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ROSE DECIDED SHE WOULD never understand her parents. Never.
From her father’s fears and anxiety, to her mother’s deception and idiocy, she was confounded as to how they had survived as long as they had. Especially together, Rose thought, shaking her head at the scandals that her parents had engaged in over the years.
Rose was nearly to the king’s council room when she saw her uncle stepping out into the hallway.
And then there is the matter of my uncle, Rose thought.
“Princess Aurora,” he greeted.
There was something about him that she just did not like.
“Uncle Hebert, Your Grace,” she replied, hoping her headache would be able to let her get through this conversation.
“I was heartened to learn you went to go and see your mother today,” he said. “Leea has been very lonely.”
Rose nodded, deciding it was not the best time to unleash a tirade on how he did not have the right to keep her from her mother.
“I have not seen you at dinner much,” Hebert said. “I was hoping to get to know you better. There is so much to catch up on. After all, we have not seen each other since you were a little baby.”
“You’re right,” Rose said. “There is much to discuss, such as when you and your troops are going to leave. My father has neglected to inform me of how long to expect you.”
She saw the flicker of anger on his face before he could disguise it properly.
Her mother was right; she would have to be careful.
“I have neglected in setting a timeframe myself,” he said. “I have not been home in Rhone for many years, due to the sickness of my late wife.”
“My condolences on her loss,” Rose murmured. “When I join my father in our next council session, we can set a date for your departure, so we might be able to celebrate your visit appropriately. Surely with the loss of your beloved wife, there is much to settle back in Aragon.”
She turned away, entering into the council room, before he could say anything else.
Rose knew he was fuming. She could hear the angry huff of his nostrils; she was amused to wonder if Hebert shared some of her father’s angry faces.
Speaking of which, Rose thought, now I have to deal with my father.
She glanced around the council table to see that her father was alone in the room, save for one of his valets, and he was sleeping in his chair.
“Disgraceful,” she muttered to herself, as she came up beside him and cleared her throat. “Majesty!”
Stefanos’ eyes blinked open. “Aurora, please. It’s the middle of the day.”
“Exactly,” Rose said. “You should be working.”
“I’m not a young king anymore,” he complained. “I’m allowed to have my naps. It’s for the good of the kingdom.”
“I shudder to think that you mean it’s best for the kingdom that you’re asleep, rather than helping your countrymen.”
“You will only be able to hope for that,” Stefanos snapped back, clearly upset she was deriding him. “Especially since we only have what? Two month, is it? And then Magdalina’s curse will be fulfilled, and you’ll be asleep more than I am.”
Rose frowned at the insult. “Well,” she said, “I’m not asleep now, so that’s something.”
“What are you doing for the kingdom that’s so great then?” Stefanos scoffed. “Besides robbing me of my slumber?”
“I want to talk to you about Hebert,” Rose said. “I want you to order him from the castle. I’m here now. You don’t need to worry about Mother, or Isra, or Ronan. I’m here to protect them.”
“For how long?” Stefanos asked.
“Long enough,” Rose snapped.
“You foolish girl,” Stefanos said, rising from his chair. “You disobey and dishonor me at every turn you can, don’t you? You think it’s so easy to defy a king, no wonder you think you can overcome a fairy like Magdalina.”
“Half-fairy,” Rose corrected.
“This is all that boy’s fault, isn’t it?” Stefanos grumbled. “Some paragon at the church befriends you, and you think you can outsmart me, like God is on your side or something like that.”
“Leave Theo out of this,” Rose hissed. “He’s not the one who lied to me. He’s the one who told me the truth.”
“Oh, really? He was so quick to tell you about our family. What did he tell you of his own?”
Rose shook her head. “This has nothing to do with them,” she insisted.
“They were part of the Magdust trade, you know,” Stefanos said. “The Reverend has been keeping his own secrets for years along with mine, but we are at last on even footing.”
“I know what happened,” Rose suddenly shouted, as her patience broke. “I know everything. I know about the Magdust, I know about the tapestry, I know about Mother and the twins.”
Stefanos blinked, and suddenly his whole demeanor changed. “Aurora,” he said. “Help me.”
“Help you what?” Rose frowned. “I’m trying, but I can only do so much.”
“I need to lie down,” he said.
Rose sighed. She then took his arm, and helped him around the table. She thought of the kingdom, and all the people in it who looked to him to lead, and she wondered if this was something that she would struggle with when she was older.
If I can break my curse at all.
After she and the king’s valet escorted Stefanos back to his room, Rose headed back to her tower to consider everything that she had learned from her parents.
Her father had a lot of secrets, as he’d said before. And none of the ones she had discovered seemed anywhere close to pleasant. He had married her mother for the crown, and he had made a deal with Magdalina to secure the thrown with an heir. After she betrayed him, he was lulled back to sanity by a tapestry weaver the Reverend Father knew. Hebert had romanced her mother, but in the end, her mother had decided to choose Rose’s wellbeing over him. Hebert, rejected, went to marry and live in Aragon as a duke, taking the Rose Ruby with him as a parting gift from her mother.
Now, Hebert was back, to try to free her mother and get the crown, and he was using his remaining goodwill to leverage a better position.
With Leea in prison, and her father indisposed, Rose knew it would be up to her to get rid of him. But it would not be an easy task.
She thought of her father’s warning. She needed the support of the country and his nobles behind her in order to get rid of him without losing loyalty.
Rose shook her head. She had spent the majority of the last years out of the country, trying to break her curse. Her people had pitied her, and while she had come to understand their position, she still did not enjoy their confidence as a warrior or as a leader.
There was no time to do another grand tour of the kingdom, Rose thought wistfully, wishing she did have more time to travel.
“If only,” she thought aloud, “there was some way to bring the whole kingdom to me.”
“Rose!” Mary called.
Rose glanced down at the castle’s courtyard, watching as her faithful fairy friend came fluttering up beside her.
Mary greeted her with a smile. “I’ve been looking for you.”
“Sorry,” Rose said. “I was with my mother for a while.”
“Oh.” Mary stopped. “I suppose she told you I’d mentioned I was worried about you?”
“In more specific ways,” Rose said. “But I’m not concerned about that right now. I’m more concerned about the king.”
“Well, he will have to wait for a while,” Mary said. She gave Rose a big smile. “Philip and Isra and all the others are close. I just heard the announcement that they are heading into town!”
“Really?” Rose glanced out over the balcony, eagerly looking for her friends. She saw the colorful banner of Einish as it came closer to the castle. “That’s wonderful! I could really use some allies right now. And I’m eager to plan out our attack on Darkwood Forest.”
“I know it’s been several weeks since we’ve seen them,” Mary agreed. “Go out and greet them. I’ll alert the staff and start getting their rooms ready.”
“Thanks, Mary,” Rose cheered as she headed out to reunite with her friends, already feeling less alone. Despite all her troubles, she knew that she could face them as long as she had her friends at her side.