A Rose for the Beast

For BelleMontagne

Sidestepping to look around the beast, Rosalie watched as the wolf fought with Magda, struggling to keep the sorceress down. He snarled as he bit down harder. The queen didn't even look her way as she shoved against the animal attacking her.

Rosalie had to stop her while they had the upper hand. She reached her palm out expectantly, but Michel merely shifted until he blocked her view of the fight.

"You are, by far, the dumbes--"

"Dumbest female you've ever met. Yeah, yeah," she said, mocking him, "You can spend as much time as you want admonishing me as soon as we're done her. Give me the--"

Her words were cut off when the wolf's body flew past them to fall on the landing halfway up. Rosalie covered her mouth to keep from screaming. Michel spun quickly, hiding her small body behind his monstrous form. She couldn't see Magda, but she heard the queen move to stand as she panted from the exertion of fighting.

"Your pathetic attempts to escape fate... will never work, Michel," she said between breaths. The wobbly click of her heels signaled her slow approach. You have always been destined for me! You're mine!!," Magda cried out.

Michel's arm shifted behind him as he leaned down to get in the queen's face. Rosalie reach out to take the hidden item from his hand quietly.

"I am not some pet to be owned or an object to be had, Magda. Had you realized how narcissistic and maniacal your actions have been, things might have turned out differently. I'm sick of being your prisoner. No matter how long you hold the leash, I will never love you."

Though her face wasn't visible to Rosalie, she knew Michel's words had crushed Magda. She listened as the queen sniffled aloud. If Rosalie hadn't witnessed the horrors wrought by the queen, she'd almost feel sorry for her.

"Please, Michel. All I've ever wanted was for you to love me the way I loved you," she said in a broken tone.

Michel shook his head and gestured to himself.

"No one would do this to someone they truly loved. You need help, Magda. There's something wrong with you."

Rosalie cringed as the uncomfortable silence grew. She didn't think those were the words to say to an unbalanced individual, least of all a sorceress.

"Wrong...," the queen said in a quiet voice, "Wrong with me? There is NOTHING wrong with me!," her voice gradually increased until she was yelling.

Rosalie noticed Michel tensing up and quickly forced herself around to stand between him and Magda, lifting her arm as she moved. The queen had a dagger poised and ready to strike as well.

She shoved the glass shard down, cutting into the queen's chest cavity just as Magda forced the dagger into her stomach. They shared a look of surprise for a moment. Then, Magda gave her an evil smile and Rosalie realized the wolf's bite was gone, along with any burns she'd received earlier.

The queen reached up to jerk the shard from her chest. The wound patched itself up within moments. Rosalie tried to speak, but blood bubbled forth from the internal injury. She doubled over, falling to her knees. Michel tried to reach out for her, but Magda waved a hand, pushing him back with an invisible wall.

Rosalie pressed a hand around the dagger still embedded in her gut, aware of every pain receptor firing in her abdomen. Her sight blurred as blood seeped out between her fingers. The glass shard hadn't worked at all, though she knew the queen had cursed it. She didn't understand where she'd gone wrong. Had Raoul been mistaken?

The guards cloaked in green entered hastily as Magda peered down at her with smug satisfaction.

"I thought killing Michel would make me happy, but this is so much more pleasurable. Now, we can watch you die as we take our vows as husband and wife. Your death will signify the beginning of our life together. I hear stomach wounds take a dreadfully long time to end someone's life, but when the life finally does drain from you, he will have only me to live for," she said happily, bending down to look Rosalie in the eyes.

"Thank you so much for your sacrifice. Because of this selfless act, I'll allow you some final words. Is there anything you want to say?," the queen asked sweetly.

Rosalie gasped for air, wheezing through ragged breaths as her gaze slid across the room. They landed on Michel, who threw his massive furry body against the invisible barrier repeatedly. She swallowed hard, wincing at the taste of coppery liquid in her mouth.

She couldn't muster any tears, though she knew she'd failed. She had sacrificed herself, but not for Magda. For Michel and his servants, her friends. Regardless of the outcome, it wouldn't be in vain. No one deserved to live as slaves and they would fight for their freedom.

Magda made a show of cupping her ear as if listening intently to what Rosalie had to say. She smiled as she leaned her head back to stare upward.

"For...BelleMon--," she coughed, unable to get the words out.

"I'm sorry. You seem to be dying and it's hard to understand you," Magda said sarcastically.

Rosalie brought her chin down to glare at Magda. The queen frowned and tilted her head slightly.

"For BelleMontagne!," she said, signaling the small army of apes and chimpanzees to drop down from above, ambushing Magda and her legion of hunters.