard another set of footsteps. I can tell by the rhythm...Lilla.
"Brimley, don't bother him." She said sorrowfully. "Sapphire's gone."
"W-w-w-w-w-what?" He said as I felt and heard him jump up on his feet.
"I had to let her go." I managed to say, "She's gone, her uncle needs her. I couldn't stop her from going. I couldn't. I would be just as cruel as the Werewolf."
"But sire...do you know what that means?" Brimley said in a sad voice.
"Yes," I answered in sorrow, "but I'm thinking of an old expression: 'If you love something, let it go'. I couldn't keep her caged anymore."
"Whoa! Turn back the clock!" Lilla yelled out, "Brimley, did you hear what I just heard?"
"I sure did." He said, "You love her? Prince Sagittarius, can't you see it? You managed to love! We'll be free!" I laughed darkly at his words.
"Brimley, you dummy," I said, "you forgotten something. It doesn't matter that I fell in love her. She had to fall in love with me! She's gone...and I've doomed everyone."
But-but-but sir..." Brimley said.
"Brimley, we get what you're trying to say." Lilla added, "I know that should've been enough and curse should be broken...but it's not Sagittarius's fault."
"Forget it!" I pushed, "I'm...sorry that I could do more for any of you. I'm...sorry you all will have to go on suffering for my mistakes."
"Sire," Brimley said, "it's not your fault! It's...Kaelyn's fault. If she had just accepted her consequence in the first place, we wouldn't be in this situation!"
"I know and I wish there was something I could do, but there's nothing." I explained, "We've run out of options. If Sapphire does not return...then I'm leaving. None of you will have to put up with me or the Werewolf."
"No!" Lilla almost screamed at me, "Sagittarius, you can't do that!"
"We won't allow you to do that!" Brimley added, "You deserve much better. You can't let that Werewolf take you away from us...from your mother...and from Adam." I knew they had a point, but...I was running out hope...and I really believed that I'll never see Sapphire again.
"Thank you for your kind words, both of you." I said as I rose to my feet slowly. "I can't let the Werewolf harm anyone here." I then left, walking as if I was in a daze through the castle, unsure where my feet were taking me.
'Sagittarius, I must speak with you.' Why? Just leave me alone! 'You've never listened to you, so I'm not going to listen to you! I warned you that you would suffer heartache from that woman! I knew you would give up sooner or later.' I saw nothing as I passed, thought nothing. My heart was empty, torn in two. When I was finally again aware of my surroundings, I realized I was in my old destroyed chambers...my old lair. I glanced at the rose, only to see the petal that had nearly fallen earlier finish its decent to the bottom of the jar, lying like a tiny limp heart. A sob that was more of a howl tore from my throat. I was no longer only experiencing the death of my life as I knew it; now I was faced with the death of our lives together, the death of our love; the death of hope.