The Blossoming: A Retelling of Beauty & the Beast

Chapter 23

So I've been holding off on posting the rest of these chapters because these were of the second draft and I have been making changes. You know what? Screw it. It's imperfect. Winners take imperfect action. Losers wait for the perfect action. I Hope you guys enjoy it. It's been 84 years. I can't wait for you all to see the final and published product.

Time had passed and the carriage neared the edge of the forest. Perenneux was now in front of her, bathed in the afternoon sun. They were getting closer to the farmhouse. Everything felt so foreign. She had only lived in the town as long as she had been in the Perennial Palace.

Alastair looked at Joanna. "So this is it."

Joanna nodded. "This is it." She took a deep breath. "I'm nervous."

"There's no need." Alastair stood on his hind legs. "We'll miss you but we'll see each other again."

"Thank you for everything."

"Thank you for bringing light into our lives," Alastair sai

Joanna smiled and pressed her head against his furry head.

"All will be well." He stepped down and nodded.

The carriage moved again, rolling down the road. Alastair watched as it continued down the road. When it neared the town, Alastair walked back and disappeared into the forest.

As she came close to her house, Joanna felt like her stomach was going to come out of her mouth. The ride from the palace to the forest seemed shorter than the ride home. She had not seen her family in two weeks. Her father was sick. She knew nothing of her sisters. To see them would be a surprise. Her thoughts continued even as the carriage stopped in front of the house. She stepped off the carriage, looking up at the farmhouse. She hesitated inhaling deeply and then walked to the door, exhaling her anxiety. She reached for the doorknob. To her surprise, the door swung open, revealing the golden curled head of Josephine, who was just as surprised to her sister, who looked so different.

"Joanna." Her name came out of her sister half like a question and half like a surprise to see her.

"Hi, Josephine." Joanna gave a slight nervous smile as she stepped in.

Josephine took Joanna and hugged her tightly. Joanna held her back. This was the first time in a long time that they embraced each other.

"Where's Father?"

"In his room. How did you get out?"

"He let me go. I'll explain later." Joanna pulled out the tonic and went into the hallway. Josephine followed her. Joanna reached the doorway of her father's room.

Julianna sat in a bedside chair, holding her father's pale hand. Her father was still around, Joanna saw his chest go up and down lightly. Julianna looked to the door and saw her sister and the same surprised look came upon Julianna's face. She rose up, still holding her father's hand. Julianna couldn't find the words to say. Joanna walked to the opposite of her father's bed. Her eyes welled up.

"Oh, Father," she softly said. Taking the cork off the vial, she knelt down. She brought the vial to his lips and tilted it lightly. The liquid poured into his mouth. Seconds passed by and the paleness diminished. The sisters all looked in shock, Josephine moved from the doorway to get a closer look.

Ian's eyes fluttered open. His vision was blurry at first, then it focused crystal clear, better than usual. He saw his youngest daughter by his side, her long hair down and her face bright.

"Joanna," he asked, the drowsiness still had a hold on him but his breathing was normal.

Joanna nodded, thanking Faye and the Faie in her head. "I'm back. Go back to sleep. I'll still be here." She rose up from the bed and motioned her head toward the doorway to her sisters. They walked to the doorway, stunned expressions still on their face. Josephine was the last one to leave and closed the door three quarters. The older sisters looked at their younger siblings.

"What was that?" Josephine pointed at the empty vial in Joanna's hand.

"It's a fairy tonic that Faye gave me."

"Who is Faye," Julianna asked.

"My friend." Joanna said and moved out of the hallway into the kitchen with her sisters following.

"What did he do to you?" Josephine asked. "The Beast?"

"He did nothing to me. He took care of me and let me go when he told me father was sick."

"What?" Julianna frowned. "Father has been sick since you've been gone."

"What?"

"It started off as what we thought was a cold but it came harder as time passed by."

"I didn't know."

"Of course not? Did you make any attempt to contact us before today?"

Joanna didn't say anything. She never even thought about contacting Father. She thought that he would try to come back and take her away and that Beast would do something.

"No, I didn't and I'm sorry. But I am here now and the tonic worked. Father will feel better."

"How do you know," Julianna argued. "That tonic could be some witch's illusion. Something temporary. How do you even trust this Faye?"

"I just do," Joanna shot back. Her outburst shocked her elder sisters. She was sick of her sister's pessimism. "I know you've blamed me for Mother's death. I've blamed myself but I'm not parricidal as much as you think I am."

Julianna was really taken aback.

Joanna looked at her sister, so many thoughts filled her head wondering what Julianna was going to say. Josephine stepped forward.

"We're sorry. It's been a rough time. We're glad you are back."

Joanna said nothing right away. "There's a trunk filled with gifts from Beast. Could you help me with it?"

Julianna and Josephine looked at each other. They nodded lightly. Josephine walked to the door first, then Julianna. Before Julianna fully passed, a thought arose in Joanna's mind. She stuck out her foot. Julianna tripped and began stumbling outside.

"Whoa." She fell into a puddle of muddy water, face first. Josephine looked back, saw her sister and gasped. Joanna covered her mouth,concealing her amusement and shock at the cause and effect given form. Julianna rose her head up, her face was dripping dirty. She looked up to see Josephine holding back a smirk. A contained snort made her turn to see Joanna beaming proud.

"That'll suffice."

"For what?"

"The past."

Julianna rose up and splashed some muddy water on Joanna's gown. Joanna looked up and unphased.

"Whose turn is it to do laundry?"

Josephine busted out in laughter, knowing Julianna would have to do laundry next. Julianna glared back at her sister. She splashed water on Josephine, who stopped laughing. She bent down and collected some dirt and threw it at Julianna, who gasped, feeling it land in her head. Julianna quickly grabbed fistfuls of dirt and mud and threw them at her sisters. Joanna gathered mud and threw it at her sister. Soon they were engaged in a mud fight, but it was no longer in spite but in sisterly fun.

Oliver walked over and saw the three sisters together throwing earth at each other. He frowned confused but was intrigued. He heard steps and saw Nicholas come over. The viscount looked and saw the same sight.

"I never saw women do this."

"Hmm. Not bad."

The kitchen door opened, Ian came out, healthy, vibrant, and confused as he saw the actions of his daughters.

"What in God's name is going on?"

The sisters looked up and saw their father. Josephine felt other eyes upon them and saw Oliver and Nicholas at the fence. All the men in their life now saw them at their worst but they didn't care. But they exploded in liberating laughter. This was the first time they had laughed together in a long time.