The Way of The Rose
She walked. She walked quickly down the pavement and almost hurriedly up the monstrous flight of stone stairs. The girl took a deep breath then finally let out an exasperated sigh. The stairway had led to a wide and out-stretched hallway with about twenty side by side stained-glass windows, each displaying different type of flower. But of them all the window presenting a rose was most beautiful.
A glorious red and flawless rose stood tall, whilst around it ,peasants bowed. She deemed this window the most bizarre, but then again it was only because was not familiar its meaning. Her eyes flickered from one multicolored window to the next and though all of them were very dissimilar in style and in what scenery was illustrated in its background, she found them all lovely in their very own way. She continued walking as fractures multi-colored light poured into the room, shining onto the walls and marble floor, producing a room of rainbows.
The girl glanced at her watch.
5:27
She began to run and at last came to the heavy wooden doors at the end of the corridor, breathing hard. Upon opening it she found herself clenching her fingers around the hilt of her jeweled sword. Another atrociously steep flight of stairs stood before her. These stairs were made of an unblemished white marble. "More walking..." She thought angrily. The stairway was almost completely dark and only old candles on the stone walls dimly illuminated the way. She sprinted up these steep stairs, almost tripping and falling multiple times before reaching the final door made of glass.
It had only been a couple of hours since she found the letter...The letter that was dangling, attached to a blood-red string, from the frame of her bedroom door; the letter that had her real name plastered along the front in bold letters . "Ayrshira Rosa," it said "You will meet me in the Rose Garden at 5:30 after school." It continued. On the back of the letter was a poorly drawn map leading from Aria's dorm to that garden of make-believe. Aria felt she had to look no further. "A prank probably," she thought. Not too long afterward, Aria began to laugh. "The Rose Garden," she snorted. "It's been a while since I've heard anything of the place…"
The Rose Garden was to be a place of wonder, something like The North Pole, better, even. It was supposedly innately blooming garden located on the roof of a forsaken church and only seen by the pure of heart or those in love. A place where all of your most dazzling dreams came true. As a child, Aria never took to this legend as her playmates would. She grew weary of hearing the endless stories (: Lovers who lost their way, a pure hearted boy without a home, the poor blind man who, out of all the king's finest horses and men ,was able to find the garden.)
Bogus.
Completely bogus.
For all she knew that garden was nothing but an idiotic dream, dancing on the fringe of some child's imagination.
"But now..."
Now Aria's eyes widened in awe. The huge and perplexingly twisting maze of a church had finally led her to The Rose Garden. The saccharine smell of the flowers entered her nostrils. She breathed in deep. As far as the eye could see was red. A never-ending blanket of blood red roses seemed to begin at her feet and stretch out a thousand miles. The sky's light blue contrasted heavily with the intense color of the roses. The area was completely different than what she'd pictured in her mind. The color of the flowers was more vivid than she ever imagined. So tangible
.
"Rose Garden," she mumbled to herself. "All those fairy tales do you no justice."
"5:30." sang a high pitched voice. "I see you have arrived on time, Ms. Ayrshira. Your curiosity got the better of you , I suppose."
Taken by surprise, Aria tightened her hand around the grip of her sword. She turned around slowly. Cautiuosly. Not all too soon, she found herself face to face with Estmonté de la Rosa, the chairman's younger sister. She was smiling deviously; mockingly. Estmonté's face was small, vibrant, and almost innocent (despite her intentions). Her eyes were bright and not to mention a mysterious shade. They were a beautiful light violet, the same shade as Aria's...
Aria stood firm and drew her sword without hesitation. "I take it you're the one who 'invited' me here."
Estmonté twirled her short black hair around her finger childishly "You are correct, Ms. Ayrshira"
It had been countless years since she'd been referred to as 'Ayrshira' and Aria was surprised that this girl, who she'd only seen once or twice in the hallways of Tomori High, had known it. Aria also noted that the pronunciation of the foreign name was perfect, rolling off of the girl's tongue as if she had uttered the word about a thousand times.
She felt a sudden lack of privacy. "Who are you and how do you know my real name?" Aria demanded.
The emaciated girl avoided the question. "Do you remember how you were saved nine years on this very day?" she asked almost innocently.
Aria thought for a second, surprised by Estmonté's knowledge. But she smiled to herself even so, her face becoming red as she remembered that day. "A prince saved me from drowning on this day," she thought. Then she shook her head. "It was my seventh birthday..the day my parents passed away."
Frigid sheets of rain poured from the sky, on April 14th 2001. It was Glen Saturday, and on this holiday the children of Scotland would venture to The Crawfurdland Castle to pick blooming daffodils.
Not today.
It was the day that Ayrshira's only aunt visited for the first time to tell little Ayrshira that her parent's had passed. She did not know what 'passed' meant and quite frankly she was not familiar with the concept of death at all. All she knew was that Aunt Tuliop's tears would not stop and that every time Ayrshira would ask her ' what was the matter ?" her reply was: "Your mother and father have gone on a vacation to an island, a mhuirnín. I'm afraid they are not coming back. "
"But why not ?" The little girl asked.
Aunt Tulliop dried her face and tucked a couple dampened strands of blonde hair behind her ear. The loss of her only sister as well as her brother-in-law was devastating. Even so, Tulliop would do her best to keep little Ayrshira from hurting as much as well.
Her voice was shaky. "They simply cannot, little one. But they're having a fine time , where they are. The sun is always shining and the weather is lovely. They're very happy but right now the island has too many people, and as much as they'd like to have you there at their side ,the size of the island is very limited."
Shortly afterward a couple of sheffifs appeared at the front door of Ayrshire's little cottage. Both of them were old, somewhere in their sixties, Tuliop presumed. One of them was short and stubby and had a long and wrinkly nose. The other was tall and a bit lanky looking. His face was small and about a thousand fine wrinkles pulled at his face. They went by the names Calder and Rollo.
Upon their entrances the sheriffs removed helmets and bowed solemnly. " I am sorry for your loss." The sheriffs said in unison.
They greeted Tuliop and Ayrshira with genuine smiles.
Calder quickly began to ask Tuliop a series of questions, and pen and paper in hand, Rollo scribbled quickly
"How old are you ?" Calder asked.
"Twenty-three." Tuliop stated.
Rollo scribbled something almost illegible onto his little sheet of yellow paper.
Ayrshira began to giggle.
"What is your relation to this child ?"
Ayrshira snickered.
" I am her aunt." she replied.
Rollo began to scribble yet again
Officer Calder turned to Ayrshira, slightly confused. "Why, what is so funny, child ?"
Aria laughed out loud." Your nose , mister ! You look like a Pinocchio !"
Rollo scribbled in the background eagerly. " ..looks like Pinocchio.."
Calder shot his foolish partner a glare. " You moron ,you aren't supposed to write that !"
"I apologize, sir!" Rollo cried.
Calder cleared his throat and continued with the list of questions.
"And the girl's name ?"
"Ayrshira. Ayrshira Rosa."
"Does she go by a nick-name or something of the sort ?"
Tuliop looked into Ayrshira's wide eyes and smiled; her first sincere smile all day. Ayrshira grinned back.
" Yes. Aria. The little one goes by 'Aria'."
" Where will Aria be staying after all of this ?"
" She will be staying with me in the Seattle. It's a state located in The USA."
The questioning continued endlessly and Aria's mind wandered. She thought of her parents. She wanted to be at their side and couldn't help that she could of ways that she could make her dream come true.
;I could swim there.' she thought excitedly.
Aria crept out of the back door of her cottage of a house unseen and ran to the only waterway she knew of .The Tay. It was nearby and not to mention the largest river in all of Scotland. White waves coursed down the river and water splashed out onto little Aria from the riverbed. As she roamed closer and closer to the river , she began to think that this might be too dangerous of an idea but before the little girl had the time to turn back, she fell into the water and was pulled under.
When Aria awoke the rain had stopped, the sun was shining brightly and she was lying on the wet grass of her backyard. Aria opened her eyes to a boy who looked a couple years older than she. His skin was the color of caramel candy, his hair was of a mysterious and gorgeous white, and his eyes a green and leafy color. Aria noted that he wore strange clothes. She presumed he was a foreigner.
"Its about time you woke up, sleeping beauty." He smiled. "Do you like the necklace I gave you ?"
Aria touched the pendant hanging around her neck.
Just then the boy knelt beside her laying a beautiful jeweled sword at her feet.
"I also got you a sword. You'll need it, Ms. Ayrshira."
"Who- who are you ?" Aria asked perplexedly.
He laughed. "I'm a prince. I came to save you. But I've got to go now. We'll meet again."
Tuliop called to Aria from the back door. "Aria !Is that where you have been all this time? You really shouldn't have played in the rain. Now your clothes are all soaked."
"But Aunt Tuliop, Aunt Tuliop. Guess what?" Aria squealed. "This prince here saved me!"
"Some game you're playing , I presume. Well, run along inside, a mhuirnín. The officers left a little while ago and I've made you lunch."
Aria looked beside her where the prince had been standing. He was gone and left her a sword and a necklace to remember him by.
"It was the Prince who bestowed unto you the Rose Seal. Correct?"
Aria sheathed her sword and ran her fingers along the pendant of her necklace.
"The Rose Seal." Aria whispered to herself.
Nothing but a little picture of a rose was painted on it. There were also some words on the back of the pendant. They were of a foreign language ,she believed, and written in cursive.
Ever since the day she received it, the pendant had never been out of her sight. Even though Aria was not aware of its meaning, she felt that it was indeed special. Something irreplaceable…Something that made her one of a kind.
Her voice returned to its usual icy tone. "And what of it ?" she spat.
"What of it, you ask?" Estmonté began to laugh again. "It's truly a shame that you are the Maise."
"The what-?"
Estmonté's eyes narrowed. "You have not even the slightest clue what kind of responsibility you have. People pray. People pray and train in hopes receiving the title 'Maise', and here you are just born into it all. You are nothing but a foolish girl who should have died nothing short of nine years ago."
"What are you talking about? And what's this Maise thing you keep bringing up?"
Estmonté said nothing. She simply stood there facing Aria. Her smile faded and silence awkwardly formed a wall between them.
Estmonté finally broke the silence "Maiseis short for 'A maise 'ud sealg an suian 'Its Scottish Gaelic for-"
"The beauty that lies in sleep." Aria stated.
"Yes. And you, ironically, happen to be the beauty that lies in sleep; having slept for the first 6 years of your life, that is. And even as abnormal as it sounds, it happens to be one of the many signs that affirm you've been chosen." Estmonté said dispassionately.
"How do you know all this?" Aria asked irately. "What are you ? My stalker ?"
"Not at all. I simply have connections." she said regaining her mischievous grin.
"Ayrshira Rosa… " a deep voice interrupted "the girl whose name means 'Rose of Scotland' in Scottish Gaelic..." it echoed
A young man emerged from the dark hallway at the end of the garden and he was all too glad to shake Aria's hand.
"It's my pleasure to meet you, Ms. Ayrshira."
Aria squinted her lavender eyes, a sense of familiarity swept over her. "Who exactly are you, mister?"
The young man chuckled melodiously, it was a pleasant sound. "Oh, you're a funny one. I'm the chairman of your high school, of course."
Aria blinked in disbelief.
'How in the world is this guy the chairman of Tomori ?'
she thought to herself 'He's- he's so young- couldn't be over 25. And-and he's so...good looking.'
He gracefully plucked a rose from a blooming rose bush and held it juxtaposed to Aria's face, looking seriously from Aria's face to the rose and back again.
Her eyebrows furrowed. "What are you doing?"
His face split into a grin. "Your face seems to be almost as red as this rose, Ms. Ayrshira."
Aria hit the rose from his hand but his only reply was taking a lock of Aria's dark hair gently in hand before kissing it.
"But the rose not nearly quite as beautiful."
Aria took a few steps back. " And you are not nearly as obnoxious as I remember you.." she stated.
"Control yourself, Dios." Estmonté growled.
Dios laughed again, his green eyes crinkling at the sides. "Oh sorry, Essie, Ms. Ayrshira. It seems I've gotten myself carried away."
Aria's eyes roamed across Dios's gorgeous features: his wide green eyes, framed by thick lashes… The manner in which a few tresses of his unusual but beautiful snow white hair softly brushed the bridge of his nose.. The way the gentle curve of his full lips formed a warm smile-
He looked virtually nothing like Estmonté.
"Are you two…related?" Aria asked awkwardly.
Estmonté and Dios laughed in unison.
"Oh, no, no ,no, my dearest ,Ayrshira." Dios confirmed. "She and I are merely to be wed …Well ,at the moment, that is. "
"Are to be wed as in..like married ?" Aria said in incredulity. "But how old are you guys?"
Estmonté replied. "I'm just over 16."
"And I honestly can't keep track." Dios mumbled.
"Whaddaya mean you can't keep track?" Aria asked irately.
"Well, Ms. Ayrshira, I'm not as young as I look, you know. I'd say I'm a couple decades over one hundred."
Aria sighed and shook her head. "None of this is making sense."
Dios put Aria's hands into his own and looked down into her lavender eyes. She blushed lightly and frowned "What now?"
Estmonté rolled her eyes.
"How should I put this?..." he pondered. Well... There are six other young women born in the same year as you who own the title of "A maise 'ud sealg an suian". You are all are in the running to be the" Bride of The Rose. 'The Bride Of the Rose' is the one girl who will marry me, The Keeper of the Rose Garden. As of now, Estmonté holds this title and has had her grip on it for the last three months."
"And..how did she..get it ?"
" She won a sword fighting duel against Podniosłem Polska. 'The Rose Of Poland' ,you see. she's been winning all the duels ever since. I believe Estmonté has been sword fighting all her life."
"And Polska is completely awful sword fighter too." Estmonté added. " She was too easy to beat."
Green eyes fell onto Aria's sword. He smiled. "You still have it.."
"Um..yeah. A prince gave this to me. "
Dios let go of Aria's hands. "You have really forgotten me."
"What ?"
"I save you from drowning and you don't even remember me? Ms. Ayrshira, I must say, I'm shocked."
Aria took a step back. She felt lightheaded.
"You- It was you. I never got to say thanks-"
Dios smiled. "You can repay me by winning a duel against this uptight lioness and marrying me."
Estmonté and Aria laughed.
"I don't wanna join you two…in this stupid cult thing you got going on. "
Face it, Dee, this girl couldn't beat me if she tried. You heard it right from the horse's mouth, she's been learning from some old hag ."
Aria drew her sword with not the slightest hesitation." Excuse me ?"
" Girls, calm down." Dios pleaded ."Let us handle this like the adults we are and apologize."
Seconds passed.
Minutes passed.
Silence remained.
The church's clock tower began to toll. It was 6 o'clock.
Estmonté had become bored and plucked a rose from the flower bed. She began to slowly pick off its pigmented petals.
Aria was tired. It had indeed been a long day. "Well..I can see this isn't gonna take us. anywhere." she yawned. Aria took the time to review all that she's been introduced to today.
The Rose Seal, "A maise 'ud sealg an suian" ,misunderstandings, A prince who's like a hundred and twenty years old, an annoying French duelist, some arranged marriage mumbo jumbo...
Aria decided that she had enough.
She sighed tiredly. It was all too much and most definitely too soon. "Know what, you guys? I'm gonna call it a day. I mean, The Rose Garden is nice and all but..quite frankly I have a research essay to finish. " Aria sheathed her sword and slowly retreated to the doorway from which she had entered. " Have a nice day or whatever..."
The clock tolled once-twice-three times more before leaving a soft and rippling echo.
"We're sure to meet again, my Scottish Rose." Dios called.
Somewhere in the background Estmonté scoffed.
"I'm done with all of this, and you know it." Aria called back
Estmonté plucked the last petal off of the crimson and budding flower before granting it a kiss and letting it float to the ground. "Nonsense. Its-"
Dios was all but too glad to finish her sentence.
"Only just begun."