Beauty Is A Beast

No One is Strong Like Austin

Happy reading

Chapter 3

It was already the afternoon when Rose and her mother were done plotting. They would have been done sooner but her mother kept bursting into fits of tears saying things like "My grandchildren will be kittens!" and "We'll be thrown out of town before nightfall for this!" But every time, Rose managed to calm her down and reassure her that this plan was foolproof. Her mother was grabbing her cloak to go deliver the letter Rose had dictated. Rose wouldn't admit it to her mother, but she was starting to get an anxious feeling in the pit of her stomach. However, she ignored it and urged her reluctant mother forward out the door.

"Don't worry mother, everything will be fine-" Rose said with a final push of her forehead on her mother's shin.

"-just do what we talked about and nothing will go wrong." Her mother looked down at her and gave a small smile.

"I know dear. Don't worry about me, I'll make sure this works." She said, trying to sound confident. However, Rose heard the quiver in her mother's voice. Rose simply nodded.

Rose turned around and walked to her room at the sound of the front door shutting. She needed to find a mirror. Even though she has been a cat all day she was so caught up in her planning that she never even took a look at herself. Pushing the door to her room open, she walked inside and over to her vanity. It was tall compared to her size but she had already discovered that, like a cat, she was able to jump quite high. She jumped on top of it and finally took a look in the mirror. She was an average-looking cat for the most part. With dark grey tabby patterned fur and a wiry body. Perhaps she looked a bit more elegant than a normal village cat as if she belonged to a noble family. But it was her eyes that struck her the most. They were her eyes. Not just because they were the same exact color, but because she could see herself in them.

That's the only thing that kept her from going crazy at this surreal experience. To know that she was still herself, even as a cat. She nodded her head at herself. She was going to make the most of this situation. It's not a curse, it's an opportunity. She continued to tell herself this every time she slipped into a panic.

Austin grabbed another bag of flour and hefted it on his shoulder with ease.

"Thank you again Austin, I've been having so much trouble dealing with the flour ever since my boy enlisted. May the Lord protect him." Herald the baker said, taking his hat off and holding it to his heart at the last part.

"Of course, I love any chance to help. Call on me anytime." Austin smiled brightly. Herald's wife Agatha squinted her eyes in suspicion.

"Uh-huh, more like a chance to show off to the village girls." As she said this Austin looked behind him at a group of giggling girls. He gave them a wink and turned back to the baker and his wife. He let out a belting laugh.

"You may be old but you're still as sly as ever." He gave her a big pat on the back.

Austin wouldn't admit it out loud, but he truly enjoyed helping the Bakers. He felt a sense of responsibility towards them. Ever since their son, Austin's best friend got conscripted he'd been feeling a bit guilty. Austin wanted to enlist too but couldn't because he was next in line to be the village head. But he'd keep his promise to his best friend and take care of the old baker couple. After all, they had been a great relief to Austin growing up. Agatha was always the one to clean his wounds when he fell. And Herald taught him right from wrong. Austin's mother died during childbirth and his father was too occupied running the village and dealing with the less than favorable Landlord. But his father did teach him one thing, his ego. His father was an amazing village head but his skills in fathering were severely lacking. The only "love" his father showed was giving Austin anything he wanted. So Austin was not used to being denied.

This is why the situation with Rose was so frustrating to him. Why hasn't she accepted his proposal yet? All the other women have expressed their interest in marrying him but Rose hasn't even shown interest in him. The only possible explanation is someone better than him offered her marriage. But the only one near that is higher in station is Damien Cox the Landlord, who he had met a few times with his father on business. Rose could certainly pass as a noblewoman and Austin is sure that if Lord Cox ever laid eyes on her he'd surely want her. Austin shivered. Lord Cox was an infamous womanizer. Not to mention he is incredibly dark in nature. A psychopath Austin is sure of it. He would gladly let the village starve to death if it meant he could have a new fancy robe. That man didn't deserve Rose.

Austin has loved Rose since his early teens. He didn't know her much before that as she mostly kept to the outskirts of Crossworth. But when her father died she came into the village more to work where she could. She often helped out the Bakers when she first started working in town. That's where Austin met her. It was love at first sight, at least in Austin's mind.

Austin's thoughts were cut short as everyone started making their way to the town square causing a commotion in the process. Austin stopped someone heading that way.

"What's going on?" He asked the person, who he now saw was another one of Rose's suitors.

"Miss Rose's mother has an announcement to make concerning our proposals." The suiter said. Then hurried off to the square. Austin looked towards the Bakers.

"You better get going. We've got everything handled here." Herold Baker said smiling. Austin nodded and began heading to the town square with everyone else.

~~~~~~~~~~A/N~~~~~~~~~~~~

Sorry this one is a bit short :/  I've been really busy and got sick 

P.S. Austin got his name from a friend of mine named Austin who does a GREAT Gaston impression.