On Beatrix Hill: Part One (complete)

Female Main Character x Male Monster (both cis)

Once upon a time there was a little girl. The little girl, named Josie, lived in the terrible aftermath of a war, and she was alone in the world, an occupant of the larder of the shop she worked. Josie couldn’t remember a time before the war, but she knew how to sweep, clean, run errands, deliver orders, and how to travel by the best routes when making deliveries. Along one of these streets, nestled away on its own, was a shop with a high glass window and painted all dark blue. The shop had a simple wooden sign which read ‘Robin’s’, and the front window was often beautifully decorated with all sorts of lovely things.

Josie never had to deliver things to Robin’s, but she always made it a point to plan her routes in such a way that she was able to pass by the window. She loved to look at the beautiful things and imagine the people who bought them. How wonderful it must be, she thought, to own such rarities. She had never owned anything aside from the clothes on her back, and the doll she cobbled together from leftover scraps of fabric.

One day in the early morning, Josie was making a delivery when she passed by Robin’s. Inside the window, she saw something that captured her eye and came to a stop in the street, steam puffing from her mouth. In the window was the tall, slim figure of a man, wearing a pink tailcoat with purple trim, a lacy shirt, and blue slacks. But he had the head of a rabbit. He looked so charming and sweet, with his pink smile and golden eyes. Josie had never seen such a thing and was instantly enamored. After this, she was more determined than ever to visit Robin’s window each day just to look at the figure, even when it was bitterly cold.

In Josie’s mind, the rabbit man was a handsome and daring prince, who outwitted his foes with his wit and exceptional speed. For some reason, this heroic figure captured Josie’s heart and imagination. For the first time in her young life, Josie truly felt like a little girl.

Having grown up working most of her life, Josie was quite timid, but a practiced explorer. She could easily wander any street she wanted, but she often found she was unable to stand up for herself, and she took delivery jobs as a way of avoiding the scrutiny of a stream of customers. The only hindrance to her deliveries was not the people she expertly avoided, but a cat. This massive black cat had stalked about the town for who knows how long, persisting even through the fiercest parts of the war, and didn’t take kindly to Josie running around his territory. The two crossed each other often, and he would chase her, rumbling menacingly from the shadows. Josie had gotten used to her formidable enemy, but he still surprised her often.

It was a chilly Sunday afternoon, and with most of the citizens on their way to church, the streets were empty. Josie was once again outside Robin’s, staring at her rabbit prince. The black cat was sitting at the corner, watching her, eyes narrowed and tongue licking his chops. He was starting to creep towards her when the door opened, shaking the bells on the knob and hitting the black cat in the head. The cat yowled and fled, and Josie looked up as a tall man stepped out. His hair was dark as midnight, and he wore a dark blue similar to the paint on the building.

“Was it that damn cat again?” the man huffed. “He’s been trying to get in here for weeks now.” He turned and looked down at Josie. Josie stepped away from the window, nearly slipping on a patch of ice.

“Careful now, young lady. There’s a terrible frost this morning.” The man stepped aside to clear the doorway. “Would you like to come in?”

Josie had never set foot inside the shop before, and in fact, she was far too afraid to.

“I just set out some tea and pastries for the morning crowd,” the man said.

Josie shook her head. “I don’t have any money, sir.”

There were already a few people meandering around the shop, holding pastries wrapped in paper. “They’re free,” the man said to Josie. “And you are my most loyal window shopper.” He stepped aside, keeping the door open for Josie.

She stared in, having never dared to dream to set foot in such a lovely shop. Her shoes were filthy, covered in frozen mud, and her hair was unkempt and dirty, as were her hands and nails. She knew she didn’t deserve to be in such a shop, but if she could, she knew she would never want to leave. “I shouldn’t,” she whispered to the man.

“I insist.” He eased her into the shop, closing the door behind her before he whisked off behind the counter. “I’m Robin, if you need any help.”

So this was the Robin the sign denoted. Josie nodded shyly, glancing at the assortment of pastries on the counter. She was afraid to take the one Robin offered her, so she glanced back through the window, having never stood on this side before. The world looked so different from this angle. “Here you go.” Robin came around the counter, handing her the glistening pastry with a napkin. “Enjoy yourself this cold morning.”

“Thank you,” Josie chirped nervously. She took the offering in her tiny hands. It still felt warm through the paper and smelled delightful.

She watched as Robin returned behind the desk, lifting his cup of tea and sipping. Josie stood there, afraid that she was dreaming, and that the slightest movement would break the spell. She took a cautious bite of the pastry, finding warm jam inside. It was her first time tasting anything like this, and it left her speechless. After a few more bites, she looked back at the window, and at last noticed her rabbit prince standing there.

“Would you like to see him?” Robin asked. “I can take him out of the window for you.” He walked around the counter again, reaching into the window to take the rabbit prince off of his perch. “Beautiful, isn't he? Unfortunately, he’s incomplete.”

“What’s missing?” Josie kept her voice small and quiet.

“He’s supposed to be standing beside a lady rabbit.” Robin offered the rabbit prince to her. “I wasn’t able to find her, unfortunately, although I have tried.”

She seized the chance to touch him, and drew a sharp breath as she reached for the doll. She didn’t feel worthy, but she had so longed for this moment. Josie took him into her hands, feeling the shiny gloss of his form.

“I’ll be right back.” Robin turned. “I think I hear someone.”

As Robin walked towards the back, Josie stood clutching her rabbit prince. Tears formed in her eyes, and while she felt silly, she knew she would never experience this moment again. She hugged him close, hoping to convey how much love she held for him and how much joy he had brought her. Even if he was inanimate, he deserved to know.

A laugh rang outside, frightening Josie, and the rabbit prince slipped from her well-meaning embrace and clattered to the floor. The sharp sound echoed Josie’s terror as she watched the doll strike the ground, and his right ear broke off, as did the ends of his coattails. “Oh no!” Josie knelt on the floor, picking up the prince and the broken pieces. “Oh no,” she whispered, holding his ear between her fingers. Tears came to her eyes, because she hurt the one thing she loved so much in this world. Her young face twisted as she wept as quietly as she could. “I’m so sorry! I’m so sorry,” she blubbered with the glossy figure. “This is all my fault.” In vain she tried to put him together, but no miracles fused his broken pieces.

She heard Robin’s voice as he was returning, and fearing what would happen, she gathered up the doll and his pieces and cautiously opened the door so the bells wouldn’t ring. As she stepped out onto the street, the black cat was staring her down. “Leave me alone! It was an accident!” she protested to the cat. The cat jumped down from his perch and dashed at Josie, and she sprinted away with the cat giving chase. She had no money to pay Robin for the doll, and she feared the punishment she would receive because of it. If she could fix him, then maybe she could secretly return him and perhaps beg for forgiveness.

The black cat followed Josie all the way to the shop, stopping outside before she swung open the door. Josie escaped to the larder and laid out the pieces carefully on her bed, hoping the comfort of her blanket might help in healing him. She took glue from behind the counter of the shop, but she was unable to open the tube, which had become crusted shut. She began to weep again, fearing she would never again be allowed in Robin’s shop. If she couldn’t fix her rabbit prince, she would have to go back and confess to Robin with a broken trinket in hand. The prince was incomplete as it was, and he was going to be even harder to sell now that he was broken.

Josie knelt beside her bed, chin resting on the thin mattress as she looked at the prince. “I’m so sorry,” she whispered to him, stroking him in hopes of soothing him. “I never meant you any harm, I promise.” She pressed her face against the coverlet and continued to cry.

“There now, little one. The world is not ending. You need not cry over such small carrots.” A hand gently stroked the top of Josie’s head. She sat up like a shot to see a man sitting on the edge of her bed. He wore a pink coat with purple trim, blue slacks, and had the head of a white rabbit. Josie rubbed her eyes, then pinched her cheek to see if she was dreaming. But he was real! “Hello, there,” he waved.

“You’re… You’re the...” Josie stood up and away from him, and her breath left her body as she gazed upon her prince made real. He was correct in every detail, but his coattails were gone and his right ear was missing.

He smiled at her, rising to his feet before bending at the waist, folding his arm before him as he bowed. “My name is Marquis Almanzo Day,” he said in a chipper vibrato. “But you can call me Perley. All my favorite people do.” He pulled something from his jacket, and it burst into the shape of a purple top hat, which he placed on his head to hide his missing ear. “It is an honor to meet you, young lady.”

Josie just stared, unable to think of anything to say. For so long she had her rabbit prince, her quick-witted and fleet-footed hero. This had to be a dream. She must have fallen asleep while crying! And if that was so, there was no reason to be alarmed. She told herself this, and began to feel calm.

“I owe you my gratitude.” The rabbit prince knelt down on one knee, coming to her eye level. He took her hand, holding it tenderly. “You woke me up, and for that I owe you my life.”

Josie’s lips parted and she took a small breath. “No,” she shook her head sadly. “I dropped you, I…” Her lip began to quiver. Even if it was a dream, she still felt guilty.

Perley touched her cheek to calm her. “Do not fret about that now, little one. Thanks to that knock on the head, I was revived! And now I can go and find my wife.”

Josie gasped. “Your missing mate!”

Perley stood and tapped his hat. “That’s right. She’s waiting for me, and I am afraid I have kept her waiting for far too long.” He reached for the doorknob, then stopped and looked back at Josie with a smile. “I could use some help.”

Josie gawked. “From me?”

He extended his hand to her. “I am missing an ear. I could use an extra set to help me.”

It wasn’t his intent to cause her guilt, but Josie felt it anyway. She did break him, and perhaps this was the least she could do to help him. She took his hand. “Wonderful!” Perley pulled her close and tapped the top of his hat. “We shall be a team. What is your name?”

“Josie,” she said quietly.

His smile grew. “A very heroic name!” Perley opened the door, which should have opened into the shop, but instead there were miles and miles of bright green rolling hills and a crystal-clear sky. “Onward, to Beatrix Hill!”

Josie couldn’t believe what she was seeing. When she stepped out onto the lush grass, the world shifted, and was altogether different from looking at the view from the other side of the door. Here, the air felt lighter, the sky was brighter, and even the ground felt softer. The rolling hills were dotted by round, colorfully ornate doors. There were other rabbit people walking around, wearing equally bright and colorful clothes. “What is this place?” Josie whispered. She had dreamed of many grand landscapes before, but nothing like this.

“Beatrix Hill,” Perley said triumphantly. “I found myself here a while ago, after my plane had gotten lost in the clouds. My Bess rescued me.”

“Is that your wife?”

Perley sat the grass, looking forlornly into the distance. “Yes, my darling wife,” he replied somberly. “The most beautiful girl I ever laid eyes on. She took care of me after my plane landed here. I was sick and exhausted, and a stranger. She took me in when no one else would.” He gazed off into the distance. “Bess was as brazen and strong as any man, and more tender and loving than any woman. She took care of me - put up with me, really. I didn’t belong in this world, and had never seen it before, and yet I felt more at home here with her than I had anywhere. I decided to leave behind wealth, fame, other women and men, all for her.”

Josie sat down beside him in the grass. “What happened?”

“What happens to all beautiful princesses,” he sighed. “She was kidnapped by a jealous wizard.”

Josie gaped at him, leaning in even closer. “And he cursed you?”

Perley smiled at Josie. “You’re very quick. Yes, I was cursed and sent back to my own world, never to see Beatrix Hill again.” He looked up to the sky, his single ear drooping more than normal. “The wizard had been trying to court Bess for a while, and when I arrived, she went from paying him little attention to no attention at all. He hated me, and challenged me all the time,” he laughed sadly. “But then he had enough of it, and took care of me the best way he knew how.”

Josie gasped again. “So you are a prince!”

Perley threw his head back and laughed. “By marriage only, little one. I am a marquis, though.” He patted the top of her head and winked, then looked sorrowfully back out into the distance. “It doesn’t matter what I am, though. Without Bess, I am nothing.”

Josie looked around, seeing a few rabbits who had started to notice them. “Where is Bess, then?”

“Probably in the wizard’s castle,” Perley sighed. “Although I don’t know how much time has passed here. For all I know, they could be long gone.”

Josie stood up off the grass. Compared to how everyone else here was dressed, her plain and dirty clothes stood out like a sore thumb. Still, she owed Perley a debt for breaking him, and she knew someone here would have to know about the princess or the wizard. Even if this was a dream, she decided to screw up her courage and help. “I can go ask somebody,” she told Perley. “Stay here.”

She walked towards a rabbit woman with a parasol, who had big floppy ears and a mottled brown-and-white coat. As Josie approached her, her ears twitched. “Well, hello, little one,” she said with concern. “Are you lost?”

“I’m sorry to bother you, ma’am.” Josie curtsied. “But could I ask you if you know anything about a princess or a wizard?”

The lady looked surprised. “Why, don’t you know? It’s their wedding day! That’s where all of us are headed.”

“Wedding?” Josie blurted. “But that’s impossible.”

“Oh, weddings are very possible, little one,” the rabbit laughed. “And today’s shall be the grandest wedding of them all. All of the Hills are attending. It’s going to be so romantic!” The woman patted Josie on the head before she swept away.

“But… No, no, that can’t be right. She’s married to Perley.”

Josie saw a shop ahead, the window decorated with colorful flowers and a banner reading, ‘Congratulations’. Josie wandered up and looked inside to see a display celebrating the wedding. There were pictures of the princess, who also had floppy ears and grey-brown spots. The wizard was a big white rabbit with bright red eyes. A framed news article had the headline: ‘Wedding of the century! Heartbroken princess to wed wizard savior!’

“That can’t be right.” Then Josie saw a reflection in the glass, a small rabbit who had big ears and soft brown fur. She gasped, startled, before realizing the reflection was her own. She was a rabbit, too. “Oh, wow!” She should have been alarmed, but Josie reminded herself it was a dream, and in her dream she could be anything.

Smiling, Josie made her way back to Perley. “What did you find out?” he asked.

Josie shook her head. “I’m so sorry, but I’m afraid it isn’t good, Mr. Perley.”

His expression became grave. “Is Bess not well? Is she alive?”

Josie nodded, fidgeting with the hem of her skirt. “She’s well, I think. But I’m afraid Bess is getting married to the wizard… today. That’s where everyone is going now, Mr. Day. They’ve all been invited to attend their wedding.”

Perley’s expression sank, and his mouth hung open loosely. “That can’t be.” He stood and began to pace. “We’re married!”

“I know, but…”

Perley stomped his foot hard down upon the ground. “This wizard stole Bess from me. He cursed me. Now he has the gall to force my Bess into such a situation! I won’t stand for this.” He returned to looking sadly into the distance. “She must think I am dead or never to return. My poor love, she must have tried to wait for me, but… It’s my fault. I wasted too much time! That wizard was able to sink his claws into her.” He looked down at Josie. “Will you still help me, Josie? I promise, I will keep you safe for the rest of my life.”

Josie nodded, feeling stronger and braver as a rabbit. “I want to try, Mr. Day.”

Perley knelt before Josie, holding her shoulders. “We may have to storm a castle, fight some dastardly knights, perhaps even get captured ourselves. I would understand if you didn’t want to get into such harrowing situations.”

Josie nodded again. “I still want to help, Mr. Day! Even if we have to do all those things.”

He smiled brightly. “Then I will do all I can to see you safe, even after we escape this. I promise you, Bess and I will give you our eternal gratitude.”

“Then…” Josie felt a lump of bravery come up inside her throat. “Could I stay here with you in Beatrix Hills?”

Perley grinned. “I will give you a home as grand as a castle.” He looked her over, touching one of the mismatched buttons on her dress. “But before we do that, we’ll need to find something to help you blend in at the palace.” He stood, taking off his top hat and reaching inside. His arm nearly vanished into the depths, making Josie marvel at the wonderful performance. “Ah, here we are!” he exclaimed. From inside he pulled out something fluffy and pink. He tossed it at Josie, and it burst like a flower into a new pink dress that replaced her ragged old one. It even had matching purple shoes.

“There, now. you look like a princess yourself.” Perley replaced his hat to hide his missing ear. “Do you like it?”

Josie posed, staring down at the flouncy pink dress she was wearing. She had never had new clothes before, and certainly not something so beautiful! “I love it!” She cheered.

“Wonderful! Now, take my hand. We’ll journey with the others to the wedding.” He took her hand and gave it a reassuring squeeze. “We’re in this together. Remember that.”

Josie felt safe and confident in Perley’s grasp, and she squeezed his hand back. “We’ll get Bess back for certain.”

“That’s the attitude!” Perley led her down through the hills, following the crowd moving towards the palace. Together they boarded a river boat decorated with massive bouquets of flowers and streamers.