Tale As Old As Time | EAH

5-Days In The Sun

The sun poured into Cerise's bedroom. Her eyes fluttered open and she groaned. She tried to burry her face in her pillows and fall back asleep, but it was no use, the sun already woke her. She stretched before sitting up in her bed. She noticed the two books on her nightstand. They were the books she had taken from the library. She wasn't sure why she took them, but she did. She flipped through each one, comparing them.

She was hoping to find something within the pages, a clue, a sign, anything to indicate why she was here. She knew that she wasn't apart of Daring's story, but she also knew that this wasn't a coincidence. She sighed, "Why am I here?" She asked to herself.

"Well dear, things aren't always what they seem." A voice said.

Cerise screamed and turned toward the voice. "Oh my god, Sarah! You scared me!" Cerise panted as she caught her breath.

Sarah smiled as she sat on her bed. "Sorry dear."

Cerise quickly gathered herself. "What did you mean by that?" She asked.

Sarah chuckled. "You're looking to a bunch of old story books for answers, when the answers you're looking for might be right under your nose."

Cerise felt just as confused as before. "I still don't understand."

Sarah simply shrugged, "All I'm saying, is that destiny works in strange ways. I mean, Daring wasn't supposed to be a beast, but that's how his story worked out."

The wheels in Cerise's brain started turning. "So you're saying that, maybe it wasn't an accident that I found this place?"

Sarah nodded, "And maybe there's a reason Rosabella never found it. Maybe this wasn't her story after all."

Cerise gave Sarah a, 'sure whatever you say' look. "I just find it hard to believe that this might actually be my story." Cerise sighed. Sarah patted Cerise's shoulder, "I don't know for sure, it's just an idea." After a few more minutes of chatting Sarah left Cerise alone.

Cerise decided that is was time to start her day. She rolled out of bed and quickly changed. When she was done she headed down to the kitchen, grabbed something to eat and kept on going. She was heading to one of her new favorite spots.

She wasn't sure what to call the room. Instead of walls, there were windows, so the room always looked like it was glowing. There was an old piano sitting in the middle of the room. Cerise wasn't sure why it was there, the room wasn't a music room because there was only a pano, but for some reason it seemed like it was meant to be there.

Cerise walked into the room and was temporarily blinded by the sun. She blinked it off and gathered the art supplies she had found in another room. She set her easel up by the window and started to paint.

Cerise was by no means an artist, but when you were roommates with one of the best artists in school, you picked up on a few things. Romona was also an artist. She never made it known, she didn't want any spotlight. But, there was a time when she taught Cerise how to paint. So with her limited knowledge, Cerise began to paint the only thing she knew how; a wolf. 

She hummed to herself as she painted. Cerise knew that she sounded awful but didn't really care. She recalled singing karaoke with Raven and goofing off. Cerise smiled at the memory. As she painted she wondered if she'd ever live a normal-well, normal for her-life. She knew that as much as she enjoyed her time here, she didn't want to live in a castle for the rest of her life. She longed for the normal comforts of life that everyday people enjoyed.

"All those days in the sun, what I'd give to relive just one," she quietly sang to herself, "Undo what's done, and bring back the light."

"You never told me you could sing." A familiar deep voice said.

Cerise jumped for the second time that day. What is with people sneaking up on me today? She thought.

She took a few deep breaths trying to get her heart to stop pounding. She looked up at Daring and smiled, "You know I can't sing." She chuckled.

He walked up to her, "Well, it sounded to me like you could sing. You were good too."

"Oh please, I think you need to clean your ears out." She laughed.

She returned her attention to her painting and Daring took a seat on the piano bench.

"She can paint too? Ladies and Gentlemen, Cerise Hood is a girl of many talents." Daring said jokingly.

Just rolled her eyes. Despite what he said, Cerise was neither a singer nor a painter, so she just let his words roll off her back.

"Who taught you how to paint?" He asked being more serious than before.

"I picked up a little from Cedar. My sister is also quite the artist, she taught me a little."

"I didn't know your sister painted."

"She never told anyone. She never cared for the spotlight."

He chuckled, "Sounds like someone else I know."

"So tell me Daring, do you have any hidden talents?" She smirked at him.

He shrugged. "Not really..." he glanced at the piano, "well actually, I used to play the piano."

Cerise's face lit up and she got up and sat next to him. "Play me something." She eagerly requested. He looked unsure, "I haven't played in years," he looked at his paws, "and besides, I probably couldn't play even if I wanted to."

"I bet you could if you tried." She smiled at him.

He didn't say anything as he started to play. It was rough and off key at first, but as he kept going it got better. Cerise closed her eyes and listened to him play. She wondered if he felt the same way she did.

She let out a little sigh. It was no use thinking of the past, she couldn't go back into her childhood. Maybe this was her life now, and she'd just have to accept that. She thought of everything she had been through to get here. She felt different, she felt stronger now. But even though she had more freedom here, she still didn't feel free.

She still felt like a prisoner to destiny. 

She stopped thinking of the what ifs and how she felt, and for a moment, she just listened to Daring play. It still wasn't the greatest, but it had gotten better. Cerise leaned her head against his shoulder while he played. Deep down, under all the uncertainty, she knew that she could be happy here. She knew as long as she was with Daring everything would be okay.

Her eyelids slowly opened as she listened to the music. Cerise would have her days in the sun once again, her days with Daring were just beginning. 

Author's Note:

Guys, we're halfway through this book! I've written an outline, and I think that there will only be 10 chapters, plus an epilogue. What do you guys think of the new cover? I kind of went out on a limb with it. I loved the pictures, but I don't think it really works as a cover. Please let me know what you think!! 

-Love Becca