A Grim Fairy Tale

Chapter Twelve

"I won't. I promise."

"Granny I'm not sure if Charlotte should be left alone with this...Thing." Vagatha said. "What if it tries to hurt her?"

"Vagatha stop referring to him as an it. I told you he was a boy." Dolores said. "And I can assure you he won't be able to harm anyone. Not tonight that is."

Vagatha protested a little further but in the end Charlotte ended up sleeping on a cot at the the other side of the room. Before falling alseep, she took one last look at the boy to make sure that he was well.

She watched him shiver. He shivered even in his sleep and looked so uneasy. She noticed that strange scars and scorch marks had been made to on the boy's back, neck, and arms. She wondered where they had come from and how they were made. She was almost tempted to touch one of them but quickly refrained from doing so. Instead she draped another blanket over him and crept over to sleep on the cot Dolores had prepared.

Three hours had passed and despite what Dolores thought, Alastor did wake before morning's light. He first awoke feeling very disoriented, having forgotten what had taken place before he lost consciousness.

"What happened?" He thought.

That's when he heard something move from the other side of the room. Something on the floor, covered by a blanket. His curiosity was peeked and he approached the blanket covered lump with great caution. With one hand he took hold of the blanket and slowly pulled it back. That's when his eyes beheld the loveliest creature he would ever know. He couldn't tear his gaze away from the sleeping girl. How could he? Her skin was fairer than a virgin snowfall, her tiny, pouty lips as pink as apple blossoms, her blonde hair which could rival the sun. She was like a delicate porcelain doll come to life.

Whether this young girl was a human being, a fairy, or an angel, the boy could not decide at the first moment, so fascinated was he by her. He was certain that heaven itself couldn't have designed a more beautiful vision. 

"I am dreaming." He whispered in awe. "Because something so beautiful cannot possibly be real."

Yet he dared to hope that she truly existed. He slowly extended a clawed finger to softly brush against her cheek. And when her form did not disappear at his touch, he knew that she was not a figment of his imagination. 

"I best not wake her." He thought. 

The young man attempted to discreetly return to his spot by the fireplace but he accidentally stepped too close to Eli who had been sleeping by his mistresses side. He became startled, yowled, and pounced which woke Charlotte instantly. However before her vision could clear, the boy pulled the blankets over himself.

"What is it Eli?" She asked while comforting the frightened kitten. "Did you have a bad dream?"

But she was quick to realize what had woken her pet when she saw the blanket covered lump hiding in the corner.

"Oh our guest is awake." She stood up from her cot and walked toward the lump with care so she didn't scare him. "Hello there."

The lump didn't answer.

"I said hello."

Still nothing.

"I know you're not asleep. I can tell that you're sitting up under there and it's awfully rude not to say hello back."

For a moment the lump still said no word but before Charlotte could speak again, it finally replied.

"Hello."

"What's the matter? Why are you hiding?" She asked. "You don't have to afraid. I won't hurt you."

"I'm not afraid of you."

"Then why won't you come out?"

"I don't want you to see me."

"Why ever not?"

"You're...You're..." She could hear the bashfulness. "You're so beautiful."

For a second Charlotte blushed and looked away shyly.

 "Too beautiful to look at me, who's so ugly. I wouldn't want to make you scream again."

That's when she suddenly became very ashamed and embarrassed with herself. Some princess she was, acting so rude and inconsiderate when he first arrived. Her father would have been most disappointed with such behavior. 

"Please forgive me." She said with remorse."I should have not greeted you that way. I'm dreadfully sorry. I didn't mean to hurt your feelings."

"It's fine. Your reaction was a normal one."

"Please come out I promise not to scream this time."

"Cross your heart and hope to die?"

"Stick a needle in my eye."

He sighed.

"Very well."

He took his time with removing the blankets from himself and once he was in full view of the young lady, she smiled at him in her most friendly manner. He returned the smile and she did not flinch or scream.

"I'm Charlotte." She introduced with a proper curtsy.

"Alastor." He introduced with a respectable bow. "Pleasure to be meeting you. Quite a pleasure."