Once Upon a Midnight Dreary
by
RaichutecShe found him outside, leaning up against the alabaster railing lining the balcony adjoining the suite granted so generously by Princess Lisa. Above shone the Moon that Never Sets, perpetually gleaming in a gibbous fashion, shedding silver across Tiborea's darkened streets. In finding him, she paused, unwilling to disturb just yet. In all her years of life, Rose learned how to wait, to be patient enough to study her surroundings and those near her. Thus far she'd had little time to observe Albert, far too much of her time an energy spent keeping up with Dart or quietly watching over Shana. He teased her peripheral vision from time to time, pricked at her thoughts and left notes in her mind for her to study and peruse at a later date.
No time like the present.
This late at night, Albert had removed the silvery armor he normally wore while they traveled, left to a green tunic delicately embroidered with white scrollwork and doeskin breeches. Even the cape had been left behind. Rose had seen him in less, but all the same she had to admit the King was certainly not an eyesore. If her heart were not made of stone, now, perhaps she might have allowed her icy demeanor to melt a bit near him. But it had been too many years since Rose remembered what it meant to feel the hot madness of passion toward anything other than death and destruction. Too long since she allowed herself the luxury. Perhaps she really had forgotten how. The thought furrowed her brows and brought a melancholy to ache within a heart she thought long dead. Too much thinking, she chided herself, it isn't good to dwell on things that cannot be changed.
"Do you intend to stand there all night, or have you something to say to me?"
The voice nearly startled her. Nearly because very little really surprised Rose anymore and the reflex to jump had been trained and beaten down. Instead she turned toward the King, shifting her weight to one leg while her hand came to rest against her hip.
"I think the more appropriate question is, do you intend to stand there all night?" she replied coolly. "You must surely be tired, you and Nello talked nearly the entire night before we left for the Valley and I know none of us rested well on that jaunt."
He turned toward her then, head canting briefly to the side to chase away cinnamon colored locks from his eyes. It took her a moment of confusion before realizing it was humor she saw dancing there in his gaze. "Rose, I never knew you cared."
Dark eyes narrowed dangerously, thin slits in the darkness that seemed to reflect none of the silvery light from above. "Watch yourself, Majesty. I haven't Hershel's sense of humor."
"No," Albert replied casually with a shrug of his shoulders. The amusement faded now, smile turning to more of a thin line along his lips. "But it does seem you can dish it out, yet can't take it. Enough... what brings you out tonight, Rose? Unable to sleep?"
Arms folded over Rose's chest, fabric rustling softly with the motion. "Night is my time, Majesty. But, mostly I realized you were missing, I came looking."
Albert mimicked her movements, arms crossing his chest while he studied the Dark Dragoon quietly. Cinnamon brows furrowed, a gloved hand reaching up to rub at his chin. "Rose, you are truly a mystery."
"You're beginning to sound like Heshel," she nearly groaned. With a shake of her head she turned from the king, refusing to meet his gaze. It unnerved her, to allow others the chance to peer through the window to her soul. As if they could see how far the darkness in her churned. To further her chagrin, Albert chuckled softly at her. It was enough for her to half turn and glare at him with a sidelong look.
"It's true. You fight on our side, aid us when we're nearly down, you show concern for our welfare and all the while protesting any sort of warmth or camaraderie with the rest of us. I've seen you with Dart, you're as drawn to him as the rest of us. What is wrong with admitting this, Rose? What are you afraid of?"
"I am not afraid of anything, Majesty. Fear is a reflex long ago purged from my system," Rose countered coolly. He appeared dubious, but she cut him off before he could go on. "Do you intend to stick with us after this? Princess Emille is safe, and I saw how she looked at you."
The switch in topics worked, Albert's cheeks actually turning a shade of pink despite himself. "Was she rea-- I mean, yes of course I'm still going on with the rest of you. Lloyd still holds the Moon Gem. It's a national treasure of Serdio."
Again, cutting humor found its way to Rose's razor tongue. Lips curling like a predatory cat's, she turned to gaze at the Jade Dragoon again, hand falling against her hip while her weight returned to one leg. "For Serdio, is it? Are you so certain of this? I don't think that's why you're doing any of this, Majesty. I'm sure Lavitz would agree with me that this quest to avenge him is infantile. I know he shared your bed for many a year but the last thing Lavitz ever wanted was for you to put yourself in danger in his name." Her gaze sharpened then, smile dissipating into a steely glare, dark eyes narrowed again as she drove her point home further. "He died for you, Albert. Don't make his sacrifice a waste. Go home to Serdio, marry Emille and live."
Stunned speechless, Albert could only blink at her, jaw slackened enough to leave his lips parted. He recovered quickly enough, mouth closing and jaw clenching as stubborn ire narrowed his eyes. He couldn't meet her gaze, however, the truth of her words stinging like a whip. "I never realized he told any of you about our closeness. But, there is more to this than me avenging Lavitz, Rose. Don't doubt that."
She sniffed at him derisively, a shrug of her shoulders displaying outward apathy, switching her emotions like a chameleon's colors. "He never had to say anything, I could see it in his eyes when he looked at you. Few knights are so loyal to their lieges as Lavitz was to you. His every thought was consumed by you, your safety, your well being." Her voice quieted, then, a hand lifting to splay fingers against her lips as her words grew far more thoughtful. Musings spoken aloud. "I never thought true love ever existed until I saw how he looked at you, heard the way he spoke of you. Even his last words were for you... That's why Dart defends you so heavily now."
"Enough, please," Albert begged, turning away as he squeezed his eyes shut momentarily. Setting gloved hands against the alabaster railing, he gazed up at the stars Tiborea so prized, glad that the Dark Dragoon could not see how her words drew tears to cascade slowly down his cheeks. "How do you do it, Rose? Switch the topic so smoothly so that the onus is on me again. We all have our skeletons, what is that you hide from the rest of us?"
She chuckled again, cutting at the King with her ill timed humor. "Maybe I'm a princess with a languid smile and I'm afraid your dashing gallantry will win my heart."
He turned and growled at her, stance suggesting he might have attempted harpooning her with his javelin if he'd actually taken it with him onto the balcony. "Some day, Rose, some day. You can't hide forever." Tired of the games, he brushed past her, the scent of warm spice accompanying the trail of light hair streaming past her face. Her smile remained there until the King's shadow had fled, leaving the dim illumination from the doorway undisturbed.
"No, Majesty. I've hid for this long. I can hide longer than you think."