I look over at him, and notice the sadness in his eyes. “What’s the matter?” I nudge him with my shoulder, a very unladylike gesture, but I don’t care. Queen Jossa will just have to accept it.
“How are we going to avoid the wedding? It felt possible before my mother and father arrived. With them here, the impeding wedding is more of a reality, and I realize there is not much we can do to stop it. We need a plan. We need to figure this out before it’s too late.” He doesn’t look at me. Instead, he looks toward the mountains. I follow his gaze.
It doesn’t look so dark over there. Perhaps Osric has truly stopped it. “I need to check something. If I’m correct, I may have a few ideas.” I do not wish to abandon Chavez, but I must look at the rose.
I run up the stairs, through the corridor, and into my room. The rose lies on the table, wilting and dying.
Only a sliver of white remains, but it is enough for me. Our time has not run out just yet. Had it been red completely, I would give up now. My heart fills with hope and gratitude. This will be possible after all.
I take one more glance at the rose before returning to the courtyard. Chavez hasn’t moved from where I left him moments ago. “Did you find what you needed?”
“I did.” I look toward the mountain. Perhaps Osric is on his way here at this very moment. With magic saved, he has no reason to stay away. And with that thought, I turn around and attempt to open the door with my magic.
The doors do not open, which has me slightly confused. If the storm is over, why do I not have powers?
“And what is the verdict?” He turns around to see what I’m doing.
“Chavez, are your powers back?”
“What?”
“The storm was wiping away all magic. I assumed that when the storm ended, my powers would return, but they haven’t.”
He holds out his hand and pushes forward, concentrating on the doors. They swing open effortlessly. He looks at me, puzzled. “How are my powers back, but not yours?”
“I don’t know.” The hope I felt begins to dissipate. Why isn’t my magic working? I might worry that Osric hasn’t succeeded after all, except that Chavez used his magic successfully.
“Another part of the mystery we must puzzle out together.”
I think back to the farm—Brenna. Could it be? Is it possible that I’m not who everyone thinks I am?
“Your Highnesses, Queen Jossa requests that you both come to the dining hall for brunch,” a servant I have not seen before states with a smile.
I look to Chavez, who nods. I follow him into the castle, down the corridor, and into the dining hall. His family and mine, eating together as if nothing in the world is wrong. How can Jossa keep all these secrets for so long without being found out?
I wonder if she’s really who she says she is. Why did she feel so threatened by those farmers? What is she hiding that is worth killing for?
And does the king know? Does my father—the man I thought was my father—have any idea?
Am I not royal? Am I not Jossa and Inginio’s child?
I take my seat and try my hardest not to think about it. But the more I try to ignore it, the more I think about it, and the more worried I become. What if this is all a lie? What if my life is fake? How am I supposed to handle living like this, knowing I’m not where I belong?
And if my assumptions are correct, did I just watch as my real parents were murdered?
Brunch is just as miserable as it was yesterday. Jossa smiles and laughs and is the perfect hostess, putting on a face of excitement for her guests. It makes me sick. I hardly touch my food, and with the merriment going on, no one notices aside from Chavez.
We both look off and try to find an answer to fix this. How to stall a wedding? It doesn’t seem possible, especially as more guests begin arriving. Jossa would never suffer the embarrassment of canceling such a grand event with all her guests present.
The servants begin cleaning, and I look up to find Jossa leading Chavez’s parents away—to where, I’m not sure. But I notice the king going in the opposite direction. He’s my last resort. I follow after him.
“Father, might I speak with you in private?” I walk beside him, and he looks at me.
“What is it?” He smiles weakly.
“Please call off the wedding. I can’t marry him, Father. Please don’t make me.” He stops and faces me. I fear he’s going to give me the same answers Jossa always has, but he looks at me sympathetically.
“This is for the best, Roselyn,” he replies and continues walking. I feel my heart break. I had hoped for just a moment that he might be on my side.
I walk through the corridors with no real purpose. I don’t know what to do, so I wander. Raised voices behind a closed door draw my attention. I walk closer, standing just outside as I listen.
“Please, call the wedding off.” It’s Chavez.
“Why would we do that? This is a good match, Chavez. Please do not do something you are going to regret later. Princess Roselyn is a fine young lady, and not many are as lucky to have someone like her,” King Nicklaus argues.
“You are right, Father. She is a fine young lady, but I do not love her. You two married for love. How can you expect less for your child?”
“Please do not say such a thing. This is not less. You have expressed no interest in anyone else, and we believe it is high time you got married. You need an heir; you will need a queen. Roselyn is a perfect fit.”
“Except that she does not love me. She is in love with someone else. I could love her—you’re right. But I will not be the reason she does not get to be with the one she loves. Her heart is not her own, which means while I may be able to learn to love her, she will never love me.”
“That is between you and her. She has known about this arrangement long enough to know all too well not to fall in love with someone else,” Queen Amber retorts. I stifle the gasp that threatens to escape me.
“I’m sorry you feel that way. But I won’t do this to her. I will find a way around it. That you can count on,” Chavez replies before the door opens. I step back, but I’m not fast enough, and Chavez collides into me.
“I’m sorry. I didn’t mean to overhear. I was just wa—”
“Come on.” He grabs my wrist and pulls me along with him. I have to run to keep up, but I go, curious as to what he is going to say.
He leads me into the gardens. Once there, he sits down on the bench and drops his head into his hands.
“I’m sorry, Roselyn. I truly am. I don’t know what to do. There is no way for us to stall. I promised you I would try and I can’t, and I’m sorry.”
“It’s not your fault. You’re not the one who arranged it. You’re not the one who refused to change it. We just have to keep holding on. We can’t quit believing that love will win.” “What if we just say no?” he asks.
“What?” I tilt my head slightly, perplexed by this idea.
“During the wedding ceremony, the priest will ask if we accept one another. Why not say that we don’t? What could they do to us?”
“I just watched my mother murder two people because they might interfere with the wedding somehow. At this point, I believe Jossa will do anything to ensure that everything goes according to her plan.”
“I am sorry. And you’re right. Perhaps that isn’t the best idea. I just wish there was a simple solution to all of this. I had hoped that we would get our happily ever after. I want you to know, if you didn’t love Osric and I didn’t love Madrid, I think we could be happy together. At least, I would’ve been willing to give it a shot.” He chuckles.
I smile, despite not wanting to. But how can I not, with Chavez there to make me feel at least a little better about all of this? “I think you’re right. But for better or worse, I do love Osric and you do love Madrid. Which means that unless there’s a miracle, our happily ever after can’t happen.”
“Don’t give up, Roselyn. We’ll find a way to fix it.”
Gwydion explains what he wishes to do, and
all I can do is respond with a nod. While I’ve been wallowing, he is trying to implement a plan that could prevent this sort of disaster from ever happening again.
“So, as prince of Wentsden, as royalty in Avonathia, do you hereby give me permission to go through with this plan, assuming the fairies are able and willing?” he asks.
“Yes. Call them forth, and we will see what they have to say on the matter,” I say, waiting to hear if they will follow through, or if they will demand to be freed.
Gwydion calls each fairy’s name aloud. “Daria! Erimentha! Hera! Ismene! Ophelia! Sophronia! Pandora!” As their names are said, they appear beside him.
“You have called upon us,” says the last fairy to arrive. She has an air about her that demands to be treated above the others. Suddenly, I wish I knew their stories. All of them.
“I, Gwydion, am no longer a wizard alone, but have taken reign as Oracle and keeper of magic over Avonathia. I hereby break our original contracts for you to serve me until your debts are paid.”
“Are you freeing us, master?” Ophelia asks. For being human-sized fairies, their voices seem so small.
“In a way. I would like to request a change in how your payment to me will be made. As you know, magic has been hurt. People have kept terrible secrets, and many have lost their lives in a battle they didn’t know they were fighting. The prince and I would like to ask that you no longer be fairies alone, but instead, you become what we would call fairy godmothers.” “And what does this mean, Gwydion?” Pandora asks.
“It means that you would no longer just be of magic. You would have the power to gift magic to others. You would watch over all royalty and help them in their greatest times of need. When the moment arises, and a royal being should fall in love with a commoner,” Gwydion winks at me, “you would have the ability to give that commoner magic, so they do not have to feel like they do not belong for the rest of their life. And as a royal baby comes to life, you would gift that baby with a special talent, something that suits them in a way that will bless their life and the lives around them. As such, you would be known as keepers of fate, fairy godmothers sent to watch over royalty, keepers of magic within each kingdom.”
“And how long do we serve as fairy godmothers?” This time, the fairy dressed in blue speaks.
“Until your debt is paid, or until another fairy is able to take your place, should you be willing to train that fairy properly,” he says.
“Royal guardians? Whatever for?” asks the fairy in silver.
“In due time, the word will come out. But at this moment, a kingdom suffers from lies spread by commoners attempting to be royal. With a fairy godmother in each kingdom, we could erase this kind of problem forever.”
“You say this is the way our debts will be paid, but you make it sound like an honor. Which is it, Gwydion?” asks the fairy in green.
“Both. This is a way you can repay what you owe me by making my job simpler, but it is an honor. You have the power to stop something before it even begins.”
“Something you said stands out to me, and I must know what you speak of. You said, ‘should royalty marry a commoner.’ When has that happened?” Pandora asks.
“At this very moment, there is a queen out there who should not be wearing a crown. She is not royalty, but she has lied so all the land would believe she is. Aside from this queen, there is not another instance where royalty has married a commoner. However, with what the prince and I know, that is about to change, and your assistance will be required almost immediately.” “I accept the change in our contract,” Pandora says.
“I do as well,” Ophelia agrees.
“And I,” is repeated five more times by the remaining fairies.
Gwydion stands and the fairies back up, standing in a row before him. I stand by his side and am grateful that the fairies have accepted.
“I give to you the power as fairy godmothers to gift magic to those who need it. Those needs are such as a commoner marrying royalty, royalty needing assistance, and in the moments when you feel that someone, royalty or commoner alike, needs it. Daria, I appoint you to watch over Ferrell. Erimentha, I appoint you to watch over Garverdale. Hera, I appoint you to watch over Tivor. Ismene, I appoint you to watch over Elna. Ophelia, I appoint you to watch over Gowell. Sophronia, I appoint you to watch over Wentsden. Pandora, I appoint you to watch over Umare and the other fairies.” As Gwydion says each of their names, he uses his staff to gift each of them with what I assume to be a little extra magic.
“I also give you the power to assist one another, should you need help. And in the greatest times of need, you may come to me for guidance and assistance.”
Each fairy begins flapping her wings. They all have an extra glow about them. Though I’ve already been here far longer than I wanted to be, I am grateful I was able to witness something so tremendous. These fairies have the potential to stop anyone from doing what Jossa did ever again.
I worry about Roselyn being so close to Jossa and not knowing the potential danger she is in, though she may have a good idea, considering that she witnessed Jossa’s brutality for herself.
Each fairy takes flight. Watching them leave makes me happier than I should be, but it is my time to leave as well. Time to return to Tivor, expose Jossa, and free Roselyn from her grip.
“Prince,” Gwydion calls to me. My heart stops. From the way he says that one word, I have the most dreadful feeling that he is not going to allow me to leave just yet.
“Yes?” I turn back.
“Be careful. And good luck.”
I choke up. “Thank you, Gwydion. For everything.”
Saying good-bye to Gwydion is harder than I expected. We started this journey as strangers, but through it all, he sacrificed more than I could ever hope for to ensure that I could be with Rose.
The wedding is today. Perhaps at this very moment, she is walking down the aisle. I didn’t bother to ask what time the ceremony would take place. All I know is that I have to make it there before she says
“I do.”
I climb down the mountain as precariously as I climbed up it. It takes time and it is painful, but I continue down, knowing that if I stop, if I rest, if I take a breath for too long, I could miss my chance at being with the love of my life.
My fingers are almost as blue as the sky, they’re so cold. My arms feel as if they are jelly. The lack of magic has weakened me, but having it back feels like my body is still trying to heal.
I lower myself down until the bottom is in sight. When I am only a few feet from it, I jump to the ground. I look around for the horses, but then I remember that we did not ride horses. Fuentes brought us, and it appears he has left.
“Fuentes!” I call to the skies, begging for him to return. He must not be close enough to hear me. With a frustrated sigh, I begin running. At this rate, I will never make it. But until I have confirmed that Roselyn is married, I will not stop. I will not rest. It doesn’t matter if I have to make my entire journey on foot. I can’t give up. Not now.
I run, though my legs are weak. I fear I will pass out and never be found again. Tears well up in my eyes, and I do not care if I appear weak. Roselyn is my everything, and losing her would be my undoing.
I can’t lose her.
I promised her I would fix magic. I would undo the damage I caused, and I would return for her. And now I am about to fail the person I love most in the biggest way possible. The pain of just thinking about it causes me to stumble.
I catch my footing before landing on my face, but it slows me down greatly. I push harder. I look back and note how far I’ve come. Perhaps I can get to Tivor before the wedding, assuming it isn’t already over.
A dust cloud rises and stops me in my tracks as I have a coughing fit. I look up to find the dragon standing before me. “Had you waited two more seconds, Your Highness, I could have saved you the trouble of going on foot.” He leans down so I can climb upon his back.
“Thank you!” I sigh, my shoul
ders relaxing. I lean down and hug his back as he takes off.
“I promised your mother I would help you, and I do not plan to break that promise.” He spreads his wings, flapping them up and down as he soars higher into the sky.
Jossa watches over me as Nadi helps me into my wedding gown. It’s a beautiful dress, if it weren’t made for such an ugly affair. Silver lines the seams, accentuating my waist and the sleeves. White roses trail down the full skirts and train. Madrid stands in the corner, far away from the queen, and waits to fetch things for me or Nadi, should we need them.
Once I’m in the dress and seated so my hair can be put up, Jossa leaves, commanding two guards to watch the door to ensure I do not run away. Little do they know that if I escape, it would be through my window.
I truly hope that Osric will climb through that window at any moment. He doesn’t know about Jossa, or the fact that Chavez and I couldn’t stop the wedding. I feel like I have failed the one man I love. I promised him I would fix this, and I haven’t. I can’t.
We’re out of time, and I have no more excuses. There is talk that when you’re about to die, your life flashes before your eyes. That is how I feel at this moment.
No, I’m not about to die, but my life is going to end. Chavez is a wonderful person, someone who will make a princess very happy someday. But I can’t be that princess. Osric is the one and only for me. Marrying anyone but him means my life of happiness is over.
Time passes so slowly. My hair is finished, my jewelry is polished, and they put my necklace on, then my earrings. A bracelet is added to my wrist for good measure. The tiara is slowly lowered and set atop my immaculate hair. But no matter how pretty they try to make me, this is the ugliest I’ve ever felt.
I become a statue, unmoving, unfeeling, lifeless, preparing for the events about to unfold. I wish I could speak to Chavez, but as wedding tradition goes, I will not see him until the actual ceremony begins.
“Your Highness, your bouquet is ready. Would you prefer to hold it now, or wait until the ceremony?” Madrid asks, speaking to me as if she were any regular servant. I know she does it to protect us both from Jossa’s wrath, but I do not care about Jossa anymore.
The Enchanted Rose Page 14
