whats love got to do with it

Elisabeth sat ensconced on the throne in all the finery afforded to a queen admiring all the expensive and wonderful things she had gathered about her. She smiled a smile of pure joy as she ran her fingers through golden jewelry and strings of pearls.

She hummed to herself as she stood to admire her reflection in the mirror. She began to sway and spin about, her eyes never leaving the mirror. Her humming gave way to a little giggle and then to outright laughter. She seemed quite suited to the life of royalty.

With a sudden and very loud bang, the door to the castle flew open as Justyn bounded into the room. He stood in the center of the room breathing heavy and filled with fear.

“Elisabeth!” he cried exhausted and in pain.

“So you’ve finally returned.” She smiled as she sat down on her throne.

“What’s happening? What’s going on here?” He asked in surprise.

“You don’t know? I’ve made myself at home.”

Justyn stared at her in disbelief. What could have happened to her? Why was she acting this way? His eyes fixed on a small golden vile hanging from her neck. His blood ran cold and a chill walked up his spine.

“What have you done?” He asked in disbelief.

“I’m not sure what you mean. Didn’t you miss me while you were away?”

“Where did you get that?” he asked pointing at the little vile.

“This old thing? I found it in the pile of my stuff you had flung about the floor.”

Her voice was both pleasant and sinister. Her eyes were filled with rage as she smiled at him.

“What’s the matter Dear, didn’t you miss me?”

“Sue…” the word slipped from his lips almost by accident.

“Yes Justyn, Sue, your beloved wife!” She hissed.

“How?”

“I’m sure you can figure it out.” She spat at him holding the vile that hung from her neck.

“Let her go. Leave her alone!”

“Oh god no!” She laughed sinfully.

“It’s been a very long time since I’ve been able to stretch my legs and I do have to say, these are some very nice legs.”

Justyn stood in dismay. How could this have happened? How could he have let this happen? How was he to save the girl from the monster within?

“Let her go!” He barked.

“Let her go or…”

“OR WHAT?” she bellowed back.

“You’ll beat me? Will you bruise this delicate little thing? Will you slice her throat to get me out?”

Justyn stepped one step back, his resolve crumbling in the face of her truth. If he did anything to Sue, it would mean the end of Elisabeth.

“What do you want? What can I do to get Elisabeth back?”

“Come my love.” She said as she slowly stood holding the weapon that had ended her so long ago.

“Tell me you love me. Let us embrace.”

Leaping from the throne she threw herself at Justyn wick a wicked fury.

She swung the sword violently as Justyn dodged every swing. She moved with an unholy speed and vigor, growing more and more angry with each miss. She shrieked in fury as the blade flew through the air missing its target.

“Now dear, you’re making this harder than it needs to be. Give me hug and a kiss and DIE!”

“You’ve lost your touch, dear.” He sneered as the blade fell hard by his feet.

“I may be a little rusty.” She said.

“But let’s see if you can defend against this!”

She held out her free arm and drug the blade across it, cutting deep.

“NO!” He wailed in terror.

“As I thought.” She spat.

“You love this creature.”

“I do. I love her.” He sighed.

“I told you years ago that as long as there are stars in the sky you will never know love. You would be this great monster that you are inside!”

Justyn slumped to floor. There was no way to defend against her. He could not attack for fear of hurting the woman he loved, nor could he keep her from harming Elisabeth.

“What can I do? What will it take to get you to let her go?”

She slunk over to Justyn placing the blade under his chin, lifting his head to look at her. She scoffed at him, ancient and deep hatred burning in the eyes of his love.

“Die.”

She lifted the sword high in the air and was about to swing the killing blow when he raised an arm in the air holding the blow.

“Before I die will you answer one question?”

Lowering the sword with a sigh, she stood over him glaring.

“Fine.”

“Elisabeth, do you love me?”

Her body began to twitch. She shuddered as the blade fell to the floor.

“Do you love me Elisabeth?”

“What… have you done to me?” She asked tripping backwards.

“Elisabeth. I love you. Do you love me?”

She fell to her knees, clutching her head, knocking the crown from her head. She pounded the floor and shook violently. She cried out in pain. She looked s if she were going to throw up as she looked Justyn in the eye, tears running down her face.

“YES!” she shrieked.

As the word fell from her lips Elisabeth fell to the floor. Justyn shot to his feet and ran to her, holding her in his arms. He brushed the hair from her face looking deeply into her eyes.

There was a sharp pain in his side. Slowly he looked down to see the sword buried deep in his side. He looked back at the face of his love. She was smiling menacingly and began to laugh.

“Did you honestly think that would work?”

Justyn held her even tighter. He stared into those grey eyes, the eyes of his love, the eyes of his dead wife as a single tear fell from his eye and onto the cheek of the girl.

“Elisabeth, I love you.” He said as he bent down and kissed her.

“I love you too.” She said in a voice tender and warm and true.

The room lit brighter than the sun. With a deafening crack of lightening both were throne away from each other, landing in a crash on opposite sides of the room.

They lay prone for a moment as the glow in the room faded. Justyn began to lift himself but the sword in his side forced him to stop and prop himself against the wall.

Slowly Elisabeth pulled herself to her knees as a smoky grey cloud gathered around her, spun and then faded away. There was a scream, almost silent that faded with the cloud. Elisabeth scrambled to her feet and made her way to Justyn.

She stared in wonder to find propped up on the wall was a man. He was older, no hair and a long grey beard. She looked into his eyes and there she found the eyes of her love. The curse had been broken and he was free to be the man she knew in her heart that he was.

“Elisabeth?” He whispered.

“Yes. It’s me.” She said, her eyes filled with tears.

“Is it over? Is she gone?”

“I think so. But look at your hands.”

Justyn looked down at his hands, the hands of a man. The curse had been broken and he was a man again. Slowly he looked down at his side, the sword buried there.

Justyn looked up to Elisabeth, smiling just a little smile. He knew his time was limited. The cost of breaking the curse was a high price indeed.

“Could you… pull this thing out?” He coughed.

“If I take that out, you’ll die.” She sobbed.

“I don’t think anything can change that now.” He twinged in pain.

“I don’t want you to die. I love you. What would I do without you?”

“Open a bakery. Make mint frosting.” He tried to laugh but ended up cringing from the pain.

“This is not the time.” She scolded him.

Justyn reached out and took her hand. He sat smiling, looking into her eyes.

“You have such beautiful eyes. I’m sorry I was mean to you. I’m sorry for all of the mean things I did you to you, I wasn’t myself.”

She stood staring at the sword. Her hands trembled as she grabbed the hilt. She held it there for a moment trying to steel herself against what she had to do and with a quick pull, drew the sword from her mans side.

Justyn sat on the floor gazing into the eyes of his Elisabeth as the world began to fade to black. The last thing he saw was her face, the last thing he heard were the words, “I love you.”