the last chapter

The final chapter

Mortified, Athos reached out to grab Helena. His hands wanted to crush her, destroy her, I wanted to protect her. We started to circle each other. Lunging towards me, Athos roared and yelled in frustration. I ducked and sprinted to the other side of the room.

“Run Helena! Please.” I shouted, as Athos grabbed me by the throat. My head was pounding, and sweat poured off my forehead like a waterfall. Helena was running towards me. She had a knife. An icy fist clamped over my heart. Then it all went dark.

I saw my life flash before my eyes, I wondered about what had happened. Helena, Katherine, Athos?

I was probably dead anyway… no point of thinking anymore. Katherine was gone. So was Helena. I can’t think. What clouds my eyes and thoughts?

I think I was lying on a bed, I could feel the light feather pillows against my sore neck. A cold cloth on my head, and I could hear birdsong. The smell of blood, and the wildflowers from the forest. I think there is somebody here, sitting on the bed. I can taste blood in my mouth, and I can start to see a picture. I can make out colours, but everything is fuzzy. Glittering gold, soft peach, creamy white, crimson red, something is moving closer. I think that it must be somebody’s face. I shut my eyes again, and fall into a long, dreamless sleep.

   Helena was sitting cross legged on the edge of the bed. Athos was dead and gone forever. I had the house. I had Helena.

Epilogue

Helena and I never saw Katherine again, but I hope she found her lover. Helena and I have lived in the house for a year now, and are happier than ever. She didn’t need to be tamed, and when I ask her: "do you love me?" She always says yes.

chapter 7

Chapter 7

A visit to an ‘old friend’

Katherine and I were living happily together, but my house was old and falling down. The wood was rotting, the roof was sagging in, and I could see the in contentment on Katherine’s face. Katherine had lost her fiery spirit, and if we wanted to be happy together then I knew we must see Athos. I despised him, but I could not bear to turn Helena out of her house.

Katherine and I walked to Athos’ house. We reached there at night fall. Colossal, magnificent, and overruling, the large house stood dominantly above the forest. The statuesque, pulchritudinous structure still stood tall. The wind blew on the ash trees, as their leaves rustled together. Long slender branches were reaching up to the sky, reflecting the starlight off their shimmering leaves. Katherine looked around in shock at the beauty, and once again, I found myself looking at the lion’s head. It scared me no longer.

 Athos opened the door.

“so, this is the shrew?” he mocked. Katherine was shocked. She knew nothing of the bargain. She looked at me confused, she was scared of what might happen. Helen saw Katherine, and started to cry. Even I felt confused now.

Everybody sat down in front of the fire. Athos’ face looked malevolent in the firelight. Helena’s just looked even more sorrowful.

“Katherine,” began Athos. “do you love Petruchio?” My heart stopped.

Helena looked up.

Athos smiled wickedly.

I looked away.

“no.” Katherine murmured. “I love somebody else.” Katherine ran from the house, and I did not follow her. Some shrews cannot be tamed, I can see that now.

But I had one thing I could say…

“Helena, do you love the monster of a man that I see before me?” I asked her.

She looked at me from under her long eyelashes. I knew the answer already.

“no.”

chapter 6

Chapter 6

the taming of the shrew continued

The next morning, Katherine was meek and uttered no harsh word. Dear Katherine, becoming so kind and so mild, and I was beginning to like her prodigiously.

So tired and hungry, I pitied Katherine and gave her mattress on her bed.

“Thank you.” She murmured, and I was so surprised and pleased, I gave her blankets as well.

Sitting down at the table, Katherine was surprised to find beef and mustard waiting for her. Starving, tired, and docile, Katherine ate her beef and mustard.

  Days past, and Katherine became so loving and generous. I could not believe it. I hope that she was starting to love me, for I was starting to love her back.

My journey to see Athos was drawing nearer every day with Katherine went so fast, but I wanted her to live in a beautiful house. I wanted her to be as happy as I was.

the taming of the shrew

Chapter 5

The taming of the shrew

I dismounted Pontus, and lifted Katherine off. She was still screaming.

Carrying her into my small empty house, and closing all the doors and sitting her on a chair, I knew that something had to be done about Katherine’s manners.

Sitting on a chair in front of her, she frowned and refused to look at me.

“Something to eat my lady?” I asked her inquisitively. “Beef and mustard?”

“Yes, I am quite hungry. Fetch me some now peasant!” Katherine snapped and stared coldly at me. I was quite prepared for this, and brought in some beef and mustard on a pretty silver dish.

 Before Katherine could eat, I said:

“No dear Katherine, you must not eat this! Mustard is too hot and spicy for a lady!” as I pulled the food away, she cried, for she wanted the beef and mustard.

“Let me have just beef then!” she screeched angrily, but she looked worried and hungry.

“No dear Katherine, for if a lady cannot eat beef and mustard, then she will have none at all! And with that, I dropped the mouth-watering meal on to the floor.

Screaming in anger, Katherine ran upstairs. Horrified to find that her bed had no mattress, she gave up, flung herself on the floor and started to cry.

I went upstairs and sat with her. Tears streamed down her face, and more were still overflowing out of her round brown eyes. Her eyes were such a lovely shade of brown, rather like a mouse’s. flowing down her back like a river, her long brown hair was wet from the tears that had fell on it. Curled up in a ball, she looked like a little mouse, lost and upset.

Don’t worry my little mouse, for I shall tame you yet.

chapter 4

Chapter 4

Petruchio and Katherine

I ran back to Portus. Swinging my leg over the saddle, I spurred Portus on to Katherine’s  house. At this pace, I knew I could reach there by morning.

Knocking on the door, I was confident that Katherine’s father was desperate to get her married. Suddenly the door was opened by a short, middle aged man. I walked in anxiously.

“I hear you want to marry my daughter Katherine.” Sneered the proud little man, thrusting his sharp nose in the air.

“well sir, that was my main intention of coming here…” ( until I met you) I conveyed. The man had sat down and was frowning at me, for I was a stranger, and it was quite obvious that he did not like me. But he will grow to like me, I suppose. I could here footsteps on the stairs. I sucked in a quick breath of air, and held my tongue about the pompous man glaring at me.

  “Father, father! I can’t find Katherine anywhere…” Cried the pretty girl who came down the stairs. She saw me, and what a surprise it must have been. “ Oh!” she whimpered, and shortly afterwards fled from the room.

I could hear the footsteps on the stairs, but this time it was a different person: Katherine.

“ Father! My goodness, what is this peasant doing here? Katherine shrieked, looking at me with disgust. I frowned. I was in my best clothes.

“ I thought there was a smell” She carried on, and suddenly silenced her. Then he surprised us both.

“ Katherina, you are going to live with Petruchio, to teach you a lesson!” bellowed her father. I stepped forward lifted her up, as she screamed and tried to kick me. I carried her out of the door and sat her on Pontus. She tried to ride off on Pontus, but Pontus was a good horse and stayed were he was until I was on his back as well. Katherine’s father waved us away.

My plan was working, and with a kick to Pontus’ sides we were away.

a wager of wives

Chapter 3

A wager of wives

Athos opened the door. His face was lion like and ferocious, very similar to the door knocker. I shuddered.

“Petruchio, my friend! Come in, come in!” Athos opened the door wider. Athos smiled. I dreaded those sharp pointed teeth. I wished he hadn’t.

A fire was crackling in the hearth, and Helena was curled up against the fire. When she saw me, she rose up and lowered her long eyelashes. Helena’s golden hair glowed in the firelight.

“make our guest a drink, Helena.” Growled Athos. “Petruchio and I have important things to talk about.”

Shuffling away, Helena tried to hide the tears. She hated her husband, and did not notice Petruchio staring intently at her. Even though she did love Petruchio, nobody would both never find out.

Athos sat down in front of me, shaking his grizzly mane. I had been thinking about my plan for a while, but the whole plan depended on one moment. This one moment. I had to concentrate on how I should phrase it, and slowly but carefully, I opened my mouth and started to speak…

    “Athos,” I whispered. After telling him of Katherine and how I was going to marry her, I moved to the main, and most important part.

“If I can tame Katherine, if she will confess that she loves me from her own free will, then you must give me your house and everything else you own. But if she does not love me, then you will win this bet. You will win everything I own; my house, my horse, and all of my money… do we have a deal?”

Athos started to laugh raucously.

“You? You could not tame a shrew, nevermind a headstrong witch like Katherine! I accept your bet, for I know I will win, Petruchio you fool!”

Rushing away, I met Helena by the door. Although she had been crying, her face was still white as marble and her features were so fine that it was as if they had been carved by a talented sculptor. I bowed my head and walked away. Away from the house. Away from Athos. Away from Helena.

chapter 2

Chapter 2

The house of Athos

Snorting loudly, Pontus stamped his hooves as I leaped from his back. Deep in thought, I watched Pontus graze for a minute or two, before I strode down the path, my boots creaking as I walked.

   Colossal, magnificent, and overruling, the large house stood dominantly above the forest. The moon hid its face in a cloak of cloud, afraid of looking at the statuesque, pulchritudinous structure. The wind blew on the ash trees, as their leaves rustled together. Long slender branches were reaching up to the sky, reflecting the starlight off their shimmering leaves. I breathed in deeply, and I could smell the wildflowers on the luscious grass. I could hear twigs snapping beneath my feet, and I stared at the lion’s head in front of my face.

   Majestic, metallic, and malicious, the bronze lion door-knocker stared at me, baring its ferocious teeth. Nervously, I reached for the loop of metal it had been guarding so well, and banged it against the door.

the taming of the shrew

The taming of the Shrew

chapter 1

Katherine was a stubborn, headstrong girl. Her mother and father tried to make her marry, but she upset all of the suitors. Katherine’s sister, Olga, had fallen in love, but was not allowed to marry until Katherine was married before her. This is where I came into the story.

  I had heard about Katherine, I heard about her arrogance, and how her poor sister would never marry. Taking it upon myself, I knew that I should marry Katherine. Although I had a plan in my mind, I mounted my horse, Pontus, and galloped to my friend’s house.

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