Rose's Faerie Tale

He Listens, She Listens

Rose was thrown to the foot of the throne where the Elven King sat. He flared with anger.

"How dare a mortal defile my home!!!" he raged angrily. His hair whipped behind him. His eyes glowed with a dangerous fire deep within, "I bring you into my home. I give you every luxury a mortal has ever known. I allow you to roam freely within my walls.. and this is how you repay me!? How dare you!" He knelt, grabbing Rose's flaming red hair in a fist, jerking her to her feet.

"You will be lucky to receive something less than what you deserve." he spat.

"Don't touch her!" Ventane's voice echoed through the hall. Rose felt the King release her hair, as he turned his attention to Ventane, who was shackled in light at his neck and hands.

"You.." The venom was deep, dark and black. The King looked down at Rose, glaring. His lips were pressed tightly together. Reaching down into Rose's robes, he jerked the chain that held the jewel to her flesh.

Rose was surprised when it didn't break. Apparently so was His Highness. His eyes narrowed even further. He used the chain to whip Rose around, and drag her to Ventane.

He lifted her by the chain. It pressed deep into her throat, causing her to gasp for air. The King either didn't notice, or didn't care. Rose felt her feet lift from the floor.

"You cast these magiks in my home.. plot against me. With a mortal child." he sad angrily, "I should kill her right now, leave her here in my court for the Fay to feast upon with the hunger that they have been repressing for her sake... Would that break your ever wandering spirit?" he demanded.

Rose looked down at Ventane. She was struggling for breath. The chain dug deep into her. He looked up at her. His green eyes were broken. He hung his head.

"Highness, I beg forgiveness." he said softly, "If it so please you to kill the child, then so be it."

Rose never felt the hot tears that fell. Her face had become numb.

'He doesn't.. He didn't want to because.. you're just...' she gasped softly.

"Damned mortals.." the King spat, as he tossed Rose aside. The air rushed to her lungs, burning, making her chest tight. Her heart had already stopped, though she was still alive.

She should have been grateful. Somehow, she wasn’t able to be.

Ventane fell to his knees before the King. "Punish this servant.." he pleaded. Anything to keep Rose safe. He would endure any punishments that the King chose, if it meant sparing Rose.

"Fool..." Rose gasped softly.

The Elven King looked at her. He made a gesture. Rose felt her chest fall. She felt hardened hands against her arms, pulling her back.

He walked to her.

Drawing his hand back, he brought it down upon her throat. A flash of metal caught Rose's eye as blood trickled from her throat.

"She can't use magiks. You lied to me, Wizardling." The King spat angrily, "Throw her in the pit. Take him and place him in the one behind Her Highness's Gardens. Make sure that they are far apart from one another. I do not need any more meddling from these two. When you take her.. Make sure that nobody is foolish enough to pity her." He turned his back on Rose, "Or the Wizardling either."

*

Rose was thrown unceremoniously into a rough hewn pit in a dark, cold place. Snow and frost lined the walls. Her feet were still bare. Her mind was already numb, letting her body join, Rose sank to her knees. She buried her face against her clothing.

'I should be hopeful. He's done something like this before.' she thought bitterly, remembering how Ventane had been the one to accuse her of meddling with the Kings' magic. However, she couldn't help but wonder how much of everything she had experienced was a lie.

Closing her eyes, Rose sobbed softly.

Something cold fluttered against her hand. She looked up briefly noting that it had begun to snow again.

Rose found that she no longer cared. She sniffled pitifully, running her hand across her eyes. Giving up, finally, she said it:

"It's over."

*

"Rose?" came the voice, "Rose? Are you here? I can't see you."

The voice..

"Tilly?" she called out timidly.

"Oh, thank Goddess. I was so afraid that I would be unable to find you. All the protections have been fortified over the past couple of days. I thought for certain that you and Ventane were discovered!"

Snorting, Rose confirmed it, "They did. I'm in a hole. I don't know where Ventane is." she confessed.

There was silence. "I can't keep this spell up, Rose. Where are you? Do you know? Can you see anything?"

"No. It's dark. I'm in a hole." she repeated.

Tilly sounded distraught, "Rose, don't worry. Ventane and I.. We'll find you." she said gently, "I've been working on as powerful a spell as I could get my hands on... it's almost complete, but in order for it to take completion, Ventane has to perform his-"

"He's in another hole somewhere, Tilly. Didn't you hear me? They found us out."

Tilly's voice was silent for a long moment.

"They'll have him bound so that he is unable to use his magiks for as long as you remain alive."

"The yellow light?"

"Yes. Rose.. don't lose faith. We worship differently.. we pray differently, but it is the same God.. and She listens.. He listens. I promise."

"There's nobody listening, Tilly. Ventane lied. Nothing is happening. He's not able to do anything now. I'm in a pit, Tilly. A hole. In the snow. Six days and I'm dead."