"Mother, where did Rosaline go?" Princess Sarai, Rosaline's little sister, asked as she rested her head on her mother's lap. "Your dear sister is visiting a cousin of yours. I've told you this already, Sarai." the queen replied wearily. "I know, mother. But how long will she be gone?" little Sarai asked as her mother stroked her head. "She'll be back any day now, my love." the queen told her. 'As soon as we find the gutter scum who kidnapped her.' she added to herself. Suddenly, Sarai sat up. "Where are you going, Sarai?" the queen asked, startled that her youngest child who rarely left her side was leaving her now. "To my room." the little princess replied, but as soon as she was out of her mother's bedroom, Sarai headed to the gardens to do some deep thinking. "Mother is lying to me." she thought as she walked. "But why? What has happened to my sister?" Sarai rounded the corner and stepped through the garden entrance. Immediately, a flood of memories showered her, causing her to smile. Rosaline came here often to get away from mother. It was her way of escaping the life they had been born into. But Sarai remembered the day when he came into their lives and offered to take Rosaline away forever. Sarai didn't like him because he made Rosaline smile more than Sarai did. She didn't want Rosaline to go away forever. "Mother said Rosaline will be home soon. I will wait for her here." she said, smiling softly. So little Sarai sat in the garden, waiting for her beloved sister to come back to her. Little did she know that plans were being made at that very moment for her sister's return.
Meanwhile...
Rosaline awoke to soft kisses on her brow. She smiled sleepily and looked up at the man standing over her, then her smile quickly faded when she didn't recognize him. "Rosaline." he breathed and she could practically feel the love he had for her. Her smile returned. "You must be--" she started to say but he quickly cut her off with a deep and passionate kiss--one that sent her mind reeling back and stole her breath away. When the kiss ended, she felt both weak and strong, ready to faint but also ready to fight. That one kiss was enough to bring back four years worth of memories she'd lost. "I...oh..." Rosaline swayed uneasily before the man, her husband, her Arthur, steadied her. "I remember." she whispered as he sat beside her on the bed. "I..." "I missed you!" Arthur cried, pulling her into a tight embrace. Rosaline laughed. "I missed you, too, my love!" Arthur squeezed her tight. "What a terrible four years you must've had, trapped in a body you couldn't control." Rosaline smiled softly and nodded. "Oh yes, my love. But not nearly as terrible as forgetting you." She bowed her head, ashamed. "Forgive me." Arthur lifted her chin so that she could look him in the eyes. "There is nothing to forgive, sweetheart. You did nothing wrong. Your parents are another story, though. What kind of monsters turn their own children into dolls?" Dolls. The word echoed inside her head. Rosaline clutched her aching head with both heads and squeezed her eyes shut. Dolls. Doll. Doll... Suddenly, the room spun and Rosaline fell forward, losing consciousness before Arthur caught her in his arms. "Rosaline! Rosaline!"
"Rosaline!"
"Rosaline..."
Rosaline...
"Rosaline, your hair's so soft and shiny." her mother cooed as she brushed her daughter's long black hair. Rosaline beamed proudly. "You're like a little doll, sweetie. My little doll." her mother added sweetly and the joy Rosaline felt seemed to make her heart swell. 'A doll.' Rosaline thought happily. "I don't mind being your doll, mommy." she told her mother matter-of-factly. "Then it's settled, Rosaline. You can be my little doll." her mother said, smiling. That smile...it was more than enough to make Rosaline accept her fate willingly. At the time, it was all she needed. Just that smile...for her.
But things soon changed. Sarai came along and her mother's affections shifted towards her adorable little sister. Rosaline couldn't help the horrible feeling that burned her heart. She was determined to hate Sarai, but as time passed, Sarai managed to worm her way into Rosaline's heart, making it impossible for her to hate the adorable and loyal child. The pain of jealousy in Rosaline's heart died down but didn't die out. From time to time a new event would set her heart ablaze with misery. The very sight of her mother and her sister together, happy and smiling tore her apart. That smile was meant just for her and yet her mother shared it with Sarai. No. Sarai took that smile away from her and Rosaline had no hope of stealing it back. It was all too clear whom mother favored now. And so, slowly, Rosaline slipped into the background and became the daughter people only glanced at. Sarai was their mother's treasure now. But Rosaline would always be her doll.
Then came that fateful day in the garden. Rosaline had been sitting there, dreaming of a life beyond the castle walls when a oddly dressed boy fell through one of the rose bushes. "Hello." she said without really thinking, and suddenly with that one word, a whole new world opened up for her. The boy who was called Arthur became her best friend and fed her need for attention. He eased the pain of jealousy she felt and opened her mind to new things. He asked her questions she'd never thought of before and in turn, she asked questions of her own. And soon...she was in love.
Rosaline blinked and found herself back to the present. "She caught us." she whispered, her almond eyes wide with surprise. "Mother caught us together in the garden." Arthur, who'd never left her side once during the whole flashback nodded solemnly. "Yes." "And that's when..." Rosaline sat up and smiled bitterly. "That's when I became mother's true doll..." Suddenly, Quin burst into the room. "Arthur! It's time!" he wheezed, out of breath from running. "Already?" Arthur asked, looking disturbed, "We haven't been here for one full day and they..." "They must have a scrying glass." Quin told him as he handed Arthur the flyer he'd been clutching so desperately. Arthur looked over the paper and scowled. "So...they know the princess is in this town. We've got to get her away." Rosaline looked up and gasped softly. Arthur and Quin followed her gaze. The image was there for a second then disappeared. Quin cursed under his breath. The image had been Rosaline's mother.