Beautiful Curse: Part 1 YouXChen (For Squishyxoxo)
She was cursed. She had always been since she was a young child. To most she was hideous, to others she was frightful, and to herself she was hateful. She hated herself for not being beautiful like the other girls. She hated herself for being so odd, for being something other than ordinary. Because, in her eyes, she was truly a monster.
Maria had been cursed from her birth. Her mother had defiled a great sanctuary while she was pregnant with her child and in doing so, cursed her child to be a beast, like those who protected the holy area. However, Maria wasn’t like the protectorates, she was cursed with unruly hair and sharp eyes. Her teeth were dagger-like and her nostrils large. Her nails were long and strong as her legs seemed grow more muscular each day. It wasn’t her fault, but someone had to pay for her mother’s crime, thus Maria went on living her terrible life, avoiding everyone in her path.
Maria went to school near the sanctuary. Since her birth, her mother had almost completely disowned her. What mother would want an ugly baby? However, her mother knew it was her fault, and tried to her best to make it up with the sanctuary. She would visit every day offering sacrifices and cleaning the whole place. She thought if she did this, it would somehow make her daughter beautiful, however, it never did, and her mother grew slowly more distant as the years pasted, leaving Maria basically alone.
Maris made her lunches everyday, she would leave early to avoid her mother and come home late to do the same thing. She thought, that at least one of them had the right to be happy, but as long as she was cursed, nothing was going to change.
On her mother’s day off, Maria would go visit the sanctuary. She would visit the motherless kittens that seemed to wander onto the holy grounds without much thought. Maria would care for them while she was there. She’d pour them milk and pet their fur before the kittens would snuggle up against her. They were her only true friends. They weren’t afraid of her. They didn’t avoid her because of her appearance. They saw what was inside her. Someone like them, someone without a protector, someone without a guide and without someone to love them.
One day, while Maria had planned to visit the kittens, she saw a young man curled up against them, as he held them in his arms and chuckled at them. It was a glorious, almost angelic sound to Maria’s ears, but she could say nothing. She hid as she watched him. His chuckles would lead to smiles as his lips spread to show off his pearly whites. He was the definition for beauty. He had a strong jawline and cheerful eyes. To Maria, he looked like happiness. He was charming and playful, but most of all he was caring.
It wasn’t until one of the kittens pawed his knee as it meowed, did the young man glance in Maria’s direction, and as if the kitten had let it known she was there.
“Come on out.” He held out a hand in her direction as if she was also a shy little kitten. “There’s nothing to be afraid of.”
Maria didn’t want to go out, but his magical voice persuaded her. She slowly crawled away from her hiding place until her whole body was shown to the man. She looked away embarrassed and waited for him to scream or run away, but he did neither. Instead, he just stared at her for a long time, until his outstretched hand moves once more and beckoned her close, patting the ground next to him.
“I promise I won’t hurt you.” He coaxed, “Come over here. It’s alright.” He promised.
His voice is want made Maria move. She couldn’t help but obey its orders as she slowly inched closer to him.
“That’s it. Just a little close.” He held out a hand to her. When she was close enough, he took hold of her hand and pulled her next to him.
Maria gasped as her was pulled to the ground. Her eyes widened as she looked at the contact between them. The man chuckled once more. “Let me take a good look at you.” He smiled as he brushed away the hair in her face with a free hand.
“I think I understand.” He looked at her and nodded to himself. “It’s a pleasure to meet you.” He grinned. “I’m Chen. I’ll be the new protectorate here. It seems the old one is in the middle of passing away.”
Maria looked at the young man shocked. Maria had been here long enough to know that the protectorates rarely showed their faces to the public, and when they did, it was rumored that they were beasts. It was said that they were half-animal and half-human with magical powers, but this man was nothing like that.
Maria’s lips thinned together as she studied the man more. Again he laughed. “You don’t believe me do you?” He looked her in the eyes.
Maria looked away with a nod.
“I’m not surprised you don’t believe me.” He laughed, “I definitely don’t look strong. But I promise you I am.” He paused a moment as he glanced over Maria once more. “I may be strong enough to brake that curse of yours.” He gave her a half-smile.
Maria’s eyes widened at that last comment. “Really?” She looked hopefully.
Chen laughed. “Maybe… maybe not.”
Maria frowned, as it seemed like he was only playing with her. Chen just laughed as he raised a hand a little hit her shoulder. “Aww come on. Cheer up! You’re beautiful just the way you are.”
Maria looked away. “No I’m not. Everyone knows it. Even my mother thinks I’m ugly.”
Chen just glanced at her. “That’s because they are only looking on the outside. Trust me, one day, your really beauty will show.”
With that, Chen got up and walked towards the edge of the woods before disappearing into the woods, leaving Maria in a daze of what just happened.