It wasn't until the mid-morning sun crept over my pillow and onto my face did I wake up. For the first time in months...no, years, I had no pressing concerns or imminent disasters hanging over my head...so I simply laid there, enjoying the peace. A part of me couldn't quite believe that it was over...and I held up my hand. I smiled as I took in the smooth pink skin. I reached to touch my face...and was filled with a sudden horror.

My fingers touched not skin...but fur! My face...Don't tell me that Rosetta pulled another spell on me! I was beginning to think that she left me a half-human monster...even though I broke the spell that she gave to me by accident! Was she trying to make me more angry, disappointed...or furious?Hopelessly, I ran my fingers over to my jawbone. I closed my eyes as I realized my stupidity and embarrassment.

Hair, that was all it was. I wasn't a monster...again. It was going to take some getting used to. I finally realized that I hadn't had a haircut in twelve years. My hair was probably so long that some people would think that I was a girl. I hoped the results wouldn't be too disastrous. I shook my head and chuckled at myself as I rose to dress.

I supposed that, being a prince again, I could have called for Brimley to assist me, but that was something else that I hadn't done in nearly more in a decade. As I opened the armoire, I realized that I had a more immediate dilemma. Most of my old clothes were moth-eaten and covered in mildew from years of handing untouched. I wasn't sure what I was expecting...but going naked on my first day as a human...wasn't it. With some persistent searching, I managed to find a pair of trousers that were mostly intact...apart from a slight musty smell, but, to my disadvantage, a decent shirt was proving more elusive. As I searched, I caught a glimpse of myself in the wardrobe mirror.

I was much smaller than I had been...as the Werewolf; there was no disputing that. Compared to how tall and strong I had been, I felt almost diminutive, though...I was still several inches taller than Sapphire. I thought I might have grown some, from how I had been, but...I couldn't be sure. I noticed that even in my reflection, the scar I had obtained from the bear stood out greatly: puckered red skin against the white. I traced it with my pointer finger, reasoning that I had might as well get used to it...as it would be there for the rest of my life.

There was a soft knock on the door. If I had to guess, it was probably Brimley, coming to wake me and see if i needed anything, no doubt. It would be good to see his face again.

"Come in." I said, still staring at the mirror, stroking the scar. I saw, in the mirror, the door eased open. The door revealed, not Brimley as I thought...but Sapphire. I was suddenly hugely aware that I was not wearing a shirt. I turned around; her eyes were filled to the fullest and her mouth was open. She adverted her eyes, but she stepped into the room. I saw her needle hands...carrying a few things. One hand was holding a pile of folded clothes; the other hand was holding a tray of food and drink. She threw the clothes into my arms and managed to look at me; her face was flushed red.

"I made them during the night." Sapphire said, but she was starting to stammer. "C-c-cover up, I don't think you want stay in here because you don't have any clothes." She then looked away; her face was still flushed red...well, the white part of her face was. She didn't face me the whole time I was putting on the new clothes she made. It was a black shirt, white pants and a silver cape with a stand-up collar. I pulled the cape tighter around me as Sapphire sat the tray on a table, which was next to the armoire. She then came to stand beside me, also looking at my reflection in the mirror. Her face was still flushed red, but it wasn't as bad as when she came in. "Are you still worried about your scar?" She asked; I didn't answer her. I was still staring at it. "I kinda like it."

"Really?" I asked. She carefully and gently brushed the scar with her needle fingers. I noticed that her left wrist was...bandaged up.

"You see...for me," she said, "it represents when I first saw the real you...when you saved me in the forest." It seemed that even if I could do without this souvenir of that night, Sapphire, like Rosetta, thought it was important mark: representing a turning point. I suppose that they had a point. I could probably use this as a reminder every now and then...of the Werewolf that I had no intention of becoming...but that didn't mean I had to like this accursed scar. I gently took hold of her wrist...and looked at the bandage.

"What happened to your hand?" I asked.

"You don't have to worry about it." She said, but I couldn't let it go.

"I want to know, Sapphire...please." I begged; she sighed.

"My hand got crushed and almost broke off during the night." She answered, I think it happened when...when I fell...with Dismal..." I pressed my lips together.

"When I pushed you out of the way." I finished for her.

"You were protecting me; it's not your fault."

"Will you...ever use it again?" I asked...worried that she would only be one handed from now on.

"Yes," she answered; I was relieved hearing that, "I won't be using it for a while because I had to...'weld' my hand back on. I cleaned the seal and put the bandages on to remind me not to move it."

"Does it hurt?" I asked.

"No...I don't have any nerves in my needle limbs." She answered, "It's disappointing really. I can only feel on areas where I still have skin...not my needle body parts. Look, before I start getting sappy, I need to talk to you about something else." By the way she said that last part, it was in a tone that the subject had to change. "I came up to ask you something important."

"Okay," I said as I took my glass from the tray, "what is it?" I started drinking when she said it.

"I want to know...when do you want me to leave?" I couldn't that question came out of her mouth. I was so shocked and dumbfounded that choked on the juice that was in the cup. I was coughing to get it out, but it didn't refrain my attention. "Are you okay, Sagittarius?" She asked, but I wasn't going to answer that yet.

"Leave?" I asked, still coughing, "Leave to go where?"

"I don't know yet." Sapphire answered, "The curse it broken and...I assumed that since I haven't been 'your' prisoner for some time, that I would be allowed to leave once I kept my promise to set you free." I felt an odd squeezing feeling in my chest...like someone had put a vice on my stomach...and it was making it hard to breathe. My throat felt incredibly dry...as if it was lined with sandpaper.

"Of...course," I said, honestly but disappointed, "but I thought...I had thought...you would stay...with...me." To my eternal embarrassment, I felt my face hearing up. Sapphire's face was turning red...again.

"Oh, Sagittarius...it's not..." Sapphire then sighed, "You don't see it, do you?"

"What? See what?" I asked exasperatedly, "I said I love you...and I really do...with everything that I have...and it was my understanding that...you love me, too." My voice faltered...I was beginning to think that I imagined that she said it. I had almost died...maybe I lost my mind. Maybe she didn't say it at all. Before I could say anything else, I felt Sapphire's bandaged hand touch my face. "Now, with no warning...you just want to leave?" I asked again, "I had thought you were happy here, I thought..."

"Sagittarius," she interrupted, "you're a prince again. You...need to marry royalty...which is sadly...not me." Her voice was the clipped emotionless tone Sapphire had used when she had first come here. It was the voice she used when she didn't want to get hurt. I covered my mouth with my hand to refrain from laughing, but I couldn't hold it in. I laughed to myself in astonishment and relief.

"What-is so funny?" Sapphire asked in shock, I quickly pulled myself together before she got very upset.

"That's all?" I asked, almost smiling. "That's the reason you were so concerned?" She nodded her head 'yes', her face was clearly showing that she was confusing. I softly cupped her chin in my hand, loving the feel of my skin against her soft skin. "Sapphire, we've done the impossible once already. Do you really believe that a ridiculous tradition like that would stop me?"

"But-but-but-but you're a prince," she argued, "you're royalty. I'm not! I'm a...well..."

"We'll decide on that last part." I added before she said anything, "I may be royalty, but as such, I have the right to choose who I marry." A small smile crept across her lips, one I couldn't quite read. I grinned, a little uneasily, as she got even closer to me. "Sapphire," I added, "you are truly remarkable, commoner or no, and I would be more than honored if you would stay her, even for a bit longer." Her face continued to turn red.

"Are you...trying to ask me something, Sagittarius?" She asked as she put her hands on my shoulders. I gently wrapped my hands around the small of her back.

"An if I am?" I asked back as I looked down at her; aware of how closely we were standing. She had the biggest smile I've ever seen on her face...with my hands on her back and her light-blue eyes fixed on my face. I leaned toward her...and when she tilted her head towards me, I brushed my lips against hers.

"Merry Christmas, Sagittarius." She softly said as she closed her eyes.

"Merry Christmas." I said...and then...I smiled...and bent down to...kiss her. For the first time...well, the first time with human lips, a true kiss with my lovely Sapphire. I really couldn't express how it felt. The first actual kiss I had with Sapphire was amazing, the second one was of sadness, but this one...I really can't describe what I was feeling.

It was...cut short...because...I was slapped. I was slapped on the left side of my face...and hard enough to push me off Sapphire's lips. I can tell by feeling the hand on my face that...Sapphire slapped me. I wondered what could have caused her to do that. I managed to see her face enough that her eyes were still closed, but she was partly smiling.

"Sagittarius," she said...almost in a singing voice. A sing-song voice, I believe, "that's...the one part of my body...that I don't like having touched." I was then surprised and embarrassed...because I had a guess on...where my hands were when I was kissing her. They were on her back...I must've lost my grip...and grabbed Sapphire lower than the original place.

"I swear, Sapphire, that was an accident! I won't let happen again!" She then grabbed my face with both hands and made me look at her again. Her eyes were opening and she was smiling, but I can guess on what she was feeling.

"You better not!" She pushed, "Now...where were we?"

No, the story isn't done.