A Rose for the Beast

Victor the Inventor

After Rosalie finished putting the previously purchased items away, she strolled outside and around the small farmhouse to the shed behind their home. Her father's scratchy voice could be heard as she approached, berating his tools for not doing their job. She laughed aloud when she inadvertently distracted him by opening the door, causing him to bump his head on the opened contraption he'd been working with. His brow furrowed as he gave a reluctant smile.

"Daughters shouldn't laugh at their fathers, Rosa," he teased.

"Fathers shouldn't be so funny if they don't want to be laughed at," she countered, earning a chuckle from him.

"Fair point. Did you get everything I need for my journey?," he asked as he closed the door to the mechanism of his new invention.

"Yes," she said, then pouted. "I don't see why you have to go alone. I could be a big help on the road."

Her father patted her on the shoulder and gave her a quick squeeze.

"I know you would, Rosa, but someone has to maintain the house while I'm away," he explained. Then, shook his head, white hair tossing back and forth. "This wouldn't be a problem if you just married a good man."

Rosalie rolled her eyes and huffed in annoyance. For years, since she came of age, her father had been desperate to find a suitable husband for her. It was a father's sacred duty, but she had no interest in finding a man. Least of all, looking for a companion anywhere near their remote town. She'd be stuck in the same position she had been in for the rest of her life.

As she opened her mouth to argue the fact with her father, he raised a hand to stop her.

"I know, I know. Until a foreign knight comes marching in from a distant land and promises to whisk you away, the chances of you marrying are highly unlikely. You can't blame a father for trying," he said with a shrug.

Rosalie loved him all the more for understanding her. She smiled and gave him a quick kiss on his bearded cheek. Waving her hands over the general area before them, she said, "So, what else needs to be done, Papa?"

At this, her father's excitement visibly increased. He slapped his hands together and grinned ear to ear.

"I finished it! Wait here, I'll show you how it works."

The lanky old man skirted around the contraption to the opposite side. He sat down on the makeshift seat he'd made from several branches and a thick slice of tree trunk topped with a cushion she'd sewn and stuffed herself. His legs stretched until his feet met the wooden pedals closer to the center part of the contraption. The pedals attached to the main piece by a pulley system that spun a cylinder on top, which was powered by the pedals.

As her father started working his legs, the pulley cycled through, slowly turning a large piece of cut metal at the top. She recognized the part as an old shield her father had hanging behind his desk at one point. The edge had been tapered off, creating a sharp blade on half of the metal at the end.

"Grab one of those logs there, would you?"

Rosalie did as she had been asked and placed the wood on top of the machine. She glanced at her father who nodded, signaling her to continue. She shoved the log forward as the sharp part of the blade turned and created enough room for the wood to fit. The pulley caused the blade to slice cleanly through the wood, efficiently chopping it into multiple pieces. She stared in amazement at her father's brilliance. He'd even put a detachable wagon below the blade to catch the falling timber.

She returned her father's bright smile with an admiring grin.

"You've done it again, Papa."

"Yes!," he exclaimed while jumping from his seat. "Victor has invented another useful farming utensil to increase productivity! Listen to the crowd roar!," he brought his hands over his mouth and mocked cheering.

Rosalie laughed again. Her father had a way of keeping her spirits lifted, even though she worried for his departure.

"I suppose you'll leave in the morning," she said as she gathered some of his tools to place them on his workbench.

"Morning?! No, no. I must leave right away. If I get to the inventor's convention first, I'll be the most popular one there. I'll definitely be able to haggle a sell if I arrive before anyone else. Quickly, help me cover my invention and get Max ready for travel."

Her father's insistence to leave shocked her. As she helped him ready for the journey, she continually mentioned the dangers of traveling alone. Especially during a bad storm. When she finished tying the contraption to the wagon and attached Max's reigns, Rosalie had given up trying to convince her father to stay.

He tugged his straw hat down on his head and gave her a warm smile. The tattered hat hung low, white hair tumbling beneath the rim. The green eyes she'd inherited stared at her with compassion. He knew she hated being alone, even if she preferred it to the villagers.

"I'll be back before you know it," was all he said.

Rosalie watched him ride off down the road toward the coast until he turned out of sight. The sun had lowered beyond the horizon, bringing forth the dark of night. Her concern for her father didn't abate, but she trusted his intelligence. All she could do was hope for the best as she made her way back home.