Chapter 6: James
Rose looked lovely, she looked so beautiful. Sadly I had to bump into Analise and we had to wonder the grand hall together. It was a letdown because I really, really, wanted to find Rose. My eyes had caught her, wandering in the middle of the crowd of people. I yearned to be by her side. When it was finally time for me to introduce myself to crowd, I walked straight towards her. She just looked at me, frozen- I couldn’t blame her, I was the prince and she thought I was just a fellow villager. It was impossible to read her impression when I embraced her with a hug she fell, fainted. Was it out of embarrassment? Or shock?
I sat in the corner of the room. Rose lay on the rosy bed. Her expression looked sad under the dim light. It was so quiet, and peaceful. Suddenly, Rose lifted her hand, whipping her for head and her eyes fluttered opened. She shot up straight in bed breathing heavily.
“Are you okay Rose?” I walk over to her; I could see her body trembling. She gets up out of bed and looks straight at me with wide eyes. Was it something I said? Slowly tears dribbled down her check, she still stayed silent.
“Y-you lied to m-me…” She finally said. Her voice was more of a yell than a question.
“I’m the prince. I don’t know why you are taking this as a bad thing.” I can’t understand why she was crying. She starts moving backwards and turns to leave, I grab her wrist.
“You have no clue what is going on!” She yanks her hand out of my grip and runs out crying. I fallow behind but I bump into someone.
When I look up I see father’s rock hard expression staring down at me. I know what he was going to say, and I was not going to let him say it.
“Who was that girl?” Father asked in a stern voice. “Do you know how upset and embarrassed Princess Analise was and still is?”
I stopped right there. It never occurred to me, Analise’s feelings. I ran through the halls.
Analise was standing there, alone on the balcony. I slowly walked up behind her and put my hand on her shoulder.
“Don’t touch me!” She moved her shoulder away; I had to say something, but what?
“Analise, listen. I did not agree to this marriage thing in the first place you-” I looked at her glare and that shut me up.
“That girl, what did she do to you?! What was Analise talking about? Rose did nothing to me. “She doesn’t deserve to live. That low life! I will kill her if I have to. I am supposed to marry you and you are supposed to marry me! We were meant to be!” She cried out loud. Analise smiled. Under the moonlight her face looked more pale than usual-if that was possible, her eyes glowed unexpectedly bright, she was up to something, something bad. She pushed me out of her way and walked back into the Kingdom. I stood there for five whole minutes, just remember those despicable words. Would Analise go that far? To kill Rose?
OOO
“Your highness, are you okay?” I maid waved her hand in front of me. I just nod at her in silence.
“Order a carriage,” I demand to her.
“What for? Guests are still here, your highness.”
“I have to go somewhere.” I soften my look, it always works.
The place vibrated as the carriage rolled its way over the rocky pathway. My eyes stayed glued on the trees for any signs of movement, any sign of Rose.
“Go through the village,” I commanded the coach men. They obey and turn the carriage towards the wooden houses bunched up together. No luck, Rose wasn’t anywhere to be seen, my heart sank.
“Where shall we go now your highness?” The coachmen asked again.
“I guess back to the kingdom,” I mumble my response, staring down at the road. On our way back I spotted an unfamiliar cottage. I looked closely at the place; it was in the middle of the woods, a very awkward place to live. Then I spotted it, a golden ribbon right in front of the wooden door. I was certain it was Rose. Excited, I jumped out of the carriage, completely forgetting to tell them to stop.
“Your highness!!!” A coach man yelled. Ignoring the yelling and shouting behind me I walked straight up to the house and knocked. I was hoping that Rose herself would open it but I was wrong.
A man opened the door. I would have thought it was her father or something but that was not possible when he was a young man. Who was he?
“Are you here for Rose?” He asked, as if he was expecting someone to come knocking at his door in the middle of night. He tilted his head; his black hair falling down the side of his eye and inspected me with bright green eyes. I felt a shiver grow down my spine.
“Um yes,” He gestured me to come in and I followed him into a narrow hallway. He pointed to the second door to the left.
“That one is Rose’s room.” I was just about to ask who he was but he walked back into the other room.
Rose was in a nightgown the color of cherry blossom pink sitting in front of the dresser, combing her long brown rich hair, just looking at her made me a whole lot better. She looked up in the mirror and caught my reflection. Her eyes widened and she dropped the comb in shock.
“Sorry, I came to see how you were doing.”
“It’s okay, I am fine.” Does she think she can say that she is fine looking at me like that with those eyes? She got and walked over to me, doing something really unexpected. She threw her arms around my neck and held on to me, just staying like it, frozen in time. Slowly my arms made it around her small body.
She finally let go and kept her head down. I touched her chin and tilted her head so we were facing each other. I was surprised to see the coldness swirling in her eyes.
“Are you sure you are alright?” I asked again, she just nodded her head. Them I remember that I did not even know her last name.
“I have to ask you something.” I finally break the silence.
“What?” She asked. I gathered all the strength I had and finally asked her.
“What is your full name Rose?”
