To Be A Princess (court life)

14- First Goodbyes

Rose' POV

Dancing with Theo was fun. We danced to a tune we hummed, singing incredibly off key and giggling every few seconds as we messed up a step in our made-up routine, colliding with each other at every turn. I decided it was time I get out of this dress.

After the slow moving hands of Theo undoing my dress, whilst I held my breath, I quickly took the gown off. Delicately placing it over the screen, as Theo placed it back onto the mannequin. I walked out in my original dress and we decided to continue on.
"Let's continue exploring!" Theo said, waving his hands up and down and making 'spooky' noises. I giggled and we exited the door. We continued walking along the creepy hallway till we reached a fork in our path. Turning left we came upon another door. This one opened with ease and revealed an old chair, and a creepy boar head and plaque on the far wall. It's eyes were blood red and horrifying.

Terrified, I slowly backed out of he room, pushing Theo, who was behind me, backwards and near the door. He accidentally stood on a squeaky floorboard and I jumped into his arms in fear. He caught me quite easily and laughed at me being scared. He saw the pure horror in my eyes and immediately his smile dropped and he took me outside of the room.

"I'm t-t-terrrrified o-of  th-the boar head." I stuttered, struggling to speak between breaths. He put me down and pulled me close to him in an enclosing and protective hug. I snuggled into his chest and immediately fell safer. I was going to miss Theo.
I pulled out of the hug and started walking quickly along the passageway, Theo following close behind.

Once I had calmed down, he began to giggle.
"What's so funny?" I asked him.
"You... You. the notoriously adventurous Rosalind... Afraid of a dead boar." He exploded into laughter. I sighed and rolled my eyes, looking over at him, annoyed.
"It's the eyes. So lifeless, so creepy." I muttered, shivers running through my entire body.

"Why are these passages even here? I asked
Mr know it all replied. "They used it for storage for the Queen Maria several centuries ago. I'd say the recent room we were just in has been used by your servant friends as storage. They also say that in the halls of the secret passageway is the treasures of Queen Maria. But again, I would say if the treasure was here, someone would have found it by now. "

I was shocked at his knowledge on the subject and he looked at my shocked face, smirked at me and leant on one side of the corridor. He fell through it and I gasped in horror. Screaming to ask if he was okay. He laughed and assured me he was.
I jumped down into the now broken secret door. Was it a secret door? I don't know.
Entering the room, I was shocked.

No, there was not treasure there. There was paintings. Lots and lots of paintings, and in the middle of the room sat two comfortable looking, dust coated arm chairs and a chessboard. The room was very dusty, having not been used for centuries probably. For some reason, I felt a strange desire to clean the room.

"We have just three hours left together ever and you want to spend it cleaning?" Theo complained as I shoved a broom into his hair.
"Think of the potential his room has. We could play chess here!" I reasoned.
"We will get not even one game in before the sun rises. Besides, I hate cleaning!" He whined. I laughed at his childlike behaviour.
"Do you know how to play chess?" I asked.
"Of course I do, who do you think I am?" He replied, disgusted that I could possibly think he didn't play the game.
"Then let's take the board up to the costume room and play it there." I decided, standing up and walking back to the costume room.
"I must warn you, I've never lost a game of chess before." He mentioned, seriousness lacing his tone.

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"Check mate!" I screamed, jumping up to perform a victory dance. Theo looked up, shocked.

"No, no, no, no. Nobody has ever beaten me before, that can't be." He muttered, panic coating his voice. I smiled in triumph.
"Rematch!" He declared and I sat back down, ready to beat him again.

Several games later, I was yawning and decided to just talk to Theo.

"How long?" I asked.
"One hour." He replied, knowing exactly what I was referring to. The time we had left together before I went off to be a lady again and participate in the season of festivities. I was going to miss the freedom that I felt around Theo. Out of everyone I had ever met. He is the only one that has truly made me feel like just Rosalind. He didn't make me feel like Lady Rosalind Beatrice Ravenswood, he made me feel like Rose, just Rose.

And that was something no one has done before, not even James or Catherine, and not Even Frankie from back at home. There was still always this constant gap of "you're a rich lady and I'm a servant." I hated that. I wanted to simply be a girl, and for people to look at me like that. Perhaps it was because he thought I was a maid, but I don't think that was the reason behind the connection we felt. He seemed to... understand me, like no one else has ever understood me before. He seemed to know what it was like to feel out of place.

"Do you remember the time when we met?" I asked, yawning and cuddling into the pile of dresses we had turned into a lounge.

"Yes, of course I do, do you remember that time we were dancing and I made a giant mess and refused to clean it up?" He replied.

"Yes, I remember that, you are such an arrogant man. What about that time that......." He conversation continued on for the remainder of the night, us reminiscing the times spent together.

"Do you remember when we snuck into the castle to explore these secret passageways?" Theo asked and I giggled.

"That was just tonight, silly."

"Yes, but I shall remember it forever. I know we will never be able to see each other again as you are going away, but I wish I could make many more memories with you."

Little did I know how many more memories we would make.