Chapter Four: Rose

He usually went hunting in a little forest a couple of miles to the west of their farm, which ended up being very nice, if she overlooked the small plot of corn that was scorched black by Michael's attack.

Darius used a bow for hunting and was surprised when she didn't. "How are you supposed to get close enough to get them?"

Instead of answering him in words, she showed him. The six-legged deer-like creature was sniffing at a tree. Rose moved quickly and silently, her footsteps making no sound on the forest floor. It didn't notice her until she was directly in front of it, and by then it was too late. She wrapped her arms and legs into its side, knocking it over and holding it tightly on her stomach until it stopped struggling, all its energy drained. Mercifully she severed its head before it had the time to die from the lack of oxygen to its brain.

She stood to see Darius staring at her. "I've never seen anyone move that fast."

She shrugged, and stayed up in a tree, her long legs dangling, as she watched him hunt. He was faster than most humans, although no match for her, and powerful. Merciful, strong, quick, he was a good hunter.

Not good enough however. He didn't see the bear behind him, too busy with the death throes of a hunting beast.

"Watch out." She called, her tone casual. He turned, raised his bow, too late.

Rose shook her head slightly. -Is this the limitation of Humans?-

She slid out of her tree, running swiftly and leaping. If anyone else had seen they would have thought she was a bird in flight, gliding gracefully through the air. She landed on its back, her legs wrapped around its neck. Twisting her powerful legs, she heard the crack of bone and the thud as the body fell.

Darius lowered his bow, and he seemed to quiver. He knew that he would never have been able to do that, and the bear would have likely lamed him before he would kill it. "What…you… Good gods, I wish that Kristoff were here to see that. He would have no doubt that you are a Dragoon warrior."

-True. No Human could do that.- Unconsciously, she brushed her fingers against the spot in her armor beneath which the necklace was hidden.

"May I?" Darius asked, and his tone was so polite it was impossible for her to refuse. Automatically she nodded.

He moved forward, his fingers on her neck. Strangely enough, she relaxed. She wasn't coiled up, ready to defend should he tighten his fingers. Instead she stood lax and slightly swaying as he picked up the necklace. He didn't put his hand down her tunic, of course, because then she would have perfect reason to hurt him. No, he tugged on the chain encircling her neck and slowly drew it up until the necklace fell to the outside of her armor and he picked it up.

"It's beautiful." He commented, staring at the pendant. Its deep violet color reflected and emanated light, as well as gathering it, to form an entire galaxy of stars inside the pendant. It thrummed with power, enhancing her aura, no matter if it was joyous or furious. His eyes traveled upward to the choker clasped around her pale throat. The choker was just as wonderful a work of art. A pure deep black, inscriptions and runes were etched deeply into it, along with designs and carvings that caught the eye and wouldn't let it go. She had to fight off thieves more than a few times. "Who made this?"

"The choker or the pendant?" She asked absently. He wasn't at all like those other men that she had come across along her journeys, with the grabby hands and wicked leers. Darius was different and his fair hair reminded her of Zieg. If she closed her eyes, she could almost imagine that it was Zieg standing not three inches from her.

But it wasn't. And she could never forget that or her fiancé's face as it froze in a look of eternal torment.

"Both." Darius replied, dropping the necklace and stepping back, as if suddenly realizing he was invading her privacy. "I'm sorry, Lady Rose."

Rose tucked the necklace back into her tunic. "The pendant was fashioned by Michael the Dragon. When we bonded, our minds and psychic energies drew together to form my Dragoon Spirit. I can use it to call upon his powers in my times of need. So in a way, I formed it and so did my Dragon."

"Who fashioned the choker?"

"Not who. What," She corrected him. Her mind was relaxed, and she felt like sitting down and explaining to him about everything. Darius had that effect on her. No, maybe he had that effect on all people. His siblings always obeyed him with never more than the slightest hint of doubt. But her body was already used to working, not talking, and she was moving to pick up the beasts that she had killed. "Spirit formed it."

"Spirit? Is that a person?"

Rose paused, her heavy bear slung over her shoulder. It made a comical sight. She peered at Darius around a thick pelt of fur. "Well…" she pursed her lips, considering his question. "Yes and no. Spirit is around us everywhere and in us as well. It is what makes living things be. So yes, it is people, but no, it is not a particular person. Spirit is essence."

"Like life."

"Yes. Exactly. My friend Charle Frahma gathered the Spirit around her to form the necklace." Rose was telling him secrets now. She was already certain he had to die, so why not let him die knowing everything, since he was so curious? But a small part of her felt remorse even now that she would have to kill him. "She asked for Spirit from the trees and the rocks, from her friends and herself, from the air and from me. With the Spirit she gathered she formed the choker, and it is full of magical energy. It's what keeps me alive. Otherwise I would be a pile of decomposed bones by now." She tilted her head. "Now come on. Your sister is waiting."

Darius shook himself slightly and picked up the hunting beast he had felled. This woman was so different, so vivid. He wasn't sure if he believed her or not, but she was so intense, so alive. Her aura brought a new feeling to him, and he had to smile.

She noticed him even as her head was turned. "What's so funny?"

"Nothing." He replied casually. "By the way, your hair's getting soaked in blood."

"It'll come out." The words were so easy, meaningless, and yet her voice hitched slightly, as if she knew that she was lying.

And he knew as well. Time to switch tactics if he was ever going to figure out this confusing enigma of a woman. "Lady Rose, my foot hurts. I think I may have a rock in my boot. Can we stop for a while?"

She paused, and he could feel her frustration roll off her in a sigh. "Fine. It's not like we've anything else to do. And for the gods' sakes, stop calling me Lady Rose!" She snapped, shoving the bear and the deer off her shoulders to the ground, where they landed with a heavy thud. The woman herself flounced over to sit on a patch of moss on the log next to him.

"What name would you prefer?"

Her mind lurched slightly. Michael had asked her the same thing.

"Michael, I told you. I'm not your master. I'm your friend. We help each other. I'm a Dragoon. You're my Dragon partner. Stop calling me master!"

Despite telling him multiple times, he always insisted on calling her Master.

"Just call me Rose. It's my name." She said.

"Was Rose the name you were born with?"

She glared at him, her smoke-colored eyes flaring into fire. "You must be the nosiest person I have ever met!" She growled. "Yes."

"Do you like your name?"

She raised an eyebrow, her fiery eyes cooling down back into smoke. "What is the purpose of this question?"

"To get to know you better."

"If you want to know me better, you'd have to learn all ten thousand years of my life and more."

Darius shrugged. "I like learning about history. Just answer me, please. Like, I don't really like my name, but I don't hate it. It fits me."

"I see no difference in whether or not I like my name. It is what I am called."

The man made a movement of his head as if he was frustrated. "It makes a difference to me."

She gave in. It was too tiring to argue. "Then no, I'm not particularly fond of my name. It's far too sweet and beautiful for my tastes. I would have preferred a less noticeable, harsher name of a warrior."

"Rose is a beautiful name for a beautiful woman."

She ignored his charm and stood up again.

"Or you could alter your name a bit." Darius spoke again as if she was not making movements to leave. "For instance, don't tell him I told you this, but Kristoff's name was originally Christopher. He didn't like it, so he changed it a bit. You could change yours."

This time Rose didn't bother to hide her smile. It wasn't necessarily nasty enough to be a scornful smirk, but it was certainly not a smile of sheer joy. "Change it to what? Daisy? Daffodil? Violet? At least roses have thorns." She gestured to her sword.

"They certainly do." Darius muttered, following her as she picked up the game again and strode off quickly.

o

-What an irritating man! No one has ever dared to question me so much on my past or personal thoughts like he does!- Rose thought to herself, storming down the path across the farm's fields and into the house. –Why is he so damn nosy? I can take perfect care of myself, if that's what he's afraid of.- She paused. –And yet, without Michael, I could use a bit of caring. It's nice to know that someone worries about me.-

She paused in the enormous kitchen's doorway. Kata was in there, standing over the stove, making strange noises. It sounded like she was singing, but her lips weren't moving and the song was slow and lulling. She stopped when she saw Rose.

"Oh you're back already." She seemed surprised and helped lift the deer off Rose's left shoulder. "Darius usually isn't so quick. You must be one great hunter." When Rose still didn't answer, Kata continued speaking. "Did you hear me humming? It's a lullaby that my mother used to sing to me. Did your mother ever sing it to you?"

Rose twisted her head slightly to look at Kata, her eyes hazy and confused. "A lullaby? No, my mother…didn't sing lullabies to me." –Did she?-

"She didn't?" Kata stopped and turned to look at her, incredulous. "She must have!"

The Dragoon woman frowned. "I'm not sure…she might have. It was a long time ago."

"Ten thousand years."

"Yes. My nanny might have. I'm not sure if my mother did."

"Your nanny?"

"Yes. I was a born a daughter to a rich couple. I was…rather different back then. After meeting…someone, I…changed drastically." Rose shook herself. –What does any of this have to do with anything?- "Anyway, do you require my help? Or else I am going back to my room."

"No. I can handle it." Kata spoke easily, skinning and cleaning the bear with expert fingers. After a while, she asked, "Are you really a Dragoon?"

"I am what you think I am. I can't change your point of view." Rose answered.

"She means, yes, she is." Darius' voice came from the doorway where his lithe frame filled the doorway. He dumped the heap he was carrying onto the floor and kicked it over to his sister. "I saw her hunt, Kata. She's the real thing. No Human could move that fast or be that powerful."

"What took you so long?" Rose snapped, not wanting a discussion about her Dragoon powers or to stay around these humans any longer than she needed to. It was a lesson she had learned over the years. When you are around people too long, you grow attached to them, and it makes it harder to say goodbye. In one of her earlier journeys, she had become a good friend with the mother of the Moon Child she was to kill. She couldn't bring down the Black Monster power. Michael had had to set her off before she would do it.

"Wow, we'll have a good dinner tonight. Rose, don't mind him. Darius is always slow." Kata quipped affectionately.

"Ha ha, Kata. Actually, I had to do something before coming back." Darius smiled dazzlingly at Rose, as if sharing some inside joke, but she didn't understand, tilting her head. His smile only brightened and she turned her head.

"If there is nothing else you want me to do, then I'll be returning to my room." Rose told them both darkly, leaving the room. –I've better things to do than stand around and watch two humans treat each other with compassion instead of hate. If I do that, I'll get too attached.-

"L—Rose, are Dragoons allergic?" Darius asked.

Rose stopped, turning to look at him with narrowed eyes. "Why?"

"Just curiosity. If they're so strong and healthy, they didn't have allergies, right?"

Zieg was allergic to dust. "Some of them did. I didn't."

"Oh. That's interesting. Well, have a nice nap. I'll wake up you at dinnertime."

Ignoring him, she turned and kept walking, jumping to the side to avoid walking into Kristoff. "Sorry." She muttered and continued down the corridors.

"Wow, what an ice maiden. She's got her own Mille Sesean wind around her." Kata commented.

o

Rose already had her sword drawn before she got into her room. Not only because she wanted to practice her left upper blocks, which were her weak spots, but because something was different. Not quite wrong, but different.

She pushed open the door to the room she was assigned and stepped inside, scanning the room with trained eyes that already adjusted to the dim twilight.

Nearly a hundred of little living things were hanging all over her room. Unmoving, except for slightly swaying in the wind. Though great in number, they held no physical threat to her.

Flowers.

Roses, to be more precise.

Rose sheathed her sword, and walked around the room, careful not to step on the white and pink flowers that were strewn all over the floor as she crossed over to the lamp. She brushed aside a red blossom before lighting one of the lamps. The entire room was covered in flowers. All over the bed, on the floor, on the drawers, in the drawers, weaving across the windows, on the lamps, on the polished wooden desk, all over. They varied in colors: white, red, peach, pink, beige, yellow, and they were all roses. It was impossible, improbable, and completely, completely unexpected.

She pushed several of the roses aside with her foot and swept them off the bed with her arm, clearing a space for her to sit and think.

"You like?" Darius appeared out of the air, picked up one lush red rose, and tossed it at her. She caught it with a warrior's reflexes.

"You did this?" She asked him, too shocked to yell at him.

"Yeah. You told me you didn't like your name, so I figured, if I surrounded you with roses, you might get to like them." Darius smiled, and it was so disarming she nearly smiled back. He was giddy, shifting from foot to foot, obviously eager to hear what she thought. "But Kata's going to kill me when she sees what I've done to her garden."

This time she didn't hold it back. Rose did the unexpected. She tossed her head back, her ebony hair spilling over her shoulders, opened her mouth, and laughed.

Not a fake girlish giggle, or a bad-joke chuckle, but a brilliant laugh brought straight from her heart. She hadn't laughed like this since Michael first showed the signs of bloodlust again. She laughed until she needed to take a breath and lowered her head, her lips still curved up in a smile.

Darius stared at her, open-mouthed. "I didn't expect that."

"If you didn't expect it, then why did you do it?"

"Well, I did it because I thought it would make you happy. I didn't think I would make you happy enough that you would smile." Darius grinned, and she found herself smiling back. "I'm glad I proved you're not impenetrable."

Rose lifted an eyebrow at his choice of words.

"Unreachable." He quickly corrected himself. "Sorry. I didn't mean what it sounded like. I didn't. I…um…dinner should be ready in about an hour. Sorry. Bye." He ducked out of the room and shut the door before she could laugh again.

She turned onto her stomach on the bed, reaching over and picking up a peach rose and inhaling its fragrance. Sweet, sweet Darius. In the space of not even a day, he had managed to break down all her barriers and make her feel like a normal human. He was so annoying when he pried into her past, sure, but he was so kind, so amusing, so sweet. She never felt this happy around anyone but Michael, and Zieg when he was still alive.

She sighed, turning onto her back. Zieg was like Darius in how they treated her with kindness and laughter, but they were very different. Zieg was…tender, sensitive. Darius was funny, sweet. Zieg annoyed her when he was so into his work and fighting, leaving her behind. Darius annoyed her with his nosy prying. Zieg unlocked a part of her heart that was caring and in love. Darius unlocked a part of her that was glad to be happy and laughing again, and he also…and…

Oh gods, what else?

-Dear Miraroshi, goddess of kindness, what have I done?- Rose sat up, horrified. "No!" She hissed out loud. –I can't be! I still love Zieg, gone though he may be from me. No, I'm just getting confused because Darius made me laugh. I don't love him…I don't.-

She tossed the red rose to join the rest of its comrades, and curled herself into a tight ball. –I wish Michael was here. He'd know what to do.-