The Enchanted Rose (7 page)

“We. You owe me a favor. Right now, I am powerless. As I said, I need all the help I can get. You help me find out who did this, why, and how to stop it, and your debt will be paid.” He clasps a hand on my shoulder. “Agreed?” 

“Why did you give me that rose? Why would you help me when you know nothing about me? I don’t understand.” 

“I gave you that rose because I saw something in you that I haven’t seen in a very long time. I gave you that rose because you need it. And I find it no coincidence that only days after I gave you the gift of love, a storm has come to wipe away all the magic in the land. Who would want to stop you and your precious princess from being together?” 

“What did you see in me?” I ask, but actually, I want to know how he knows my fears. Could he have heard me talking to Roselyn in her chambers? Who could hate the thought of us being happy so much that their only choice was to wash away all magic? 

“That matters not. We leave tomorrow at sundown for the mountains.” He turns to leave, but I grasp at his cloak. 

“Wait! Why tomorrow? Why at sundown? How will I find you?” 

“I give you until tomorrow at sundown because you’re going to need that time. First, unlike other people, I want you to be happy. I want you and Rose to be together. So I suggest you give her a proper good-bye. And then I advise you go home and prepare for whatever we may find on that mountain. As always, I will find you.” Before I can ask more questions, he throws his cloak over himself and disappears.

Osric climbs down the balcony before I have a chance to protest. I would rather he hide in my wardrobe than risk going back into that storm, but I don’t have time to stop him or ask him to come back before Queen Jossa enters my room. 

“Why would you leave the safety of the castle during a storm like this?” she demands to know, her face mere inches from mine. I stutter, grasping for an excuse, but nothing comes to me. 

“Would it be that you wished to check up on a certain seamstress? The very seamstress who was supposed to make your dresses? I do not know what to do with you when you cannot obey simple commands. You were to be fitted and dressed for a wedding—your wedding!—and return to the castle. Instead, I am informed that you did not even get fitted, but instead, you called upon the royal physician to attend to a peasant!” 

I cross my arms over my chest, standing tall, even raising my chin. I find my voice once more. “Her husband was dying. She lost her business in the market. She has children to feed, and I was not going to let them lose a father. As for the dresses, she has plenty of time to make them, and she will once she has been paid. I will not require her to give me those dresses—or any clothing, for that matter. How dare the queen, someone who is supposed to protect the people, accuse me of being in the wrong in this situation?” 

“You defend the peasants, but not yourself?” 

“I’ve done nothing wrong. I helped people in need of our assistance. I also intend to purchase Nadi’s business and return it to her. She cannot be expected to make clothes for others in her home, a place for her family.” 

“This is unacceptable. You are a princess. Royalty. My daughter. I will not have you acting like anyone below our station. You best keep in mind that your actions reflect on me.” She sets her jaw, glaring at me as if I have truly offended her by being kind.

“Then today, I did you a favor.” I sneer, knowing I am only digging myself deeper into trouble. 

“The seamstress will be punished.” I note that she refuses to call Nadi by name. Perhaps she doesn’t know it. “She is to make your gowns without pay. She is to pay for the services of my physician, and then once she has met those debts, she is to leave the kingdom.” 

“Mother! You can’t do that. I will not accept the clothing, and you know well that she can’t afford such debts. The royal physician makes enough money. He did not ask her for payment today—he will not require it later. He helped her as a favor.” 

“I do not expect the physician to be paid. The dressmaker will be paying me for calling up my

staff.” 

“She didn’t call upon him. I did. Would you charge me, then?” I challenge her. 

“My word is final. Tomorrow, you will wake before the sun rises to have your dresses made. And then you will put on a smile and greet your fiancé with such a happiness as if you’ve waited all your life to be with him.” She laughs, grinning from ear to ear with an example of how I am to behave tomorrow. Then she leans closer and whispers, “Because you have been.” 

She grabs the edge of her dress, dragging it around her before turning on her heel and leaving my room as abruptly as she entered. 

Madrid closes the door behind her. As soon as it’s shut, I rush to the curtain and pull it back to find Osric leaning against the banister, his back getting wet from the rain still coming down. Shoving the wet and the cold out of my mind, I sit beside him and take his hand in mine, leaning my head against his shoulder. 

“Osric, what’s wrong?” He’s just staring at nothing, a look of pain on his face. 

He looks at me, taking in my face before leaning forward so his forehead rests on mine. “You know I love you, right?” There’s so much worry in his eyes. I sit up and lean my side against the rail. 

“Of course.” I cup his cheek with my palm. “Why would you ask that?” 

“If we want to be together, I have to leave.” He shudders, taking in a breath. I want to interrupt, but he must have seen that, as he places a finger on my lips. “I have to stop this storm from wiping away all of the remaining magic. It’s the only way this will ever work for us.” He looks to be on the brink of tears. 

I get on my knees before him, taking my hands from his and placing them on his cheeks. “What are you talking about?” I lean forward, resting my forehead on his. He sighs and wraps his arms around my waist, pulling me closer. 

“The wizard who gave me that rose asked for a favor in return. As you spoke to your mother, he talked to me. He has claimed his favor. I am to travel with him to the mountains—where the storm started—and figure out what is going on.” 

“And why does this worry you so?” 

“How can I not be worried? Roselyn, I may not make it back. We do not know what is up there, what is going on, or who caused the storm and for what reason. I have to leave you, and I don’t know if I’ll be returning. And should I return, how am I to know if you’ve already married and been swept away to another kingdom?” 

I sit back just enough so I can look him in the eye. “Osric Audric, how could you think so little of me?” I ask with a smile on my face so he knows I could never mean it. “You should know that my heart only belongs to you. And try as they might, no one can steal it, give it away, or convince it otherwise.” I lean forward, wrapping my arms around his neck, and kiss him as if my life depends on it. 

And he returns the kiss, pulling me closer until I’m practically sitting on his lap. His hands roam into my hair, brushing the blonde strands. I do the same with his, playing with his dark curls.  

And though the air has turned chilly and the rain is still pouring, my skin is flushed, and I couldn’t be warmer. Wrapped in his embrace, cherished with his kisses, knowing this is good-bye, I hold on to him for as long as I can. 

Though the sun has remained behind clouds all day, as it begins to set, the sky grows darker, and the air becomes colder—though I didn’t know that was possible. I realize that Osric and I have been on the balcony for hours, curled around one another. 

Though it causes my heart to break, I push away from him and stand. He follows me closely, taking my hands as soon as he is on his feet. He wraps an arm around my shoulder and leads me through the curtains, into the warmth of my room where Madrid rekindled the fire in the fireplace. There before it, we sit down and resume our position, clinging to each other, trying to remain strong when we know that soon, Osric will have to leave. 

I don’t want him to go. All evening, I’ve attempted to justify convincing him to stay. But in my heart, I know it can’t be. If I keep him from going on this quest, I may very well be stopping our happy ending. 

Worries for Osric and myself are put on hold, and my heart stops when Madrid comes running into the room, tears streaking down her cheeks. She holds a small mirror in one hand, her other hand covering her mouth. She kneels beside me, practically falling at my side and leaning against my shoulder.

I sit up and grasp her upper arms. 

“Madrid, what is the matter?” I look closely at her face, and I think I can guess what has caused her to act this way. “What happened?” 

“I don’t know, milady. I do not know. I went outside to fetch water for the needy. When I came back in, Amory asked what happened while I was outside.” She hiccups, trying to contain her sobs as she speaks. “I thought perhaps she was teasing me, but she was adamant that something was wrong with my face. I didn’t believe her until I passed a window on my way through the kitchens.” She breaks down again, unable to contain her tears and emotion. 

“Let me see.” I examine the large marks upon her cheeks. They appear to have been there since birth, but I have never seen them before. They cover her left cheek and part of her forehead. Despite making her skin a tad darker, they do not detract from her beauty. “Madrid, you are still as lovely as ever.” 

“I do not think so, Your Highness. Why have these marks never appeared before? I thought this storm was tampering with magic. Has someone changed the way I look to hide these scars all my life?” 

“I do not think they are scars. They look to be birthmarks. And still, you are beautiful. They mean nothing. They change nothing.” I offer her the best smile I can muster. 

She continues sniffling, burying her face in her hands. I pull away from Osric even farther and wrap my arms around Madrid. 

I allow her to lean into me, holding her as if she were my sister. She suddenly looks at me, almost hitting her head against mine. Her eyes widen as she searches my face. 

“Madrid, what is it?” I ask, now even more worried.

“Who am I?  Why am I like this? What is that storm? And why is it getting rid of magic?” 

“I don’t know, but tomorrow, Osric is traveling to the mountain to find out, and hopefully stop it before it causes more damage.” Tears begin to well up in her eyes again, and I have to backtrack. “No, Madrid, I didn’t mean like that. Your face may be different, but it does not take away from your beauty. You are not damaged.” 

“I am but a servant, Your Highness. I should not worry about my looks at all. I am sorry for bursting in here. I did not mean to interrupt your time with your prince. I will leave you now.” She stands and brushes off her skirt. 

“Madrid, you know you are more than a servant. You are a friend. And this is not just about your looks. Someone has enchanted you so no one ever saw those marks. We need to know who and why.” 

“Thank you, milady. I understand. But if Osric is leaving, I am sure you wish to spend as much time with him as possible beforehand.” She glances at him. “I will leave you two alone.” She curtsies and turns to leave. 

“Madrid,” I say before she disappears. 

“Yes, milady?” She turns back, still trying to keep her left side from view. 

“We will find the answers. I promise. Thank you for giving me another moment with Osric, but know that I will keep my word. As soon as he is gone, we will begin searching for the truth.” My head tilts to the side, my lips turned down in a frown. I look at her with sadness, realizing that Osric and I aren’t the only ones this storm is hurting. And right now, there is nothing I can do to stop the pain. 

“Thank you, Roselyn.” She bites her lower lip and turns away before she begins crying once more. 

“You’re welcome,” I whisper, even though she is already gone. 

I rest my head in the hollow of Osric’s shoulder, my arms wrapped around his waist. He gently runs his fingers through my hair, holding me close, but not saying anything. I don’t speak, afraid my emotions will overcome me, and I won’t be able to say what I want.

A shudder rips through me, sparking the urge to sob until my eyes are so sore that I can’t cry anymore. But I hold back, trying to fight the fear that is threatening to take over. 

He must feel me shaking, must wonder what I’m thinking as I begin to worry all again. “Rose, please speak to me. I can’t fix something when I don’t know where the problem lies.” He kisses the crown of my head, squeezing me a little tighter. 

“I don’t know who I am anymore, Osric. I don’t understand anything. It’s like the sun was just a magic trick wiped away by the storm, and now I’m surrounded by darkness all around me, eating away at me, causing me to question everything I’ve ever known. Madrid has scars that weren’t there before. Everything is falling apart, and I don’t know how to fix it.”

Osric rests his hands on either side of my lower rib cage, making my squirm. It tickles, but in the best way possible. He pushes me away from him just enough so he can look into my eyes. “And what does your heart tell you?” Though his fingers are teasing, his eyes are serious. 

“My heart tells me that we’re meant to be together. That we’re made for each other. If you lost your heart, we can rip mine in half, put a part inside you, and we’d both survive.” The tears I so desperately tried to hold back spring forth, causing my vision to go a little blurry. 

“Then listen to your heart. And if you can’t do that, listen to mine.” He cups my cheek with one hand, pulling me closer until my head rests against his chest. I listen to the beat of his heart, erratic, fast, like he’s nervous. 

It makes me laugh. I look into his eyes, resting my fingers on his sides, now taunting him the same way he was torturing me. “Okay.” I nod before leaning closer, meeting him halfway as our lips touch. 

Finally, the time comes. Dawn is fast approaching, and I know Osric must leave. My heart feels as if someone has stabbed it a thousand times—no. That would be less painful than what I feel right now.