Love Is Never Ugly

Chapter 70

As soon as Alastor fell, Charlotte ran to him and cradled him in her arms. He looked like he was about to lose consciousness but he willed himself to fight against the lure of the darkness. He couldn't go. Not yet.

"I killed him." He admitted to Charlotte. "I'm sorry. I know you don't approve but I didn't see any other way to stop him from hurting you."

"No, you didn't do anything wrong." She assured him. "This wasn't like all those other times. You killed him to save my life. That doesn't make you a monster."

His wound was fatal and he was losing a large amount of blood with each second. Charlotte became terrified of what that injury could lead to. It made her desperate to help him, even if her efforts would be futile.

"I'll go get ashes to stop the bleeding." She said.

"No." He said lightly clinging to her arm in order to prevent her from leaving. "Stay with me. Be with me."

"But you're hurt."

"I don't care."

In spite of his pain, he managed a weak smile.

"I thought I told you not to smile when you're not happy." She said.

"But I am happy." His voice was so frail. "I am happy because I was able to see your beautiful face again."

He weakly raised his hand to hold her face, she smiled and held it there with her own hands, content to feel his touch forever if possible.

"For the last time."

Her smile quickly fell.

"What do you mean for the last time?" However deep down Charlotte knew what he meant.

"I'm done for Charlotte." He said. "In a short moment I'll be dead."

"No! Don't say that!" She cried desperately. "You're not going to die! I'll help you stop the bleeding, we'll find someone to fix you up, and then everything can be just like before. We'll re-plant the roses and play in the garden, we'll read, we'll have conversations, we'll dine together, we'll make music and dance together, we'll be together always and I'll never leave you again."

"It sounds like the perfect fairy tale." He chuckled. "Just the two of us living happily ever after together. You always loved stories like that. Ones that have a happy ending. But my dear this is no fairy tale and I'm afraid that the ending of my story with you will not be a happy one."

"But you can't die! You just can't!" She fought back her tears. "If you die then I shall die too! I'll die with you! I'll stay by your side until starvation takes my life!"

"Don't be ridiculous Charlotte. You can't just follow me into death. Besides it's probably better this way."

"Better this way?! How could it possibly be better this way?!"

"Because now you're free to do whatever you wish. Without me for you to sympathize with and without that unwanted suitor pursuing you, you can go off to far away places, meet new people, live out your dreams, find a man who truly deserves you. You'll have everything you ever wanted."

"No I won't." She sobbed. "Because I won't have you Alastor. I want to live out my dreams with you! I want us to explore the world together. And I won't find any man that deserves me out there because you're right here."

"I don't deserve you Charlotte."

"Yes you do!" She insisted. "You deserve to live! You deserve to have a life with me! That's what you want most, isn't it? That's what you were going to say to me the last time we were together? You were going to ask me to marry you."