Rose's Faerie Tale

Warnings

Rose hit a soft pillow at the bottom of the tunnel. Her skirts were everywhere, and she was missing a sneaker. She heard the other one land somewhere nearby. She pushed her long hair from her face and looked around.

There was a sudden sound like that of a rushing river and music like nothing she had ever heard before. There were smells of delicious foods that she had never smelled before.

"What is your name, Mortal?" Sounded a gentle, yet powerful voice.

Rose looked up to where she had heard the voice. She blushed at the sight of beauty before her. A man, dressed in fine greenery and a lovely yellow vest looked down at her with deep brown eyes. She noticed, if only briefly, that he was wearing a crown of silver frosted ivy.

Rose averted her eyes, suddenly knowing who was speaking to her. She scrambled to her feet, and curtsied (at least, the best she could without one shoe.). "Your highness, my name is Rose." she said with the most awe and respect she could muster into her voice.

"Like the flower that grows in my gardens in this season." the Elven King said, "Fitting, for a blushing Maiden such as yourself. Tell me why you are in my palace? My domain? Are you aware that these woods are not for Mortal eyes?" he leaned back in the throne he was sitting in, taking in the wild haired Rose.

Ventane entered the court, sneaking behind several Lords and Ladies, who were laughing softly under their breaths, knowing what was going to happen to the unfortunate mortal that had landed in their court so ungracefully.

He stood near the end of the court, though still close enough to keep his eye on the girl.

'Her friend is going to rip both my ears off if she ever sees me again.' he thought bitterly, 'She told me to make certain that Rose never made it up here!' he listened to Rose as she stammered a reply to the King.

"Your highness, until I had entered these lovely woods, I was not aware that they were the domain to one so great as yourself."

Perhaps if I play on his ego, he’ll let me go! She thought, "Had I known, Sir, I would have surely not set foot within your palace." She stood from her curtsy, and blushingly kept her eyes to the floor.

The Elven King suddenly became very angry, standing and looking down at her, "Are you saying that my Forest is not good enough for your mortal eyes? Yet you befoul it by setting foot within?" he demanded.

Ventane groaned audibly. A Lord next to him looked at him with an arched brow. He sighed, listening a bit more, as he tried to come up with a plan to help Rose.

Oops! Rose thought, unable to think of anything to say so quickly as to prevent him from saying more. She looked up at him, and then away, as she tried to think of something to say.

"I see." the Elven King said. He stepped down from his throne, and walked to Rose. In this place, he was taller than herself, though Rose wasn't so sure that she was her own size anymore. He looked down at her, his long white hair brushing the polished stone floors, "You are nothing more than another disrespectful mortal, here for treasure and fancy." He waived his hand for a servant that Rose had not seen to come to him.

Scurrying from nowhere, a knobbly looking faerie came breezing by, holding the bag that Rose had carried with herself to bring her belongings in.

Rose looked first one way, and then another, "Your highness, I would never intentionally call your home anything less than magnificent. I assure you, I neither here for fancy, or treasure. I have no desire for either one." she confessed.

The Elven King thought for a moment, before reaching for her bag, with long fingers, "And what is in this bag?" he asked.

"My books, Highness." Rose said.