Saving Rose

Chapter 4

The courtyard was filled with the people of their city. They lined the edges of the square, bodies pressed tightly together as they shouted and swung banners and flags of every colour. They were dressed in their finest clothes, and suddenly Rose was glad for the ceremonial robes she wore. At least she didn't look out of place.

Through the iron gates at the end of the square she saw a carriage emerging. It was gilded in gold, with intricate designs, its regal plum coloured curtains swaying in the breeze. Pulled along behind four of the most elegant horses Rose had ever seen, she stopped next to her father and waited for the carriage to approach.

It swept through the gates and entered the courtyard, the horses slowing to a halt several feet from Rose and her family. The carriage driver scrambled from his seat, hurrying to open the door for the royal family within. As the door swung wide, a great, lumbering shadow filled the frame, shoulders swallowing the narrow space with ease. The King of the western Kingdom stepped down from the carriage, and Rose was surprised at the sight of him. He was nothing like she expected. He was tall, and burly, with long hair pulled back in a plait, and a mustache that hugged his upper lip. Most of the royals she encountered were stuffy old men, with close cropped hair and bulging bellies. And the King of the west was certainly none of that.

The King held out a hand, and a short statured woman with a plump physique took it. She stepped out of the carriage, her swollen fingers covered in golden, glittering rings, her fiery hair piled high atop her head. There was a sternness in her eyes, but her mouth was warm and smiled openly at them.

Rose swallowed, chewing her lip. The only person that remained inside the carriage was Prince Andrew. Her stomach squirmed, as if there were dozens of tiny fish jumping about inside of her, but she tried to ignore it as the Prince emerged from the carriage.

He, too, was nothing like what she imagined. For one thing, he was far smaller than she thought he would be. Unlike his father, Prince Andrew had gotten none of the height in his family. He stood a full head shorter than Rose, and the sight of him made her want to giggle. Andrew had a mass of curly golden hair atop his head and wore a suit of the darkest blue. Silver buckles adorned his front, and there, at his waist, was a sword made for a man twice his size. It hung so low that the tip dragged against the ground, though the Prince did an excellent job of ignoring the clinking sound it made every time he took a step.

The royal family drew near, and Rose sucked in a defiant breath. No matter how nice they were, no matter what they thought, she wasn't going to like them. They were forcing her into something she didn't want. If not for them, she'd still have her freedom.

She watched as the little Prince stepped away from his family and came to stand beside her as their parents exchanged pleasantries. She expected him to introduce himself, to tell her how good he was with a sword and how many dragons he'd slain.

But he didn't. Instead, he stood next to her, his body tense and rigid. She was surprised by the almost sad look on his face, and it left her wondering if maybe she had been wrong about him all along.

"Rose," her father beckoned, urging her forward. "Show our guests your gift."

With a dutiful smile, Rose lifted her hands in the air. The gemstones that trailed behind her rose high into the sky, and she pushed her arms wide so that the gems would separate. They floated across the sky, shimmering diamonds that captured the light and scattered it in strange patterns across the courtyard. She let them linger there for a moment, swirling and dancing and colliding, before closing her fingers into a fist.

The moment she did, each of the gemstones exploded in the air. Light split into shards, creating a dome of colour, and it looked to Rose as if the sky was on fire. Seconds later, gemstone dust fell in a glimmer all around them, and the royal family, and all of the citizens in the courtyard, burst into raucous applause.

"Splendid!" the King of the west exclaimed with a grin. "Simply marvelous. How very talented you are."

Rose flushed at the praise, the smallest of smiles creeping across her face. As their parents turned to enter the palace, leaving the courtyard behind, Rose and the Prince fell in step behind them.

"That was really neat," the Prince muttered softly as he walked next to her.

Rose raised an eyebrow in surprise. "Thanks," she grinned. She glanced down at the sword around his waist, chewing her lip. "Aren't you going to talk about your sword and how good you are at fighting?"

Prince Andrew laughed and shook his head. "Me? No. I know boys are supposed to like fighting and all that stuff, but...can I tell you a secret?"

Rose nodded, leaning close.

"I...I don't really care about any of that. I've never cared about swords or battles or dragons or any of it really. Much to my father's disappointment, I'm sure."

Rose tried to keep her face a blank mask as she listened, tried to swallow back the surprise that overwhelmed her. Was it possible every thought she'd had about the Prince was wrong?

"Well, if you don't want to be a sword slinging hero, what do you want?" she asked, this time genuinely curious.

A shy smile upturned the corners of his mouth. "Well," he began, choosing his words carefully. "Since we're both being forced into a union, I guess I can tell you. What I really love is art. I love painting."

"I love swords," Rose blurted out. "I've always wanted to fight, just like the soldiers. Being a girl, especially a royal, means I might never get that chance. And I hate it."

"Well," Andrew said thoughtfully, chewing the insides of his cheek. "If I'm allowed to paint, I don't see why you shouldn't be allowed to fight."

Rose felt like she was seeing the Prince for the first time. Not for who she thought he would be, but for who he really was. He was kind, and genuine. And he couldn't care less about traditional roles. Determined as she had been to not like him, she found herself breaking that promise. He smiled at her, and she smiled back.

As they made their way toward the great hall for the feast to honour their guests, Rose was beginning to feel more optimistic. Maybe things wouldn't be so bad after all. For a moment, she thought of nothing else.

Then, the thunderous roar of a dragon sounded overhead.