Author's Note:
Hey guys! Airbendergal here!
Here's the latest chapter of the story.
Catalina wakes up and she's in for a big surprise. LOL.
And another letter has come from Penelo.
I hope you guys continue to read! That trailer of mine will be up pretty soon, so keep on checking back for the link to the video on Youtube.
My goal is to make it before the big battle of the story, and I'm hoping to get more readers.
So tell one and all about The Lion and the Rose. I'm sure they'll love it as much as you do.
Thanks, guys!
You rock!
~Airbendergal
Chapter 21:
I had dreamt the same dream.
Emperor Larsa was riding on the back of a flying serpent, holding a hammer. With his weapon he hit the head of the mighty beast, and it shattered into a thousand flaming shards that rained down from the heavens.
What could this have meant? Did it mean Larsa would triumph? Or, did it mean that destruction would befall the world?
The thunder and lightning had given me a pitiful reason to feel scared, and to resort in shelter by my partner's side. Even if I had slept in his bed, the thoughts of war could not escape me. They became prevailing in my dreams. But, as I woke, a certain air of calmness surrounded me. My vision had grown clearer; I could see the beautiful morning. The clouds were all gone, and a soft, radiant glow bounced across the walls of his room.
The storm had passed.
Slowly I sat up, stretched my arms, yawned, and whipped my fingers though the thick brush of my curly hair.
My first concern of the day was Leosandro's courier, but I had also thought about poor Emperor Larsa. He had been working late that night (I reckoned he had always done so), and he quickly stated that he would be sleeping on a chair. What a senseless man! What kind of emperor sleeps on a chair?
I looked to my left, to the wide open area, where a chair once sat, and realized that it had been missing. Last night, I rolled to the side of his bed, and gave him an acceptable offer of sharing, but his last reply was a laugh and a head-shake. Too busy, was he? I would like to see him work on those documents all night! Hmph!
I looked to my right, to the other side of the bed. It was empty and unsatisfying, but as I moved to the middle of the mattress I realized the empty space was still a bit warm. At once my ears started to get hot and I snapped off the sheets that covered the lower half of my body. I jerked backwards as the blankets flew, expectant to see a certain senseless man under the covers. But in the end, there was none. I was relieved.
Then, there was a knock.
"My lord?"
I cursed under my breath. It was a maidservant.
Another series of knocks.
I almost shrieked. I got into frenzy, trying to hide myself under many sheets and pillows. The sounds of clapping cloth seemed to have bothered the woman.
"My lord, is everything alright?" The tone of her voice was so unnerving.
My heart started racing, and I desperately looked around for my fiancé. His room was abnormally large, and filled with doors and walk-in closets. The man was nowhere in sight.
The doorknob started to turn, and at once I knew I was in trouble. Oh Faram, save me now!
I ducked under the covers, but I could not fit! Curse you tight beddings! I struggled to swim deeper into the sea of pillows, kicking and tossing to try to get into a tight curl. I could hear the muffled thuds of the pillows as they crashed onto the floor. I would be in big trouble if that woman spotted me!
I heard a creaking noise in front of me. Then, a scream, and the sound of shattering porcelain.
I blinked painfully. I was caught.
At once I abandoned the thought of hiding, and struggled to get my head out of the fortress of pillows. I breathed for air, and took a look at the maidservant remorsefully. When I saw her, I immediately knew who she was. Berthadel, the emperor's morning tea server. She was old, skinny and easily frightened.
"Lady Catalina!" she cried. At once she dropped to the floor, and gathered up broken shards of a ready-made tea set. Everything had shattered: the teapot, the teacups, and even the plates. There was a large stain on the carpeted floor. "F-Forgive me for intruding! I s-shall go out r-right away!"
She was absolutely red in the face, and as she picked up the pieces of porcelain, she constantly looked at the disarrayed sheets and pillows. From the look of her eyes, I knew exactly what she was thinking.
Oh, dear Faram, please save this lady from ill-thinking!
I jumped out of bed at an attempt to clear her mind. I rushed and helped her mop the floor with one of her rags. At once the maidservant slapped my wrist lightly, and my eyes widened.
"No, you mustn't, my lady!" Berthadel's eyes were glassy. "Please, resume your duties!"
My duties? Oh, no. I had no duties in this room.
That fool of a maid would tell the whole palace that I shared the night with Emperor Larsa!
"Wait, you do not understand!" I yelled at her, as she scurried down the hallway. A line of tea stains followed close behind her. I watched in agony as her tiny figure faded away into the distance. I groaned, and slammed the door shut. "Wonderful, Catalina. Wonderful!"
The room was quiet for a while, and then I heard a soft rustle.
Was it another servant?
It was not. I walked to the origin of the rustling sound, and found Emperor Larsa, in one of his walk in closets, changing into his imperial garments. He had already placed on the first layer of his purple garb, and was fixing the sleeves and shoulder padding. He acted very stoic, as he usually did, and did not seem to hear all the ratchet I had pulled off a few moments back. He stared into the mirror, combing his hair like a total aristocrat: slowly, then he whisked his comb upwards as it reached the tips of his dark locks.
"My lord!" I yelled, my face red.
"Ah, Catalina, good morning," he smiled from his reflection. "I hope you had a pleasant sleep."
His demeanor was light and cheeky. That deceptive weasel!
"You are the one to be blamed for all of this!" I cried. I looked at his reaction. He was completely pokerfaced. It was as if nothing had happened. "Do not pretend like you didn't hear what happened a few moments ago!"
The man stood up and fixed on his cape. He did not respond.
"Now everyone in the palace is going to think that we did things!" I exclaimed.
"I have no idea what you are talking about," he replied bluntly, and he fastened his golden belt.
"Admit it!"
"Admit what?"
"You actually slept on the bed, yes?"
The emperor scoffed. "I cannot understand the workings of women."
"Oh, you are so infuriating! If you were not going to be my husband, I would kill you right on the spot! Now everyone's going to think something happened to us last night."
"Then, let them think," Emperor Larsa replied. "All a man needs is a reputation."
And he twitched. A smile was slowly emerging from the corner of his lips.
"You men will never learn!" I frowned, and stormed off.
Breakfast with Lady Ashe and Al-Cid was a bit awkward this morning. I did not talk to any of them; I was too embarrassed to speak to anyone at all. The servants that came and refilled my goblet of water looked at me weirdly, and I had realized that they too had found out about this "incident".
Queen Ashe looked at me for a second. She was about speak, but she drew back her lips.
I looked down in humiliation.
Emperor Larsa joined us a few moments later, and he came in with a letter. The letter bore the Scarlet Serpent, and at once I knew it was from Penelo. The emperor looked as serious as ever.
"Penelo brings news to us," Emperor Larsa said, as he unraveled the message. "The leader of the coup is Leosandro, and this we know, and he is to send hundreds of warships northeast, towards the direction of Archades. Apparently, the espionage of Rozarria, rumored to be one of the best in the world, found out about Dalmasca's truce, and They plan to cut through the Dalmascan front lines if ever necessary. At a sudden whim, Leosandro burnt down an entire farm village, to show other lowly men to fear him. Reports say that many Rozarrians have died in the capital already, and the emperor has been exiled."
"Exiled, my father?" I asked, as my heart sunk. "Where have they taken him?"
"Details are unknown," Larsa replied, as he looked at me. "But according to Penelo, they've spotted the ship that carried him off the coast of Rozarria. I am very sorry, Catalina."
"I see…" At once I looked at my brother. He was as saddened as I was.
"Leosandro's killing hundreds of innocent people," Al-Cid frowned. "He must be stopped."
"Lord Al-Cid," Larsa said, as he placed down his letter. "Have your sources told you anything about this case?"
"My little birds tell me many things," my brother replied. "One of my birds tells me of a resistance to Leosandro's rule. These people are Margrace loyalists, servants of our family. They comprise of a large group of traders, artisans, and a portion of the upper class men. If this is true, then perhaps the resistance can help us at this time. In my opinion, your Excellency, I believe that if this Penelo can contact one of the resistance members, they could buy us some time, to gather more of our allies."
"I understand," Larsa said. "And I shall consider this very well."
Queen Ashe spoke up. "My generals have gathered the Dalmascan front, I am told," she said. "But there is no telling what direction the enemies may come from. They may have an approach from the northwest side, from the Nabreus Deadlands. They may come from the south, from the tundras far below us. Either way, Dalmasca will still be well defended."
After a depressing meal, the emperor and the queen proceeded to the throne room. I went back to my own room to get changed for the day. When I was about to enter my chambers, I found out that my brother had been following me. I looked back at Al-Cid and frowned.
"This is not the time," I told him, annoyed.
"You are a very naughty girl, Catalina!" Al-Cid teased. "I've heard about last night."
"Hah, says the man who warms the bed with four other women!"
Al-Cid laughed. I opened the door to my bedchambers, but he pulled the door back and shut it in front of my face. I sighed at him. "What is it now, Al-Cid?"
"I honestly did not think a woman like you would do such a thing."
"I did not sleep with him!" I blushed.
"I was not talking about that…" Al-Cid leaned on the wall beside me. "I never expected a woman like you to fall in love with a man like Emperor Larsa. To be honest, I think he's the dreariest man in the world. A person like you, Catalina, is free-spirited and beautiful. He is as lifeless as a pile of bones. Yet, I cannot blame you for loving him. He is the choice you've made."
"It is my duty as a princess of Rozarria," I stated firmly, and folded my arms.
"A duty? Hmm, or perhaps you think of him as more than a duty," Al-Cid tried to pinch my cheeks, but I slapped his hand away. I was losing my patience; I had no time for my brother. "That means you've learned a lot from me, sister."
I did not answer him. I went inside my bedchambers, and slowly closed the door behind me.
The air was fresh and fragrant. What had happened to my room when I was gone? I looked around and saw that nothing had changed; everything was in completely order: my bed was all fixed, the curtains were drawn, and the fireplace had been extinguished. Next to the window, though, on top of the bedside table there was a fresh bouquet of roses.
Who could have given them to me?
I went closer to my table and picked up the bouquet. The flowers were so beautiful, large and red. I sniffed them and smiled, and thought dearly of the person who could have given it to me. Then, I saw a small, blue object peeking out of the petals of a rose.
A mini hi-potion bottle?