Beast of Mine (Completed)

Chapter I

Ana was plagued. She could not help but cry for another night. Her father has been gone for two nights now and in the horrid snow! Her mother and sisters were distraught. The Lord of this land was known not to be a kind fellow. Her father owes a fairly large debt to Lord Lorenzo.

Ana paced within her room awaiting for her father to much some day return to them. Her mother was lonely and dismayed into depression. Her sisters Juliana and Jeanette, the twins, stayed by her side.

They were beautiful creatures, Ana's sisters. Both with golden locks of hair and plush red lips with the most beautiful blue eyes and slender nose and white faces as clean as a dove. Both take after the mother.

Ana, the youngest, took after her father. Dark long hair, black as night. Her eyes were a mere muddy color with thin, pink lips along with a small nose and dark skin. She was shorter than her sisters and far less prettier, Ana thinks.

She has had enough waiting. She wishes to go to the Lord herself. It should not take long to talk about business. She's seen her father do it before. Unless, the Lord did not like the agreement. Oh, how she fret. Ana, hastily put on a dress fitting, she thought, for her visit along with her white riding cloak. She may not be the most womanly in her family or between her sisters but, she did not care for it. The only beauty she had, and knew about, was from within. She liked it that way. She shan't be a flirt like her sisters. Ana did not speak her mind much but, she had the urge to want to protect her old-aging father. Ana cared not for marriage, she knew no boy would ever choose her. They thought her dreary and boring and plain.

She mounted her horse and proceeded towards the Lords estate. Her white mare took her into the forest, where his mansion lay. She was amazed. Ana has never been this far into the forest before and all this belonged to him, the Beast, as they call him.

The Lords' name does not go around fondly throughout her village. They say he is rude and arrogant with a foul temper. This frightened her. A shiver went down her spine as she thought about him. He cannot be as horrid as the villagers think he is, can he? Nonetheless, he'd never shout at a woman. He cannot if he were a true gentlemen.

Her thoughts silenced as she entered deeper into the forest, following the path that lead her to his estate. It got darker and darker the deeper she went. She tried not fret. Her mare was frightened as well.

She suddenly froze in fear. She noticed a body on the ground and a coat.

"Papá!" She cried out, jumping off her mare and running towards her father who was collapsed beside a tree.

She touched her fathers cold and shivering hands. Ana needed to take her father into a safe place! She looked hastily around the heavy fog that clouded the area. Her eyes scanned the area and then she saw a light. She stared at the light for a while and as she did, the fog started to part.

She held her breath at the sight before her. Lord Lorenzo's estate. She was amazed of how grand it was. The wind howled and Ana kept held onto her hood.

She took her papa onto her horse. He was mildly conscious.

As she took hold of the gates of the Lords mansion, she was startled at the large creak the old iron gates gave out. They were rusty and had vines on them, as if they have never been opened before.

This home, it was fit for...a beast. It was frightening being here.

The gate would not open. It was stuck, frozen solid. She stood there, shivering, her garments getting wet.

The snow was not deep but, it was cold. She tugged at the gate once more but it did not open. She heard her Papa cough.

"Please." She begged, trying her best to open the gates.