Three

"Father" called a young Rose from the woods. She was too deep into the woods for her father to notice. She was scared, the woods were extremely dark, however, there was a peaceful silence.

Peaceful for young Rose.

She could feel the black soft soil under her feet tickling her as she stepped.

She giggled as her eye met a bird, Her giggle was disputed by a cry, she gasps looking around walking in deep towards the cry of a deer. Her eyes fell upon one, wound by a thorn full branch, his antler stuck between the dry branches of dead bushes. She let out a gasp freezing on her feet as the pair of eyes stare back at her. 

"Father?" The king moved his eyes from his wife to his daughter. He smiled reaching out his hand for her to take. "My darling" Rose sat beside him studying his pale face, "You are ill" She whispered and he nodded. "Nothing to worry about my sweet" She frowned hugging him. The queen smiled in grief turning around and letting the tears of sorrow shed through her eyes.

The king's condition worsened day by day. As the winter took leaves off the trees, the winter took his health, day by day. His sudden illness was known to everyone. However, no one could understand his condition. The queen fell in deep sorrow as the king was her one and only support.

She couldn't think of losing him, nor her child.

"Well?" The queen asked as the man helped her king back in bed. His neck bowed to her and shook ever so slightly expressing disappointment and sorrow.

"We do not know what he was poisoned with, your grace, I have tried my best" She clenched her jaw nodding at the man who bowed to the ill King.

"I wish I was more careful my love, But -" She shook her holding into his hands tight. As he passed a Brooch of Ruby in her hand, "Give to our new Queen when she is crown, it is my only wish. For her to sit upon the throne and have a good life" The queen closed her eyes letting the tears run down her cheeks.

Rose was quiet, she did not question anyone. She expected her father to recover soon. Unfortunately, No one had prepared hers for such painful news, She was kept in the dark for a month.

"You should not show your frown your highness" She looked up to Vincent but lowered her gaze to the grass while her fingers pluck them out little by little. Showing that small amount of sorrow she could not hold in. "There is no one here who would stare" He sighs kneeling down on the grass where she sat with her hands hugging her legs. Her chin down and her face hidden.

"You are sad," He said, "Father is ill" He nodded understanding the princess. "You have to be strong for him, you are his daughter and son. If you can't be strong for His majestic, then who would be?" She looked up at him.

"You think he will get better?" He lowers his gaze. "I never give false thoughts away princess" She felt her tears roll down her cheeks.

"No one lets me near him, no one tells me how he is doing. I only see him at night. I can't-I can't"

Vincent grabbed her hand lightly pressing it, "Everything will be alright Princess, As long you keep your head up high" She broke down hiding her face on his shoulders. "But I can't !" The guards ran as they heard cries of their princess however Vincent pulled his hand up to halt them.

Rose cried for long under the arms of Vincent, Letting her tears that she kept in for a month all fall down her cheeks. Until she realized she had to meet her father, weather he would get better soon or not, but she will meet him every day.

"Help me pick flowers for my father ?" He nodded smiling.

Rose ran her fingertips ever so gently over her father's loved flowers, Sage and Lavenders.

She smiles taking some and cutting them and arranging them in a porcelain vase her father gifted her just months ago. She walked to her father's Chambers with the vase full of Sage and lavender in her hands while Vincent walked behind her.

"Princess, No one shall enter the king's chambers. It is an order from the Queen" She gulped. Stepping back, however, Vincent touched her back holding her from turning around.

"You are the princess, remember ?" He whispered. Rose held her head up high step forward.

"Open the doors" She commanded. The guards stared at each other for a minute contemplating.

"You dare defy my command? I need to see my father, now move" She said. Vincent's stare met the guards and he nodded once. The doors opened letting Rose in. She pulled her lips between her teeth walking inside towards her father's bed.

"Father?" She called, walking slowly. The curtains were drawn, there was darkness. Something her father despised. "Rose" He called making her walk ahead faster.

She pulled the string of the curtains withdrawing them to allow some light in.

"Ah, you brought me flowers?" She smiled setting them right near the windows, her heart stopped when eyes laid upon her father.

The once healthy muscular man was now in bed, weak with his face pale, his body shrunk into itself showing his veins. His eyes sinking in there sockets. His lips a shade of grey.

"You are such a beauty, just like your mother," He said, extending his hand just a little to her to take. "Father - what, what happened?" She asked holding on his hand with both of hers and kneeling to her father and tears swelled up her eyes.

"Hush now. Listen to me very carefully. I might not make it" She shook her head but he continued. "I want you to be a strong girl and make sure you take care of your mother"

She cried bowing her head down. But he chuckled. "Silly girl, I won't go away. I will be here with you. Always, there will always be a dark shadow looming over you. But you have to believe in yourself and be happy. Just like I told you when you were a little girl."

She opened her eyes looking at him.

"You did things which no one human here has done. You survived something no one does. And you have stabbed yourself with a dark Thorne and saved someone's life. Be proud of that" She nodded rubbing her eyes and smiling.

"I am papa. Promise me you will get better?" He shook his head once, "A king should not make false promises, now stop with the tears, I want you to go and eat a lot of food, your mother told me you don't eat much" She nodded.

Fluffing up the flowers she brought for her father. His eyes stared at them as his hand reached out for one of them. "Such a beautiful shade of color isn't it Rose?" She hummed.

"Too bad, I can't see them anymore" She stopped, her eyes staring at her father who stared right at her, emotionless. She took out a thin branch of Sage and kept it beside him.

"Here, so you can touch them" He smiled nodding, "I will come to meet you, tomorrow father. I love you" He smiled.

Vincent pushed himself off the wall as Rose walked out the doors. Her face held a deep dark frown which Vincent noticed, He followed her walk at her small garden where she slammed the door shut and fell to the ground crying.

Vincent opened the glass door slowly and watched the once zest princess crying on the ground with her face in her hands, "Rose" He whispered putting his hand on her shoulder.

"He can't see! , He cannot see Vincent. He couldn't see my face" She trembled.

Rose never imagined her father to be weak. He had put forth the ideal King in front of his daughter who never gets hurt, who never frowns, who never falls ill. But watching his weak body on the bed she was stabbed with a sudden thought that she might not see him again.

While this sorrow took over the hearts of the people who served their king , Lord Edmund put forth his plan to take over the kingdom, and the Princess. He was fond of her, her beautiful ginger hair, her soft honey brown eyes. Her blush cheeks.

And her beautiful body.

"Now then, " He spoke wiping his blood-stained sword with a cloth and staring at the lifeless body of the king's most trusted messenger.

"Prepare for the coming news of King Arthur's death." 

A tear, a heavy tear. Once you feel that heavy tear falls down the brim of your eyes, you surrender your feelings and let them fall off your eyes to ease the burden in them, but then your hearts fill-up the grief weighing you down. Eventually weakening your legs. As your knees bend making you fall to the floor lets your sorrow surround you slowly.

When you think you have had enough, you cry more. Remembering everything all over again.

The crumbled flower in her hands as she held on to it. She hurtful whimpers could be heard halls away from her chamber. She sniffed whimpering and mourning, she could not let anyone see her in such a weak state. But she could only be as strong for her mother.

The morning when Rose picked flowers for her father and entered his bed-chamber, She saw him sound asleep. Holding the sage she gave him to hold the night before. It was as beautiful as that night, but her father. He was still.

He was gone.

Her calls were never heard by him. Her tears he never saw, Her face he could not see.

The sky was bright, the sun shining bright, But the castles were under a dark black cloud. The queen stopped at the end of the bed, as tears poured down her eyes she felt her heartache. He was gone too soon, he left with too little memories.

"I am sorry papa, I cannot be strong. I cannot be-" A harsh whimpered stopped her. "Rose" Vincent's whisper made her turn around, he kneeled engulfing his arms around the broken little girl, She cried loudly grabbing his shoulder tugging over the fabric of his shirt.

"He left us" She murmured as he picked her up carrying her to her Daybed. She was trembling with weakness as he kneeled at her legs. Her hands leaving the crumbled broken flower, making it fall to the ground.

"Rose, Get a physician" He yelled as she closed her crimson eyes falling over. He helped her before moving away as her mother ran in to see her child.

"She has not stopped crying since yesterday, your highness. Forgive me, I fail to keep her safe" The queen shook her head laying her hands on Rose. "It is not your fault Vincent, make sure she eats," The queen said. Vincent did miss the tear falling off the Queen's eye as her black silhouette disappeared through the doors.

The maids felt the heavy heart Rose carried along with her. She loved her father so dearly, he was her only hope. A hope that she could one day become a Queen who was strong, faithful to her duties. But the Rose now was dull, her face held no expression.

As the maids helped her in the black gown smoothing her trail and pulling her long hair back in a bun which she had done. She hated it, but now she felt like her world had torn into two parts, One turned into dust, Nothing. And the other dark and broken.

She did not have a rose in hand like the rest, She had sage surrounding lavenders . The sage he grew with her, and the lavender whose scent he loved.

But those flowers did no longer give her happiness, Every part of her day reminded her of him. She wanted him to get up, to get back to her. But he did not.

He was gone forever.

"Rose" she turned around as she heard her mother voice, "Lord Edmund is here to pay his respect, go greet him for once" She shook her head. "Rose, for me" Rose hesitate but her mother grabbed her hand slowly and they walked into the castles towards the halls.

"I hope your health is doing good" Rose nodded twisting the lace over her wrist, "Your highness, If I may, I know this might not be a good day or a good way to approach you. But, I promise to keep you safe forever, take my hand in marriage"

Rose was more disgusted than shock.

"How could you?" She whispered, "How could you ask for my hand in such a dreadful situation " She could feel her eyes fill up with tears yet again. But Lord Edmund lowered his gaze and spoke yet again, "I understand you are appalled, I apologize for that. However, you father The King would wish for his throne to be occupied Very soon, without a proper step I am afraid the kingdom might face difficult situations"

Rose clenched her jaw staring directly at him in his eyes.

"If you think you can take advantage of this situation to touch the kingdom's throne then you are wrong Lord Edmund, I hereby decline your proposal and wish you a safe journey home" She finished, not bowing back but walking straight ahead, She did not want anything to do with him ever again.

"Princess" She stopped looking at Vincent. He bowed as she acknowledged his presence as walked side by side. Vincent's eye looks to his right straight at Lord Edmund who gazed at them.

He felt his stomach churn at the sight of Edmund but he did not get fazed.

Edmund's eyes watched in hate rate as he saw Vincent's hand come near her back escorting her out the hall and disappearing in the castle.

"Sire? Shall I- " He lifted his hand up to pause his guard

"Have you looked into the King's guards?" He bowed before stepping closer and whispering his thoughts. A wicked smirk graced upon Lord Edmund and he walked away to have a refreshment. " We should get going then, soon" the guard nodded once before following his Lord.

As dusk fell over the landlord Edumnd send out his own army through the castle gates. Orders were given. And there was no more delay. He was going to take over the kingdom, no one would stop him.

"Bring me the Princess, Get the queen in the dungeon, Secure the gates of the castle, gather the Lords and nobles" Lord Edmund spoke.

Rose was deep in her sleep, her eyes red from her cries, her throat sore, her body in pain. And her head aching due to the constant reminder that her father was gone. She had been staring at the dark forest for over an hour till the maids were sent for her aid, who dragged her to change her garments and helped her in bed.

Her eyes snapped open as her body suddenly shivered, she gasps as a shadow passed by her and suddenly she was out cold.

The man picked her up carrying her out as the others entered the Queen's chambers.

That night, was a dark one indeed

Vincent sat up with the constant uneasy feeling her had ever since the morning, he grabbed his sword with his dagger and walked out, the sudden change in position of guards had his heart beating fast, He ran towards the Princess's chamber as fast as could but a harsh object was thrown over his back.

He groaned falling on the ground still aware of the fact that the family was in danger.

He fought back with the man behind grabbing his leg and bringing him to the ground and running to the Princess's chamber but she was gone. "Rose!" He yelled looking around suddenly his eyes landed on the men walking up to the west wing, he looked back following them barely missing being seen.

He clenched his jaw as he saw Rose being carried towards another ward.

He waited till the guard left before running to his Princess. "Rose, Rose" He called shaking her, she groaned. "Rose, your highness, wake up" She opened her eyes and gasp as fear settled in her mind. "What is happening?" She asked Vincent who looked out the doors and helped her up.

Taking off his coat and covering her body which was in her evening gown. "We have to leave-" They both looked back at the doors as Edmund stood in front of four men. "You know what to do," He said as Vincent took out his sword but he was out maned.

Rose yelled as he fell to the ground, the men grabbed him by his legs dragging him. She cried as Edmund stared at her.

"Marry me" She glared at him as his men grabbed her hands trying them behind her back.

"You will never succeed in your plans Edmund" He nodded.

"So you refuse me yet again, Forgive me, Princess, You either choose my hand or die, I suppose you chose the latter" Her eyes widened as he walked away.

A/N

Hope you all like the book so far. Thanks for reading!