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

The Letter

She sat in a robe at the table in the dining hall, quietly eating her breakfast. Will sat across from her looking over his scrolls and books. His foot would nudge against hers every so often and she could feel his eyes on her. She did her best to hide the smile that danced on her lips.

In her heart she knew something was awry. She had woken up to William peering down with a great intensity expelling from him. She had asked him what was wrong and he had simply told her a nightmare. His mood had improved greatly after they had left his room, but something was still slightly off kilter. She absentmindedly twisted the ring on her finger; how was she going to explain that to Cassandra?

Rosalind finished her breakfast and crossed to William. She stood behind him as he hunched over his studies. She touched his shoulders which instantly relaxed at her touch. She smoothed the thin fabric of the poet's shirt tracing the planes of his shoulders that hide underneath. She wrapped her arms around his neck resting her chin lightly on his shoulder.

"What are you looking for?" She asked.

"I never said I'm looking for something." He told her gruffly.

"You're always looking for something." She laughed. Rosalind moved to kiss his cheek but he leaned away from her. "Come now, tell me what it is."

"No--"

"Will, please--"

"Rosalind! Enough!" He shouted shoving her away from him. She stumbled back a few steps, and she heard a screech from his chair sliding away from the table. She paused a moment trying to calm herself. It had been so long since he had called her by her full name--it sounded foreign now; so foreign and frigid. She collected her wits and pulled the robe tighter around her. William groaned in frustration before slumping back in front of his studies. She moved to touch him again, but decided against it. Rosalind took a deep breath and began walking towards the kitchen.

"Rose--" He called after her.

"No." She told him simply as she shut the door to the kitchen behind her. She ran her fingers through her curls pushing them out of her face. She felt so frustrated and upset. Somewhere in her mind she knew she was over reacting to his outburst. He was under the stress of searching for an answer to save himself. She felt unwanted--it was a familiar feeling, but after the last few days she never thought she would feel that way because of Will. She felt her way to the small table and leaned against it. She wanted to go back to her room, but she didn't want to go back out there and face Will. So she sat there in silence, tears of hurt rolling down her face, with her hands braced against the table.

"Rosalind?" She heard Selene call out. Rosalind quickly wiped away the traitorous tears before turning towards Selene. She heard Selene lightly shut the door behind her; Rosalind could hear her shoes as she moved towards her. Selene touched her shoulder without saying a word. Rosalind could feel herself trembling trying to hold it in.

"What did he do to you?" Selene whispered. Rosalind threw her arms around Selene's torso and sobbed. Selene held her as she cried whispering maternal things as she stroked Rosalind's hair. Rosalind didn't know what was wrong with her--she couldn't seem to stop her tears. She just felt like all these emotions have been released and she had no reign over them.

"Let me take you to your room," Selene said. "William is gone."

Rosalind just nodded. Selene linked their arms and led her back to her room. Rosalind went straight to her bed and curled into a ball. Selene remained in the doorway watching her carefully. Rosalind felt empty--she was no longer crying; she wasn't sure if she anything left in her to cry. She twisted her ring on her finger, before sliding it off and placing it on the bedside table. Her whole body ached with exhaustion and hurt.