The Dragon Queen

Chapter 15

Queen Jaymie Andry of Sarkin

Iron City, Sarkin

Casting a side glance with a grin at Ezra, they both turn to look at Rosaline. After hearing the grievances for the day, the hall is now empty, but the king and queen keep sitting. They stare at her with expectant expressions, waiting for her to notice. She has been in a daze since they got back, or rather when Rory left with nothing more than a polite farewell and a smile. The only detail giving away that the figure is not a statue is the inhale and exhale of breaths. She stands with downcast eyes, and hands folded together in front of her, and completely oblivious. It takes a few minutes of continued silence, before Rosaline's eyes flick up for a moment, as if to appear to be interested in whatever the current grievance is. It takes a few more seconds before she realizes it and raises her head and glances around the empty room. Eventually, her gaze turns to look at Jaymie and Ezra. Her face flushes and she averts her gaze. "I am so sorry. I do not know where my head is. Please forgive me."

Ezra stands up, taking the hint that the matter is one best resolved amongst women. He leans down and kisses Jaymie briefly, with a wink, and then departs. When Jaymie turns back to Rosaline, she catches her staring. Rosaline looks away quickly. "How do you do that?" Rosaline questions with an all-too-familiar tone.

"Do what?" Jaymie questions, knowing Rosaline needs a little prodding to get her to admit anything.

"Let go...trust...love...I don't know." She grumbles with the frustration she feels within. "All of it."

"It wasn't easy." Jaymie admits and Rosaline looks to her, waiting for something to clear her crowded mind. "I still struggle with it. It took me a long time to realize how I felt about Ezra, and how he felt for me. I cannot say it was just a snap and I knew, and then everything fell into place. It took a while of convincing before I let my guard down and allowed myself to feel loved and trust him not to hurt me." Jaymie watches her for a moment, before adding her suspicions. "You are thinking of Rory, I suppose?" Rosaline does not answer, but the pained look on her face reveals the answer. "Can I give you some advice?"

Rosaline is several years younger than Jaymie, but there is a mutual maturity between them. They were brought up in different worlds, on different sides, but that does not mean one life was more tragic than the other. Never once has Jaymie assumed that Rosaline did not know pain. Rosaline continues to study her for a long minute and Jaymie takes that as a yes. "Forget about who Rory is to everyone else. Forget that he is a king. Forget that he is rich and powerful with a title. Forget the past and everything that happened. Do not think about the future for once. All I want you to do, is to think about what you want. If you could be anywhere, with someone standing next to you, is it Rory? Is he the one that makes your heart race? Is he the one that lights up your whole world just by being in the same room, or smiling at you?"

Jaymie can see that Rosaline is thinking, allowing her mind to drift, though she continues to listen. "I didn't think I deserved love. I thought that if I loved someone, that I couldn't perform my duty to my people." Jaymie shakes her head with a look of empathy. "You are an incredible person, and you deserve to have the life you want." Jaymie leans toward Rosaline, with a serious expression. "So, if Rory is that person to you...if you want that life...than what are you going to do about it? Sometimes, it has to be you. If you want something...something like that, then you need to grab ahold and not let go." A flicker of doubt flashes across Rosaline's pale blue eyes. "You are mad at Rory, because he left, and you didn't tell him how you felt. You are mad because he saved your life, even at the risk of himself, and you cannot understand why. You feel like you don't deserve him because of who your parents were and how you were raised." Jaymie gives a soft laugh with a shake of her head, realizing she gives out a lot of the same advice. "No one can choose your path unless you let them. No one can hurt you more than you can hurt yourself. If you want to keep denying yourself the happiness you deserve, then that is your choice, and your choice alone."