Bad ending (77)

Soon it was Saturday and Bella had Zane all to her self. The took a long drive into the country to stay at a little Bed and Breakfast.

In stead of reading she watched the country side and talked to Zane along the way about what he wanted their life to be.

"How many children do you see us having?" she asked.

"I see us with three children." He said.

"Oh three, why?"

"That is what I dreamed of." He said placing his hand on her knee.

When they got to their destination they went for a walk and found a great place to rest and read. Bella felt like she was in heaven at having her Beast read to her.

◇◇◇♡♡♡◇◇◇ THE FROG PRINCE Cont.

The King's daughter was full of joy when she again saw her beautiful plaything; and, taking it up, she ran off immediately.

"Stop! stop!" cried the Frog; "take me with thee. I cannot run as thou canst." But this croaking was of no avail; although it was loud enough, the King's daughter did not hear it, but, hastening home, soon forgot the poor Frog, who was obliged to leap back into the fountain.

The next day, when the King's daughter was sitting at table with her father and all his courtiers, and was eating from her own little golden plate, something was heard coming up the marble stairs, splish-splash, splish-splash; and when it arrived at the top, it knocked at the door, and a voice said-- "Open the door, thou youngest daughter of the King!"

So she arose and went to see who it was that called to her; but when she opened the door and caught sight of the Frog, she shut it again very quickly and with great passion, and sat down at the table, looking exceedingly pale.

But the King perceived that her heart was beating violently, and asked her whether it were a giant who had come to fetch her away who stood at the door.

"Oh, no!" answered she; "it is no giant, but an ugly Frog."

"What does the Frog want with you?" said the King.

"Oh, dear father, yesterday when I was playing by the fountain, my golden ball fell into the water, and this Frog fetched it up again because I cried so much: but first, I must tell you, he pressed me so much, that I promised him he should be my companion. I never thought that he could come out of the water, but somehow he has managed to jump out, and now he wants to come in here."

At that moment there was another knock, and a voice said-- "King's daughter, youngest, Open the door. Hast thou forgotten Thy promises made At the fountain so clear 'Neath the lime-tree's shade? King's daughter, youngest. Open the door."

Then the King said, "What you have promised, that you must perform; go and let him in."

So the King's daughter went and opened the door, and the Frog hopped in after her right up to her chair: and as soon as she was seated, he said, "Lift me up;" but she hesitated so long that the King had to order her to obey. And as soon as the Frog sat on the chair he jumped on to the table and said, "Now push thy plate near me, that we may eat together." And she did so, but as every one noticed, very unwillingly. The Frog seemed to relish his dinner very much, but every bit that the King's daughter ate nearly choked her, till at last the Frog said, "I have satisfied my hunger, and feel very tired; wilt thou carry me upstairs now into thy chamber, and make thy bed ready that we may sleep together?"

At this speech the King's daughter began to cry, for she was afraid of the cold Frog, and dared not touch him; and besides, he actually wanted to sleep in her own beautiful, clean bed! But her tears only made the King very angry, and he said, "He who helped you in the time of your trouble must not now be despised!"

So she took the Frog up with two fingers, and put him into a corner of her chamber. But as she lay in her bed, he crept up to it, and said, "I am so very tired that I shall sleep well; do take me up, or I will tell thy father."

This speech put the King's daughter into a terrible passion, and catching the Frog up, she threw him with all her strength against the wall, saying "Now will you be quiet, you ugly Frog!" But as he fell he was changed from a Frog into a handsome Prince with beautiful eyes, who after a little while became her dear companion and betrothed.

One morning, Henry, trusted servant of the Prince, came for them with a carriage. When his master was changed into a frog, trusty Henry had grieved so much that he had bound three iron bands around his heart, for fear it should break with grief and sorrow.

The faithful Henry (who was also the trusty Henry) helped in the bride and bridegroom, and placed himself in the seat behind, full of joy at his master's release.

They had not proceeded far when the Prince heard a crack as if something had broken behind the carriage; so he put his head out of the window and asked trusty Henry what was broken, and faithful Henry answered, "It was not the carriage, my master, but an iron band which I bound around my heart when it was in such grief because you were changed into a frog."

Twice afterwards on the journey there was the same noise, and each time the Prince thought that it was some part of the carriage that had given way; but it was only the breaking of the bands which bound the heart of the trusty Henry (who was also the faithful Henry), and who was thenceforward free and happy.

◇◇◇♡♡♡◇◇◇

"That was a stupid ending. What kind of story is this." Zane asked.

"Some of Grimm's Fairy Stories are like that; the endings make no since." Bella explained.

She then handed the gift she had to Zane.

"What's this?" He asked.

"A gift to say thank you for being you." She smiled.

Zane opened the package 'The Count of Monte Cristo by Alexandre Dumas. "I love it."