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Just how many days had it been? Two? Three? A week? However long it was, it had been long enough. It was time for his precious Beauty to come back to him. Sitting beside her on the bed they’d shared over the last few days, Jacks watched her unconscious form with sadness in his eyes and longing in his heart.

No matter what he did, she wouldn’t open her eyes. He had tried cuddling with her at night to protect her from the cold wind that called the castle home. He lost count of how many times he had called out to her, hoping for the slightest twitch of her fingers to let him know she heard him. Searched for her in his dreams… he even went so far as to give her light smacks on the cheek to wake her.

Nothing he did made her eyes open.

He was at his wits’ end. What did he have to do for her to come back to him?