Beauty and the Beast ( n.h.) (ON HOLD)

Chapter 2 ~Waverley~

I look away from his very pointed face. I swear hes never seen an imperfection on his face.

Ever.

I swear.

"Would you like some of the game I brought back today?" He asks lifting up a very large goose.

I mark my page and close the book. "No thank you we actually still have leftover from the game you brought us yesterday." I say as kindly as I can while standing up.

I look at him; he's just standing there staring at me. "Are you alright?" I ask and wave my hand in front of his face while taking a step towards the direction of my home.

He doesn't even blink at that moment, "Yeah," he then blinks "Can I walk you home?" He asks me.

"I-I guess so," I murmur while opening up my book again.

We walk a while and honestly its hard to read and walk when I can see him staring at me from the corner of my eye.

"Why do you even read that junk anyway?"

"I'm sorry?" I ask tearing my eyes away from the book.

"Reading. Why do you do it? You're supposed to be learning how to cook, sew, clean," he pauses, "and be looking for a husband." He says sliding his hand across my back. I don't like the way it feels and I arch my back slightly to hint at him that I don't want him to touch me. He drops his arm and I breath a silent breath of relief as I see we have made it to my house. I open the door and just when I was going to close it George walks in. I stiffle a groan as I watch him walk straight into the kitchen and starts to skin the poor animal. I wince as I watch him literally decapitate the animal in front of me. I divert my attention and my eyes land on the fireplace and the dwindling ashes. I quickly try to restart it and successfully reignite the fire. I hear George cleaning up after himself and feel relief wash over me. He's gonna leave! I told him we didn't even need the extra food. Yet, he does lots of things to make sure he's around me. I hear him sigh and say, "Can I ask you a question?"

I reluctantly rip my attention from the fire and stand to look at him "I guess its fine." I look and see its almost twilight. A few questions won't hurt?

"Do you like kids?"

"I just adore-"

"Do you want kids?"

I let him interrupt me. Its normal for a woman to be treated lower than a man "Of course I d-"

"Are you a good cook?"

"I guess I a-"

"Can you skin and clean animals?"

"Not really."

"Can you sew?"

"Of cou-"

"Can you clean?"

"Well I clean he-"

"How do you feel about we have boys and a few girls?"

"We?"

"The girls can marry rich men so we can profit from their money."

"MY children," I stress 'my', "will marry for love not for money and riches."

He shakes his head slightly, "And my lovely wife cooking all my favorite dishes and maybe later pleasing me that night." He adds a cocky grin at the end.

Lord help that woman.

He comes towards me and grabs my wrist. He's uncomfortably close to me and I take a small step away. "

"I have a final question" he says.

I gulp.

"Will you, Waverley Marie Weston let me take your hand in marriage?"

Oh gosh.

No.

No.

No.

No.

"Er," I pause, "I'm sorry but" I trail off. I suddenly feel his grip painfully tighten and I crumble slightly from the pain.

"You- You're hurting me," I try to rip my hand away, but his grip tightens on it. I look up at his eyes and see pure rage. He then lets go of my wrist and right before I can look at it I'm on the floor with a burning left cheek. He-he just slapped me. I've heard of abusive relationships because women are looked down compared to men. He then picks me up by my neck and slams me against the wall choking me.

"You're so stupid," he spits, "no man in their right mind would want to marry a woman as free minded as you. Or a woman I put my claim on."

I watch as my vision blurs from lack of oxygen and I claw at his fingers around my neck that only seem to tighten.

"Leave! Now!" I hear a strong elderly voice, my grandmother.

George drops me and i struggle in a breath of air.

"Did you hear me boy?! Get out! If I see your face again its gonna be hanging on the wall and I mean it.

He looks at her weirdly, "crazy old woman," he then turns and kicks me right under my chin hard. I yelp slightly. He then turns and departs out the door.

"Oh dearly" Grandmother looks down at me "go get changed you're blushing deary" I know the "blush" is my red marks from George. I get up and sigh. I go in and change into my mother's light blue gown. Grandmother says I'm the mirror image of my mother including body size; only I have my father's ears however she knew that. I walk back into the main room to see Grandmother sleeping soundly. I smile lightly and pull a blanket over her. It may be summer, but at night the temperature drops to cold almost foggy night. I look out and the moon is out and bright lighting up the slightly foggy night. I take my mother's cloak that is the same color as my dress. I didn't mind the hammy downs. I thought the gowns where gorgeous. I ignite a lantern and step into the cool crisp air. I look towards the forest and find a path I've never seen before. Its not surprising, I never pay mind to the forrest. I feel myself walking towards it. I feel like I should go; as strange as it sounds. I walk down the winding path the moon covered by the trees making my flickering lantern my only light. My hood pulled on top of my head I suddenly hear murmuring. I stop walking and the murmuring ceases. I start to walk again; the murmuring begins again.

I think I'm just making up things creepy path I'm going to be making things up. After a while of the murmurs continuing I see figures emerge from the timber. I pick up my pace to a slow run freaked out from the figures. Soon they chase after me.

"After her!" I hear one order.

I drop my lantern and run blind through the dark trying to keep my hood up. Suddenly i feel like I ran through a sort of spider web thing and hear what sounds like an eco of a roll of thunder and run slam into a pair of gates I shake them violently looking behind me seeing the figures gaining. I shake them harder. Terrified, I was so scared I don't understand. I don't believe I intruded on another kingdom's territory.

"Someone please open the gates!"