Rosa

Chapter 16: The Surprises

I've been secretly dating Farrow for a year now. Although it seems a lot shorter than that because we both travel. Each time I come home from a trip there's something in my room. Sometimes it's a decoration, sometimes food or clothes. I can't give them back because that would be rude. But I also feel bad if I wear the fancy clothes he gets me because I am part of the lower class. When we go on dates I wear a cloak around me so no one sees my fancy outfit then I'll take the cloak off when I'm with him. I enjoy my time with him but sometimes I worry I enjoy it too much. I start missing him more each time I have to leave him. Sometimes he volunteers to come with me but I always turn him down. People would get suspicious if they say the two of us together. We can't be together forever like he wants. I'm not a noble Elf. I'm trying to enjoy my time with him as much as possible before he eventually settles down and marries a noble Elf. I get a green dress on that looks like leaves that Farrow got for me then start doing my hair. I braid it the best I can because I never learned how to do my hair. My mother always had me pull my hair back in a messy bun or ponytail so I could train. But I know he doesn't mind my messy hair. After I finish braiding my hair I get up and put the cloak on. After putting the cloak on and wrapping it around me I head outside. I do my best to casually walk around town and eventually make my way towards the palace stables without anyone notice me. He didn't tell me what we are doing tonight which makes me very anxious. I'm not a huge fan of surprises. I sit down on a bench and wait for him to come. I look around enjoying the flowers. There's always pretty flowers around here. My name Rosa was inspired by all the flowers growing in Silvanesti. Farrow eventually comes and he tells me "You don't need your cloak where we're going."
I stand up and take off my cloak. I ask him as he takes my cloak "Where are we going?"
He hangs my cloak up in the Griffins stable and tells me "Well..."
"What?"
"I'm taking you...to meet my parents."
"What?"
"Yeah...they know that we are seeing each other. Even though I payed the servants to keep quiet my parents payed them even more to get them to talk."
He takes my hand and we start walking towards the palace. I ask him. "Are you sure we should go see them? I'm not a noble Elf. And what about your brother?"
"What about him?"
"He's already met me and didn't like me."
"He barely likes anyone. My parents are the same way. I don't care about there opinions. I still love you. And I don't think they would kick you out of Silvanesti."
"Why not?"
"Your job. You travel and deliver letters. You also travel around getting information from the other races. Most Elves aren't willing to do your job. Getting rid of you would make it even harder for my parents."
We walk the rest of the way to the palace in silence. Farrow leads me down multiple hallways until we finally get to the dining hall. It's huge. His parents and brother are sitting at the end of the table. Farrow leads me to his parents and we sit down at the two seats by them. His mother says "So you're the Elf that has my son's attention."
Before I can say anything his brother starts laughing. He says "You keep getting her clothes to make her seem more like a noble Elf. You're an idiot."
Farrow calmly tells him "I'm not trying to make her look like a noble Elf. I just bought her some nicer outfits. It's her choice if she wants to wear them or not. And last I checked you aren't dating anyone."
His brother goes from laughing to angry. He angrily tells Farrow "At least I'm not in love with a lower class Elf. And I have a job. What's your job? Nothing. Which means you get to be an idiot and try to get yourself killed."
I can tell Farrow's trying his best to stay calm but his brother definitely got to him. How often do they fight. His father casually says "Let's eat. We will talk about this after eating dinner. Unless you all aren't hungry."
No one says anything so his father calls servants to come and bring food. There's so much food they get for dinner. Why so they get to feast when there's families like me and my mother barely able to feed ourselves? I eat some food but only enough to make myself full. I feel guilty for eating all of this. Farrow finishes shortly after I do and we all sit in silence until his parents and brother finish eating. His father says "Let's go to my study."
We all get up and follow after his father. Farrow is holding my hand and the servants all rush to clean up the dining hall. We go into the study then sit down. The servants close the doors and shortly after they close the doors Farrow's father stands up and tells us "Your relationship won't last. It is temporary. When my son settles down it will be with a noble Elf, not a common Elf."
Farrow stands up and says "I'm not the firstborn."
"I've let you run around doing whatever you want. But I will not allow you to marry a common Elf. That will look bad for our family."
"I'll marry whoever I want father! You've never cared about me before! Now you do only because I'm in love with a common Elf! I don't see her as a common Elf! I love her and if I want to marry her I will! I don't care if it means leaving Silvanesti! I will leave and never come back if that's what it takes for me to marry her!"
I sit there in shock because I didn't know Farrow really did care that much about me. He's willing to leave his family to be with me. His mother stands up and pleads with him "We let you do whatever you want. Please just do this one thing for us. We don't want to hurt you."
He turns towards his mother and says "Doing that would hurt me so much. I'll love whoever I want to. You care more for Ruven then you do for me. When I said I would leave and never come back I meant it."
His brother laughs and says "Oh this is too good! You won't actually leave. You don't know how to survive out there on your own, little brother."
I watch Farrow turn towards his brother and says "because you're oh so perfect. You don't care about anyone but yourself! And don't tell me I'm lying! You all only care about yourselves! I care about our people more than any of you do. We sit there having feasts for every meal while there are Elves barely making it by. They are lucky if they have enough food to eat meals multiple times a day. If you tell me I can't date Rosa and eventually one day marry her then I'm done being part of this family."
His parents and brother all look surprised. Before they can say anything else Farrow turns towards me and says "Let's get out of here. I'm sorry this went so badly."
I stand up and he takes my hand. We leave the study and make our way out of the palace and to the Griffin stable. We get two of the Griffins out and get into them. We get strapped on then fly off into the air. He needs to cool down and I know he enjoys riding his Griffins.

*Picture above is one of the dresses Farrow gave Rosa*