A Grim Fairy Tale

Chapter Forty-Eight

Alastor had absolutely no qualms about letting Charlotte sleep in his bed during her stay with them. She protested countless times, but Alastor insisted that he would be just fine sleeping on the cushion by the fireplace that Millie had prepared for him. She finally let things be when she sat down on his bed and felt the day take it's toll on her. Running about in the rain and then soaking in a hot bath had made her awfully sleepy and the poor girl just dozed off as soon as her head hit the pillow. She didn't even wait for the light of the candle to go out.

"Charlotte would you like an extra blanket?" Alastor had asked coming back to the room.

But as expected, she didn't answer. She just stirred slightly on the bed and made a small groan. Alastor turned, and for a moment, it felt as though his heart might burst from his chest. The lit candlestick beside her, bathed her skin in a rosy glow and her hair seemed the color of a warm sunset. Heaven help him, she was beautiful.

"Why would anyone ever want to hurt you?" He wondered.

It really was a mind boggler to him. Charlotte was so kind and generous, she didn't have it in her to be cruel to anyone. Nor did she have it in her to ignore anyone in need of help or compassion. So what reason could anyone have for wanting her dead? It just didn't make any sense. But the reason didn't matter anyway, all that did matter was that no one was going to get the chance to hurt her. As long as he was living, he was going to protect Charlotte, and nothing and no one would frighten him from doing so.

He snuffed out the candle light and carefully closed the door without making a sound.

...

Charlotte stretched sleepily, her eyes fluttering open. For a moment, she couldn't remember where she was. Then it came to her, that man, that wolf. Running through the forest with Alastor and staying with him and his family. It truly is amazing how much one can forget when they first awoke.

Despite the circumstances of the night before, Charlotte was in a very good mood that morning. Her sleep had been spent with her having a very lovely dream. She dreamt that she was at wonderful festival with music and flowers, one where her father, Niffty, Dolores, and Vagatha were all in attendance. She sang merrily, her father hugged her and spun her around as if she was a small child again, she conversed and laughed with Vagatha and Niffty, but the best of the dream was when a young man approached her. A prince. A prince with the most warm, gentle, and beautiful brown eyes.

He gave her a white rose and said that she was beautiful. They held hands and danced through the night. She looked into his eyes that were so filled with love for her. He took her into his arms and kissed her.

"I wonder if he could be real?" She thought to herself. "Most of the time dreams are just a person's thoughts and imagination, but Dolores once said that dreams could sometimes be prophetic. Yet, how do you know which is which?"

She dwelt on it until she finished getting dress and brushing her hair. Then she put those thoughts behind and set to work on earning her keep here. She stepped out of the room and headed toward the kitchen, she briefly stopped on the way to look at Alastor, who was still sleeping on the cushion by the fireplace. Last night had exhausted him as well, it must have because she knew that he didn't normally sleep in like this.

"I'll let him sleep." She decided.

She continued on into the kitchen, her intention being to eat a little something before she got to work but the kitchen itself made her lose her appetite. She had been too tired and distracted to notice it yesterday, but the residents of this cottage seemed to be very messy. Dirty clothes were strewn about, dust  had been dumped on the floor or building up in corners, and the kitchen sink was full of dirty dishes. Now growing up, Alastor was the one who kept the cottage neat and tidy, but once he matured, Blitzo insisted he start helping out with diamond mining which left the housework undone for awhile. A long while.