Love Is Never Ugly

Chapter 71

The rat hissed again.

"Aunt Rosie what's going on here?" Alastor asked.

"Well you and your lady love better take a seat because my explanation for all of this is dreadfully long and complicated."

So Rosie told them the whole story. How Marie fell in love and married a human prince, she and Katie had killed Etienne and cursed Alastor to be born as a beast, how to break the curse and how since then both fairy sisters had been somewhat interfering with the events regarding the curse.

"The curse could only be broken if Alastor fell in love with a woman and she returned his love." Rosie elaborated. "But it couldn't be just any woman. She had to be a true beauty, one with a beautiful face and a beautiful heart, Katie was so sure that no such creature existed but Charlotte is living proof that she was wrong. All that was needed was for you two to fall in love, confess your love, and seal it with a kiss. Then all damage that myself and Katie caused would be undone. Within reason of course."

"Is that why my wound healed also?" Alastor asked.

"Yes. Every sort of harm that happened because of mine and Katie's interference has been undone. Which reminds me, I have a gift for you. It's your father's castle and kingdom, both have been completely restored. You'll be able to take your rightful place as a royal monarch."

But Alastor was not pleased by these news.

"Thank you but that's not what I want restored to me. I want my mother back." He said. "Can you undo that? Or maybe you can bring back the father I never knew."

Rosie sighed, her face so remorseful and ashamed.

"I'm sorry but nothing can raise the dead. Breaking the curse only restores things within reason."

"I was dead! And I was brought back to life!"

"Technically you weren't dead yet. Your body did stop working but your soul had not ascended."

"Then your wasting your time trying to earn my forgiveness."

"I know how you feel about me Alastor and you have every right to have those feelings. What I did to you was horrible and there's no excuse for it. But I want you to know that I do regret it. For twenty-three years I have felt nothing but guilt and remorse for what I put you through. For what I put your mother through. I even regret killing your father. You have no idea how much I wish that I could take it all back."

"You know what I want to know is why did you do it in the first place? How could you even do it? You knew how much mother loved you and I wasn't even born yet so what the hell did we do to deserve what you did?"

"Nothing. You did nothing and I...I thought I was doing the right thing. I thought that your father had forced your mother into the marriage, that she had been brainwashed or something. I only wanted to snap her out of what I thought was a state of insanity."

"Well you were wrong!"

"I know I was wrong! I'm a terrible woman! I should burn in hell for my actions! I ruined my sister's life and I forced you to grow up in torment! I don't expect you to forgive me for this!"

She was on her knees and fighting back tears. She almost let one fall but she willed it to stay and recomposed herself.

"I don't expect you to forgive me. But I hope that you can understand that I didn't do it to be cruel. I hope that you can understand that I loved Marie and that I would never do anything to intentionally hurt her. And I know you hate me Alastor but I hate myself more than you can ever imagine."

Alastor wanted to hate her. He hated her for years. From the very moment he understood who she was and what she had done. But seeing Rosie abandon her pride, reduce herself to apologizing and admitting her wrong-doing to a human, seeing the self-hate in her face, he just couldn't hate her anymore. He couldn't because it reminded him of himself.