Winter's Rose ~A Beauty and the Beast Retelling~

The Prince

The days drifted by, she spent most of them with William. His recovery was swift, but as Silas had promised Selene had kept him in bed like a protective mother hen. She had finally permitted him to roam the castle. The pair had fallen into a schedule of sorts; breakfast in the morning followed by mindless walking of the halls. Rosalind was content. Often, William would sit in his study looking over papers and things and Rosalind would sit in a chair opposite and listen to him muse over trivial things. They were indeed friends, but they took every chance they could to verbally joust with each other; a battle of the wits at its finest.

Selene and Jasper eventually apologized for their behavior towards her. Rosalind had a great suspicion that William may have prompted it. Silas would often join William and her in the study, often playing chess and cracking jokes about William's losing streak.

"Always loses his queen," Silas had told her.

William sat opposite of her by the fireplace. He was reading a book of sonnets aloud to her. His voice was soothing and calm as he read. She rested her head against the back of chair and shut her eyes listening to his voice.

"Sweet roses do not so; of their sweet deaths are sweetest odors made: and so of you, beauteous and lovely youth, when that shall fade, my verse distills your truth." He read aloud. She hummed in response as he continued on.

They heard a knock on the door, and Jasper entered. William shut his book abruptly and set it down on a side table.

"What is it, Jasper?" William asked.

"A letter has arrived from our contact in the village, for Miss Rosalind." Jasper told the pair.

"For me?" Rosalind asked in shock.

"From an Andrew Eldridge; your brother, I presume." Jasper told her. Her heart leap with joy. The letter that William had posted had reached her family. They knew that she is safe, that she would return home in a matter of months. Words could not express her excitement.

"You may leave us, Jasper." William said after being handed the letter. His mood seemed to shift ever so slightly.

"William? Will you read it to me?" Rosalind asked sheepishly.

"Of course," William told her, as he pried the envelope open. Rosalind smiled at the sound of crinkling paper as William unfolded the pages.

"Thank you."

"My dearest sister," he began. "Father and I are relieved to have heard you are safe after the attack on your route. We are elated to hear that you will return to us safe at the first sight of spring. I am glad you are all right, but I am not happy with your decision to leave us that night."

Rosalind felt a pit in her stomach at Andrew's disappointment.

"However," William continued, " I understand your reasoning behind it. I love and miss you greatly, Rosalind. Your brother, Andrew."

Rosalind smiled to herself.

"There is a post script here, would you like to hear it?"

"Yes."

"I hope this letter reaches you quickly, before the fifteenth preferably; if not, Happy belated Birthday, Rosie. We love you. It's your birthday on the fifteenth?"

"Yes," she replied sheepishly.

"Why didn't you say anything?" William asked, Rosalind could hear the offense in his voice.

"In all honesty? I had forgotten." She laughed.

"Selene and Cassandra will be livid," William told her.