Love Is Never Ugly

Chapter 4

Days went by; Seviathan continued to court Charlotte while Helsa tried to obtain some suitors of her own but the results were always the same. Charlotte would distance herself from Seviathan and put off the talk of marriage for as long as she could while Helsa could only gain the affections of local drunkards and hoodlums. But then one dreary morning a horse man came to their house bearing good news. Apparently one of Lucifer's ships was still in tact and carried a plenty full of valuable cargo. Loud were the rejoicings that day within the small farm house. Joy and laughter filled their hearts. If what was said proved to be true then Lucifer would regain his place in high society, Helsa could have a fine dowry to bring forth a prospective husband, and Charlotte no longer needed to worry about submitting herself to an unwanted marriage.

Lucifer spent the night preparing for the journey and planned to leave at dawn. When he awoke he was so excited that he didn't even stop to eat breakfast but instead went straight to his horse after he had dressed himself and put on his best coat. He mounted himself proudly on to the old farm horse and turning to his daughters who would see him off that day he said,

"Now my dear girls, should my trip meet with good luck what gifts would you like for me to bring you?"

"Father if you wish to make up for all that I have suffered." Helsa answered greedily. "Then I shall have jeweled coifs, silken gowns, golden chains, precious stones, a crystal looking glass-"

She longed after something better and of higher price than the other. So Lucifer promised her all of it.

"What will you have Charlotte?" He asked his other daughter.

"I only want your safe return Father." She replied.

"Come, come, I cannot bring your sister gifts and nothing for you. What is it that you would like to have most?"

Charlotte thought for a moment. It had been so very long since she had asked for something for herself. She did not desire extravagant pleasantries like her sister did and her father's love was all she could ever want. But she could not deny that if there was something she could have without any price or strings attached it would be a garden. A garden full of flowers that she could smell and weave into garlands. Spend everyday walking on the green grass to gaze upon the brightly colored petals of the flowers and inhale their sweet perfume. Flowers like irises, lavender, marigolds, tulips, lilies, orchids, and her personal favorite roses. She loved the roses most of all because they were often symbols of love and friendship. Now she knew that she couldn't ask her father to bring her a garden but maybe he could bring her the next best thing.

"Father if you should happen to see a rose I would love for you to bring it back to me." She requested humbly.

"A rose? But Charlotte I wanted to bring you something special. A gift that actually has value."

"But Father a rose is very special and valuable to me."

"Nonsense. They're smelly and full of bugs. Wouldn't you prefer a gold necklace or something?"

"No Father. Gold is very lovely but it's hard and cold. Roses are too, are very lovely but alive and thriving. Also I could take cuttings from the one rose you bring me and use them to grow more here. Oh it would be so beautiful and

"Very well." He said. "You shall have the most perfect rose I can find."

With that promise given, he rode away. His journey took him down a long path and it would take him two days to reach the port but when he arrived he was greatly disappointed to find that it had only been a rumor that the ship had been recovered. Which meant they were all still as poor as church mice with absolutely nothing. He could not bear to see the looks on the faces of his daughters once he returned with no gifts, only bad news. He left the port with a down-bent head and crest-fallen look, he would only bring misery to his daughters however he didn't want to make it any harder than had to be by delaying his return.