Queen of Rosewood Forest (On Hold)

Chapter 44

I stay in bed for a while but I don't sleep. My whole body feels numb from crying and losing control. I'm aware that after Aaden left me alone Alun showed up to help remove any azaleas from around the house and other places, but I don't acknowledge him. Hours feel like seconds as everything sets in and by the time I decide to leave my room night has fallen.

As I walk through the house the air is still and the lights are off. Aaden must be asleep so I grab my father's journal before leaving. The night is quiet and the streetlights are dim. I make my way to the park and sit in the grass under a lamppost. My father describes his family so vividly I wish I would have been able to meet them. It all feels so surreal and yet in an odd way it makes sense. Of course my father would remember how to get home even when he hadn't been there in so long. I wish he could see me here in the world he grew up in. No wonder I felt so at ease in the castle; it was the one I've heard stories about since birth. Reading all of them again it's as if I can see all of his memories through my own eyes.

I read for a while before heading back to Aaden's house with a clear head. I've been letting everyone run my life for me ever since my father died. Even before then I never questioned if I wanted the life that was set out for me. I can't run away anymore. It's clearer than ever now that I belong here. It's time to start taking control of my life and make it into something my father would be proud of. Starting tonight I'm going to start making my own decisions, I'm going to weed out every lie in those history books, and no one is going to keep me from fixing the damage all of this caused.

I get back and sleep until morning. When I wake up Aaden is gone, but I don't care. I open the door to find a woman with copper skin standing in front of me. She is dressed in green and is wearing a bonnet with flowers pinned in the side. From the look on her face she is as shocked to see me as I am her. She holds a letter in her hand and slowly raises it to her chest. "I'm sorry I didn't think you were home. I was just going to leave this here for you," her voice is quiet and she seems uncomfortable. Looking at her a bit more I realize her eyes are the same pretty hazel that changes in the light as Eben's.

"You must be Eben's mom," I say, not sure what else she may be here for.

"Yes," she stops for a second, "I've been wanting to speak with you since Eben told me about you. He told me you came from another village and there's not many of us who have come from somewhere else. It can be hard and I wanted to make sure you know you're not alone."

"Did he send you?"

"Oh heavens, no I hope he doesn't know I'm here." That confuses me for a second but I decide to just leave it be for now, more curious as to why she was here in the first place. I decide to be nice and invite her in to talk. Maybe then I can gather more information.

"Why don't you come in?" I ask stepping to the side for her to enter, "Please?"

"Thank you," she seems nervous, "sorry if I alarmed you, it's just that my husband thinks I've completely given up my old life and culture, and so does Eben. They think that I've become a normal aristocrat. If they knew I was here trying to talk about my old life they would worry."

"Eben told me you were from an island," I say as we enter the living room and sit down facing one another. "He didn't say much more, just that you had given up your traditions and culture to marry his father."

"Yes I did. His father and I met when he went on a diplomatic mission to my homeland. I wanted to see the world and I thought his father could take me," she smiled fondly. "It was an easy decision since I was smitten with the man."

"But why give up your culture?" I ask curiously, "that seems like it would be an important part of you to keep and pass on to Eben."

She smiles softly and leans into me a little closer, "who says I haven't, Dear?" She pats my hand in a caring way that actually shocks me. I looked up at her confused which made her smirk. "I taught him when he was younger but I also knew that it would be frowned upon so I made sure he understood that it was something just between the both of us. His father made it very clear that it's important to fit in or else it would be very difficult for us and could cause problems for the village. That meant giving up my past, but I still made sure that Eben knew about his heritage. I agree with you, it is very important for him to know who he is. I taught him in secret but I also told him that it will be up to him if he incorporates it into who he becomes as a man. Now," she pats my hand again, "will you tell me about yourself, Dear?"