Daliah Valley, thank you for your review! That was quite an odd mouthful. :-) And I will be updating twice a week (maybe more on occasion).
I don't know if anyone has heard of Thomas Bergersen... He's a thirty-something year old Norwegian composer (his production company is called Two Steps From Hell), and he is AMAZING! He's my muse. You should really check out some of his stuff on YouTube if you get a chance. I completed this chapter while listening to Love & Loss, Remember Me and Ironwing (and somehow Usher slipped onto the playlist as well, inspiring one part of this chapter - you'll know it when you read it).
Rose woke to the smell of breakfast cooking. She sat up and saw her aunts working together in the kitchen. It was the only area of the cottage they bothered to clean. "Good morning, sleepy head," Cadence greeted her cheerfully.
"Good morning." Rose stood beside Madeleine and sniffed the delicious aroma of the bacon she was cooking. "Mmmmm!"
"It's almost done, so have a seat at the table," Madeleine smiled. "Then we're leaving."
They each devoured their meals as quickly as they could, and didn't bother cleaning up before they left. When they emerged from the forest, Madeleine announced, "Good! We'll be right on time for the ball." She pulled out the note card Rose had noticed her looking at yesterday and reviewed it. Now she could see that her aunt had somehow managed to get a hold of an invitation.
"We're going to a ball? How can we even think of going to a ball when we're in so much danger?" Rose asked with disbelief.
"Your parents' closest friends are hosting this party, so they'll protect us," Madeleine explained.
"Do you think my parents will be there?"
Madeleine shrugs. "It's possible."
"So who are my parents' friends?"
"King Henry, Queen Roberta and Prince Phillip," Cadence sang, grinning like a fool. Rose took note of the emphasis her playful aunt placed on Phillip's name.
"Prince Phillip, like in the story? Is he supposed to be my betrothed?" Rose teased, exaggeratingly batting her eyelashes and folding her hands in front of her heart.
Madeleine answered plainly, "Yes, he is, but I don't think he'll be there. The king and queen are very protective of him, and since Marina wants you, they're afraid she'll want to hurt Phillip too."
Rose stopped in her tracks, reminding herself to breathe. "Wait a minute, wait a minute," she began, trying to sound as calm as possible. "Are you telling me that I really am supposed to marry this man? This man I've never met!"
"Yes," her aunts chanted simultaneously.
"No," Rose shook her head. "No, I'm not. I can't marry a stranger!"
"Rose, that's how it is here," said Madeleine.
"Especially when you're royalty," Clarice added. "It's to unite and better your kingdoms."
"Plus, he's so cute!" chimed Cadence, allowing her wings to flutter gleefully.
"Does he know about this arrangement too?" queried Rose.
"Yes, he's known about the engagement his whole life," Madeleine told her.
"And he's okay with it?"
"We don't know," said Cadence. "We haven't seen him since your birth celebration."
Rose's mouth gaped, rendered speechless by this sudden information. When she managed to gain some of her composure, she found herself wanting to more about this man she was promised to. "Well, how old is he?"
The sisters glanced at each other, murmuring back and forth, "How old would he be now?", "I'm not sure. How old was he when we left?", "I don't think he was too much older." Clarice finally said to Rose, "Probably about twenty-two." Then biting her lip and tilting her head side to side uncertainly, she added, "Give or take a year or two."
"And he's really cute!" Cadence offered a second time.
"Great." Rose rolled her eyes and trudged behind her family, not pleased at all.
As luck would have it, they traveled the whole day without running into another soul. And just as the sun began to set, their destination was within their sights. "Okay, let's get dressed," Cadence said, clapping her hands together.
Rose watched as her aunts used magic to dress themselves in beautiful ball gowns and masquerade masks. Then Clarice waved her wand toward Rose, transforming her clothing into a lovely gown of green, blue and purple. Her mask was indigo with small green, blue and purple feathers. "A glamorous peacock!" Clarice exclaimed.
Rose admired her ensemble. "Wow," she gasped with delight.
Then Madeleine instructed them, "Let's go." As they entered the city, they saw many people walking toward the castle dressed in fancy costumes with matching masks. "Don't tell anyone your real name, Rose," Madeleine warned her. "Tonight, your name is Dana. Clarice and I are going to try to find King Henry and Queen Roberta. Cadence will look after you during the party."
Cadence locked arms with Rose as they stepped into the castle. "We are going to have such an amazing time, Rose!" she beamed.
Upon entering the castle, Rose simply tried soaking in the magnificence of it all. Partygoers laughed and danced in the center of the enormous ballroom. Others ate and drank beside long tables covered with an array food and drinks.
A man suddenly approached them, bowed to Cadence and asked her to dance. Rose recognized her aunt's puppy dog stare. "Go ahead," she urged her. "I'll just be over there having a drink." She pointed to one of the long tables.
"Thanks! Just try to fit in okay?" Cadence suggested quietly as she hurried to the dance floor with the man.
"Yeah, I'll do that," Rose muttered, sauntering toward the drinks.
When she arrived, she saw a man standing on the opposite side of the table shaking a metal container filled with liquid. Turning to her he asked, "What would you like to drink, miss?"
Rose had never ordered an alcoholic beverage before, and certainly never one in another world, so she didn't know what to request. "Please just make me something sweet," she said. She watched as the man skillfully mixed several liquids together, and when finished, placed a glass of dark red fluid in front of her.
"It's called Marina's Dream," he told her.
"It looks like blood," she said, squinching her nose.
"Exactly," he snorted, "but it's sweet."
She held the glass up to her nose, and the drink had a pleasant enough smell, so she took a sip. To her surprise it was very good. She continued sipping as she gazed at the people on the dance floor, admiring all the costumes. Her eyes stopped upon a young man when she thought she spotted him watching her from across the room. She couldn't be sure if he was looking at her directly due to the mask covering his face. Rose decided to ignore him at first simply by avoiding making eye contact, but when she did look at him again, she saw that he was still looking at her. Feeling embarrassed and slightly frightened, she thought it may be a good idea to walk around.
She found a balcony with steps leading down to a garden, so she went outside. The cool air felt good on her flushed cheeks and neck. She glanced into the party once more to make sure no one was following her. Cadence was still dancing, but with someone else now. In fact, it appeared there was a whole procession of men waiting for the chance to dance with her. Rose smiled, then went into the garden. Her fingertips traced along a wall of bushes that stood taller than her, and she paused a moment to smell a single white rose growing out of one. Continuing through the colorful labyrinth, she eventually happened upon a circular shaped clearing with a stone fountain in the center and matching stone benches surrounding it. She knelt down in front of the pool of water and pulled her mask off. Her skin cooled instantly as she dipped her hand into the water and gently pressed it against her cheeks and forehead.
"It was pretty warm in there," a man's voice said from behind, startling her.
She jumped and spun quickly to get a look at the stranger. She gasped lightly when she saw that it was the same guest that had been staring at her all evening. "Yes, it was," she replied warily.
"I didn't mean to scare you," he smiled. Taking off his silver mask, he held out his hand to help her off the ground. "My name is James."
Rose let out a soft breath when she laid eyes on his face. He's gorgeous! James was a few inches taller than her with short dark brown hair and the darkest blue eyes she ever had the pleasure of observing. His white suit fit incredibly on his lean, yet muscular body. She took his hand, but being captivated by his beauty, she failed to let it go. Her gawked expression caused James to chuckle. "Oh," she mumbled, finally coming out of her stupor, "My name is... Dana." She had almost forgotten the alias Madeleine had told her to use.
"It's a pleasure to meet you, Dana," he said kindly as he helped her to her feet. "That's a very beautiful name... just like you."
Rose blushed. She wasn't used to a man's flattery, so she uncomfortably changed the subject. "So are you a friend of the king and queen?"
"Uh, yes, I suppose you could say that. But I'm more of a close friend to Prince Phillip."
"Oh," Rose said, slightly shaken by hearing the name of her fiancé. She still hadn't had time to accept that she was expected to marry him.
"And you? Are you a close friend?" he asked her.
"No, not really. I came with my aunts. They're inside."
"I happened to see you when you first walked in, and it looked like you came with fairies. Are the fairies your aunts? How can that be possible?"
Too many questions. Rose was beginning to feel anxious. "They're my adoptive aunts. My parents are -" She hesitated before going on, "dead." I am such a terrible liar. He's probably not convinced.
"That's sad." His expression conveyed genuine sympathy. Then smiling sweetly at her, he asked, "Do you think your aunts would mind if we shared a dance?"
She felt herself blushing again. Probably, she thought, but her voice stated otherwise. "No, I don't think they'd mind."
He reached for her hand again, taking it gently in his own. Once on the dance floor, he took her right hand in his left hand, and placed his other hand on her waist. They swayed across the floor and spun gracefully in each other's arms. "You're very beautiful," he hummed.
"You have to stop saying that," she replied sheepishly.
"Why?"
"I feel embarrassed."
James smiled, "I'm sorry. I just haven't been able to stop watching you from the moment I laid eyes on you."
"Thank you," she whispered with rosy cheeks.
They continued dancing until an older man approached them and stated, "James, I need to speak with you a moment." Turning to Rose, the man said apologetically, "Please excuse this interruption, miss."
Rose smiled agreeably and released her grip on James' hand. Attempting to hide her disappointment, she grinned at James as he bowed his head respectfully before taking his leave. Unsure of what to do then, she scanned the dance floor once, then headed back toward the drinks. The same drink server approached her at the table. "Another one of those Marina's Dreams, please," she told him. She only had time for one sip when another man stole her attention.
"Pardon me," he greeted her politely. His hair was dark like the night sky, and his green eyes shone through his black mask. "I saw you dancing, and I was hypnotized by your beauty and grace. Will you dance with me now that your partner has had to leave?"
Rose glanced nervously at the bartender who gave her a friendly wink. "Okay," she agreed. She offered him her hand, and he led her to the dance floor. Almost as soon as they began, she had a parade of dance partners lining up for her just as they had for Cadence. She moved gracefully from one gentleman to the next repeatedly, smiling and having the time of her life. She spotted Cadence several times while being whisked across the room, and they shared happy glimpses.
All of sudden, the lighting in the room began to change, and everyone paused in fear and puzzlement. The ballroom darkened as multicolored chandeliers appeared above their heads, sparking lights all around like in a night club. That's when Cadence shouted happily, "Let's party!" She held her wand above her head and a cloud of pink fog covered all the guests. The dresses shortened and the tuxes became slightly looser. The music transformed from a classical number to a style that Rose may have turned up to full volume in her car.
The air of uncertainty only lasted a few moments, and soon everyone was jumping and swaying the way Rose was used to seeing people dance. Cadence found Rose in the crowd and wrapped her arms around her neck. "Thanks, Aunt Cadence. This is awesome!"
"You're welcome, sweetie. Now this is how girls have fun," Cadence laughed.
Unfortunately their fun ended shortly thereafter when the doors opened with a loud thud. Everyone turned to see who was making such a commotion, and they gasped in horror at what they saw. A beautiful young woman with long black hair and a silky emerald evening gown entered, surrounded by an entourage of men, women and unusual creatures that Rose had never seen before. Some of them wore the same kind of black clothing as the men that had attacked her in her car yesterday.
A woman Rose assumed was Queen Roberta (due to the crown adorning her head) stood and called out, "How dare you come here, witch!"
"How dare I?" the woman replied angrily. "How dare you go against our agreement?"
"We have done no such thing," argued the queen.
"Oh no? Where is your husband? I followed those traitors here, and I know Princess Rose is with them. If you do not turn her over to me by sunrise, I will relinquish our deal and take your son's life."
Rose felt herself beginning to tremble. Slowly peering around the room for her aunts, she couldn't see any of them, though she knew Cadence couldn't be too far. Suddenly, a set of fingertips gently graced her hand. She pulled away at first, but when she saw it was only James, now wearing his silver mask again, she allowed him to take her hand in his.
Before the witch left, she gave one final message, "What's done is done. Rose will join me no matter what you do, so you should just give up. Anthony's daughter and kingdom will be mine to control, and eventually all of you will be bowing to me. What I have planned is bigger than you know, and I keep my promises. You can be sure of that."
Murmurs of fear swept through the castle after she was gone. "I have to find my aunts," Rose told James, the quiver evident in her voice. She let go of his hand and began pushing against the frightened crowd as they hurried toward the exit.
"Dana!" he called. "Wait!"
But she could not wait. Rose didn't want to leave James, but she knew she was in danger, and she was endangering everyone else by being there. Poor Phillip, she thought, the witch's words repeating themselves in her mind. I'm sorry I've put you in danger too. Finally, she caught sight of Cadence standing on the steps leading upstairs.
Just then, James grabbed her by the arm, pulling her back toward him. "Dana, we can leave together. I can get us out of here."
"I'm sorry, James, but I can't go with you. I have to go with my aunts." Freeing herself from his grasp again, she sped up the steps and met Cadence, though James was not far behind her.
"Rose, come on! They're waiting for us upstairs," Cadence called, gesturing for her to hurry.
"Wait," James stopped them, "Rose? You're Princess Rose?"
"Please don't tell anyone, James!" Rose begged.
He stared at her, stunned for a moment, and as Cadence tugged on Rose's arm again, he called, "No, wait!" Drawing closely to them, he whispered, "I'm Prince Phillip."
"What?" Rose asked in shock.
Cadence nudged her, "I told you he'd be cute."
Ignoring Cadence, Rose asked again, "What? I thought you were hiding from Marina."
"I can explain everything, and I will. But for now, let me get you to safety."
"Your dad's waiting for us upstairs," Cadence told Phillip.
"I'll take you to him," he said, leading them up the stairs. They followed him through red carpeted corridors until they reached a dead end. "I – I – I" Phillip stuttered. "This is my parents' room. I don't understand."
"I bet my sisters have hidden it. Hold on." Cadence pulled her wand out of her palm and said to the wall, "Show me," and a door opened. Then the three of them went inside and shut the door behind them.
"What are you doing here, Cadence?" Clarice asked. "You're supposed to be looking after Rose at the party."
"The party's over," Rose said as she entered, "and we have to get out of here."
"Marina knows we're here, and she wants King Henry to hand Rose over by sunrise or she'll kill Prince Phillip," Cadence explained.
"Marina was here?" the king asked frantically. "Where's Roberta?"
"I saw Kane taking care of her. They were headed for the library," Phillip assured him. "She's safe."
"Good." Henry sighed with relief.
"Who are you, young man?" Madeleine asked Phillip.
"This is my son, Phillip," Henry answered for him.
"Prince Phillip?" Madeleine turned quickly toward Henry. "I thought you were trying to hide him from Marina."
"Since she threatened us, we've had Phillip pretend to be a castle servant named James. I thought Marina was none the wiser."
"Then he can escape with Rose and me," suggested Madeleine. "I will go with them while Cadence and Clarice warn Anthony and Jacqueline."
The king was hesitant. "Madeleine, I don't know. We can protect him here. The other fairies will help us."
"They can't do anything for you now. This is not going to be as simple as singling Marina out and fighting her to the death. We're going to need more than yours and Anthony's kingdoms to fight her." Madeleine sighed and closed her eyes a moment. "She's not just after Anthony's kingdom or your kingdom, she's after the world. We need to let the other royals know what's going on. And if these two stay on the move, they'll be less easy for her to find."
Henry looked at his son. "Do you agree?"
Phillip nodded. "The nearest kingdom other than Anthony's is Queen Estelle's."
"Then that's where we'll go first," Madeleine tells them.
Henry stood and embraced his son. "Be careful, Phillip. And take care of Rose. Good luck to you."
"There are three rules for writing a novel. Unfortunately, no one knows what they are." - W. Somerset Maugham