Beasty and the Brave

If you haven't read part 1, please read that before reading part 2.

Here's the link:

Part 2:

“I’m not BEASTY, but MARY?”

"Mom killed 4 kids?"

At that very moment, she realized that those shoes were the last possession her mother left her. Beasty thought that Morgana had left her alone and went far away somewhere. She didn't know that she jumped off the same cliff she was sitting on and given up on her burdensome life. After reading the letter, Beasty realized she was all alone in this very minute world of hers, where Morgana was everything to her.

After all this, there was no reason for Beasty to live anymore. She wanted to jump off the cliff right away, the same cliff Morgana had jumped a few hours ago. The thought of every word that Morgana had written on that letter, every small secret, that she'd been unknown to, was killing her with each breath she took.

Beasty wasn't acting like any normal person. She wasn't screaming for her mother, Morgana. Neither was she Bawling over the fact that she used to be girl-ish, normal, and pretty like all the other girls of the village.

There was a dark silence all over her face. A silence that made the harshness of the cold killing night disappear. She couldn’t bear the weight of losing the only person she had. That day wasn’t meant to end on that cruel note! It was her 11th birthday—A day that came once a year when Morgana would take her to a forest in a new city. The only day when Morgana would buy her a new costume. The only day when Morgana would give her something precious. This time Mary understood that those shoes of her mother were a gift for her birthday.

It wasn't that she was emotionless. She was instead dead inside.

Mary had never met a girl or any human since she turned into Beasty. She never knew the reason why Morgana never let her meet anyone from the villagers. The only thing Morgana told Beasty was that she was different and would get in danger if met another human. Beasty had always wished to play with all the small girls her age. But the least she had enjoyed was a far view of those girls playing. She had always fantasized about having a friend. She had always wished to play with someone her age.

The day when she turned into a beasty, everyone in the village, as a community, presented their consent to kill her. They thought she would grow up as a female beast and kill everyone the same way the Beast from the Kingdom did. So, that day onward, Morgana did all her upbringing in the deep forest, while keeping her hidden from the eyes of the world.

She told everyone in the village that Beasty died. And all these years the only person—the only human Mary met and knew in her life was Morgana —As a partner, as a friend, and as a mother.

If someday, she would see a human pass by, it'd be like a breath of fresh air for Mary. She'd hide in the bushes and see the humans talk with each other. Sometimes, it'd be families talking about the hunt; the other times little girls playing with their cousins and holding hands together.

As much as she had loved Morgana since childhood, there was someone else too; A secret Love whom she had admired and cherished just as deeply.

It happened on Mary's 7th birthday. Mary, as usual, was roaming around in the forest. But, this time, she heard a voice. A strangely familiar one. She got lost in the echoes of the voice and started following it. In no time, she reached the end of her world's realm— the spot where the forest ended and the village started. That was her first time being there. The sight of the village left her in awe. She'd never witnessed anything more mesmerizing in her life. The echoes of small kids near the bonfire, the sight of a mother beating her son for the oranges he dropped, the noise of the market; all of that had made her eyes teary. She imagined herself and Morgana playing in the market like everyone else. She was hiding behind the only giant tree at that end. The sight of villagers and children made her feel so emotional that she fell to her knees.

Mary had never felt weaker before. She experienced the emotion of being hurt for the first time that day. She felt alone for the first time. She wanted to play with them, tell them she was no different from them; that she had similar emotions of Love, Hate, and Loss like them. She wanted to run through the market and tell everyone that she would feel happy to be with them. That very day she was heartbroken, that too for the first time.

Lost in the depths of her emotional breakdown, she suddenly heard the footsteps of two people approaching the big tree. The footsteps could be felt advancing toward her with great speed as they were running toward the tree. Mary wasn't in the state to run; she felt like if she moved right then, those people would catch her. So, she stayed still, her heart beating fast, faster than ever. She placed a hand over her heart and blinked away her tears. Inside, she was praying not to get caught. Right away, she noticed the sound of footsteps fade and then completely disappear. She let out a sigh of relief and as she took a step, she heard someone’s voice; A boy, she was pretty sure it was a boy, nearly her age, right behind the big tree she was hiding.

She, again thudded herself back against the tree to hide as she realized they were standing right next to her, right opposite to where she was standing.

She heard the boy say:

Dad, we can do this. Remember?

When times are harsh and hearts grow sore,

That is when we must live even more

There was a mesmerizing sweetness in his voice like a melody stirred with warmth and honey. A voice Mary had never heard before, yet it wrapped around her heart like the softest embrace, enchanting and irresistible. Those words of his got caged in her heart. She had never imagined hearing such a deep thought.

Before leaving that tree, the last words the boy said were;

I believe in YOU.

This time, Mary felt as if the boy said those words to her. The magic and power his words held were profound and irresistible. Morgana had always taught Mary about happiness. She’d never experienced HOPE. The spark she felt in the relationship between the boy and his dad was utterly beautiful— a relationship where if one person falls the other person's standing right next to hold them.

She started crying and this time her tears were even more meaningful.

She longed to meet that boy, to see him with her own eyes. His voice alone had stirred something deep within her—a feeling she couldn’t ignore. She hadn’t even seen his face, yet her heart had already begun to chase him. But when she finally turned around, they were gone—both of them vanished like a blurred dream.

.

The Present

She lifted her foot, resolving to leave behind a world where she felt unseen, unloved, and utterly alone. She was determined to jump off the cliff. As she lifted her right foot; She closed her eyes and an unfamiliar face encountered her, with the words of the boy echoing in her heart

When times are harsh and hearts grow sore,

That is when we must live even more

.

She struggled between the words and that face. Altogether that caused her to place her foot back and get off the cliff.

.

.

A/N:

It wouldn't be just to the story if I ended it in this part. There's much more to come.

Part 3 coming soon.