Black Rose (8 page)

“Ask
the Muir Court,” she replied coldly.

The
line went quiet. Mara listened for several heartbeats, then the King said,
“Thank you for the call, Captain of the Black Rose.”

“Goodbye,
your Majesty.”

The
line went dead.

           
Mathew walked towards the door of his private office. He entered the corridor
beyond and walked slowly down the hallway, ignoring the occasional guard who
stood before various doorways along the hall. He had not spoken to Mara in
centuries, instead opting to deal with the Black Rose through intermediaries—usually
through Captain Regald. In fact, the last time he had spoken to Mara directly,
she had refused his proposal of marriage. It had been just over five-hundred
years ago. The Ciar Court had split in half and the Arum Court was formed. His
uncle had lead the rebellion which had threatened civil war within the Ciar
Court. An agreement was reached at the last moment, neither side eager to
engage in the loss of more immortal life.

           
However, his uncle’s antics had been less than popular among powerful members
of his newly formed court and even less so with the Court he had rebelled
against. Facing mistrust on all sides, he had turned to his nephew. A
Sub-Captain in the Black Rose Guard, Mathew was hailed a hero by both courts
and an ideal candidate to take over his uncle’s troubled throne.

           
It had been then that Mathew had turned to the woman who, even nearly a century
later, was still hailed as the hero of both Courts, and asked her to be his
Queen. 

           
“Come with me, Mara,” he had said. “Stand by my side and help me to build a
better Court, to be a better ruler than the ones we once served.”

           
It had taken several moments before Mara answered. “Mathew, you don’t know what
you’re saying.”

           
“Yes, I do. Just think, Mara. We have a chance to build a Court better than the
ones we once served. We can protect our men and their families.” He offered a
smile. “It will be everything we ever dreamed of. We can—”

           
“Mathew, wait.”

           
“Think about it. We could create a Court that honors the old traditions. Where
the men and women you have vowed to protect would finally be safe.”

           
Mara turned to face him. “And tell me, my Lord, in what role would you have me
cast within this Court which you describe?”

           
“Why, by my side, of course.” He took a step closer. “I would see you made a
Queen.”

           
“Queen,” Mara clarified, “to your Kingship?”

           
“Yes.”

           
“I’m sorry, Mathew. I cannot do that.” She matched his gaze fiercely.

           
“Mara,” he responded, “I would offer you my heart, along with my kingdom.” He
lowered himself to one knee before her. “Please, my Lady…be my Queen. I will
give you control of the kingdom. My rule will be in name only, to your
leadership.”

           
“It’s not about that, Mathew. Don’t you see?”

           
“Is it about love? Rest assured, Mara, I love you.”

           
“But I don’t love you,” came her quiet response.

           
“What?”

           
“Mathew,” Mara started again, “I am sorry if I have mislead you in any way. But
I…” She forced herself to meet his gaze. “I cannot do as you ask.”

           
He stared at her dumbfounded for several moments. A glimmer of realization
dawned and he looked at her incredulously. “Could it be?” He shook his head in
disbelief. “You are still in love with Edward.”

She
did not deny it, only stood silently, the pain showing only through her violet
eyes.

“Even
after what he did to you? After all he put you through. After he…” Mathew took
a step closer to her. “He cannot love you, Mara. You know that he cannot love
you. He is incapable of it.”

 “Still,”
she answered. “I cannot give you what I do not have. I cannot love you when my
heart resides with another. I’m sorry, Mathew. I cannot be your Queen.

           
“Cannot?”

           
This time she spoke more in anger than pain. “Don’t you think I want to say
yes?” She drew a sharp breath. “What a pretty picture you paint. A Court where
we are free to rule as we see fit. A way to protect the men without the
isolation, the pain that comes with being a member of this guard? To be happy?
Believe me, Mathew, if I could give you what you ask, I would. But…you ask for
what I cannot give. 

“You
by my side? Helping me to protect the people from the wrath of a Queen you
despise?”

“But
that is not what you are asking for.”

“Yes,
it is.”

“No.
You are asking for my heart, Mathew. You will be satisfied with nothing less;
nor should you be. And I have no heart to give.” She drew another deep. “If it
is any consolation, I would love you, if I could.”

“Mara,
please.”

She
offered a thin smile. “Goodbye, your Majesty.” She offered a slight bow. “May
you lead your people with the grace of the Gods and the same honor with which
you have served this guard for so long.”

That
had been the last time he had stood alone in a room with Mara. He had left the
Black Rose only days later with Regald by his side, ready to take his place as
the Captain of the Arum Court Guard after the coronation. Now, five hundred
years later, Mathew again stood at odds with the Black Rose Captain over the
same issue that had ruined his plans all those years ago. With Mara, it always
came back to Edward. The love that consumed her—which she could neither embrace
nor escape, accept nor deny. He had watched it consume her for centuries, a
flame burning through her with agonizing ferocity.

Yet,
after what happened the night the Muir Court fell and the six hundred years of
self-inflicted separation, Mathew had hoped that Mara might, at long-last, have
banished the Ciar Captain from her heart. Mathew gave a deep sigh as he reached
the door of Jayden, one of the Sub-Captains of the Arum Guard. He knocked only
once before entering to find Jayden sitting before a large desk. His bronzed
skin was far darker than the King’s. His short hair was cropped close to his
skull. 

As
Mathew entered, Jayden gazed up from his paperwork and immediately stood to bow
before his sovereign. “Arise,” the King instructed, motioning for Jayden to
return to his seat before moving closer to the desk. “It’s time,” the King
stated.

Jayden
looked up uneasily at the King. “Forgive me, my King, but I would be remiss in
my duty if I did not ask…are you absolutely certain that this is the best
course of action?”

Mathew
studied the Sub-Captain and considered reprimanding him for the question, but
instead decided to offer a decisive answer. “I am absolutely certain,” he
stated, meeting Jayden’s brown eyes. “There is no other way.”

Jayden
did not question the King further, but instead gave a single nod. “As you
command, your Majesty.”

Mathew
nodded. “Let it begin.”

No
sooner had Captain Regald entered the gates of the Ciar Court Guard, then he
found the silver tip of a broadsword at the edge of his throat. “Well, look
what we have here,” Jake said to the Arum Captain.

“Jake,”
Regald said, standing as still as he could with Jake’s sword pressing lightly
against the thin skin of his throat.

“You
think you can torture the Captain of this guard, and then waltz in here like
nothing is amiss?”

“Jake,”
Regald tried again. “Listen to me. That wasn’t my doing. You know it wasn’t.
The King gave those orders himself. I didn’t even know about it until he was
being tied to the table.”

“And
yet, you stood by and did nothing. I can’t believe Mara didn’t have your head.”

“She
almost did,” he replied. “And might still yet. But that is her life to take,
not yours.”

“He
is my Captain, Regald. That makes it as much mine as anyone’s.” Jake took a
step back, removing his blade from Regald’s. “Draw your sword, Captain. We will
do this fairly.”

“Jake!”
Garreth’s voice cut in sharply as he rounded the corner. “Within these walls he
is a guest until Edward deems otherwise. Put that sword away, Sub-Captain.”

Jake
turned back towards Garreth with a firm scowl before proceeding to do as he
bid, sliding his silver sword securely back into the leather sheath that hung
at his side. “What brings you here, Captain? If you are here for Nolan, Mara
assigned him to Edward’s guard, pending a move to the Black Rose.”

“I
am not here for Nolan,” Regald told the older man. “I’ve come as an escort to
our court’s future Princess.” He motioned to the dark-haired woman standing
behind him. Dressed in a pair of black slacks and a pale blue shirt, she stepped
forward gingerly, her small heels echoing across the grey stone. “Lady Sandra,
this is Sub-Captain Jake and Lord Garreth, members of Captain Edward’s guard.”
He gestured to Sandra. “This is the fiancé of the Crown Prince.”

“Hmm,”
Jake replied. “His throat to cut and a hostage to threaten the Arums
with.  Perhaps he is sorry after all.”

“Jake.”
Garreth’s tone spoke volumes.

“Just
an idea,” he grumbled back.

“Lady
Sandra,” Garreth said to the young woman. “What may I do for…” Garreth stopped
as he took in the girl more fully, staring into her deep blue eyes. It wasn’t
possible…

“Welcome
to the Ciar Court Guard, my Lady,” Jake said from behind him. “How may we be of
service?”

“I
would like to see Captain Edward,” she replied softly.

“Of
course, my Lady.” Garreth recovered his voice and offered the young woman his
arm. “I will escort you to the Captain.”

“Thank
you, my lord,” the young woman replied.

Garreth
slowly led Sandra down a series of grey stone hallways. It was cold and Sandra
wished she had brought a thicker sweater as they ventured deeper into the stone
mountainside.  “Pardon me, my Lady. But I was wondering, have we ever met
before?”

“I
don’t believe so, my Lord.”

“It’s
Garreth,” he said.

“Garreth,”
she repeated. “Do you believe that we have met?”

“I
don’t think so. You just look a little like someone I used to know.”

“Oh.”
She sounded disappointed.

“Here
we are.” Garreth motioned to a stone door several paces ahead of them. “I will
go announce your arrival to the Captain.” He knocked softly moments before
disappearing through the tall door. A few moments later, the door opened again,
and Garreth motioned Sandra inside. “I will leave you in the Captain’s care.”

Garreth
walked down the long stone corridor before eventually emerging into the cool
evening air. “It’s impossible.” He turned down a familiar dirt path, disturbing
the occasional rock as he walked around the royal grounds. He attempted to
clear the image from his mind, but could not shake the feeling of foreboding that
had begun to descend upon him. “Those eyes,” he said, speaking for the wind
alone. “Those blue, blue eyes.” He continued his amble, eventually finding
himself on the north side of the grounds.

The
garden of the Ciar Court was a pale shadow of the grandeur of times past. A few
roses had been transplanted from the court’s ancestral home, but they had never
truly taken to their new environment. Yet, it was to this spot that Garreth
inexorably found himself drawn as he thought of times long past. A small spring
slid between the overgrown grass, bringing water to the sparse flowers and
trees which lined its banks.

“Those
eyes,” he said again. They were so blue, the eyes of this young girl who had
come to see his Captain. Garreth searched his memory, but could form no
recollection of having ever seen her before. “It can’t be,” he said again. And
yet…it was. A young girl with eyes the color of the sea—eyes that should not
exist. “That bloodline is gone,” Garreth stated to no one.

Before
its fall, the Muir Court had been the second-most powerful in the land. It was
a vast empire, the heart of which stood in the form of a silver castle by the
sea. The Court was ruled by a powerful King who, at the time of its demise, had
reigned since the rise of the Roman Empire. He had four sons and two daughters,
all of whom possessed the same shade of vibrant blue eyes.

Garreth
closed his eyes and could almost see the glint of silver, could hear the clash
of swords and the screams of the dying. The cold eyes with which Mara watched
the men fall before her with a wrath which knew no end. He stepped closer to
the river, attempting to divine an explanation. Perhaps it had been a trick of
the light. Remnants of memories stirred from a long slumber by Mara’s recent
appearance or Edward’s injuries, so similar to those endured long ago. 

He
gave a deep sigh, then turned to begin the walk back when something caught his
eye. On the far side of the garden was one of the small rosebushes which had
been transplanted from its ancestral home. Garreth walked forward slowly. When
he reached the rosebush, he fell to his knees before it. Once these ancient
roses had bloomed in an assortment of royal colors, but since the moment the
Black Rose was formed, they had bloomed only in black. Garreth struggled to
believe his vision as he reached out a hand and found himself caressing the
soft, fragile petal of a single crimson rose. Garreth stared at the rose for a
long time before his gaze traveled through the garden and he suddenly realized
that the roses surrounding him were no longer black, but purple—the color of
the royal rose.