Werewolf Bride

Unrealistic Expectations

*Painting Shown Above*

Four hours later, after socializing with Genevieve and raiding her closet, Carlos introduces me to my own private bedroom. A nervous wreck, I could barely accept this room as my own. It was likely four times the size of my room back at home. The walls were bright white, with gold engraving, similar to the ball room down below. The walls were lined with gorgeous paintings, mostly landscapes except for one: a self portrait of an elegant woman. 

"Who is that?" I approach the painting in awe. 

"My great grandmother." Carlos answers proudly. He was often acting proud showing me anything in this palace, and with good reason. Everything is remarkably kept and decorated. There isn't any room I haven't been impressed with. "This was already hanging in here. I can have it moved if you rather not have her watching over you while your sleep at night." He quickly adds. He is already beginning to take it down before I calmly stop him. 

"No, leave it. It's a wonderful painting." I'm quite fond of the past, and the individuals of history. It would be comforting to see her as she is now, a presentable, proud woman, and not a werewolf the moment the clock strikes midnight. Who knows where she is now...perhaps galloping though the forest just as I was last night. Perhaps she is exploring every corner of the world as I would. With all the time in the world why wouldn't you-

Carlos steps back, noticeably confused. "Alright then." He takes me in as I'm lost in thought, a glint of amusement in his eyes once again.  I roll mine as soon as I notice. "Glad I'm an excellent point of interest for you." 

"You are fascinating. I won't deny that. I have never met a girl that thinks so intensely her eyes glaze over and she forgets where she is, but I suppose that's certainly better than most of the girls I've met whom rather not think at all." He shrugs his shoulders and stares at the painting himself. 

"Mhmm...they rather just bat their eyes and hope you give them a passing glance. Perhaps kiss their hands so that they can blush ruby red." I add. 

"Or perhaps faint coincidentally beside me so that I must catch them." He peaks a playful glance my way. "Had that happen before. Several occasions." 

"Darn, you've ruined my next move to seduce you, your highness."  I give him a small smile and slowly walk to the other side of the bed. A small bookshelf sat there, but remained empty. 

"I'll let you fill that up yourself. Take a look at our library to see if anything sparks your interest." He holds out his hand to lead the way. "We have quite the selection." 

I can't hold back my grin of excitement and let him take my hand. He quickly pulls it up to his lips and kisses it. My mouth slowly hangs open, and a warmth spreads across my cheeks. He looks up from my hand mischievously. "To you, it's Carlos." I bite my lip in embarrassment as he leans closer. I panic as he comes closer to my face than he ever has. After a second he chuckles. 

"Oh, what is that colour...hmm...is that ruby?" He opens his mouth in shock. "A ruby red blush? Just for me kissing your hand?" 

I rip my hand away quickly, and cover my face bashfully. "Oh shush, Carlos. I'm allowed to get flustered just like any other girl. Just because I like to think doesn't mean I'm not a fan of..." 

He faces me with a half smile waiting for me to finish my sentence, but as I face him I'm at a loss for words. I finally hook my arm with his and make a move to go forward. He stubbornly holds back and laughs. "Oh, come on Charlotte. You've got me hooked on whatever it was that you were saying." 

I groan stubbornly. "Okay, okay. Fine. I was going to say...it doesn't mean I'm not a fan of...romance?" I scoff at myself for even beginning that sentence in the first place. 

"Ah, romance. I did kind of peg you as the hopeless romantic type, but you like it the traditional way, don't you?" He cocks his head curiously as he waits for my reply. 

"Traditional way?" I inquire, despite knowing exactly what he meant.

"You love the idea of being courted. You don't want to fall foolishly in love the first day you meet someone. You want to fall in love the proper, traditional way, and not be proposed to the same day. You don't like the idea of forced marriage and that's what you're stuck with." Carlos replies seriously, nearly disappointed, as he knew he was exactly right. I didn't want to do this backwards. I never wanted a proposal before I was in love. Not like this, but I have no choice. 

I shrug. "That's fairy tale talk. Life doesn't always work that way, and sometimes if you even find love like that, it doesn't always last. It always ends in the end. It's a realistic expectation." I reply as calmly as I can, resisting the urge to think of how terribly my parents love had ended. 

"True, but I promise you, if we fall in love, it won't have to end. We may start non traditionally, but it might even turn out better than you ever imagined, as an unrealistic, unbelievable expectation." He assures, me trying to give me a small smile. 

It was true...but I had my doubts. "What if we do not fall in love?" 

"Then you will live until you do find love. Even if it takes forever." He insists, slowly moving forward. He closes the door behind us as we make our way to the library. We continue in silence until he adds: "But the 'what if' doesn't matter, Charlotte. We will fall in love. It always happens. There hasn't been one King and Queen in our Kingdom's history that did not grow to love each other unconditionally. I can assure you that." 

Doubt still sprung in my mind, but I had to acknowledge that it was likely true. The two of us will grow to understand each other no one else in the Kingdom could. We will know each others secrets and keep them safe. We will bond in a way no other couple could. Never faltering, never aging, never growing sick or running into the normal challenges of life. 

It is a damn fairy tale. A curse, but a fairy tale romance I had always dreamed and read about. He is right. This already is unrealistic, so there will be no realistic ending for us. I'm basically living one of my favourite novels. 

"Plus," Carlos adds, "It helps that the Beast is the best matchmaker there has ever been. There's a reason he chose you for me, just as there was a reason he chose my mother for my father, and my great grandmother in the painting for my great grandfather. They've all stayed together." 

I look to him suspiciously. Everything sounds too good to be true.

What's the catch?