Chapter 1
A Very Unhappy Birthday
Rose ran her fingers lightly over the runes, a shiver running down her spine at the unfamiliar prick of the carvings surface beneath them. She glanced down at her new necklace, her slanting eyes unsure as she did so. Her flumbering fingers sought and found the slippery clasp that held the necklace in place and speedily undid the hold, letting the length of golden chain sporting the oval stone upon which the carvings glinted from the gilded gold fall into her lap.
She looked down at the rune carving, lying seemingly peacefully upon her skirt. The aged gold contrasted beautifully with her pale denim pants, glinting mysteriously n the flickering candle light of her room. :.Why…….: she mused to herself, her hazel eyes flashing with uncertainty :.Why do I mistrust and feel such……fear from a simple birthday gift from my stepmother?..: A soft sigh escaped her lips as she picked up the chain gingerly with her right hand and quickly opened and dropped the chain into a small wooden box upon the desk before her, closing the lid with another sigh, this one of relief.
She turned her gaze toward her window, a soft, warm smile crossing her lips at the sight of her beautiful sprawling gardens just beyond the window pane. The soothing scent of rose petals lingered in the air of her room, caused in part by the rose garden just below her window.
“Rose!” the sharp cry of her name caused her to almost jump out of her skin and hurry from the soft, candle lit haven of her room into the long hall where her glowering stepmother stood impatiently waiting for her.
“We are leaving now, make sure you finish your chores and we are taking Zach with us.” Rose nodded mutely, her eyes watching as her stepmother turned sharply away from her and descended the stairs and joined her father and half brother below. She smiled weakly when Zach tossed her a grin, lifting her hand half heartedly to return his wave. Her father however failed to notice her at all as he walked with his new wife toward the door, Zach trailing unhappily behind them.
At the sharp click of the wooden door shutting behind them she leaned against the stone wall behind her and suppressed the urge to cry that filled her lonely being. She pushed herself away from the wall and walked sadly, slowly down the steep stairs. :.The day of my sixteenth birthday and I am left at home alone when the rest of my family attends the court…..: she glanced down at her hand smiling at the sight of the beautiful silver carved ring snug upon her finger.
The ring was shaped as a rose with a ruby for the center and two elegant leafs forming the band. The only gift she had received other than the disturbing rune oval, and it was from Zach. Her hazel eyes softened at the memory of the present. Zach had called her out into the rose garden, leading her down to her favorite bush and nudging her to examine it. She had complied laughing at his silly antics. But what a surprise when she had leaned closer, and there in the center of a newly open bloom was a small little mother-of-pearl adorned box and within in the box sitting upon a bed of red silk was the graceful ring that now rested upon her finger. She had slipped it on according to his urgings and her own delight, marveling at how well it fitted and accented her slender finger.
She closed her hand and held it to her chest, treasuring the memory of such a special thing. Sadness only filling her eyes as her thoughts turned to her father. :.Father doesn’t even talk to me anymore not even today on my birthday……: Her smile turned sad as she remembered past days, before her stepmother when the three of them spent days together, having fun and enjoying each day. That had changed after Lilia had come into their lives. She treated Zach well enough but for Rose she had only contempt and what seemed to be an endless list of chores.
At the thought of her chores Rose turned to the first, entering the kitchen and lightly the candle there with a match. She loaded the sink and warmed the water over the fire, her hands turning pruny by the time she finished the dishes. She swept and vacuumed the floors of all three of the house’s stories, going slowly one room at a time and dusted as well, sneezing once or twice at the cloud of dust she had raised in the library room. She continued, slowly checking off each chore on the list left by her stepmother, the acidic smell of some of the cleaning products making her nose twitch and eyes water.
At last she finished, all but the garden. Rose gratefully stepped outside, breathing in the scent of flowers mingled with herbs and fresh earth with relief. She moved languidly among the gardens, attending each plant bed with care. Done, she sat upon a stone bench in the middle, dirt smudging her cheek and pant legs, color flushing her face and her long dark hair falling out of its braid. A gentle smile crossed her lips as she watched the sunset over her garden. The colors seemed to be a veritable rainbow before her, at the horizon where the sun seemed to be kissing the earth below it, were the dark crimson red, the color of aged blood then to the light airy pink of spring roses, above that the interesting, seemingly flickering orange that melted into first the deep color of ancient gold to bright and cheerful yellow blending into spring green, the color of the flowers leafs surrounding her and then to the light airy blue of the everyday sky, azure just above it and then melting into the blue so deep it seemed violet above her. Stars already twinkled over head, and the moon shone faintly behind her, still deferring to the brilliance of the sun before it.
At the chime of the grandfather clock within the manor she stood, the sound echoing out over her lovely little paradise of her garden, with the last gong she smiled :.And now I am sixteen truly….: She turned and looked back at the house, seeing the dark empty windows, and feeling that the house was no longer really her home. She grew sad at that thought but turned herself away from the lonely building and wandered down the garden paths, humming an old ballad to herself. When she reached the wilder area, the only part of the garden she did not attend daily she slipped between the trees and giggled, feeling as if she was not so close to the home that was no longer home but instead in a little world all her own.
She ended up before the small, artificial pond in the back of their estate and she sat upon the mossy ground with a light thump and a small smile. She sighed and stared up at the darkening sky, her mind wandering as well. When she caught sight of a ripe full apple on the tree above her; Rose sat up and got to her feet, biting her lip as she considered how she could reach the fruit that called to her almost empty stomach. :.It will be my birthday cake……: she giggled at that and then began to climb up the tree, placing each foot carefully. The apple hung from the branch that itself hung over the water. She edged slowly out on the branch, not wanting it to brake and to have herself fall into the cold water. However just as she reached the tempting fruit the branch gave an ominous creak and then a loud breaking sound as she fell with the branch into the water below.
She hit the surface and sank, not getting anywhere no matter how hard she tried to swim upward into the air. She sank further and further until her feet touched bottom. She pushed off the sandy ground and burst out into the cool air with a gasp of relief. Rose slowly dragged herself out of the pond, collapsing exhausted upon the bank. The clank of metal on metal drew her back up into a sitting position, her eyes curious: .Metal? how and why in my garden….stepmother would never come out this far, Father never even goes outside without her anymore and besides all of them are gone….: But once she had fully sat up and looked around she realized that she was no longer in her garden but instead in a true forest and the clank of metal on metal had come from the man sheathing his sword just a few feet away from her.
“Who are you?” came his deep rich voice sending a shiver of what she knew not up her spine.
“I…I...my name is Rose, Rose Porter…..” she managed to state, still reeling from her new surroundings.
“That is not a name I have heard before but it rather suits you…..” the man, whom she realized was handsome with dark amber colored hair and azure colored eyes, smiled down at her, offering her his hand to assist her in standing. She allowed him to take her small slender hand in his and to draw her to her feet as she looked in shock around her. He waved softly, chanting something she didn’t understand and then a rose appeared in his hand “A rose for a rose my fair lady…..”
Rose blushed and took the flower offered so gallantly, placing it behind her ear her long dark brown hair hanging wetly around her.
“Thank you sir, but may I know your name?”
“My name lady is not of importance but if you wish to know then you may call me Lier, and may I inquire as to how you became so wet?”
“I..I feel in the pond on accident……” she blushed as she remembered her folly.
“Well at least you have not been hurt right Rose?” she shook her head
“No I haven’t….” the rest of her words were cut off at the sound of approaching men in armor, or at least it was what she imagined that would sound like. She did indeed prove to be right when the men entered the clearing and made straight for her. Lier frowned at them and disappeared, murmuring in her ear
“Keep my rose with you……….” She nodded and then drew back as one of the men reached for her.
“You lass, you are to come with us the King wishes to see you” at a closer look she noticed that these men were not men in fact but demons from fairytales. She shrank from their touch, unwillingly dragged along by them through the forest toward the towering, oppressive castle in the center. :.I am diffidently not at home anymore…..where in the world or what world could I be….and why is this happening?.....: As much as she wanted the answers to her questions she feared the answers themselves, sure they would not be comforting in the least. And unfortunately she found she was right as her hands were bound and she was led into the black castle.
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Submission Name: Falling Roses- Chapter 1
