One spring day, as I was wandering through the gardens with the princess Ebonia, she asked me what my dreams were. I answered by saying that I had never thought about it. She could tell I was lying, yet she didn't push me. She knew me well enough. The princess would tell me often about how she wishes she could marry whomever she wanted. Not some stuffy old prince, but a prince from any of the neighboring kingdoms would be more than enough for me.

I usually walk with her around the gardens. I always do as she says, although she is not too demanding of me. My mother worked at the palace before her death, and I followed in her footsteps. I had never spoken to my father, but I had never wished too. He shouldn't have left me the way he did. Ebony snapped me out of my thoughts.

"Tomorrow night is the ball, you know. Is there any man that you have had your eye on?" I could feel myself turning pink.

"Not specifically, what makes you say that?"

"Oh, nothing. Although, I will have you know that I have some connections with the staff." I couldn't help laughing. I had honestly never thought about her connections. The staff were their own community. I had been out with almost every man in the entire castle, except for royalty, of course. Ebony playfully nudged me,

"This is no laughing matter," she reprimanded, "I dream for you to find a husband almost as much as I dream for myself to find one."

"And that is why we are friends. You care about me, and I you. Maybe we can have a double wedding." I said jokingly.

Later that evening, as I was getting ebony ready for bed, I could have sworn I heard a muffled thud from the corridor. It was as if someone had been watching, but when I went to investigate there was no one in sight.

Ebony showed no signs of having heard the sound, so I dismissed my theory with enthusiasm. As I turned to the hallway, ready to leave, Ebony called out to me.

"Rose! Thank you."

I turned toward her and smiled, "my pleasure."

I briskly walked out of her humongous bedchamber and started off towards mine. Turning corner after corner, I came upon a large sitting room filled with large royal paintings. I saw a painting, one of my favorites, of Queen Umber Sidney III of Mangrale. She had rosy cheeks, long blond hair, teal eyes, and held a book in her hand. Nothing too surprising, but there was a symbol on the cover that I had not noticed before now.

A rose as red as blood.