Love Is Never Ugly

Chapter 52

"I'm sure everyone else appreciates your gifts in sewing and design. They're just not as vocal about it as I am." She hugged Anthony. "I don't have any brothers but you're the closest thing I ever had to one. Thank you so much for all the wonderful dresses."

"You're welcome." He returned the hug.

When he released her, Charlotte turned to Vagatha and hugged her too.

"I love you as I love my sister Helsa. I hope that someday I'll be as close to her as I am to you."

"I hope for that as well." Vagatha said embracing her back.

That's how it went with all the servants. She hugged them and told them how grateful she was for their kindness and consideration. Told them how she considered them to be just as much her family as her father and sister.

"Careful not to lose the ring dear." Niffty said during her embrace with Charlotte. "It's your only way back to us. If anything happens to it, there's a good chance that you'll never see us again."

"I'll take good care of it." She assured her. "I promise."

"Take care of yourself honey." Husk said. "Don't let anyone back home push you around or anything, show em that there's some back bone behind that pretty face of yours."

"I'll do my best." She chuckled.

"Here." Cherri said handing her a small bag. "I know I already gave you the perfume but I still want you to have this. It's a few cuttings from the roses, so you can plant them in your own garden."

"Thank you. Thank you so very much." She said. "I wish there was something I could do for you all."

"We're just happy that we had the chance to meet you and get to know you." Vagatha said.

"I'll miss all of you terribly."

"We'll miss you too." Vagatha said.

She smiled fondly at the animal-like servants for as long as she could, one by one, they each left her room slowly and all too soon she was alone in her room. She readied herself for sleep, undid her hair and put on her nightgown, and laid on top of her bed. In the palm of her hand, she held the ring Alastor had given her and for a moment she just stared at it. Stared at it and waited. Waited to see if Alastor would come by her room to say goodbye to her again or maybe give her a reason to stay. But he did not show.

Wait a minute, why would she want him to give her a reason to stay? She wanted to go. She missed her father, her sister, her pet goats, the quiet country life, sh had been away from them for far too long. She should have no desire to stay here any longer.

"Goodbye Alastor." She said in hopes that he could hear her somehow. "My dearest Alastor, I will miss you most of all."

She finally the placed the ring on her finger, closed her eyes, and waited for sleep to take her home. Unbeknownst to the beauty, her beast was watching him from his mirror. Taking one last look at the person he loved more than life itself. He didn't have it in him to go back and say goodbye to her in her room like all the others because he feared that his beastly nature would get the better of him and he would try to keep her against her will. He watched her and watched her and watched her, and then she was gone.

He already felt the blade of grief cutting a deep wound in his heart.

"Goodbye my beautiful Charlotte. I will miss you more than you'll ever know. But I want you to be happy." He thought hopelessly. "She deserves better than me anyway. She deserves someone handsome and normal. Someone who can take care of her and her father. Someone who can give her everything she wants and needs. I could never be that kind of man for her."

Yet despite his words; his body still trembled, his soul still ached, and his heart still yearned for her. Then he let out a mournful roar that echoed through out the entire castle. So powerful was this roar that it shook the floors and even managed to the glass of some windows. Anyone who heard the roar could feel his pain and when Alastor became quiet, he felt something drip from his face.

Tears. Tears were in his eyes. He was crying. It had been thirteen years since he had shed tears. The very last time he allowed himself to cry was at his mother's funeral, after that he willed himself to never weep again. To always hold back his tears. But he couldn't do it anymore. How could he? How could he when the one who held both his heart and soul had left him?

For him there was no point anymore. Not in this life. No pain could be deeper. No comfort, no escape. Now there was no beauty that could move him, no goodness that could improve him, no power on earth that could help him. She can't love him and there was nothing he could do to change that. And if she can't love him then he was condemned to wait. Wait for death to set him free.