Sleeping Roses

The Servants of Rose Castle

Kilan was stuck in bed for two days more, two days longer then he wanted to be and in that time the only people to disturb him were Jeremy and Millie - occasionally Vanessa looked in but that was it. He didn't see any other servants or the masters.

He dreaded the thought of what Beldon must have been thinking with him in the castle for so long.

On the third day, Vanessa arrived with a message saying that, if he was feeling well enough, Beldon had asked for him.

Kilan jumped at the chance to get out of the room, then panicked at the idea of seeing Beldon.

However he agreed before he changed his mind and Vanessa wouldn't let him back down. So he was dressed - as well as he could be with one arm bound to his chest - and then led across the castle to The West Wing and a room he hadn't been in during his last stay.

Vanessa knocked on the door and Beldon's voice answered in the affirmative, so she opened the doors for him and stood aside.

Kilan hung back, looking from her to the door, to her again, until Vanessa gave him a look and he inched into the room, jumping when the doors closed behind him.

He looked around.

He was in an office.

Most of the walls were lined with books. On the back wall, that backed out onto a balcony, was a large black wood desk and Beldon sat behind it, books open around him, his quill flying across the pages before him.

He didn't look up instantly, Vanessa hadn't introduced him after all, and Kilan took that moment to just look.

He looked exactly the same as Kilan remembered him.

As the months had passed by, Kilan had convinced himself that he had exaggerated Beldon's appearance in his memory, but no, the man was just as amazing to gaze upon as his memories suggested, maybe a little older, but that changed nothing.

"What is it?" Beldon asked when he didn't speak and he looked up and blinked. "Kilan," he said quickly, before he finally smiled. "Sorry, I didn't think you'd actually feel well enough to join me today." He stood up and gestured towards one of the armchairs opposite, walking around the desk and taking the other seat.

Kilan slipped into the armchair, holding his damaged arm close to him as he watched Beldon.

The silence stretched for a long, long moment, until finally Kilan opened his mouth.

"Beldon-"

"I'm sorry."

Kilan's voice stalled as he stared at his host. Sorry? He frowned. "Sorry for what?" he asked.

Beldon looked at him, then laughed. "Why, what else?" he asked, "For the way you departed this castle a year and a half ago. I threatened you, accused you of monstrous acts and banished you from my home when you were a guest and had done nothing wrong. That is what I am sorry for."

"But you did have a reason," Kilan pointed out, "You acted out of fear correct?"

"That's not an excuse, Kilan and you know it," Beldon said, smiling.

"You didn't hurt me," Kilan said with a shrug that hurt. He grimaced.

"No, but I scared you."

"I'm used to fear, I bounce back fast enough."

"Is that why Vanessa tells me you wanted to be away from the castle as fast as possible?"

Kilan paused, glancing at Beldon, biting the inside of his cheek for a moment. "I have deadlines to meet," he offered.