Emmett's POV

I trudged through the forest, desperately. I was exhausted, but I wouldn't stop. I needed to find her; Kelly.

I now knew what it meant when the prophecy said I'd die before even saving Kelly. I could feel her presence here, but where? I didn't know. I trekked through the place with a sword at my side and a water canteen on the other.

Nearly collapsing, I heard a branch snap and then I was alarmed. I may be high classed, but I could possibly be trespassing. I froze and looked around. I turned on my heels and faced a boy with a sword pointing at my face. Before he had even gotten the chance to rightfully kill me, I collapsed.

***

"Wake up," I heard a demand before feeling pressure on my cheek. I flickered my eyes open to see the same boy, but this time I got a glimpse of his full self with his cropped dusty hair, a dirty face, and suspicious look. "You are Sir Emmett Lorre, correct?"

I nodded. I sat up from the ground, noticing that I was unarmed and my sword sat on the other side of the room.

"Look, I didn't come asking for trouble..." I started with innocence. "I'm just looking for a girl. Her name's Kelly and I really need to find her—"

"Kelly Joyce?" he asked with narrowed eyes. I nodded slightly. "So it must be true..."

"What?" I asked the peasant.

"The curse," he said. "The girl you love shall fall into deep sleep."

What was he insinuating? How did he even know of the thing?

"If you did anything—"

"She's down by the pond," he interrupted. I breathed of relief. "I found her there, asleep. It just so happens that she didn't wake up. I built a camp site around her so that no one would claim her as technically dead. It's about a quarter mile northwest."

"Thank you!" I yelled, hopping up and ready to go find her. But then he blocked my passage with his shining bronze sword.

"What do I get in return?" he asked in a hiss.

"What do you want?" I asked, noticing that if this took any longer, I'd have missed my chance. The plant might as well died—with me, too. And also, Kelly would be in an eternal sleep. It'd be missed all because of a selfish boy barricaded me near sunset. That would only result in him being dead from my beast's anger after the transformation. If I lived long enough to transform.

"I want a meeting with the King," he requested.

"What?" I asked, even though I really didn't want to expand the conversation.

"The King owes me something that's been mine my entire life," he said. I shook my head out of it.

"Go to the castle and say you have an appointment confirmed by Sir Emmett," I said lastly before breaking his hold, grabbing my sword, and sprinting into the forest once more—only using instinct for navigation.

I reached the bank, where a beautiful maiden lay against a think tree as the sun died and the fire was down to sparks in the coal.

Without thinking, I pressed my lips to hers. It did not work so I tried again, and again, as many times needed to save the girl I had fallen so quickly in love with. The only reason I ever thought of giving up was when I looked to the last arch of the sun. With shimmers, I was degraded into a beast. I am not a beast, I tried to convince myself. It took me all these years to behave correctly. I was no longer a beast. I had deserved the girl of my dreams as a reward, but losing her would not be because of my foul behavior of the past.

So I stayed and waited as a beast until Kelly's eyes fluttered open. With my paws folded as my pillow in my slumber, I was awoken by Kelly gasping my name. I looked alarmed, with my head popping up. I was beside her as a beast and she looked over to me and I backed away. I didn't want any part of my animal side to think she was a threat.

"Emmett?" she asked, blinking at me. Humorously, I turned over my shoulder, wondering if she was talking about someone else, but it was only us. She hesitantly reached out and touched my face. I flinched at first, but then felt the bubbles around me, tingling my skin.

Moments later, I was back to a human man, laying down on my stomach. I looked at my body and limbs, wondering what the hell happened and then sat up to look at Kelly who was just as shocked as me. I had defensive hands towards her as she tried to say something. But I said something before her.

"I love you," I blurted out like an idiot. "I know you may hate me for driving you crazy, and fear me for being a hideous monster, but I love you."

She said nothing back. Seconds past before I started to hop on my feet, but she grabbed my arm and pulled me into her for a kiss. It was brief but blissful.

"I don't care if you turn into a huge wolf-bear thing; you're not a hideous monster. I love you for you," she whispered close to my face. I closed my eyes and silently thanked the lord and magical spirits that this was the girl. I flashed a smile before connecting my lips with Kelly's.

Nik's POV

Emmett's curse is over. It wasn't the red petals that were representing him. They were Kelly's.

So his prophecy came true. We'd only wait until the next night to see if it truly did, meaning he would turn no more and lead a normal life.

"How'd you do it?" I asked him, resting on my side an hour or so before after sunrise.

"Do what?" Emmett asked in confusion as he stared out the big glass window, facing westward toward the dark sky that wasn't yet graced with the presence of the sun.

"Break it," I clarified.

"I just found her and kissed her until she woke up," Emmett said with memory. "You're lucky you don't have to do that. It'd be the scariest thing in your life, seeing the girl you love not waking up and before it's time, you turn into this ugly beast, thinking she'll repel you."

"But she didn't," I recalled.

"I thought she would've," he countered.

I thought about the difficulties of my dilemma.

"You know, not all those petals are mine and Kelly's," Emmett said. I looked over to him.

"You think I don't know that?" I asked, angry. "While you're off being Prince Phillip, I'm here getting arrested for fighting for Amy. Little did I know that it's my fault for her getting jumped!?"

Emmett turned to face me, not saying anything about the situation. He muttered a small question that lasted four words:

"Do you love her?"

"I...I..."

I needed to make up my mind.

Amy's POV

I wanted to run away. Like Kelly had before Emmett found her. Only, she didn't know why she did that. My reasoning would be because I lived in hell at home and now school. I know Nik looked after me, but that didn't change anything. I didn't want him to. And he couldn't protect me from the people that I lived with. No one could change that.

I walked to school, thinking about the possibility to actually freeze to death, and then a black sports car pulled up alongside me.

"Get in," a voice ordered.

I did as he said, but I didn't once talk to him. I just stared out the window and then realized that we were not headed towards the school.

"Take me to school," I told the driver.

"Nah. I don't think so," he shrugged. I nearly smacked him over the head, but contained myself. I'd already been in the police station for fighting...let alone it being a royal like this one. For the sake of ignoring him, I said nothing and let him drive. We arrived in a distant place, but none of us moved when we arrived. I still sat, leaning my head on the window.

"Amy—"

"Stop," I interrupted. I felt something warm touch my cold hands and recognized it as his hand, but I started to pull away. He was faster than I and managed to grasp it.

"Look at me," he ordered. I did as he said. "Like you mean it."

"But I don't mean it—"

"Amy St. Claire!" he shouted in an angry or disappointed tone...just as my father had... "I've lost nearly everything in my life and if you think I'm gonna loose you then you're dead wrong!"

"Everything?" I quoted. "Are you kidding?! You have everything!"

"Not a mother, not a father—I don't even have freedom!" he yelled back. I shut my mouth. "Since the day I was born, I was adopted. I thought I had everything and I was wrong. I don't need a peas—"

"A peasant like me?" I finished. "Then why'd you bring me here? Wherever here is!"

"Because I like you!" he yelled. I thought to when he said he liked me, but of course I thought he was just saying that nonsense just to stop be from fleeing from him. "I know that I've been a jerk to you but—"

"You haven't," I assured. I've actually been a bitch to him. That's what Candace, ordered me to be like so I wouldn't get jumped again, but that was done now. They were no threat to me. Well...they weren't until I realized what Nik asked of me.

"Then go out with me," he whispered. I looked at him with modesty. "Just try it, please."

"Why?" I asked quietly.

"Because for starters I'll take you back to school..." he inched at my hand. "And I know you like me....And I'll make you happy...And we'll be better off together..."

"Why do you think I like you?" I asked, interested. By now, he had grabbed my full hand and some integrity inside me laced our fingers, making my question to him seem as if contradicting.

"I don't think you do, I know you do," he answered, unlocking my seat belt. "And why would you get with that loser Kevin after a couple days of talking to him, when you and I connect so much better?"

"Maybe because I've known him since second grade," I reasoned with a shrug.

"And? You've known me for less," he replied. Why would that be better? I gave him a confused look and he returned it. Our faces were now close together and our fingers were laced. I wanted to kiss him. I started to lightly close my eyes, but then sensed that he pulled away. I opened my eyes entirely and then saw him sitting correctly in the driver's seat, turning on the car with his left hand. I shook my head with humor, as he had just played me basically. I started to pull my hand away, but he tightened his grip and then he looked to me with a simple smile before kissing the back of my hand. I slightly blushed as he drove us to school, our fingers stayed locked the entire time.

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