Cassarian August AUs and Short Stories

Day 14: True Love

He waits.

And waits.

Then waits some more.

Finally, he figures that Cassandra never truly loved him and will not return. With his twenty-first birthday being tomorrow, he accepts that he and his friends' fate is to be cursed like this forever.

Until Cassandra finally does return, with a horrible warning. She tells him that, when she arrived back in her village, Andrew had thrown her father into a mental institution. She tried to get him out, but after rebuffing Andrew's advances he had her thrown in there too. Which is why it took so long for her to return. She finally escaped, and came back here as soon as she could. But the villagers have rallied together, determined to kill the terrible beast she tried to tell them of. She begs him to run, to save himself.

But the beast won't run. He will stay, and protect his castle. Like he should have done all those years ago, instead of allowing all of his friends to be cursed. Working together, the beast, Cassandra, and all the enchanted objects fight off the attackers. But not before Andrew stabs the beast with a knife during the fighting...

Cassandra kneels down next to the beast, terrified that he is going to leave her. Sobbing, she finally admits that she loves him... Just as it becomes his twenty-first birthday. The curse is magically lifted, and not only do all of the enchanted objects return to their human forms, but the beast does as well. He is now, once again, the handsome Prince Varian!

Prince Varian rules over his subjects with kindness and compassion, having learned a valuable lesson. Cassandra becomes his princess, and the two dance their nights away in love and bliss. Every time they twirl together, Cassandra remembers the night they very first danced. The night she realized he wasn't a beast at all, but a kind-hearted person. She saw the prince within the beast, and now they can live happily ever after.