Black Rose (6 page)

Mara
walked across the room and pulled back the black curtains covering a window and
pushed open the glass panels. A cool breeze flowed into the room, allowing the
fresh wind to saturate the stuffy air surrounding her. Mara slowly peeled off
her clothes and walked towards the large, private bathroom attached to the
room. With black marble tiles, a large shower and a Jacuzzi tub that was far
too large for its single inhabitant, the bathroom was one of the only rooms
within the ancient castle to have been fully refurbished within the last
century.

Mara
turned on the water and waited several minutes for the temperature to rise
before stepping into the steaming hot water. She closed her eyes, allowing the
feel of the water beating against her skin to soothe her taut form. She lost
track of time standing in the hot water, drowning out the world. By the time
she stepped out, her normally pale skin had been beaten red by the heat of the
water.

She
wrapped herself in a large black towel and bound her long black hair in
another. She dried her body thoroughly and then walked back towards the
bedroom. The cool breeze filtering in from the window was soothing against her
flushed skin. She laid down on the large bed with the towel wrapped tightly
around her. As her head touched the familiar black pillows, a sense of calm
began to descend upon her. Here, among these desolate chambers, Mara was able
to drown out the dreams, the memories chased back by the cold mountain winds
and the familiar grey stones that she had called home for the majority of her
life.

Mara
threw off the towel and slipped under the black covers that cascaded over her
bed. Moments later, she slipped into a deep, dreamless sleep.

Sandra
entered the ancient garden. Black roses ran wild, climbing the ancient stone
walls, thorns piercing the crumbling grey rocks. A pond was in the garden’s
center, the water covered in a layer of thick, green moss making the water
appear almost sickly in the fading light. Sandra approached the water’s edge
and closed her eyes, allowing her mind to change the bleak scene.

As
though stepping into a dream, the moss vanished from the water, transforming it
to a clear pool that reflected the stars above. Her thin, black gown
transformed to royal blue, the skirt becoming fuller as she gazed into the
sparkling crystal water. The reflected image was of a woman Sandra had never
seen. The same pale skin, long black hair and rouged lips, but the eyes…the
eyes were violet. Violet with a glint of silver at their core. Sandra stared
mesmerized into the reflective pool. She had never seen such eyes.

A
man approached her slowly, his image gradually appearing in the reflective
surface of the water. His pale skin seemed translucent in the encroaching
darkness. She studied his reflection. Shoulder-length black hair blended into
his long black coat. A crimson shirt of silk was tucked neatly into long black
pants. He stepped behind her, his arms slipping securely around her thin frame.
The woman in Sandra’s reflection smiled with a sparkle in her eye that matched
the brilliance of any star.

Sandra
turned around to face the man who held her and realized with a start that his
shirt was not crimson—it was white. White silk soaked with thick, wet blood.
Sandra lifted her hands, her fingers suddenly dripping with immortal blood. She
screamed, jerking her body away from him. The man reached forward and grabbed
her, saving her from toppling into the mossy water behind her. 

“Sandra!”
Regald’s voice broke the trance. His black eyes faded to green and she found
herself held tightly by his strong arms. “My Lady, what did you see?”

“The
other Captain.”

“You
mean Edward?” She nodded. “Edward once stood as a guard within these
walls.  These are the old castle grounds of the Lorcan Court.”

“The
Lorcan Court?”

“Yes,
the court that existed before they split into the Ciar and the Arum. But no one
has lived here in at least five hundred years.”

“The
royal chambers,” Sandra said in an uncertain tone. “I need to see them.”

Regald
nodded. “Those chambers are underground.” He reached back to the large black
bag lying on the ground behind him. After a few moments of fiddling with locks
and opening zippers, Regald produced two flashlights. “Not nearly as fancy as
the firelight that once lined these walls, but much more practical for our
immediate purposes.”

Regald
led Sandra to the edge of the garden, but paused when Sandra stopped at the
entrance. The violet-eyed woman once again stood at the water’s edge. Edward
stood beside her, his shirt crisp, white and clean. “I love you, Edward.” Her
words danced upon the wind.

“My
Lady,” Edward replied to the violet-eyed woman, her royal blue gown billowing
around her in a soft breeze Sandra could neither hear nor feel. “I am not
worthy of your love.”

“Edward…”
Her voice was the definition of tenderness. “How can you think such a thing?”

“My
Princess.” Edward turned slightly to better see her eyes.

She
reached out her pale hand, brushing her fingertips against the side of his
face. “I’ve loved you all my life. Are you saying that you do not love me?”

“You
know I do.” Edward’s voice was soft and deep. A sad smile graced his handsome
features. “But, my Princess,” Edward drew back, facing away from her, “this can
never be. It is forbidden.”

The
woman with violet eyes reached her hand forward, silencing his words with a
caress from her pale hand. She studied him for several long moments, her hand
sliding down the side of his face as her finger traced their way lightly over
his lips. “I love you,” she spoke softly. “I cannot imagine life without you.”

His
eyes searched the irresistible depth of hers and slowly, ever so slowly, he
leaned forward and pressed his lips against hers. The kiss was deep and
passionate, his arms grasping hers in a firm grip as she opened to him as a
flower to the morning sun. The kiss lingered for a long time, his hand rising
to the back of her neck, drawing her more tightly against him. Then he finally
pulled back as though in a daze.

“My
Lady,” he said. “I am so sorry.”

“For
what?”

“I
love you. But, this…” He shook his head. “This can never be.”

A
gust of wind blew through the scattered roses, taking with it Sandra’s vision.
The cold wind caressed her skin, blowing the tears from her deep blue eyes.

“Yes,
Nolan,” Garreth said to the younger man.

“Forgive
me for disturbing you.”

“Not
at all. What can I do for you?”

“I
was hoping you could explain a few things.”

“About
Mara?”

Nolan
nodded hesitantly, as though unsure if he was crossing a line. “I know that
something happened between her and Captain Edward, but I am not sure if I
understand.”

“You
don’t.” Garreth motioned to the wooden chair beside him. Nolan took several
steps forward and took the offered seat. 

“Tell
me, Nolan, have you ever had a great love? One that burned you through and
through? Stole your heart in a way that you knew you could live a thousand
years and it would never be the same? A love you would give your life for and
know that the one single moment of happiness received in return would be worth
all the years of living without?”

Nolan
shook his head. “I can’t say that I have.”

“Nor
have I.”

Seconds
of silence passed between them before Nolan said, “But I would like to know why
both you and Mara have asked me the same question.”

“I’ve
never had a love like that, Nolan,” Garreth said to the younger man. “But I
have seen it.”

“With
Edward? Mara loved him?”

“Oh
yes. Mara loved Edward.”

“Then
why?”

A
glassy look came over Garreth’s expression. “Mara loved Edward and Edward loved
Mara. But not as much as they both loved another. I have seen things, Nolan.
Things that dazzle, things to dread, but never in my life have I ever seen
anything that haunts me as much as the power of one, true love. It was
magnificent, terrifying and something that I have spent my life both dreaming
of finding and dreading the day that I do.”

“Wait,
I don’t understand,” Nolan interrupted. “They loved another?  Who?”

Garreth
did not move his gaze from the wall. “Her name was…” His words trailed
off.  “She was…” He could not bring himself to say it. Then Garreth
visibly shook himself. “It was a long time ago. It doesn’t matter anymore. Mara
is gone now.  It is for the better, I think. Yes, for the better of all.”

“I
don’t understand. Why did Mara act so strangely? Why did she leave without
telling anyone?”

Garreth’s
eyes finally moved to meet Nolan’s. “I’m afraid I cannot tell you that. I
shouldn’t have mentioned it. It is forbidden, you see, to speak of it.”

“To
speak of what?”

“Forbidden
love,” he offered with a bitter smile, the slightest curve of the lips.

“Forbidden
love?”

Garreth
nodded. “It is forbidden, you see. What happened that night was the greatest
tragedy this court has ever seen. And I am forbidden to even tell you her name.
All you need to know, is that the girl in the room that night wasn’t Mara. You
must forgive her for losing her temper. Edward and Mara are never together, and
for good reason. Live a few hundred years and you will see. It is for the
best.”

Silence
followed as Nolan rose to leave the room. When he reached the door, he stopped
and turned back toward Garreth. “May I ask just one question, my Lord?”

Garreth
nodded slowly in consent.

“Does
he still love her?”

“Edward?”

“Yes.
Does he still love her?”

Garreth
raised his head to stare up at Nolan from his seated position. “He will love
her until he draws his last breath.”

Nolan
nodded and then left the room. As the door closed with a soft click behind him,
Garreth whispered under his breath, “Liza…with his last breath.”

They
plunged into darkness, sinking ever deeper into the ancient tunnels of black
stone. The twin flashlights held by Regald and Sandra provided the only visible
light. “I would have waited for daylight,” Regald explained, “but it would not
have mattered. We are too far down for sunlight to filter through.”

“Why
did they build underground?”

“For
protection, mostly. The tunnels are too narrow to send an entire army inside.
Geographically, the area is very stable as well.”

Sandra
stared ahead, but not even her imagination could form pictures in this
darkness. “What happened here? Will you tell me?”

“I
cannot. It is forbidden to speak of such things. If you truly remember what
happened here that night, I will take you to the one who can tell you. But if
you do not remember,” he allowed several moments of silence to fill the
encroaching darkness, “it is forbidden, my Lady.”

“By
whom?”

“The
Captain of the Black Rose.”

“Black
Rose,” she repeated. “The woman who came for Captain Edward?”

“Yes.”
Shadows danced across his face from the dim light of Sandra’s flashlight.

“You
are not part of her guard though.”

“No,
my Lady.”

“Then
how can she forbid?”

“I
served the Black Rose for many years. Centuries in fact. When I was released
from her service, it was under the condition that certain vows would be kept
intact. This, what you ask, is most assuredly one of them.” He drew a deep
breath. “King Mathew also once served at Mara’s pleasure.”

“The
King was a member of the Black Rose?”

“Yes.
A Sub-Captain.”

“Is
it true what they say, about Mara?”

“What
do they say?”

“That
she is cold, ruthless and kills all those who would dare to challenge her?”

Several
moments of silence filled the air between them before Regald stated, “As a
killer, the Captain of the Rose is most proficient.”

“Tell
me about her.”

Regald
shivered. “I will, my Lady, but not within the confines of these dark walls.
This place…” He shifted his gaze down the hallway as though seeing figures
beyond Sandra’s sight. “They were children here. Edward, Mara, Garreth,
Mathew…they were happy once. But after that night, they would never know
happiness again.” He shifted his gaze back to Sandra’s. “Ask me some night, far
from these walls. Here lie the ghosts of still beating hearts.” He turned and
walked forward toward the tunnels. Sandra followed in a confused silence.

He
led her down corridor after corridor, knowing the way even after all the
centuries of abandonment. They finally found themselves standing before a large
stone door covered in black roses on thick, green vines. Regald moved to push
the door open, and cut his hand on the thorn of a wild rose bush. Sandra shined
the flashlight up and down the door. The roses ran up and down the stones. He
moved more carefully and managed to maneuver the door open enough to enter the
room.