My Wattpad Story Recommendations

15. The Black Knight by MeganLockhart

Helloooo people. I am currently in my room starting all the chapters for all my work and putting them in a folder titled "Unpublished" so yay organization! This way I have them ready for the schedules dates and I can be ahead of schedule before the new semester starts next Tuesday and I go to Chicago the weekend before.

ALSO thank you to the person who suggested this story to me on my Storm and Silence review even though it appears as though your comment has made like my social life and *poof* disappeared.

Comment, vote, add, yada yada anddd enjoy

XO

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*Description by Author*

She found him on the beach. His clothes spoke of wealth, his hands told of work, but it was the scars on his face that told Nan who the man before her was, Sir William Horton, the resident Hero of Ashford. He was the richest man in five counties and a well known bastard. Rumors of very kind were whispered about Ashford's infamous Black Knight, his all encompassing cruelty, his frozen heart, the twisted means by which he found pleasure. Every creature in Ashford knew to give him a wide berth, to keep a wagging tongue still, and eyes trained anywhere but on him when he came into view.

So when Nan found him and was neither distant, silent nor looking anywhere but directly at him, Ashford's Black Knight began to stumble over the oddity of this girl. Her fearlessness, her honesty, her intelligence, even her unassuming beauty held him captivated. But how could a simple beggar girl be so many things? Who was this woman that held his attention, or more importantly who had she been before coming to Ashford?

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Okay. Let me inform you of two of my favorite things: Beauty and the Beast and Phantom of the Opera (well Broadway in general but this is one of my favorites). So knowing that I love those two things, it shouldn't be a surprise to anyone that I love this book. I. Love. This. Book. I have literally read it over five times and I even read it back to back...literally made it to the end and went straight to the first chapter and started again even though I have over ten stories in my library that are updated and I am not caught up on. I love the fact it takes place way back when and that it has such developed characters. It has beautiful writing and a humorous cheekiness to it. The story and the plot of it all is well developed and has great timing for everything, neither too slow or too rushed on certain aspects with just the right amount of hints and foreshadowing.

On to the characters; Nan Harris. My, what a lady Nan is. To quote from the book itself, "She's a beggar who never begs for anything." (not direct quote but you get the idea). Even with nothing to her name, I assure you women who encountered her wanted to be all she is. She is all that I love in a female character; strong but not emotionless, confident and not arrogant, loyal but not clingy, and well she can kick some major butt. She let her past help shape herself for a better future, she doesn't let it affect her in such a way that would ruin her and turn her into a sobbing mess. She is direct and honest and such a wonderful character. Also; the way her hair is described to be curly and considering the time period she literally resembles Christine Daae. (I'll go more into detail of that and Beauty and the Beast later)

Hoss: I literally imagined him to be played by Jeremy Renner and the cast list said the author though the same thing. I do not need to say more on that subject because he is literally a Jeremy Renner character.

Jamie: I love how fiercely loyal and true he is to Nan because they are everything to each other. And that is all I will say on him (when you read the story you can fill in the blanks and such but it was a mystery as to who he was to Nan for quite a few chapters and I would like to respect the author by keeping it that way and leaving this as spoiler free as possible)

The Black Knight himself Sir William Horton; Let me telllllll you. I love him. He is a great character and a wonderful example of character development. The most feared in all of Ashford acts like my 6-year-old nephew when it comes to Nan. I find it adorable. He is the Beast, he is the Phantom, and he is Raoul (the male whom wins the female leads heart in Phantom of the Opera) all wrapped in one. That is probably the most amazing character ever because two of the three (go to hell Raoul) are so intricate and misunderstood characters with misguided intentions and no examples of proper morals to what is seen as the right way to express yourself so they turn to anger and violence to see that their message is well understood without realizing the fear that is misplaced inside their loved ones. That being said, I love his cheekiness, drunk William is awesome, insecure William makes my heart hurt but still love it, and Uncle Liam William well.... Just about the cutest thing ever.

Now that I mentioned those wonderful characters I want to explain the magnificence that is this crossover of Beauty and the Beast and the Phantom of the Opera. I can start with Christine being an orphan after her mom then dad died same with Nan when her father then mother died. It is said in the description that William is scarred and feared and the Black Knight and such. Thus connecting him to both the Beast and the Phantom in that sense. The Beast is feared and not scarred but turned...into a beast....so the same thing. The Phantom however IS scarred on half his face just like William. And I would like to direct your attention to certain scenes in both of them that connect with certain chapters. In Chapter 10 Nan is running late for dinner and though we don't really see Williams POV at that moment, it reminded me of the scene in Beauty and the Beast when Cogsworth goes to get Belle and the Beast is freaking out trying to figure out how to impress her and gets upset when she refuses to see him. In chapter 26 Nan and William are attending a masquerade and Williams mask is ripped off just like in Phantom of the Opera (there is a masquerade but Christine takes it off later in the show when the sing together in The Point of No Return) and everyone stupidly fears him "Oh my gosh he is ugly run awayyyyyy' *idiots* and in Chapter 35 I see William as Raoul but more so the book version who was NOT as pleasant as the Broadway or movie rendition made him out to be. There is a moment in that chapter where Nan and William are discussing issues *Hint: there is water involved in this scene, indoors. So when you get there you know what I am talking about* and I literally just here "All I Ask of You" playing in the background. I will put the movie version of it on the side though the vocals aren't Broadway and I highly recommend you check out the Broadway version as well. Other connections to Beauty and the Beast is the Baringers. John is the butler and his wife and daughter work for William as well. I imagine John as Cogsworth, his wife as Mrs. Potts and Hoss is more of the Lumiere of the bunch. I would compare them to Phantom characters but honestly if you don't know it, it'll take a while to explain and bleh.

I know this is a jumbled up mess but guys. TRUST ME ON THIS. I am finishing up with my millionth reread of it and I am going to just go back to the beginning and read it AGAIN. The first time I read it I stayed up till 7 am. It is amazing, well written, funny, sincere, creative, and every synonym for spectacular that there is. I have written over 1400 words about this book and I can assure you there is a 5 out 5 gold star rating coming from me. I love this book so much and I promise you will too so go check it out!