Rosalie's Kingdom {OLD VERSION- INCOMPLETE}

Chapter 34

 Corvin held Rosalie's hand as they walked through the castle the next day. Both of them had bags on their shoulders packed with clothes enough for a few weeks. Twila, despite assuring them that their path would be mostly safe, suggested that they wear some form of armor.

Ro was dressed nearly the same as she had been during her duel with Deidra, but with a clean set of clothes; her hands were wrapped, her armor gleamed, and her swords were strapped securely to her waist. As one of her weapons, she had the same long pouches tucked into her boots and filled with water for her to use. Of course, one couldn't forget the nine knives she loved to conceal.

She glanced at Corvin, taking in his appearance. "Won't you get tired wearing so much armor?" she finally asked. He chuckled at her question and looked down at his armor.

It was pale gold in color, much like his cast when he weaved. The chestplate and pauldron were segmented and trailed down to cover his thighs, and a design was etched in it. Overall, it looked nice, but heavy, and seemed to be a little too much, especially with the dark blue travelling cloak he had on his shoulders. "Don't you think you're a little, uh, overdressed?"

"He's fine, Rosalie," Twila said, leading them to the king's study where Gaius had told them to meet. "And like your own, his armor is enchanted to weigh significantly less than what it should be. You aren't the only one with Fae crafted gear."

"Oh." Ro blushed slightly. "How long are we going to stay here before moving on?" she asked, trying to change the topic.

Twila glanced at the princess walking beside her. "Not long," the cat answered. "It's only mid morning now, and depending on how long Gaius takes, we should arrive there before the sun hits the top of the trees."

The trio rounded a corner, bumping into Fausta. The package the knight had been holding slipped from her hands. A purple cast caught it before it hit the ground. "Sorry for that," Fausta said sheepishly, brushing away a few of her stray curls. She smiled at Ro and gestured to the package. "That was for you anyway. Gaius told me that you were going to leave, so..."

"Fausta, you really didn't have to get me-"

"I know, I know," the knight said, holding up her hands. "But I wanted to. I've missed our training sessions, and I figured that you might, as well." Rosalie sighed and unwrapped the brown paper, which Fausta took. The girl held up the pine green fabric and smiled once she realized what it was. "It's like the ones Raoul and I have."

Ro smiled and draped the cloak around her shoulders. In the middle was a silver brooch made with a familiar twisting vine pattern around the edge of the circle. A glance at her armor and swords showed that it was the same. At least it's consistent, she thought. The hood was large enough to cover half her face if she needed it.

"This is...it's beautiful," the girl said, admiring the soft lining and silver thread holding it together. She finally dragged her eyes away to meet Fausta's sparkling green eyes. There was no doubt that Ro had a goofy grin on her face that rivalled the lady knight's own. Their hug didn't last long, as Gaius stepped into sight. Ro turned to her uncle, the smile still present. "Uncle G! Look what Fausta gave me," she said, eager to show it off.

His smile was tight but genuine; his niece easily spotted the stress and tiredness hidden just beneath the surface. The king seemed to brighten at the sight of her. "It's quite a lovely piece," he commented, his eyes landing on the brooch. "I see you took my advice, Fausta."

The woman nodded her head. "Marissa was happy to sell it to me," she explained. "That elf is master of her craft." Fausta took another step towards Rosalie, letting her fingers brush against the girl's armor. "It seems she's fond of vines." Ro shrugged.