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AS THE MORNING LIGHT dawned in the library the next day, Theo felt a surge of amazement inside of him once more, as he held Rose close to him. She was breathing the soft, easy rhythm of rest, as she lay with her head on his lap, curled on the floor. Even though he was sore from sleeping in a sitting position, Theo felt like he could take on the world.
Rose loved him. She loved him.
He ran his hand through her hair lovingly, marveling as he always did at the softness of her short locks.
They had spent a good portion of the night as they always had, talking and arguing, taking care of each other.
Eventually, Rose snuggled against him and went to sleep, telling him as she drifted off she was too tired and happy to care about anything as trivial as sleeping on the library floor.
Theo, with his own desperation to be near her, had been unable and unwilling to argue. He kissed her goodnight before falling asleep himself.
Now, he stared at her, drinking in the sight of her, feeling unbelievably grateful and humbled. He had been waiting for this since he had first met her.
The memories of riding on the road without her, of his half-reluctance to sleep for fear of dreaming of her, were gone. The warmth and comfort of that moment washed them all away, as Rose slept on beside him.
Theo reached down and touched the small pouch on his belt, where the Rose Ruby was tucked away safely, and he wondered if the king had been right about his good fortune when it came to roses.
“Theo? Are you awake?” Rose murmured, as she began to stir.
“Yes,” he replied.
She shifted into an upright position, sitting up beside him. “I didn’t mean to keep you here. I hope you can move.”
“I’ll need to stretch,” he told her. “But it’s fine. It’s better than fine.” He reached over and kissed her forehead, still staring at her in loving wonder.
He was gratified to see that despite the uncomfortable sleeping arrangement, Rose looked more refreshed than she had been in the last weeks. The dark circles under her eyes seemed to have vanished, and her skin was a healthy glow.
“We better get up,” Rose murmured sleepily. “I wanted to say a proper farewell to Philip and Isra before we left. I know they’re worried.”
“Philip is more upset that he won’t be able to help fight,” Theo told her. He stood up and stretched quickly, eager to work the soreness out of his muscles.
“He shouldn’t have suggested the wedding to go on at the same time, then,” Rose said, rubbing the rest of the sleepiness out of her eyes. “But I guess he is a man in love, right? Maybe he wasn’t thinking clearly on the matter.”
“Oh, I doubt that,” Theo said, as he reached down and pulled her into a standing position. “He was just focused on something other than our battle.”
“I guess you’re right.” Rose laughed, and then she grew quiet. “What should we do about us?”
“What do you mean?”
“I was wondering what we should tell the others ... about us.”
“What do you want to tell them?”
Rose blushed. “Well ... they already have their suspicions.”
“Then let them be the ones who ask,” Theo suggested. He thought about Thad, about how his older brother had teased him before. It would not be the worst thing, he thought deviously, to make some people wonder just a bit longer. “We don’t have to tell them anything.”
“That’s true. But between Ethan and Mary and our other friends, it might be better.”
He took her hands in his and squeezed them affectionately. “We can do what you want, Rose. I know we have other things to worry about right now,” he said. “And I know how you feel about marriage and falling in love. We can take care of one thing at a time, starting with Magdalina. There’s no need to worry about everything right now.”
“Well, there’s no wonder why I love you,” Rose said. “You know me so well.”
“Yes, and I still love you.” Theo smirked before he gave her another quick kiss. He heard her stomach growl hungrily and laughed. “Come on. Let’s get some breakfast. It sounds like you could use it.”
“I could,” Rose agreed. “I hope the others are getting ready.”
“We have always been the early risers of our group,” Theo reminded her.
“We are supposed to have everyone come to breakfast though, since we’re leaving today.”
“That might make some of them less enthusiastic to get up, not more.”
Rose smiled as they walked out of the library and started walking to the dining hall. “That’s true.”
Theo took her arm, tucking it around his possessively and protectively, glad there was no longer any remnant of awkwardness between them.
For the first time in a long time, Rose felt rested and ready. It was as though a great weight was no longer pressing down on her as she watched the rest of her friends gather around the breakfast table.
Theo escorted her to her chair before sitting down beside her. Immediately, Rose could see her friends exchanged surprised glances and questioning looks. She ignored them for now. Theo was right; they had to worry about one thing at a time. She had to get through today first, when they were going to start the celebration for Isra and Philip, and then they were going to leave for Magdalina’s castle.
Mary came up to her. “Good morning, Rose,” she said. “Sleep well?”
Rose nodded. “I’m ready for this battle,” she said. Her eyes briefly darted down to the ruby on the hilt of her sword, before she glanced over at Theo. The trouble of her heart was resolved, and now her courage was ready to be tested.
“Isra and I have talked with your body doubles,” Philip said to Rose. “We’re all ready to go. All we need is for people to see you in your dress clothes, and then we’ll have them swap out with you.”
“And then we’ll quietly leave as the king makes the announcement,” Rose said. She had long memorized the plan. “Great.”
“You’ll have to put a convincing show before you leave,” Isra said. “Ronan is worried that you won’t be able to pull it off, since you’re so serious all the time.”
“Those were my exact words, too,” Ronan said, as he came into the room.
“Ronan, there you are.” Rose stood up and gave her little brother a quick hug. “I don’t think I’ve spoken more than two words to you since you came home.”
“That’s your fault,” he said. “After I was told what I needed to do, I went back to business as usual.”
“You always seem to have an excuse not to see the rest of us.” Rose gave him a quick pat on the hair, rustling up his dark brown hair.
He ducked and grabbed an apple from her plate. “Hey, I did what you asked. I spread all the rumors to my friends in town, and there’s no reason to think that they won’t come through for me. So far as anyone would know, you are going to be at the wedding banquet all week along with everyone else.”
“Did they give you any other information?” Philip asked. “I have been wondering if there was any news from Isra’s uncle. I knew the Duke of Aragon has suffered a tremendous shift in approval lately.”
“With good reason,” Rose muttered under her breath.
“He might be foolish enough to come and fight,” Ronan said. “But not now. He knows about Isra’s wedding, of course, but the guards and our loyal guards throughout the country from here to Aragon have been put on alert. They will defend their nation’s princess. Nothing has come up in the last weeks.”
“Good,” Isra said. “I’d hate to think we would need to worry about him in addition to Magdalina with all of this.”
Rose glanced over at Theo. “What about his hired men?” she asked. “You were there. You saw them. They wouldn’t be likely to give us trouble, would they?”
Theo shook his head. “That’s the nice part about them being mercenaries,” he said. “They’re not likely to fight unless their payment is guaranteed.”
“Good point.” Rose gave him a warm smile, and everyone else went silent, watching them. When she blushed, she turned her attention to Ethan and Sophia, as they walked into the room. “There you are,” she said. “I was wondering where you were.”
Sophia stepped up. “Virtue came back,” she said, handing Rose a pile of letters. “Here.”
“Virtue’s back? That’s wonderful!” Rose cheered as she sorted through the pile of letters. She immediately recognized King Derick’s scrawl and was glad to see that he had sent his own legion of troops out to Darkwood.
“Excellent,” Rose said. “Derick’s forces will meet us at Darkwood in three days’ time. They might even get there ahead of us.”
Philip smiled into his cup. “Einish soldiers are known for their riding,” he said. “You better hurry once you leave, if you’re going to catch up to them.”
Rose nodded. Before she could ask Mary if she had enough herbs and remedies packed, Roderick came in.
“Rose,” he said. “The queen has started to assemble the family for the official greeting procession. She requests that you and Isra hurry and change.”
Rose grabbed another roll of bread. “Alright,” she said. “Isra, are you ready?”
Isra sighed and nodded. “I barely had time to eat,” she complained.
“You’re getting married this week,” Rose said. “Mary’s assured me that this is going to be nothing compared to Philip’s mother when you have your wedding ceremony in Einish. You might as well get used to it.”
Isra laughed. “We’ll see.”
Theo gave her a knowing look as she headed out of the room. She knew she would see him again soon.
As soon as they were out of the room, Isra squealed with delight. “I knew it!” she said. “I knew you loved him.”
Rose blushed. “Come on, Isra,” she said. “You’re the one who is going to be married soon. Can’t you behave like a mature person?”
“Hey, come on. I’m still young,” Isra said with a giggle. “Besides, I have been waiting for you to get together since we were kids. Give me a break here, please, Rose.”
Rose sighed as Isra put her arm around her. “How did you know about us? Surely just seeing us at our short breakfast wasn’t enough to give it away.”
“Oh, I’m sure it was. But, if you’re going to insist on a better answer, Mary found you guys in the library earlier,” Isra said. “She told Fiona, and Fiona told me.”
Rose made a mental note to remind Mary not to gossip about her to her fairy friends.
“So, it’s true,” Isra said. “You told him you loved him.”
“Yes.” Rose tried not to groan, as Isra hugged her again. “Now we have to go off to battle.”
“I don’t see why it would be such a difference from before,” Isra said. “He’s always loved you, you know.”
“I guess he did tell me that,” Rose said. She had never thought about how much he loved her when they were traveling. All of the fights and hardships in her memory suddenly had a new layer added to them, as she saw his young face, following her around the world, and then his seasoned look, coming home with her.
She sighed. “Great. Now I’m even more terrified of losing him.”
“You won’t,” Isra assured her. “Now, let’s go and get our new dresses on. You heard Roderick. Mother is anxious for the party to begin.”
Yes, if there is anything the queen is excited for, Rose thought, it is a party.
But despite her reservations, and even in spite of her concern for the upcoming battle, Rose felt a burst of excitement as she thought about dancing with Theo at Isra’s wedding celebration.
There was never going to be enough time with him, Rose thought wistfully. Now that she allowed herself to fall in love, and now that she had admitted it to him, they were racing against time before their battle, before her curse could be broken.
Rose had never wanted to fall in love. But, now that she had, there was nothing she wanted more than to make enough memories to last a lifetime—even if she spent that lifetime dreaming of it, forced by a wicked sorceress into a deathlike slumber.