The Rose of Anthacena

Chapter 4

          "It's no use," Will's master said. "Talia meant me to be like this-forever. As punishment. She knew I would fail. She had to have known at the time it wouldn't work."

"Now, now, master," Will admonished him. 'You mustn't be so pessimistic. There's still time-" His master interrupted.

"Don't talk of time with me!" he demanded. "I have spent far too much of it here in this-this prison!"

"I agree, we have been here a very long time. But there is still more than 150 years. Talia knew what she was doing when she-"" Will was interrupted yet again.

"Yes! She knew what she was doing! And so do I! She was cursing me-trapping me in this hideous form for all eternity! And beyond!!!" his master thundered before calming himself. "Will, even if someone were to come, there is absolutely NO way she could fall in love with me."

"Well, I don't see why not," Will protested. His master turned suddenly on him.

"Look at me, Will!" he shouted. "I am ugly, and huge, and-and terrifying! You really think a girl could fall in love with that? And I am not only outwardly ugly," he added in a quieter voice. "Goodness knows my-heart is-repulsive."

"I wouldn't say that," Will disagreed thoughtfully.

"No? Then WHY. AM. I. HERE?" his master roared. "I am here because of how ugly my heart is! Had it not been for that, we would both have been long dead."Will was silent. Noticing, his master gave a grunt that meant he knew he had won.

"I notice you don't deny it," he said, with satisfaction evident in his voice.

"That is because if I denied it, I would be telling a lie," Will replied calmly. "i know full well that you are here because of what you've done. However, it is also true that I am here because I chose to be here. Talia gave me a choice-I was not forced to stay. I could have gone back to England in 1919, and I would have been long dead. But I didn't. I chose to stick with you, to support and encourage you, master.

"I stayed to help you through these difficult times, and you cannot truthfully say that they have not been difficult. I have seen sides of you that no one else has, and I can tell you right now, a lot needs to change before a girl can love you!"

"Thanks a lot," his master muttered.

"I didn't mean that the way it sounds," Will hurried to correct himself. "Well, actually, I'm not sure how it sounded, but I simply meant that girls do not often love those who are selfish and unkind. But in spite of this, I have no doubts that you will succeed in this task Talia has set before you. You will love and earn the love of another in plenty of time!" Will finished with a burst of passion. His master sat in silence for several moments before replying.

"For some reason, Will, I almost believe you. Probably because you have an uncanny knack for being right all the time," he laughed weakly. Will smiled.

"Not true, master," he corrected. "I've made many mistakes, the greatest being that I didn't ask a fairy to come knock some sense into you before Talia did!" His master sighed.

"Perhaps you are right. Perhaps not. It makes no difference now," he said. "Leave me now, WIll. Don't come back for quite a while. Or until I call you." Will bowed(even though his master couldn't see him), and left the room. His master sighed as he sat back in his chair. His mind ran over, yet again, the events that had led him here, a strange place, far from his first home, and now, hundreds of years later. How could he have messed up so terribly? When had it all gone wrong? He closed his eyes, and let himself slip into the past, the year 1919...