Black Rose (35 page)

“I
killed the Crown Prince of the Muir Court and avenged the death of our
Princess.”

“He
was a child.”

“So
was I,” Mara replied. “And yet look what my vengeance has bought them, this
court of the sea who killed our sweet, sweet Liza.”

“But
he was a—”

“Prince.
A young prince who would become a man. A man who would remember this day until
the rest of the world had long forgotten it. Don’t you see?” She drew a sharp
breath. “He would remember this day and then, many years from now, he would
seek his vengeance upon those who destroyed everything and everyone he ever
held dear. And he would come for us, Edward. For you, for me, or worse…someone
else.”

“Mara.”
It was Edward’s turn to sound hollow. “You have gone too far. This…” he shook
his head, “this is against everything we are. Against our codes. The codes I
taught you!”

“You
taught me to fulfill my vows, Edward!” Anger began to spill into Mara’s
previously calm voice. “The first rule of being a knight. Protect the realm and
always, always keep your vows. I swore to destroy this court and I have done
it. I have done my job. Perhaps it is time that you start doing yours!”

The
wind became stronger, causing sand to rise and swirl between the two Captains.
“What are you implying?”

“You
haven’t done your job since the night she died! You are useless, a shell of the
man I knew. The man I followed. That I pledged my life to. The man I…” She had
to fight down the words. “The man she loved.” Tears burned the surface of
Mara’s eyes, but she refused to let them fall. “I did my job. She’s been
avenged. I only pray it allows you to find some measure of peace.”

“You
did not do this for me!” Edward shouted. “This, all of this,” he motioned
behind him to where thick, black smoke rose from the remnants of the castle
from unseen flames, “you did this for yourself. As though it could make things
better. As though you could bring her back from the dead with your vengeance.”

“Is
that so?” The threat of tears subsided as anger rose. “I am not the one who
vowed to love one woman, and then gave his heart to another at the first
possible opportunity! I am not the one who fell in love with a Princess. The
one woman,” Mara’s left hand clenched tightly at her side, “the only woman, in
the entire kingdom that he could not have. You lost your head, Captain, and we
have all paid the price. Our entire court has paid the price for your forbidden
love. And now the Muir Court has paid as well. All because of you! You are
responsible for every life lost since that night, Captain.”

“Mara!”
Edward finally interjected, his voice crisp in its own anger. “You cannot begin
to imagine… You cannot.”

“Yes,
I did it for you! All this, every life I have taken, every vow broken, every
horror, all for you. How dare you! You want to blame someone, then blame
yourself. You did this. You did this to your men, to my men, to the dead men of
the Muir Court. All of them dead—because of you!”

Mara
raised her sword a single moment before Edward’s came crashing down upon it.
The sound of their colliding metal sailed down the beach with the rush of the
fierce wind. The two stood frozen, their swords pressed together by the weight
of their bodies. Too startled to move, she stared into the dark eyes of the man
she loved. 

The
look on Edward’s face was as surprised as hers. “Mara, I…” He took a step back,
his sword sliding along the edge of Mara’s until the blades finally separated.

“That
is an Arius blade, Edward. You…we…” She drew shallow breaths then her anger
transformed to an uncontrollable rage. Her hand tightened on the hilt of her
sword. 

“Mara,
I am…”

“You
could have killed me! We could have killed each other! You, my Captain, my
friend, my…” The word love refused to leave her lips.

“I
didn’t mean—”

Mara
raised her silver blade. Edward stepped forward just in time to block her
movement, the sound of metal again twisting its way across an ocean of white
sand. “Mara, don’t!”

“Why
not?” she screamed, again bringing her sword down upon his. “You want a fight?
Here I am!” Their blades began to dance, the two Captains circling each other
in a tight, dangerous spiral.

She
swung her sword in an upward arc, but Edward took a step to his left
sidestepping the motion altogether. She had some difficulty regaining her
stance, as her feet sank into the sand. She turned just in time to block
Edward’s own motion, his blade sweeping towards her left side. The two swords
again sang through the air. Edward again swung his blade down. Mara bent her
knees, placing both hands tightly upon the hilt of her blade, twisting it
sideways. The ancient swords collided with enough force to throw both off
balance, turning in opposite directions to keep from completely falling into
the sand.

They
recovered quickly, turning back to face each other clutching their blades. Mara
brought her blade up in a series of long strokes, moving towards Edward’s left
side with tremendous speed. He turned, blocking her first two swings with ease.
However, the third bit lightly into his left arm, causing him to hiss in pain.
He took several steps back, and she paused to draw a deep breath from the cool
breeze before moving to follow him.

She
moved forward and Edward’s blade raced toward her right side. She moved her
sword up and blocked, but the force knocked her sidewise. He turned his sword
towards her, lower this time. He cut her leg before she had time to recover her
balance. She threw herself to the left, holding onto her sword as tightly as
she could. She struggled with the sand as she rose to a crouching position,
holding her blade carefully in front of her. Edward advanced, but she swung her
blade low, forcing him to step back to prevent her sword from slicing across
his legs.

She
used that moment to regain a standing position, thankful that Edward’s sword
had cut only skin. She stepped forward, and Edward again brought his blade down
upon her. She parried, sending a cloud of sand into the air as she did so. Her
blade again struck his, and then she turned in a full, tight circle, bringing
her blade down to his left. He blocked her sword mere inches from his skin. She
pulled back readjusting her grip on her sword.

He
swung left. She attempted to side-step the movement when the sand suddenly gave
way under her left foot. She slid deeper into the unstable ground and attempted
to twist away.  She was too slow.

Edward’s
silver sword entered her right side, stabbing through her ribcage. She cried
out as the sword forced its way both in and out of her chest. Spots appeared in
her vision, so severe was the pain. Yet she drew a wheezing breath and swung
her blade towards Edward’s right. She knew that in a few moments, she would be
unable to continue; this would be her only chance.

She
swung her sword to Edward’s right side, smashing the two blades against each
other.  She then moved her blade up toward his left arm. He parried. She
brought it up again, then jerked her arm down at the last moment and drove the
sword into his leg. He roared in pain, stumbling several steps back. Mara
followed him. She brought her blade down again, he blocked the motion from his
knees, but only had one hand upon the blade. She allowed no respite, but again
brought her blade down upon his with all her strength. Edward’s sword slipped
from his hand and Mara’s blade was suddenly at his throat. Pain and anger raged
as she stared down into Edward’s dark eyes for several long moments before
Edward suddenly decided to speak.

“Admit
it,” he said, the emotions in his voice matching her own. “You blame me for
Liza’s death!”

At
these words, Mara took several steps back, sinking to her knees in the sand.
She dropped her blade and moved her hands to her injured side attempting not to
grimace as she did so. She shook her head and spoke through labored breaths.
“No, Edward. I was responsible for Liza. I was her Captain and she died on my
watch. I am responsi—” She fought down a surge of emotions before turning to
the eyes of the man who still, even now, she loved more than life itself. “I
was responsible, Edward.”

Her
words settled over the land as the sun continued to dip lower into the sea.
Blood seeped from her side, turning sticky against her hands. Edward’s anger
vanished at her words. “It was not your fault, Mara.”

“Yes,”
she murmured, tears falling from her eyes. “Yes, it was. But today, I have done
my duty. I have avenged her death.” She attempted to draw a deep breath, but
the pain in her side was too much and she ended up in a fit of coughing before
she was able to continue. “I don’t blame you, Edward. That failure lies with
me. But today, I have washed my sins with the blood of those who killed her.”

She
rose slowly to her feet, forcing her blade back into the leather sheath at her
side. Then she walked slowly through the sand to where Edward still knelt. She
leaned down slowly and wrapped her fingers around Edward’s deadly blade. “I
will take this,” she stated. “It bears the blood of roses.”

“Mara.”
She stared down at him. “I…I almost…I am so sorry.”

More
blood spilled from her side, hidden in her dark clothes. “I love you,” she
said. “You are my soul.”

“Don’t
leave me.”

She
took a sharp intake of air, tears streaming down her flushed cheeks. “I am
sorry, mi amor. I have to go now. I have to go.”

He
had remained kneeling as she walked slowly down the beach with the last rays of
the setting sun. Almost completely from view, Edward saw her fall. However,
before he could so much as rise from the sand, Garreth appeared and gathered
her in his arms. It had been the last time Edward had laid his eyes upon her.

It
had been days later before Edward learned that Mara had watched Phillip die
that night. They said she had walked towards the sea as though she were one of
the dead. How much pain she must have endured, kneeling by the edge of the sea,
realizing that the man who had protected and counseled her all her life would
never again stand by her side.

Edward
drew a deep breath, his mind trailing back from the recesses of memory to the
room where he now lay. Mara still slept securely against him, her head upon his
chest while his hand slowly soothed the bare skin of her back. “My Lady.”

She
woke to the sounds of his voice, scared that it existed only in the realm of
her dreams. His hand trailed down her back, sliding along her long dark hair.
She opened her eyes slowly. “Edward.” He offered a smile. She lay still,
listening to the beat of his heart and the gentle rise and fall of his chest.
“You’re here.”

“Yes,”
he said solemnly. “Mara. Gods, Mara, I am so…”

She
lifted her head and to stare down at him. He reached his hand to the back of
her neck and drew her forward for a kiss, her breasts touching his chest as he
did so. When she finally pulled back, it was to again collapse upon the bed
beside him. They spent the day lying there, enjoying the simplicity of being
together after all the centuries apart.

“I
always knew that you would be the last thing I ever saw. I just never thought
you would be real.”

“It
doesn’t matter anymore. I am here. That is all that matters.”

“I
don’t want to move. I don’t want to breathe. I don’t want to wake.”

“This
is not a dream, Mara. I promise you it is not.” Edward pulled her closer,
moving her head against his shoulder. They held each other, celebrating the
simple act of touch which they had denied themselves for far too long.

They
did not rise until the next day when they entered the large whirlpool tub that
had been installed a few years before. Though easily big enough to accommodate
multiple people, this was the first time it had played host to more than the
room’s single occupant. When they finally emerged from the steaming water, they
dressed quickly. Mara pulled her familiar outfit from her large closet while
Edward dressed in clothes that he borrowed from Brendan’s. She watched as
Edward donned the uniform of the Black Rose.

He
offered her his arm as they walked down the wide hallways toward the top of the
spiral staircase. Moments before emerging behind the stone wall, Mara removed
his arm from hers. Turning the last corner, she walked to the rail and gazed
down upon the grand entrance.  A loud clamor rose from the vaulted room,
but the sound began to vanish at the sight of the Black Rose Captain standing
with Edward only a few paces behind her. Two hundred men stood below, gathered
in various clusters around the room. When was the last time that the entirety
of the Rose had been called together? Mara was uncertain. Then she realized
that, among the sea of black, there also stood several men of the Ciar Court as
well. 

Mara
motioned to Edward who took a few steps forward to stand beside her at the
railing which lined the path between the two spiral staircases. As the last of
the chatter began to fade, Mara drew a breath to address those gathered. “My
Lords,” she stated, attempting to project her voice through the vast hall. “Two
days ago, members of the Arum Court invaded these sacred halls. They attacked
your fellow members of the Black Rose, including myself, and threatened us with
torture unto death.” She paused, allowing her words to settle over the large
room. “They also threatened and tortured our fellow knight, Captain Edward of
the Ciar Royal Guard. With this attack, the Arum Court has violated the peace
that has been maintained between the courts—the peace that we of the Black Rose
are sworn to protect.”