The Rose Revolution (working title)

Chapter Six - Ravina

"Do you think we can just ... run away?"

It was a stupid question, and I realized it even as I asked it. I already knew the obvious answer was no, and that escape would never be a possibility for us. Our royal blood bound us in chains, along with the fear of what our mother would do once we fled.

I was sitting on Rennard's bedside in his minimalistic room within the servants' quarters. He lay on his stomach, shirtless, a horrendous gash streaked across his pale back. His tight grip on my hand had loosened, but we still held on. Our cheeks were sticky with dried tear stains, our eyes and noses reddened.

It was the second time Mother lashed out at Ren. We were only eleven.

The first time it happened was half a year before. I'd had no knowledge of it. The castle had been deathly quiet, save for Rennard's high-pitched screams of agony. My bedroom being in close proximity to the throne room, I was able to hear it go on and on. "What's happening? What is she doing to him? Let me go! RENNARD!" I kept crying and shrieking at Sergio, who was under orders to keep me in my room as it happened. My tiny hands were balled into fists as I banged them against his armor, begging him to let me out, disregarding the futility of what I was doing, for he just remained statuesque and stoic, a grim and pained expression on his face.

When Ren's cries of pain had finally ceased, I crumpled to the floor in heaving sobs, and not long afterward, Sergio carried me down to see him as the servants dressed his wounds. I had expected him to be crying still as they did it, but Ren just looked ... empty. Hollow. As if there was not even a single tear left in him. "I'm sorry, I'm sorry, Ren please look at me, I'm so sorry," I kept whispering through ragged sobs, but he just stayed still, staring at empty space. Not once looking at me.

I had no idea then how often this exact moment would repeat itself over the years.

The second time I also hadn't been aware. I had been out of the castle, on a carriage ride with Sergio within the cobbled streets of Farenhold. Out of the window I saw the citizens gasp at the sight of a royal carriage, some of them waving and smiling, shouting "Princess!", "May the Seven bless you, Princess Ravina!". I was being taken to a dressmaker; Mother had originally wanted to summon him to the castle, but I quickly begged her to let me go visit his shop instead. The castle walls were stifling me, and I was eager to avoid a day of lessons to visit the town. I didn't care for trying on dresses, but it at least provided me an excuse.

I'd immediately rushed to the servants' quarters when I arrived back home, grinning brightly as I couldn't wait to tell Ren all about my trip to town, but as soon as I got there, the somber mood was an immediate indication that something was horribly wrong. Then I found Ren in the same state as just weeks before, another fresh set of scars marring his back.

I had blamed Sergio for it afterward, even though he swore to me that he also had no idea. In hindsight, I realize I should have believed him; Sergio would be the type of person who would withhold things from me to keep me from getting hurt, but he would never lie. His loyalty would not have allowed it.

But for as much as I blamed him, I of course blamed myself even more.

And so there I was that evening, holding Ren's hand as he rested, brushing the silvery blond hair out of his worn face. Like I'd said, we were only eleven at the time, but I saw such a deep pain and wisdom in his steely eyes that aged him, as if he were years older than me. In that moment, I simultaneously admired his strength and cursed my weakness.

"You know we can't," he answered me, his voice hoarse and broken. "Mother would tear the queendom apart to find us."

"But if we could?" I asked, wanting to indulge in the fantasy that we could just free ourselves from all of this. "What do you think we would do?"