Blood Rose

Chapter 3~ Jeannie

"It's like growing lotus flowers. You cannot grow lotus flowers on marble. You have to grow them on the mud. Without mud you cannot have lotus flowers. Without suffering, you have no way to learn how to be understanding and compassionate."

– Thich Nhat Hanh

"What are you doing?!" Persephone yelled but she knew fighting would be a waste of energy so she let Doogue guide her out of the castle.

"I'm taking you to Jeannie, as is your father's orders," Doogue replied-his eyes ahead of them, as they had been since he came to serve the royal house. Everything was moving so fast for Persephone, between the queen's mysterious death and the king's unorthodox orders, she dug her feet into the ground.

"NO!" her shout scared off a flock of songbirds from a nearby tree, "I always knew one day I was going to rule a kingdom, but it was supposed to be MY kingdom- not someone else's. Wasn't it?"

"Come on now! Don't cause a scene, we have to hurry," Doogue puffed out his chest, "If I have to carry you I will."

"I can walk thanks. Don't you find any of this weird though!? A ring shows up without a sender and my dad suddenly is wearing jewelry. My mom- OUR QUEEN- dies," as she spoke, though distraught, Persephone still couldn't find the tears to cry, "everyone starts dying, then my dad- OUR KING- sells me off to some kingdom we haven't talked to in centuries so everyone else is safe and I'm miserably married to some old fat spoiled brat?!"

"First off you need to stop freaking out over that ring- you're freaking me out. Packages come all the time from unmarked places- the people around here can be pretty modest. You should know that. And about the marriage- you never know-maybe you'll live a life full of luxury with only the finest. I think you're overthinking all of this, you've had a very tough day- we all have. Your father especially. I know even though he won't admit it he does what he does more for your safety than the kingdom's." Doogue's deep gaze bore intensely at Persephone and she turned to hide the flush in her cheeks.

"I'm serious Doogue. There is something very wrong going on- I can feel it in my guts. I saw the same purple shine under my mother's bed, on my father's ring, and when we went into town. It's like something is plaguing me- set to destroy everything I know."

"Plagueing? Is that really a good word choice?" Doogue laughed nudging Persephone as they walked over a tall green hill, the grass shifting like a green sea around them. A ball of anger inside of the princess burst and Persephone had to rub her temples to keep her eyes from dimming out of focus.

"How are you taking this all so well? It's like you can't take anything seriously! Today was the first time I've ever seen you scared- it's like you're emotionally numb!" Persephone picked up her pace the best her legs would allow her.

"Hey come on! Don't hurt my nonexistent feelings, besides I take plenty of things seriously but it sounds like you're getting worked up over nothing. Do you hear yourself? If nobody else saw it -it sounds like you're talking crazy. Don't do that. I don't need you getting locked up for rule-breaking, it leaves a bad impression on my record," Doogue replied keeping stride beside Persephone while keeping his eyes locked ahead scanning the seemingly endless grassy knoll, "But hey, it's said those that have the thickest skins have the best humor!"

"Whatever, you don't even have a record and it's your skull that's thick not your skin."

"I made your mother a promise and I don't intend on having you breaking it."

"I'm not going crazy, but I don't know who else I can turn to right now. I'm scared"

"Even if I do believe you- and I'm not saying I do- talking like this could get us killed. There are some things even your father can't protect you from. This is the safest, and at the moment, the only option we have." Doogue's hands were shaking as he said this. Persephone stayed silent past a few more hills.